July 2012 Notable Toys — Board Games

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.

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.

Hand crafted from hardwood the 38 piece hand held version of Mentagy measures just over 6" x 6". To play simply mark the blank spaces with the black pegs and seed letters with the red letters. Players are now ready to use the remaining white letters to solve the puzzle. One advantage of the wooden Mentagy ™ set is that players can solve the puzzles without using an eraser. If a player is in the middle of solving a puzzle and has to stop, they simply place the top on the base and the pegs cannot move. Take the Mentagy ™ set anywhere and continue where the game was left off.
Awards: Summer 2012 Tillywig Award Winner
— As of 12/6/2012 Mentagy: The Next Puzzle Craze (the book) had 5 out of 5 stars from 4 reviews on Amazon.com.

CampAntics™ is the children’s board game of summer camp adventures. Each trip around the board is one day at camp, where players participate in daily activities (sailing, baseball, etc.), get into mischief, follow the camp director’s announcements, and try to avoid the Forbidden Forest. Primarily for children 5 to 11 years old; also loads of fun for older siblings, parents, and grandparents. Special features include: comic book instructions, many opportunities for social interaction, and single player rules. Launch date: February 2011.
Awards: 2011The Toy Man Award of Excellence; 2011The Noise on Toys Award of Excellence; 2012 Tillywig Toy Awards Sterling Fun Award; 2012 Dr. Toy Best Vacation; 2012 Family Review Center Gold Award

Pride & Prejudice Trivia is a fun trivia game based off the novel by Jane Austen. Game includes 300 trivia cards, including 8 bonus Jane Austen trivia questions, score pad, die. Test your knowledge of the book while having fun. Do you know how long Mr. Bingley looked at Netherfield before letting it? If you do, wish you did, or know someone who might, this is the perfect gift. Launch date: May 2010.

EXIM Games is introducing the world's first and only board game with integrated game play through the use of an Apple iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, patent pending. Only EXIM Games can give kids the ability to use the unique xPirate board game with multiple Apps and mobile platforms. Welcome to xPirate. Players have been recruited as Captains of their own xPirate ship. In this strategic pirate quest for hidden treasure, victory is awarded to the xPirate ship that finds all its hidden treasures and returns home first. Launch date: November 2011.
Awards: 2012 - 2012 Creative Child Awards Program, 2012  Game of the Year Award

In the Old West, the sly snake oil salesman had a special talent: he could get the most skeptical customer to buy the most dubious product. Now players can have their turn, inventing their own crazy two-word products and selling them to all types of customers. If the customer buys a product, the player wins. With over 280 wild words and 70 oddball customers, players will never run out of new combinations. Launch date: November 2010.
Awards: 2012 Mensa Select; 2012 Dr. Toy; 2012 Toy Man Seal of Excellence
— In a late Summer 2012 survey, Charles from Miller's Toys in Mamoronec, N.Y., told TDmonthly that Snake Oil is one of their top-2 best selling card games. They sell about 2 dozen copies a month.
— As of 12/6/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 2 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Fun for all ages.
— Gary Green, owner of Toy Box of Asheville Inc in Asheville, N.C., told TDmonthly in a February 2015 survey that Snake Oil was his store's best-selling game.

Robbin’ Eggs is the eggciting game of math, memory, and luck. Each egg has a number on the bottom - some positive, some negative. Players turn over eggs trying to get the sum as close to the rolled number on the die, all while following sometimes silly rules on the cards. Meanwhile, opponents might have a “rob” card and can steal the egg other players need.  Players try to remember the location of numbers as the game progresses…that is, until another player scrambles the locations with a drawn card. The player with the lowest score at the end wins the game. "This game is much more than just an educational math game or a memory game.  Because it adds these components together along with the uniqueness of the nest and eggs, and the randomness of the action cards, this game becomes an entertaining family game that happens to help players hone their math skills," Tami Murphy, marketing manager at The Haywire Group, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 2012.

Cluck 'N' Chuck is a game that’s bursting with fun – and chickens! This game for two to four players will leave kids in hysterics as they try to contain runaway chickens. Players roll the die to see which chickens they can chuck into the coop. But move quickly before the coop jumps up and they all fly out. It’s a race to see who can round up their chickens first in this rowdy cluck-cluck game. For ages 4 and up.

Don’t Rock the Boat will have kids channeling their inner pirates without fear of having to walk the plank! The play pieces for this game are fun pirate penguins, and play takes place aboard their pirate ship. Take turns trying to balance the pirate penguins on the ship, but if you rock the boat and send some mateys overboard, ye be a loser! For ages 5 and up. Launch date: 2012.

Super Shooter Basketball is for one or more players. Shoot hoops with the miniature basketballs and gain mad skills! The game includes rules for three well-known games. Super Shooter Basketball is for ages 5 and up. Launch date: 2012.

Spurtle Turtle is also for one or more players. In this fun matching game, press the button on the turtle’s back to spurt out tokens. Then, find the matching sets of tokens! The turtle is also a convenient storage case. Spurtle Turtle is for ages 3 and up. Launch date: 2012.

