Players try to fill their Zingo! cards with matching tiles from the Zingo Zinger. The first player to fill his or her card wins. Rules can be adjusted to favor more or less competition among players, and to vary the length of time each game requires. This game was a 2007 T.O.T.Y. Nominee for Specialty Toy of the Year. "It teaches memory, matching, vocabulary and social interaction skills. Kids have so much fun playing again and again; they don’t realize they’re learning essential thinking skills," Marketing Communications Manager Emily Peters of Thinkfun told TDmonthly. — “Customers use this game as their ‘standard’ party gift,” Owner Elaine Hackney of Boing! JP’s Toy Shop in Jamaica Plain, Mass. told TDmonthly in summer 2007. — “We sell out as soon as they come in,” added Pam Horwitz, manager of Mr. Toad’s Toy Company in Naples, Fla. Four of 63 retailers singled out Zingo! as the hottest-selling game in their store. Seven percent of 56 retailers listed Zingo as a top-selling game in January 2009. Six of 38 retailers called it a best-selling game in Feb. 2010. — “Zingo is a great game for 4- to 5-year olds,” Jamie Burdette, owner of LB Toys in Media, Pa., told TDmonthly about this game — a top seller in his store — in April 2008. “The basic Bingo concept starts to introduce words and spelling.”
Voted one of Parent's Choice Foundation's "Best 25 Toys in 25 Years," Rush Hour puts players to the test, demanding thought and vision. As if the commute home isn’t enough, in these 40 beginner-to-expert challenges, players must navigate a red car through a traffic jam and gridlock to successfully leave the game board. Challenge cards fit neatly into a pull-out tray beneath the game tray. Watch video ― “Logic games are selling very well, particularly (those from) ThinkFun,” Amy Akin, manager of Giggles for Kids in Suwanee, Ga., told TDmonthlyin early 2009. ― “We do really well with ThinkFun games — problem solving, like Rush Hour,” added William Bingham, owner of Firefly Toy Shop in Milford, Pa. When asked about best-selling item for tween boys in October 2009, Fred Meyer, owner of Meyer's Toy World in Battle Creek, Mich., told TDmonthly, “Rush Hour is great. We sell hundreds.” It was named a best-selling game by five of 38 retailers in Feb. 2010. During a summer 2010 survey of 40 retailers, two said Rush Hour from ThinkFun is their top-selling puzzle, citing sales of up to 60 pieces per month. AWARDS:2010 TDmonthlyTop Seller
Welcome to the jungle! Complete with alligators, snakes and piranhas, the 40 challenges, ranging in difficulty from Beginner-to-Expert, in this top-selling mind challenging game are sure to bring out your wild side. You must navigate your Hiker through the different challenges by moving planks, connecting them to tree stumps, in order to make it from one side of the river to the other.
The object of this brainteaser challenge is to turn the seven disks sideways in order to remove the puzzle slide from its case. There´s only one place for the disks to turn. Kids will need a clever strategy to unlock the secret code.
In ancient times, the great Oracles proclaimed that whoever solved the mystery of the Gordian knot would rule the world. For 400 years the knot remained a mystery until Alexander the Great solved it and went on to rule great kingdoms. Today the classic tradition of the world’s toughest puzzle continues. This colorful modern variation features just six interlocking pieces but takes 69 different moves to take it all apart. A step-by-step how-to booklet will jump-start the most perplexed and help put the puzzle back together once it is solved. — In a Summer 2011 survey, Mary Porter of The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly that "We sell a lot of ThinkFun puzzles. Gordian's Knot sells very well." — As of 7/12/2011 this product had 4.2 out of 5 stars from 34 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Challenging and fun; a great value; fun for adults and older kids. Cons: One reviewer said it was not challenging enough; One adult reviewer said it was too small for him too use. — “Gordian’s Knot is an innovative brainteaser challenge that helps kids develop deductive reasoning and problem-solving skills. Players can’t wait to unravel the mystery of the knot,” Emily Peters of Thinkfun told TDmonthly.
TIPOVER is a three-dimensional, multi-level challenge game that encourages players to test their sequential thinking, spatial relationships, strategy and problem-solving skills. Visualizing the next move is important, as players solve their way through 40 challenges, ranging in difficulty from beginner to expert. The distinctive design of the multi-level, challenge-card system enables players to quickly begin learning and playing the game, which in turn creates success and builds confidence and encourages them to attempt the more difficult challenges. TIPOVER has been nominated for the "Specialty Toy of the Year" by the Toy Industry Association (TIA).
