Editorial Review

This classic game of luck, strategy, and determination is easy to grasp for children as young as 6 years old, yet it's fun for adults and older siblings too. By drawing cards, players move their game pieces around the board, hoping to eventually accumulate all their pieces at the final destination--home sweet home. Sorry is known as the game of "sweet revenge," since players can send each other's pawns back to the starting line, thus forcing one another to lose ground and begin all over again. This kind of frustration may be hard for children under age 8 to handle. In fact, young ones typically crumble into tears of outrage when their pawns are cavalierly sent back. The only recourse is to teach children how to plot their own revenge, which makes them feel as powerful as superheroes. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Great game!
I've played this game since I was a teeny kid and it's still a ton of fun.
As with most games, there are small pieces involved that very well may end up someplace where they're not supposed to, plus you can't really afford to lose any of the pieces. Plastic bag 'em!

get rid of the video games ;0
My kids love this game.They sit down together and play this game all of the time.The neighbor kids come over to our house because they love to play board games and SORRY is the one they choose the most.We do not have video games at our house, and this was considered a drawback to the neighbor kids until my kids introduced them to board games.Now they come over all of the time just to play board games.I say hide the video games and let the kids interact with each other playing board games.

Sorry is top game in our house.

Sorry!
This game was fun the first and second time you play it but when you figure out that the game is pretty much based on luck and no strategy you'll think twice when you want to play this a third time. Although this is still a good game for the family. It features a detailed bored with a deck of cards that have number 1-12 and selected cards that say SORRY! this means you switch places with another player. All in all I would recomend this game to anyone who loves a game of luck.

Your Friend
the Z-MAN ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites   

Reviews (28)

Diplomacy: The BETTER Risk
I am a 16 year old student in high school and had never played the game Diplomacy until last year in my United States Government class.It was probably the most fun I've had in Government ever!We played in it during our foreign affairs unit in class and I was surprised how much educational value is linked to this game!It's MUCH more exciting than Risk would EVER be (even with the new LOTR Risk version out), and I can't express how great this game is!Just buy it!

Backstabbers Wanted!
Ah, so good of you to join me. We'll have plenty of time to discuss the little issue my emissary was talking about at the embassy---it will take this train hours to get from Grenoble to the Summit in Geneva. Here, take this package, you can break the seal. I know your master has been conducting negotiations with the Emir, the Czar, his Royal Highness, and his Excellency the Kaiser, but I hope you'll listen carefully to what I have to say.

The subject is Diplomacy: true "Game of Life" and, with the exception of the ancient game of Chess, perhaps Earth's most perfect game. And as we both know, the play's the thing.

It is wicked. It is insidious. It is consumptively addictive. It is entirely possible that I owe much of my personality, my Machiavellianism, even my career---to this game that absolutely eschews Chance (no dice rolling here) in favor of the ancient human virtues: skullduggery, manipulation, persuasion, intimidation, betrayal, and outright lying.

"Diplomacy" is a game of the Great Powers, frozen at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th: it is classic great power politics, and the seven Great Powers of the Age---Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Imperial Russia, the Austrio-Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey)---all vie against each other for control of the gameboard's 34 supply centers---the supply centers chiefly the great cities and industrial dynamos of Europe in 1900, such as Moscow, Vienna, Rome, London, Paris, and so forth.

The map is likewise confined to the world that dominated Earth's affairs in 1900, and like most of the tools of the Devil, it is deceptively innocent looking. Your cardboard world for the next---five, eight, even twelve hours, hey, "Diplomacy" is addictive---stretches from the British Isles in the North, to the Russian steppes in the East; from the western shores of North Africa to the wild expanses of the unruly Ottoman Empire. The first Great Power to seize 18 supply centers controls the world and wins the game.

And in that simple objective exists a deep, dark, infinite pool of betrayal and backstabbing. The operational world itself is deceptively simple: with no dice, no random chance, and a military world divided simply into army and navy units, with each military unit supported by an attendant Supply Center, you have to have a majority of units to seize a territory: 3 navies to 2, 5 armies to 4. But Europe is crowded. Often---no, always---from the frozen Russian north to the convoluted Balkans---you can't take enemy territory on your own. You need help. You need support. You need allies. And *everyone* in the game knows that, and all of you compete for the same small pool of potential supporters.

So you see how deliciously wicked this thing can get? Game time is divided into Spring and Fall: you have to have your army occupying a Supply Center in Fall in order to get it (and, consequently, to support one of your military units). Each turn you have a "Diplomacy Round" lasting 10 minutes (or more, or less, depending on how brutal you and your comrades set up your rules) to convince allies, former enemies, and those grey wicked creatures somewhere between, to support you and not your foe. Lie. Cheat. Betray. Spy. Backstab. Anything is permissible to advance the cause of your country, O Prince.

The rubber meets the road when Diplomacy round is over and the action takes place: I have lost three good friends and one fiancee to the gut-rending betrayal of a Diplomacy game. I think any of you who have played Diplomacy can attest to its black, Satanic, bloody record: friendships ended, enmities fostered, marriages destroyed.

The glory of Diplomacy? It boils human nature down to its raw elements. It reveals your friends and neighbors as the rats, serpents, weasels they are, and brings out a mean manipulative streak in even the meekest. Buy it. Play it. Master Human Nature. And yes, Ambassador---now that we're nearing Geneva, I can tell you all of this was a plot---you'll never make the summit. That *is* a dagger in my pants, and *no*---I'm not happy to see you.

