In this article, the authors discuss the potential of the icon-based mathematical games, emoji math and mobile math, to promote student engagement with and understanding of algebra. They describe how these games serve as accessible entry points for algebraic thinking and that, in contrast to traditional symbolic algebra, the use of these icon-based games appear to be more meaningful to many students. Because the games correspond to symbolic algebra, the authors suggest that they may serve as powerful bridging functions for fostering students' understanding of symbolic algebra in typical classrooms. (A bibliography is included.)