Reviews (1)

Mission Command Sea Game Best of the bunch!
This new version of the earlier issue of "Carrier Strike" is a slimmed down, less complicated issue that improves on re-play ability. It becomes obvious immediately that the Harpoon missle is the most valuable component in the game. There is also a slight strategy to the placement of the Carrier and the two barrier islands and in the wake of what happened to the Japanese at Midway you would be wise to keep all fighters scrambled at all times.The use of sidewinder missles in plane to plane dogfighting is of little value, increasing your die roll by one or a re-roll of one die only. (They could have done better) and it is basically useless to attack any plane that is flying without a harpoon missle (the only real offensive threat) . The two destroyers in the game are used for defense and once they are sunk future harpoon attacks will most likely end in victory, which is the sinking of the enemy carrier with two harpoon missle hits. Overall it is an entertaining game that can be concluded in about a half hour of combat. Probably the best of the three games due to the Sea/Air aspects and if you want to buy only one this is the one to get. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Party Games   

Reviews (2)

Mission Command Air Game
I absolutely enjoy this game.I have even run it at Gaming Conventions for other people to experience and enjoy.Since running it the first of March, I have 3 guys looking franticly trying to find it.
For even more fun lay out 4 boards arranged 2x2You can run 8 pairs of fighters and travel twice the distance!!!Big fun.

Doug Riley
DreamCon, Director of Gaming and Vendor Relations.

Dog-fight dog of a game
While I wasn't expecting much, I was still disappointed. The game has little to do with simulating aerial combat, as one of the features of the game is a "wrap around" board: planes that leave one side of the map enter the other side. So the game is an exercise in guessing where your opponent might randomly end up. Very little strageizing, too much luck.

The game is ok with my young kids though, as it gives them practice adding numbers.

The board is not very well made, experiencing alot of warping.

The planes are very cool though. It would actually be helpful if the board were smaller so that you wouldn't have to reach over it and knock other pieces out of place ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Party Games   

Editorial Review

Fans of Pictionary, Cranium, Rigamarole, and the like will love this hilarious and challenging variation on the classic Charades theme. Cluegivers "express" themselves by speaking, acting, or drawing clues to selected words, while Guessers try to guess the word within 10 seconds. Tiny, occasionally wishy-washy talking hosts direct the activity from within the electronic game (well, okay, they're not really inside the game, but that's where the voices come from!). Teams of two are set up randomly and change constantly throughout the game, as does the clue-giving method. After each player "signs in" to the game by selecting a chip and responding to the hosts' query, a Cluegiver is selected by the hosts. This player selects a card and lowers it into a slot in the game unit. The hosts pull the card into the game, "read" the word, then send the card back out, telling the Cluegiver how (and to whom) to give clues. Beyond this fun electronic twist, the action proceeds more or less along the same lines as the above games. You can't really go wrong with this formula, though, can you? (Three AA batteries required--not included. For three to six players.) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Awesome game -- why couldn't I find it in any store?
I've been hearing about this game for the past 8 mos. from a friend. And I've been trying to find it all over the place, to no avail!Finally got to play it recently and LOVED IT!We had so much fun.Trying to act out some of the words was hilarious and trying to beat the clock can be tough.Thank you ToysRUs.com and Amazon.com for carrying this product.Even better.... it's on clearance.I got one extra as a gift!!

Definitely not for adults
This game specified that it was for adults, but I think it would definitely be better for pre-teens and teenagers.We played twice and quit- it was way too simple to hold the attention of a group of adults.
I bought it because I LOVE Cranium and Catch Phrase and thought it would be somewhat similar, but different with the electronic "hosts" telling you what to do.The electronic game piece is too much- it's just completely random and you have to listen to the same phrases (very interesting and oooh, I like this one) over and over again.It probably would have been just as effective to have dice and a timer!
I'll definitely stick with Cranium!

Good idea, bad execution
The idea of the game is good.After all, it was based on a number of successful games (Pictionary, Charade, etc.).However, the rigid control of the electronic "hosts" ruined it for us.It would have been much more fun if the instructions were simply written out, and the players control the game, as in Pictionary, Charade, etc.Here, the electronic "hosts" give instructions in a tiny voice that is drowned out if the players don't stop their talking and listen.And if you miss a word in the instruction (e.g., which color/player is going next), then the game is thrown off.

We bought this game as a present for our father, but after we played it as a family for about 15 minutes and ran into the problems mentioned above, we decided that it's not much fun if you can't talk and laugh during a game.We decided to return it.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Party Games    3. Grownup   

Editorial Review

Show your steady hands and elementary structural knowledge in abattle against gravity when you play Jenga, a game of luck andprecision. First, assemble the 54 rectangular, hardwood blocks--smoothand shaped just right for stacking--into a three-piece-wide, 18-storytower. Then take turns removing the three-inch blocks one at time,using caution to keep the structure intact while stacking the removedpieces back on the top of the tower. As the tower rises, its basebegins to teeter--one wrong move and it collapses in a heap! Gameover.

