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[[AC:Video Games]]



* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' and ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIIThroneOfBhaal'', among the hack'n'slashing, spell-slinging fights, there's a few places where the only way to move forward is... solving math and logic problems. The Circus Tent quest on Waukeen's Promenade and the riddling imp in Watcher's Keep come to mind.
* At least one dungeon in ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}'' randomly includes math problems you have to solve. Though its challenge comes from the block pushing.
* Justified in the earlier games of the ''Franchise/CarmenSandiego'' series. In these games, you had to chase globe-hopping crooks around the world by using clues to figure out where they went next. (With some rather bizarre hints that seem rather contrived.) Later games in the series, however, embraced Alphabet Soup Cans more fully.
** ''VideoGame/WhereInTimeIsCarmenSandiego1997'' zig-zags this. Sometimes this is justifiable a bit in that you are doing something that the culture you are visiting ''did'' do, like keep track of all the surplus food and supplies for the Incans (using their accounting systems), and rehearsing the openings of Beethoven's symphonies because he is busy writing down the notes to the ''full'' ones in another room. A few times it seems a little more contrived, like how guards will not let you in a season themed room until Renee Sance's kimono matches the theme of the room. (Apparently they can't just ''ask'' the guards to adjust the mirror. Either way that's one ''strange'' duty they have.)

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* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' and ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIIThroneOfBhaal'', among the hack'n'slashing, spell-slinging fights, there's there are a few places where the only way to move forward is... solving math and logic problems. The Circus Tent quest on Waukeen's Promenade and the riddling imp in Watcher's Keep come to mind.
* ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}'': At least one dungeon in ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}'' randomly includes math problems you have to solve. Though However, its challenge comes from the block pushing.
* Justified ''Franchise/CarmenSandiego'': {{Justified|Trope}} in the earlier games of the ''Franchise/CarmenSandiego'' series. In these games, you had to chase globe-hopping crooks around the world by using clues to figure out where they went next. (With some rather bizarre hints that seem rather contrived.) Later games in the series, however, embraced Alphabet Soup Cans more fully.
** ''VideoGame/WhereInTimeIsCarmenSandiego1997'' zig-zags this. Sometimes this is justifiable a bit in that you are doing something that the culture you are visiting ''did'' do, like keep track of all the surplus food and supplies for the Incans (using their accounting systems), and rehearsing the openings of Beethoven's symphonies because he is busy writing down the notes to the ''full'' ones in another room. A few times it seems a little more contrived, like how guards will not let you in a season themed season-themed room until Renee Sance's kimono matches the theme of the room. (Apparently (Apparently, they can't just ''ask'' the guards to adjust the mirror. Either way way, that's one ''strange'' duty they have.)



* The original TropeNamer puzzle for SolveTheSoupCans from ''VideoGame/TheSeventhGuest'' used literal AlphabetSoupCans, which had to be rearranged to spell a message. The puzzle was made somewhat excruciating by the fact that ''there were no vowels''. The trick: [[spoiler:in English, the letter "Y" counts as a vowel if there are no other vowels in the syllable - think "shy" or "crypt" or "why".]] The player could also check the in-game hintbook, which offers a hint that makes the puzzle much easier to solve with a thesaurus.

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* The original TropeNamer puzzle for SolveTheSoupCans from ''VideoGame/TheSeventhGuest'' used literal AlphabetSoupCans, which had to be rearranged to spell a message. The puzzle was made somewhat excruciating by the fact that ''there were no vowels''. The trick: [[spoiler:in English, the letter "Y" counts as a vowel if there are no other vowels in the syllable - think "shy" or "crypt" or "why".]] The player could also check the in-game hintbook, hint book, which offers a hint that makes the puzzle much easier to solve with a thesaurus.



** Played straighter in ''Gizmos & Gadgets!'' and ''Mission: T.H.I.N.K.'', with the locked puzzle doors that made up the bulk of the game. The end challenges, vehicle races and strategy games respectively, were more in context as those were Morty's conditions of beating him.
** The ''Super Seekers'' titles for younger players would play this straight. ''Treasure Mountain!'' and ''Treasure Cove!'' would give you clues on where to find treasure if you caught those who would ask you simple questions. ''Treasure [=MathStorm=]!'' and ''Treasure Galaxy!'' added to this by granting currency for solving various math-related tasks, but still retained the soup-can style problems for treasure retrieval.

to:

** Played straighter in ''Gizmos & Gadgets!'' and ''Mission: T.H.I.N.K.'', with the locked puzzle doors that made up the bulk of the game. The end challenges, vehicle races and strategy games respectively, were more in context as those were Morty's conditions of for beating him.
** The ''Super Seekers'' titles for younger players would play this straight. ''Treasure Mountain!'' and ''Treasure Cove!'' would give you clues on where to find treasure if you caught those who would ask you simple questions. ''Treasure [=MathStorm=]!'' and ''Treasure Galaxy!'' added to this by granting currency for solving various math-related tasks, but still retained the soup-can style soup-can-style problems for treasure retrieval.



