Puzzles games are whole lot of fun, they exercise your brain, stimulate learning, and the amount of satisfaction you get after beating that one really difficult level that just made you want to throttle your computer and put your fist through your monitor just in time to set fire them and ahem... and the amount of satisfaction you get after beating hard levels makes it all that much more worth it.

The vehicles games are simple little puzzle games for younger children, complete with funny little graphics and anthropomorphic vehicles. While the overall graphical effect of the game might not be all that appealing to older players, it's still fun and quirky enough that it should be enjoyable. Each vehicle also has a few tiny little quips which it mouths (engines?) off from time to time, adding a little bit of flavor to the game, making it that much more interesting.

The object of the game is to use the good cars to smash all of the bad cars off the level. To do so, you have to click on the different parts of the screen to interact with them. These different parts include the vehicles themselves, the bad guys, buttons, etc... Typically, each level involves clicking on the different cars to move them across the screen. Clicking them again will stop them in their tracks. Part of the puzzle aspect of the game is that it's not possible to get them to turn around without some intervention from the level.

Later games also introduce different roles for the different types of vehicles, with police cars, ambulances, and firetrucks all serving different roles and having different abilities. Using these vehicles, the bad guys have to be removed from the level, using any combination of their abilities. The different solutions for the levels are all rather diverse, and while some solutions may be similar, no two are identical. Because of this, the levels are all really varied, making it all that much more fun to get through all of them. It makes the game something of a cross between those sliding car games and The Lost Vikings, though probably not anywhere as difficult as either of them.

That, sadly, is one problem with these games. While they may be colorful and fun, they're not all that hard and probably won't cause more experienced players much trouble. They are still a lot of fun for younger players though, who will probably enjoy the simple but fun little puzzles that the game provides. Still, the different ways of finishing levels are all diverse enough to provide some measure of entertainment even if they are rather easy. On the other hand, the ease with which the puzzles are solved could be a bonus for some, as puzzles which are realyl difficult could be too much stress for people who are just looking for something simple and easy to spend some time on.

So go on and give the Vehicles series a try! You'll have loads of fun with the simple gameplay, amusing graphics, and upbeat sounds. Enjoy! less