Showing posts with label Christmas toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas toys. Show all posts

Sunday 23 August 2020

Quirk by Gibsons Games - A Review

 A couple of weeks ago we shared a review with you of Pass the Bomb! The Big One! by Gibsons Games and I am therefore delighted to share another of their games with you today, which goes by the name of Quirk!

Quirk! is a fun game of sounds, actions & mischief and is recommended for children aged 5 and above. It can be played by 2-6 players and each game has a duration between 15-60 minutes to play. It is the ideal game for families to enjoy together and provides plenty of fun and silliness, that is quite hilarious.

The box for Quirk! is of a compact size, so it is perfect for taking on picnics, days out, travel and holidays, as well as playing in the home. The front of the box is really bright and eye-catching, with numerous different colourful characters featured across the front. The dinosaur and elephant immediately caught my sons attention and he was very keen to find out more about what the game was all about.

My son Riley opened the box and inside we found the following contents:

  • 78 Character Cards
  • 10 Steal Cards
  • 8 Stop Cards
  • 6 Block Cards
  • 10 Mischief Cards
The character cards come in sets of 3 and when you manage to collect three of the same character, then you have a 'Quirk!'. The aim of the game is to collect the most Quirks, with the person who manages this becoming the winner.


Some of the cards have a grey outline and others have a white outline.  This means that you can swap out Characters sets from the decks to make the game different each time. The characters in the white sets are also easier for younger players to act out, so you can switch between the two sets depending on the age range of the players.  A standard game will have 13 character sets and lasts between 15 and 30 minutes or you can also play with all 78 cards if you want to enjoy a longer game.

To get the game ready, you simply shuffle the Character cards and then hand three out to each player. You then shuffle the remaining cards again, but this time adding the Action cards to the deck. The deck is then placed face down in a location where everyone playing can reach. Each player should have a minimum of three cards in their hand throughout the game and if you drop below three then you must pick up additional cards from the deck.


We began our first game as a standard game with 39 green Character cards, 5 red Steal Action cards, 4 blue Stop Action cards, 3 orange Block Action cards and 5 yellow Mischief Action cards. When it is your turn, you need to make the decision as to whether you will try to win a Character card from another player, or whether you will try to steal another players completed Quirk. To try and win a character you will need to select one of your existing characters and then choose another player to try and obtain another of the same kind, however you cannot simply ask for it and this is where the fun begins!

In order to obtain another character you have to act it out with sounds and actions. So if you had a cat character, then you could act like or cat, or perhaps make a meow noise. If the other player then has the card you are looking for, then they must hand them over to you. So if they had 2 cat cards, they would need to give you both, allowing you to complete a Quirk. If they don't have the card you are looking for, then you will need to pick up another from the deck. In the event that the other player misjudges your acting skills and provides you with the wrong card, then you simply have to keep quiet about it and then try again on your next go.

When you complete a Quirk, then you place these face up on the table. However, this doesn't make them safe, as if a player comes across a red Steal card, then they can steal your completed Quirk, that is unless you have an orange Block action card. You can definitely use these cards to your advantage as the game progresses, in particular the blue Stop card, which prevents someone asking you for a particular character. These action cards need to be used wisely, as once they have been used, they need to be placed on the discard pile. 


The yellow Mischief cards add further variation to the game and you can choose whether to include these in your deck or not. If someone picks a Mischief card during game play then it has to be placed face up on the table so that all players can see. These cards feature various different mischievous tasks such as everybody having to pick up an extra card, or having to use actions only for one round. This can create a lot of additional fun and drama to the game, especially if you have to redistribute your Quirks. Once all 13 Quirks have been collected then game play ends and the person with the most sets of Quirks is the winner! 

Overall we loved this game and had such a laugh throughout play. It was so funny seeing the way that different family members would act out different characters and although a couple of the family were a little shy about doing this to begin with, they quickly became more extravagant and hilarious with their character impressions. It is a very simple game to set up and understand, making it ideal for both the home and trips away. I am sure this will quickly become my childrens game of choice for the foreseeable future and look forward to including this regularly in our future family games nights.

If you would like to find out more about Quirk! or the other products in the Gibsons Games range, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Instagram: @gibsons_games


*Disclaimer: We were gifted this game for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Friday 6 December 2019

SuperZings Series 3 and Rivals of Kaboom Playsets - Toy Review

We love a good collectible in our home, especially when there are accompanying play sets that allow you to build and play with your collection. We were therefore really excited to learn more about the fantastic range of SuperZings toys, which are based on everyday objects that can transform into Superheroes or Villains. Created by Magic Box Toys, they are a great collectible series that encourage children to use their imagination and create scenarios that bring their characters to life.

We were recently sent a selection of blind bags, a Superzings Hero Monster Roller Truck, a SuperZings Kazoom Lab Battle Play Set and a SuperZings Power Assault Tower to review and Riley couldn't wait to start testing them out.


