November 2008 New Specialty Toys — Card Games

In a flurry of no-holds-barred trading, only the crafiest players will survive in this stock-taking, deal-making game. The first player claiming majority control is the winner. "The players control the entire game," Leah Osterhaus, VP of marketing for Out of the Box Publishing, told TDmonthly. It has won the following awards: 2004 Games 100, 2004 National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, 2004 Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Product, 2004 Parenting for High Potential Recommended, and 2004 Canadian Toy Testing Council Three Star Award. Launch date: 2004.

This innovative card game plays like a ball game and sends action in all directions. Players send a card to another player and see if they have what it takes to respond. "Pepper is based on the familiar playground game of four-square. It is a simple card game that is great for families," Leah Osterhaus, VP of marketing for Out of the Box Publishing, told TDmonthly. The game earned a 2006 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence. Launch date: 2006.

First printed in 1903, Gavitt's Stock Exchange is an exciting card game that challenges three to six players to be the first to get all the cards of one railway line, call out "Topeka" and win the hand. It received a 2003 Major Fun Award as well as a 2003 Best Classic Toy Award from Dr. Toy. Launch date: 2003.

Each player receives a card that lists three secret challenges to be carried out during the play period in front of other players without getting caught. With family or during a party, players then try to expose other players in order to win. The small box takes up little counter space and is easy to take along. Launch date: March 2008.

ROCKIT 100 - The 80's Edition "One Track At A Time" is a deck of 100 rock and roll trivia cards each dedicated to one of the top-100 rock and roll songs of the '80s. There are five clues on the card. The player who guesses the song and artist in the fewest number of clues earns the points. The first player to rock and roll their way to 20 points wins the round. This product is a "price-sensitive Impulse Buy at the POP (something unique and affordable for the adults on the list while waiting to pay for the kids' stuff)," CEO Brett McAteer of Arteeno Entertainment Company Ltd. told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2, 2006.

Play 20+ games from the double-deck combinations of color and rhythm cards. These card games are designed for families, classrooms, and large or small groups. The color cards use the Chroma-Notes™ colors that match the C Major Diatonic Scale Set of Boomwhackers Tubes. Package contains 48 color cards, 48 rhythm cards, 2 wild cards, 2 music word cards, and instruction booklet.

Originally from the 1960s, Mille Bornes involves a car race across France via a card game. Players must avoid traffic hazards and earn points along the way, while keeping a close eye on — and sabotaging — their fellow players. The game contains 106 illustrated cards.
— Amanda Lepley, manager of Finnegan’s Toys and Gifts in Portland, Ore., named Mille Bornes as her best-selling card game in summer 2008.
— “We carry several, but I’d say Mille Bornes [is the top seller],” remarked Richard Stoecklein, owner of The Toy Factory in Jacksonville, Fla.
— Three of 64 retailers named the game as a top-selling card game in August 2008.

A simple card game, Old Maid is played by two to eight players who try to make pairs out of randomly dealt cards.  Pairing up is the only way to eliminate cards from a hand, but each round every player has to take a card that he or she has not seen from another player’s hand and hope it makes a pair!  The game is over when only the ‘Old Maid’ card is left ― the one card in the deck that has no match ― and the person holding it loses.  This set from eeBoo features whimsical illustrations for children. Launch date: 2002.
— “It’s a classic game with adorable illustrations!” Kim Emigh, VP of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa., told TDmonthly.
— Five of 64 retailers named Old Maid when asked about best-selling card games in August 2008. This version from eeBoo is one of many on the market.
— Nathan McKelvey, manager of Toy Castle, LLC in Jonesboro, Ar., told TDmonthly in a September 2011 survey that Old Maid is one of his top-three bestselling card games.

A complete foundation to building a customized deck of tradable Pokémon cards, this starter set is a great way to get into the action of the expandable trading card game.  Through the character-based cards, children play as competing Pokémon trainers, using the different creatures and abilities in their decks to try and best their opponent as their Pokémon battle.  Further cards can be purchased or acquired through trading, giving the game a substantially more social aspect than simply playing with a friend or two.  Children must think ahead, deciding what will give them the best chance as their build their decks and use strategy in the game-play itself.
— David Marks, owner of Learning Express of Westport in Westport, Conn., said Pokemon is still his top seller. “There's been a resurgence after a couple of years,” he told TDmonthly.
— “Pokemon's been kind of ridiculous. We can't keep Pokemon in stock,” Michelle Deutschmann, owner of Kaleidoscope Toys in Falmouth, Mass., told TDmonthly in August 2008.
— Four of 64 retailers named Pokémon when asked about best-selling card games in summer 2008. The Toy Chest in Cary, N.C., sells between 30 to 50 card packs per month, Owner Sharon Heath said.

