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| CoverUp | Guess How Much I Love You | Hit Or Miss | Math Noodlers | | Monster Maze | Oikos Game | Poppo | Ruk*Shuk | |
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RATINGS EXPLAINED: - perfect score = 5 1. Price is within reason for the product (1 pt) 2. The product does what it claims (1 pt) 3. Suited for recommended age (1 pt) 4. Quality manufacturing (1 pt) 5. Instructions are clear and easy to follow (1 pt) 5 = PERFECT | 4 = GOOD | 3 = OKAY | 2, 1, 0 = rejected |
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Are We There Yet? |
Company: | Family Games, Inc |
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Are We There Yet comes in two topic / setting formats : Air & Auto. Both are played the same, but you will be looking for different things, depending on the setting you are in.
This game is easy to play for anyone old enough to read (or you can read them to younger players). There are only 3 rules for game play. (1) Deal 5 cards to each player (2) Set a time or mileage limit for game play (3) The person with the most found items, wins. The game is also very easy to take with you, in the car or in your carry on bag for the plane. It is a small box, filled with playing cards inside. The boxes velcro shut, so the cards remain protected from falling out or becoming damaged. In the auto version, players will be looking for items in different categories, which are: objects, signs, safety, people & animals, vehicles, and shortcuts. The categories in the air version are: objects, signs, safety, people, alphabet, and parachute. Each card has a different category on each side, listing one item to find. The items are displayed in english, french, and spanish. This helps children pick up words from different languages while having fun too! Auto Example: Side one: A pedestrian walkway, bridge, pathway or sidewalk. Side two: A sign containing two letters in your first name. Air Example: Side one: Eight things whose first letters combine to spell "airplane". Side two: A person sitting down to the left or right of you. This is a fun game the entire family can play when on a road trip or a trip by air. Games such as this will help to pass the time quickly while everyone is getting into the fun of scouting out things they would have never noticed otherwise. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP |
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Balanko |
Company: | Jamie MacKinnon, Inventor |
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Balanko, invented by Jamie MacKinnon of Ontario, Canada, is a game that is unique unto itself. Balanko has no board to move around, no cards to be played, and no score sheets to tally your score on.
Balanko has players of all ages moving fast, perfecting their aim, grabbing for a moving target, and sweating the outcome, trying to win the challenge. BEWARE: shrieks, laughs, moans and groans have been known to be heard when the game is in play ... On your mark! Get set! Player 1... Drop the ball! ... Now the ball is in motion, heading down the rail... Player 2... Your goal is to drop the tethered ball (the ball hanging from the center on a string) and connect with the ball moving back and forth on the rail, to knock it into one of the point pockets (pits) for you to collect points. Did you miss? ...OH NO! Now your opponent can grab the tethered ball and ready! aim! fire! - to knock the ball into a pit instead of you! Now it is a race to see who can get that ball into a point pocket (pit) to collect the points. Once you have hit the ball into one of the point pockets (pits), you slide the scorekeeper up the side rail to designate how many points you now have. The first player to reach the top of the point bar, wins. Since first putting this game together out of the box, when it came for review, we have not taken it apart once. It stays together so it is ready for action the next time someone feels brave enough to challenge me. This game is a blast! Game play does not take that long, maybe 20 minutes at most, I would guesstimate. However, I have yet to see anyone sit down to play it and stop with only one game. I will watch for this game to be one you will see around for a long time. I haven't met one person yet who has played it and not loved it. Sidenote: The game is well constructed and sturdy and comes professionally packaged. Some assembly is required but it is minimal and simple. Game does include small parts (the ball that rolls on the rail, and the tethered ball), so it is not recommended for very young children and should be kept out of their reach. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP [Gold Award] [Press Release] [Company Profile] |
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Bananagrams |
Company: | Bananagrams, International |
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Like Scrabble? Like word games? This new game is a new spin that will
create a platform for hours of family fun. Handy size and fully portable,
complete with its own banana carry case, this game can be brought with
you on trips, to the restaurant, or anywhere you may go.