In this wild and hairy version of Rush Hour set in the African savannah, you must maneuver your trapped Safari Rover around the animals and through the jungle, making it safely off the game board. 40 Beginner-to-Expert challenges plus an additional 10 Junior challenges await those who are feeling wild!
Features: 40 Beginner-to-Expert challenges plus an additional 10 Junior challenges, travel bag, solutions.
Awards: 2001 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Blue Chip Classic Award Winner.
This game lets two to six young players choose between competing and cooperating. It encourages healthy competition as kids race to form three-letter words faster than their opponents. Whoever forms the most words wins. Parents (or older kids) can combine forces with little ones to help them learn how to spell new three-letter words. The game contains 72 letter tiles, 36 word cards, Gnu's stand and instructions. "What’s Gnu? is designed as an essential learning tool to help younger kids develop important language and vocabulary skills. It's perfect for multiple players and the rapid-fire game play keeps kids coming back again and again," said Emily Peters, marketing communications manager for ThinkFun. Launch date: 2004. — "ThinkFun: They have a lot of very popular games," said Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper 4 Kids in Springfield, Va. — "ThinkFun games: What’s Gnu?" is a best-selling game according to Jamie Burdette, owner of LB Toys in Media, Pa. — In fall 2009, two of 40 specialty retailers named games by Thinkfun when polled about best-selling educational items.
This handy small-sized game challenges kids to steer through traffic in their ice cream truck escape car. It includes a board, bright plastic cars and 40 challenge cards to keep kids on their toes. — “I always recommend these for travel,” said Laura Miller, owner of Imagination Village in Concord, N.H. “They’re perfect to throw in a backpack,” added Kate Tanner, owner of Kidstop Toy & Book Store in Scottsdale, Ariz. — Debbie Scholl, owner of Fundamentally Toys in Houston, said that strategy games by ThinkFun are popular. “[Kids] can play by themselves … it’s the same game over and over and it’s always different.” — Rush Hour “helps kids develop strategy and problem-solving skills through a fun, real-life setting,” Emily Peters of Thinkfun told TDmonthly.
A winner of 20 awards, Rush Hour continues to be one of ThinkFun’s most popular and renowned mind-challenging games. In honor of Rush Hour’s 10 years of success, ThinkFun is celebrating with a Deluxe Edition that is guaranteed to delight seasoned Rush Hour fans and newcomers alike. Just like the traditional game, the object is to put problem-solving skills in gear to help the red car escape the traffic jam. But Rush Hour Deluxe Edition has been revved-up for maximum performance, featuring 60 of ThinkFun’s best challenges and an exciting new level of play. It comes complete with a modern design, 15 bright metallic cars and a collector’s gift box for easy travel. Launch date: Summer 2006. — When surveyed about his best-selling puzzles in a Summer 2011 survey, Joe Berardoni, owner of Pun's Toys in Bryn Mawr, Pa., said he sells between 5 and 7 Rush Hours puzzles each month. — As of 7/12/2011 this product had 4.3 out of 5 stars from 19 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Helps build problem solving skills; great for travel or quiet time. Cons: Two reviewers said that the Deluxe Edition was disappointing, as it actually has less features than the original game. — Kids caught in traffic love to pull out this game and find their way out of the crunch. Rush Hour makes a great travel toy, specialty retailers have told TDmonthly, and it's been a top seller in their stores for more than 10 years. For these reasons, we gave it our TDmonthly Classic Toy 2007 award.
In this high-stakes spatial-development game, kids must cover their tracks on a journey through mud, sand, snow and cement. First, kids select one of 20 challenge cards. Then they must place all four pieces on the game tray to cover their tracks. As this single-player game gets more challenging, players will put their spatial-development skills to the test on this journey across different terrains. Launch date: February 2007.
This is one of the few times where having a "Smart Mouth" gets kids out of trouble. Smart Mouth is a game where two tiles at a time are revealed with a letter on each. Players then compete to shout out a word at least five letters long that starts and ends with the two letters shown. The first person who shouts a correct word collects the tiles shown. The player with the most tiles at the end, as well as the smartest mouth, wins. The game comes with 72 letter tiles, Letter Getter, as well as fun variations. — When asked about best-selling games, Paula Tremba, owner of One Two Kangaroo in Shepherdstown, W.V., said, "Anything from ThinkFun." He included "Smart Mouth" as a popular pick.