JFK cut his teeth on this one.
I thought they had stopped making this game.This is an excellent game, incredibly educational.I was told the Kennedys played this growing up and only one of them got drunk and killed a woman.Get this for your children and they will thank you in their Nobel Prize acceptance speech. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games   

Reviews (1)

Monopoly-Star Wars Style
It had been a while since I've taken a look at both Star Wars and Monopoly...Due to the hype for the new movie (EPS 3), I got back into Star Wars...This caused a mass compulsive buying of alot of SW merchandise. One of those items happened to be Star Wars Monopoly.
The paper money is cheap as always...it feels like it'll rip any second...it couldve been a little more durable.
The cities and settlements are sculpted great, and the game board has beautiful art on it.
The game pieces
Darth Vader
Darth Maul
Darth Sidious
Luke Skywalker
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Princess Leia
Yoda
General Grievous
are all extremely well made, bringing characters from all 6 movies.
My only gripe is that they included Grevious over someone like Han Solo or Boba Fett...I don't care for Leia or Yoda much, so I wouldnt have minded those two replaced with some old favorites.
All in all, a great buy and tons of fun to play.
GET THIS! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games   

Editorial Review

Count on Trivial Pursuit to keep up with new millennium trends. This tremendously popular game has been updated with a fun DVD feature that allows players to view TV clips, songs, commercials, movie scenes, and more tidbits from pop culture. As in the original Trivial Pursuit game, two to four adult players (or teams) pose questions to one another in six categories, in this case TV, Fads, Buzz, Music, Movies, and Sports & Games. As they correctly answer questions, players move around the board, collecting colored wedges. To win a scoring wedge, though, players must answer an on-screen question with a variety of visual cues. So rev up those pop culture engines and get ready to come up with the name of Big Star's first record or the candy Ronald Reagan favored. The game includes game board, DVD, 400 question-and-answer cards, one die, four cute tokens (lava lamp, mixed tape entitled "Awesome Mix/Makeout Tunes," cell phone, and joystick), 30 scoring wedges, and instructions. Note: although the game features over 2,000 new questions, only a few hundred of them are DVD questions, leading to inevitable repetition. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Features

• Pop Culture DVD Edition
• Play the DVD and answer trivia questions from 6 categories
• Includes game board, DVD, Q&A cards, 1 die, 4 tokens, 30 scoring wedges, and instructions
• 2 to 6 players or teams

Editorial Review

The aMAZEing Labyrinth uses a clever board design to create aseries of ever-changing mazes that one to four players must movethrough. The object of the game is for each player to collect asquickly as possible all seven treasures depicted on their individualtreasure cards. To add to the challenge, players know what the nexttreasure is only after they find the one before it. Before each turn, amaze card is pushed into the maze in a strategic place, helping theplayer make his or her way to the prize. This means that the entiremaze shifts and changes on each turn, confounding some and helpingothers. Players will need to think ahead to choose just the right spotto shift the maze in their favor. This is an excellent game to get lostin. A simpler version can be played by younger children. --LeeStrucker ... Read more

Features

• For 1 to 4 players
• Playing time 20 minutes

Reviews (3)

'Mazing
This strategy game is one of the best birthday presents my children ever got. You can play once or several times, and never grow tired of the game, as each set of mazes is different than the last.

Playing is a fabulous way to spend an afternoon or evening with your children. The game requires non-verbal skill and logic, but is fun as heck. Very often, the children do better than the grown-ups.

Highly recommended.

Good game
We love this game.It makes you think, so it keeps us all interested. This is one of the few games that we all enjoy playing together because it is challenging enough for our overachieving 8-year old, and also interesting for our 6-year old.It is difficult to find games that do all that these days, because the 6-year old is refusing to learn how to read well enough to be able to enjoy "older kid" games, and we have all become bored with the "little kid" games.This game requires no reading, which (obviously) is a plus for us right now.

Great Family Fun
Our family really likes this game.It is a great strategy game.You have to think ahead and try to plan moves to help yourself but not others.It really keeps you thinking and the kids love it when they make a move that really messes up Mom or Dad.It is not so hard however, that a younger child of 8 or 9 would get frustrated. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Mazes    4. Family Favorites   

Reviews (2)

Awesome
We bought this toy for our 4 year old and he has almost mastered every board. This toy is super fun and keeps him occupied for hours. The only complaint is that the batteries run out so quickly, even the top long lasting brands.

this game is alot of fun
our family just loves the plug n play games. my 5 year old sun loves this spiderman game we got it today and he has been playing it all night. a very good buy. there is only one game that we cant quite figure out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld    4. Car Racing    5. Sports    6. Action and Adventure   

Editorial Review

You can't beat a classic like Boggle for sheer return of fun on one's investment in a simple game. A small container holds 16 cubes, each cube marked with a different letter on each of its six sides. Give the container a good shake, and the cubes land within little pockets. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to find as many words (of three-or-more letters) as you can--in three minutes. Points are tallied by word length. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Features

• The original 3-minute word search game!
• Just shake up the lettered cubes, drop them into the grid and start the timer.
• Then race to see who can list the most words with the highest point value among the random letter assortment in the grid!
• For 2 to 6 players.
• Ages 8 and up.

Reviews (42)

Fast-paced Introduction to Word Games
In Boggle, players compete against one another and a 3-minute hourglass to find word combinations across randomly distibuted letter cubes on a 4x4 grid.

