Minim

Minim Walkthrough

Minim is a puzzle game based on molecular entropy. Don't worry; you will not need knowledge of atomic physics to do well in this game, but you will require the cognitive skills of decision making, visual and spatial processing, and sequencing. Minim features simple controls, simple graphics, and thirty-five stages.

The goal of Minim is to combine atoms in each molecule until you are left with only one atom. The faster you complete a level, the higher your score will be in this brain game. If you get stuck on a level, you can restart it by choosing the restart option under the pause menu. Doing so will invoke a ten-point penalty to your bonus, however, so try not to restart unless you absolutely have to. This puzzle game automatically saves your progress at the end of each level, so you can continue from where you left off the next time that you play.

Minim uses a mouse-only control scheme. Click on connected atoms to combine them into a single atom. If a pair of atoms are connected by a blue line, you may swap their positions an infinite number of times by clicking the blue line. Atoms connected by a red line may also be swapped by clicking the red line, but this can only be done once. For more information, you should read the instructions by clicking the manual button on the main menu. You should also be sure to read banners that appear at the bottom of the screen when new concepts are introduced. There is a lot to learn in this brain game, but retaining the information for the duration of your play session is good exercise for your working memory!

Minim tests and exercises the cognitive skills of sequencing, decision making, and visual-spatial processing. Since basic atoms can only be combined with like-numbered atoms that are connected to them, players will have to combine smaller segments in proper order to connect them to other segments, and eventually meet the goal of having only one atom. Sequencing is combined with problem-solving since the correct moves must be made in each subunit in order to properly complete the goal. Finally, visual-spatial processing is necessary since molecules can be rotated in three dimensions, although the computer monitor displays them in two dimensions.

Minim can be a frustrating puzzle game at times, but remember to take your time, plan your moves, and carefully check which atoms are connected to which. If you need to take a break, just remember that this brain game saves your progress, so you can always come back to it later!