April 2011 Notable Toys — Card Games

Adorable graphics, colorful cards, and easy-to-learn game play come together in this great new family game that provides “flippin’ good fun for everyone.”

In Flip Six, even young players learn adding and subtracting strategies as they get rid of their high cards. Starting each round with six cards, players try to reduce their points by getting rid of cards and/or swapping them for lower cards. After ten rounds, player with the lowest cumulative score wins.

Game includes 55 cards, including negative numbers.

Adorable graphics, colorful cards, and easy-to-learn game play come together in this great new family game that provides “flippin’ good fun for everyone.”

In Flip Six, even young players learn adding and subtracting strategies as they get rid of their high cards. Starting each round with six cards, players try to reduce their points by getting rid of cards and/or swapping them for lower cards. After ten rounds, player with the lowest cumulative score wins.

Game includes 55 cards, including negative numbers.

Word Braniac includes 120 Letter Cards, 1 Game Timer and 1 copy of Word Brainiac Games Booklet-Volume 1, featuring 5 entertaining and educational word games- all contained in a handy re-closable plastic pouch. There are also instructions to 45 more games on Word Braniac's website- players can play a different game every time. Kids can enjoy a game alone or play with their friends, and can compete against each other or battle as teams. There are games for kids, adults and older folks. There are games for students and those wanting to learn English as their second language. All games are excellent vocabulary-builders. Some focus on English grammar and general academic subjects. Most entail abstract and logical thinking. Each game rewards individual risk-taking while some games promote team building.25% of your purchase will fund youth-oriented development projects.

Bag-o-Loot is a new card game that combines strategy, luck, interaction and emotions. During their turn, players can create sets of matching cards called collections, steal collections from other players, or complete a set, making a Bag-O-Loot. But players must be wary- The Bag-O-Loot could be a bluff. Players must outwit or outguess their opponents and try to commit a robbery to end the round. "It is just as fun and engaging for a group of adults to play, a group of kids to play, or a mixed group of adults and kids to play," John Shelley, president of Bag-O-Loot, told TDmonthly.
Awards: 2011 Dr. Toy's Best Picks; 2011 Preferred Choice Award in the category of Family Card Games from Creative Child Magazine.
— As of 10/19/2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 10 reviews on Amazon.com.

Analyze Me is filled with questions designed to help players get to know their family and friends a little better. Players ask a question from 1 of 4 categories: Work Life, Private Life, Social Life and Play Life. The others submit a card face-down indicating their answer (either A,B or C). If the player guesses who answered what correctly they win the category card. The first player to collect 1 of each category card wins the game. "Analyze Me is the perfect party game to play with friends and family. It will lead to lively discussions, a few secrets and a little honesty as your opponents become confidants," Nicole Britton at Blue Orange Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2011.

Noval is a strategy-based card game for 2-4 players, featuring uniquely shaped cards and easy to learn gameplay. The first player without any cards wins. Seems easy enough, but Noval is packed full of surprises and often frustrating twists. Kids will have fun bragging after they force other players to pick up piles of cards, and opponenys will have fun trying to get revenge by making the player do the same. There is no complicated score keeping and game rules are simple and exciting. Players match or beat other players cards. If they can’t they pick up the pile of already played cards. Three hidden cards will keep players guessing who will win down to their last card.

For the first time ever players are able to customize and personalize their UNO game with UNO Roboto. Record each player’s name and set unique house rules, then let UNO Roboto get the party started with surprise commands and funny phrases that change-up the game every time.

StoryPlay Cards are an illustrated set of 88 cards plus two wild cards. They are for 1 or more players. Kids can use them for storytelling: Deal 5-7 cards per person and then have each person tell a story using the cards in their hands. There are people, places, objects, elements and treasures (among others). These cards can also be used for playing a wide variety of card games. They also can be used as a simple way for kids to talk about their day: Lay out some or all of the cards. The child picks the one that says something about their day or how they are feeling and shares it with others.

