Keith Devlin, also known as the “Math Guy,” recently spoke at Weber State University, where he evaluated the current status of math educational apps. Most apps claiming to be math apps, unfortunately, do not appear to actually teach mathematical concepts, but rather train the child in memorization. What low performers need most (and what Common Core requires of all students) is a more solid understanding of mathematical concepts. Greater emphasis and research should be given toward games that teach concepts rather than drill students incessantly.
One positive example of a math game that also teaches mathematical concepts that Devlin points out is Wuzzit Trouble, an extremely fun and engaging game for children with solid research backing it. In a controlled study, children who played the game 10 minutes a day, especially those already low in math, made considerably more gains in math than the control groups.