New & Notable Toys: Board Games

Whirled Peas The Game by PEAS-CORP
“Where what you say and what gets heard depends on more than just your words.” Whirled Peas is a game where two teams (six to 12 players total) participate every turn, every time. Each player spins the Pea-King Spinner to select one of five challenges: Minor Draw-backs, Retrace Their Tracks; Drawing Coach, A Telling Approach; PEAple Putty, Mold Your Buddy; Zip-Your-Lip, A Mumble Trip; and Clap-Trap, Slap/Clap/Snap. Teams have 60 seconds to give the correct reaction to every action and earn peas to fill the team pod. The first team to fill their pod wins. The game includes: Pea-King category spinner, more than 600 Challenge cards, two pod-shaped pea holders, 18 Pea markers with pouch, an hourglass timer, two drawing pads with pencils and a foldout instruction card. "The single characteristic that sets Whirled Peas The Game apart is our mission to establish a foundation from at least 40% of our annual profits that support unique organizations nationwide that are often passed over by larger charities," Kevin Werntz, president of Peas-Corp, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 13, 2010. 11/17/2009 (Price: $35.00; Age: 13 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Triagonal Board Game by ACUMEN BOARD GAMES
Triagonal comes in a sturdy Eco-Box and includes seven game-playing options with 204 gaming pieces that may also be used to create colorful geometric designs and tessellations, aided by 40 "Get You Started" images free online. There's also an additional five new game options owners can download for free online. Some of the main games played with Triagonal include ones similar to Squares, Connect 4 and Left Center Right, as well as solo, four-player and prediction games. Triagonal received a 2008 Major FUN Thinking Award and a 2008 Dr.Toy Best Picks New Product Award. Launch date: December 25, 2006. 11/16/2009 (Price: $22.00; Age: 5 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Xtreme Takeover: Battle of the Xiacons by CURTLIN TOYS AND GAMES LLC
In the board game, sworn enemies Black Xiacons and Red Xiacons must battle each other in order to take the other's bunker while each protecting their own. The game comes with red and black "casino looking" dice and a gameboard that provides the battlefield for play. 11/9/2009 (Price: $24.99) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

KenKen by GOLIATH GAMES
The KenKen board game takes the fun of solving the popular puzzles and puts in a board game. To play, players take turns trying to fill in sections of the KenKen puzzle. The person who fills in the most of the squares at the end of the round wins. Contains over 100 changeable puzzles of varying sizes and difficulty levels. 11/3/2009 (Price: $24.99; Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Maccabees by FLASTERVENTURE LLC
In 164 BCE, Judah Maccabee led his Maccabean army to liberate the land of Israel and reclaim the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But the Maccabees did not have enough oil to light the menorahs to rededicate the Temple. Now players must lead a band of Maccabees and acquire enough oil to light the new eight-stemmed menorah called a Chanukiah. But beware, there are still remnants of the Seleucid Empire’s army roaming the lands trying to thwart these efforts. This board game is made in the USA and turns the basic game of dreidel into an adventure. The entire game is in English and Hebrew, so it serves as a tool for learning Hebrew. Launch date: September 2009. 10/29/2009 (Price: $24.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Monopoly City by HASBRO INC.
Every time a player passes Go, he builds and watches a city come to life. Players choose what to build and compete as they collect rent like traditional Monopoly.  It features 80 3-D buildings and includes a game board, six movers, 22 District cards, 25 Chance cards, six Reminder cards, one Rent Dodge card, two dice, one money pack, one trading unit and instructions. It requires 2 AAA batteries (not included) and is for two to six players. 10/29/2009 (Price: $34.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

