3 comments about Rat-a-Tat Cat Collectible Tin.

1. We gave Rat-a-Tat Cat to my daughter for her 6th birthday. It only took a couple of hands for her to have the basics figured out, and since then it is the only game she wants play and we've been playing about 12 hands every day. It practices counting, memory and also reasoning, as you have to decide when to switch cards and when you think you have the lowest score and want to end the hand. Each player has 4 cards, and we're playing the easier version with two showing and two hidden. Add power cards, like Swap, Peek and Super Peek (which elicits a high-pitched squeal every time!) and you add irresistible elements of fun. We taught it to her 6-yr-old friend and she announced that she loves this game, too! Because it combines luck of the draw and calculated guessing with some skill, it should level out the playing field somewhat for families with both younger and older children, and it's fun for adults, too. It's small enough to pack for travel -- not for use in the car, but at the hotel, etc.



2. Rat-a-Tat Cat in the deluxe tin is a high-quality card game enjoyable by children and adults. The rules are deceptively simple so that groups of all ages can enjoy the fun. Gamewright even includes rules for kids under the minimum suggested age of six.
   
   THE COMPONENTS
   
   The deck comes with 45 numbered cards 0-9. The Deluxe game includes 20 Power Cards with four special functions: Draw 2 (a player gets two chances to draw), Swap (a player swaps a card without peeking with another player), Peek (a player looks at one of his own cards), and Super Peek (a player uses a special red-filmed scanner piece to read the values of all player cards from their encoded backs).
   
   GAME PLAY
   
   Each player is dealt four cards face down in a row. When play begins, a player can only peek at the outside two cards to check their values. The middle two cards remain unknown--unless revealed by choosing a Peek or Super Peek card. By drawing from the rest of the deck and swapping cards with others, players must manipulate their cards to achieve the lowest sum value of all four cards held. When a player believes his cards are low enough to win the hand, he yells, "Rat-a-Tat Cat" and raps the table. All other players then get one more draw to fix their hand. The hands are scored and another hand played for a series of hands.(We typically play five hands, then tally the score of those hands to determine a match winner. You can play as many hands as you wish, though.)
   
   PROS
   
   Anything can happen in this game. It plays quickly, is easy to learn, and can be maddening as you try to accomplish the goal before others do, especially when they know your cards (through a Super Peek) better than you do!
   
   The quality of the game pieces is high, with plastic-coated cards that should last if handled by players with clean hands. The scanner is set in thick cardboard. The tin is an attractive and durable means to store the game. A decent value for the money.
   
   Both kids and adults enjoy Rat-a-Tat Cat, a difficult goal to achieve in a card game. Keeping track of the score of one's hand involves math, but does so in a fun, stealthy way that kids will enjoy. The game also forces players to use their memories, and children may actually do better at this than adults. My son routinely kills me in this game, even though I think my game play is sound.
   
   CONS
   
   Very few. Though math and memory skills are needed to win, the element of luck comes strongly into play. On a positive note, that luck balances out over a series of hands and keeps one clever player from dominating the game. It also contributes to the "anything can happen" nature of the fun.
   
   This game plays better with more players, but that's true of most card games.
   
   While the tin is sturdy, the black plastic insert that cradles the cards and holds the larger card scanner is flimsy and may not hold up over time. Again, a trivial con, but still worth mentioning, especially if kids get overly excited and break it. Then the card edges may get dinged by sliding around inside the larger tin.
   
   CONCLUSION
   
   A brilliantly simple yet fun game on the order of Uno, but with clever twists that enhance game play. Not being able to immediately know the value of all of one's own cards heightens the tension. When others may know your cards better than you do, it makes it all the more exciting (and frustrating--though in a good way). With cards being swapped and people guessing at card values in the early parts of the game, plenty of controlled mayhem ensues. A number of matches can be played in an hour, so everyone has a shot at winning in a short period of time.
   
   One of the top card games for children and adults. Highly recommended.



3. Albeit quite a simple game, this game is more fun than one might possibly imagine.
   
   Very simple concept, four cards face down to each player. No one looks at the cards, player cannot even look at their own cards. The object is simple, you want a low sum when adding your four cards when all is said and done. The game simplies even this concept a bit by using cats and rats. RATS - high numbered cards, CATS - low numbered cards. Designed to work on memory and adding skills, the game is ingenous.
   