Hit the Trail comes packaged in a mini backpack which includes 72 cards, 3 dice, and pencil. Each player is dealt 7 cards. The player then picks a card and lays it face up. (This is where the strategy comes in) Do you pick a lower point card or a higher point card? The Youngest player then rolls the three dice, trying to match one of the die or combination of dice to their card amount which is face up. Each time the die/dice combination match the player's card that is face up, the player gets to move the card into their “mile pile” trying to be the first to hike 100 miles. Players must beware of getting caught with a “cooler card” – like the mother bear & cubs in the trail. If you get caught with one of the three cooler cards you loose 10 miles. Other twists in the game include bonus rolls if the player’s dice totals the card amount that is face up. Don’t forget to look out for the trips /doubles rule which is when any of the dice come up with doubles or triples. You take a card from the person to your right. Launch date: May 2011.
Watch Toy Fair 2011 Video

Players take turns flipping over cards that show different shapes. The first to complete the correct action wins that card. The game keeps it exciting by shuffling the actions and their corresponding shapes after each round.
See Toy Fair 2011 Video

From the best-selling book comes The Hunger Games: Training Days Strategy Game. Training Days allows 2-6 players to follow in the footsteps of their favorite Tributes as they compete in the days leading up to the arena. Includes 18 Tribute Cards representing the female and male Tributes from 9 districts, a deck of 45 Challenge cards featuring: 24 Events, 8 Special Events, 10 Alliances, and 3 End of Day cards. Plus, Effort Tokens for each District, Approval Rating Score Board, and 6-sided dice.

These 3-D trading cards by the makers of the popular Bakugan feature animation and graphics effects on each card. Each pack comes with Character, Monster, and Attack cards to ensure that you can play right out of the pack. The easiest way to expand your collection and discover new powers.

Scatter the bug cards all over the table or floor.  Players race to capture the bugs by covering each Bug Card with a matching Leaf Card—It's a wild scramble to find each bug. The first player to cover all of the matching Bug Cards wins. 2-6 players. Launch date: September 2011.

First, a crazy definition is read to the group by the "Wordmeister." Next, players must grab three random word cubes and create a new word to fit the definition. Each new word is read out loud, and the "Wordmeister" picks the best one. The player whose words are chosen the most wins. 3-7 players. Launch date: March 2011.
Awards: TDmonthly Top Toy Award, June 2011
— Why it won: Fauxabulary is a great game for large groups. It's similar to Apples to Apples, but creating new words out of different word-parts encourages kids to think creatively, and have fun with letters. It combines the silly group fun of Apples to Apples with the fast-paced scramble to create and find words like Scrabble or Boggle, and is reasonably priced relative to similar party games.

Players form words with the letters in their hand. They add a letter, build a new word, and capture their opponent's word, all in one turn. Players score points and earn 'royalties' for words of all one color. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. "Gameplay allows players to capture cards to build bigger, better words," Lynn Araujo, communications director for U.S. Games Systems, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2008.
Awards: A Games 100 Selection (2008, 2009, 2010)

Laughter and fun is what Love It! Hate It! is all about. A person reads a scenario card out loud and waits for their friends to secretly reveal what they think that person would love and hate. The answers, like the questions, can be real-life, to silly, to down-right bizarre. For 3-6 Players.

Can players name a movie with 2 sequels? How about a music group with 3 members? Players test their numbers know-all in this fast-playing “name it to claim it” party game. Draw a category card and then fill in the blank with the number rolled. The first person to name something that fits is smarter than the average Joe. Contents include 200 cards, Custom die, and Rules of play. Requires 2 or more players. Estimated game time is 15 minutes.

Who would win a pie eating contest: Marilyn Monroe or Albert Einstein? Players can settle this and other timeless debates in this hilarious party game of improbable celebrity matchups. Players draw cards and then convince the judge why thier character would win a randomly chosen event. The person who gets the most votes wins the game. Contents include 200 cards, Sand timer, and Rules of play. For three or more players; playing time is approximately 15 minutes.

This card game that casts players in a contest to build the mightiest Gub colony. Player seek wisdom from The Esteemed Elder or take shelter from a Toad Rider as they fend off a myriad of traps, lures, and other surprising events. Victory lies down an ever-changing path and no one is safe until the final card falls. Contents include  70 cards and Rules of play. For 2-6 players; game time is approximately 20 minutes.

Swim along with Swirly Shirley, Betsy Bubbles, Rip Rider, and a colorful cast of undersea characters as you try to collect the most seashell cards. Watch out for sneaky waves and icky seaweed along the way. Most of all - don’t get caught holding the sea monster at the end of the game. This card game was invented by 8 year old Emily Ehlers.

It's a bidding and headhunting game. A card game where one bids to hire the best people with a limited amount of money they have in hand. The player who manages to gather the 12 best people and meets the designated tasks shall be the winner.