October 2008 Notable Toys — General Games

After the potion dice are rolled, it is the goal of the two to four players/apprentices to be the first to create the potion as instructed. They must be careful, though, as some apprentices may steal ingredients, change the recipe altogether or even spill the cauldron. The game comes with 52 cards, four dice, 20 token, a token bag and a cauldron. Launch date: 2008.

Four are more players can play this game in which four clues are given to help each team guess a famous name. Points earned decrease depending on how many clues are given before the answer is guessed. The first team to earn 300 points wins. Launch date: 2008.

Igor: The Monster Making Game is a fast-paced custom-dice game about building monsters while trying not to leave unfinished projects on the table where other mad scientists could steal your work. The game is based on the movie "Igor " — a playfully irreverent comedy that brings a new twist to the classic monster genre. Launch date: September 19, 2008.

This world-class MONOPOLY game for two to six players take participants to global cities on six continents. Each player has a MONOPOLY credit card, plus a digital device that acts as a bank to track the balance. It requires two AA batteries (not included).

Designed to fuel kids' passion for produce, players learn to group 95 fruits and veggies by color, identify the health benefits linked to the colors and how fruits and veggies keep your body growing strong and healthy. Bonus features: How to make green smoothies using green veggies and fruits, user-friendly charts and resources, information sheets and a coloring activity. For 2-30 players.

This nutrition game is SmartPicks' top selling game for over 12 years. This updated version makes learning about basic food groups and healthy alternatives a treat for players of all ages and appetites. Based on the new MyPyramid, this game provides a variety of food choices that will improve the quality of an average American diet. Winner of the Learning® Magazine 2008 Teachers' Choice Award. For 2-30 players.

Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Tabletop Game is an electronic tabletop game based on the top-rated TV game show, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Just like the TV show, the object is to answer 11 questions in a row, from 1st through 5th grade school subjects, in order to win one million dollars.

Square Up! offers a new twist on the slider puzzle – playing an opponent! The object of the game is to slide the squares to match the cube shaker before your opponent finishes. It’s a fast, two-player, visual thinking game. Each board measures about 8” square.
— This game was listed as a best seller by Michele and Ken Gietz of Where’d You Get That!? in Williamstown, Mass., in fall 2008. “It’s great for travel or restaurants,” they said. “It’s two-player, but each gets their own sliding squares board and special shaker. We’ve sold many for a small store in the last six months.”
— Brooke Andrews, owner of Millers Toy Store in Mamoroneck, N.J., told TDmonthly in late 2009 her store sells about 12 units per week of this game. Two of 44 retailers named it as one of their top-three best sellers.

With five games for play with cards featuring favorite horse breeds, this is a perfect choice for horse lovers of all ages. "There are many horse lovers who would appreciate their own card game with photos of each type of horse on each card," Nicole Tiedemann, Public Relations Account Executive, International Playthings. Launch date: 2/1/2008.

Bluff your way to victory by having two to four players take turns laying matching animal cards face down. Since you can't see them, are you sure they match? Can you trick your opponents into believing you? If you can, you can get rid of your cards quickly. Don't get caught, or you'll be skunked.  "This fun card game challenges kids with an extra element of 'dramatics.' It will be hard to win without having that extra element of slyness," warned Nicole Tiedemann, Public Relations Account Executive, International Playthings. "Whoever has the most, will be sure to win. It's a fun game for slightly older kids." Launch date: 2/1/2008.

This adorable first counting-card game is really 5 games in one: Penguin Pick-Up, Penguin Race, Countin' Penguins, No more Penguins and Penguin Memory. "This unique card games uses cute penguins to help children learn to count, while playing one of five fun games," explained  Nicole Tiedemann, Public Relations Account Executive, International Playthings. "Up to four children can play together." Launch date: 2/1/2008.

RAGE™ starts with ten cards. Then hand by hand, the number of cards (and options) reduces until at last, you only have ONE card. Players record the number of tricks they plan to take each round; scoring points for their accurate bidding. Sound easy? The outRAGEous action cards will keep you guessing. Includes 108 cards and instructions. "Rage is a classic card game that originated in the 1980s that Fundex has brought back to market," explained Katie Hemlock, marketing specialist at Fundex Games, Ltd.  "Rage is a trick-taking game that is always changing.  This game will keep families entertained while enjoying a NEW card game." Launch date: 2/1/2007.