ConverStation Board Game by SAY IT RIGHT
ConverStation is a multi-use game system of expressive language activities designed to develop conversational skills for a broad range of ages and cognitive levels. Adults, teens and children alike will all enjoy playing and conversing with this stimulating therapy game. Includes 240 question cards that are divided into four question categories: Wh- Questions; “If I...”; “Tell about...”, and; “How do you....”  Each question focuses on a variety of speech-language skills, including: organization, memory, language, vocabulary, categorization, sequencing, word finding, yes/no questions, fluency, pragmatics and problem solving. Developed by a a home-schooling speech-language pathologist. 10/27/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Playzzles: Journey on the Amazon™ by TALICOR / ARISTOPLAY
This Playzzle™ game has you build a puzzle and then play the game. Join Bromly and Cotica as they journey through the Amazon. Learn the names of exotic animals that live in the Amazon. The first to reach the ocean wins. 10/23/2009 (Price: $24.95; Age: 4 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Smash or Trash by FUN Q GAMES, INC.
The game where players make up hysterical new lyrics to popular hit music. Are you witty enough to write a song about fast food, homework, doing the laundry or perhaps rabid squirrels? A good sense of humor is better than a great singing voice when you play Smash or Trash. Put your creativity to the test as you compete for top praise from the critics (other players) who will declare each song you write to be a Smash hit or just plain Trash. 10/15/2009 (Price: $29.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Consensus® Music Edition by MINDLOGIC INC.
Players do not have to be music buffs to enjoy and succeed at Consensus® Music Edition. It's not a trivia game — it's a game about opinions. Consensus® Music Edition takes about a minute to learn and requires only minimal knowledge of some of the most popular songs of all time. Consensus® Music Edition is as much about bonding as it is about friendly opposition, but most of all it is a wild and wacky game where players can learn how their friends and family view things by their taste in music. 9/14/2009 (Price: $29.95; Age: 17 to Adult) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Scabs 'N' Guts by IMAGINATION ENTERTAINMENT
In this game for two or more players, participants are confronted with interesting and, often, totally gross facts about the human body. One multiple choice question, for example, reads, "Most people fart about how many times a day?" It includes 130 question cards, 30 wild cards, six mover pieces, a game board that offers an intestinal look at the body, and a player guide. Launch date: 2009. ( Watch Video) 9/10/2009 (Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Take Me to the Cleaner$ by TMTTC Games Inc.
TAKE ME TO THE CLEANER$! is a hilarious new couples game designed to take a light-hearted look at relationships. The game pits “spouse against spouse” and revolves around the irritating traits/habits that all individuals bring into a relationship. The underlying theme of the game is about “acceptance” and “compromise” but on the surface, it’s about getting back at your spouse/partner for driving you crazy for all of the time you’ve been together. The game is one part “reality” and one part “fantasy” and includes “real life” consequences for the “minor” infractions committed by either partner throughout the game. Players roll dice to advance around both sections of the game board. Once any player accumulates 3 Busted cards, they could be “Taken to the Cleaners” by their partner. Once a call to be “Taken to the Cleaners” has been made and accepted, both spouses move their tokens into the center ring on the board to play for the “matrimonial assets”. Once either spouse has accumulated the 20 assets, they are declared the winner of the game and get to choose 3 “real life” tasks for their partner to perform within one week of the conclusion of the game. 9/9/2009 (Price: $34.99; Age: 18 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Grasping Grammar by WIEBE, CARLSON, & ASSOCIATES
Builds competence in identifying all eight parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections!  Understanding parts of speech is the key to good grammar.  Sentences provide necessary context clues along with interesting science and geography facts.  Tailor to learner needs by selecting specific sentence cards. Claiming spaces on the four center grids involves strategic thinking.  Includes 50 sentence cards, a reference card, answer keys, and assessment masters, For 2-4 players. 9/1/2009 (Price: $24.95; Age: 9 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Yikerz by WIGGLES 3D
In Yikerz, opposites really do attract.  Place magnets on the game pad and use the natural forces of 5 different shapes and sizes of magnets to foil your opponent! Play anywhere, anytime, in solo, head-to-head or team formats. Over 20 custom board layouts - design your own for endless variety. Learn the game in less than a minute... easy to play - hard to master! Handy zipper pouch for portable fun! (Ages 14+) 8/31/2009 (Age: 14 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Ticket to Ride - USA 1910 by DAYS OF WONDER
Ticket to Ride - USA 1910 is a card expansion for the original Ticket to Ride board game. It consists of 181 new large-format cards that include 35 new Destination Tickets, a new GlobeTrotter bonus card for completing the most tickets, and a complete replacement deck of all the cards from the original game. Also included is a new rulebook that gives Ticket to Ride players three new ways to play: games using only the new Destination Tickets; the Mega Game, featuring all the tickets; and Big Cities, which uses only tickets to certain large cities. Launch date: 2001. 8/28/2009 (Price: $20.00; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

