October 2009 Notable Toys — General Games

Players compete by placing cards to line up three in a row of the shape that matches their secret Goal. The first player to score five Goals wins. But beware ... placing a card can help opponents as easily as it can help you. Triplica includes two multi-player games and an addictive solitaire version. "Triplica is a challenging and competitive game based on the very simple idea of making three in a row," Jeanine Calkin, president of Fun Q Games, told TDmonthly. Launch date: December 2009.

This 6" square bag challenges its owner to find each of the fun objects in the bead-filled bag through the front window. The bag includes a snap tag that lists the different products, and kids can also form their own games and try to "find something blue," for example. Other colors/themes are available.
— Christine Lee of Treehouse Toys in Canton, Ohio, told TDmonthly in late October 2009 that she expects the Peek-A-Boo Bags to do really well for the holiday season, since there's nothing like them for toddlers.

In this game for 1 or more players, the Bop It! unit issues commands that must be followed by the participants — requiring them to bop and twist parts of the game, use the microphone, and even use their elbows and knees. It requires three AAA batteries.

The rules are simple but, unlike regular Tic Tac Toe, you never know who will win until the last chip is played. Each player takes a turn “flicking” his or her chip up the ramp and on to the “Chip Magic” playing area where the chips are held perfectly in place. You can even take over your opponent’s square by landing on top of their chip and changing that square to yours. There are even built-in side walls for bank shots. Two different skill levels - Beginner & Professional - means kids and families will never out-grow this game. Even though the playing field is over 2-1/2' long, it all folds up into a handy case for easy portability.

In Scrabble Apple, two to four players flip over tiles one by one, and the first participant to create a new word, or build off another player's word, gets both the word and the points. Red letters double a word score. The goal is to have accumulated the most points when the tiles are all gone. It includes a cloth apple, 100 letter tiles and instructions. Launch date: August 2009.

Armed with an erasable sketch book, an erasable marker and a word card, players get 90 seconds to simultaneously sketch out their own word in their sketch book.  When time’s up, everyone passes their sketch book to the player next to them.  Every player now looks at the sketch they received from the previous player and writes down what they think the drawing is and passes it to the next player. Each player now looks at that word, sketches it out, and passes it on. This simultaneous sketching and guessing continues until everyone gets their own sketch book back and each player can see if the final guess matches their original word, or like the “telephone game,” see how it becomes amusingly different. The more players, the more laughter, and the crazier it gets for a different game each time. Telestrations is a party game for 4 to 8 players. Launch date: 2009.
— As of 1/13/2012 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 167 reviews on Amazon.com.

Roll five dice to win. Calculated chances and strategic choices will place the odds in your favor. After each roll, choose the dice that will get you the best combination. Each combination is worth a different point value and has only four chips, so get the best ones before they run out. Race your friends to the special bonuses and keep the suspense rolling until the end with Pocket Yamslam. It is compact, self contained and includes a chip rack. The colorful wooden retail display holds 12 games. Launch date: February 2010.

This hand held electronic device deals playing cards with precision and accuracy. Promotes fair play since you can only deal the top card, especially in table games like poker and bridge.

This Playzzle™ game has you build a puzzle and then play the game. Join Bromly and Cotica as they journey through the Amazon. Learn the names of exotic animals that live in the Amazon. The first to reach the ocean wins.

This Playzzle™ game has you build a puzzle and then play the game. African Adventure takes you on a journey with the game's characters Bromley and Cotica. Players will travel through the jungle and learn about the animals that live there. The first player to arrive at the Pyramids wins.

Stinky Smells the Skunk™ is on the loose with his stinky Smellorator! In P.U! The Guessing Game of Smells™, players race around a large exciting board full of good, bad and mystery smells. Whose nose knows best? Be the first to cross the finish line and stop Stinky from polluting and ruining the town fair. For 2 to 8 players. Winner of the National Parenting Center 2009 Seal of Approval.

