Monthly Archives: January 2014

All A-Board

Most board games these days have boards that are pretty similar to each other—some variation of a square. But in an attempt to stand out from the crowd, a lot of game companies are coming up with boards that are often as interesting to look at as the games themselves are to play.

Don’t Panic (Goliath)
don't panic Don’t Panic’s “board” has two components. A roundish board and a timer. The only other pieces are pawns (markers) and a deck of 85 cards. The concept is simple and you’ll be up and playing within minutes. The person whose turn it is spins an arrow and the player to the left pulls one of the cards and selects the question that matches the color of the space the other player is on. The arrow determines how many responses (4-8) the spinning player has to answer. The timer indicates how many spaces that player (or team) will move forward. Questions vary in difficulty, from ingredients found in tacos to U.S. Vice Presidents. Getting the first few answers is easy. But the fun starts when time is running short and players start stuff up. A great game for learning to think on one’s feet. 2-18 players, ages 8 and up.

Wordsearch (Goliath)
wordsearchWordsearsch’s board is kind of a cross between a lazy Susan and Chinese checkers. Choose from one of 10 round, two-sided cards, each of which has more than 25 hidden words. There are also words printed along the outer edge of the circle. Rotating the board reveals one of those words at a time, which all the players rush to find. Like most other wordsearch games, words can be forwards, backwards, or diagonal. Whoever finds the word first grabs the “totem” (essentially a squeaky dog toy) and squeezes it. Then he or she covers each letter of the found word with translucent tokens. The player with the most tokens on the board when all the words have been found wins the round. A fun way for younger players to learn word recognition and spelling. For 2-4 players, ages 7 and up

Skateboard Madness (Mindtwister Games)
skateboard madnessSkateboard Madness’s board looks like an X formed by two overlapping skateboards. Game play is a bit like rummy, where players pick up cards and put them together into “skate sessions.” As they shred their way through the board, players learn new tricks, Ollie (jump) over other players, slam (get injured), find bandages (to heal those injuries), answer trivia questions (four levels of difficulty), and even find sponsors. The rules are complex but intuitive—once you get the hang of them—and are laid out in a 15-page instruction booklet, which you absolutely must read. Entertaining for the whole family. For 2-6 players, ages 8 and up. http://mindtwisterusa.com/products/games/

Pochecko (Pockecko)
pocheckoPochecko combines the fun and excitement of poker with the strategy of chess. Its unique looking board is made of a triangular spaces. 52 are marked with the value of one of the cards in a standard deck. The rest are blank and used for moving. Each player has five pawns, which they place around the board. There are also two other markers which indicate the “community” cards. As with poker, players try to build the best hand. But what makes this game especially fun is that unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, where you don’t know for sure what cards your opponents are holding, in this game you know—or you can make an educated guess at—the hands they’re building and you can take steps to block them. For 2-4 players, ages 12 and up. http://www.pochecko.com/
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You Mean There Are Tablets for Grown-ups Too?

Over the past few months, we’ve reviewed a number of excellent tablets aimed at kids. However, since we all know that kids will do anything to get their hands on mom and dads “toys,” this week, we take a look at one and a half tablets (you’ll see what we mean below) that are aimed at parents but can definitely be used by anyone and everyone.

Lumia 1520
For better or worse, we’re old enough to remember when cameras on cellphones were first appearing. Back then, advertisers would go on and on about how great the phone was—call quality, fewer drops, ease of use, and so on. Then, almost as a throwaway, they’d say, “Oh, and by the way, you can take pictures with it too!”

nokia 1520Fast forward to today, where you’d be hard pressed to find a cellphone ad that actually mentions about the phone. It’s all about the apps, the web surfing, checking email, and, most importantly, the camera. Take stills, shoot video, zoom, edit, and upload direct to Facebook and YouTube. “Oh, and by the way, you can make phone calls with it too!”

All of that went through our mind when we opened up the sleek Nokia Lumia 1520

The 1520 is Nokia’s first foray into “phablets”—part phone, part tablet. At first, we were concerned that the 1520, with its 6-inch screen, would be too cumbersome to handle. No question, it’s a lot larger than an iPhone, and it won’t fit as neatly into the front pocket of your pants. But after a few days we got completely used to it.

Another thing we had to get used to was the fact that the 1520 runs on Windows (8) instead of the iOS or Android. But again, after a few days we were hooked enough to give up the iPhone.

The 1520 is a beautiful piece of technology. Its size and full HD (1080×1920) display make it possible to read and write email, magazines, books—even if you’re in bright sunlight—without going blind. Add in some terrific speakers, and watching movies, TV shows, and playing games is a lot more enjoyable than on a smaller phone. And the 20 megapixel camera, which includes image stabilization, makes taking your own pics and movies a delight.

The 1520 comes with a nice range of software and apps, including MS Office, Nokia Storyteller (for geotagging and organizing photos), and Nokia Music (for putting together artist-based playlists that you can listen to for free). Unfortunately, the Windows App Store has a long way to go to catch up with Apple’s and Android’s. But with more than 100,000 apps, chances are you can find something close to what you’re looking for.

