March 2011 Notable Toys — General Games

Roll the die and then drop the wooden pebble into the pond. Did any colorful shapes splash out? If so, match them up to your playing board. Be the first to fill up your board and then dry off with a win. Contents include 50 wooden droplets, 4 character boards,1 custom die, 1 wooden pebble, 1 game board, Rules of play, and Rules in Spanish. Estimated game time is 15 minutes.

Swim along with Swirly Shirley, Betsy Bubbles, Rip Rider, and a colorful cast of undersea characters as you try to collect the most seashell cards. Watch out for sneaky waves and icky seaweed along the way. Most of all - don’t get caught holding the sea monster at the end of the game. This card game was invented by 8 year old Emily Ehlers.

Pillow Pets Dreamland Adventure Game and the Pillow Pets Dreamland Matching Game. Children can set sail on an exciting journey through seven continents as they race to enter My Pillow Pets Dreamland. Along the way they encounter adventures, adorable My Pillow Pet friends, and even some pitfalls. The Dreamland Matching Game hones children’s memory skills and focus as they try and match some of their My Pillow Pet favorites.
Awards: 2010 Top 10 Holiday Toys for Toys R Us; Hot Dozen by FunFare Magazine (2010); iParenting Media Excellent Product award (2009); Mr. Dad Seal of Approval (2009); Dr. Toy Best Vacation Products (2009).

The Chairman of the Board has gone missing - presumed dead. A new Chairman must be appointed. Each player has the opportunity to become Chairman, to do so you must first acquire 100.000 company shares from the outer square. This is done by the decisions you make with the cards you hold and those you discard. With 100.000 company shares you may enter into the Promotion inner circle, you must now become a Manager and then "wheedle" your way to become a Director. Now you are ready to make the final move and become Chairman of the Board. All the time your opponents will try to outsmart you, take your personal shares, block you with a Veto card or trick you with a Joker card. They too want to become Chairman of the Board and will show no mercy. They will sell you out or buy you out on their way. You may have to trade or bargain with them - you must have a strategy and you must never lose sight of you goal. You will become Chairman of the Board. For 2-6 players. Playing time: approx. 45 minutes.

A team of vampire hunters, with its leader Doctor Van Helsing, prepare for a fierce fight with Count Dracula. Explore Dracula's castle to find the equipment necessary to properly outfit the team. Watch each other's backs and beware Dracula; he is able to disappear and appear suddenly. Should he catch you unawares, he can turn you into a vampire and have you join his side. Van Helsing is the latest release from Frederic Moyersoen, designer of Nuns on the Run and Bacchus' Banquet. In Van Helsing one player plays Dracula, moving through his castle searching for his brides. The other players play Van Helsing and his associates. They move through the castle trying to avoid being bitten and searching for weapons and equipment that will help them defeat Dracula. Players bitten by Dracula become his minions and try to help him catch the other players (so no players are ever out of the game). Will Van Helsing and his brave team of vampire hunters stop Dracula before he can return his brides to his coffin or will them become his minions?

Build your own customized checker set. These “I Built It!” checkers let you choose any of your favorite pictures and add them right into every game piece, making for a personalized game. Each game comes with 12 red and 12 black checker pieces made of durable yet lightweight plastic. These jumbo sized checker pieces are each 2 3/4 inches around, so there is plenty of room for pictures. Also included in each game are a picture sizing stencil, an instruction and idea sheet, and a 24 inch square red and black game board, This oversized game board folds down to fit in a 12 by 12 inch box.

This chess set features jumbo trading card size chess pieces so that one can customize every piece with wallet-sized photographs, trading cards, artwork, or any other images to create a personalized chess set. These jumbo sized chess pieces have a base 2 1/2 inches wide, are made of durable yet lightweight plastic, and come in the traditional colors of black and white. Also included are a picture sizing stencil, an instruction/idea sheet and a black and white game board. The game board is 23 ½ inches square, made from heavy duty cardstock that folds to fit in a 12 by 12 inch square box.

Build your own customized game of Memory Match and Tic Tac Toe that can change as often as a child's imagination. Add your favorite pictures into all 18 game pieces to play a memory matching game. The pieces are in black and white, allowing for a game of Tic Tac Toe as well. You can use photos, stickers, cut outs from magazines, or colorful crayons, glitter and glue. A sample coloring sheet is included so you can quick start your game by coloring in the matching pairs of ocean themed pictures and adding them into your game. More coloring sheets are available as free downloads on the I Built It Games website. Every game comes with 18 mixed black and white game pieces and a 20" game board. Each game piece is 2 3/4 inches around.

The Catan Dice Game is a fast, fun way to experience Catan on-the-go. Discover, explore, and settle Catan. Play time is estimated at 15-30 minutes. It's a great casual introduction to the world of Catan. With six colorful, embossed 16mm plastic dice, a generous pad of full color double-sided score sheets featuring two maps for alternate play. You can roll-and risk-your way to victory. For 1-4 players.

Each deck of cards can be used for a variety of games. Cards range from Ace to King in the four suits of Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades. Most decks also include two jokers that are used as wild cards for some games and eliminated for others. Cards are used for games for one or more players, sometimes individually and sometimes on teams.

Challenge your mind with 15 classic puzzles. This assortment features mind-benders, take-apart puzzles, mazes and IQ challenges that are fun at home or for travel. These conundrums will test your brain, hand-eye coordination and problem solving skills. "Offers customers more problem solving and more fun than a single type of puzzle," Jordan Willing, CEO of Discover With Dr. Cool, told TDmonthly.