There is a fiesta at Abuela’s (Grandmother’s) house, and Dora and the gang must wind their way there collecting supplies and avoiding Swiper as they go.
-- This game stays true to Dora’s bilingual theme and includes both languages on the playing cards, encouraging the development of language skills in youngsters.
-- “Dora the Explorer Big Easy Board Game is one of our best selling games,” says Moss Kardener, vice president of brand development and innovation for University Games.
-- This game is played on a large mat with oversized characters, making it ideal for little hands and roomy enough for multiple players.

This toy features a FlipFaze technology that allows materials to change shape and color using warm tap water. This product comes complete with five ColorTwist strips and connectors, changing molding material in three colors, plastic mold for spinning tops, plastic mold for wheels, wooden rods, felt-tip marker and a step-by-step workbook so that kids can invent their own toys.

Did you know that snot keeps your lungs clean? Or that some bullfrogs are cannibals? Learn this and more as you travel around the game board answering queasy questions. Land on a Gross-Out space, and you may have to check another player for toe jam or describe the last time you threw up! Every time you answer a question or complete a Gross-Out, stretch your slime on the score line. Stretch it to 10 and complete a Lab Experiment to win the game! A dose of gross helps science make sense. Includes a game board, 110 Question cards, 50 Gross-Out cards, 30 Lab cards, a die and a jar of slime. For 2 to 4 players.
— “This is one disgusting game,” commented Dolores Hopson, assistant manager of the Barnes & Noble in Macon, Ga. “Kids love it, and even the parents like it.”
— It was rated the No. 1 gross toy on Amazon.com for the week of October 16, 2005.
— Silly Goose Toy Store owner Diane Ross said this game sells “extremely well” and has since it first came in.

The world's a stage, especially when kids are playing the Kids on Stage Game. Perfect for even young kids because no reading is required, Kids on Stage Game gives kids the chance to act out items in this charades-type game meant to put every young player in the spotlight. Every player gets to act and move and have fun, and they can do it on their own since an adult doesn't have to read for them. The Kids on Stage Game is the creative game that encourages activity and helps develop communication skills — plus it is fun to see what each player is going to do next.
— “We sell a lot of games called Kids on Stage, said Christine Hildebrand of Alphabet Toys in Davis, Calif. She claims to have had such great success because of the wide age range the game appeals to, and “probably because we kind of like it,” she told TDmonthly.

This game gives preschoolers a chance to snack their way through the day, practicing their fine motor skills, counting, color and item recognition. The game is licensed from the World of Eric Carle.

Kids and adults have got to move quickly with the Do You Sudoku? Game, because the hottest puzzle the world’s seen since the crossword is now a great electronic game. The game, for two or more players, contains 2 game trays, 2 sets of 81 number tiles, 100 puzzles, die, instructions and solutions.
— “Do You Sudoku? by University Games is doing well,” was the comment from Cathy Foland, manager of Imagination Station in Fenton, Mich.
— University Games sell well “because the chain stores do not carry these,” was the observation provided by Alyssa Cox, owner of Animal Quackers in Raleigh, N.C.
— Games of strategy are big at The Wee Loft in Dana Point, Calif, according to co-owner Annette Garcia, who mentions Sudoku games as one of the season’s hottest games for kids.

This game may sound and look familiar at first, but this real estate trading game presents an exciting twist where players choose free enterprise or monopoly — and play under different rules as a result. In addition, this fun and intriguing game has made its way through a fascinating, real-world legal battle. Players decide for themselves: Who wins? Is it the competitor who charges fair market value for rent? Or is it the monopolist who amasses control over whole regions and can charge much higher fees? Included are a game board, game money, 3 blue monopolist pawns, 3 green competitor pawns, 25 monopolist cards, 25 competitor cards, 28 title/mortgage notes, dice, 35 houses, 15 apartments and instructions. For 2 to 6 players.

This game of cat and mouse is the winning entry from the National Young Game Inventors’ Contest. Designed by a 6-year-old from Kansas, it features simple game play, a colorful game board and creative characters. You’re a cowboy cat traveling around the game board, trying to rope mice in your lasso. Spin the spinner to take your turn. Land on a ball of yarn space? Your cat is too busy to catch mice. Lose a turn. Land on a mouse space? Yeehaw, you got one. But be careful: the alley cat wants to steal your herd.

Families can learn together with this fun educational game for two or more players, who must answer questions for their age group. For example, “In which language does ‘spasibo’ mean ‘thank you’: Russian, German or Portuguese?” Questions for ages 10 to 15 and 16 and up allow players to compete on their own level. “The game’s two sets of questions let parents and children feel like they have “an equal chance at winning the game,” Kristen Schoen at University Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2006.

Packed with art and imagery of the Grateful Dead and the times they defined, this game takes players on a multi-sensory trip celebrating the group’s music and history. Players travel through time and collect concert tickets along the way by answering interactive and trivia-oriented questions. The team that collects the most tickets wins. Launch date: October 2006.

The evil Piraka have invaded the island of Voya Nui and are now on the hunt for the powerful Mask of Life. Players take up the Toa Inika mission to find the Mask before the Piraka. They must traverse the island carefully and be prepared for battle. The game includes six exclusive collectible Toa Inika game pieces, a double-sided game board, a Protodermis ball launcher with Zamor sphere, a Piraka target, 50 Quest cards and a die. Launch date: August 2006.

Based on the beloved books of family favorite Dr. Seuss, these 24-piece puzzles bring children's favorite Dr. Seuss moments to life. Children will love putting the puzzles together and seeing their favorite Dr. Seuss characters appear. Each puzzle measures 11½" by 15". A “Happy Birthday to You” variety is also available. Launch date: 2006.

