March 2009 Notable Toys — General Games

There’s no crying over spilled milk or in this hilarious game a “spilled cow”. Pile up the hay/flower cards and carefully pull on the cow’s tail and balance him on top of the cards. Each
player uses the hayfork to harvest a card while trying not to tip over the cow. Whoever collects the most cards wins! The rules permit the cow to tip up to 3 times during a round. A more challenging variation of the game can be played with older children. Designed for 1 to 4 players. Launch date: February 2009.

The animals want to show how capable they are at making a tall pyramid. Who will position the penguin on top of the crocodile, the sheep on top of the penguin, the serpent on the sheep, the tucan... A wobbly stacking game for 2-4 players ages 4-99. With variation for one player. Now available with English packaging.
Awards: A Spring 2011 Parents Choice Recommended Award

Whether used to break the ice at a party or just create fun memories over the holidays, this game requires players to bring a gift. After all the gifts are unwrapped in round 1, participants keep rolling the dice, passing gifts, losing them and even "Zunkering" them, trying to get a final turn in before time runs out.

This "mind-reading" game is a step up from the original 20Q, with enhanced accuracy and a screen that's simpler to read. It even gives players to opportunity to change their answers, as they challenge 20Q to guess what's they're thinking. The game requires 2 AAA batteries.

In this strategy game for one to five players, the goal is to score the most points by balancing game pieces, which have different point values according to color.

Created by teens, for teens, this set of 50 diverse questions is sure to spark some colorful conversations. The cool carabiner clip attaches to backpacks, sports bags and overnight bags. Launch date: February 15, 2009.

ChalkTalkSPORTS SportACTION Card Games are fast playing and action packed for popular team sports. Varieties include Baseball, Lacrosse, Football, Soccer and Hockey. These card games provide hours of intense fun as players race to be the first to assemble their winning team. Strategy, skill and fun make them entertaining for the entire family. "Our SportACTION card games play like the real sport. Its a race to pull together your team first as you watch out for penalty calls," President Julie Lynn of ChalkTalkSPORTS told TDmonthly.

Play along with your favorite three monkey characters "Ninja Style' as they try and save their world from pirates, kittens and other scary creatures using the weapons known only to Ninja Monkeys "The Orbs of Doom" "The Orbs of Doom" is a new twist on the old favorite "Marbles". Players shoot their orbs through the portals to the super secret ninja monkey world collecting black belt degrees on their way to becoming The ninja Monkey Master. 2 players or 2 teams, For ages 6 and up. The Orbs of doom will keep your little monkeys and your little ninja's entertained for hours.

Designed to develop strong values and teach children and adults about the Bible by instilling in them scripture, this game accommodates two to six players. Questions range from simple to complex, and the goal of the game is to collect the most angels to win. "They're having fun and scriptures are being installed, and that's why kids like it so much," Michael Neely, inventor of Vice Verses, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

Students stumped by noble gases, alloys, isotopes and polymers? Chemistry Quizmo will help them gain practice in solving for either the Chemical name or Symbol for elements found in the Periodic Table while also learning trivia. From Hydrogen (H) to Radium (Ra), kids in grades 5 and up can discover fun facts, unusual uses and the stories behind an element’s name. There are two levels of play, and the game is for two to 36 players.

In Blackout, players drop dice into the package top, then rumble, tumble down a chute.  If any number on the dice matches numbers on a player’s cards, it’s a blackout! Players try to be the first to black out the final number on five different cards.  The fun is in the roll, but strategy is key in this rolling bingo game for the entire family. Launch date: 2009.

A new generation of girls can now play Dream Phone, the electronic game which is being re-introduced by Fundex Games.  Dream Phone includes a modern cell phone component with exciting new features including text messaging. To play Dream Phone, players use deductive reasoning, based on clues they receive by calling different boys, to determine which of the 24 dreamy boys is their secret admirer.  Dream Phone is ideal for girls, ages 8 to 14. Relaunch: 2009.

Instead of trading houses, horse paraphernalia is the currency in this variation of Monopoly.  Swap bales of hay for barns while moving pieces shaped like saddles, boots and horseflies around the board.

