Features

• Includes game board, two 40-pc. armies, label sheet and instructions
• For 2 players
• Classic battlefield game incorporates Lord of the Rings story and characters
• Players secretly position their character pawns and bombs on the board
• The first player to acquire their enemy's ring wins

Reviews (6)

Beginner's Strategy
Stratego is an excellent introduction to strategy games for kids.The rules are simple enough to get right on the first try and there aren't so many exceptions that its impossible to play.

The LOTR tie-in isn't bad.Purists will probably be upset at some of the piece rankings and, of course, the inclusion of Arwen as a major piece, but other than that the art is decent and the powers are mostly appropriate.Using LOTR to attract obsessed kids isn't a bad thing from a gaming standpoint.

Like other Stratego variants, this one offers two versions: the normal Stratego game and a version which grants "special powers" to the various pieces. The basic version is very playable and easy for even fairly young children.The "special powers" version would require older players.Both versions are playable and balanced.

The most annoying part is the setup.Attaching all those stickers will take some time and might be best left as a task for older folks, as you only get one chance to put them on straight.

Cynical Marketing Trick; Better Games Available
Nothing better demonstrates the creativity-stifling impact of large American game companies on the game market than "Stratego: Lord of the Rings".

Lord of the Rings has, unlike the Harry Potter series, inspired some truly excellent games, most notably the rich and subtle cooperative game by Reiner Knizia (one of the best games available on any topic) and the much simpler but still quite deep 2-player Stratego-like 'Confrontation' game (also by Reiner Knizia, more below), both of which, in addition to being excellent games in their own right, are also superbly 'themed': the Lord of the Rings feel and atmosphere comes through during play and one really feels involved in an adventure in Middle Earth. (The 'children's game', again by Knizia, is also worth a look for kids under 8.)
But this game is just junk. Not only is it inherently simplistic game with little to engage players given the amount of time it takes to play; but it also has absolutely nothing to do with the Lord of the Rings. This game 'theming' at its most cynical: basically just slapping pictures of characters from The Lord of the Rings on the pieces and supplying them with random values and poorly thought through "abilities".

More importantly, there is an excellent alternative that demonstrates what can be done when a classic game like Stratego is thoughtfully (as opposed to sloppily) adapted to a new theme. Reiner Knizia's "Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation" is a clever interpretation of the Lord of the Rings theme (with artwork by long-time Middle Earth contributor John Howe and a 'story line' that really resonates with the ringbearer's quest). The Confrontation comes out of the vibrant 'German' (really also French, British, and Italian) school of 'gamer's games'. Like many of these games, The Confrontation is very tightly balanced, so that only careful play can reliably win -- and careless play is always punished. Every move matters, so that play is always engaging; but the simple rules and engrossing theme keep the game from becoming sterile. Moreover, what makes this game really great is that it is accessible to all ages. Kids from 6 up can master it and win against adults. (And in a pinch, there are extra 'powers' included -- like Shadowfax or Palantir -- that can be used as handicaps.) And to top it all off: it plays quickly.

If you like Stratego and are looking for a truly excellent Lord of the Rings game, avoid "Stratego: Lord of the Rings" and get "Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation" instead!

Fun with a new twist
My wife and I are big LOTR fans and a big fan of strategy games.
Both of us never played the original Stratego game before, but we decided to give LOTR Stratego a try. I must say it is very enjoyable. We love the rule variations which lend to a more strategic flair to the game. I highly recommend this game. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Cards separated into two pieces.
I happened to purchase two memory games at the same time.The Blues Clues version is not durable at all.The cards were separating into two pieces (front coming off back) as I was assembling the game (basically, punching the cards out of cardboard as is typical with this type of game).Over time, more cards have fallen apart when we play.

The colors are light and difficult to distinguish at night.Some of the cards are virtually identical except for a faint, small item in the picture.

My son loves the characters but was disappointed Steve isn't represented.(The new character Joe is featured in this game.)

Since we have the Toy Story II Memory Game too, we play that instead.The Blues Clues game will go to charity.

We Love It! Great Memory Game (Even for Adults!)
I just bought this game a few weeks ago for my son's 6th birthday...and we love it!

This game comes with 72 colorful cards of sturdy cardboard base, a plastic tray, and instructions. For younger children, you don't *have* to use all 72 cards.

