September 2012 Notable Toys — Card Games

Tap a NUKO. Run Wild. Play with virtual NUKO and physical cards. Animal Planet is an innovative 3D animal adventure game for kids of all ages. Players can collect the full set of 60 unique trading cards called 'Nuko' that magically come to life within the game. Each animal card will allow them to explore an immersive 3D world where they can interact with other animals, create herds or packs, discover hidden items and race against other animals – all while making sure they don't end up on the wrong end of the food chain.

Keeping family and friends gathered around the holiday table doesn't take a miracle - just great questions. "What three values does your family cherish most?" and "What is the best Chanukah gift you have ever received?" are two of the 82 questions on these conversation-starting cards. Make way through the deck to share holiday memories, and create a new tradition with this box of 82 conversation-starters.

There is always one, and only one, matching letter between any two cards. Spot it to win. As they search for matches, preschoolers will learn to identify letters and colors, building essential skills for preschool and beyond. There are 3 ways to play with different challenge levels. The rule booklet includes advanced play tips for little learners ready to explore alphabetic order and basic spelling. Launch date: September 2012.

Spot it! Basic English boosts sight word recognition while having fun. This educational game features universal images and words for emergent readers, including sight words. There is always one, and only one, matching symbol between any two cards. Spot it to win. Players search for matches between a word and its corresponding picture, between two pictures, or between two words. While the repetition solidifies word recognition, the pictures support reading comprehension. A fun learning tool for kindergarten through second grade. Launch date: September 2012.

Blue Orange honors their home with a game about San Francisco. Spot it! San Francisco includes more than 50 landmarks, words, and iconic imagery of San Francisco. Fog or shine, get ready to spot what’s great in The City by the Bay. From hills to Haight Ashbury, sourdough to Sutro, this game has it all. There is always one, and only one, matching symbol between any two cards. Spot it to win. Skills: Visual Perception; Focus; Reaction Time.  Players: 2 to 8. Play Time: 10 - 20 Minutes. Contents: 55 Cards; Illustrated Rules. Launch date: Launch date: September 2012.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ Match and Munch Game uses the recognizable art from Eric Carle’s illustrated tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ to help kids learn to identify healthy foods by practicing association and matching skills to help the caterpillar transform into a beautiful butterfly. The 55 food cards and 10 butterfly tokens are stored in the adorable caterpillar carrying case for easy transport and safe keeping. When kids are ready to play, each player receives 5 food cards to start and the remaining cards are placed in a pile. The goal is to complete a hand of either, five oranges, a hand of four strawberries and one apple, or a hand of three blueberries and two pears.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Crunch a Color Conversation Starters brings the whole family together at mealtime by inspiring creative thinking and healthy discussions. Chock-full of curious questions and delightful dilemmas, these 104 conversation starters help kids share their thoughts, grow their ideas, and make mealtime fun. Developed with teachers, parents and kids, Crunch a Color® Conversation Starters spark interesting, open-ended discussions that are engaging for kids (and adults) of all ages.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys
— As of 1/17/2013 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 22 reviews on Amazon.com.

Players pick and discard through a full deck as they try to get one of the three combinations to shoot for a goal. Each team has 11 players, 3 super-subs and a coach. Enjoy light and fun strategy as the shooter and keeper try to outsmart each other on shot attempts. There are three ways to shoot for a goal: Collect 3 positions (Striker/Midfield/Defender) or collect any 4 jerseys in your team or collect 3 jerseys that add up to 30 points or more. Kids are using simple math skills while having fun.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Cross-curricular games packed with 500 grade-level questions. Players spin to see which category their challenge will come from: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies or Mystery Meat. Players must read the statement in the corresponding category on their card and then determine whether it is true or baloney (false). Points are given for correct answers. Each game includes 200, 4-1/4" -dia. cards, spinner and directions.
Awards: 2012 Dr. Toy 100 Best Toys

Uncover a murder most foul by revealing six story elements that together describe the deadly deed and spell the word MURDER. But take care that opponents can't do the same. Take their letters, counter their actions, or call on a waiting Crow to influence the murder before they do. At any moment a well-played card can shift the balance and seal someone's fate. Murder of Crows is a fast-paced card game for 2 to 5 players that's quick to learn and features atmopheric art by Dungeoneer illustrator Thomas Denmark. A game typically lasts 15 to 20 minutes, and is designed for ages 13 and up. Launch date: August 2012.

