January 2013 New Specialty Toys — General Games

eeBoo's newest Spinner Game is an instant classic that the Sugar Plum Fairy herself would adore. The Dancing Game comes with four different dancers, and with each, a different style of dance: salsa, jazz, step or ballet. After each player has selected a dancer, she must spin for all of the items her dancer needs to perform: costume, bag, bouquet, head piece and music. Collect all the pieces to win, but if you miss a beat – miss a turn.

Categories is a friendly new game, created by children's book illustrator Saxton Freymann, that invites children to exercise their minds while enjoying a fun group activity. Each of the 60 image cards has a charming, often hilarious illustration of a character –a pig, duck, a frog, bug, monkey, rabbit, dog, cat or person – involved in an activity. Children must group cards in sets of three based on shared features. For instance, cards that feature instruments, hats, balls, wheels, hat or the same animal can go together, and cards can often be grouped together in more than one way. Whoever is able to make the most categories with the cards they have wins.

Dance like the description. In this game players have a 40 second song clip to dance out as many of the dance charades cards as they can. They get a point for each correct dance charade the other player guesses. The other players also get to reward their opponent with dancing points by throwing purple tokens to you while you dance. In the Box, Audio cd with 40 songs-300 dance charades cards-300 purple tokens-Score Pad and Pencil. This game tends to bring even the shyest of people out of their shell.

Have you heard - Word's out? It’s the fast, fun, easy to play word game for the whole family. Just roll the dice, then find a letter in the 'Lettergraph' on the game board. If that letter matchers one in your word card, place a chip on the Corresponding space. Players may get to remove an opponent’s chip, swap words, or lose one of their own chips. Be the first player to 'spell out' the word and that player wins the game. Words Out is about having fun with letters and words, and for the younger players what a great way to learn.

Preschool perfect matching game. Sized large, pieces are just right for small hands. Bright, graphic illustrations encourage interaction. 24 cards makes 12 pairs. Easy slide box allows for easy clean-up. Made with 80% recycled content and printed with vegetable inks. Conforms to CPSIA and ASTM standards. Cards measure 3x3".

Loved by players of every age and skill level, the goal of Sudoku - a fun, addictive logic game - is to fill all 81 spaces on the 9x9 playing area with numbers, such that all digits 1-9 are used once per row, per column and per 3x3 region. Designed with balance in mind, our innovative approach to Sudoku equally engages both halves of the brain - the right side works on numerical challenges and reasoning while the left side focuses on color patterns and creativity. Although the large game board and colorful numbered pieces are designed to be enjoyed collaboratively with a partner, it's just as fun to play individually. Each Set includes: 1) Game Board (11.4" x 11.4") with Colored areas easy to distinguish each 3x3 region and indented round spaces to keep everything in place. 2) Round Game Pieces (216) includes, 81 primary game pieces which are identifiable by both colors and numbers and has a black or white star on its reverse side for use in other games, and 135 secondary game pieces with 15 of each number which are smooth and can move and slide easily. 3) Covered Storage Tray for easy to organize and store game pieces with ergonomic, rounded design which makes accessing the smooth game pieces easy. 4) Sukugo® Booklet with game instructions and 100 Sudoku games (10 levels of difficulty) and solutions. And 5) Carrying Case with Padded, zipper-closing case fits easily on a bookshelf and external pocket holds game piece tray and booklet.

Once Upon a Time is the award-winning storytelling card game that encourages creativity and collaborative play. One player is the Storyteller, and begins telling a story using the fairytale elements on her Story cards, guiding the plot toward her Ending Card. The other players use their own cards to interrupt her and become the new Storyteller. The winner is the first player to use all her Story Cards and play her Ending Card. The object of the game, though, isn't just to win, but to have fun telling a story together. Launch date: October 2012.

This gigantic marble run features 103 pieces with 12 marbles. Kids can build their structure any way they like, then drop the marbles and watch them race through the run.
— In a May 2013 survey, two out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that marble runs were one of their best-selling construction toys.

This annual wine-tasting festival is in full swing when the body of local vineyard owner, Barry Underwood, is found hidden beneath his wine cellar. Comes with a complete party planner, invitations, costume and menu suggestions, clues and more. Mystery dinner party game for 8 players.

Kids love to get into the act, and this charades game is made especially to put youngsters in the spotlight. In this game, every player gets in the act on every turn, so it's ideal for home or school play. And there is no reading required, so little ones can play without help from Mommy or teacher. Encourage creativity and communication skills while having active fun. It's a game the whole family can play and enjoy. National Parenting Publications Award and Early Childhood News 100 Best Picks.

More than 1.2 million people play pub trivia quizzes every year. University Games has packed up the fun of the pub into a box to take home, complete with 1,000 trivia questions across 5 different categories and a score pad. Teams compete to name famous people, dates and even test their drawing skills. The team with the most points at the end of 5 rounds wins.

A game of discovery...a game of concentration...crazy fun...fast...full of surprises and excitement...it is The Game Of Zoo®. Players find and match five picture cards. Every game is different. Children will delight in searching the ZOO® to match the pictures. With no dice, no spinner and 48 ZOO ® Picture Cards, children are given three fun ways to play the game.

ABUNDANT HARVEST for Teens & Adults (US Patent 7,073,792) is appropriate for ages 12 through adult. The situations presented in this version of the game are directed towards teenager and adult groups. Many of the situations deal with the difficult issues of drugs, family conflicts, peer pressure and the complex and unpredictable nature of being an adolescent and/or adult in today's world.