Jenga allows adults to play architect and children to perfecttheir stacking skills and hand-eye coordination. There is no limit onthe number of participants--it can even be played solo. Butbeware: Jenga can be addictive. The instructions declare a 36-storystructure to be the mark of a real pro. How tall can you go? --CateBick ... Read more

Features

• The blockbuster of all stacking games with hardwood blocks. Pull out blocks, place them on top...don't topple the teetering tower! JENGA, JENGA, JENGA!
• Ages: 8 and Up. 1 or More Players. PLAY 1. The player who built the tower goes first. Play then continues to the left.
• 2. On your turn, carefully remove a block from anywhere BELOW the highest completed story Then stack it on top of the tower, at right angles to the blocks just below it. 3. Removing and Stacking Blocks Remove and stack one block per turn. To remove a block, use one hand at a time.
• You can switch hands whenever you wish. As play proceeds and the weight of the tower shifts, some blocks become looser than others and are easier to remove. You can touch other blocks to find a loose one - but if you move a block out of place, you must fix it (using one hand only) before touching another block.
• While stacking, always complete one 3 - block story before starting a higher one. 4. Your turn ends 10 seconds after you stack your block-or as soon as the player to your left touches a block. 5. Keep removing and stacking blocks until the tower falls.

Reviews (34)

Jenga
This game is really cool! I played it in school a few times. It is a little hard putting the 54 blocks into the box. So, my friends help me. When you play Jenga on the table and it falls, it's really loud. We don't know how to win but it is cool. It's oodles of fun. I must have it!- Cristian Mojica, Age 9

Easy to learn, hard to master!!!
In this era of mobile PSPs, x-boxes and gamecubes, a classic game like Jenga not only continues to survive, but thrive!

My first experience was with my 2 nieces. I had never seen them before and since it always snows in MI, we couldn't go out. To break the awkward silence and pass time, my 4 year old pulled this tower of fun out. For next several hours we played this awsome game and bonded with each other. It was most fun I had with kids.

Ok, now the specifics. The game works by first arranging all pieces to make a tower and then making each person pull out one piece at a time and put it on the top of the tower. Simple huh?
Well as I said it is easy to learn but the idea is to select a piece that can be pulled out without causing a collapse and this is where men are separated from boys (and boys usually win!).
You can actually learn to strategize your game and pull each piece in a sequence to make your tower taller.
Each piece is made of wood and has the right size, finish and weight to support quite a bit of weight.
If you are looking for a game that doesn't entail mindless button pushing or shooting those ugly monstors on tv screen, go for this one. Your kids will love it and hopefully you too!

Great for the whole family
Chenga is a great game for the whole family.Any family member old enough to understand the idea of trying not to knock down the tower is old enough to play, which usually means anyone over three.There is a good deal of skill for children to learn about being slow, calm, and careful when pulling and placing pieces, which makes this game very educational, at least in the sense of learning self-mastery.The game is also fun and suspenseful, as each time someone takes a turn, everyone hold their breath a little while they wait to see if the tower will fall.A super-nice feature of Chenga is that it allows the entire family to play the same game, without subjecting older members to silly baby games like Candy Land (which is nice, but gets old).And best of all, Chenga is great value for money.This is a game that doesn't cost much to begin with, is super-durable (almost impossible to break), and is unlikely to be out-grown at any time. ... Read more

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

Reviews (3)

dont buy this toy
this is not a good toy It takes forever to set up and then is not much fun to play with.

Not recommended...
This game is a pain just to set up.There are so many little pieces that losing them is inevitable especially with little sibs around.Playing with only 2 people did not make sense to me even though the game says that it can be played with 2 people.I would not recommend buying this game.

Cool toy for the lion king fan
THis is all my 4.5 year old daughter talked about getting from Santa. It is more of a game of skill than a typical luck game. You basically start with simba as a cub and everyone shares this one game piece. Take turns moving him around the board and he faces challenges. the one challenge against the hyenas is very simple - no skill needed. However the other two challenges are tricky - involves launching rubber bugs to land on certain areas of the board. The final challenge you have to shoot simba and try to aim at rocks with one disguised as Scar. This is tough... for me! Overall it is a different twist on a boardgame but a pain to disassemble to fit back into the box.... ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Fun for teens
I have 2 teen agers and my husband and I take truns playing with the 3rd controller and hosting.It is an enjoyable game with older children.My 2 younger ones enjoy watching the teens and parents battle out, however they are not of an appropriate age to play.Great for Family Fun

Coffee break fun...
We've been having a great time with this at the office, dividing up into teams and competing for high scores. Play is identical to the TV show and the questions are well-leveled in general, although occasionally one will seem way too easy/hard.