This is a great game to improve memory, even for adults. While some pictures are straightforward (Tickety Tock, Purple Kangaroo, Side Table Drawer, the blue pawprint, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper, Cinnamon, etc.), there are some tricky cards. For example, you'll have a card with Blue gazing at a butterfly, as well as Blue gazing at a caterpillar. Then you'll have a card with Blue painting a spider, and another where Blue is painting the sun. Or Joe with a blue shirt, and Joe with an orange shirt.

I suprised at how much *I* get a kick out of it--and my son and husband enjoy it as well! ... Read more

Editorial Review

VIDEONOW Jr. is the first full-color, personal video player designed specifically for preschoolers. And while the player itself is very impressive, with oversized buttons that make it easy for little hands to operate and rubberized bumpers designed to withstand the day-to-day bumps and rough handling that only preschoolers can dish out, the best thing about this portable media player is the wide variety of high-quality programming you can purchase for theplayer in the form of the VIDEONOW Jr.personal video discs. Featuring some of the most highly regarded early learning programming on TV, including Dora the Explorer, Blue's Clues, The Wiggles, Barney, and Sesame Street, all of the personal video discs for the VIDEONOW Jr. player are designed to educate while they entertain. This personal disc contains scenes from the popular TV show Clifford the Big Red Dog. Designed exclusively for VIDEONOW JR. or VIDEONOW COLOR Players, all VIDEONOW Jr. personal video discs are interchangeable. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent description of memory leaks in Swing
Several Barrels of Monkeys, a few dozen rubber bands and some hair wraps make a useful tangible demonstration of memory leaks in Java's Swing.

Less fun than a Barrel of Red Monkeys
This game is not entertaining at all.Why would they put the monkeys in a blue barrel?It takes away from all the fun.If you want a good time, try the yellow or red barrel.I, for one, will be returning my "blue" barrel in favor of the superior "red" model. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Family Favorites    3. Games    4. Monkeys    5. Party Games   

Editorial Review

Candy Land comes to life in this electronic game for young kids. Six games of varying degrees of complexity are included: the simplest challenges kids to catch falling plums in a basket, and the hardest has players looking for matching gum drops beneath rows of peanut brittle. Other games ask kids to repeat sequences of flashing lights or to count the number of visible lollipops on the game's screen. Candy Land character Mr. Mint leads players through all the fun, helping them develop skills in counting, sorting, etc. Youngsters who don't have any preconceived ideas that this game could be hard should have no problem figuring it all out very quickly. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Wish it had a good volume control...
as it's not something to take in the car unless you have a very quiet one!

I bought this for my son, and it doesn't hold his attention very well.The screen is quite small, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have a child with visual problems.

Not good for 4 yr old
I was very disappointed with this product.My daughter often finds the devise too hard to operate and the games are too easy.
As a result, it didn't hold her interest for very long.She is 4 yrs old and is used to operating video games, computer games, etc...but this game is more annoying to try to play than it is fun.

Waste of money
I bought this for my 4-year-old who is now almost five - neither of us are too "dumb", I have a grad degree and she's starting read - and neither of us can figure this thing out!!!:)If we get it to play the game she wants, it's purely by accident.Audio doesn't even sound like a real voice - very difficult to understand, video is too small to see very well.I don't think it's a game a child could figure out independently until they are 7 or 8 and I get too frustrated with the thing to help her out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Electronic    4. Handheld    5. Learning   

Editorial Review

In this simple game of color matching, players must gather a nest full of similar ducklings to complete a nest. The star of the board is a big hard plastic mother goose who flaps her wings and says mostly "duck" and, once in a while, "goose". On "goose" players must grab for the nearest duckling and see if the color on the bottom matches the color they're collecting. The directions are simple and well explained, which should endear the game to young players to whom board games can often be overwhelming and frustrating. But the little ducklings are made of cardboard making us worry how likely they are to endure the punishment dished out by young players. But if the set can be kept in tact, this makes for a fun and simple introduction to game playing. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (9)

really quiet
This game is easy to play and understand, even for kids 3 and 4 years. They have to put the card in Mother Goose, so it keeps them active in the game. It is really quiet though, so if the kids are too wound up to sit, they won't hear the directions from Mother Goose.With only a few songs, the game does get old quick, but it is always a fun game.