* Sidescroller ''Word Rescue'' had literal alphabet soup cans, unsurprising since the entire aim of the game was to save words from being stolen by evil gruzzles. Something similar happened with its sister game, MathRescue.

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* Sidescroller ''Word Rescue'' ''VideoGame/WordRescue'' had literal alphabet soup cans, unsurprising since the entire aim of the game was to save words from being stolen by evil gruzzles. Something similar happened with its sister game, MathRescue.
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[[quoteright:1000:[[VideoGame/JumpStartAdventures3rdGradeMysteryMountain https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/js3gkd.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:1000:This combination lock can only be cracked with the knowledge of third-grade math!]]
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* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGate2'' and ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', among the hack'n'slashing, spell-slinging fights, there's a few places where the only way to move forward is... solving math and logic problems. The Circus Tent quest on Waukeen's Promenade and the riddling imp in Watcher's Keep come to mind.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGate2'' ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'' and ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIIThroneOfBhaal'', among the hack'n'slashing, spell-slinging fights, there's a few places where the only way to move forward is... solving math and logic problems. The Circus Tent quest on Waukeen's Promenade and the riddling imp in Watcher's Keep come to mind.
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Fixed poorly worded entry and removed Word Cruft.


* This was more or less the plot of the PBS kids' show WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}. The protagonists would usually end up using a simple math-related technique (like a Venn diagram, the principle of ratios, or the ability to measure things) to nab the villain and save the day.

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* This was more or less the plot of In the PBS kids' show WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}. The WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}, OncePerEpisode there would be some sort of problem in Cyberspace, usually caused by the BigBad or a MonsterOfTheWeek. It is always something that the protagonists would usually end up using are able to resolve by utilizing a simple math-related technique (like technique, like a Venn diagram, the principle of ratios, or the ability to measure things) to nab things. Later seasons shift the villain and save subject from math to science, while otherwise keeping the day.formula of the episodes the same.
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Silent Hill 3 is not an educational game.


* In ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'', when playing on the hard puzzle difficulty, one of the first puzzles you encounter tests your knowledge of Creator/WilliamShakespeare.
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* Justified on some occasions when the cans are used as an interface (such as ''Typing of the Dead'', where the player's typing makes them shoot the zombies rather than have the zombies being killed by typing words).

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* Justified on some occasions when the cans are used as an interface (such as ''Typing ''[[VideoGame/HouseOfTheDead Typing of the Dead'', Dead]]'', where the player's typing makes them shoot the zombies rather than have the zombies being killed by typing words).
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* The ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' series. Puzzles can require anything from basic arithmetic all the way up to geometry. (Sometimes, however, these are subverted, when a puzzle that seems to involve math actually has a simpler answer.)

to:

* The ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' series. Puzzles can require anything from basic arithmetic all the way up to geometry. (Sometimes, however, these are subverted, when a puzzle that seems to involve math actually has a simpler answer.) ''Webcomic/AwkwardZombie'' demonstrates [[https://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic/pythagorean-fear-em here]])
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* On ''VideoGame/{{Poptropica}}'''s Mythology Island, you need Aphrodite's magic mirror to travel around easier. She'll only give it to you if you solve a Hangman game involving the names of various Greek gods.

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Alphabetized the article


%%This examples list has been alphabetized. Please add your example in alphabetical order. Thank you!



* ''VideoGame/AgentUSA'' consists of the eponymous character traveling to train stations in the U.S. fighting off a pseudo ZombieApocalypse. However, you can only track the plague through various info booths, and those can only be found in...state capitals! How convenient!
* Every character in ''VideoGame/{{Anachronox}}'' has a "world skill" that can be used to further the plot or score rare items; to use it, you have to play timed minigames. From Rho's Analyse (match pictures to form a domino chain) to Sly's Lockpick (figure out a series of numbers) to Democratus' Tractor Beam (prevent the rest of the council from filing too many votes against using the beam... by ''yelling'' at them).
* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGate2'' and ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', among the hack'n'slashing, spell-slinging fights, there's a few places where the only way to move forward is... solving math and logic problems. The Circus Tent quest on Waukeen's Promenade and the riddling imp in Watcher's Keep come to mind.
* At least one dungeon in ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}'' randomly includes math problems you have to solve. Though its challenge comes from the block pushing.