   For younger children, there is even a set of rules for playing with two cards face up and two cards face down in the hands, a little less to remember this way. Nevertheless, the game still has all the components including some memory, math and even some strategy (don't "knock" too soon!!)
   
   FIVE STARS on fun - this one is a winner. As other reviewers have stated, I think it's good for young minds as well as older minds. Of note, I bought only the card game and not the collector tin and I'm kind of sorry; the collector tin would be good for storing - my children have a habit of just throwing cards back into the drawers and are getting a LITTLE better about rubber banding them.
   
   Just one caveat - be GENTLE with the cards!! Little hands like to bend them - we have a few that are a little too obviously bent and we know without even looking what their face values are because of the bends.
   
   ENJOY and have fun. Great for family fun nights.

No comments about Boochie.

5 comments about Frog Juice.

1. I stumbled upon this game years ago, and my family has enjoyed it--even my adult friends, who seemed to balk at first at playing a kids' game. This past year, I decided to purchase it for my sixth grade classroom. I must say...WOW. I allowed the kids to play it for a while during homeroom, and kids would be waiting early outside the room to get in and snag the Frog Juice. They would even play it over other outdoor games at recess. Anytime you heard a "NOOOO!" in the room, you knew someone had pulled out the Witch Wash. The kids LOVED it.
   
   So, I have come back to purchase a new deck for this upcoming year. To any educators who might be reading this, it makes a great addition to the intermediate classroom for those few minutes of downtime, and because of the math and bit of strategy involved, you don't feel guilty about it at all. Plus, it is something different and for the teacher, inexpensive as far as games go.



2. We enjoy playing with just two or with our whole family. It's tough to get the shuffle "right" though... Sometimes, one person is able to get the majority of power cards so early in the game that it's really pointless to continue when there's no way for the other person to gain the lead. Still, we've had some very fun and interesting games and are learning new strategies for increasing the fun.



3. Gamewright has done it again. Everything they make is golden. Another great game that is fun for the whole family. My husband and I play this with our daughter at least once a week. Takes a little bit to learn but it is one of those learn as you play games. Teaches math without the kids knowing it.
   
   Definately use two decks to keep the game going longer.



4. What a pleasant surprise! We received this game as an unexpected present, and we love it! Great game to play with my 10 year old son. It's a simple card game with a wizard / witch theme. Creative, the game has enough interesting rules to make for a lot of fun. I recommend it!



5. I've played this game as an adult, and with groups of fourth and fifth graders. Like most Gamewright games, it's tricky to get the hang of the directions. There are a few different steps, and various cards that mean different things, but once you've figured out what to do, the game is a breeze, and the kids loved it. It's great for reviewing math facts, too.

5 comments about There's a Moose in the House.

1. We were at a family party recently and there were all ages playing this game and loving it. A 5 year old patiently explained the rules to me. It is great because you don't have to be able to read to play it but it's fun enough for adults to enjoy as well, so it's a great family game or for any group of any age.



2. I heard about this from a friend at work; got it and the first time we played we were laughing hard enough to cry; my DDs are 7 and 9 and they love it and beg for us to play it; it is a quick card game that can go really fast if you want it to; I use it during the wait for water to boil for noodles for dinner or that break between shows or waiting for your food to arrive when we are out; fun and easy; no you won't learn anything to help you get a good ACT/SAT score, but life should be filled w/ laughs and this does it for us!



3. This game is a real winner, any way you look at it. It comes in a heavy duty, durable box; perfect for little hands to take care of. The pictures of the Moose are adorable (and made me with we had the book If You Give A Moose A Muffin to read afterward.
   
   Though geared for the younger set, this game is fun for the family to play together. Your goal is to stop the moose in his tracks and not let him in your house, but at the same time, you have to get rid of your moose and give him to other players! Teaches the concept of matching, because you can only put the moose in the matching "empty room card." For instance, you may have a picture of the moose snooping through the fridge; you can only put him down on someone's kitchen card.
   
