August 2009 New Specialty Toys — General Games

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.

The Ticket to Ride Europa 1912 expansion for the Ticket to Ride series includes 101 Destination Tickets — the 46 original tickets, plus 55 new ones that enable three new variants to the Ticket to Ride Europe map. This expansion also introduces Warehouses & Depots — new game rules and pieces that create an additional strategic layer and can be played with any of the Ticket to Ride maps. "Wooden Train Depots are placed on cities selected by each player. Throughout the game, each player's Warehouse will accumulate Train cards and those who have the foresight, clever timing, or just plain good fortune to build a route to a Depot can make off with a fistful of Train cards. Depot placement and skillful Warehouse tactics become a key part of a winning Ticket to Ride strategy!" Elizabeth Case, marketing assistant for Days of Wonder, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 6, 2009.

In Small World, players vie for conquest and control of a world that is simply too small to accommodate them all. Picking the right combination from the 14 different fantasy races and 20 unique special powers, players rush to expand their empires — often at the expense of weaker neighbors. Yet they must also know when to push their own over-extended civilization into decline and ride a new one to victory. "Designer Philip Keyaerts has expertly interwoven the fantasy worlds with competitive game play to create a game that appeals to casual players of all ages and experience while simultaneously maintaining a complexity that draws in the more serious crowd," Elizabeth Case, marketing assistant for Days of Wonder, told TDmonthly. The game has received the following awards: 2009 Bruno Faidutti's Game of the Year; 2009 Finalist for the International Gamer's Award; and 2009 Spiele Hit (Vienna Game Academy). Launch date: January 26, 2009.

The iPlay Six Pin Bowling Set includes flat-bottomed pins and a weighted foam ball for indoor or outdoor play. The set comes stored in a study zippered bag for both portability and storage. "Weighted pins allow for easier set up. Children love this age-old game for indoor and outdoor play, featuring parts in fun and stimulating colors," Vickie Cullen, PR account executive for International Playthings, told TDmonthly. Launch date: February 2009.

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This box features 52 classic, interactive games that don't require dice, boards or equipment. Launch date: September 15, 2009.

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.

This apple-shaped pouched with a soft, zip-closed top includes 110 tiles with red capital letters that may be used to play three different games. In Appleletters, for two to six players ages 5 and up, players alternately add tiles to the first or last letter of a word in the middle of the table, creating a continuous "snake" of new words. Apple Turnover, for two to four players ages 7 and up, is similar to Appleletters. However, each player begins with 21 tiles instead of nine, and may actually replace an opponent's word with a longer word. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of tiles. In Applescore, for two to four players ages 7 and up, players build words as long as possible in crossword-like fashion and get bonus points for length, palindromes and going out first. Launch date: 2009.

Roar of the Jungle is a game designed for children to learn the concept of directions (clockwise and counter-clockwise) and decision making. Watch the excitement as the Gorillas, Hippos, Elephants, and Lions' expressions are constantly changing as you are battling to become the ruler of the jungle. Spin your way to a mighty roar while leaving the others roaring no more.

That Way is a game designed for children to learn the concept of North, South, East, and West.  The game features a colorful car that you move (by rolling the dice) through the wacky city where you encounter detours that tells you what direction you must travel. You may want to travel north to accomplish your goal of reaching downtown first, but the directional card says you must go in a different direction. This creates chaos and fun for the players as they are never sure where they’ll travel next.

Pack & Stack is designed to be a fast and funny, wild and crazy game about moving stuff on all sorts of odd trucks. Every interactive turn is a new adventure, where all the players discover new loads, grab new trucks, and then gamble on their planning and packing skills. Launch date: June 4, 2009.

Each of these question-and-answer games includes 60 question-and-answer cards. As each correct answer is given, players perform a fun task, such as giving the closest person a high-five or hitting an imaginary baseball and shouting, "Home Run!" There are 10 different games: America, American Revolution, Animals, Black History, Conservation, Solar System, U.S. Civil War, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Presidents and Weather. Launch date: January 2009.

While Octopi may look like just another plush toy, but stored in its head is a family dice game and a distinctive treasure. Grippa’s game is Sink or Swim, for two to four players. During a turn, players roll dice and try to score points to collect seashells. Whoever has the most shells at the end of the game wins. "Each Octopi has a unique look, personality, dice game and treasure that support the collectibility value of the item," Steve Hart, co-founder of FunHub Creative, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

Each Octopi comes with an easy-to-learn dice game complete with a treasure (all stored in the Octopi head). Dip's game, Doubloon Dippidy, is a faced-paced game in which players try to win all the gold doubloons by being the last person with a doubloon. It is for two to 10 players. "Octopi Games deliver a social play experience along with the collectible value of a plush toy. It’s really the first collectible plush that promotes face-to-face social interaction," Steve Hart, co-founder of FunHub Creative, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

CrossCribb® is the award winning, exciting strategy game that takes the traditional favorite, cribbage, and multiplies the fun times five. CrossCribb uses conventional cribbage scoring rules as you try to build five high scoring cribbage hands while simultaneously sabotaging your opponents' hands. It's easy to learn, but difficult to master.