DUCK DUCK GOOSE - A Winner !
We have the Duck, Duck Goose version of this game and my 2 yr old absolutely loves it !We started her on it at 25 months and caught on to the game after mom showed her how 1 round of play.

This game teaches color matching, taking turns, winning/losing, "missing a turn", and more.Basically you push the goose's head and each time it say "duck" or "goose".If it says "duck", you move to the next duck on the game board and push the goose's head again.If it says "goose", then you pick up the duck in front of the goose and see if it matches a color on your nest.If it does you place the duck on it; if not, you place the duck back on the board. Once you've matched 3 ducks to your nest, you win !

PROS
- Teaches color matching
- Pieces are large enough for small toddler to grab on to easily
- While playing game you push the Main Goose's head down; it's extremely easy to do so
- Catchy tune is played when there is a winner (you push the goose's tail and it sings a song)
- There is an on/off switch

CONS
- Duck playing pieces are made of cardboard, which over time could break-down
- Main Goose runs on batteries, which as we all know is the norm these days :)
- When you want to play for the 1st time or want to play after pressing the "winner" song, you must wait for the Goose to sing a welcome song; daughter usually keeps pushing the goose's head down while waiting for this song to start and finish, thinking that it will go quicker.
- No volume control

Daughter loves to run around the house with the goose in hand and sing and dance to it.

OVERALL An all around cute, fun game for those that are still a bit young for Chutes n Ladders or Candyland, but understand colors and taking turns.

Way too Easy
This game really does not have much excitement and is very simplistic.My 3 years old was bored with it in about 2 minutes after getting it for christmas.The game is very simple and really does not hold a child's attention very well.It is durable and the singing Mother Goose is cute however. I guess it would be alright for a child who does not already know there nursery rhymes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games   

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Preschool    4. Movies   

Editorial Review

Does he have a pair--or is he faking? Yes! No? What should I do?! Be right, be fast--but don't be last, or you'll end up the loser in Hands Down, Hasbro's "game of slap-happy fun." It's the perfect choice for energetic, competitive 6-to-12-year-olds who love to tease. There's not a lot of strategy involved here--it's something like an energized version of "Go Fish": players draw and combine cards to make a pair, and then--wham!--it's all hands down on the Slam-O-Matic unit (a groovy plastic playing surface sporting four spring-loaded "hands"). Last one down forfeits a card! Hands Down is a hilarious icebreaker as well as a fistful of fun. No batteries necessary. Hands Down can be played by three or four players.--Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (3)

more fun than I thought - couldn't wait to play again!
A friend brought this to our house to play with my daughter and her daughter.I'm not much of a game person so I sat out the first round while the three of them played - and laughed a lot!Then they drafted me into the second round - it was so much fun I couldn't wait to play again.

It's primarily a game of luck, but you do have to be quick on the "hands down".You don't need any skill, and it's not what I would call an educational game, but for a VERY fun game with friends or family, it's a sure winner!

Good family game night game!!!
We bought this for our 8 year old son and he LOVES it! Very fun and the game goes fast! Great for the family game night!

fun when I was young--fun now with my children
Our family played this game a lot during the 60's.We had a blast with it.I didn't think much about it until this year when my son turned 6.It's a blast for family fun! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Cards    3. Fast Flipping    4. Board Games   

Reviews (1)

Bratz AND Girl Talk...COOL!
Although I have not actually bought this game I have the original Girl Talk game. My freinds and I have had fun on my parties playing this game. It is very durable which is good because sometimes my friends get crazy. I like Bratz and I like truth or dare and I like Girl Talk. I would definitely recommend this game for anyone intrested in a fun and challenging truth or dare game.(especially for Bratz fans like me!) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games   

Editorial Review

Especially appealing to energetic little critters, the classic toddler game Ants in the Pants requires no reading or waiting for turns. It's "One--two--three--Go!" and everyone is racing to pop all four of their bugs into Fido's bloomers. It's that simple. Plastic "ants" are big enough (2.5 inches) that even little fingers find it easy to perform feats of insect trajectory. A hilarious hit with the shorter set. --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Lots of fun, but can be frustrating for little ones
I purchased this game (and others) as a Christmas present for my daycare kids this year.We opened it today and spent a long time all playing it on the kitchen floor.I had 2 & 3 yr olds and 9 yr olds (and me!) all playing.The very youngest ones got a little frustrated but I think with some practice they'll get it.They all still had fun with it and didn't want to put it away.I think this toy is great for working on their eye/hand coordination and problem solving.They also had to use some teamwork to retrieve each other's misses.