The game develops pattern recognition skills, and because most possible words are only three or four letters long, astute younger players can play adults without too much of s handicap.

Tactics learned playing Boggle translate well into success at Scrabble and other word games, while the clock management skills help with chess and test taking.

Boggle is lightweight and makes a good travel game, though you might want to bring a zipper-lock sandwich bag to avoid losing the letter cubes. As an added plus, the game can be played solitaire with minimal dropoff in entertainment value.

If you enjoy Boggle, you might want to seek out Big Boggle, which uses a 5-by-5 grid (56% more cubes). Words and time limit are both longer.

Fast Passed, A Lot Of Fun
I have played this game for years. It is a lot of fun but my friends got tired of it. I love the fast passed action, which to me is less boring than scrabble, but not everyone thinks so. If you like scrabble you should enjoy this game. Finding with whom to play is a different story. If you are a parent do not hesitate to purchase this game for your child. I recommend having a scrabble dictionary close by. If you do you will find out in no time that most of your made-up words DO exist. And since you do not get penalties for them try as many as you wish.

The game is simple. You shake the letter cubes and when they are all in place you try to make as many words as possible by following a continuous path through adjacent letters in the rack. (Diagonal counts as adjacent) The path need not be straight, but each letter in the path can only be used once. You have three minutes (sand clock included) to do so. Only words that are three letters or more are permitted.

You can't go wrong with this game, plus it is not expensive. It's worth a try.

ADVANCED PLAYERS: If you look around you might find Boggle Master. That edition has a 5x5 grid and 9 more letter cubes. You still have three minutes (and the grid is as noisy as ever) but you can make a lot more points in this one. Happy hunting and good luck.

Fun times
I love this game and have for years. With so many words to make and such variety with who you play against and what letters might come up, it's always a different game every time you play it. The only drawback is the noise when shaking up the letters in their box. I would like to see a version that wasn't so irritating in that respect. As a tip, if the noise bothers you and you play the game a lot so it's worth the effort, put some thin felt strips in the box top (the kind with the self-adhesive backing) so when you shake it, it makes less noise. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Word Games   

Features

• 1000 questions based on the hit HBO show

Reviews (3)

okay but a few mistakes!
my husband bought this for me for christmas. i was so excited to open it and test it out. i've already found 2 answers that are WRONG!! i'm positively sure they're wrong too b/c i went back and watched that certain show. it's okay but it could've been a lot better. sex and the city is still the BEST show EVER!!

Good times to remember
While playing this game you find yourself back looking back at our favorite thing to do on a Sunday night! I would totally recommend it!!

Sex and the City Trivia, Lacking............................
I, like you, am a huge SATC fan.I have every season on DVD and watch them often.I could not wait until the trivia game came out.They pushed back the release date about 2 times.All I could think was, wow, they must be making this fantastic.When the trivia game finaly came out, I ran the to store and bought it.I got home, rippied off the plastic, and lifted the lid.There was a sheet of intructions, one small dice, one small stack of small cards, and one small stack of large cards.I lifted the huge black plstic holder to see the board and what else was waiting for me.To my huge dissapointment there was nothing else, not even a board, or pieces to move around with. The object of the game is to collect cards.They are fun and cute, at least they are pink, but so much more could have been done.The pink metal box that the cards come in is too large for what is actually inside, which is very misleading, making you think your getting more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Trivia   

Reviews (1)

Superb!
I don't like chess programs for the computer. I am old fasioned: I need to actually touch and move the pieces. The Electronic Glass Chess by Excalibur fits the bill. The program is challenging and the look of the unit is absolutely beautiful. A great value. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Strategy Games   

Editorial Review

In 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression, an unemployed heating engineer from Pennsylvania created the game of Monopoly. Realizing that his get-rich theme might appeal to other Americans, he had the game printed and distributed in a Philadelphia department store. When he couldn't keep up with the overwhelming requests for more sets, he arranged for Parker Brothers to take over the game. And the rest, as they say, is history. But Monopoly is far from a quaint historical relic. To this day, it remains a riveting game of luck, chance, and savvy wheeling and dealing--all of which can make some lucky dog rich, rich, rich! Based on the purchase of Atlantic City real estate (a city currently renowned for its get-rich gambling opportunities), Monopoly is now printed in 26 languages with more than 200 million sets sold worldwide. Players still scoot the same beloved board pieces: the old shoe, the terrier, and the hot rod. This set also includes rules for a shortened version of the game and a new token, winner of Monopoly's recent "design a token" contest. This is capitalism at its most fun and ruthless, a must-have edition in the family game closet. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Monopoly
Many of you may have played Monopoly, but for those who have not you are missingout on a great board game.I have played it many times.When ever my family says lets play a borad game I say "MONOPOLY".Here are a few things good and bad about Monopoly.
Some great things about Monopoly is that you can do math so when your having fun you can also be learning.It is a fun family game, but the down side is that it is time consuming.When I play Monopoly I can never finish it.It may get frustrating, but it can teach patience.Monoploy may have hard math skills for younger players.On a rainy day Monopoly would be the best game to pull out and play.
So remember Monoploy is not the perfect game but I do recommend it.

A Classic!
No house can be without Monopoly. It's a simple game, no ridiculously elaborate rules and is so much fun to play.I've found that Monopoly is more fun to play with 3 or more players as opposed to only 2 since half of the fun is in the negotiations!