In this game, players help 12 whitewater rafters brave the rapids and make it safely back to their raft. The crew, fit with jigsaw pieces as a base, can face either the bow or stern of the raft, but there is only one correct solution for each direction. Players must help these rafters back in their raft or they will be all washed up. The game includes two puzzles in one and a boatload of fun.
Players are challenged to create identical shapes using different game pieces. This seemingly simple game is not only loads of fun, but can also be surprisingly tricky! The 40 challenges are excellent for helping kids develop spatial and pattern matching skills.
This highly addictive game challenges players to combine selected tiles to form a continuous snake-like path. As they make their way from beginner to expert level, the challenges have more twists and turns. Kids have fun using their sharpened spatial and strategy skills to solve them!
¡Estrella! Star! Any way you say it, Bilingual Zingo!® is the new way to have fun while learning a new language. This version of the best-selling Zingo! game lets players test their Spanish/English skills while building word association, improving short-term memory and teaching shape and pattern recognition. — “I think educational is anything that makes your brain think,” Robin Ellerman, owner of Trains N Toys in North Canton, OH, told TDmonthly in July 2008, having referenced Zingo! as a top seller. — “We carry ThinkFun games because they have a learning base behind them,” said Jill Jernigan, owner of J. Christopher in Jonesboro, Ark., when asked about her best-selling educational products in summer 2008. Twenty percent of 68 retailers told TDmonthly that games are their strongest educational product category. — Kara Fitchner, manager of Out of the Blue in Albuquerque, N.M., said ThinkFun games are strong sellers in her store because “[We] tend to sell more strategy-based games because they bring out that logical thinking.”
This game of deductive reasoning involves life-like candy play pieces. Players examine all the clues on the cards before making a move. Once they discover where to put a chocolate piece, they combine this knowledge with the clues to learn more information. Some clues give exact or possible locations, while others just give you the token color or shape. Narrow down all of the possibilities to fill each candy assortment. Challenges range from beginner to expert. Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy 2008.
This competitive board game is a wacky two-player strategy game for younger kids. They will giggle at the colorful beach board and plucky ducks. After deciding whether they want to be the duck that surfs or the one that water skis, the two opponents face off, and try to be the first to line up four ducks in a row.
In this captivating 3-D game of mental math, players try to get closest to the target number by creating different equations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and even powers. Launch date: 2004. — Terry Myers, owner of Kaleidoscope Toys in Round Rock, Texas, told TDmonthly in a Fall 2012 survey that Math Dice is one of their top-2 best selling educational products.
Young kids can now enjoy their own version of the popular Hoppers® game from ThinkFun® as they help Red Frog Freddie win the leaping contest by being the last one in the pond. Players choose a challenge and place the frogs on the playing board to match the picture shown. To win, players hop all of their frogs around the pond until only the red frog remains. The 40 challenges, ranging from Easy to Super Hard, keep kids’ minds busy as they will need to use smart moves to beat all of the green frogs to win the title King of the Lilies!
A new pattern matching game from ThinkFun designed specifically with younger kids in mind, Clever Castle provides children with an enriching and fun play experience. Kids use the clues that the King and Queen of Clever Castle have provided to help all nine of the party guests find their rooms. When every princess, knight and dragon finds their assigned room, kids flip the challenge card to see if they are right! With a parent’s guide and 40 Challenges, graded from Easy to Super Hard, Clever Castle has been specially designed to encourage children to explore, succeed, and have fun.
S’MATCH is a classic memory game with a twist. Players are challenged to make matches according to specific attributes such as color, number or category. However, it's the S’Match Spinner that decides which way to match – and every player gets a spin. Pictures and words allow pre-readers and early readers to play together and enjoy hours of memory-building fun.
A beautiful puzzle with architectural roots, Adams Cube combines six games in one. Each side of this translucent cube offers a new challenge, as players attempt to arrange the five puzzle pieces within a polygon frame. Some puzzles are more complex than others – solve one and move on to the next for lasting fun. Plus, the cube’s smart design allows game pieces and instruction booklet to be stored inside the cube.