Based on the books by beloved children's author and illustrator Eric Carle, this collection features vibrant colors and images from the best-selling book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” A “Butterfly” puzzle is also available, and each measures 11½" by 15". Launch date: 2006.

In the world of family games, University Games is introducing a new spin on puzzles with Perplex City, the thrilling new board game of brainteasers. Perplex City requires and reinforces logic, ingenuity, cunning and quick wits.
— "Perplex City differs from other products because the game combines every type of puzzle you can imagine: Logic-based, riddle-based, visual, sequence and trivia-based puzzles have all been wrapped up in this dynamic board game with inspired gameplay,” Matthew Crovitz of University Games told TDmonthly. Launch date: March 2007.

Based on the well-known nursery rhyme, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed introduces children to counting and strategy while developing fine motor skills.
— “The little monkeys actually jump off the bed!” noted Matthew Crovitz of University Games. “The included bed randomly ejects the monkeys, bringing smiles and giggles to preschoolers as they learn to count.” Launch date: March 2007.

Children can tap into hours of constructive fun with this 3D strategy game. Players try to be the first to build a pipeline that crosses the water to the opposite side of the board. They roll the die to find out which piece to use to construct a pipeline, or play a “blocker cap” that will seal off a pipeline. The game includes a game board, 80 pipe pieces (20 of each color) and a die. It accommodates two to four players.

In this mental fitness game based on the original best-selling Nintendo DS title, players exercise their brains in five categories: Analyze, Compute, Identify, Memorize and Think. Exercises challenge players mentally and physically to see who has the heaviest brain. Participants play in teams and can become a master matchmaker, a fluent reciter of tongue twisters, a cube counting whiz or a logician capable of deducing heavyweights, pathfinders and comparisons. The game includes a brain-o-meter scale, 330 cards, a spinner, puzzle pieces, scoring chips, a dry-erase pen, a red revealer and a and timer. It “keeps minds nimble and players laughing,” Matthew Crovitz of University Games told TDmonthly.

The popular family pastime of arguing has become an outrageous party game, and all participants need to win is an opinion. The debate never ends as players argue over a number of topics in six categories: Pop Culture, Overrated, Anything Goes, Silly, Food and Pick Your Favorite. Players argue back and forth for 2 1/2 minutes and score points by winning votes from other players. The game contains a board, 100 topic cards with a total of 1,000 topics, 50 distraction cards, 12 advocate and devil's advocate cards, a stopwatch, 12 voting tokens and six playing pieces. The game is for three to six players. Launch date: October 2006.

In this fast-paced trivia game for two to eight players, each Who, What and Where Am I? card has 10 clues, and the first player to yell out the correct answer moves one step closer to being the ultimate "Smart Ass." The first player to reach the target in the center of the board wins. Contents include a game board, eight donkey playing pieces, 490 questions, one category die, one movement die and instructions. This product won the 2007 Game of the Year Award from the Australian Games Association. "It's funny, fast-paced ... takes less than 30 minutes and there are no turns!" Matthew Crovitz of University Games told TDmonthly. "[It] was invented by Rob Elliot — the longtime host of Wheel of Fortune in Australia, a man who knows a thing or two about trivia and fun." Launch date: February 2007.

NBC’s newest hit game now comes home in this 100-piece boxed puzzle.  One to six players compete against the Mob in this challenging two-sided puzzle.  Questions that players answer correctly and questions that the mob answers wrong slowly lead to the demise of the Mob.  Whenever the Mob answers a question incorrectly, players get to flip over a puzzle piece and start eliminating the Mob.  The goal is to beat the Mob by blacking out the entire puzzle.  Game includes a 14-page booklet with over 130 questions and answers.  Launch Date: February 2007.

This puzzle version of 20 Questions consists of two parts.  Kids will first piece together the fun forest scene.  Kids will then try to answer the question clues, searching for each secret identity in the puzzle.  The game includes a 100-piece puzzle and 52 sets of clues and instructions.  The puzzle activity itself measures 13-1/2" x 13-1/2".  Launch Date: March 2006.

This game combines both puzzles and word games.  Kids begin the game by piecing together the fun carnival scene, after which a word appears at the top of each puzzle.  The goal of the game is to create as many words as possible using the letters of that visible word.  Players can double their points by finding images of their words in the puzzle scene.  For example, over 70 words can be found in the word "celebrations”  — discover words like "robin" and "table," and then find the corresponding pictures in the puzzle.  The game includes a 100-piece puzzle, an answer key and instructions.  The puzzle itself measures 13.5" x 13.5".   Launch Date: March 2006.

War has changed over time, but the card game bearing its name hasn't since it was first played in the 14th century. Until now. For the first time, War incorporates Love, Peace, Diversity, and Unity. It's a whimsical twist on an age-old game. Players compete to get rid of their cards first, while trying to avoid the heavily-armed Joker, which is the weakest card. The card deck features beautiful and entertaining illustrations.
— "Anything from University Games does well here," said Jane Beck, owner of BJ Beck’s Toys in Cedarburg, WI, when discussing card games with TDmonthly.

This fast-moving and fun game combines luck and speed. Players listen for an animal’s name; the player in possession of the corresponding card must quickly flip the card and then announce the next animal. The first player to get rid of all his cards wins. This game will help children build letter recognition and strengthen their vocabulary skills. The game comes with 48 animal cards. Launch date: 2004.

Players are dealt a hand of cards containing words, each with a point value. Each player strives to create a headline that will yield the most points and the most laughs. The first player to get to five hundred points wins. This game is a great way for both kids and adults to have fun with language.