Editorial Review

Scattergories is a fast-paced word game that's a real crowd pleaser. Each player takes a categorylist with 12 categories--such as vegetable, state, president, things you throw away--and must write down thename of one item that fits into each category. Sounds easy enough, but each item has to begin with aspecific letter that is determined when the 20-sided die is rolled. For instance, you roll the letter "R." Youranswer list for the above categories might look something like this: rutabaga, Rhode Island, Roosevelt,rubbish, etc. You have to think fast, because a round lasts only 3 minutes! Players score points for eachunique answer. --Alison Golder ... Read more

Features

• Think fast to come up with words all beginning with a specific letter.
• Includes 6 folders and 48 category cards
• 2 to 6 players
• Adults

Reviews (63)

Good for quick-thinking players
Scattegories is so much fun! Even though it's a word-based game, you don't need a huge vocabulary to play. The categories are pretty well-known and general. The hard part is coming up with the right word in time!

To play Scattegories you choose one of 12 different games, each with 10 separate categories. So the categories in one game might be, for example:

* Things you find at the beach
* Famous people

And so on for 10 in total. You then roll a die that has letters of the alphabet on it to determine which letter all of your answers have to start with - and no repeating words in the same game! You get bonus points for multiple word answers that all start with the chosen letter. For example an answer for "Famous people" might be Ronald Reagan (2 points). Like I said before, there's a lot more pressure when you can hear the timer ticking down! Whoever gets the most points wins the game. Sometimes it's fun to make up words and see if you can get everyone else to believe you.

Scattegories is an easy game for almost anyone who can read and write. It's good with groups or just two people. You can even play it over the phone if you really want to. Highly recommended for people who like board or word games.

Great in Teams!
I'm always intrigued when I read of folks playing this game as individuals . . . I've only played it with teams (usually of 3 players each).

I host a potluck dinner and "game night" at my home every couple of months . . . sometimes a mixed group of singles and couples, sometimes friends bring their children, sometimes just a group of women friends . . . after dinner and chat we move on to the game for the evening . . . we have tried several different games, but have settled on Scattergories as one of our favorites --- it is easy to play in teams and the answers are creative and fun (with few blank spots when the timer stops!)

Each team designates one person to write while all the team comes up with answers . . . some teams have one person start at the bottom of the list while another starts at the top and they meet in the middle . . . we have found that with team play some like to move away from the table for the fill in portion of the game (into the family room, out onto the deck, etc.).

What's great about this game is that it's fun to play with all ages . . . the kids get to see adults having fun (and not taking themselves too seriously) everyone gets to play and no one is ever made to feel foolish or stupid.Even friends who think that they don't like to play games because they aren't competitive enough have enjoyed this game when played in a team.

Even people who don't like to play games like this one!
There are a few people in our extended family who simply don't enjoy playing board games or even party games of any type.However, these same people have loved playing Scattergories.It is simple in concept but challenging to the intellect.Also, it just ends up being hilarious to hear the answers that people come up with.This is the game our family has enjoyed playing more than any other game.

A must have for your game collection! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Word Games    4. Party Games    5. Family Favorites    6. Grownup   

Editorial Review

It sounds so simple: get your team to name common words withoutvoicing a few choice descriptors. But could you describe a wristwatchwithout mentioning time, wrist, or clock? Taboo rewards those whothink--and speak--fast. The team that correctly identifies as manywords as possible in a minute (measured with an hourglass timer) wins.If a member of the opposing team, armed with the blaring buzzer,catches the clue giver using any of the taboo words, a point is deducted from the group's score. It's a good idea to separate peoplewho know each other well, because their familiarity can be too great anadvantage. If the clue is spinach, prompting with "Mom made this everyMonday" just doesn't seem fair, though it is permissible according tothe rules. Playing Taboo requires an AA battery and a sense ofhumor--you'll need them both! The timer is included. Taboo is for fouror more players. --Leah Ball ... Read more

Features

• The game of unspeakable fun! Help your team guess everyday words but without using some of the most obvious clues!
• Features more than 1,000 words to guess! Requires 2 "AA" batteries (not included). For 4 or more players.
• Ages 12 to adult. Time is against you. You know what ypu'd say if you could only find the words.
• But some things in life are strictly...Taboo!
• Contents: 504 taboo cards card holder buzzer timer scorepad

Reviews (87)

Very fun game...
Taboo is a game that I played as a kid & I never forgot about it.I remembered it being so much fun that I asked for it for Christmas several years in a row & I've finally got it.We really enjoy this game.It's so much fun for all ages & you may think it sounds really easy but you'd be amazed at how many times you actually slip & say one of the words listed on the card that you are not supposed to say.When that happensyou will get buzzed or when you pass on a card the other team will get a point.So sometimes when it's your teams turn to give clues the other team can actually come out with more points then you earned on that turn.It's such a great game that I highly recommend.

A good game for about a half hour
I enjoy playing Taboo and always get a few laughs out of it, but a half hour is plenty.I find party games like Cranium, Balderdash and Rigamarole are far better at keeping a group's attention and interest.

