Children are endlessly fascinated by what life was life for their parents. And one of the most entertaining ways for our kids to get to know us better (and for us to get to know then better as well) is to play some of the games that we did as kids. Here are four classics that are guaranteed to provide you and yours with hours of entertainment.
Are You Normal? (Pressman Toy)
Have you ever told a stranger to pick up after his or her dog? Have you ever fallen asleep while driving? Have you ever gotten into a shouting match over a parking space? Have you ever shoplifted? Do you wear thong underwear? These are just a handful of the 200 revealing questions that may give you and your fellow players some insight into exactly how “normal” you are. Each card also includes the percentage of people polled who have answered “Yes.” You earn points for guessing how the other players will answer. For ages 15 and up. Retails for about $10. http://www.goliathgames.us
Mastermind (Pressman Toy)
A great game that’s genuinely fun for players of nearly all ages. The codemaker sets a code of four colored pegs—choosing between yellow, red, orange, blue, green, or white—and conceals it behind a flip-up shield. The codemaker then gives a series of cryptic clues to the codebreaker, whose mission is to break the code in 10 moves or fewer, using deductive reasoning, logic, and occasionally a little bit of good, old-fashioned luck. There are more than 2000 possible solutions to each code, so every game is different. Codemakers can make their codes even harder to solve by leaving one or more peg holes open. For ages 8 and up. Retails for about $11.00. http://www.goliathgames.us
Rummikub (Pressman Toy)
Rummy is one of the world’s oldest and most popular card games, and Rummikub turns this classic into a board game. The big differences are that instead of suits (clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades), Rummikub uses colors; and instead of holding onto all your card until you go out dramatically lay them down in one final game-winning flourish, you play your tiles throughout the game. Aside from that, gameplay is pretty much as you remember it from when you were a kid: try to get as many sets (three or more of the same number but in different colors) and runs (three or more consecutive numbers in the same color). It’s easy to learn but a challenge to master, and is a great way to work on sequencing, pattern-recognition, and planning skills. For ages 8 and up. About $11. http://www.goliathgames.us
Wheel of Fortune (Pressman Toy)
We’ve honestly never been big fans of Wheel of Fortune, but considering that the game is one of the most successful in television history, we’re clearly in the minority. For those who don’t know, the object is to solve a puzzle by spelling out the solution by guessing consonants and buying vowels. This board-game version of the TV classic includes a puzzle board with frame, a spinner, an instruction booklet, 100 puzzles divided into 21 categories, and money. It’s for 2-4 players, ages 8 and up. About $15. http://www.goliathgames.us