July 2010 Notable Toys — Adult Games

From the hit Showtime original series comes the Dexter Board Game. The first player to hunt down a suspect that has slipped through the cracks of the justice system wins the game. "This board game follows the story line of the actual Dexter Show," Todd Jacobs, vice president of Talicor Inc., told TDmonthly.

Icosoku is a puzzle designed to make simple addition a challenge. Users explore every angle of this puzzle as they make all of the dots touching a yellow peg add up to that number. The puzzle can be solved regardless of how the yellow pegs are arranged, so there are thousands of games to play. It offers "the ability to play a new puzzle every time the number pegs are rearranged," Brandi Field, general manager of Recent Toys, told TDmonthly.
—  Two of 12 retailers named games from Recent Toys among their favorite products at ASTRA 2010, during a June 2010 TDmonthly survey.

In this baby shower "slots" card game, there are three perforated tabs on each card. Guests can pull back each tab to see if they get the winning three consecutive bottle images behind the tabs. Each game includes a winner card and 11 loser cards. Multiple packs can be used for larger parties.

In this "slots" card game, there are three perforated tabs on each card. Bridal party guests can pull back each tab to see if they get the winning three consecutive heart images behind the tabs. Each game comes with 12 Cards, including a winner card and 11 loser cards.

The goal in this Word Golf course is simple – complete each hole with as few strokes as possible. Strokes are calculated by the number of words it takes to finish a hole. Players can work against the course or compete against their friends. Word Golf is portable and is designed to be a fun way to expand vocabulary and spelling skills. "Word Golf combines the challenges and fun of a word game with the excitement of a round of golf!" All the King's Games Owner Kevin Greenberg told TDmonthly.

Handcrafted and American-made, the Yankee Ingenuity puzzle challenges an individual to remove the ring.

In the game of Cornerstone, players build and climb towers in a race to reach the top. Each turn, players build by strategically placing blocks, gaining a better vantage point for their climber, or blocking an opponent as the towers grow taller and more unstable. Matt Mette, Co-Founder of Good Company Games, told TDmonthly, "This game is universally appealing." Awards: 2009 Mensa Select; Parents' Choice Silver Honor. Launch date: October 2008.

The 1,000-piece Canvas Collection brings four images to life as real art. Both box and puzzle feature a linen texture offering the look and feel of the original painting. The beautiful imagery features magnificent country scenes that may take the puzzler to another place.

The Studio Series is an assortment of four 500-piece round puzzles with real wooden pieces that features top rated images by renowned artists Hansel, Sundrum, Daniel and Boehme. Sue Harrison of The Canadian Group told TDmonthly, "Great images and a great feel provides a premium puzzling experience!"

The Majestic assortment features a selection of top-rated art imagery on challenging, 1,500-piece puzzles. A matching collection is available in 2,000-piece count and blended costing is available to combine assortments.

The Taste of Tuscany Collection features four masterful artist images that carry the puzzler away to a peaceful Italian vista. Each puzzle comes with a shaped collector's tin that can be used to store the puzzle or hold other mementos.

The Night Cafe by Vincent Van Gogh (1888) Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle has 499 whimsy and character pieces and measures 16.25" x 12.75". Liberty Puzzles Manager Jeff Elridge told TDmonthly, "Liberty Puzzles are classic wooden jigsaw puzzles, made with quarter inch maple plywood and the finest archival paper and inks. No two pieces in any puzzle are alike, and each puzzle features dozens of intricate, charming whimsy pieces."

The 508-piece View of Krumau by Egon Schiele (1916) wooden jigsaw puzzle measures 16" x 12.75". Jeff Elridge, Manager at Liberty Puzzles, told TDmonthly, "Liberty Puzzles are classic wooden jigsaw puzzles, made with quarter-inch maple plywood and the finest archival paper and inks. No two pieces in any puzzle are alike, and each puzzle features dozens of intricate, charming whimsy pieces."

Liberty Puzzles puzzle designs are modeled after some of the most intricate jigsaw puzzles ever made. The Berlin Street Scene by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1913) is a 496-piece 12.75" x 17.50" wooden jigsaw puzzle filled with charming whimsy and character pieces. Liberty Puzzles Manager Jeff Elridge told TDmonthly, "Liberty Puzzles are classic wooden jigsaw puzzles, made with quarter-inch maple plywood and the finest archival paper and inks."

The 658-piece Classic Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle of Castle Neuschwanstein is 15.75" by 20.75" in size. Jeff Elridge, manager at Liberty Puzzles, told TDmonthly, "No two pieces in any puzzle are alike, and each puzzle features dozens of intricate, charming whimsy pieces."

A 443-piece large wooden jigsaw of Vincent Van Gogh's "Blossoming Chestnut Branches" painting, this puzzle measures 16.25" x 12.75". Liberty Puzzles Manager Jeff Elridge told TDmonthly, "Our puzzle designs are modeled after some of the most intricate jigsaw puzzles ever made."

This cross between Pin the Tail on the Donkey and darts allows the user to take a snout peg and snout their enemies on the Pig Board. It can be played as a novelty party game, individually or used at the office. Snout A Pig founder Sue LoGuercio told TDmonthly, "There is nothing out there like it that is fun, satisfying, hilarious and therapeutic — which is harmless and not harmful." The Pig Board has been featured in the Oscar celebrity gift bags , the Teen Choice celebrity gift bags, and on the Ellen Show in 2010. Launch date: 2010.

"Are you seeing double?" The unique and fun Lotto Dice are here! This popular item allows lottery players to randomly roll lottery numbers from 0-59 or 0-9.  These random numbers can be used to play almost any lottery.  The unique double die design makes it easy and fun for players to select potential winning lottery numbers including Pick 3 and Pick 4 type lotteries.  Lotto Dice is a novel and entertaining way for lottery players to select their lottery numbers.  It lives up to its "More Fun Than Quick Pick" tag line by letting friends and family come together and "roll" their lucky lottery numbers.  This is why Lotto Dice makes a great stocking stuffer and gift idea for lottery players, a huge and untapped market.

This board game has a strategic engagement style of play, where players must use historical figures and sailing warships from the era 1750-1805 to battle for the seas. Bunky Gress, President of Bunky's Enterprises, Inc., told TDmonthly, "The game is designed by the players in regards to length and complexity." Launch date: June 2010.