* In the ''[[VideoGame/BlasterSeries Math/Reading Blaster]]'' series, you fight intergalactic villains with mathematics and language arts.
** {{Lampshaded}} at the end of ''VideoGame/MathBlasterAges912'' in which the main characters pretend to leave their RobotBuddy Spot behind and Spot, who isn't in on it, protests "But what about all those years of solving math problems together!"
* In ''VideoGame/IMMeen'', the player advances at certain points by... fixing grammatical mistakes in texts.

to:

* In This was more or less the ''[[VideoGame/BlasterSeries Math/Reading Blaster]]'' series, you fight intergalactic villains with mathematics plot of the PBS kids' show WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}. The protagonists would usually end up using a simple math-related technique (like a Venn diagram, the principle of ratios, or the ability to measure things) to nab the villain and language arts.
** {{Lampshaded}} at
save the end of ''VideoGame/MathBlasterAges912'' in which day.
* These pop up on television, too. For instance, WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer can't cross a bridge until she picks out
the main characters pretend right planks to leave their RobotBuddy Spot behind fill in the missing holes, and Spot, who isn't asks the viewer for help - however the gaps in on it, protests "But what about all those years the bridge are plenty small for even a stubby-legged explorer like Dora to step right over and move along.
* ''VideoGame/ElroyGoesBugzerk'' has a couple
of solving math problems together!"
* In ''VideoGame/IMMeen'',
doors that only open if the player advances at certain points by... fixing grammatical mistakes answers a question about bugs.
* [[http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/sega-announces-english-of-the-dead-for-ds/ English of the Dead.]] Translate words. Kill Zombies.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' on the DS, Rydia's minigame for leveling up Whyt (a summon who can be used
in texts.battle and multiplayer mode) is to perform various mathematical operations on four numbers in order to get the end result to equal ten. Worse, you need to do this as many times as possible in one minute. Other ''Final Fantasy'' games have similar Easter Eggs, some of which are plot relevant.
* Website/FunBrain is a website with an "arcade" consisting of 100% alphabet soup cans that let the player, say, perform long division to get a freethrow in basketball, unlock an Egyptian tomb or even drag a dandelion seed onto a flower.



* The ''VideoGame/ReaderRabbit''/''VideoGame/TheClueFinders'' series.
** Sometimes justifiable regarding ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders'', in which some challenges simply have you doing somebody a favour to get a reward, such as cutting bolts of fabric into fractions, helping a barista put coffee on a tray, assembling proper data for a Librarian's book, or putting a fence around a pit so a monkey can't fall into it. But other times, they're simply just locked doors you have to answer word problems or [[TrialAndErrorGameplay hypothesize what the password is]], or building bridges to cross pits. Either by spelling words, answering word problems, or linking tiles together to form a chain to the end. (In the latter, you're never told ''what'' the pattern is, usually beyond one of the characters saying "There's got to be a pattern here...")
*** One challenge actually forms a bit of FridgeHorror. The Biosphere chambers are a simple Predator-Prey simulation deal. [[spoiler: But the aliens eat brains...the experiments are to tell them ''how many'' they need before going back. And considering the final tank has humans...]]
** {{Parodied}} by ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' with "Rabbit Algebra." Solve for X!
* Many of the ''VideoGame/SuperSolvers'' puzzles had actual context in the game.
** ''Midnight Rescue!'' had Morty leave random notes lying around as clues, but many of the notes were related to Morty's backstory, the school that was being painted invisible and the students who attended there, as well as other things going on in the town of Shady Glen; the additional passages from novels are more in line with out-of-context.
** ''[=OutNumbered=]!'' took place inside a television station, and puzzles were generally about how much one won during a game show or how many supplies there were in a closet, or how many minutes of footage were cut; the equation drilling with Telly to get the room code was less in context.
** ''Spellbound!'' was made up of nothing but spelling practice drills because the whole plot revolved around Morty challenging the Super Solvers to a spelling bee.
** Played straighter in ''Gizmos & Gadgets!'' and ''Mission: T.H.I.N.K.'', with the locked puzzle doors that made up the bulk of the game. The end challenges, vehicle races and strategy games respectively, were more in context as those were Morty's conditions of beating him.
** The ''Super Seekers'' titles for younger players would play this straight. ''Treasure Mountain!'' and ''Treasure Cove!'' would give you clues on where to find treasure if you caught those who would ask you simple questions. ''Treasure [=MathStorm=]!'' and ''Treasure Galaxy!'' added to this by granting currency for solving various math-related tasks, but still retained the soup-can style problems for treasure retrieval.
** The DolledUpInstallment ''Operation Neptune'' focused on math problems, but each one given was themed in relation to your undersea salvage mission. Played straighter with the end-level resupply station locks.
* Justified on some occasions when the cans are used as an interface (such as ''Typing of the Dead'', where the player's typing makes them shoot the zombies rather than have the zombies being killed by typing words).