The Magic: The Gathering game expands every year, introducing new worlds filled with deadly perils, ancient adversaries, and fantastic new adventures. At its center is the Magic core set, the game in its purest form: evocative spells, menacing creatures, and infinite possibilities. But even at its core, the experience is ever-changing. The Magic 2013 Core Set boldly continues this tradition. Includes 249 Total Cards, 15 Mythic Rares, 53 Rares, 60 Uncommons, and 101 Commons. Launch date: July 13, 2012.
— Bryan Raddatz, manager of The Time Machine in Manchester, Conn., told TDmonthly that their best selling item is Magic the Gathering from Wizards of the Coast. They sell up to 900 units a month when a new release comes out.

Pet Frenzied™ is frantic, furry fun for the whole family, where pets hide and players seek. It’s a get up and move, hide and seek, memory card game, where Seekers grab a House card and go in search of an adorable matching Pet card. Launch date: July 2012.

Players spin the spinner on their turn, then roll the dice. Players have 3 rolls or less to match the rummy hand on the spinner – but look out for a bonus or penalty that can help or hurt. Win the most points and win the game. When players are done, they can use the dice to play a different game. Game Contents: 9 Square Shooters® dice, spinner, dice cup, and scorepad.
Awards: 2012 Creative Child Magazine Game of the Year Award; Summer 2012 Tillywig Award Winner

Crappy Birthday is the hilarious game of giving bad gifts. The goal is to choose the worst gift for each player. Laughing together at funny pictures and the ensuing banter make this game a winner.
— As of 07/18/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 17 reviews on Amazon.com.
Awards: Summer 2012 Tillywig Award Winner

Play Magic: The Gathering and discover why it’s the world’s premier trading card game. Start with a deck of cards filled with potent spells and fearsome creatures. Then take on the mantle of a Planeswalker, a powerful mage, and challenge friends in the ultimate battle of wits.

The Kaijudo Battle Decks are the first true test of your Kaijudo abilities: two perfectly matched 40-card decks for duelist training between you and a friend. Each deck comes in a special case replicating actual tablets from the Kaijudo dojo Library and has one of two iconic creatures: Tatsurion the Unchained and Razorkinder Puppet of Miasma Pit. Launch date: June 26th, 2012.
— As of 09/17/2012 this product had 4.6 out of 5 stars from 5 reviews on Amazon.com.

Players take turns drawing number cards and remembering a growing sequence of digits. If a player draws a Distraction card they must answer a quirky question before reciting the numbers in order. Get caught repeating the sequence incorrectly and collect the cards – the first player to run out of cards wins.

Top Trumps is a card game. Each card contains a list of numerical data, and the aim of the game is to compare these values in order to try to trump and win an opponent's card. Packs available in several licenses including Star Wars, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Hello Kitty, and many more.

To begin, one card is randomly drawn from those not given to players. This is placed in the middle of the table, date-side up and is the starting point of a chronological line which will slowly be built by players. The first player then chooses one of their cards. If the player thinks that the invention on their card came before that of the initial card, the player places their card to the left of the initial card. The player's card is then turned date-side up. If the player was right, it remains on the table. Otherwise, the card is discarded and a new one must be drawn to replace it. Play proceeds clockwise. The more cards which are correctly played, the harder it is to correctly place new ones.
— In a February 2014 survey, Julie Steinbach, owner of Rainbow Toys in Falmouth, Maine, told TDmonthly that Timeline from Asmodee was a best-selling game at their store.
— David Stelzer, owner of Shananigans in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly in an October 2014 survey that Timeline was his store's best-selling tween item.
— In a February 2015 survey, two out of 11 retailers told TDmonthly that Timeline was their best-selling game.