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

Round and round she goes. Hi Ho! Cherry-O is the counting game in which players race to be the first to have 10 cherries in their basket. A spin of the arrow determines your fate. It will instruct you to pick one, two, three, or four cherries from your tree and put 'em in your basket. That is, of course, if you don't land on the bird or the dog, requiring you to take two cherries from your basket and return them to the tree. And try not to land on the spilled bucket or--you guessed it--spill the contents of your basket or you start over. --Alison Golder ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Great game!
This is one of my four-year-old daughter's favorite games, just like it was one of mine when I was her age.She loves to count the cherries as she takes them off, and even loves when the bird or dog takes some.She'll play this for about half an hour or more, even if she loses.

Buy this game!!
My 2.5 year old LOVES to play games. She is very good about taking turns, and is crazy for games. However, it's hard to find a good, simple, straight forward game for this age group. Most of them have incredibly complicated rules. This game is great. Of course, my daughter loves to count, so counting the cherries is great fun for her. She also loves to spin the spinner and she loves to say "Oh no" when you have to put the cherries back. It's a game that will last for many years. Her brother who is 19 remembers this game and will actually play it with her (sometimes).

The best things: No batteries, no complicated rules, doesn't take up a lot of room like some games (with big boxes), older kids will play with younger kids, parents enjoy it, and I guess I should add that it is educational too. But most importantly it's just fun.

The worst thing: No extra cherries. We have lost a couple so we can only play with 3 people, but that's fine.

A Game of Chance
Hi Ho Cherry-O is a game of chance that includes cute little red cherries.Gameplay is very simple.You just spin the spinner and whatever number the arrow lands on is how many cherries you receive.But if you land on a dog or bird, you lose all of your cherries.The player with the most cherries wins.Aimed toward the preschool and kindergarten level, this colorful game teaches counting, as well as good sportsmanship.And parents can be free of guilt, since the game is up to chance, so you're not really lying when your child asks if you let them win!I recommend this game to little ones who aren't quite ready for the big-kid games. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Learning    3. Math    4. Preschool    5. Board Games    6. Family Favorites   

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   

Reviews (8)

awesome game a mother can love!
I bought this for my two sons age 7 and 3 and they both love playing with it. So do we! I am not a video game enthusiast (the hand held kinds or the ones that the kids plop in front of the tube with), but this game really keeps the kids active, bouncing around and building a sweat. Great for the winter time blues when you need the kids to burn off some steam. Instead of them taking their fustrations out on each other...they plug in the game and take it out on the bad guys. The graphics are good and there is NO gore shown when hitting the "bad guys". You gotta love that! A great game for the whole family. We all take turns...including the grandparents! Lots of fun! A great purchase.

fun fighting your way through the movies
This game is my favorite Christmas present this year.The sword makes all the difference plus it's easy to take to friends cause you just plug it into their tv to play.Instead of a controller, you stand in front of the tv and slash and swing the sword to conquer the attackers. You work your way through the movies, fighting against the same opponents as the fellowship fought against in the movies.I'm still trying to win against the creature in the water at the Mines of Moria but my 14 year old sisters are hogging the game.One is still trying to win against Lurtz and one is on her way to Helm's Deep. They love it and so do I.And we all have sore arms but it's so much fun, we don't want to stop. The unit saves your place in the game. You don't have to have a memory card like with playstation. You can unplug it, take it to a friends and still be at the same stage.The graphics are not on the same level as playstation, but the fun is just as good as the best games.It's a winner, you won't go wrong to buy this for anyone from 8 years old to teenagers.

Great value for great fun
We bought this toy for our 7-year-old son, who's a LOTR fanatic (has lots of the action figures, we watch the movies together, read the books, etc.) but it ended up being the surprise hit for our holiday gatherings.

It's well designed; incredibly simple. We never referred to the directions. One cable obviously to go into the TV input jacks, put a battery in the turret, place the "turret" and pop in its decorative "one ring" and start swinging. Everybody in the house took a turn, many who don't consider themselves video game or LOTR aficionados.

