DragonBox Algebra 12+: the algebra game for teenagers
DragonBox Algebra 12+ is a puzzle game that teaches algebra through experimentation, released on April 23, 2013 as the follow-up to DragonBox Algebra 5+. In November 2026 it is still listed on the DragonBox website with app store badges.
Updated
What DragonBox Algebra 12+ is
DragonBox Algebra 12+ takes the approach of DragonBox Algebra 5+ and applies it to harder material for schools and for players aged 12 and up. Dr. Patrick Marchal, who holds a PhD in cognitive science, and Jean-Baptiste Huynh, a high school teacher, created it. The method comes from Norway and rests on discovery and experimentation: rules appear gradually, players learn at their own pace, and each move brings instant feedback, unlike a classroom where feedback can take weeks. Each new chapter is shown as the birth and growth of a dragon.
The game aims to show what mathematics is about, which is objects and the relationships between them. Playing needs no supervision.
What the 2013 release contained
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | April 23, 2013 (version 2.0.0) |
| Platforms at launch | iOS and Android; PC, Mac and a web version for schools announced as coming |
| Structure | 20 chapters (10 learning, 10 training) with 357 puzzles |
| Algebra topics | Parentheses, positive and negative signs, addition of fractions with common denominators, collecting like terms, factorization, substitution |
| Extras | Teacher's Manual, multiple profiles, dedicated graphics and music for each chapter |
Awards behind it
DragonBox Algebra 12+ builds on DragonBox Algebra 5+, which won the Gold Medal of the 2012 Serious Play Award in the United States and Best Serious Game at the Fun and Serious Game Festival in Bilbao. It also took the Best Serious Game honor at the 2013 International Mobile Gaming Awards, presented at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. See the Serious Play awards for the programme's winners.
What is true today
The DragonBox website lists Algebra 12+ in its catalog beside Algebra 5+, Numbers, Big Numbers, Multiplication, Geometry and other apps, each with Apple and Google Play badges. The listing says the app builds on the teachings of Algebra 5+ and takes it further with more advanced algebra and math topics. No price is shown on the page. The site's footer names Kahoot DragonBox AS and carries a 2026 copyright.
The current listing shows Apple and Google Play badges only; the PC, Mac and school web versions announced in 2013 are not shown there. More titles for math and other school subjects are in the games directory.
Questions about DragonBox Algebra 12+
What does DragonBox Algebra 12+ teach?
Parentheses, positive and negative signs, adding fractions with common denominators, collecting like terms, factorization and substitution, across 20 chapters and 357 puzzles.
Who created DragonBox Algebra 12+?
Dr. Patrick Marchal, a PhD in cognitive science, and Jean-Baptiste Huynh, a high school teacher.
Can DragonBox Algebra 12+ still be played?
Yes. The DragonBox website lists it in November 2026 with Apple and Google Play badges. Prices are not shown on that page.