Minor frustration:success buzzing in can depend on how the base unit is held relative to the buzzers.

A fun item for under $10
It's not perfect - other reviewer's criticisms noted -- but what do you expect for under $10? We are having fun with it. Our "reader" - our 10-year old son -- is learning as much as his parents by reading the questions. Questions are really too hard for bright children under 12 or 13. Needs lots of batteries. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Handheld    3. Electronic    4. Trivia   

Editorial Review

Fans of Pictionary, Cranium, Rigamarole, and the like will love this hilarious and challenging variation on the classic Charades theme. Cluegivers "express" themselves by speaking, acting, or drawing clues to selected words, while Guessers try to guess the word within 10 seconds. Tiny, occasionally wishy-washy talking hosts direct the activity from within the electronic game (well, okay, they're not really inside the game, but that's where the voices come from!). Teams of two are set up randomly and change constantly throughout the game, as does the clue-giving method. After each player "signs in" to the game by selecting a chip and responding to the hosts' query, a Cluegiver is selected by the hosts. This player selects a card and lowers it into a slot in the game unit. The hosts pull the card into the game, "read" the word, then send the card back out, telling the Cluegiver how (and to whom) to give clues. Beyond this fun electronic twist, the action proceeds more or less along the same lines as the above games. You can't really go wrong with this formula, though, can you? (Three AA batteries required--not included. For three to six players.) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Awesome game -- why couldn't I find it in any store?
I've been hearing about this game for the past 8 mos. from a friend. And I've been trying to find it all over the place, to no avail!Finally got to play it recently and LOVED IT!We had so much fun.Trying to act out some of the words was hilarious and trying to beat the clock can be tough.Thank you ToysRUs.com and Amazon.com for carrying this product.Even better.... it's on clearance.I got one extra as a gift!!

Definitely not for adults
This game specified that it was for adults, but I think it would definitely be better for pre-teens and teenagers.We played twice and quit- it was way too simple to hold the attention of a group of adults.
I bought it because I LOVE Cranium and Catch Phrase and thought it would be somewhat similar, but different with the electronic "hosts" telling you what to do.The electronic game piece is too much- it's just completely random and you have to listen to the same phrases (very interesting and oooh, I like this one) over and over again.It probably would have been just as effective to have dice and a timer!
I'll definitely stick with Cranium!

Good idea, bad execution
The idea of the game is good.After all, it was based on a number of successful games (Pictionary, Charade, etc.).However, the rigid control of the electronic "hosts" ruined it for us.It would have been much more fun if the instructions were simply written out, and the players control the game, as in Pictionary, Charade, etc.Here, the electronic "hosts" give instructions in a tiny voice that is drowned out if the players don't stop their talking and listen.And if you miss a word in the instruction (e.g., which color/player is going next), then the game is thrown off.

We bought this game as a present for our father, but after we played it as a family for about 15 minutes and ran into the problems mentioned above, we decided that it's not much fun if you can't talk and laugh during a game.We decided to return it.
... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Party Games    3. Grownup   

Reviews (2)

Better than th car tin.
I purchased this edition of monopoly to go with my car token tin. I wasn't expecting it to be any different than the car tin since they are the same type of monopoly set. However, I was presently surprised to find this set was much better. In the car tin, all the playing parts (money, property, houses and hotels) are contained in a flimsy plastic "dashboard" with the property in the solid plastic steering wheel. The steer wheel design made it hard to place all the property into it because the center would get too tight to place the last few properties. In the train tin, the money, hotels and houses are contained in a solid grey plastic train and the property in a solid black plastic train track. This is great because it will stand up to considerable wear and tear. The tokens are also a different color from the car tin. It's like an antiqued brass finish (the car tin was an antiqued nickel finish). My only issue was that they didn't give enough room for the tokens, houses and hotels in the bottom of the tin. But this can be solved by placing the token bag in the train container. I presently play with my millenium edition because of the durable tin, translutent money and fun tokens. This may be my new play set!!

Beautiful and Limited
I collect monopoly games and I must say that the Collector's Tin Series Collection are the classiest of all; second only to the Franklin Mint's version. And that one is around $600.00.

Each board is numbered and Limited. It is beautifully designed with a superb classic look. The art on the money, chance and community chest cards is AWESOME!!. Not even the Simpson's version rivals this. The Hotels and Houses are made of wood, plus the hotels have written on them Grand Hotel in gold. It comes with a tray that fits everything including money and title deeds. The board folds in four but is strong. So that should not be a problem.

My only problem with this game is that the tin can will eventually rust. Other than that it is a great version.

There are two Tin variations that I know of; The Train and the Race Car. Both are equally great. The difference would be the shape of the can and small art details.