It sometimes stops responding well, and needs "calibrating." Finding the calibration function was a bit tricky, but the onscreen directions had told us how, we'd just forgotten. Overall, an intuitive, clean design.

The only drawback so far is my sore sword arm (I'm a 45-year-old woman in indifferent physical condition) - the game is so fun, addictive really, we all played for hours. I resorted to using my nondominant arm rather than stop completely.

The adults can usually play their way through an xbox game in a few hours, but we're still stuck on Level 4 (of 8). Lots of fun, surprise tricks to learn (hit the arrowheads back at the orcs to get them). There's violence here - not bloody, and pretty cartoony. It doesn't make me tense with the 7-year-old.

The plastic sword is pretty small and short, but that turns out to be a good thing, will keep me from having repetitive stress injuries. You'll need to keep the sword put away in a house of dogs; it's eminently chewable.

The reason it's so fun is that it's a video game, but more active. It makes me want to investigate the dance pad revolution.

Have fun in Middle Earth. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Lucky Ducks is a sound-and-motion version of the typical color-matching game. An adult will need about 15 minutes to prepare the game (installing batteries, labeling ducks, and punching out cardboard nests), and then it's time to start selecting lucky duckies. A quacking sound effect is heard as the motorized board moves the 12 ducks around the pond. The first player to pick three ducks with colored stickers, which match the color of their nest, is the winner. The game has a couple of drawbacks: there is no volume control, so kids must figure out where their ducks are by watching the previous player replace them on the pond, and there are no game variations. --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Daughter Loves it & I HATE IT
My daughter absolutely loves this game!It is one of her favorite games.My only complaint is, WHY o WHY couldn't they have put an on / off switch on this game!We stack our games up on the shelves and if you place any games on top of this larger box game it will start quacking and is impossible to get to shut off!I considered taking the batteries out but you must unscrew the compartment.What a hassle for each time you want to play.Even though this game quacks all the time, the batteries have held out well and structurally it has held out excellent considering we are always beating on the box to get it to shut up!If the company would but a shut off button on this game, I would quickly throw this one in the trash and race off to buy one with a shut off button.Still a great game for children.

Great toy
I recently purchased this toy for my 2 1/2 year old daughter and she loves it. The ducks are so cute quacking and swimming around the "pond". We have created our own version of the game.We take turns pushing the big red button to start and stop the ducks. When the ducks are stopped, we each pick a duck and match the duck to it's home color.This game creates fun while learning.I must admitt the quacking gets a little old, but what child's noise-making toy doesn't.My daughter loves to play this game, and I would recommend it to anyone.

I will reconsider
It's a cute game. It will hold a toddler's interest. And it's simple and fun. However, ours did not work straight out of the box. We returned it and got something else, because I felt that it was probably a game that wouldn't last. After reading all these reviews, about how durable it is, I might reconsider and try giving it another chance. ... Read more

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

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

There's a charming simplicity in this game for little ones who dream ofbeing a princess. Players move their pieces around the game board collectingplastic costume jewelry, such as rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Thewinner of the game is the one who collects the crown and all the jewels thatmatch their playing color. That player is the princess who now turns over thespinner to reveal a mirror into which she can gaze at her royal self. Game playincludes the dreaded black ring, which no one wants but someone might get.Sticky jewels are included to decorate the jewelry box and the crown. For youngchildren with royal fantasies, Pretty Pretty Princess is pretty pretty good.--Lee Strucker ... Read more

Reviews (43)

This game is pretty pretty stupid.
What is this?There's no guns or explosions or anything.You don't even get to conquer people like in Risk and Risk is pretty pretty lame to begin with.

Besides, this game can only turn little kids into snobs.If you let them think they're princesses now they're just going to keep asking for things.All they want now is a little plastic crown but in ten years they're going to be asking for the keys to Daddy's BMW so they can go canoodle with their greasy sketchy teenage boyfriends behind the K-Mart.

Don't get your daughter a Pretty Pretty Princess.Get her a job.Then she'll learn something.