Rules allow for solitaire play on up to 8 players or more. One unique feature of this game is everyone plays their hand at the same time, so there is no turn taking. The first one to play all of their letter tiles to make real words, wins. The rules sheet has variations for more complex and easier play as well, but with the standard game you deal out the appropriate number of tiles based on the number of players. All players then begin to form their own crosswords, using only the tiles in their hand. When a player runs out of tiles, they shout out "PEEL" and all players must then pick up another tile from the "BUNCH". Once the BUNCH pile has less tiles than the number of players, you no longer pick up tiles and play continues until someone is either out of tiles for an immediate win, or until players reach stalemate, leaving it to the one with the least number of tiles to be the winner. While in play if a player reaches a point they wish to exchange one of their tiles for another, they may return one tile to the BUNCH and pick up three in exchange. We love this game. It is fast, it is easy, and can be played anywhere at anytime, with no other equipment needed, such as pen and paper. You just keep track of who wins the rounds as you go to determine the ultimate champ, should you play more than one round. Game play only takes about 5 minutes per round and all ages may play together. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP |
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Civil Lore! |
Company: | Evolving Toys, LLC |
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Call me old school, but products such as Civil Lore! which bring us back to America as it should be, and once was, thrill me! Civil Lore! leaves the normal trivia behind, and brings to the family table a game of American Tradition and Folklore... along with a great game board, which brings an added challenge to each game played.
Players move around the board, answering the question for the space they have landed upon, which corresponds to the over 2,000 questions on the game cards. Land on a Cannon Fodder question and if answered correctly, you may zip across the game board, and steal the flag of someone else who has landed prior to you, and plant your own flag of victory. Players are encouraged to play in teams, to increase their success in play. A lighter version set of rules come with the game which makes it easier and less time consuming for those who have a hard time with the full version gameplay. Some of the question classifications are as follows: [[ Secret Natures ]] which contains questions involving native american myths, national parks, legendary creatures, and amazing oddities. [[ Town Halls ]] which contains questions involving iconic Americana, president lore, dumb laws, holiday traditions and local customs. [[ Country Roads ]] which contains questions involving folk heroes, roadside attractions, appalachian ways, and old western sayings. [[ Modern Airwaves ]] which contains questions involving behind the scenes, radio days, notable eccentricities, and business of Hollywood. [[ Urban Scenes ]] which contains questions involving urban legends, funny subcultures, fads and trends, great ballparks, and literary gems. [[ FutureScapes ]] which contains questions involving changing times, origins of everday things, technoculture, and future visions. What I love most about the game is the questions and answers it brings to play are not only at times challenging, but down right interesting. You learn about the country in which we live and multiple things about the states it is comprised of. Reading the Country Roads section of the cards will make you want to jump in the car and go to see in person some of the great attractions it speaks of ... many of which I had never heard of before. This game is great for all ages, and all ages can play together. A lot of fun for mom, dad and kids to spend an evening discovering the many treasures of the USA ... or for a group of friends to enjoy together as well. The game is quality all the way in construction and is complete in a beautiful gift worthy box. Now you can give a meaningful gift to friends and family be it for a birthday or the holidays. This will be a treasured find they will appreciate for years to come. Civil Lore! would also make a great addition to any public or private / homeschool history or social studies classroom. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP |
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CoverUp |
Company: | Out Of The Box Publishing |
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CoverUp is about the fastest "strategy" game I have found. This two player game
is a four-in-a-row type of game with a 3 level twist. You have 3 size pieces in your arsenal and you have 3 layers in which you can play.
The small pieces are the lower level pieces and once played cannot be moved. They can be covered up, however, if your opponent wishes to use the space, so beware! The mid-size pieces cannot be moved once played either, and again can be covered by another piece. The large pieces can be moved anytime you like and cannot be covered. This is a two player game that is fast and easy to learn and equally as fast (but not quite so easy) to play. The game can be very tricky and just when you think you are ready to play that winning piece, your opponent strikes with a play you didn't see coming. We love it! This game is a lot of fun for all ages 8 and up. From our family to yours - we highly recommend it! <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP |
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Guess How Much I Love You |
Company: | Snap TV, Inc. |
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'Guess How Much I Love You' is a DVD game, movie, and storytime book all in one.
