Games & Puzzles Bananagrams Gets Super-Sized
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umbo Bananagrams and Jumbo Zip-It, from Bananagrams, are supersized versions of the popular word games. Ideal for word-play on a large scale, both games are entirely portable and deliver all of the fun of the classic games.
Mindware Bends Brains with Wooden Games
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indware’s Syclone is an addictive dexterity puzzle for kids, teens, and adults ages 8 and up. The precision-engineered top spins for more than a minute and players must navigate through the ramps, jumps, and sinkholes of the Stratus and Seismic mazes before it stops. The game includes a double-sided maze board, a Syclone top made of wood and acrylic, and a grab-and-go storage bag. Staxis is a construction game that requires balance, nerve, and calculated risk-taking. Once the 3-D frame playing board is assembled, players take turns trying to balance the 12inch-long playing sticks within the frame without causing a crash. It’s a creative challenge that pits players against each other while testing their individual building abilities. Designed for kids ages 6 and up, the game includes 50 wood sticks, base pieces, and a die. Castle Blast is an action game of clever destruction for kids ages 6 and up. Armed with a wrecking ball, players target the enemy castle with hopes of saving the princess, retrieving the king’s treasure, and defeating the dragon. Players earn a token for each successful feat—but they must aim carefully. If he or she clears the wrong piece from the board, that player loses a token. The first player to claim all three tokens wins the game. This heirloom-quality game includes 26 solid wood castle blocks, a wooden game board, a wrecking ball, three character blocks, one die, and 12 tokens. Fans of Qwirkle! can experience the game in a whole new way with Qwirkle Trio. Kids ages 6 and up can play classic Qwirkle, Qwirkle Select, or Qwirkle Connect using the expansion boards. Qwirkle Select adds star tokens that offer new powerful strategies, such as removing tiles from the board. Qwirkle Connect adds unique bonus point opportunities and allows kids to create longer connections. The simple play requires no reading, so the whole family can join in the fun. Designed for two to four players, the game includes 108 wooden tiles, a drawstring bag, four double-sided game boards, and 12 tokens. Quick thinking and fast fingers are the key to finishing first in Pivit. Kids ages 8 and up can race their opponents as they arrange their 24 tiles crossword-style by matching color and design. Every tile must connect, and a row of two just won’t do. Kids can use a trade token to swap a tricky tile and hope for a Wild tile in return. Players must switch, shuffle, and “pivit” their tiles to place them all and claim the highest scoring stick.
122 • THE TOY BOOK
FEBRUARY 2014