Cute Gift
A co-worker just told me about this game...our daughter is still too young for this. Hope to have this when she can play it...I bought it for a good friend her daughter turns 5yrs in June...I know she will just loves this. I can already see my husband sitting down and playing this with our daughter when it's her turn.
Cute game!!!

I loved it as a child!
This was my favorite game as a child. I loved it soooooooooo much and now i want to buy it again! even if im "to old" to play that type of game! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Board Games    2. Games    3. Party Games    4. Arts and Crafts    5. Fashion    6. Jewelry    7. Beads    8. Princesses   

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

Practice makes perfect in the game of Life. Try marriage, kids, and more. Will you go to college and take out student loans? Or join the working force and collect on payday? Will you go bankrupt, or earn millions in stock and real estate? Anything's possible with a spin of the Life wheel! A classic family game that can be a reality check--or just a fun time. --Margaret Quinn ... Read more

Reviews (120)

Truly Life's Greatest Reward
I must admit, I really like to see classic board games come back to every family possible. It is unfortunate a lot of families don't have really the time to share the simple things like board games anymore. There are some of them that are just plain classics. The game Of Life Is no acception. The game is one those simple delights that every family should really play. The game plays quite well, with the object of going through life, and trying to retire with the most money possible. I really loved this game when I was much younger, and for family fun for all, this should be well worth the purchase.

Fun & Enjoyment: B ( C if you're playing alone )

Overall: B

Not your father's game of life!
I played this game countless times as a teenager in the 70's.My two sons (8 & 5) wanted it and I thought it would be a blast from the past.While some of the changes in the game play itself are fine, I couldn't get over the poor quality of the game board itself.The spinner I grew up with was so durable.The new one sucks.It's virtually impossible to spin it without the whole wheel falling off.That in itself was very disappointing - and really caused a lot of frustration!Why cut cornes?Especially when many of the people buying this game, probably played it as a kid!?

Life!
I really love this game. Even though I'm a little old for board games I love playing this game with my little cousins. Its all about the game of life. Getting married, getting a job, and retiring- all in one little board game. I tottaly reccomend this game to anyone over the age of about 9 to have a great time with their family and have a few laughs! Please, check this game out. I loved it! ... Read more

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

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

Editorial Review

Be the first to move your child-shaped playing piece from square one to square 100 on the Chutes and Ladders game board--but watch out! If you land on the square that shows you ate too much candy--Ouch!--you get a tummy ache and slide down a chute to a square a few numbers below. But if you end your turn on a good-deed square, such as helping sweep up a mess, you'll be rewarded by a ladder-climb up the board.

A fantastic follow-up to Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders is ideal for younger children who are still learning to take turns and just beginning to recognize numbers (the spinner stays in the single digits). It's also a gentle introduction to the higher numbers as players climb to 100 at the top of the board. And, thanks to all those chutes and ladders, it's got enough excitement to keep your 7-year-old on the edge of her seat. English and Spanish instructions are included; no reading is necessary to play. Chutes and Ladders is for two to four players. --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A classic game for young children
As a British child, one of the games I played frequently was Snakes and Ladders. It remains one of the most popular games in Britain for young children. Many years later, I discovered that American children play this game too, but with the snakes replaced by chutes. There are other differences too (at least as far as this particular product is concerned) - the die (a simple, solid cube) used in the British game is replaced by a less durable spinner, while the counters (simple circular pieces of plastic) used in Britain to move around the board are replaced by cardboard characters that fit into plastic stands - again, much less durable than their British equivalents.Perhaps these fancy pieces are designed to make the game seem more interesting. The British game is sufficiently appealing to children without them - the snakes are colourful and much more attractive than chutes can ever be.

Aside from these differences, the British and American games are the same although the layout of the board may vary from one individual product to another. I played the game on several different boards (from different manufacturers) and the positions of the snakes and ladders certainly affected the game. On this particular American version, I can see that having three chutes close together near the end would be particularly frustrating - if a game is too difficult to finish, enthusiasm wanes somewhat.