ABUNDANT HARVEST for Kids (US Patent 7,073,792) is appropriate for ages 5 through adult. The situations presented in this version of the game are directed towards children who are learning the importance of making decisions that are based on principle. The scenarios provide parents, caregivers and educators the opportunity to teach children, and allow children to begin to develop and apply principle-based reasoning skills as they work their way through situations common in today's world.
Awards: 2012 Creative Child Magazine Game of the Year Award; Dr. Toy’s® 2012 Best Vacation Toy; Parent Tested Parent Approved Award Winner.

It is near dawn on April 6th, 1862. The first major clash of arms in the western theater of the American Civil War is about to commence. Clash of Wills™ is the perfect way for 2 players to swiftly and casually explore military strategy in the first land battle of the American Civil War. It tells a rich story without requiring a lot of time or complicated rules. You can finish a game in about 45 minutes. Dice and action cards determine flexible command opportunities. Playing Time: 90-120 minutes. Made in the USA. Launch date: November 2012.

In free play children will pile the animal blocks on top of each other by color or all mixed up, and play with the animal vehicle. A colorful stacking game. All in one toy and game with instructions. Game material designed with special care. Conceived for small children's hands. 1 - 4 players.

Zingo! Sight Words is a fun, interactive game that teaches reading skills through fast-paced play. Designed for players ages 4-6, this game teaches early readers to recognize and read some of the most common words in the English language. The sight words featured in this game were identified by leading educators as the most fundamental. Learning and mastering them is key to becoming a successful, fluent reader - doing it through play makes learning fun. Launch date: September 2012.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval, Play On Words (PAL) Award
— As of 11/15/2012 this product had 4.9 out of 5 stars from 17 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Helps kids learn to read; Easy to learn, but still challenging and fun.

PathWords Jr. is a clever word search puzzle with a twist. To complete each themed challenge, place colorful Tetris-style puzzle pieces over letters to spell a word forward or backwards. With its unique design and tactile appeal, PathWords Jr. builds spatial reasoning and strengthens vocabulary with clever graphic hints and funny word play. An ideal game for children ages 6 and  up, PathWords Jr. instills a lifelong love of word puzzles and logic games.
Awards: Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Product Award; ASTRA Best Toys winner in 2011; Creative Child Puzzle of the Year; Parents' Choice (Gold); Oppenheim Toy Portfolio (Platinum); Teachers' Choice; National Parenting Publications Award (NAPPA).
— As of 11/15/2012 this product had 4.9 out of 5 stars from 17 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Helps build logic and spacial skills; helps kids develop literacy skills.

Featuring cool transparent cards, Swish is an innovative spatial game for children ages 8 and up that challenges mental muscles to the extreme. Players must examine cards, mentally flipping & rotating to make matches, or “Swishes.” Swishes are made by layering cards so that every ball swishes into a hoop of the same color. Players must prepare their brain for a seriously fun workout during this fast-paced challenge that’s fun for the whole family.
Awards: Parents’ Choice Silver Honors award; TOTY Nominee for Educational Toy of the Year 2012.
— As of 11/15/2012 this product had 4.7 out of 5 stars from 56 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Helps develop spatial relation skills; Well designed; innovative gameplay. Cons: Might be difficult for younger kids.

In this fun game, kids create an endless cast of characters as leaves, ribbons, coins, seashells, paper clips and a variety of found objects combine to make millions of faces. 160 object images. Made from 90% recycled materials.
Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval

Focusing on the number 10, Pig 10 is an exciting card game for children. As in "MAU MAU", players take turns in placing cards in the middle of the table while adding the number of the card to the value of the card pile. A player reaching 10 exactly wins all played cards, whereas a player exceeding the 10 has to give the reward to his right neighbor. In this easy and popular game, players must make decisions with every turn: do I have the right cards in my hand, can I put my left neighbor under pressure, or will I step into the trap my right neighbors have set for me?

"Mord im Arosa" is a three-dimensional mystery game. The totally new game concept brings a thrilling and tense atmosphere to the gaming table. Somewhere on the eight levels of the hotel tower, two crime victims are found one after another. Any player could be the murderer. However, players cannot see where the tracks of the suspects go - they can only hear it. A unique and smartly arranged interplay of suspicion and forensics guarantees astonishing and mysterious twists and turns: tracks disappear and reappear in other places. A player who is caught too often at the wrong time and place will be found guilty through the burden of proof.

This handcrafted 8 in 1 game includes Backgammon, Checkers, Chess, Chinese Checkers, Cribbage, Dominoes, Magnetic Darts and Poker. The pieces for each game are individually wrapped in black drawstring pouches and stored inside the beautiful black wooden box for safekeeping. Instruction guide included. Dimensions: 10 ½" square x 3". Launch date: December 2012.

Triple Talk is a fast-paced card game for improving vocabulary, comprehension, and reasoning skills by presenting students with words that may have different meanings based on their context. For example, one can swim in a pool, play a game of pool, or pool one's resources. Each of the 60 Word Cards in Triple Talk has three different corresponding Photo-Definition Cards (180 Cards). There are three levels of Photo-Definition Cards. Level 1 Cards have a definition most familiar to students. Levels 2 and 3 gradually increase in difficulty by using the words in contexts that may not be as familiar to students. The definitions present the words as simple nouns, verbs, and adjectives.