Little girls shake the tube and then try to find the objects listed on the tube's top. The Glitz and Glamour game contains objects such as a diary and tiara to make the search appeal to tween girls. Launch date: 2009.

Past videos: ASTRA 2009

This kit is designed for children and adults who wish to build and solve the SphereXYZ. The pieces can be assembled in any way, and once snapped in, the puzzle is ready to be solved, which is done by rotating the hemispheres and moving the scrambled tiles along the canals until each hemisphere hosts the complete collection of one of the tile colors and the two white tiles are positioned at either pole. SphereXYZ takes about 10 minutes to snap together. "It's the first-ever 'build it, solve it' puzzle," Lori Powers, co-founder of LA1Products, told TDmonthly.  Launch date: November 2009.

Tic-Attack-Toe adds a battling twist to the classic game of tic-tac-toe. Kids can challenge friends and family to claim three-in-a-row using numbered X and O cards. Players knock-out their opponent's spot with a higher value card or use their "Wild" card to take any spot. The goal is to be the first to get three-in-a-row five times. As an added bonus, the playing board doubles as a carrying case. "Tic-Attack-Toe takes the simple premise of a game everyone knows and gives it a twist to provide a game that is easy to learn and provides multi-generational fun," Nathan Jones, president of PB&J Toy Company, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009.

Inspired by the legendary genius Da Vinci, the product is a Code Machine that stretches players' imaginative and logical mind. It is a beautiful fusion of a Word game and a Logic game. Its interactive game-play makes it a great piece for friends and family pastimes. The difficulty levels are controlled by players so it is also a nice adult-child educational toy.

Young children will enjoy this as a counting game, while two to four older players will enjoy it for the strategy. Our heirloom quality version of this classic seafaring game has a latching wooden box that features a transparent, shatterproof top and flipping wooden number tiles. It includes two dice, a convenient storage pouch and a detailed instruction booklet.

The Early Learning Center Colors & Shapes kit is made to challenge kids in a fun and colorful format. Kids can learn to identify shapes and colors by completing tasks, to sort using more than one attribute, to recognize shapes and colors of objects in their environment, and to develop grouping and classifying skills through game play. "Children especially love the color and shape bingo, combining shapes and colors and the picture search activity mats," Jessica Wineke, PR coordinator for Patch Products, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

Parents and children can enjoy this classic memory game together while learning new ways to be an earth-friendly inhabitant of Mother Earth. I Cherish Planet Earth is all about appreciating and preserving nature and our planet. It is a celebration of Earth's life and beauty and a call to be active in creating a sustainable future for all. It includes a 32-page, full-color story book, 48 game pieces, and a cotton storage pouch. The game is made in the USA with recycled paper and vegetable inks. Launch date: 2009.

— “I Cherish Planet Earth” earned praise from Slee of Paisley and Pretties for presenting its eco-friendly message in an affirmative way as opposed to the scar-tactics used by other environmental products. Of the messages in the book and game, not only do they help children to internalize a deeper sense of connectedness to the planet, but they also encourage meaningful thought and positive ecological action.
— Jeralee of Babes and Kids Review found the product to be even greener than advertised because it includes not only a memory game, but suggestions for several other games that can be played with the kit. Her daughters eagerly embraced these alternate games, even more so than the basic memory game. Jeralee also loved the watercolor illustrations, although their complexity and muted colors made the matching game difficult for her young daughter.

Designed to engage engage students in purposeful talk about books, What's in Your Book! lets students explore story elements (character, setting, plot, solution) and challenges them to demonstrate their understanding by making connections and asking questions. It can be played by two players or teams. Launch date: 2009.

Kids can learn to appreciate the highest achievements of civilization in painting, sculpture and architecture. This product is designed to cover the world of art across time and culture, introducing children to basic terminology and famous artists. The Professor Noggin series has won more than 12 awards. Launch date: July 30, 2009.

The goal of this patent-pending, fast-paced game is for players to swing their ring onto their hook. One to four competitors frantically try to out-duel one another while tuning out the screams to focus on the perfect release. "Hookum is the first collapsible, multi-player Bimini Ring game," Joe Parrish, chief creative officer of 5mississippi, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 2009. Watch Hookum: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010