While it certainly helps if the children playing the game recognize the numbers 1 to 100, it is also true that if they play the game often enough, they should eventually understand which way they have to move their pieces, though parents or older children may need a lot of patience while this process happens.

The result of the game is pure luck with no element of skill so, no matter how often you play, you cannot improve your chances of winning by fair play, so everybody has an equal chance. This is an advantage in a children's game - they learn all about winning and losing and the emotions involved.

This is a fun game for young children of school age. Bright children of pre-school age might also enjoy it but these children will grow out of it at an earlier age than average children.

If you buy this particular product, I recommend replacing the spinner with a die and the cardboard pieces with more durable pieces. Do that and the children will have plenty of fun.

Man, tough game
I mean, I got an education, but those numbers are just plain tough!I usually just cheat, my nephew cant tell if I'm movin three or five squares, and I get to beat him most times when his mom, now my girlfriend, aint lookin.I give it a two because I think this gives the kid a not-realistic view of life, I mean, when was the last time you was walkin along and fell down a chute?Not very durable, either, one time when I lost i tore it in half no sweat.Save your money and get the kid a gun; THAT will teach em about real life!!!

Classic, but poor construction
This is close to the classic snakes & ladders we played as children, but it is not very durable. The playing pieces are little folded cardboard characters that fit into plastic stands. The spinner does not work well. We replaced ours with a die. (I keep extra dice on hand for games like that). My son (age 4) can count to 100, but sometimes he still gets confused as to which way to go and occasionally wants to "climb" a ladder when his spot crosses halfway instead of at the bottom.
Classic? Yes.
Durable? No.
Fun? Not very.
Candy land is much better and if you've got the cash, Balloon Lagoon is a blast. ... Read more

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

Features

• Trivial Pursuit Lord of the Rings Edition. Classic Trivial Pursuit gameplay with 1800 Lord of the Ring questions based on the 3 movies (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King) from New Line Cinemas. All 1800 questions are written by the screenwriter of the movies.
• For 2-6 players. The player or team to collect all 6 pie wedges and answer the final question wins! Game features classic Trivial Pursuit gameplay for the casual Lord of the Rings movie fan but also included are the "Advanced Fan Rules".
• For those who know every fact about Middle Earth and will be getting pie wedges very easily the group can choose these advanced rules. In these rules The Ring and The Ringwraith come into play.
• Each time a person wins a scoring wedge they are in possession of the Ring. With each persons turn ending players then roll for the Ringwraith who's goal is to chase after the player who possesses the ring -- if successful the player must give up one scoring wedge.
• Play then continues. To win with these advanced rules a player must have 6 wedges, answer the final question in the middle and be in possession of the ring.

Reviews (42)

Fun for fans
Here's a chance to prove your knowledge of the classic tale, The Lord of the Rings!

I seem to be in a minority among the reviewers here: I am a huge fan of the books, but I also like the board game. I must confess that I really liked what Peter Jackson did with the movies though.

I opened this game with a bit of trepidation, not knowing what to expect - whether it would be just a pathetic game that would still sell because of all the popularity for LOTR at the time, or whether it would be well set out. The first thing that impressed me was that the pieces include pewter figurines. I know that doesn't affect game play itself, but the extra quality was a good sign. No cheap and nasty plastic figurines here.

Playing the games turned out to be a lot of fun. The questions range widely in difficulty and category. This is the one Trivial Pursuit that I can play that has a fairly level playing field. I have 4 different Trivial Pursuit games andthe other ones tend to really leave people out that don't have a good trivial knowledge - that's the name of the game, after all! - but with this I find that I can play with people who aren't big trivia buffs and, so long as they've seen the movies, they have a fairly equal chance of winning.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the category that really stands out is the "making of". That includes information that you won't pick up from just seeing the movies; you need to have gone through the extras on the DVDs. So those ones can stump all but the most avid film fans quite often. But that doesn't hinder game play for us.

I recommend this for anyone who has seen the Lord of the Rings films and enjoys trivia games. It's the first Trivial Pursuit I've owned that has places all the players on a reasonably level footing.