A classic - but how good is it?
NOTE: I've often wondered how Monopoly would be viewed if it were released in 2005. Would it garner the same popularity/negativity that it does today? Therefore I'm writing this review, trying to depict how I would play Monopoly if I had played it for the first time, current year.

Negotiation games certainly depend on the group. I've played negotiation games with hard-headed, fun-loving groups and have had a blast the entire time. However, I've also played negotiation games with folks who were having problems outside the game, didn't want to trade with a particular person, didn't want to trade at all, etc. With these people, any kind of trading and bartering can fall flat, destroying the fun in a game. Monopoly (Parker Brothers - designer debated) seems to add a twist on negotiation games - adding luck and "rent" to the equation.

At first, the board appears to be that of the "roll-and-move" variety, where one simply follows the roll of the dice. And this is indeed true, but the crux of the game is in the fact that players attempt to minimize their chances of landing on a poor space, and maximize their opponents. Dice are not the only randomness in the game, as some cards are also drawn during game play, contributing to the luck. But players cannot make any real headway in the game unless they dicker with the other players - so the luck only holds so far. I enjoy a good game of Monopoly, but only every once in a while. Even though negotiation is a mechanic I enjoy, the randomness that comes along with it doesn't elevate Monopoly over other, better trading games.

A board consisting of forty spaces in a square track is placed on the table, with two stacks of cards - "Chance", and "Community Chest" - shuffled and placed down on it. Each player chooses a playing piece and places it on the space marked "Go", and receives $1500 from the bank. The remainder of the money is placed in the "bank", as well as a pile of green house pieces and red hotel pieces. Twenty-eight property cards, each associating with a specific space on the board, are also placed in the bank area. One player is chosen to go first, with play proceeding clockwise around the table.

On a turn, each player must roll two six-sided dice and move their piece clockwise around the track that many spaces. Depending on what space they land on, they then take an action:
- Chance: The player draws a card from the Chance deck and follows the instructions on it (gaining money, losing money, going to a specific space, etc.)
- Community Chest: Same as above, but with the Community Chest Deck
- Free Parking: The only space on the board where nothing ever happens - a breather.
- Luxury Tax: The player must pay the bank $75
- Income Tax: The player must pay $200 or 10% of all their monetary value (must be decided before the player counts up their money)
- Unowned property space: There are twenty-eight spaces on the board that are property spaces. Twenty-two of these properties are divided up into "color-groups", two or three properties of the same color. Four other spots are "railroad" spaces, and the final two properties (the Electric company and Waterworks) are utility properties. A player landing on an unowned property space may immediately buy it for the asking price (from $60 to $400, depending on the property). If they decide not to (or can't), an auction occurs, and the highest bidder gets the property.
- Owned property space. If a player lands on a property space they own, nothing happens. If they land on a property another player owns, they must pay that player "rent". Each property has a small amount that is charged to the player landing on that space. If a player owns all the properties in one color group, the rent on those spaces is doubled. Players may also increase their rent on their properties by building houses and hotels on them.
- Go to Jail: A player landing here must immediately head to the jail space.
- Jail: A player landing here is put in the part of the space marked "just visiting", and ends their turn. A player who is stuck here must either roll doubles to get out, or pay $50 to the bank. (Some cards also allow a player to escape). If a player does not roll doubles in three turns, they MUST pay the $50 to escape.
When a player rolls the same number on both dice ("doubles"), they must immediately roll again. If the player rolls three doubles in a row, however, they immediately go to jail. When a player passes "Go" normally, they receive $200 from the bank.

On their turn, or in the short downtime between other players' turns, each player may trade/sell their properties to one another for whatever deal they can get. Players also have the option of buying houses for their color-properties, if they have all of one set. Players can buy up to four houses for each property, for the price specified on the card, and then build a "fifth" house - which is actually a hotel piece that replaces the four houses on the property. Houses/hotels must be built evenly on both/all three of the color properties.

If a player needs to pay more money than they have - they can sell their houses/hotels back to the bank for a loss, and sell properties to other players or "mortgage" them to get the funds they need. If this still is not enough to cover their debt, the player is out of the game. The last player still in the game is the winner!

Some comments on the game...

1.) Components: Probably the most distinctive part of Monopoly is the playing pieces, which are different tokens (iron, dog, ship, etc.) rather than colored pawns. For some reason this is easier to identify (Why don't more games do this?) and the pawns do usually elicit a positive reaction. The money included with the game is fairly thin and forgettable, as I much prefer poker chips or better quality money; but it works. The green houses are made of plastic, as are the red hotels; and they offer a good, quick visual of the dangers of landing on a particular property. The properties on the board themselves are arranged in order of value, starting with the cheapest property (Mediterranean Avenue - cost $60, highest rent - $250), and going to the most expensive property (Boardwalk - cost $400, highest rent - $2000). The board itself is a little bland, with a lot of wasted space in the middle; but when the houses and hotels are added, everything looks pretty neat. The property cards have a lot of info on them, and since almost every property is different, quite necessary. I'm not sure how the property cards and money will hold up to repeated plays - they look a little beat up after only a few.

2.) Rules: The rules are fairly simplistic to learn and only take a few pages. There are tournament rules that can be found online - and clarify some of the gaping holes in the original rules. For example, the original rules don't clarify timing issues - as there are only a limited amount of houses and hotels to go around, who gets to buy them first? Also, is rent something that MUST be paid, or can a player who is not paying attention miss the money due to them? These seem like innocuous questions, but I've seen all of them greatly debated at games I've played.

