Logical Journey of the Zoombinis (also known as Zoombinis Logical Journey in the remake) is an educational puzzle computer game developed and published by Brøderbund Software for the original and The Learning Company for the remake.
Premise
The Zoombinis are a race of small blue creatures depicted with varying facial features, initially living in prosperous peace on a small island called Zoombini Isle. However, they are tricked and enslaved by their neighbors, the Bloats. The game depicts the Zoombinis' search for a new home, featuring a variety of logical puzzles which the player must solve to get the Zoombinis to their new home.
Gameplay
Most of the puzzles involve the physical features of the Zoombinis as part of the solution. For example, in the puzzle 'Allergic Cliffs', the player is given a choice of 2 bridges, each of which will allow Zoombinis to pass only if they have certain combinations of features. The list of available features is as follows:
Hair: Shaggy hair, a ponytail, flattop hair, small tuft, and bob hair with a cap
Eyes: Wide eyes, one eye, sleepy eyes, glasses, and sunglasses
Noses: Emerald (green), Tangerine (orange/yellow), scarlet (red), violet (purple), and cerulean (blue)
Feet: Shoes, roller skates, a spring, two wheels, and propellers
In total, there are 625 unique combinations, of which the game allows you to make up to two Zoombinis (twins) with each combination, making 1,250 possible Zoombinis in total. Of these, 625 must be saved in order to win the game.
The Zoombinis travel in groups of a maximum of 16 per group across a series of puzzles. There are 12 puzzles in total, split into four sections of 3 puzzles each, and the Zoombinis must complete a path of 9 puzzles to establish their new home at 'Zoombiniton' ('Zoombiniville' in US version). The first and last 'legs' are compulsory and must be completed by all Zoombinis; for the second leg, the player is given a choice to take either the north or the south path. Between each 'leg' is a campsite where the Zoombinis can be stored for later retrieval.
If the player successfully brings an entire party of 16 Zoombinis through a leg, the leg will increase in difficulty and a building will be constructed at Zoombiniton/Zoombiniville to celebrate this achievement. The four difficulty levels are 'Not So Easy', 'Oh So Hard', 'Very Hard', and 'Very Very Hard', and each difficulty level is color-coded. Once a leg has increased in difficulty, there is no way to reverse the change. If a group of 16 Zoombinis complete a leg while the difficulty is Very Very Hard, the difficulty does not increase; whereas completing a leg under the Very Very Hard difficulty level will only reward the player with a new building once, since there is only one building per leg at each difficulty level.
Puzzles
Leg 1: The Big, The Bad and The Hungry
This leg starts at Zoombini Isle and finishes at the first campsite, Shelter Rock.
Allergic Cliffs
Puzzle type – Logic, Set theory.
There are two bridges across a canyon, supported by six wooden pegs. Individual Zoombinis can only cross one of the bridges, and the bridge that any Zoombini is allowed to cross is determined by one or more of its characteristics. If the wrong bridge is selected, the face embedded in the cliff will sneeze and the Zoombini will be sent tumbling back to the initial side, whereupon a peg will fall into the canyon. If all six pegs come loose, the bridges collapse and the Zoombinis who did not yet cross are unable to do so. If the player moves the same Zoombini to each of the two bridges (where the first bridge was wrong and the second bridge correct), the player is guaranteed five Zoombinis on the other side.
Stone Cold Caves
Puzzle Type - Logic, Set Theory
The Zoombinis arrive at a stone face divided into four caves, accessed by one path each. Each path is guarded by two stone guardians, who divide the Zoombinis according to features. If the wrong cave is selected, a guardian will release a rock slide, sending the Zoombini to the bottom. The player has many chances to find the right cave for each Zoombini before a rockfall seals the four paths, leaving behind those who have not entered a cave. The stone guards' names are Onyx, Ignorameous, Ferrous, and Crystal.
Pizza Pass
Puzzle type - Logic
The Zoombinis arrive on a dirt road guarded by the trolls Arno, Willa, and Shyler, beside a pizza-making machine permitting different toppings for a pizza (cheese, pepperoni, bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives) and ice cream (whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and a cherry). Here the player must create a pizza with unique toppings for each troll. If none of the trolls accept the pizza, it is thrown into a pit; whereas if one of the trolls likes some of the toppings present on the pizza, it will be thrown onto the rock behind that troll. If a troll receives a pizza with all desired toppings, the troll will stand on its rock and wait for the remaining trolls to be satisfied. If the player is unsuccessful in delivering the correct pizza after 6 tries, a troll has the right to strike the Zoombini delivering the pizza and that Zoombini returns to Zoombini Isle, leaving another to take its place. When all trolls are satisfied, they consume their pizzas and the remaining Zoombinis continue their journey.
There are significant changes to the puzzle as the level of difficulty increases:
Not So Easy: Only Arno is present, and there are five pizza toppings.
Oh, So Hard: Willa is added, and there are now four pizza toppings as well as ice cream with a total of 2 toppings.
Very Hard: Shyler is added. Ice cream toppings remain the same as the preceding level, but all five pizza toppings can now be used. No toppings are liked by more than one troll, but the three trolls will combine to like all the toppings.
Very, Very Hard: Four pizzas are already in the pit, and there are now three ice cream toppings.
Shelter Rock
Once this leg is complete, the remaining Zoombinis will arrive at Shelter Rock, the first campsite. The player is then given the opportunity to take either the north or the south path to the next leg if they have 16 Zoombinis present. If the player does not have enough Zoombinis, or if they decide to return to a different campsite, the player can place any remaining Zoombinis into a storage compartment.