For the movie fans, not the book fans
I, like those who have reviewed this game before, was expecting trivia questions based on the Lord of the Rings books.However, they all come from the Peter Jackson films.If you are a die-hard LOTR fan, hoping to be challenged for your original trilogy knowledge, this game is not for you.

This is not to say that I don't enjoy the films.I do very much.However, even for me, these questions were no challenge.If you have seen the extended versions of the films and have explored the extra features and commentary, these questions are a breeze.Any remotely-interesting questions were easily answered, but there were a number of questions where I would ask myself, "who cares?!" particularly 'number' questions.These included "How many candles are on the chandelier that Gandalf bumps into at Bag End?" and "How many days of the shoot were Sean Astin's Hobbit feet needlessly applied because they weren't seen on-screen?"Given more time, I'm sure I could offer many more of these gems.

As for the game itself, it is in typical Trivial Pursuit format.The board has a faded image of a Middle-Earth map in the background and an image of the One Ring framing the Eye of Sauron in the center.The game pieces are interesting, but I would recommend getting the LOTR edition of Monopoly instead if those are what interest you.

A previous reviewer mentioned another item called The Lord of the Rings Trivia Game.As said, the questions come from the books, not the films.This would be a better purchase for those looking for book trivia.I wanted to point out that, unlike before, the game is now available here on Amazon as well. [...]Amazon.com Toys & Games The Lord Of The Rings Trivia Game Book fans should definitely steer clear of the Trivial Pursuit and go for this instead. I hope this has been helpful. Thanks for reading!

A Craven Money Grab
A terrific disappointment. This game, unlike all of the other Trivial Pursuit games, includes a slim half-box of questions (compared to 2 full boxes for questions for other Trivial Pursuit games). Furthermore, the questions are geared toward movie minutae (for example, how many days did Sean Astin have to wear his hobbit feet? Who cares?) Tolkien's created universe is so wonderfully rich and complex, and I was looking forward to really testing my knowledge of elvish lore and Rohirrim geneology and the like.This game, however, ignores most of the mythology and the events in the novels, focusing instead on the films.Don't waste your time or your money. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

In Hasbro's Fishin' Around, eight colorful fish swim up, down, and around a stream, wigglingfrom side to side and opening and closing their mouths. Kids take turns picking cards and using theirdifferent-colored fishing poles to hook and catch the fish pictured on the card that they've chosen. The firstplayer to catch three, wins. Two to four preschoolers through first graders can play this motorized musicalfish-catching game without knowing how to read. The game requires three C batteries, which aren'tincluded.--Rebecca Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (34)

great birthday gift for 3-6 year olds
My son received this as a gift for his 4th birthday and it was a hit with all the kids there, ages 3-50.
It is one of the rare toys that he still plays with a year later.What I loved about this is that he can play it by himself or with friends.It is very easy and entertaining.

My Grandson loves this game!
This game provided at least 45 minutes of enjoyment for my 2- 1/2 year old grandson.The same day, he went back two or more times for "more".We were amazed that it went over so well as it was mfr. recommended for 3 year olds.He had no trouble with catching the fish, but we are waiting to "deal" the cards as he gets older.The music is fun, but it's easier on the ears if it is on the carpet.
We did have to exchange the first game we bought due to gear problems.The second one works just fine.
It's a great game to keep at "Grandma's house" to give him something special to do with us older folks.A Grandma

Annoying longer than it is fun....
My kids had this toy when they were younger and I HATED it. They were actually pretty interested in it for the first month. After that it only saw occasional use. What I still remember though is how annoyingly repetitive the music was. At least it was in tune, unlike some musical toys.