to:

* The ''VideoGame/ReaderRabbit''/''VideoGame/TheClueFinders'' series.
** Sometimes justifiable regarding ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders'',
In ''VideoGame/IMMeen'', the player advances at certain points by... fixing grammatical mistakes in which some challenges simply have texts.
* Almost half the puzzles in ''The Island of Dr Brain'' are Alphabet Soup Cans. It eventually gets pretty annoying especially since the first game had much more variety in its puzzles, and while they were all SolveTheSoupCans puzzles as well, they still made more sense in the context of the game.
* These sorts of puzzles -- specifically, math problems -- were the entire point of the text adventure ''The Lantern of D'Gamma.''
* All of the activities in the ''VideoGame/LearningVoyage'' series of games. For example, in one activity,
you doing somebody a favour need to get find the predicate in a reward, such as cutting bolts of fabric into fractions, helping a barista put coffee on a tray, assembling proper data for a Librarian's book, or putting a fence around a pit so sentence in order to make a monkey can't fall climb a tree. Once you've figured them all out, the monkey will dive into it. But other times, they're simply just locked doors you have to answer word problems or [[TrialAndErrorGameplay hypothesize what the password is]], or building bridges to cross pits. Either by spelling words, answering word problems, or linking tiles together to form a chain to the end. (In the latter, you're never told ''what'' the pattern is, usually beyond one puddle of the characters saying "There's got to be a pattern here...")
*** One challenge actually forms a bit of FridgeHorror. The Biosphere chambers are a simple Predator-Prey simulation deal. [[spoiler: But the aliens eat brains...the experiments are to tell them ''how many'' they need before going back. And considering the final tank has humans...]]
** {{Parodied}} by ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' with "Rabbit Algebra." Solve for X!
* Many of the ''VideoGame/SuperSolvers'' puzzles had actual context in the game.
** ''Midnight Rescue!'' had Morty leave random notes lying around as clues, but many of the notes were related to Morty's backstory, the school that was being painted invisible and the students who attended there, as well as other things going on in the town of Shady Glen; the additional passages from novels are more in line with out-of-context.
** ''[=OutNumbered=]!'' took place inside a television station, and puzzles were generally about how much one won during a game show or how many supplies there were in a closet, or how many minutes of footage were cut; the equation drilling with Telly to get the room code was less in context.
** ''Spellbound!'' was made up of nothing but spelling practice drills because the whole plot revolved around Morty challenging the Super Solvers to a spelling bee.
** Played straighter in ''Gizmos & Gadgets!'' and ''Mission: T.H.I.N.K.'', with the locked puzzle doors that made up the bulk of the game. The end challenges, vehicle races and strategy games respectively, were more in context as those were Morty's conditions of beating him.
** The ''Super Seekers'' titles for younger players would play this straight. ''Treasure Mountain!'' and ''Treasure Cove!'' would give you clues on where to find treasure if you caught those who would ask you simple questions. ''Treasure [=MathStorm=]!'' and ''Treasure Galaxy!'' added to this by granting currency for solving various math-related tasks, but still retained the soup-can style problems for treasure retrieval.
** The DolledUpInstallment ''Operation Neptune'' focused on math problems, but each one given was themed in relation to your undersea salvage mission. Played straighter with the end-level resupply station locks.
* Justified on some occasions when the cans are used as an interface (such as ''Typing of the Dead'', where the player's typing makes them shoot the zombies rather than have the zombies being killed by typing words).
water.



* ''NumberMaze Challenge'' was pretty much the same thing, except without gems, spiders, or dragons.
* A game called "Quarter Mile Math" had you solving math problems to make your horse (or racecar) go faster, in what may be a unique example of an educational racing game.
* In a desperate measure to avoid actual [[ProgrammingGame programming minigames]] or the traditional ''VideoGame/PipeDream''-style [[HackingMinigame alternative]] and yet still have some kind of thematically fitting puzzle for computer [[HollywoodHacking cracking]], ''[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic KoTOR]]'''s developers inserted simple math quizzes using the dialog system.
** Both ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''Franchise/MassEffect'' feature the famous TowersOfHanoi puzzle, and it's only skippable in the latter for a very high [[AppliedPhlebotinum omni-gel]] cost.
* In ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'', in the Museum stage, Aya has to answer several questions about prehistory and fossils. They're not needed to advance the plot, but by answering them right she can get much needed ammo and medicines.
* Almost half the puzzles in ''The Island of Dr Brain'' are Alphabet Soup Cans. It eventually gets pretty annoying especially since the first game had much more variety in its puzzles, and while they were all SolveTheSoupCans puzzles as well, they still made more sense in the context of the game.