This action-packed, hidden-identity game is geared to please the younger crowd. Assuming the identity of one of six spies, each player uses the die and moves cards to move around the gameboard. If a player lands on the same colored space as his/her opponent, he/she may take a guess of the opponents identity. If the guess is correct, the opponent is out of the game. The winner is the last player remaining. The game "focuses on bluffing and guessing," Bill Stephenson, president of Spy Alley Partners, told TDmonthly. Launch date: September 1, 2008.

Newt's Playing Cards offers two different decks of Politically WILD! Playing Cards that hallmark various politicians, political celebrities and issues as wild animals and scenes. One deck is intended for Barack Obama and Democrats; the other for John McCain and Republicans. Sen. McCain has been drawn as a dinosaur, skunk and horse, and Sen. Obama as an ostrich, jaguar and baby boomer. While each deck supports the respected candidate, there are drawings of many other politicians and political celebrities — Sean Hannity as a kangaroo, Mike Huckabee as a Dodo bird, and Hillary Clinton as a lioness, for example. Launch date: August 15, 2008.

Journey to Ancient Egypt's sacred Nile valley! Great kings compete to forge mighty kingdoms in a struggle to control the land of "Kemet." Along the banks of the great river they expand their influence and explore new territory. And they hope to earn the favor of the great falconheaded god Horus. Are you the one to unite the valley into one great kingdom? With clever use of card and tile play, you guide the course of the sacred river, and the lands that surround it! You determine where the desert will give way to the green marshes, red hills, and rich black farmlands of this ancient land. Using your influence, you gain control of valuable regions. You may even build a holy necropolis to thwart the expansion plans of your foes. If true and noble, you might even earn the blessings of the Horus temple!

Descend deep into the interior of the earth, as you lead the three adventurers from Jules Verne’s classic novel: Professor Lidenbrock, his nephew Axel and their guide Hans. Begin your amazing journey with entry through the crater of the dormant Icelandic volcano Snaefells. Explore a dense forest of giant mushrooms, traverse a turbulent underground ocean, before you are hurled out of an Italian volcano to return to the earth's surface.  On your journey, collect fossils both small and large, collect gold and overcome obstacles through the prudent acquisition and use of select equipment. Explore the many parts of the subterranean cavern, using equipment and luck are critical to overcoming the obstacles within your path. The player who can escape with the best collection of artifacts is the winner. Will you direct our heroes on a journey of danger, discovery and fortune?

Each colorful set features a 52-card playing card deck and an illustrated booklet of biographical essays. The historic portraits and engaging stories feature lesser-known, 19th-century Native Americans as well as some of the most important American Indian leaders. These sets are entertaining as well as educational. Set One includes Red Cloud, Sitting Bull and Cochise. Set Two includes Geronimo, Tecumseh and Ten Bears. Launch date: October 1, 2008.

Isolate begins with the tactical positioning of game pieces on the board. Then it's a race to be the first player to "slide, separate, and remove" all your pieces. Simple to learn, yet challenging enough for experienced competitors. Isolate is a great game for two to four players of all ages.

This 20- to 30-minute game offers 432 different oddball scenarios (for example: You’re dining with the president of Finland and roasted reindeer and fish pie are on the menu). Players predict which person in the group is most likely (Party Animal) and least likely (Party Pooper) to go along with a given scenario.

This game allows children to practice creating singular from plural words and vice-versa. It goes over eight rules for making words plural, strengthening both oral and written language skills.

Features hundreds of color photographs of art and artifacts found at the Smithsonian museums. Study the items on your assignment card, then guess which one doesn’t fit. Use the decoder/magnifier to see if you’re right as you try to be the first expert to reach finish. For 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up.

Race to gather the food your panda needs. When you land on a bamboo space, activate the mother panda to come down the tree. She may help you win. Learn interesting panda facts as you play the game. For 2 to 4 players, ages 5 and up.

Based on the hit NBC-TV show starring Steve Carell, players race around the office visiting cubicles and answering questions about the adventures and misadventures of its unique characters. Includes a “Support the Rabid” rubber bracelet—as seen on the show—that players get when they win the “5K” race. For 2 to 6 adult players.

Join the cast of NBC’s hit show “The Office” in a DVD game that features some of your favorite scenes. Answer questions about the clips to earn Schrute bucks as you move along a game board that Dwight himself created. There’s seven different kinds of questions for lots of variety.  For 2 to 6 adult players.