No matter if you’re a 10 year old kid eating a bowl of Cap’n Crunch before elementary school, or an overworked college student, cereal is indisputably a meal that’s on top. However, I’ve noticed that no matter how delicious the treats inside may be, what makes or breaks a cereal box is the games on the back.
First, we have the basics—the maze.
Perfect for absentminded staring, the maze is a good way to chew up a good 30 seconds of your cereal-eating experience before flipping open a book or a cell phone. Though arguably low effort, when designed well, these mazes provide interesting eye candy.
Second, when the designer implements crafts into the actual cardboard. Though these aren’t the most fun to stare at while munching on milk soup, these are certainly a craft to kill time at some other time—unless you regularly bring scissors to you at breakfast.
Third, one of my personal favorites—puzzle games. Fascinating to both immature and mature minds alike, these brain-teasers (when done correctly) can keep you seated for far longer than cereal should be swimming in milk. When you have to bust out a pencil or ask a friend for their advice, you know the designers did a good job.