The pieces are quite durable (I still find them occasionally) but they are easily separated and scattered, making the set less usable. I don't recommend this toy. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Shopping games, no matter when they're introduced to the market, all have the same objective: shop 'til you drop! This one is no different. For detractors, Mall Madness may teach and encourage over-consumption, indebtedness, and a focus on material culture at an early age (9 and up). But for those who care more about pretty ponchos than prickly politics, the game offers the same guilty pleasure that comes from excessive shopping in reality! A mall in miniature, the game's 21 by 30-inch, 3-D board and electronic console includes a food court (for which there are tokens), mall stands, an escalator, and plenty of shops, "mall money" and "cash cards" to go around. Grownups and kids (up to 4 players) who can make six purchases without too many pitfalls win the game--a claim in reality that the stores usually make.Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Mall Madness Rules!
I just got Mall Madness, and it is so much fun.At first setup was a little tricky, so my dad had to help me.I just played it this afternoon with my 13 yr old brother and it was so much fun.It is only for 2-4 players, even though there are 6 people to choose, two of which are boys.The instructions didn't say which six itmes to buy, so we made up one from each color area.The board is very cool looking after it is all setup, and so I don't have to set it up every time I play, wecarried down to our basement.It is so much fun and easy to figure out.I hope you will enjoy this game.

Play Mall Madness!!!
I just went over my friend Amanda's house today, and that was the first time I had ever played it. I really enjoyed it. I played it with my friend's sister, and her friend. I am going to get this game real soon. I totally give this game 5 stars!!!

Mall Mania!!
This game is great for girls that LOVE to shop. I played it non-stop with my friends.Even my bro likes to play it with me. Have fun and remember: shop 'till you drop! ... Read more

Editorial Review

At first glance, Bullz-I-Ball seems like a miniature version of a popular arcade game, where players have to throw miniature basketballs into rings of three different levels to score points. But with another look at this handheld ball game, players will see the twist—the balls have to first bounce off a built-in mini-trampoline before going into any of the three levels of targets. Bullz-I-Balls builds on eye-hand coordination as three different electronic games challenge players to increase their scores. The game 30-Second Blitz gives players 30 seconds to score as many points as they can, 25-Point Rush's object is to gain 25 points in as little time as possible, and Bulls-Eye Ace challenges players to make as many bulls-eyes as they can until they have 10 misses and game's up. Cool music and sound effects accompany game-playing and an electronic announcer gives play-by-play updates and encouragement. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Could be more fun if it could count correctly
The object of this game is that you throw metal balls on a trampoline to bounce into a scoring area. This doesn't sound like much fun and it isn't really. What's worse is that the unit has problems in keeping the correct score if you manage to get too good at the game. Also once assembled you can not get it back into it's original box. It also lacks to place to store the metal balls. Verdict: Avoid this toy.

Bulls Eye Madness!
My 8 year old son received this from Santa and the whole family loves it!From our 4 year old daughter to my 30 something husband.We actually take turns and compete for the highest score...husband got 121 points in 30 seconds...world record???
I highly recommend EVERYONE getting one of these...it's going to be a classic!

BOUNCE THAT BALL!
Hey, are you terrible at skee-ball?Heck, I am!!! Well, if you want to brag about something at the arcade and it shoots out a lot of tickets, this will so sharpen your skills.

Here's the specks:
Why I say it's a educational-like toy is that let's say if your kid cheats and puts the small silver balls in they bullz-eye, you'll hear the speaker here,"3, 6, 9, 12, 15...."and two's..."2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12...."It's helps them to have fun and learn to skip-count.

Plus, it's family friendly.Bullz-Eye-Ball is a very addicting game.It's that type of game where your family will go, "Yay! Awwwww.... Boooooo!"You can challenge your family in 3 catagorys... these buttons are on the right hand side.There is Bullz-Eye-Ace, where you have a minimum amount of shots and try to get as many bulls-eyes as possible.Then, there is practice where you just practice.It doesn't count has a high score.Last but not least, 30 second-bliz.(However you spell it.)You pick-up the silver balls and throw them in as fast as you can and when 30 secs. are up, it counts your score.

Bad things is... not durable and trampoline...*sigh*the trampoline... if you don't bounce the balls in a certain way, they go nuts!!! They'll bounce everywhere, and sometimes-you won't even find them!But, the good thing is that if you need a extra ball package, when you buy Bullz-eye-ball, it has a little strip of paper to fill out and send to get it.Oh yeah, an extra ball package costs $2.00!Yep, $2.00 for stinking small silver balls!But, guess it's worth it.