to:

* ''NumberMaze Challenge'' was pretty much In the same thing, except without gems, spiders, or dragons.
* A game called "Quarter Mile Math" had
''[[VideoGame/BlasterSeries Math/Reading Blaster]]'' series, you fight intergalactic villains with mathematics and language arts.
** {{Lampshaded}} at the end of ''VideoGame/MathBlasterAges912'' in which the main characters pretend to leave their RobotBuddy Spot behind and Spot, who isn't in on it, protests "But what about all those years of
solving math problems together!"
* The entire gameplay of ''VideoGame/MarioIsMissing''. You must return artifacts
to make your horse (or racecar) go faster, in what may be a unique example of an educational racing game.
* In a desperate measure to avoid actual [[ProgrammingGame programming minigames]] or the traditional ''VideoGame/PipeDream''-style [[HackingMinigame alternative]] and yet still have some kind of thematically fitting puzzle for computer [[HollywoodHacking cracking]], ''[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic KoTOR]]'''s developers inserted simple math quizzes using the dialog system.
** Both ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''Franchise/MassEffect'' feature the famous TowersOfHanoi puzzle, and it's only skippable
their proper places by jumping on (literally) harmless Koopa Troopas, in the latter hopes that they will drop one of the three {{MacGuffin}}s you're looking for a very high [[AppliedPhlebotinum omni-gel]] cost.
* In ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'',
in the Museum stage, Aya has that area. ''Then'', you have to answer several trivia questions about prehistory ''about'' the item to "prove" you have the real thing so they'll take it back. You ''also'' have to ask the locals various questions to try to figure out where you are so that, once you've returned all the artifacts, you can leave on Yoshi's back. Do this with three cities in each chamber, and fossils. They're not needed to advance the plot, but by answering them right she can you get much needed ammo to [[CurbStompBattle "fight"]] one of Bowser's kids. Do ''that'' whole mess three times, and medicines.
you [[CutsceneBoss "fight"]] Bowser. Congrats. You win.
* Almost half the puzzles in ''The Island of Dr Brain'' are Alphabet Soup Cans. It eventually gets pretty annoying especially since the first ''Mean City'', a language-training game had much more variety from the late nineties, features this in its puzzles, full force - and while they were all SolveTheSoupCans puzzles as well, they still made more sense in it would almost be justified considering the context of main antagonist is a former language teacher driven insane by her students, if not for the game.fact that you don't actually get most of your challenges from her at all, and instead you have to solve word problems just to ''exchange money at the bank''.



* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' on the DS, Rydia's minigame for leveling up Whyt (a summon who can be used in battle and multiplayer mode) is to perform various mathematical operations on four numbers in order to get the end result to equal ten. Worse, you need to do this as many times as possible in one minute. Other ''Final Fantasy'' games have similar Easter Eggs, some of which are plot relevant.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' on Many of the DS, Rydia's minigame for leveling up Whyt (a summon who can be used in battle early ''{{Microzine}}'' Twistaplot and multiplayer mode) Twistadventure games had some form of Alphabet Soup Cans. They would later switch to more traditional puzzles.
* ''VideoGame/MischiefMakers'' has a sports competition about halfway through the game in the form of a series of mini-games. Strangely the penultimate game
is called "Mathfun," and involves rapidly solving simple math problems before your opponent can. No explanation as to perform given as to why this event was chosen over Skipping Rope, which was stated to not be in the festival this year.
* The Creator/{{Konami}} game ''Monkey Academy'' had the player jump around platform levels and pull down numbers to find the solution to an elementary arithmetic problem.
* The
various mathematical operations on four numbers in order to get the end result to equal ten. Worse, you need to do this as many times as possible in one minute. Other ''Final Fantasy'' ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}'' games have similar Easter Eggs, some of which force you to learn both a written language (at least in part) and a numerical system. Justified in that they are plot relevant.both needed to solve various puzzles.
** The device that you can use to learn ''VideoGame/{{Riven}}'''s numerical system is justified by being in a classroom (although its importance is elsewhere).
** ''VideoGame/MystIIIExile'' justifies educational type puzzles with the fact that the setting was originally created as a training course for Atrus' sons. The age of J'nanin specifically is a course on the types of energy an age can draw on - Kinetic (Amateria), Natural (Edanna) and Mechanical (Voltaic) - culminating in a civilized age (Narayan) where all three forms of energy are being brought into balance. In Riven, that's not a puzzle so much as an in-universe version of AlphabetSoupCans.
** ''VideoGame/MystIVRevelation'' requires you to learn a few words in a primitive monkey language, and also recognize the tracks of various animals (there are guides for both of these elsewhere in the Age). Earlier, a puzzle requires you to transliterate the D'ni alphabet, using Yeesha's homework as a guide.
* ''NumberMaze Challenge'' was pretty much the same thing, except without gems, spiders, or dragons.