UNO Flash is the fast and furious new way to play UNO. It features exciting new technology and game-play rules to keep everyone on their toes. Who's next? When your red light flashes, it's your turn. You have to discard quickly before your time runs out. Lights and sounds direct the action. Play is fast and unpredictable; everything can change in a flash. "The new speed element in UNO Flash brings an entirely new level of excitement to UNO, whether you're new to the game or a veteran player," explained Marlene Esqueda, Account Executive, GolinHarris Public Relations for Mattel, Inc. Launch date: June 2008.

Treasures and Traps™ is a complete card game that puts you in the role of the hero. Your quest is to collect three treasures before anyone else. Sounds simple enough, but throw in a two-headed troll, a maze of dangerous doors, and a few cunning thieves and you won't know what might happen next. With 100 different cards, each game is a unique journey of wild adventure never to be repeated again. Awards: 2007 Origins Award Best Card Game of the Year Silver Award. "Treasures and Traps is a game that the family plays. Kids, youth, and adults all enjoy it. This features makes it unique-we have heard countless stories of parents and kids, young and old, boys and girls, spending time together enjoying this one," C. Aaron Kreader, Designer, Studio 9 Inc. Launch date: 8/1/2006.

With five games for play with cards featuring favorite horse breeds, this is a perfect choice for horse lovers of all ages. "There are many horse lovers who would appreciate their own card game with photos of each type of horse on each card," Nicole Tiedemann, Public Relations Account Executive, International Playthings. Launch date: 2/1/2008.

Bluff your way to victory by having two to four players take turns laying matching animal cards face down. Since you can't see them, are you sure they match? Can you trick your opponents into believing you? If you can, you can get rid of your cards quickly. Don't get caught, or you'll be skunked.  "This fun card game challenges kids with an extra element of 'dramatics.' It will be hard to win without having that extra element of slyness," warned Nicole Tiedemann, Public Relations Account Executive, International Playthings. "Whoever has the most, will be sure to win. It's a fun game for slightly older kids." Launch date: 2/1/2008.

This adorable first counting-card game is really 5 games in one: Penguin Pick-Up, Penguin Race, Countin' Penguins, No more Penguins and Penguin Memory. "This unique card games uses cute penguins to help children learn to count, while playing one of five fun games," explained  Nicole Tiedemann, Public Relations Account Executive, International Playthings. "Up to four children can play together." Launch date: 2/1/2008.

RAGE™ starts with ten cards. Then hand by hand, the number of cards (and options) reduces until at last, you only have ONE card. Players record the number of tricks they plan to take each round; scoring points for their accurate bidding. Sound easy? The outRAGEous action cards will keep you guessing. Includes 108 cards and instructions. "Rage is a classic card game that originated in the 1980s that Fundex has brought back to market," explained Katie Hemlock, marketing specialist at Fundex Games, Ltd.  "Rage is a trick-taking game that is always changing.  This game will keep families entertained while enjoying a NEW card game." Launch date: 2/1/2007.

Each colorful set features a 52-card playing card deck and an illustrated booklet of biographical essays. The historic portraits and engaging stories feature lesser-known, 19th-century Native Americans as well as some of the most important American Indian leaders. These sets are entertaining as well as educational. Set One includes Red Cloud, Sitting Bull and Cochise. Set Two includes Geronimo, Tecumseh and Ten Bears. Launch date: October 1, 2008.

This is one grogger you won’t mind the children playing with. Teach your children about Esther’s Megillah as they make pairs of cards; Queen Esther pairs with Queen Esther, Mordecai with Mordecai, etc. The only way to make a pair with Haman is by covering him up with a Grogger!

Christmas Cards is a game for children ages 4 to 10 to learn to how to compete by matching pairs of cards. Children make pairs with Santa, Rudolph, Toy Soldier and Candy Cane. Children don’t want to see a Stocking with Coal on Christmas morning, so they have to get a Tree with Presents. Children will play this cute little stocking stuffer long after their other Christmas presents are broken.

A nostalgic playing card deck featuring railroad cards and locomotives from the early trains of the world. The cards were created with the artwork and original descriptions from vintage insert cards from the early 1900s. The 54-card deck, perfect for train buffs, is suitable for most card games.