   This was difficult for my girls as they love the moose and can't imagine why anyone would not want him in their house.
   
   Two thumbs up from this happy mom!



4. We went on a game buying binge a while back, purchasing several of Gamewright's games. This had great reviews, but wasn't a huge hit at our home. The $8 price seems a little high for basically just a deck of cards. I'm not sure why it comes in such a big box (it takes up more storage space ... this holds true for several of the Gamewright games). It isn't as simple as some (Wig Out, Hiss) but not as difficult as others (Sleeping Queens or Frog Juice, which require several readings of the istructions). It is kind of cute, but not laugh-out-loud funny ... pretty mellow actually. There is a little bit of strategy when you have several cards you could choose to play, but often there are just not many options. The kids don't mind playing it, but it isn't on their top ten list. I probably would have passed on buying this game if I had played it first.



5. This is a fun game - for the recommended ages. My almost-4-year-old still likes to play and likes the colorful cute moose pictures, but he needs lots of prompting from me on how to play. I like it more than him! I know a lot of adults and older kids that love this game. I'm glad to have it in the game closet - I'll just have to wait 2 more years.

5 comments about Loot - The Plundering Pirate Card Game.

1. What a great game for the whole family. It says 10+ but my 5 year old can play a basic version of it. The nice thing is that you can keep playing it as you get older becuase the more you learn about strategy, the more fun the game is. We took it on vacation and it was the favorite activity with parents and grandparents.



2. Bought this solely based on the great reviews it got. I was not disappointed. It has a bit of a learning curve, but once you catch on, it's a blast to play! Thanks Amazon.com reviewers!



3. I picked this item up at the store simply because I like pirates! The game is a lot of fun and we have played with 2, 3, 4, & 5 players (I believe you can play with up to 8). It gets interesting when you have 4 or 5 (or more?) players because you may end up having to choose which ship to plunder! It is a strategic game, though we haven't figured out a 'great' strategy yet (and it seems to change depending on the number of players)! We try different ones each time. The colors can be a bit hard to tell from one another sometimes, but the cards do contain some beautiful art. Each game lasts 5-10min. Our age group we play in consists of 25-30 years.



4. Fun little card game. Quick to play... You'll want to go at it again and again ....to put your experience to work. Although its simple to learn, there are quite a few strategies that you'll learn as you play that will add a whole new dimension for you.



5. I've played Loot with many different people, some were serious gamers, others not so much. Loot appeals to a large audience for a number of reasons. At about 20 minutes per game, it's fast to play and doesn't get bogged down in intricate rules or game mechanics. It's also a good balance between luck and strategy. Plus, who doesn't like pirates?
   
   The premise of the game is to capture merchant ships by attacking them with pirate ships. Both types of ships have varying card values, plus there are some trump cards. The strategy is determining which ships to go after and how much you want to fight for them.
   
   This is a great card game at a reasonable price. The card design is very cartoonish, which is great for younger players. My only complaint is that the colors used to distinguish the 4 sets of pirates should have been more contrasting. The purple, navy, and dark green look awfully similar.

5 comments about Go Away Monster.

1. This is a terrific little game - it is easy enough for a 2 year old and fun enough for a 10 year old. We orignally got it for our youngest son who was becoming a "monsterphobe" but now I buy it as a first game for all our friends' children. To play the game you randomly draw game pieces out a cloth sack. Your goal is to be the first one to decorate your "bedroom" with all the basics - a lamp, bed, picture and teddy bear. But, if you draw a monster instead, you have to yell "GO AWAY MONSTER! and discard the monster as quickly as you can! (We pretend the hinged box is the "monster jail." The cardboard pieces have been sturdy enough to last 3 years of play. Even the box has held together! Like all the other Gamewright games, this one is easy to learn, affordable, fast and very playable!



2. My daughter(3yrs old) got this for christmas and loves it. The best part is my son (18month old) can play it. Very few games can we play together. I was thrilled that my son could play it and follow the rules. And he loves it. We play this game at least three times a day. When we have play dates over, we always play this game and all the kids love it. Great buy!! I recommend it to everyone!