The Circle Out! game is a game of abstraction and visual memory. Twelve to 16 cards are laid out and players race to find the most circles of the largest size. The “circle” aspect of the game is all abstract. Each card has two features — a top and bottom triangle of different colors. Circles are formed by connecting cards of the same color together: red to red, blue to blue, etc., until the same color connects the chain of cards together at both ends. Bottom Triangles only link to Top Triangles and vice versa. A circle of three linking cards are worth one point, four linked cards are worth two points, and five linked cards are worth three points.

A bright spot in memorization games, the natural wooden board (made from sustainably grown wood from German beechwood forests) holds 4 different double sided cards for 8 different games. Lift the red dots to match numbers, animals, patterns and more.

The game where players make up hysterical new lyrics to popular hit music. Are you witty enough to write a song about fast food, homework, doing the laundry or perhaps rabid squirrels? A good sense of humor is better than a great singing voice when you play Smash or Trash. Put your creativity to the test as you compete for top praise from the critics (other players) who will declare each song you write to be a Smash hit or just plain Trash.

Duncan® Wiz-z-zers® are a set of 12 battling tops. There are three collectible themes, including BioBugs, BioNinjas and BioSaurus. You can battle Ninjas, Dinos and Bugs for World supremacy.  Wiz-z-zer revs up to 10,000 rpms. Each Wiz-z-zer comes with a base, trick stands, battle belt and battle trick book.

This came is currently licensed to Hasbro.
The Fast Flippin', Quick Grabbin' Card Game. In Ratuki™(ra-too-kee), everyone races to get rid of their cards and collect the most points by completing runs of five and shouting "Ratuki!" First player to 100 wins. For 2 to 5 players.

Try to memorize the pattern on the board before it’s spun around and another playing piece is added. Can you remember if it was black on the right and white on the left? And was the square above or below the circle to the right… or was it to the left? You’ll be Gobsmacked if you make a row of 3. Includes 1 vertical wooden board, 1 wood stand, 22 playing pieces, 2 Gobsmackers, instructions. For 2 players.

A battle will be brewing when the dice are rolled and matches must be made! And if a match can’t be made, it’s up to the opponent to make a dicey decision that will add up to mathematical madness. Includes: 2 cardboard cups, 12 dice, 1 play surface, 2 score pads, 2 scorers, instructions. For 2 players.

The Climbers is an all-wooden, 3-D strategy game for two to five players. The object is to move your climber pawn to the top of a stack of colored blocks first. On your turn, you move one of the blocks and then climb up if you can, using your ladders for the larger steps in your climb. You must stay on surfaces that are your color or gray. You can also use your blocking stone to keep a block from being moved or occupied. Most games last 30 to 45 minutes. "If you have an open box, customers will be drawn immediately to the colorful blocks, the delicately crafted ladders, the simple rules, and the high replay value," Mark Salzwedel, president and CEO of Strategic Space, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: October 15, 2009.

Forget about pen and paper and play the live version of tic tac toe! Have you got the skill to land your toss on a square and block your opponent? Just when you think you’ve got the winning strategy, your opponent takes away a key square and the game takes on a new tact. TacTic Toss will challenge you in a whole new way to get three in a row.

Target Toss is “Darts made safe”. It has all the fun and challenge of darts with safety and flexibility that makes it great for all ages. Ideal for indoors or out, Target Toss can be played at the office, tailgating, camping, in the rec room and more.

This wooden storage box with a sliding lid holds 41 colorful wood pick-up sticks that each measure 9.75” long.
— Two of 38 specialty retailers said in late summer 2009 that this long-loved classic game is a best-selling novelty at their stores.

Kwizniac is a trivia countdown game designed to test your knowledge under pressure. The object of the game is for players to accumulate as many points as possible by correctly answering as many trivia questions as possible. Because Kwizniac consists of only cards and the players’ brain power, it can be played everywhere and at any time. Kwizniac can be played with just two people or a whole group. Watch Kwizniac: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010