Since we got it today I can't say much about the durability.The bottom is plastic and the top is cardboard.The cardboard is thick, but I can see it deteriorating over time.. especially with a daycare!

Overall I think this is one of those great simple games that every kid should get to experience.

Not Durable and too difficult
We bought this for our daughter when she was younger. It was too frustrating. The ants are not made like they once were and it is near impossible to get them into the pants. We would cheat for her and pretend they went in after a long while of trying. Even we could not get them in. Plus the material is so cheesy that they break very easily. Save your money and buy a better game instead.

Fun toy for young children
I had this game when I was a kid and I loved playing with it.
The pieces are charming, even though it tend to be pretty difficult operating if the muscle coordination is not good. I would not recommend this game to toddlers if they want to chew on the game pieces. ... Read more

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

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Party Games   

Reviews (1)

Yahtzee Hold 'Em: A Bust!
This game; is a poor attempt to capitalize on both the Hold'Em craze, as well as the Yahtzee franchise.

If someone wants to play poker; they'll use playing cards; not dice.Besides; the original "Yahtzee!" game already rolls for full houses, straights, etc., the game is far from a unique concept.

The only redeeming factor is the parts seemingly will hold up--for the few times you play this game. ... Read more

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

Reviews (6)

A fun new way to play monopoly!
My little boy is a Shrek fan so when he saw this at Toys R Us he begged us to buy it for him.Since the games were on sale at buy one get one free we splurged and purchased this as an early Easter gift.It is really a lot of fun.It is a little hard for his age as he is almost 4 and don't quite understand exactly how to play, but my husband and I play with him and help him out and we have a good time.The Monopoly spaces are all linked to Shrek 2 places and Hasbro did a wonderful job in making this game!It will be one that we will play as he gets older and its fun for the whole family.I would recommend this game!

Watch out, Cheap Pieces
Our whole family loves Shrek & Shrek 2, but we were disapointed with this game. It was almost exactly like Monopoly Jr, the theme-based changes very minor. So the play is fun & educational.

However, the tokens (Shrek, Fiona, etc) are made from cheap cardboard and have little plastic stands that holds the cardboard characters up. I had to glue the cardboard characters to the stands so they would stay in place during play. My kids are gentle, but these would just fall out on their own.

Fun for all ages!
My son received this game from a friend on his 7th birthday.He loves it!It's a nice way to introduce your child to board games.It's simple enough, but also challenging enough, to keep his interest.It's a great family game! ... Read more

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

Reviews (1)

Don't buy this game
This doesn't deserve a star at all. My kids got this game for Christmas. This game isn't worth buying. The game was boring to my kids and my husband and I. We didn't see the reason of the whole game. I would save your money for a better game. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games   

Reviews (3)

A shameless marketing tool that exploits kids.
Do your kids really need to learn 'words' such as kaa, nala, zazu or kanga?The original Scrabble Junior is a fantastic game for beginning readers, it is educational and fun to play with your kids.This abomination is a despicable attempt to attract young Disney fans without any regard for the real educational well-being of children. Shame on Disney and shame on Hasbro for concocting this manipulative and exploitative waste of time and money.

The kids love it!
We are really pleased with this game. It's a great way to introduce the younger ones to Scrabble. Our 5 7 and 8 year old have a great time with it and our 3 year old is even playing and learning from it. It helps the younger ones with letter recognition and the older ones are able to help the younger ones. The kids love the chance to spell the names of their favorite Disney characters. It's fun for mom and dad too, when we get the chance to join in with the kids! Highly recommended -- you won't be disappointed.

