August 2012 New Specialty Toys — General Games

This puzzle game is different on all levels. For starters, a challenge consists of showing the solution (the color of all the balls on the playing board). But which balls are connected and how? Not only do players' brains have to be flexed to find the solution - they can bend all the puzzle pieces so they click into a new position.

Begin a quest to settle the island of Catan. Guide brave settlers to victory by using clever trading and shrewd development. Use resources—grain, wool, ore, lumber, and brick—to build roads, settlements, cities and key cultural milestones. Get resources by rolling the dice or by trading with other players. Catan is a modern classic. It truly redefines social board games and been awarded with “Game of the Year” honors in Germany, the United States, and a host of other countries. This New edition features a six piece reversible board allowing for more replay value than the previous Gallery Edition. Launch date: 2012.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

Uncover a murder most foul by revealing six story elements that together describe the deadly deed and spell the word MURDER. But take care that opponents can't do the same. Take their letters, counter their actions, or call on a waiting Crow to influence the murder before they do. At any moment a well-played card can shift the balance and seal someone's fate. Murder of Crows is a fast-paced card game for 2 to 5 players that's quick to learn and features atmopheric art by Dungeoneer illustrator Thomas Denmark. A game typically lasts 15 to 20 minutes, and is designed for ages 13 and up. Launch date: August 2012.

Times have been hard. To save on money, you have moved out of your old castle, and into a luxurious ravine. You didn't like that castle anyway, it was always getting looted, and never at a reasonable hour. And if it wasn't barbarians it was the plague, or sometimes both would come at once, and there wouldn't be enough chairs. The ravine is great, you get lots of sun, and you can just drop garbage wherever you want. In your free time you have taken up begging. Begging is brilliant conceptually, but tricky in practice, since no one has any money. You beg twigs from the villagers, and they beg them back, but no one really seems to come out ahead. That's just how life is sometimes. You are quietly conquering people, minding your own business, when suddenly there's a plague, or barbarians, or everyone's illiterate, and it's all you can do to cling to some wreckage as the storm passes through. Still, you are sure that, as always, you will triumph over this adversity, or at least do slightly better than everyone else. This is the 7th addition to the game of Dominion. It is 500 cards but is not a stand-alone. It adds 35 new Kingdom cards to Dominion, plus new bad cards you give to other players (Ruins), new cards to replace starting estates (shelters), and cards you can only get via specific other cards. The central themes are the trash and upgrading. There are cards that do something when trashed, cards that care about the trash, cards that upgrade themselves, and ways to upgrade other cards.

Spot it! Halloween is a party card game consisting of 55 cards, each featuring an assortment of 8 symbols. This special Halloween edition features images such as jack-o'-lanterns, cobwebs, ghouls and other spooky creatures and objects to surprise even the bravest player. Spot It! reinforces visual perception and matching skills. It sharpens reaction time while exercising motor skills and quick cognition in a fun, fast-paced atmosphere.  As with all Spot it! editions, there is always one, and only one, matching symbol between any two cards. This game can be played five different ways.

Unlike any other Chess teacher, No Stress Chess teaches kids how to play using illustrated cards and an illustrated 2-sided board. Once players become comfortable with the moves and powers of each piece, flip the two-sided board over and play standard game of chess. For 2 players. Contains a 2 sided chess board, 17 charcoal pieces and 17 ivory pieces, 56 action cards, black plastic card tray and instructions.

Suspend comes with 24 notched, rubber-tipped wire pieces to hang from a tabletop stand. Sound easy? Try adding another piece! Each time a bar is added, the balance shifts, the difficulty changes and the incredible midair sculpture transforms. Can players add all their game pieces without making it fall? This tricky game for 1-4 players is a test of steady nerves and steady hands.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval, 2012 Best Toys Guide Best Games
— In a February 2014 survey, Joe Novak, owner of Kazoo Toys of Buckhead in Buckhead, Ga., told TDmonthly that Suspend was one of their stores top-3 best-selling games.

Rollick! is a new hit party game that’s a fast and furious team competition. With Rollick!, the entire team works together to act out clue words for one person to guess. It’s a hysterical, fun, fast-paced, team competition game that’s a hit at parties, family gatherings, work events, holiday celebrations, with friends, and even teenagers. Rollick! can be taught in 2 minutes, played in 25 minutes, and accommodates 6-20+ people.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
— As of 08/08/2012 this product had 4.9 out of 5 stars from 90 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: A great ice breaker for parties; rules are easy to understand; fun for kids and adults of all ages; fun for small and large groups.

Includes three creative ways to play. Puzzle It: create a pattern and color wheel puzzle. Shape It: find and match the shape it cards. Build it: stack and build for colorful construction play. Encourages color/pattern recognition; matching, creativity & imagination, dexterity and collaboration.