3. The kids have a great time playing this game!! My 2 year old grandson gets so excited and has no trouble putting the pieces onto the right places. My 5 year old son enjoyed it too... though it was way below his age group.



4. My 3 /12 year old daughter loves this game! While playing, if we reach into the bag and pull out a monster, we scream and throw it in the box and lock it up. We say "no monsters in our room". It has been so much fun!!!!



5. I agree with another reviewer - this is OK for small kids 2-3 years old but my daughter who is not 4 yet was bored and so was I - she's not afraid of Monsters though - thanks to the movie Monsters Inc. I was dissappointed.

5 comments about Scrambled States.

1. I bought this game for my daughter three years ago when she was in first grade. This is the BEST game for learning where all the states are and also for memorizing capitals. Now in fourth grade there are map tests and she zips right through them. The game is also fun and it is one of my favorites to play with her.
   
   The Scrambled States book is also a must have. The little side comments are the funniest things you will read in any kid's book.



2. I tried a bunch of different ways to teach states and capitals (especially as the educational system deems this most important) and no method is as painless and fun as this game is. In fact this game actually teaches kids better than memorization does (gee I wonder why!). No get me wrong, geography is very important but sometimes I wonder if we don't overemphasize memorization over actual learning and understanding. This game is the way to go in teaching states and capitals and they will retain the information for a much longer period of time. Lots of fun!



3. Wow...my kids LOVE this game!! They started playing it when they were 2 and 4 years old. They are now 4 and 6 and have the entire map of the U.S. memorized and with no effort, just FUN! Of all the games in our home (and there are a lot) this is the game most played. At 2 1/2 years old my son could point to any U.S. map and tell you the state and it's capital because of this game. That is AMAZING! Over time, we have made up a few of our own little rules to make it more fun and crazy, but it is great and now I am buying it for all my nephews and neice because they have played it and want it too. Highly recommend!



4. This is a fun game that keeps my kids interested in it throughout its entirety. It does touch on some educational points such as the location of the states, but it doesn't do much to actually reinforce the capitals, and nicknames which is what I was looking for. My son loves it and asks to play it all the time.



5. This is the game my nine year old son brings out when it is game time as his favorite. I have to admit that I've never been really up on my geography, so this has helped all of us review the locations, capitals and nicknames of the fifty states. After playing it repeatedly, some of the "challenge" cards start to get repetitive, so I do wish there were more (or a booster pack) to help keep the game fresh. A single game goes by pretty quickly, and can be easily adapted for younger kids or beginners (just let anyone who meets the criteria in the challenge card win the card, rather than just the person who puts down their card first). You have our recommendation!

5 comments about Hisss.

1. I buy GameWright games for school. I teach English to Speakers of Other Languages and my students speak varying degrees of English. This game is good for all ages and all levels of English. It relies on visual discrimination of colors and the student who doesn't speak English very well turns out to be the "gifted" student in arranging and creating the longest snakes. Everyone can participate and the casual and fun atmosphere allows students to learn social language and interaction in the US. Everyone is happy and everyone can do it.



2. I use this game as a therapy tool for my students! It's great for working on final "s" and "sn". I make my students say "Hisssss" when they form a snake, but I also have them describe (in a complete sentence!) the picture they chose ("I chose a red and yellow snake's body"). It's also a great game for working on comparitives and superlatives "My snake is longer than your snake, but his snake is the longest!". Overall, a great game that can target many different goals at the same time!



3. What a good game for young children who cannot yet read - and yet can share this game with each other and with older children and adults. This is a fun learning experience for taking turns and for sharing the wins.



4. Two wouldn't be a bad idea - but this is really a fun game. Great for little kids and parents. The colors are bright and the snakes fun and cute to build.
   
   Also interesting is to let your child's creativity blossom by letting them make up their own game with the cards. Mine has come up with several variations of the original rules and it's great to see a game that lets kid think outside of the box.



5. I love this game because it doesn't involve any holding of card in a small hand, it can entertain my child for over an hour, it teaches colors (and counting, as you have to count your pieces at the end). I have purchased many card games and board games recently for my almost-4-year-old son and this is in the top 3 for sure. I do agree that I need an extra set of card to make the game last longer. Definitely play on the floor or on a large table.