And about it not being durable... well, I droped it on soft carpet and sadly, the sound got really scratchy.After a few times hitting/tapping it, it worked. So be careful about dropping it.

I would so get this, it will sharpen your skills to BOUNCE THAT BALL!Heh, even if you don't have kids, it will help to ignore your boring side of life.Play it with friends and on the go.This toy cannot fold and stuff like that.It's not flat, so it's not very compact to take on the go.

One last thing, the volum is VERY loud.On the right-hand side, there is a small but that you press once to get it medium and twice to mute.So, I would say once is fair enough.Because the darn toy is like so loud, my friend could hear it in the office.(8 yards away.)

Get this toy- See you.

... Read more

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

Editorial Review

To arms! A harsh and lonely battlefield is the setting for Milton Bradley's newly redesigned Stratego board game. A removable fortress barrier sequesters your army from prying eyes whilst ye prepare yourselves for a most lengthy and glorious conflict. Utmost care must be taken as you place your men.From the lowliest scout to the highest-ranking marshal, all must make ready to encounter enemy bombs, defend the flag, and steel themselves to triumph over the foe. Skillful planning, a keen memory, and sleight of hand will be your allies. Onward, for King and for Country! Spanish and English instructions are included. Stratego is for two players. --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (64)

the game of stratego
i think this game fills you with interest. Using strategy this game is like a army game.you have players and the wapons you need. Bombs, a spy are the traps youyou need to destroy the best player. This gameis great and the best! also, the best part is the STRATEGY.

A great find
I play this game with my almost 6 year old. I know he is a little young but he has figured out which piece is higher, the bombs, how and who can move, and basically the concept of capturing the flag.although his is a bit young to fully stratagize he is able to think about it which I believe is very educational.Although he is not able to fully stratagize we still have fun getting to the point where one of our flags are captured.And even if this happens he wants to keep playing.This game is great for now and will be even better as he gets older and can think on a more mature level.

THIS GAME IS AWESOME!!
Combine the simplicity of checkers with the suspense of clue and the moves of chess, and you have Stratego.
This is an awesome game, and I am normaly not a board game finatic.
The object is to capture an enemy's flag.
You have different ranking pieces (10 beats a 9 etc. only a spy beats the 10)
Which you attack the enemy pieces with.
Have a good setup, or just good strategy, and you might get past your opponent's bombs and avoid their powerful pieces ( Namely the 10 9 and two eights)
And you might just capture the enemy flag.
This game is incredibly easy to learn, but hard to master.
Overall, it is one of the best games I have ever played. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Now everyone can enjoy the classic game of Yahtzee in a nifty electronic version. Small enough to fit in your hand, this addictive game lets you "roll" the dice with the click of a button. Press "hold" to keep the ones you want, and then roll again. Get 5 of a kind, and you've got "Yahtzee." A row of options at the top ("3 of a kind," "small straight," etc.) is available to select preferred scoring for each round. like the original, this fun game can be a bit noisy with its sound effects and victory song, but it does include a silence feature. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (72)

great fun!
This game is an easy version of the original classic, but with no dice to lose!I find the sound a little annoying, but you can just turn it off.
It's also a great way to get your kids doing math, it's helped my 5 year old develop amazing mental arithmetic skills, including times tables (well as long as there are 5 or less numbers involved!).
A great buy.

Yahtzee rocks!
My friends and I love this game at school.My usually boring Algebra class is made enjoyable by this addicting game.If you get Yahtzee, you will instantly become popular; everyone will want to play it.I've had this game for years and can't remember even having to change the batteries.A must-have.

PS-If you think getting a high score is hard...try getting the lowest possible score.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving!
I bought it because my roommate had one in our bathroom.I became addicted to using it while answering the call of nature.I have been playing it for over two years now, and have not lost ineterest in the least.Hell, I even sit down to pee now (while at home) so I can squeeze in a quick game!The number of hours of entertainment compared to the amount spent make this thing the bargain of a lifetime!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Electronic    3. Handheld