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Black Box
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Game components are language-independent.
An English translation of the rules is provided.
  
from 5 customer reviews
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"Black Box" is a term used by scientists to describe an unknown, mysterious quantity; an object or system that operates in an unknown way, even though outward "reactions" can be observed when stimulating it.
In the game Black Box you are to determine the compound of a molecule enclosed in the Black Box by shooting rays into the box. Observing in which way rays are diffracted by the molecule enables the scientist (one of the players) to determine the contents of the Black Box -- in this case, the structure of the molecule.
I have owned this game for over 20 years. I have yet to see a better game for logical deduction and geometric concepts. The game can be played with others or by yourself. I have been looking to get another copy of this game for over 10 years. Thank you Funagain Games. Anyone that would rank this game below a 3 probably likes dice games.
I used to own this game as a kid, but I never played any of the solo variations. I never cared much for solo play on any game that wasn't electronic...
I agree with another of the writers that at the time this seemed really high tech. For something made of plastic, I think this would be one of the few games that could hold it's own overall in 'appearance' as well as having nice game play.
One major downside though as a 2-player game; there is a way to hide your 'marbles' such that the the last one your opponent will be guessing is in one of two 'squares' making it a 50% guess for them and not pure logic. I distinctly remember being able to do that and used it as a means of beating opponents. That's why I rate it only 4 stars. But think of it as an upside for a child/teen - they have to get to that point - which is a fair amount of logical reasoning!
I guess I'm just nostalgic and like the one-on-one interaction that a board game provides vs a computer game. I fondly remembered the 1978 domestic version and recently ordered the Franjos import to play with my 3rd grader and 1st grader, and we have had a great time. One practical consideration of the current Franjos incarnation is that the Black Box itself is a felted mat, and the marbles that one places to guess locations tend to roll around too much to be useful. We have successfully substituted pennies for the marbles. The Parker Bros version of the game -- a true plastic black box, as I recall -- tended to be designed a little better for ease of use. A fun game, in any case, for curious, logic-minded folks.