I greatly enjoyed sharing this with my child. She greatly enjoyed it as well.
In this story you meet Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare who compare their love for one another, each time trying to up the anty on the amount of love they have.
It is a delightful story that is truly heartwarming.
Using the dvd remote, you turn through the pages in story mode. The pages have some animation in this mode, but not as much as seen in the movie. Each word highlights as you read along with the narrator of the story. This makes it easier for young readers to stay on track. In game mode you play educational games such as counting the different color of butterflies. Using the remote once again, you choose your answer. We enjoyed the cloud shape game, where you help Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare find the shapes found in the clouds. There are 10 games and activities included. Then when you wish to just enjoy the story, you turn it to movie mode and enjoy the narrated story. This one is suggested for ages 3 - 6 and is sure to be a true classic. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP |
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Hit Or Miss |
Company: | Gamewright |
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3-8 players, ages 10 and up will enjoy this great new party game by Gamewright.
Draw a category card, start the 45 second timer and players race to see who can
list the most related words. When the timer runs out, roll the die. If the die says HIT, you choose a word from your list you think most of the players would have listed. If the die says MISS, you choose a word from your list you think only you would have chosen. The player with the most points wins! Easy and fast to play but a whole heck of a lot of fun!
This is a great family or party game. Fun for all ages to play together, bearing in mind that younger children will not have as diverse of a vocabulary to work with... We still found they thought of words us adults did not think of, so it all worked out! The more players, the more fun to be had! 252 category cards, 1 timer, 8 hit or miss cards, 8 paper pads, 8 pencils, 1 scorepad, 1 die, instruction sheet all included. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP |
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 Winner 2008
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Math Noodlers |
Company: | Edupress, Inc. |
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Two levels are available of this game, Math Noodlers. Edupress offers a grade 2-3 level and a grade 4-5 level. We have reviewed the Grade 2-3 level.
Math Noodlers adds a multi sensory experience to math and can get wild and wacky! The graphics are both colorful and crazy, which is part of the fun... Loving pasta is a plus! As children make their way around the game board, they will come across math problems of all types, at their grade level. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, graphing, money are all covered. Players will be challenged to answer the problems using the directions on the card drawn. They will either Write It ((write answer on scratch paper)), Doodle It ((draw the answer on scratch paper)), Show It ((use the manipulatives provided to show your answer)), or Choose It ((choose correct answer from multiple choice)). If players happen to draw a Wacky Card, they will have another way to do it, that will be even more fun! This is where the laughing begins, as playmates watch their friends do some wild and crazy things to solve a math problem, from hopping, to singing or acting, etc.. Looking for a way to add excitement to math? This does not have to seem like the ultimate impossible challenge anymore, because every child will enjoy and engage in this game, without hesitation. This is a great way to help children practice their math skills at home, or to add to your game center in the classroom. This game is for 2-8 players. Time to play will depend on the abilities of the players. Included answer key allows players to check their answers. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP [Gold Award] [Press Release] [Company Profile] |
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Monster Maze |
Company: | Monstermaze Inc. |
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Available in a one or two player version, Monster Maze is not for the faint of heart.
One way in - one way out ... and a HUGE playing field to make it through to completion. We are not talking a common maze on a piece of paper. This is a gigantic mat that is laminated. Spread it out on the table or floor and use the dry erase pens that come with it to work your way through. I guarantee this one will take you a while, even if you are an aMAZing Maze Navigator!
The two player version is the same large mat but divided in half with a dark line, each player having their own half size maze to work through. This allows you to race your best friend and see who can make it to the end zone fastest. I love mazes but I can tell you this one left me baffled a few times when I thought I had covered all areas, only to see yet another fork in the road I had not yet tried. I made it! but it wasn't an easy feat and it was not a fast journey, what it was, was complete determination to not let this thing beat me! Another nice part of it is, because you use dry erase markers to play, you can do it again and again! You will never remember how you made it the last time, so it will always seem like a new challenge. This would be an awesome gift for that loved one who has everything and enjoys puzzles. They will be busy for hours! Almost 8 SF of aMAZing fun! <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP |
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Oikos Game |
Company: | Oikos Global |
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Oikos lays out a platform for communication between parent and child, as well as
equipping children with the skills needed to cope with life's challenges.
