Genius Games Ion: A Compound Building (2nd Edition) - A Chemistry Card Drafting about Cations, Anion, Noble - Science Accurate Board for High School Students, Teachers and Adults

We have played the first version for a few years and always recommend it for people looking for a Chemistry game. I'm excited for this update. Some of our favorite things about Ion are: It doesn't take forever. You can play a round in 15-20 minutes which makes it a lot more interesting for my younger daughter who doesn't have the attention span for the longer Chemistry games. (Everyone in our house 8+ loves the longer ones too, but this one is fun for all.) It has accurate science. It's an easy way to introduce ionic charges, balancing charges, and naming of compounds. It's easy to learn. I played it with a group of 8 year olds after making slime because we needed a chemistry filler game and they all caught on after one round with no chemistry background. It comes in a small box which makes it easy to store or pack if we're going on a trip. Overall, it's such a good game. I highly recommend it.

I’ve really enjoyed integrating this game into our homeschool, and have already purchased a second game to gift! The gameplay is simple: the goal is to score the most points by balancing ions, and creating compounds, and by collecting sets of noble gases since they do not bond. (The advanced version of the game, recommended for 4+ players also includes playing with radioactive elements.) Even a student or younger sibling who hasn’t learned any chemistry can play along and learn something. I like that it increases my kids’ familiarity with the elements, some basic chemistry principles, and well-known compounds, without being too heavy or time consuming. There is also a booklet included to learn more of the science behind the game.

Fun little filler card game. However, what makes this game different is the very accurate science and chemistry theme. This is a fun game that actually teaches the real chemistry concept of balancing equations. This company has a whole series of great games that teach science while you game. To me this game is the best of both worlds, really fun and competitive and at the same time really educational. They have some heavier games that are more worker placement if you want something that is not a quick filler. But instead of science fiction, here is a filler game that is actual science. Great little game.

I have not presented this yet, but I’m hoping it will be a hit for a homeschooled kid. He’s pretty smart!

This is SUCH a great idea for learning Chemistry, but the execution is imperfect. The game design of having to pass your hand back and forth is confusing at best, and halts the game at worst, when the timing of the passes gets off. We changed the rules completely, following a format like Monopoly Deal. Draw two, play three. We also put out all the goal cards in the beginning, and only counted the points for goal cards earned. THAT game was a blast, and just as educational.