5 comments about Rat-a-Tat Cat.

1. My son got this game for his 5th birthday and we have played it at least twice a week for the past year. Because the strategy is being able to memorize card placement, when he wins the game with his dad or me, he really wins it - we aren't losing on purpose! It's definitely a confidence builder. Each round is fairly fast, so you can get in two or three rounds in 15 minutes. Besides memory, it helps with number recognition and math skills.



2. My 6 year-old daughter, who is about to enter First Grade, loves this game. I taught it to her in about 10 minutes and she probably beats me 4 out of 5 times.
   
   I'm 36 and I honestly enjoy playing it. It's a great strategy game that has enormous educational value for beginning math skills. She completely understands the concepts and does all her own scoring. She says she loves it because it's challenging. I'm sure she also likes it because she regularly beats dad. I like it because it's a legitimately fun card game to play with my six year-old daughter.
   
   I also have a preschooler. This game is conceptually and mathematically well beyond her. In fact, we haven't even introduced it to her. The game is 6+ unless you've got a gifted 5 year-old. If you're looking for a great preschooler card game, try Sleeping Queens.



3. I bought this game for my daughter when she was around 5. We played it everyday for years. She is 14 and still loves it. She taught all of her friends to play. Last year for Christmas I got her the Collector's Edition. We have many Gamewright games but this and Frog Juice are our favorites.



4. This was one of the first Gamewright games we purchased and it is a winner. Kids, parents, grandparents, even great, great grandma wanted to join in (we caught her "peeking" a couple of times when she shouldn't have, but hey ...). I remember playing a similar game with just your basic deck of face cards (we called it "No Peeking") but Gamewright's "peek" and "swipe" (the "draw2 is ok) are a great addition. My kids complain there are too many NINES in the deck. Lots of luck, but it does require memory and logic.



5. Not too long ago my "quality time" with my two young boys hit a crisis when they both decided that they were sick of all the game we had on the game shelf, so I desperately went out and bought this card game based on a recommendation from a person who works at a toy store.
   
   Well, my five year old loves this game, and we've played it almost every day since I bought it. He's beat me several times too!
   
   This is really a simple card trading game based on trading higher numbered card for lower numbered cards. In fact, a conventional deck of playing cards could be adapted to playing this game at a very basic level, but the addition of special "power cards" adds fun and randomness to the game play, and there is a memory building angle as well, so you really get everything a game should be in one package: strategy, random luck of the draw, and a bit of genuine gambling. Then there's the entertainment value of the really cool rat and cat cartoons on the cards.
   
   So, if you are at the end of your rope for game night with the kids, spend a few bucks and try this one. It looks like it's going to have nine lives in my family.

5 comments about Sleeping Queens.

1. My friends and I (all ages 20 and up) LOVE this game. We all have our favorite queens and kings, and our least favorite (poor Rainbow Queen).
   We changed parts of the rules, and now the numbers can be turned in with multiplication, subtraction, division, and algebraic equations (eg 7+3=4+6). Definitely a favorite all around, one I play with my friends at college and at home with my 17 year old brother!



2. Bought this game for my 8 yr old daughter last year. She and her then 4 yr old brother loved playing it. The 4 yr old even asked to play it when his sister was at school. Didn't realize it was going to be educational too- teaching addition is a plus for the younger one. The pictures are cute and fun. We as a family really like the game. We took it on a trip to visit family and the cousins (boys 8, 5) enjoyed it too.



3. With a ton of kids in our family I have seen so much fun had with this game. Its my favorite gift for kids, they just love it!



4. It is a fun game for all ages, and it never fails to entertain. Game rounds are short, from 5 to 10 minutes. The game is easy to pick up, and yet can be a good arithmetic tool for children. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a simple fun game to play for up to 6 players.



5. My five-year old and I have been playing this game for a few days, and we both love it. Very well designed game with a great theme for the kids. Other reviews have described why very well. Just wanted to share that since my daughter hasn't learned addition yet, I substituted out the rule that required it with another. When we play you can discard cards that are in sequence (i.e. 6,7 or 2,3,4); this doesn't affect the gameplay at all, yet allows a younger child to enjoy it.