The Open Road by FAMILY PASTIMES
In this game, players are Gypsies trying to earn as much gold as they can and bring it to the Big Gypsy Gathering. They need to finance the various festivities of weddings, baptisms, meetings, feasts and entertainment before border checkpoints are closed, preventing them from traveling and earning a living. Players have only two rounds of events to accomplish their goal of raising money for the Gathering. The game includes a 17" x 22" board, four movers and matching caravan cards, 26 colored wagons, 24 trades, 24 gold payments for trades, 56 events, and rules for regular and advanced games. In this cooperative game, individuals play together, not against one another. Launch date: August 2009. 8/28/2009 (Price: $32.00; Age: 12 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Scrappers by PRIVATEER PRESS
Players take on the role of lively goblin bodgers as they race around grabbing the parts they need to finish their outrageous contraptions. Getting that perfect part isn’t easy, though, as the conveyor belt is constantly moving valuable parts out of reach. And if that’s not enough to keep the goblins on their toes, they also have to deal with rivals scheming and tussling for parts. Players may be the first bodger to complete their contraption — or fuel the frenzy trying. This family board game is for two to four players. "Scrappers uniquely appeals to any specialty market customer with characters and themes that they recognize and love, while offering game play [that] can be brought home and played with anyone who loves to have a good time," Brent Waldher, licensing and contract manager for Privateer Press, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 14, 2009. 8/28/2009 (Price: $24.99; Age: 9 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Rummikub for Kids by PRESSMAN TOY CORP.
This Rummikub set for preschoolers is designed with shapes that help children self-correct their moves. The game helps children develop number and color recognition skills, teaches players how to build sets of consecutive numbers, and fosters logical reasoning as they learn the basics of Rummikub. It features three levels of game play. Launch date: August 2009. 8/19/2009 (Price: $14.99; Age: 4 to Adult) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Amur Chinese Checkers by REEVES INTL. INC.
Reeves International announced its exclusive U.S. distributorship for WWF® - Games by Terra™ in 2009. Under the license of the largest multinational conservation organization in the world, the World Wildlife Fund, Terra Toys introduces the Wildlife Conservation Collection. These classic, timeless, family-friendly games and puzzles are made from sustainable materials, incorporating 19 endangered species and their habitats that are currently under protection. In Amur Chinese Checkers, players choose their favorite feline and walk, run or leap to find out the fastest route through the wilderness of the Amu-Heilong region. It includes 60 wooden playing pieces (six colors), an Amur-Heilong themed wooden playing board and playing instructions. Launch date: September 2009. 6/29/2009 (Price: $15.00; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dinosaurs, Extinct? by BRIARPATCH INC.
This game asks the question, "Can you keep your dinosaur alive into the 21st century?" It's a board game full of pitfalls and promotions as each player's dino works its way from the Jurassic to modern times, trying to avoid terrifying predators and extraordinary earth events in order to survive and be the winner. It comes with six free dinosaur replicas and is made in the USA. This game received an Oppenheim Gold Award. Launch date: March 31, 2008. 6/29/2009 (Price: $21.00; Age: 5 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

BUZZLEWORDS - The Spelling Bee Game by THE SPELLING BEE GAME INC.
There are four different children's versions of this spelling board game, which correspond to the players' grade-school level as well as an adult level. The spelling words used for each of the children's versions are taken directly from grade-school spelling lists. Level 1 is for grades 1 and 2; level 2 for grades 3 and 4; level 3 for grades 5 and 6; level 4 for Grades 7 and 8; level 5 for adults. The spelling word cards (BUZZLEWORD Cards) for each game level can be purchased separately, allowing players of different grade levels to play each other without having to purchase another complete game. The fast-paced game teaches spelling, reading and vocabulary. Launch date: May 22, 2009. ( Watch Video) 6/29/2009 (Price: $24.95; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Perpetual Commotion® Expansion Pack: Black & White Edition by GOLDBRICK GAMES
One of two Perpetual Commotion Expansion Packs, this set allows players of Perptetual Commotion to make room for four more players. If players thought Perpetual Commotion was total chaos with six players, they'll need to brace themselves to now be able to include up to 10. Not for use with 2-Player Perpetual Commotion. 6/12/2009 (Price: $7.95) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Follow Your Heart...Get Street Smart™ by BHATTI & COMPANY INC.
Follow Your Heart...Get Street Smart™ is an educational game designed for ages 6 to 12. The objective of the game is to leave from home to one of four destinations and return to "Home Sweet Home" safely. There are four places and/or destinations that one may travel: playground, mall, school, playmate's house. In order to make the trip without being delayed, you must correctly answer a series of questions. Correct answers are highlighted with the category color. The player who returns home first with the correct answers is the winner. 6/11/2009 (Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