As I said before these games are numbered and Limited. So my advice to you is to get a hand on this while you can. But have in mind this is for display only. If you want a nice looking Monopoly to play with you may either buy two or try the Deluxe version which is very nice. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Disappointing use of the Jeopardy name
This handheld game has the potential to be a fun yet educational toy for young minds but instead, it processes Jeopardy "answers" in a scroll pattern that moves quite slowly and also provides the "questions" by scroll with multiple choice selections. The device operates off of two AA batteries that are secured on the backside beneath a screwed cover that takes an eyeglass screwdriver to access. I think having the screw cover is a great idea with kids but wish the screw was a larger size so time isn't lost picking up the smaller tool. The anticipation was great for the toy to entertain on road trips but the toy just didn't measure up to the Jeopardy name. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Handheld    3. Electronic    4. Trivia   

Reviews (3)

dont buy this toy
this is not a good toy It takes forever to set up and then is not much fun to play with.

Not recommended...
This game is a pain just to set up.There are so many little pieces that losing them is inevitable especially with little sibs around.Playing with only 2 people did not make sense to me even though the game says that it can be played with 2 people.I would not recommend buying this game.

Cool toy for the lion king fan
THis is all my 4.5 year old daughter talked about getting from Santa. It is more of a game of skill than a typical luck game. You basically start with simba as a cub and everyone shares this one game piece. Take turns moving him around the board and he faces challenges. the one challenge against the hyenas is very simple - no skill needed. However the other two challenges are tricky - involves launching rubber bugs to land on certain areas of the board. The final challenge you have to shoot simba and try to aim at rocks with one disguised as Scar. This is tough... for me! Overall it is a different twist on a boardgame but a pain to disassemble to fit back into the box.... ... Read more

Editorial Review

What do you get when you cross Parker Brothers with Pikachu? Theclassic game of Slides and Safety Zones with Squirtle and Staryu? Why,Pokémon Sorry!, naturally. Gently reworked to tie in to thecharacters featured in the animated series, this version of thevenerable card-drawing game of racing and revenge retains all thelightning-fast unpredictability of the original. In the traditionalgame, the rules require players to get all four anonymous tokens of onecolor around the board and back home. In Pokémon Sorry!, thetokens are named after the Pocket Monsters and the "Home" spaces arecalled "Gyms." The game plays the same, though, and the classic cardsare here, too. You can split a 7 between two pieces, and a 1 card allowsyou to move one forward or one back. The ever-popular Sorry! cardis as brutal as it ever was, and special instructions on the 3's, 5's,8's, and 12's allow for even more Pokécentric play. --TonyMason ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Pokemon Sorry better than regular Sorry
This game moves along quicker than the old version since many of the cards you choose are color coded to match the player, so if you are the color your card says, you could move up to 24 spaces and if you aren't that color card than you move 12 spaces.You can also land on a card that says take three more cards and choose the best one and move.This is more fun.The bad part is that the pieces you use are no longer the sturdy color pawns, they are like chutes and ladders in the sense that you have to use cardboard pieces (pokemon on them) to attach to plastic pieces to make them stand up.The board and cards are more colorful and exciting than regular sorry.I got this $4.97 in Toys R Us and bought the last one, but I may go back to another location looking for more at this price, makes a good gift.Also, it says age 8 and up even though Sorry is usually 6 and up, I think because it's slightly more complicated and you need at least one player who can read all the instruction and grasp the idea.My four year old is the receiver of this, but his siblings are older and I often play with him anyway.

our favorite game
combine an old favorite with the new pokemon characters and get a game that our whole family loves. we have played it at least once a month for years and it is always fun. mom, dad and boys now 6 and 8 get this game down when the electricity goes out or on a camping trip or just to be together. this is our favorite game because anyone can win even if they are behind for a while.

New Twist On An Old Classic
If you like the orginal Sorry!, you'll love the Pokemon version. The Pokemon format allows for the introduction of more variety on the moves.In addition to the standard numbered moves, Pokemon Group specific moves are now also included.(If you are the Water Group, then move 'X' number of times, then draw again. Or if you are of the Fire Group, then move double the number of times specified by the card.)This adds more unexpected twists to the outcome of the game. The educational value of the game comes from learning to get along and developing people skills.Any Sorry! fan can tell you that sometimes the game gets competative & intense.With either version, players learn to keep the game in perspective, ("remember it is just a game,") and that winning isn't as important as having fun. Disappointment: The player markers in the Pokemon version are cardboard on plastic stands.While the cardboard is high grade, heavy stock, it will never be as durable as the plain plastic markers of the original version.With as much use as I foresee this game getting, I don't expect the markers to last the life of the game.I believe the manufacturer should have made the markers as nice as the rest of the game.They are cheap, andespecially when compared to the high quality of the rest of the game.I also did not like the quad-fold board. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games