3.) Money and theme: The game revolves around money - if you lose it, your out! Money changes hands frequently during the game, so I'm sure that the game could help children learn how to handle money. Oddly enough, while the game seems to promote monopolies, all I've ever seen was how it showed the negative sides of them. In the beginning of the game, the money amounts being handled are fairly small; but near the end, they can get rather enormous. If players aren't staying on the same level as other players, they can be eliminated quickly. And this does add some interesting decisions to the game - how many houses/hotels should one buy? If you buy a lot of them quickly, your chance to make a lot of money is increased, but your available cash is low. Also, should players buy every property they land on? At first, it seems like the answer is generally yes, but occasionally it doesn't help a player to buy everything - besides, you just might get it cheaper in auction?

4.) Elimination: Monopoly's biggest problem, in my opinion, is the fact that the game has player elimination in it - something that usually doesn't go over well, especially in a game of this length (usually around two and a half hours). The rules include a variant that ends the game after the second player is eliminated - and I've found that this works much better - even though it still causes one player to be eliminated.

5.) House Rules: I've played the game with many people, and several people have invented their own house rules, such as awarding money to people who land on Free Parking, auctioning off all properties, etc. Some of these rules really bog the game down, and a few (minute, actually) improve the game. So far it seems that most variants don't do much to help the game - and some of them actually make it quite dreadful - so I personally tend to ignore them.

6.) Variations: I've already seen several variations on Monopoly - Star Wars, Loony Tunes, etc. A few of them add minor rule changes, but it is interesting how the theme of the game can be cut and pasted at will. Since most of these themes change little to, or nothing, I would tend to look for one with the highest quality bits when buying the game (Star Wars Episode I version so far has the best I've seen.)

7.) Problems: The game has two problems other than elimination. For one, there is a high luck factor. A player who lands on all of one group of properties (all the railroads, all the reds, etc.) can have a huge advantage at the beginning of the game. A player who lands on very few can also be in a bit of a jam. The Chance and Community Chest cards range wildly from being slightly annoying (pay $50) to extremely hurtful (go to a property that just happens to ha ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Classic Games   

Editorial Review

The wildly popular and award-winning Cranium board game has revved its engines and gone turbo! As in the original game, players in teams race around the board, sculpting, humming, spelling, or drawing answers to clues. But the Turbo edition is enhanced by 1,000 new cards and adds six outrageous activities to the 10 originals, including Odd Couple (determine which two things don't belong in a list), Zooma (identify objects shown in close-up), and Mindmeld (read teammates' minds to come up with the same words on a given topic). An electronic Turbo timer lights up and blasts music to keep the momentum going, as if watching your teammates sculpt "hot pants" or turn each other into puppets isn't energizing enough! Includes the Cranium board, 1,000 cards with 16 activities, a tub of clay, an electronic timer (requires three "AA" batteries [not included]), pencils and pads, and four game pieces. One of the best games around, with something for everyone! --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (9)

family night
my family night people found that we enjoyed cranium sooooo much and that we have played it so many thimes that we memorized that cards

My new favorite game!
coming from someone that has only played the original cranium once, I was blown away by the Turbo edition.It was amazing to see how everyone was so into the game play even when it wasn't their turn.The types and variety of questions made this game a lot of fun and continuously interesting.Cranium brings aspects of all your favorite games into one!Even the modeling clay smelled nice!The actual gameplay was very easy to understand.The only drawback was the timer/question selector.We had to silence it a bit and it took some time for everyone to figure out how long to hold it down for it to work.It was also a bit hard to hear over it during the singing questions.overall - a GREAT game that could never get old!

This game ROCKS!
So I have been a lover of Cranium (the original) for years. The formula for parties is great, everyone can master at least a few of the skills requires so all stay excited and engaged. This new release adds even more skills to the mix so you are constantly having to switch your thinking. In addition it adds a little electronic doohickey to substitute for dice. Now, I don't normally go in for gimmicky stuff like this, and I can't say that I have ever met a board game with batteries that I liked, but this thing is pretty cool. It doubles as the dice element, adding some randomness, and as the timer, pretty cool. I also enjoy the little song it plays. I got this game right before the holidays and took it home to play with the family. I have always played with my piers (23 - 30) and was pleased to find that my parents, and even my grandmother thought it was totally entertaining. Get this game, it rocks! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Trivia   

Reviews (24)

Communicating without pressure
I was a teenager when my mother first learned about the Ungame and purchased it for us.Being a typical adolescent, I wasn't all that interested in communicating, but I loved to play games.From the day we bought it (it was just a small wallet with two stacks of cards then) it went everywhere with us: in the car, to restaurants, to the park, to my slumber parties... We laughed and joked and answered questions until we were too exhausted to keep our eyes open any longer.My friends adored it, my extended family loved it and I learned to answer my mother's questions.
Now that I am a mother myself, the Ungame will be a fixture in my own house.I can't imagine not having so much fun getting to know my son (and vice versa).

Ungame Is wonderful
... Ungame has been wonderful in helping my child to express her feelings, and become a more verbal person.