Fun for Parents and Kids
My daughter received this game for her 6th birthday and we have been enjoying playing it almost every night.It's a great game for a non-reader as the words are spelled out on the board and the fact that most are Disney character names makes it even more fun.I also like the fact that the game board has two different sides - just flip it over for a different game.I've found that it is really helping my daughter recognize words while she is having fun.Its also one of the few games that does not bore the parent!Highly recommended! ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Pooh fans can enjoy this great memory builder alone or with friends. There are 72 honey potcards (36 matching pairs) with colorful illustrations of our favorite characters from the Winnie-the-Pooh books on the flip side. The cardsare spread out with the honey pot side up. Players take turns flipping over two cards. Can you find twoidentical pictures of Pooh hiking, Piglet sailing, or Owl roasting marshmallows? If there's a match, thatplayer takes the cards and flips again. Try to remember which cards have been exposed for future matches.Play alternates until all of the tokens are gone. The player with the most pairs wins. --Alison Golder ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Skip It
I bought this game at a yard sale (...).I was not worth it.The cards all look the same (Pooh bear with a fishing pole, Pooh with a golf club, ect).It is very hard to tell the cards apart.I would skip this one and buy another memory game.

Go with the "Original" memory game
This is a cute idea, but frankly the pictures are far too similar for a pre-schooler just starting out.Go with the original Memory game and call it a day.

Box of Cards
This isn't a game as much as a box of picture cards.There are way too many of them to play a match game with younger children and the picture are too small and many are too similar.I had this game through three children and all we did was sort picture cards by character. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Cards    3. Memory    4. Learning   

Reviews (2)

THIS TOY SUCKS SO BAD
i bought simon stix and it didnt even work i got new batterys and everything so i call hasbro and they sent me a new one and that didnt even work any better this toy is horrible they dont work and you are wasteing your money i would never recommened it, it is so BAD!!!!!

A bit difficult for a 7yo.... I enjoyed it though!!
Simon is a favorite at our house. I loved it as a kid and have taught my boys 4yo and 8yo to enjoy them as well. We have had the large simon and both the 4 key hand held and the 8 key also.

Now these stixs...... well they are a bit difficult to master. The first pair we got didnt work at all. We returned them and got a new pair. The 6 batteries are difficult to put in, because of the tiny embedded screws. The lady at the ToysRUs counter ended up giving us 6 new batteries, because she couldnt get ours out of the defective stixs.

Next... the stixs play a a rhythm. You have to flick stix1- red, stix2-green, both stix for yellow, and cris cross for blue. The stix play the rhythm 1 color, then 2, then 3... etc, like the regular simon. The problem is that when you respond, there is a delay in simon responding to your cadence.

My son had the stix about 2hours befor he quit. He picks them up sometimes, but just for the freestyle option, which he loves. ME on the other hand... I play them often. I enjoy the challenge of remembering the stix combination for each color.

This game is difficult for a 7yo. Maybe for a 10yo who loves brainteasers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Handheld    3. Electronic   

Editorial Review

Winnie the Pooh is hunting for his friends, all of whom are hiding in honeypots, in this motorized musical memory game designed for preschoolers. To begin, placea character in each pot. Then tap Pooh's head and the characters will peek out, one byone, from beneath their lids while the Winnie the Pooh theme music plays. Everyonewatches and tries to memorize where each character is hiding. When the music stops, thefirst player flips over a character card to determine which of Pooh's friends they mustfind. If that player remembers correctly and lifts the right lid, they get to keep the card.The first player to collect all six cards wins. Watch out for the honeybee hiding in theseventh pot--lift its lid and you lose your turn. The game suits two to four players andrequires three AA batteries (not included). --Elisabeth Fredrickson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Very cute But.....
There was alot of work to make this look very good. Unfortunately the game seems forced and the same game can be played with a deck of cards. It is a very cute toy, but the game is lacking.

A total waste of money!
If I could give this toy "zero" stars, I would do so! The wretched thing is so poorly made that it loses its educational value completely. The players are supposed to watch the Pooh characters pop up briefly and then retreat, supposedly unseen, into their hiding place.Then, to score points, you have to remember where each character is.However, the part fits so poorly that you can see the character's head at all times. Even a 3 year old can readily identify the character without effort and certainly without learning anything.

Also, the entire concept is flawed because, if the parts did fit together propertly, the characters pop up so briefly that any child would find it a bit frustrating.

Overall, there are many, many better memory games that you can buy. Do not waste your money on this one!

Fun and keeps her attention!
My 3 year old niece loves this game! She enjoys playing it everyday (but she doesn't use the matching cards with it just yet). It keeps her attention and she can play it by herself too. There are several small, mouthsize pieces, but overall, older children will like the colors, characters, and sounds of this fun game! ... Read more

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