* [[http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/sega-announces-english-of-the-dead-for-ds/ English of the Dead.]] Translate words. Kill Zombies.

to:

* [[http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/07/sega-announces-english-of-the-dead-for-ds/ English The Library Island Arc of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' had the Dead.]] Translate words. Kill Zombies.Baka Rangers running from a living statue, while their way kept being blocked by doors with math and english problems on them. Naturally, [[LampshadeHanging they're baffled]] as to why the hell these things are in their way. After the fact [[spoiler: it's implied that the Headmaster [[BatmanGambit set the whole thing]] up to get them to study for their finals]].
* In ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'', in the Museum stage, Aya has to answer several questions about prehistory and fossils. They're not needed to advance the plot, but by answering them right she can get much needed ammo and medicines.
* The ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' series. Puzzles can require anything from basic arithmetic all the way up to geometry. (Sometimes, however, these are subverted, when a puzzle that seems to involve math actually has a simpler answer.)
* In a desperate measure to avoid actual [[ProgrammingGame programming minigames]] or the traditional ''VideoGame/PipeDream''-style [[HackingMinigame alternative]] and yet still have some kind of thematically fitting puzzle for computer [[HollywoodHacking cracking]], ''[[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic KoTOR]]'''s developers inserted simple math quizzes using the dialog system.
** Both ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' and ''Franchise/MassEffect'' feature the famous TowersOfHanoi puzzle, and it's only skippable in the latter for a very high [[AppliedPhlebotinum omni-gel]] cost.



* Every character in ''VideoGame/{{Anachronox}}'' has a "world skill" that can be used to further the plot or score rare items; to use it, you have to play timed minigames. From Rho's Analyse (match pictures to form a domino chain) to Sly's Lockpick (figure out a series of numbers) to Democratus' Tractor Beam (prevent the rest of the council from filing too many votes against using the beam... by ''yelling'' at them).

to:

* Every character A game called "Quarter Mile Math" had you solving math problems to make your horse (or racecar) go faster, in ''VideoGame/{{Anachronox}}'' has a "world skill" that can what may be used a unique example of an educational racing game.
* The ''VideoGame/ReaderRabbit''/''VideoGame/TheClueFinders'' series.
** Sometimes justifiable regarding ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders'', in which some challenges simply have you doing somebody a favour
to further the plot get a reward, such as cutting bolts of fabric into fractions, helping a barista put coffee on a tray, assembling proper data for a Librarian's book, or score rare items; to use it, putting a fence around a pit so a monkey can't fall into it. But other times, they're simply just locked doors you have to play timed minigames. From Rho's Analyse (match pictures answer word problems or [[TrialAndErrorGameplay hypothesize what the password is]], or building bridges to cross pits. Either by spelling words, answering word problems, or linking tiles together to form a domino chain) chain to Sly's Lockpick (figure out a series of numbers) to Democratus' Tractor Beam (prevent the rest end. (In the latter, you're never told ''what'' the pattern is, usually beyond one of the council from filing too many votes against using characters saying "There's got to be a pattern here...")
*** One challenge actually forms a bit of FridgeHorror. The Biosphere chambers are a simple Predator-Prey simulation deal. [[spoiler: But
the beam... aliens eat brains...the experiments are to tell them ''how many'' they need before going back. And considering the final tank has humans...]]
** {{Parodied}}
by ''yelling'' at them).''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' with "Rabbit Algebra." Solve for X!



* ''VideoGame/MischiefMakers'' has a sports competition about halfway through the game in the form of a series of mini-games. Strangely the penultimate game is called "Mathfun," and involves rapidly solving simple math problems before your opponent can. No explanation as to given as to why this event was chosen over Skipping Rope, which was stated to not be in the festival this year.
* The Library Island Arc of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' had the Baka Rangers running from a living statue, while their way kept being blocked by doors with math and english problems on them. Naturally, [[LampshadeHanging they're baffled]] as to why the hell these things are in their way. After the fact [[spoiler: it's implied that the Headmaster [[BatmanGambit set the whole thing]] up to get them to study for their finals]].



