Strong Bad's FunMachine console has been updated with a new game, Math Kickers Featuring the AlgeBros, which is a more involved and fun experience than Episode 1's Snake Boxer. Players guide the AlgeBros, who stand back-to-back, through city streets until they're attacked on both sides by ninjas. The goal is to use left and right attacks to balance algebraic equations by eliminating or adding ninjas. Pressing Z attacks to the left and subtracts one from the equation's left side, while X attacks to the right and adds one to the same side. Special attacks can be executed using commands scribbled on instruction manual pages, which are scattered throughout the game.

Don't let the mini-game's reliance on algebra fool you: button-mashers can pound their way to victory, but careful consideration becomes necessary as difficulty increases. The right attack entails throwing a fireball, which means you won't have to get too close to the ninjas, but keep in mind that using right attacks also increases the right ninja group by one. The left attack is a simple punch, so you'll have to get close to enemies to defeat them.

Locations such as Strong Bad's crib and Marzipan's home have also been revised, but not everything is old and improved. Several new areas such as a back door to Bubs' concession stand, a stone bridge, Homsar's territory, and a dance club exist for your exploration.


Maps & Minions, a board game used to finish the adventure but accessible anytime thereafter, is quite addictive and one of the best additions to Episode 2. Just like the map, the King of Town's Castle and Strong Badia are located at opposite ends. Between them, organized like a hopscotch board that survived an earthquake, are different countries. The goal is to guide the King of Town back to his castle while avoiding the Homestarmy: Homestar, Strong Mad, and Strong Sad. The king's team consists of The Cheat, Coach Z, and Homsar. Each piece can move to one adjacent square per turn. If two opposing units land on the same square, a cinematic depicting a battle is played. The loser has to move back a square, but if the loser happens to be the King of Town, you lose.

As much as Strong Badia the Free manages to improve on what was already a fun formula, it's still an adventure game, and thus contains the genre's killer flaw: linearity. After creating Teen Girl Squad comics, mastering Maps & Minions (the layout of which never changes), fiddling with Math Kickers and solving the main storyline, you're done. Diehard Strong Bad fans might play through once more just for the sake of traipsing through Free Country, but most users will close the game and never look back.


Despite its linear nature, Strong Badia the Free sufficiently builds on the first episode's high fun factor. With two down and three to go, both currently released installments of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People are worth a purchase -- just don't expect to get much use out of them once you're finished.