Lumia 2520
nokia 1520 + 2520Like its littler cousin, the Lumia 2520 tablet is gorgeous, easily rivaling anything produced by Apple. The 10.1 inch, 1080×1920 display is fantastic, meaning you can actually read, write, watch, play, listen, and create anywhere and everywhere. And the ClearBlack touchscreen is sensitive enough to be used while wearing gloves.

The 2520 comes with front (6.7 megapixel) and rear cameras (2 megapixel), photo and video-editing software, and a micro SD slot which can increase the tablet’s memory by 64GB.

Like the 1520, the 2520 runs Windows (in this case, RT 8.1), with all its advantages (it comes with full versions of Office) and disadvantages (a small-but growing app store). It also lets you set up profiles for other users and there’s a built-in, password protected kids’ corner should you choose to part with your 2520.

More Post-Holiday Fun

Glitzi Globes Starter Kit
glitzi globesGot a girl who loves animals? How about all things pink and sparkly? If so, you’ll want to check out Glittzy Globes, a kit that lets your child create her own snow globe accessories. The Glitzi Globes Starter Kit comes with four globes kids can make all by themselves. They can design these glittery Globes by using the included dome maker (which looks sort of like an egg slicer, but without the blades) that holds the globe firmly, freeing up your young artist’s hands so she can add different characters and charms. Each kit includes a special water bottle that can be filled with water and inserted into the globe, four snow domes, four bases, four pop sticks, one bag tag for displaying your creations, 12 floating charms, five glitter tablets, four characters, and one instruction booklet. Whew. That’s a lot of stuff for one box! $18 at Toys R Us or your favorite retailer.

KRE-O CityVille Invasion Police Station Zombie Defense
zombie defense police stationKids can build their own city and defend it from zombie invasion. This police station comes compete with a rotating gun turret, combat vehicle, two police and two zombie figures. The cops can patrol CityVille and round up zombies with their squad car outfitted with a zombie-capturing claw. Back at HQ, they can lock up the zombies in special jail cells. For kids seven and up, but fun for parents too, especially if they’re fans of “The Walking Dead.” Go ahead and re-create the prison breakout scene, but let Hershel live… $25 pretty much everywhere.

Calico Critters Cozy Cottage
calico critters cottageThe Calico Critters Cozy Cottage is a great way to begin a Calico Critter collection. Or, if you already have a bunch of the critters, it’s a perfect place to put them. The soft, detailed, and posable critter figures are not only cute and cuddly, but also come in many animal varieties and sets. The house comes fully assembled, furnished, and ready to play with (which may come as a relief to any parent who’s feeling a little overloaded after non-stop Holiday assembly projects), so there’s absolutely no need to buy anything else. The Cottage includes Bell Hopscotch Rabbit, a bed with matching sheets, a round table with chairs, a kitchen counter with sink and oven, a moveable ladder for easy access to each floor, cookware, and plenty of food. Designed to demonstrate real life values (friends, family, sharing) and encourage imaginative play, each Calico Critter family and doll plays a different role in the Cloverleaf Corners community. $50 wherever you like to buy your toys.

Mamas and Papas Rainbow Hobby Horse
rainbow hobby horseWhat kid doesn’t love a hobby horse? It’s perfect for playing cowboys, riding through the Wild West, catching bad guys, being a castle-storming knight, a princess on her valiant steed, or anything else you can think of. The possibilities are truly limitless. This colorful printed hobby horse (which is also available in a slightly more boyish “cowboy” horse print) will inspire hours of imagination as your child gallops through the house and yard, jingling as she goes. Press the horse’s ear and he’ll neigh. These hobby horses have solid wood hand grips and poles, a colored harness, and yarn mane. Although recommend for ages three and up, we think kids even younger will like it too. But stay close, just in case your toddler decides to wield it as a weapon. $35 at http://us.mamasandpapas.com

New Year, New Toys for Boys

This week, we take a look at some fun toys aimed mostly at boys. We’ll get to the girls soon.

Transformers Rescue Bots Beam Box
transformers beam boxVideo game-themed toys are all the rage these days—especially the kind that bring the toy and the player into the game—and Hasbro has joined in the fun with the Transformers Rescue Bots Beam Box (why do manufacturers insist on such long names?). Rescue Bots were created for smaller hands and have fewer intricate parts. The unit comes with a controller and one figure, Optimus Prime, who is your main character inside the game. There are five games to play as Optimus, all of which are easy for little hands to control. The starter set, which includes Optimus and the console, retails for $49.99, with additional figures available for $6.99. Available at your favorite brick-and-mortar or online toy store.

Beyblade Shogun Steel Octagon Showdown Battle Set
shogun arenaThis toy has been around for a few years, in several variations, but boys still love it. Here’s how it works. Two opponents each launch a “warrior” into an “arena” by pulling on a zip-pull ripcord. The warriors spin furiously like tops and bash into each other until only one is still moving. Sounds like something that could get pretty old pretty quickly. But no. Boys will play this game for hours and hours—and for weeks and weeks. And because it’s so engaging, it’s a great way for dads and moms to log some really fun quality time. The Octagon Showdown Battle Set comes with two Shogun Steel BeyWarrior battlers, the arena, ripcords, and two collector trading cards. Retails for $35 everywhere.