Keys to Comprehension offers an adventurous way for kids to master six key skills. Players spin to determine which specific reading skill to focus on, draw a card, read its short passage, and then answer the specific skill question. If they get it right, they get a “key” for that skill. Once they collect all six keys they are on their way to unlocking the buried treasure and winning the game. The game for two to six players includes a gameboard, 90 question cards, 36 key cards, six pawns, and one die. "The Keys to Comprehension game is available in two different reading levels - RL 1-3 (REM 6006A) and RL 3-5 (REM 6006B)," Liz Mullen, director of sales for Remedia Publications, told TDmonthly. It received a Learning Magazine 2009 Teachers’ Choice Award. Launch date: 2006.

Backseat Drawing is fun for the whole family. Players race to identify what the artist is drawing. But, the artist doesn’t know what he or she is drawing; the artist can only follow the instructions given by the director. The excitement continues as players attempt to follow directions and guess what the picture might be. Launch date: 2009.

Comet® The Fast Path to Learning - Family Edition is an exciting and stimulating game based on spelling. The Family Game offers the best knowledge in Science, Geography, History, Health and much more. Based on multiple choice answers, choose the correct word, spell the word, state the number of vowels…win a Bonus Card. Roll the dice, everyone has a chance to win! Launch date: August 8, 2008.

Two to 36 players match color photographs of rocks, minerals and gemstones with relating trivia facts or physical/chemical properties. With two levels of play, students will unearth three rock types and dust off some interesting trivia. The game involves practice with 70 different rocks, minerals and gemstones and includes color game boards, calling cards, plastic markers and an instructional guide. It teaches the physical characteristics of rocks and minerals, the rock cycle, and the characteristics, uses and names of rocks, minerals and gemstones. "All our games offer multiple levels of play and are aligned with national standards. They are made with the needs of every learner in mind," Alyssa Brown, product development manager for World Class Learning Materials, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

In addition to the colorful sheep, hare and bear hand puppets, this set includes a die and a memory game for one to four players. It encourages role play, language development and comprehension of rules. Launch date: 2008.
— Lisa McMartin, co-owner of Wonderment Inc. in Minneapolis, told TDmonthly in late 2008 that HABA is one of her most-liked vendors because “they'll take individual orders in their dating program." Nearly 10 percent of 52 retailers named HABA as one of their favorite suppliers.

Filled with tiny pellets that represent an outdoor sports field, this version of Find It contains more than 40 items that cover more than 35 sports. Things to find include a basketball hoop, football, boxing glove and jet ski. Launch date: Fall 2008.
— Mary Porter, owner of The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., sells “a dozen or so a month” of the Find It games, she told TDmonthly in spring 2009.
— Two of 64 retailers cited Find It Games when asked about best-selling travel toys in March 2009.

This brain-building strategy game plays off the original Blokus but plays with entirely new configurations in four construction plans: steps, pyramid, tower and corner (shown). The player who ends up with the most squares showing from above wins the game. Launch date: 2008.

Just about everyone loves the BUMPER CAR ride. It's the next thing to driving a real car and the only time you can legally bump into someone. MAGNETIC BUMPER CARS is a brainteaser puzzle that is almost as much fun as the real thing. The challenge is to position the nine bumper cars on the track so they don't bump into one another or the surrounding wall. Of course these miniature drivers have something else on their minds, as powerful hidden magnets in the cars and track walls cause all sorts of collisions as you maneuver your way through 12 brain-bumping challenges!

This game comes with a colorful spinner and corresponding shapes that fit into puzzle board with color-corresponding cut-outs. Launch date: 2009.
— “eeBoo is excellent,” Elizabeth Ryan, owner of Tales & Toys in Venice, Calif., told TDmonthly of this preferred vendor in late 2008. One other retailer, out of 52, also mentioned eeBoo as a favorite.

Two to four players must travel through the remote jungles of the Amazon River, identifying greater-than and less-than fractions while avoiding obstacles. Two levels of play allow students to gain understanding of fractions with denominators of halves through twenty-fourths.