DICEcapades! Word Pirates! by HAYWIRE GROUP
Build bridges, acquire land and block your way to the pirates' treasure, matey! Players roll letter dice to build bridges of words and use rock walls to block their enemies’ paths all in an effort to make their way across shark infested waters in order to be the first one to reach the pirate loot. Includes over 100 dice. For 2-4 Players. 6/11/2009 (Price: $25.99; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Magical Rainbow Boardgame and Playset by CROSSEN CREATIONS
Players travel on a Magical Rainbow, journeying through seven magical lands, while trying to be the first to reach a Pot of Gold. Sounds easy, but watch out for a funny Leprechaun, he travels from land to land protecting his gold! Along the journey you may also land on some special things, like gold coins or the Leprechauns Lucky Trinkets, which can either help you or set you back. The winner gets to learn the value of sharing by helping the Leprechaun give out his Gold to others in need 6/9/2009 (Price: $24.99; Age: 4 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Hide & Seek Board Game by LEMONTREE GAMES, LLC
Not just for the backyard anymore! Now the whole family can play this fun favorite indoors. Hide from IT until the coast is clear, then head for home! But watch out! Getting home isn't as easy as it looks. For 2-8 Players. Hide & Seek was awarded a 2009 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence. ( Watch Video) 5/28/2009 (Price: $19.95; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Quelf by IMAGINATION INTERNATIONAL
Players pick one of eight quirky characters and make their way around the board answering "Scatterbrainz" categories and "Quizzle" trivia, or acting out "Stuntz" and "Showbiz" cards, all while following the "Roolz." "Quelf provides cross-generational appeal that is active, wholesome and hilarious fun that the whole family can enjoy together. It is the most random and silly game on the market and will provide players with a memorable night!" Jill Schneiderman, in marketing for Imagination International, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2005. This game has received the following awards: 2007 Creative Child Seal of Excellence, 2007 iParenting Media Award, 2006 Major Fun Award, 2006 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, and 2005 Upbeat Magazine Board Game of the Year. 5/28/2009 (Price: $15; Age: 12 and up)

Monster-opoly by LATE FOR THE SKY PRODUCTION
In this game, the goal is to collect monster friends. Kids learn more about each monster by flipping over their deed and reading the bios. Players can also learn cool monster jokes to share with friends. Launch date: June 2009. 5/28/2009 (Price: $15.99; Age: 5 to 8) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Know It or Blow It by PATCH PRODUCTS INC.
Know It or Blow It tests teams’ knowledge of general information and fun facts, such as the three singing chipmunks, the five Great Lakes and Santa’s eight reindeer. For each round, a team captain picks the order in which teammates will respond. If a player knows an answer, great. However, if they're not absolutely, positively sure, they can stop rather than risk their team’s points. "The best part about Patch Products new party game, Know It or Blow It, is that one person doesn’t have to know everything. Instead, teammates work together to know it all," Jessica Wineke, PR coordinator for Patch Products, told TDmonthly. Launch date: January 7, 2009. 5/28/2009 (Price: $25.00; Age: 10 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Simpatico Board & Card Game by FUNSTREET INC.
Each turn starts with nine cards face up on the board. The object is to move the most cards to the top row on each and every turn. Cards are moved by playing them on top of upper row cards with which they share at least two out of three characteristics — color, creature and quantity. Each turn consists of a quick series of moves, and the order in which players make those moves can determine whether they win or lose. "Simpatico helps players learn to evaluate the consequences of their moves before making them," Dan Levy, president of Funstreet Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2009. 5/22/2009 (Price: $16.00; Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