The Ugglys Pug Electronic Pet
ugglysWe did a column a few weeks ago on gross toys, and this one fits right in. Most little boys and their dads (along with some little girls and their moms) who’ve played with it have had a little too much fun, giggling as if they were watching Comedy Central. The Ugglys Pug Electronic Pet is all about noisily bodily functions, most notably gas and burps. Your child, spouse, father, or self can control the timbre of said gas as well as the pitch and how long the sound will go on (there are 30 choices). There’s also an added feature that makes the Pug ring like a telephone or buzz like a bee at random moments. Oh, and he’s a handpuppet too. Does life get any better than this? At retailers everywhere for $35.

Trash Pack Wheels Junk Yard
Another late entry into the fun-yet-gross category, the Trash Wheels Junkyard Play Set features a series of toys that are shaped like and look like garbage, but often with faces. An odd concept, but kids and adults love it. This goes well beyond Sesame Street’s trashcan-dwelling Oscar the Grouch. Think “old socks with ugly facial expressions” or “dirty banana peel that looks constipated.” There are also garbage bins, toxic waste canisters, garbage trucks, and more—every one of which is a huge crowd pleaser. But wait: What if you need to repair the Trash Wheel? With the Junk Yard, you can fix it, scrap it, or crush it into a piece of scrap metal (most boys like that option best, but no worries—it doesn’t actually crush anything). The set comes with two Trash Wheel Vehicles and a place to garage them. Not for kids who still put everything into their mouth, but fun for everyone else. Retails for about $20 everywhere.

What to Do When You’ve Waited Past the Last Minute

Black Friday and Christmas—and the shopping insanity that surround them—are just memories, but now may be the perfect time to fill in the gaps in last year’s gift lists. And because of all the sales and clearances, you’ll be able to take advantage of perhaps the lowest prices you’ll see all year. Here are some of our after-the-last-minute picks.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ninja Control Shellraiser (Playmates)
teenage mutant ninja turtlesThis new remote-controlled vehicle has all the bells and whistles and has been pronounced “so cool” by many a six-year-old. The Turtles action figures (sold separately) can really ride on it, and the fully child-controlled rapid-fire sewer-cover cannon is a blast for the kids (and their daddies). $49.99. http://www.playmatestoys.com

Peter Rabbit DVD and Gift Set
peter rabbitIn case you missed it, those classic Beatrix Potter tales that you grew up with are now a hit TV series. The Peter Rabbit set includes full episodes from the show as well as activities to keep your own little bunny hopping. A great take-along for travel, snow days, sick days, and even a trip to grandma’s. The included puzzle and crayon pack are perfect for keeping little hands busy instead of getting into trouble in Mr. McGregor’s garden. $20.00.  Exclusively at Walmart.

Brush Pets and Glow Pets (Pillow Pets)
brush petsThere’s always something new going on at Pillow Pets. One of their latest is a line of six singing toothbrushes, made to look like the kids’ favorites Pillow Pets. Brush Pets play for two minutes (exactly what your dentist recommends) and use fun sounds and silly instructions to keep the kids brushing. Brush Pets also come with a suction-cup “house” that attaches the brush to a wall and helps keep your vanity top clean. $7.99

Also new is the Glow Pets line. During the day, Glow Pets are regular stuffed animals. But at night, they can turn into the perfect, cuddly, after-dark companion—especially for a child who’s afraid of the dark. Glow Pets do indeed glow (they use 30 LEDs that never get hot) and they shut off by themselves after 20 minutes. Requires three AA batteries. $20. http://www.PillowPets.com

DiscoRobo (TOSY Robotics)
disco roboThese cute robots use “beat detection technology” (bet you’ve never hear of that!) to feel—and dance along with—whatever music you’re playing. DiscoRobo’s got 56 separate moves (about 53 more than most humans) and eight different facial expressions, and looks like he’s having such a good time that the kids (and you) won’t be able to keep from joining in. Since it’s probably illegal to sell a toy these days without a smartphone app, DiscoRobo’s got one. It allows you to “chat” with your Robo and even customize his dance moves. Sounds silly, but so did Rock Band and Dance Dance Revolution, and look how much fun those are. Got a kid who loves to dance?  Or a shy one you want to encourage to come out of his or her shell? This will be a hit for them and the rest of the family. $45 at http://www.tosy.com/discorobo/

Still looking for something for the special lady in your life? Check out the retro jewelry at Jade and Jasper (http://www.jadeandjasper.com/). It’s fun, funky, affordable, and easy to mix and match. If you’d prefer something a little more personal, Joseph Nogucci has lovely-yet-inexpensive jewelry that she’s sure to love. http://www.josephnogucci.com/

Finally, be sure to check out the latest winners of the Mr. Dad Seal of Approval. New winners are announced four times per year and we’re now accepting submissions for our Spring 2014 awards. Visit http://mrdad.com/seal.