I think one of my favorite things about this game, as a parent, is how it eases the family into conversations that are sometimes difficult to start without such a platform. Because it is a game, the kids seem to open up about the topics because it is an informal, fun and safe setting. Children face a lot of obstacles and challenges, even at a young age. Once they enter school they are soon introduced to bullies, peer pressure, etc. The Oikos game gives them a light version of coping skills and great life skills. They will find tips on facing fear, becoming more assertive, being empathetic, solving problems, showing good manners, etc. Developing these skills will help children throughout their entire life. By encouraging these skills through a fun and interactive game, you are reinforcing all of the things you try to teach to them on a day to day basis. By starting at a young age, using this platform, you will be able to move up to the level 2 and 3 game as they get older, and keep those lines of communication open. This is a game that is much more than a game. This is a parenting tool that will be much appreciated if you keep it going. This will enhance family communication and give you, as a parent, a tool to help you talk to your children in a manner that they will not only listen to, but respond to... all while having a lot of fun! Then once the game is over, you will have opened the door to continue your discussions and keep the lines of communication open. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP Platinum Award Press Release Company Profile |
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Poppo |
Company: | Poppo Brands |
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Pop .. Pop Pop ... Pop Pop Pop! Pop in for some fun, with a game of Poppo!
Each round only takes about 1-2 minutes, so you can play as long or short
of a game as you like or have time for.
What pops into mind when you want a great game for emerging readers? Poppo! Poppo introduces, develops, refines and strengthens word association, letter matching, word recognition, reasoning skills, reading comprehension, memory and concentration skills to name a few. The educational value of this game is excellent! The fun value of this game is extreme! It is fast paced, easy to learn in a few moments, and keeps players engaged as they focus on the words before them on the played card, to be the first player to match the word using their dice poppers. This is a two player game, with each player receiving 4 dice poppers for play action. The words are usually 3-4 letters, and players continue popping their poppers until the dice inside matches one letter in the word on the card. The player then rearranges their poppers as needed to spell the word correctly for a complete match and then yells POPPO! Fun! Fast paced! A bit loud at times! ... but always educational! My kids (4 & 6) love this game, and have asked to play it continuously since its arrival. It is a game they can play together, without adult help, which makes it nice for us as parents. I recommend this game for ages 4-8. <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP | Platinum Award | Company Profile | Press Release |
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Rukshuk |
Company: | Zabazoo Corp. |
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What do 7 randomly shaped rocks, an egg timer, and a random illustration card have in common? They are all about to drive you CRaZY! trying to beat your opponents at a game of Rukshuk!
Do you keep going ... or do you stop now? You will ask this question again and again ... and just when you think you are safe to place another rock to gain more points, down she comes, and you start all over again! This game is downright insane, but a total blast! If you have had about enough of the same old board game or cards, you have to try this one! 1-5 players take turns blindly selecting 7 rocks each turn. The top card of the shuffled deck is then placed face up for all players to observe. The card will show you the structure you are to build with the rocks you have chosen. It will tell you how to achieve the most points, according to color of the rocks, being placed as shown, etc. Every player then builds the same structure, to the best of their ability. The game encourages you to know when to stop, assuring you that points can be collected even if you do not complete the entire structure. The player reaching the preset point level, wins. This is a riveting game that will have players on the edge of their seats. Steady hand and a steady heart is all you need to win ... and a little luck helps too! A definite winner when we played - everyone thought it was a riot and a true challenge! <<<- (2007) RETURN TO TOP | Platinum Award | Company Profile | Press Release |
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RATINGS EXPLAINED: - perfect score = 5 1. Price is within reason for the product (1 pt) 2. The product does what it claims (1 pt) 3. Suited for recommended age (1 pt) 4. Quality manufacturing (1 pt) 5. Instructions are clear and easy to follow (1 pt) 5 = PERFECT | 4 = GOOD | 3 = OKAY | 2, 1, 0 = rejected |
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