Stack the cups and knock 'em down. How many cups can be knocked down with one shot? Pull back the ball attached to the Spring Shot then release the ball aiming at the stack of cups. Djubi Spring Shot Fun target game with cups comes with One Spring shot, 3 Small balls, & 3 Knock down cups.

A steady hand is required to remove the shaped pieces in this game. Players must think critically, remove pieces carefully without causing the trap to move. Assists with fine motor control and visual spatial development. Contains 63 pieces, game board, 6 game cards, replacement band, and complete instructions.

The snap and match puzzle. Push the colored balls and snap them into empty spots to fit each one with its matching, colored ring. Mix them up again for a brand new challenge.
Awards: 2012 The National Parenting Centre – Seal of Approval, 2011 Parent Tested Parent Approved – Best Product Media Seal of Approval

Skate indoors year-round. Carpet skates work on any type of carpet for a fun-powered glide. Strap them on and slide away. If you've got carpet, you've got fun. One size fits all. Ages 6+. Recommended for use with The Carpet Puck. Launch date: 2012.

Pack the ice so that every puzzle tile can fit on the game board and all the penguins are in the right spot. A super cool game of logic with 5 unique shape-shifting pentomino playing pieces. 60 challenges from easy to difficult.

Aeroplanes™ explores the dawn of commercial aviation, an exciting era between 1919 and 1939. Players experience the difficulties and triumphs of commercial airlines in Europe, pioneering airports and service in continental Europe and around the world. Aviation spurred the growth of intercontinental travel, and airlines struggled to dominate the regions of the globe that they served. Rapid technological advances in planes play a vital role in this development as players compete to purchase newer more efficient aeroplanes, build airports and move passengers around the globe. Earn bonuses and prestige for being the first to fly to North or South America, and win by maintaining the most airports around the world, and running  airlines profitably. For 3-5 players; game time is about 2 hours.

Place the puzzle pieces inside the trucks so that they don't stick out. There is only one solution, yet 48 challenges. These little trucks combine a great puzzle with a fun toy. Trucky 3 is made from sustainably-harvested, eco-friendly wood from rubber trees, and plastic.
— As of 07/20/2012 this product had 4.4 out of 5 stars from 5 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Portable; fun even for younger kids who don't understand the challenges; variety of challenges provide lasting fun for kids of different skill levels. Cons: Answer key is easy for kids to see.

A fun way to learn step counting, an important stage in learning multiplication. Count by 2s, 5s, 10s and 20s...all the way to 100. Colorful I Spy images make the game even more exciting. Also includes catchy rhymes to say when counting.

Brain twisting game of 40 challenges. Four challenge levels accommodate the skills of everyone in the family. Develops reasoning abilities and fine motor skills. Tactile, dual-colored design. Includes folding hexagon puzzle, booklet with 40 challenges.

Ten fun origami brainteasers with solutions. Created by famed puzzle inventor Ivan Moscovich. Build mathematical thinking, logic abilities, fine motor skills and patience. Heavy-duty laminated puzzles designed for repeated folding and multiple uses.

This game gives kids the opportunity to think about what makes COMMUNITY. From HOME players build the roads that will connect the special places players will select, creating, when they’re done, a bird’s eye view Of HOME and a whole village they made together. Players will have to think ahead and work together to successfully accomplish this endeavor. Community challenges players to build roads linking Home to other important locations in a community. "Children often rely on electronic games to construct and interact with realities. Now they can satisfy that intellectual drive and learn something along the way, all within a social activity that encourages cooperation and communication," Rosie Pohlmann from eeBoo told TDmonthly.

Players spin the spinner on their turn, then roll the dice. Players have 3 rolls or less to match the rummy hand on the spinner – but look out for a bonus or penalty that can help or hurt. Win the most points and win the game. When players are done, they can use the dice to play a different game. Game Contents: 9 Square Shooters® dice, spinner, dice cup, and scorepad.
Awards: 2012 Creative Child Magazine Game of the Year Award; Summer 2012 Tillywig Award Winner

Crappy Birthday is the hilarious game of giving bad gifts. The goal is to choose the worst gift for each player. Laughing together at funny pictures and the ensuing banter make this game a winner.
— As of 07/18/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 17 reviews on Amazon.com.
Awards: Summer 2012 Tillywig Award Winner

Look, see, play and score...a lot. Add cards to a grid, making sure that color, shape, and number are either all the same or all different across the line. Sounds easy but as the grid expands, so do the possibilities. Whoever sees the opportunities will seize the win. Iota – The pocket-sized game that’s big time fun. Launch date: September 2012.
Awards: 2012 Mensa Select
— In a Fall 2013 survey, two out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Iota was their best-selling card game.

Crossword Cubes is a unique word spelling dice game. Roll all 13 dice and play them in a crossword fashion to create the highest score possible. A combination of crosswords and anagrams, this fun, compact, educational game is great for travel, gifts, stocking stuffers, and sharpening up your spelling. Portable and fun, Crossword Cubes is one of a kind. Launch date: 2010.