Math Critters
A desktop game for ages 5–11 that turns arithmetic into a collection adventure. Every right answer earns kibble; a fed critter hatches and joins your dex.
$14.99 once. No subscription.
See what they’ll be playing.
Six modes, fifteen critters, one chunky pixel-art world. Here’s what each surface looks like in the actual app.
Six modes, one happy chick
Pick from six game modes — each one feeds the same kibble loop and hatches the next critter on your dex.
Feed the right kibble
A featured critter holds the equation. Four chunky bone-shaped answer pebbles sit on the floor — pick the matching one and the critter chomps.
Climb the tower
Every right answer climbs one rung; a wrong one slips back. Threshold rungs unlock a new level title — "Math Ranger" at halfway.
Catch the falling egg
Eggs drop from the top with a value on each shell. Grab one and slot it into the right critter’s mouth before it hits the floor.
Solve to zap
Pip auto-runs through a side-scroller. Each wisp guards an equation overhead — type the answer to zap it. Collect kibble on the way.
Fifteen chapters, fifteen narrators
Every critter on the roster narrates one chapter — from Den of Tens up through Rune’s Final Riddles. Each chapter is a five-question gauntlet wrapped in a cutscene.
Build a critter den
Drag hatched friends onto a meadow, cave, or cloudtop scene. Drag to reposition, click to remove, and save the whole tableau as a PNG.
What is Math Critters?
Math Critters is a small offline game where kids practice arithmetic by raising a den of pixel-art critters. Every right answer earns a piece of kibble; enough kibble hatches the next friend in line.
There are six game modes — from one-question multiple-choice (Hungry Critter) to a side-scrolling math chase (Critter Run). All six feed the same kibble loop, so the kid can follow whichever interaction grabs them today.
The whole roster of 15 critters is one full playthrough — about two weeks of casual after-school sessions. There’s no leaderboard, no streak punishment, and no “you lost your progress” screen. Critters that hatch stay hatched.
Six ways to feed the loop
Every mode earns kibble. Every third correct answer hatches the next critter. Kids can chase their preferred interaction without falling behind.
What kids learn
A full coverage map from counting to ×12 division. Difficulty unlocks with the dex — kids ramp at their own pace.
Run Little Snitch. You’ll see nothing.
No account. No telemetry. No servers of ours to talk to. Unplug the wifi and play. That isn’t a policy we’re asking you to trust — it’s how the thing is built, and you can check it in thirty seconds.
The one exception is documented, not hidden: the font catalogue loads from Google Fonts — and we don’t see those requests either. Details in the privacy policy.
There is no store inside this game
Most kids’ math apps are free, and then they aren’t. Coins, gems, treasure tracks, a membership your kid asks you for at bedtime. Math Critters costs $14.99 once. There is nothing to buy inside it, because we didn’t build anything to sell. Every critter is hatched by doing maths. That’s the only currency.
A wrong answer never ends a round. Streaks reset, the question re-rolls, the critter looks a little sheepish and tells you the answer. Nobody loses progress in this game.
Same math, six different surfaces. Some kids want to type, some to drag, some to chase. The kibble loop doesn’t care.
No account, no sync, no cloud. The save file is a single SQLite row on the kid’s machine. The game works on an airplane.
Pricing
FAQ
What ages is Math Critters for?
Roughly 5 to 11. Sprout difficulty starts at counting; Oak difficulty covers full times tables.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Math Critters is a native Mac/Windows desktop app. After install it never needs the internet — no accounts, no cloud sync, no telemetry.
Is there a subscription?
No. One purchase, yours forever. We promise.
How does it relate to Font Quest?
Same studio, same chunky pixel-art DNA, same offline-first philosophy. Math Critters teaches arithmetic; Font Quest teaches typography. Buy one or both.
Will my kid get frustrated?
A wrong answer doesn't end a round. The critter just looks a little sad and the game offers the correct answer in a gentle hint.