It's a great tool
As an elementary school counselor, I've used the ungame for the past 11 years.I've never run across a student yet who hasn't enjoyed playing the game and many of them ask to play on return visits.I've read the other reviews and was surprised to see some of the critical comments.The game isn't intended to transform a family or someone's life.It is a tool to use in a variety of situations.Students new to school, students I'm speaking with for the first time, students who tend to be competitive, students who are shy...(I could go on)....the game gets people talking.If you're looking for something fast paced, then go for Hungry Hippos or Perfection.But if you want to open lines of communication in an easy, natural way, try the Ungame.Make sure you are purchasing the game for your intended audience as there are many versions! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games   

Editorial Review

Sure, this real estate trading game has been the world's most popular board game for more than six decades, but what makes this edition "deluxe"? For one thing, it brings back the sturdywooden (not plastic) houses and hotels of years gone by. It also features an extra gold-colored train token, a handy holder for the Title Deed cards, and a banker's tray to keep your cash on hand. The cash, Community Chest, and Chance cards are all newly redesigned. And the 19-inch-by-19-inch board is stamped with a golden "Deluxe" arch. Featuring the original Atlantic Citylandmarks like Boardwalk and Park Place, this version is for the serious Monopoly lovers on your gift list.For further perspective on Monopoly, you can read about it in The Greatest Games of All Time and New Rules for Classic Games.--Rebecca Hughes ... Read more

Features

• This spiffed up version of the classic game includes wooden houses and hotels, golden tokens, title deed carousel, bankers tray, and deluxe graphics.
• MONOPOLY®, the distinctive design of the gameboard, the four corner squares, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board, the playing pieces and the RICH UNCLE PENNYBAGS name and character are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment.

Reviews (48)

OVERPRICED, CHEAPLY MANUFACTURED AND DISAPPOINTING

The only thing "Deluxe" about this addition is the glossy foil cover of the box, which is designed to make you think you are getting something special by paying more money.

Nothing could be further from the truth. This edition screams "CHEAP" from the second the lid comes off.

Let's go thru the hype above and set the record straight on all the "Deluxe" features:

The board is a quad-fold affair, redesigned presumably to allow a smaller, less expensive box. It has much less rigidity than the single-fold board of the "classic" version. When it is left out for an extended period of time, especially overnite, the ends of the board curl up and refuses to lay flat.

The houses and hotels are completely featureless, just small blocks of wood. They looked to be dipped in some type of vegetable dye rather than painted. This is probably an attempt to eek out a few extra cents of corporate profit.

The "bankers tray" and "property wheel" are flimsy plastic jokes. Neither would last under play by children much more than a few games.

This edition is a sad legacy to a great game, and the cheapness of the set detracts from the joy of play. For the additional cost, all you are really getting is the fancy foil cover and one extra play token, plus a board that curls up at the edges: Whoopee!

My advice: Save the extra money and buy the "classic" version.

GREAT
This is a great game.The new box is nice because it's smaller, so it takes up less space.There's a nice money-holder, and little places for pieces and hotels, and even enough room for all of your old pieces and hotels (2 other boards worth).Places to store property cards and everything.The comm. chest kind of cards are a little flimsier, but that's why you use the old ones you have until they wear out.Games aren't supposed to last forever.If you want something that will, don't expect to pay 18 bucks.A haircut costs more than that, and it only lasts a week.Enjoy what it is.

M. Deluxe
Monopoly Deluxe is the best because it is the perfect board game! The box and the 2 blue cases inside are perfect because they don't tear easily. What about the things in the cases? Well, there are a lot of money in one of them, the chance and the (I forgot what those other small cards were called)are with the money and so are the cards for the places. The other case is for when you start playing, it's the bank. You will put the money in that and there are playing tokens, houses and hotels, and a special place where the dice goes. It is the best! Everything about it is perfect if you want to play during your family game nights! If you do buy it, I'm sure you won't regret it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Classic Games   

Editorial Review

With touches of canasta, rummy, and poker, this game could easily become aFriday-night favorite. The object is to get a "sequence," meaning a row of five poker-likechips on the game board. The board itself depicts lines of face-up playing cards. Playersplace their "crowning" chips on top of the card pictures, and can form sequences by usingstrategy and knowing which Sequence cards to keep or discard. Since forethought, luck,and backup plans are the keys to winning, this game is probably too sophisticated forchildren under 7 years old. (But young ones can team up with adults.) Included are 104playing cards and 50 crowning chips in each color: red, blue, and green. --GailHudson ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Wow!!! Great game!!!
You can play this game with just one partner, or in huge teams!!! This game uses logic, and there are some extra perks too, like removing chips.This is a great family game!!!

good
We bought this game recently.To win the game one should be lucky.If the cards and chips are provided with a case it would be great.

One of our favorites
This game is a favorite for my husband and I. We purchased it two years ago and are still playing it together almost on a weekly basis. It's challenging and fun... it keeps you focused, but doesn't require too much effort, so you can even play it to wind down at the end of the night. And it combines both elements of luck (in drawing the right card) and strategy (in knowing how long to hold your wild Jacks and knowing when to pay more attention to what your opponent is doing next than the move you are going to make) equally. I never get bored of this game.

The only drawback I would say is that I did not enjoy playing it with more than 2 people. We played with four people when we did. I can see it being enjoyable for three people, but once you get to a group of four or more, you have to play in teams (there are three sets of colored chips, allowing for three separate players, but once you are beyond that number, you have to play in teams) and you can't talk to each other about your moves. That was a bit frustrating.