* The various ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}'' games force you to learn both a written language (at least in part) and a numerical system. Justified in that they are both needed to solve various puzzles.
** The device that you can use to learn ''VideoGame/{{Riven}}'''s numerical system is justified by being in a classroom (although its importance is elsewhere).
** ''VideoGame/MystIIIExile'' justifies educational type puzzles with the fact that the setting was originally created as a training course for Atrus' sons. The age of J'nanin specifically is a course on the types of energy an age can draw on - Kinetic (Amateria), Natural (Edanna) and Mechanical (Voltaic) - culminating in a civilized age (Narayan) where all three forms of energy are being brought into balance. In Riven, that's not a puzzle so much as an in-universe version of AlphabetSoupCans.
** ''VideoGame/MystIVRevelation'' requires you to learn a few words in a primitive monkey language, and also recognize the tracks of various animals (there are guides for both of these elsewhere in the Age). Earlier, a puzzle requires you to transliterate the D'ni alphabet, using Yeesha's homework as a guide.
* At least one dungeon in ''VideoGame/{{Boktai}}'' randomly includes math problems you have to solve. Though its challenge comes from the block pushing.
* Website/FunBrain is a website with an "arcade" consisting of 100% alphabet soup cans that let the player, say, perform long division to get a freethrow in basketball, unlock an Egyptian tomb or even drag a dandelion seed onto a flower.
* These pop up on television, too. For instance, WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer can't cross a bridge until she picks out the right planks to fill in the missing holes, and asks the viewer for help - however the gaps in the bridge are plenty small for even a stubby-legged explorer like Dora to step right over and move along.
* This was more or less the plot of the PBS kids' show WesternAnimation/{{Cyberchase}}. The protagonists would usually end up using a simple math-related technique (like a Venn diagram, the principle of ratios, or the ability to measure things) to nab the villain and save the day.
* Sidescroller ''Word Rescue'' had literal alphabet soup cans, unsurprising since the entire aim of the game was to save words from being stolen by evil gruzzles. Something similar happened with its sister game, MathRescue.



* The entire gameplay of ''VideoGame/MarioIsMissing''. You must return artifacts to their proper places by jumping on (literally) harmless Koopa Troopas, in the hopes that they will drop one of the three {{MacGuffin}}s you're looking for in that area. ''Then'', you have to answer trivia questions ''about'' the item to "prove" you have the real thing so they'll take it back. You ''also'' have to ask the locals various questions to try to figure out where you are so that, once you've returned all the artifacts, you can leave on Yoshi's back. Do this with three cities in each chamber, and you get to [[CurbStompBattle "fight"]] one of Bowser's kids. Do ''that'' whole mess three times, and you [[CutsceneBoss "fight"]] Bowser. Congrats. You win.
* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGate2'' and ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', among the hack'n'slashing, spell-slinging fights, there's a few places where the only way to move forward is... solving math and logic problems. The Circus Tent quest on Waukeen's Promenade and the riddling imp in Watcher's Keep come to mind.
* ''VideoGame/AgentUSA'' consists of the eponymous character traveling to train stations in the U.S. fighting off a pseudo ZombieApocalypse. However, you can only track the plague through various info booths, and those can only be found in...state capitals! How convenient!
* ''Mean City'', a language-training game from the late nineties, features this in full force - and it would almost be justified considering the main antagonist is a former language teacher driven insane by her students, if not for the fact that you don't actually get most of your challenges from her at all, and instead you have to solve word problems just to ''exchange money at the bank''.
* Many of the early ''{{Microzine}}'' Twistaplot and Twistadventure games had some form of Alphabet Soup Cans. They would later switch to more traditional puzzles.
* The ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' series. Puzzles can require anything from basic arithmetic all the way up to geometry. (Sometimes, however, these are subverted, when a puzzle that seems to involve math actually has a simpler answer.)
* The Creator/{{Konami}} game ''Monkey Academy'' had the player jump around platform levels and pull down numbers to find the solution to an elementary arithmetic problem.
* All of the activities in the ''VideoGame/LearningVoyage'' series of games. For example, in one activity, you need to find the predicate in a sentence in order to make a monkey climb a tree. Once you've figured them all out, the monkey will dive into a puddle of water.
* These sorts of puzzles -- specifically, math problems -- were the entire point of the text adventure ''The Lantern of D'Gamma.''
* ''VideoGame/ElroyGoesBugzerk'' has a couple of doors that only open if the player answers a question about bugs.

to:

