I had never even heard of Math Zombie — I was at the App Store to download the more-hyped Zombieville USA — but I decided to check it out since there’s a free version (called Math Zombie Free in the App Store). A few hours later, I was still playing and my brains were completely zombiefied.


The game play is simple: Add the numbers on the board to get the sum displayed at the bottom of the screen as the timer counts down. When the board is clear, you’re onto the next level and the numbers you need to add to get higher.

Why it turns you into a zombie is simple and ingenious: You brainlessly keep playing, clawing at your iPhone screen, although you know that really, there’s nothing special about this game. And you keep playing because you know you can do better. “C’mon,” you say to yourself, “anyone could add to 42.”

Then you realize what you need: More braaainssss.