In Empire Express, players create competing railroad empires by drawing railroad tracks with crayons upon an erasable board. Players win if they utilize their network of rail lines to acquire and deliver goods efficiently to accumulate the largest personal fortune. The base game provides pre-programed routes on a board depicting a north eastern portion of the US with demand cards providing players with an easy way to learn the system through play. Players start with the bare bones of a railroad: an empty train and track connecting some cities. Each turn players take turns building track, operating trains, and delivering loads. The bank will pay players for each delivered load. With the starting route guided by the board, only two loads per card and a visual pick-up and delivery guide on every card the learning curve is greatly shortened. For 2-4 players, 90+ minute game time.

In Tsuro of the Seas players will sail the treacherous waters of the Mystic Seas in an engaging game of adventure and suspense. As the captain of one of the Emperor’s mighty Red Seal ships, players navigate the seas by placing Tsuro wake tiles to direct their vessel. Players must take great caution to avoid opponents’ ships...and those mysteries lurking on the horizon and under the sea. The last captain sailing to survive the mystic seas wins. For 2 to 8 players ages 8 and up; plays in 20-40 minutes. Launch date: August 2012.

BUZZLEWORDS® - The Spelling Bee Game is the most fun that children and adults can have while learning spelling, reading and vocabulary. Because the spelling words are taken from actual school word lists, children will master all of the spelling words for his or her grade level just by playing the game. In addition, by reading the words to the speller and by looking up the meanings of words for the speller,  children will improve his or her reading and vocabulary skills while having fun, without even realizing it. Includes Game Board, Tri-Colored Die, 6 Bee Playing Pieces, 300 BUZZLEWORD Cards, 50 BUZZLEBEE Cards.

BUZZLEWORDS® - The Spelling Bee Game is the most fun that children and adults can have while learning spelling, reading and vocabulary. Because the spelling words are taken from actual school word lists, children will master all of the spelling words for his or her grade level just by playing the game. In addition, by reading the words to the speller and by looking up the meanings of words for the speller,  children will improve his or her reading and vocabulary skills while having fun, without even realizing it. Includes Game Board, Tri-Colored Die, 6 Bee Playing Pieces, 300 BUZZLEWORD Cards, 50 BUZZLEBEE Cards.

BUZZLEWORDS® - The Spelling Bee Game is the most fun that children and adults can have while learning spelling, reading and vocabulary. Because the spelling words are taken from actual school word lists, children will master all of the spelling words for his or her grade level just by playing the game. In addition, by reading the words to the speller and by looking up the meanings of words for the speller,  children will improve his or her reading and vocabulary skills while having fun, without even realizing it. Includes Game Board, Tri-Colored Die, 6 Bee Playing Pieces, 300 BUZZLEWORD Cards, 50 BUZZLEBEE Cards.

A mysterious shooting star has fallen to earth and is stuck on the clothes line. Now players can try to give back the rays to the little star as carefully as possible, without letting any pieces fall down.  Some rays will stick to the star, while others will not. For 1-5 players.

This marvelous manners game encourages empathy, develops social skills and nurtures a kindness of spirit that will help each player lead a more enjoyable and thoughtful life.
— As of 10/4/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 5 reviews on Amazon.com.

MADD CAPP™ CHECKERS adds a strategic twist, more risk and more fun. What's the twist? A unique dice popper means players can move their own dog bowls and even their opponent's bowls.
— As of 12/6/2012 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 1 review on Amazon.com.

Easy to learn and quick to play, Quadefy uses visual spatial skills and strategies to keep players on their toes. When playing Quadefy, players have to think a little bit strategist and a little bit puzzle builder. Players take turns stacking their game pieces on the base, each attempting to keep their entire game piece "in bounds." "In bounds" means that the piece must be completely over the game base and no more than four "cubes" high. The first player to force their opponent to have to play out of bounds wins. Every move is both offensive and defensive. The rules have been drafted so that there is always a winner, no ties, stalemates, or cat's games. Hand crafted from high quality hardwoods, Quadefy is pretty enough to be left out on the coffee table or bookshelf to be played again and again. Playing time: 3-5 minutes; 2 players.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys

In Pathagon, players take turns placing their wooden game pieces on the board in an attempt to build a path from one side of the game board to the other. There is a "trapping" move that allows a player to "trap" and remove one of their opponents game pieces from the board. The first player to complete the path wins. The catch is that the two paths cross. Every move has an offensive and defensive consideration. Pathagon is simple enough to be played by children, strategic enough to engage a true gamer. The rules have been drafted so that there is always a winner, no ties, stalemates, or cat's games. Hand crafted from high quality hardwoods, Pathagon is pretty enough to be left out on the coffee table or bookshelf to be played again and again. Playing time: 10-20 minutes; 2 player game.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys

Eternas is a four in a row style game in which the first player to place four bead of their color in a row, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally, wins the game. Conceived around the shape of the circle (the symbol for eternity) Eternas was designed for borderless play. The rules have been drafted so that there is always a winner, no ties, stalemates, or cat's games. Hand crafted from high quality hardwoods, Eternas is pretty enough to be left out on the coffee table or bookshelf to be played again and again. Playing time: 5-10 minutes; 2 player game.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys

Anti-Virus is a sliding puzzle game with a new twist: Tiles that only slide diagonally and can move in groups. 60 challenges with 5 levels to keep the body and mind healthy.