Fun for hours
This word game is so much fun.Any age level could play it.It really is great.My friends and family love to play it in teams or one on one...Overall, everything is good except the buzzer is annoying. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Can you draw a cat? How about sketching something that conveys the word area or The English Patient? Can you do it in less than 60 seconds while your team yells the wrong answers at you and the other team is close to getting it right? Welcome to the game of Pictionary, in which players attempt to guess words from sketches made by other members of their team. The words can be objects, people, actions, places, animals, or the dreaded "difficult," although in the heat of an exciting game, even house can be difficult. Word cards are randomly selected, the timer is activated, and players begin scribbling franticly as they race to beat the clock. Correct answers are rewarded with a toss of the die and progression around the board toward victory. Pictionary veterans should note that this is an updated edition of the game, including more than 1,000 new words to challenge even the most experienced quick-draw artist. Pencils, sketchpads, and a 60-second timer are included. Pictionary is for four or more players. --Simon Leake ... Read more

Features

• The Classic Game of Quick Draw-- with more than 2,800 words to guess!
• Get your teammates to guess the secret word before your time is up!
• Includes challenge die with fun game variations!
• For 3 or more players.
• Ages 12 to adult. contents: gameboard, one-minute timer, 324 cards including 4 category cards, 4 movers, 4 pencils, 4 pads of paper, card holder and standard die plus challenge die.

Reviews (30)

Fun for non-artists too
The thing I love about Pictionary - apart from laughing at the crazy drawings people come up with - is that you don't have to be a great artist to win. That's good for me, I can tell you! You see, it's not so much how *well* you can draw, but more how well you can get a point across in *what* you draw. I've seen people guess the right answer from some pretty simple line drawings. In fact, you'll be amazed at how some partners seem to almost sense what the answer is.

I'm sure most people know how the game is played, but just in case, here's the gist:

There are several categories that come up randomly as you progress around the Pictionary board. Sometimes one person from each team draws (we make this rule apply all the time); otherwise one person draws and their partner guesses what their drawing means. The first person to guess before the timer runs out wins the round and that team rolls to go again. That's basically it anyway.

I love this game and I highly recommend it for a good night of entertainment with friends and family.

One of my most prized posessions!
My friends and I have taken Pictionary to a whole new level.Most of the time it's guys against girls, and the men in my life have yet to win a game!This is a game for everyone, although I have found that the better you draw, the worse it is for you.Artists tend to take there time, and when you're faced against the timer...all bets are off!I would definitely recommend this game to anyone who likes to get together with friends and have a good time.

Blechy Blech
Before I begin to rant-get one thing straight. I LOVE BOARD GAMES!!! So you can imagine how bad this is, if someone like me, who owns at least 200 board games, despises it. This game is just plain stupid. Also, since I tend to get nervous when I'm on timer, hated the little hourglass, pouring sand into the bottom chamber. Please, don't throw away your hard-earned money, get yourself a fun and more worthwile game, like Trivial Pursuit, or Clue. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Word Games    4. Party Games    5. Family Favorites    6. Grownup   

Editorial Review

Speed, not artistry, is the key to Pictionary Junior, a party game that stole the show from Charades in the '80s. The kids' version, which has been updated with hundreds of new words to draw, has hints and two levels of play. There are 144 two-sided cards. The red side is more challenging, and the blue side is easier--for younger players. Both include a theme to be read aloud and start everyone thinking on track. Teams go head-to-head to guess the word their "picturist" draws within 60 seconds. How fast can you draw an apple pie, an eyebrow, or a coin? It takes a quick hand and good guesswork to move around the game board from start to finish before the other team. A timer and easy-to-read instructions are included. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Finally, a Kid's Game with Drawing!!
I like Pictionary Jr. because it is a game about drawing, one of my favorite things, for kids. It's hard for younger kids who can't read and you need about four people. But overall, I really like it.

.....
The only setback to this game is if the people you are playing it with really stink at drawing. If that's so, then you're at a disadvantage and pretty much sunk. But it's fun to play anyway!

tons of fun
As a family game, we have tons of fun.
The kids really get into it.They have to use
their imagination.The whole family loves it. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Guesstures turns up the heat on the tired game of charades with a few modernizations. Good, quick pantomiming is still the thing, but now teams need to act out and guess four words in a matter of seconds. The "mimer-timer," designed like a movie scene board, controls everything. The actor draws four word cards and places them from easiest to hardest in the timer unit for each scene. After the arm swings down for "Action," time is rapidly eaten away and so are cards as the performer gestures wildly like a silent movie actor. When the cast guesses the word, the actor grabs the card before the "mimer-timer" does. Whew! It's a lot to think about. Each word is rated based on difficulty, so whatever cards the team correctly guesses and the actor manages to seize are tallied up and recorded. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Features

• Use gestures to prompt team to guess the right word before Mimer-Timer eats card
• Includes 504 cards with box, Mimer-Timer game unit, crayon and 2 label sheets
• 4 or more players
• Ages 12 and up

Reviews (43)

great group fun
I played this game at a party where I did not really know anyone.there were about ten of us playing on two teams and it was great fun.Everyone was laughing, everyone could do it and there was no fear in not being able to think up ways to describe the object since you can pick the hard or easy word during your turn.I really loved it

Party Down Guesstures!!!!!!!!
Guesstures is a fun game. It is crazy. I always have tons of fun acting out various things with my friends.It is a great party game and works well with lots of people. I recommend Guesstures. It's Funalicious!!!!!!!!!!

an awsome game!
I was on vacation with my family at the beach and we played guesstures.It was so much fun, but of course there were 32 of us there!! Every one was getting into it this game was a blast!!! ... Read more

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

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Word Games    4. Party Games    5. 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