PatchWord™ by KNIGHTWEAVER GAMES LLC
In this fast-paced word game for two to five players, players trade two-sided letter cards between elegant wood racks, to create words, or steal them from each other. It may be used for family game nights as well as in educational settings. Game play takes 30 to 45 minutes. "PatchWord employs a unique game mechanic using cards with different letters on the inside vs. the outside, which trains logic, memory and sequencing skills, as well as spelling and vocabulary skills," Daniel Weaver, founder of Knightweaver Games, told TDmonthly. This product has won the following awards: 2009 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Products; and 2009 Game of the Year for Educational Word Game from Creative Child Magazine. Launch date: January 29, 2009. 5/19/2009 (Price: $19.99; Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Global Ody-see (Economy Version) by ODYSEE GAMES
Global Ody-see is a strategic educational game designed to teach geography and history by using competitive fun and stunning images. It can be played by children and adults alike. There are two game versions, Time Limit and Home City, that may be played in school, in homeschool settings, or for family time at home. Launch date: July 2009. 4/27/2009 (Price: $30; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Jurassic Chess by MAZEOLOGY
Veggies and Carnivores stand off in this chess game that features authentically modeled and painted dinosaur figures. Launch date: February 2009. ( Watch Video) 4/14/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Flibbix Bridge by MERILLIAN, LLC.
Expand your Flibbix possibilities with the Flibbix Bridge. A little trapdoor can send players onto a playing level they're not expecting. Launch date: February 2009. ( Watch Video) 4/9/2009 (Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Force Play Baseball Board Game by FORCE PLAY LLC
Force Play capsulizes the excitement and strategy of baseball: Run or hold up? Steal or play it safe? Pitch to the slugger or walk him? While taking only five minutes to learn and 20 minutes to play, Force Play is a fast and fun way to enjoy the game of baseball indoors. "Force Play is the funnest and easiest baseball board game ever made, incorporating real play-action decisions in a fluid format that allows for three exciting innings in only 20 minutes. This game has been tested extensively on baseball players and non-baseball players alike [and] on gamers and non-gamers alike, and the consensus is the same — it's exciting, easy and launches you into the thrill of baseball immediately," Riley Drake, president and inventor of Force Play LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: April 8, 2009. 3/23/2009 (Price: $24.99; Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Cromlet Family Board Game by PYWACKET GAMES
Claim your fortune! Twenty different Ancient Coins of unique design await your skill, luck and desire. As player’s strategies unfold, the quantity of each Coin continues to build. The temptation to claim each Coin increases as well – but don’t claim too soon, yet don’t wait too long! Players strive to claim as many of each coin as possible. As they play their cards to matching quantities of coins, their claim to their fortune begins. Sounds easy, but players encounter a few twists along the way...and a challenging strategy unfolds. Game play 30-40 minutes. Launch date: April 15, 2009. 2/27/2009 (Price: $19.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Polar Derby™ by GAMEWRIGHT
It's a rolling polar bear jam. Roll the colored dice to collect high-scoring polar bears from the rink. Roll doubles to trip up opponents or "Free Skate" to take your pick of the pack. But press your luck too far and you may wind up flat on your face. The player with the most points skates away with the victory. Launch date: March 2009. ( Watch Video) 2/27/2009 (Price: $14.99; Age: 8 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Gryphon Games Bookshelf Series by GRYPHON GAMES
The Gryphon Games Bookshelf Series is a numbered collection of book-size games that will appeal to a wide array of players of all ages. The games in this series are of medium-weight strategy, featuring short, clear rules playable in under an hour. The first thing you’ll notice about the Gryphon Games Bookshelf Series is our emphasis on high-quality art and superior graphics and production values. The game play is always snappy and innovative. The themes are fun and interesting. Catch people on their way back to board games with the Gryphon Games Bookshelf Series. Since we are committed to adding no fewer than three games a year to this collectible series, it is sure to be the talk of the gaming community for years to come. 2/20/2009 [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Zoom Around Town by CARSON-DELLOSA PUBLISHING
Players travel around town on a journey to collect the most passengers in a game that teaches math skills and helps players sharpen strategic thinking skills. Available in English, Spanish and French. 2/17/2009 (Price: $14.99; Age: 6 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Senseability by SENSABILITY GAMES CORP.
Get ready to touch, time, see, balance, bluff, listen, locate and laugh your way through this outrageous game! Teams race to perform all kinds of fun, easy to play challenges spread over ten sense-ational categories. ( Watch Video) 2/6/2009 (Price: $29.99; Age: 12 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

Dragon Treasures by ASCENDED GAMES INC.
Each player is a powerful wizard with a dragon companion, and resources in the region are getting low. Players must take on the other wizards as well as their dragons to survive, collecting treasures to gain power and battle it out to rule the world. The game uses cards, dice and miniatures, as well as luck- and skill-based game-play elements. "No matter if it's parents and their children, experienced players or someone absolutely new to the game, everyone can jump in and play and expect an even playing field that's easy to learn and fun to play," CEO Ray Farrar of Ascended Games told TDmonthly. "They can expect innovation and clever ideas at every turn, such as the unique aspect of eliminated players being able to still influence the game's outcome." Launch date: April 2009. 1/30/2009 (Price: $39.95; Age: 7 and up) [Add to my Inquiry Basket][?]

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Recent Products Whirled Peas The Game By PEAS-CORP » More Information Ticket to Ride: Dice Expansion By DAYS OF WONDER » More Information Triagonal Board Game By ACUMEN BOARD GAMES » More Information

Related Articles · TDmonthly's October Staff Picks (10/1/2009) · Bandthology Tones Minds With Trivia (7/1/2009) · TDmonthly’s Psychologist Mom (5/1/2009) · Notable and New Toys by Category — Specialty Only (8/1/2009) · Notable and New Toys by Category — Specialty Only (9/1/2009) · Notable and New Toys by Category — Specialty Only (11/1/2009)