* The entire gameplay of ''VideoGame/MarioIsMissing''. You must return artifacts to their proper places by jumping on (literally) harmless Koopa Troopas, in the hopes that they will drop one of the three {{MacGuffin}}s you're looking for in that area. ''Then'', you have to answer trivia questions ''about'' the item to "prove" you have the real thing so they'll take it back. You ''also'' have to ask the locals various questions to try to figure out where you are so that, once you've returned all the artifacts, you can leave on Yoshi's back. Do this with three cities in each chamber, and you get to [[CurbStompBattle "fight"]] one of Bowser's kids. Do ''that'' whole mess three times, and you [[CutsceneBoss "fight"]] Bowser. Congrats. You win.
* In ''VideoGame/BaldursGate2'' and ''VideoGame/ThroneOfBhaal'', among the hack'n'slashing, spell-slinging fights, there's a few places where the only way to move forward is... solving math and logic problems. The Circus Tent quest on Waukeen's Promenade and the riddling imp in Watcher's Keep come to mind.
* ''VideoGame/AgentUSA'' consists of the eponymous character traveling to train stations in the U.S. fighting off a pseudo ZombieApocalypse. However, you can only track the plague through various info booths, and those can only be found in...state capitals! How convenient!
* ''Mean City'', a language-training game from the late nineties, features this in full force - and it would almost be justified considering the main antagonist is a former language teacher driven insane by her students, if not for the fact that you don't actually get most of your challenges from her at all, and instead you have to solve word problems just to ''exchange money at the bank''.
* Many of the early ''{{Microzine}}'' Twistaplot ''VideoGame/SuperSolvers'' puzzles had actual context in the game.
** ''Midnight Rescue!'' had Morty leave random notes lying around as clues, but many of the notes were related to Morty's backstory, the school that was being painted invisible
and Twistadventure games had some form the students who attended there, as well as other things going on in the town of Alphabet Soup Cans. They would later switch to Shady Glen; the additional passages from novels are more traditional puzzles.
* The ''VideoGame/ProfessorLayton'' series. Puzzles can require anything from basic arithmetic all
in line with out-of-context.
** ''[=OutNumbered=]!'' took place inside a television station, and puzzles were generally about how much one won during a game show or how many supplies there were in a closet, or how many minutes of footage were cut;
the way equation drilling with Telly to get the room code was less in context.
** ''Spellbound!'' was made
up of nothing but spelling practice drills because the whole plot revolved around Morty challenging the Super Solvers to geometry. (Sometimes, however, these are subverted, when a spelling bee.
** Played straighter in ''Gizmos & Gadgets!'' and ''Mission: T.H.I.N.K.'', with the locked
puzzle doors that seems to involve math actually has a simpler answer.)
*
made up the bulk of the game. The Creator/{{Konami}} game ''Monkey Academy'' had the player jump around platform levels end challenges, vehicle races and pull down numbers strategy games respectively, were more in context as those were Morty's conditions of beating him.
** The ''Super Seekers'' titles for younger players would play this straight. ''Treasure Mountain!'' and ''Treasure Cove!'' would give you clues on where
to find treasure if you caught those who would ask you simple questions. ''Treasure [=MathStorm=]!'' and ''Treasure Galaxy!'' added to this by granting currency for solving various math-related tasks, but still retained the solution to an elementary arithmetic problem.
* All of the activities in the ''VideoGame/LearningVoyage'' series of games. For example, in one activity, you need to find the predicate in a sentence in order to make a monkey climb a tree. Once you've figured them all out, the monkey will dive into a puddle of water.
* These sorts of puzzles -- specifically, math
soup-can style problems -- were for treasure retrieval.
** The DolledUpInstallment ''Operation Neptune'' focused on math problems, but each one given was themed in relation to your undersea salvage mission. Played straighter with the end-level resupply station locks.
* Justified on some occasions when the cans are used as an interface (such as ''Typing of the Dead'', where the player's typing makes them shoot the zombies rather than have the zombies being killed by typing words).
* Sidescroller ''Word Rescue'' had literal alphabet soup cans, unsurprising since
the entire point aim of the text adventure ''The Lantern of D'Gamma.''
* ''VideoGame/ElroyGoesBugzerk'' has a couple of doors that only open if the player answers a question about bugs.
game was to save words from being stolen by evil gruzzles. Something similar happened with its sister game, MathRescue.
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Often a result of GameplayAndStorySegregation.

to:

Often a result of GameplayAndStorySegregation. Not to be confused with FunWithAlphabetSoup, the trope for actual alphabet soup.
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** {{Lampshaded}} at the end of ''Math Blaster Ages 9 - 12'' in which the main characters pretend to leave their RobotBuddy Spot behind and Spot, who isn't in on it, protests "But what about all those years of solving math problems together!"

to:

** {{Lampshaded}} at the end of ''Math Blaster Ages 9 - 12'' ''VideoGame/MathBlasterAges912'' in which the main characters pretend to leave their RobotBuddy Spot behind and Spot, who isn't in on it, protests "But what about all those years of solving math problems together!"

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