We would highly recommend this game for adults as well as anyone in their teens. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Cards   

Editorial Review

How's your tolerance for puns? You'll need some for Pass the Pigs, asimple game of chance built around a pig theme. Instead of dice, you roll twocute pink piglets, and you gain or lose points depending on how the crittersland. For example, if both land on all fours, called a "double trotter," you get20 points; if they land lying opposite each other, called a "Pig Out," you gainno points and cede your turn. There are a number of other rules as well as avariation called "Hog Call." This would be a good travel game (the pigs,instructions, and scoring pad fit in a small, tidy box) or a fine present forsomeone who's, well, into pigs! --Elisa Murray ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Spend hours passing the pig!
This game has had hours put into it....an awesome game!Spend much time passing the pigs...gets addicting!I greatly reccomend this game to others....so pass the pig, please!

Great Game!!
This game is great for all ages!!For the young, it can be great to learn addition, for adults it can be a great party game!!I have been playing Pigs for years and LOVE IT!!!

Take Pigs Camping
A friend turned me on Pigs ten years ago.It is portable, fun and simple enough for most ages.We've been to many NASCAR races camping and it's always a hit with the crowd we gather with each year.In fact, I bought and gave out five sets of the game to our friends who live in other states so they could continue playing at their respective homes. Perfect for those who want sit back with a drink and not have to get too cerbral but who want to have a fun game that engages all who play! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Learning    3. Math    4. Board Games    5. Family Favorites    6. Party Games    7. Grownup   

Reviews (4)

Thank God For Sequels
Way to go, Scene It!The sequel pack is AWESOME!More cards, more questions, and a DVD with more clips and trivia!Awesome!A must have if you have the original game.

Not so hot
The game depends little on knowledge of movies but is rather a skill-type game. For example in one part, they keep adding letters and you guess the title of the movie. This is move like "Wheel of Fortune" than watching actual movie scenes. It could have done with any topic, not specifically movies and in that sense I felt deceived and let down buying it and playing it.

SCENE IT IS THE BEST GAME EVER
As a sixteen year old teenager, I have to say that Scene It is one of the greatest games on the market. My friends and I get together and have Scene It parties where we divide up into teams and play each other! I think that if every family had a Scene It in their household, drug useage and crime rate would drop drastically and we could help get kids off the streets. If you enjoy Scene It, I also reccomend buying Trivial Pursuit DVD Pop Culture. I promise that you will not be dissapointed by Scene It!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

This is a strategy game with a twist--if you lose, you'relunch. You've taken your trusty Safari Rover deep into the bush; nowmaneuver it through the maze of hungry animals and get back to camp inone piece. An 8-by-7.25-inch plastic game tray forms a kind of grid foryour vehicle and the 3-D plastic animal pieces (including elephants,rhinos, and a termite mound). Draw one of 50 cards (10 of which areextra-easy, for younger players) to determine the initial board setup.Then move pieces, according to strict rules, to make your escapethrough the only exit. A cloth bag for all the game pieces is included.--Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fun but bulky
Our family truly enjoys the Rush Hour game and tried this one as well - it is bigger and bulkly and convenient for travel.I alos find the puzzles to be a bit easier.The pieces don't slide as well as Rush Hour.

Good toy for everyone
I knew this game at a friend's house and love it even I was 30 already at that time.I bought several when I went back to visit my family and they all love it.When I told my mom that I would give my brother's 1st grad boy a set, she told me he won't like it since he doesn't like the brain games.But he loves it soon after my sister explain to him the rules and he enjoys to do it.My little one, almost 23 months old now, likes those animals and loves to put all of those animals to the board one by one and kind of learn the size and arrange the place.It's not only for 8 and up.

Great game; an attention grabber
I bought this for my 6 year old. She played with it for an hour the first time.It is a game she can play solo. After using the Junior cards, she went on to the beginner. She is still progressing.This is a great thinking game. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Wild Animals    3. Learning    4. Games    5. Board Games    6. Family Favorites    7. Brain Games    8. Puzzles    9. 3-D Puzzles    10. Strategy Games    11. Brain Teasers    12. Activity   

Reviews (2)

How fun is that?
Want to feel like you are there, actually on the field and get the same rush the players do?Well then you had better head to Notre Dame and try to get placed on the team...but this is a VERY fun game.I played it at my brothers house and it was fun for all the ages!

off the hezey
i bought this game to see how fun it was. now i am 17 and me and my friends still play it this game is worth the money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Tabletop Games    3. Electronic    4. Sports    5. Football   

Editorial Review

Poor Mr. Boddy has been shockingly murdered in his own mansion. To win this game, you must become a roving detective, sniffing out the answers to the classic mystery questions: Who among Mr. Boddy's guests committed the murder? What was the murder weapon? (Lead pipe? Wrench? Candlestick?) Where did the murder happen? (Library? Conservatory?) Because the answers change each time, the game is constantly challenging. A gameboard map of the mansion, detective notepad, deck of cards, one die, wandering playing pieces, and a healthy dose of intuition will help players be the first to figure out the answers. This edition of Clue is a departure from the old faces and mansion rooms that were beginning to look dated after all these years. Sultry Miss Scarlett looks like Lesley Ann Warren from the movie Clue. Mr. Green looks convincingly sinister, Mrs. Peacock snobbish and potentially cruel. Colonel Mustard is still Pompous, Professor Plum still clueless. Mrs. White, the grandmotherly maid, is downright spooky. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (79)

The Game Clue
The game Clue is a detective game that entertains you and your friends by seeing who is first to solve the murder mystery. I usually play this game with my family and friends because it is a game for the entire family and we enjoy it. This is my personal favorite board game because it is simple and it perks you up if you are having a gloomy day.
This game has some some positive things about it and some negative things about it. One poitive thing is that there are very few directions. Another is that it gets your mind thinking by using your knowledge or "Clues" that you have discovered and try to guess the person who committed the murder, where it happened, and with what weapon they did it with. But along with positive comments, there are also negative ones too. For example, it takes a long time to set the game up because you have to sort the cards, hand the out to each player, and without looking take three cards and put them into the confidential envelope.
I have played this many times and I am only 11 years old. I would rate this game 5 stars!

