Game: Equate 8
Genre: Puzzle, Indie, Minimalist
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: Christopher Jarvis | Cinq Mars Media
Controller Support: No
Price: US $2.99 | UK £2.49 | EU € 2,99
Release Date: June 17th, 2025
A reviewer code was provided, thanks to Cinq Mars Media.
What is Equate 8 about?
Equate 8 is a math puzzle game. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t run away just yet. After all, next to the scary word “math,” there’s also the comforting word “puzzle.”
Equate 8 is a new take on the classic “magic square” puzzle. You’re tasked with rearranging numbers in a 3×3 grid to solve eight equations (3 across, 3 down, and 2 diagonals), using as few moves as possible.
As someone who avoids math like it’s a haunted house filled with algebra problems, this game definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. But I took on the challenge, let’s see if it was worth it. For both you and me.
Quick pause before we dive in. Equate 8 comes from a very specific place; it’s made by a non-profit, with the goal of making math fun and accessible. Therefore, the game has a really educational soul to it.
Gameplay, or Welcome to the Grid
A “magic square” is a number theory concept where the numbers in every row, column, and diagonal add up to the same “magic constant”, like a perfect numerical ecosystem.
You begin Equate 8 with a tutorial that explains how to move the numbers around and introduces the core mechanics. The fewer moves you use, the better your reward, gold or silver medals.
However, even if it takes you more moves, completing a puzzle always earns you at least a bronze.
You get one free puzzle per day. For more, you can access the “Challenge” board from the menu. These extra levels are unlocked by collecting a certain number of medals. Medals also serve as currency to unlock new visual themes.
There’s also a “Blitz” mode, a fast-paced challenge where you have to solve the puzzle in a single move.
Every ten puzzles you solve, you earn one additional move. One downside: I couldn’t find a way to return to the main menu while in Blitz mode, and had to restart the game manually.
I’ll admit, I solved a few puzzles just by randomly moving numbers around, without fully understanding why a solution worked.
Art and Sound of Equate 8
Unsurprisingly, Equate 8 doesn’t offer standout visuals. The focus here is on mental challenge and gameplay consistency, not flashy graphics.
That said, the contrasting color palette is easy on the eyes, and the grid size feels just right.
As for the sound, or rather, the absence of it, I assume the silence is intentional, designed to help players concentrate. It makes sense, though I personally found the lack of ambient noise a bit unsettling.
Conclusion
So, did Equate 8 turn me into a math genius overnight? Absolutely not. I spent more time staring blankly at the grid than actually solving anything. But I did feel pretty proud the few times I actually cracked a puzzle.
There’s definitely something satisfying about getting the right numbers in the right place. Even if you’re not 100% sure how you did it.
If you like Sudoku or logical challenges that don’t baby you, Equate 8 might be your kind of fun.
If, like me, the word “math” gives you flashbacks… maybe just do the daily puzzle and call it a win.
Final verdict: I’m Not Sure
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