Dinky Doink – A Rube Goldberg Maths Puzzle Game
Build an absurd machine. Ding the bell.
Dinky Doink is a construction puzzle game in which you guide a ball from the starting point to a reception bell.
That sounds simple enough. Unfortunately, the ball is not particularly cooperative.
You will need to build a chain-reaction machine using ramps, springs, fans, conveyors, dominoes, seesaws, magnets and other increasingly unnecessary-looking contraptions. Position the parts (the circle will turn green if there's enough room), run the machine and watch what happens. When it fails—and it probably will—adjust the design and try again.
How to play
Each challenge begins with a ball, a bell and a limited collection of machine parts.
Your task is to:
- Place the available parts on the board.
- Rotate or reposition them to create a route.
- Press Run machine.
- Guide the ball through any numbered targets in the correct order.
- Complete any other challenge requirements.
- Ring the bell.
The machine must complete the whole route in one uninterrupted run.
Experiment, observe and improve
Dinky Doink is not about finding an answer instantly. It is about testing an idea and seeing what happens.
A ramp may be too steep. A spring may launch the ball too far. A fan may need moving closer. A domino row may be facing the wrong direction. Small adjustments can completely change the result.
Failed experiments do not reduce your campaign score, so you are free to test thoroughly, make a mess and pretend that everything is going according to plan.
Maths reserve
Some challenges include a small maths reserve.
Answering a maths question correctly unlocks one additional machine part from that level’s reserve. The reserve is finite, so solving questions does not provide an unlimited supply of objects.
You will still need to decide:
- which extra part would be useful;
- where to place it;
- whether you can complete the challenge without it;
- and whether spending more affects your medal.
The questions include number, arithmetic, algebra, sequences, ratio and other GCSE-related skills.
Targets and special requirements
Some levels contain numbered targets.
The ball must pass through these in order:
1 → 2 → 3
Passing through target 2 before target 1 will not activate it.
Later challenges introduce additional mechanics, including:
- domino chains that open barriers;
- switches controlling gates and trapdoors;
- rough surfaces that slow the ball;
- conveyors and fans that keep it moving;
- springs and bumpers that change its direction;
- magnets that pull the ball towards them.
New mechanics are introduced gradually before being combined in the later levels.
Machine cost and medals
Every machine part has a cost.
Completing a challenge earns a medal based on the total cost of the machine:
- Gold for an efficient solution;
- Silver for a slightly more expensive solution;
- Bronze for completing the challenge with a larger machine.
There may be more than one successful design. The cheapest solution is not always the easiest one.
Your best medal contributes to your overall Doink Score.
Running an unsuccessful machine does not reduce your score.
Campaign and Playground
The main campaign contains 30 challenges, beginning with simple ramp puzzles and gradually developing into more complicated chain-reaction machines.
Progress and best results are stored in the browser you are using.
The separate Playground mode provides:
- every machine part immediately;
- no maths questions;
- no prices;
- no meaningful part restrictions;
- no medals.
It is simply a place to build something gloriously excessive and see whether it works.
Controls
Dinky Doink is designed primarily for landscape use on an iPad, but it also works on laptops and Chromebooks.
- Tap a part in the tray to add it.
- Drag parts to move them.
- Select a part to rotate or delete it.
- Press Run machine to test the design.
- Use Replay to watch the previous successful or unsuccessful run again.
- Switch to slow replay when you need a closer look at what went wrong.
For the best experience, use the game in landscape orientation.
Ready?
Build the machine.
Run the experiment.
Blame the physics.
Then ding the bell.