The classic whodunit game
Known in Britain as Cluedo but in America as Clue, this classic game is based on a simple idea but your enjoyment of it (or lack thereof) will depend to some extent on what sort of brain you have. The game is basically a logic puzzle so it is not a game of luck (though there is a little luck involved) so the most skilful player will win most of the time.

With six possible murderers, six possible weapons and nine possible locations, there are 314 possible solutions to the puzzle. By a process of elimination, each player tries to work out the combination. Each player is dealt some cards containing names of people, weapons and locations, so is able to eliminate some possibilities immediately.

The main skill lies is in knowing what is the best combination to guess when it is your turn to guess, and understanding the implications of your (and other people's) previous guesses. When you guess a combination, you announce it aloud for everybody to hear. Going round in a circle, your opponents have to either say they haven't got any of those three or they show you a card. Nobody else sees this card but they know that this person has one of the three you guessed. Of course, that person may have more than one of the three but as only one card need be shown, you don't know that. If none of your opponents is able to show you a card, then either you have guessed correctly or you've got one of the cards in your own hand. In the latter case, it seems like a wasted guess although there are occasions when bluffing might be useful. In any case, those players who can make most use of clues offered by all guesses, not just their own, have the best chance of winning.

Yes, this game can be a lot of fun, but you need a brain suited to solving logic puzzles to really enjoy it.

Mystery Madness!
Who killed Mr. Boddy? Was it Mr. Green in the Ball Room with the Rope? Colonel Mustard in the Dining Room with the Revolver? Miss Scarlet in the Lounge with the Lead Pipe? Professor Plum in the Study with the Knife? Mrs. White in the Kitchen with the Candlestick? Or Mrs. Peacock in the Library with the Wrench? If you love solving mysteries, then Clue is the board game for you! Six suspects, six weapons, and nine rooms are available in the game: Mr. Green, Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, and Mrs. Peacock are the suspects, the Revolver, Rope, Knife, Lead Pipe, Wrench, and Candlestick are the weapons, and the Hall, Library, Billiard Room, Ball Room, Lounge, Study, Kitchen, Dining Room, and Conservatory are the rooms. You are the detective and you must solve the murder of Mr. Boddy before another person does! The game includes six moving game pieces (green for Green, yellow for Mustard, red for Scarlet, purple for Plum, white for White, and blue for Peacock), six weapon pieces, a pad of detective notepads, the game board, a "CONFIDENTIAL" envelope, and rules for playing. Supply yourself with some pencils in order to mark your clues down on the notepads. Read the rules for gameplay. What I like about the game is that it is challenging fun for everyone. You can't stop playing this game, because it is SO much fun!! I totally love it!! I give it a five-star review, for it being such an excellent game! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Family Favorites    4. Party Games    5. Grownup   

Editorial Review

Furrowed brows and hearty laughter are the most likely outcome of this fun but challenging newgame from Game Development Group. The object is to be the first to reach the end of the game board."Been there, done that," you're thinking? Look again. In fact, stare hard--because that's the only way you'llget anywhere. Players (individually or in teams) must stare at an image on a card for 20 seconds. Actually,that's the "challenging" version. Depending on the relative level of masochism at the table, you can opt forthe "almost impossible" version--stare for 10 seconds--or the "general" version, stare for 30 seconds (best ifthere are kids playing), and then answer questions about what you saw. It's not easy folks--just try toremember what color socks the man next to you on the bus was wearing this morning, or how many peoplewere reading magazines. Of course, you weren't staring.... --Rachel Radway ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Fun New Game.
A great new game.This game is certainly different from anything out there.I am so tired of the newest version of Monopoly.I mean how many different versions of Monopoly can one possibly play.Who cares about StarWarsOPOLY, SimpsonOPLY, SpiderManOPLY...What I am interested in is playing a unique fun game, not a 'theme game'. Straight old Monopoly is what I opt for.But, when we want a break from Monopoly, it is always refreshing to find something new, good and unique!We really like STARE!It is a great fun concept and very challenging to boot.I don't like games which do not challenge.I mean what is the point of playing a game which does not get your gray matter working just a little.That is not a problem with Stare! - plenty of gray matter gets exercised. Anyway, I've been meaning to buy this game for ages. And I was happy I did, it is just down right likable to play.You will really like the array of image cards.The cards are a great selection of old advertisements, funny graphics cards, some everyday images etc.I especially love those old advertisements.In any event, you stare at the image card for either 10 seconds, 20 seconds, or 30 seconds.Prior to starting the game you decide which version you would like to play.I like the 10 second version - it makes things hairy.There are 5 ready made questions about the image on each card, but the 6th option let's an opponent make up