Firstly, Riley absolutely loves blind bags and gets very excited when he has the opportunity to open some. They create that feeling of intrigue and suspense as you get to see which character you have inside. It was therefore no surprise that Riley was absolutely delighted with his SuperZings blind bags and he very quickly started to open them. Much to our amazement he received no duplicates at all, so we were both really happy with each of the figures enclosed.


SuperZings are now in their third series and have quickly become a popular choice of collectible, and it is easy to see why. The blind bags are ideal pocket money purchases with an RRP of only 80p per pack and there is a great selection of over 90 to collect.

These brightly coloured and cleverly designed collectibles are aimed at children aged between 4 to 7 years old and when combined with the play sets, they can encourage a whole world of storytelling. Riley absolutely loved getting creative and imagining a whole variety of adventures as the Superheroes and Villains took on challenges against one another.


The collectibles are based on everyday objects, so it is easy for children to see what their object relates to and identify it. We absolutely loved the great range of names for each of them and Riley checked through each of his figures to see if he had managed to obtain any ultra-rares. He also enjoyed checking each of them to see whether he had a Superhero or Villain. The Superheros each have white eyes and the Villains have yellow eyes, so it is very simple to tell the difference between the two. There are also team leaders and the Ultra Rare Mr King to look out for!

Riley didn't receive any of the team leaders or the Ultra Rare, however he was really happy with the selection he had and immediately set up his playsets and figures to start their escapades.


The first item that caught Riley's attention was the SuperZings Rivals of Kaboom Monster Roller, due to its brightly coloured and chunky design. I had read the caption on the front which stated 'Catch the Villains' so Riley was hoping that the figures would fit inside and indeed they could.

In addition to the Monster Roller vehicle, you also receive two SuperZings which can sit inside the vehicle to drive it. We found the opening hatch slightly stiff to open the first couple of times, but once Riley had started playing with it regularly it was absolutely fine and you can simply lift this up to place your figures inside.


However, the best bit, is the vehicles ability to capture the villains, using its innovative roller system underneath. Riley placed his Superheroes in the driving hatch and then lined up a series of villains, which he then drove over with the truck. The roller collects them and traps them in the SuperZings Monster Roller cage. This can hold a maximum of 10 figures at any one time and to remove them you simply pull the lever down on the front of the truck, which will open the bars to release the villains.


Riley absolutely loved capturing the villains and it was great to see him using his imagination as he drove the vehicle around the floor. It is a really good quality toy and feels very sturdy and strong, so it is perfect for little hands and SuperZings adventures. The Monster Roller also has another fun feature in the form of a built-in blaster that can be used to fire at the villains, helping to create yet another element of play. It has an RRP of £29.99 which I think is a good price for this product.


Whilst Riley was busy playing with the Superzings Hero Monster Roller Truck, I set about putting together the SuperZings Kazoom Lab Battle Playset. Self assembly is required for this, but it only took a few moments as it was simply a case of slotting the pieces together, so in no time at all the playset was ready for use.


The SuperZings Kazoom Lab Battle Playset was a really good size and it also included a further two Superzings collectibles which were Enigma and Professor K. Riley instantly noticed that there were a number of great features within the lab, so he started to explore it with his figures and began pressing the buttons and pulling the levers to see what each part could do.


He found a number of hidden traps and thought that the super-cannon was great. The set also included a rocket ship vehicle and robot to add to the fun which Riley was really pleased with. He noticed that there were plenty of platforms to place your collectibles on, so he brought in some more Superheroes and Villains to join in with the battle and displayed them all in various parts of the playset.


There is plenty to play with and explore, so with an RRP of £40 I think it does represent good value for money. It has lots of features to enjoy and Riley loved pressing the button on the top of platform that would reveal the hidden Kaboom.

The last set Riley received was the SuperZings Power Assault Tower which has an RRP of £19.99. This is a relatively small playset, but still has plenty to be enjoyed. It includes the Power Assault Tower, a ramp, skateboard and two SuperZing collectibles Metalhead and Skateboy.


Using the ramp you can launch different SuperZings, by placing them on the skateboard and pulling the lever to set the height. You then simple flip the launcher behind the skateboard and watch as your SuperZings fly through the sky to reach the target.  Riley absolutely loved trying to aim them at the tower to get them into the building. This is yet another great item for encouraging imaginative play, as well as helping to improve hand to eye coordination.


Again it was a really good quality item and its bright design and chunky hard wearing plastic, makes it ideal to withstand regular play. It is also a great place to store your SuperZings when not in use, as the cage at the front can hold quite a few inside.


Overall we were really impressed with the SuperZings Playsets. This was our first experience with these products and Riley absolutely loved them, especially the SuperZings Hero Truck Monster Roller. Riley really enjoyed opening all the blind bags and it was great to see the excitement on his face as he opened each pack and built up his collection. I thought that all the toys seemed really good quality and I liked the colour and design of each product. I think that SuperZings will make excellent stocking fillers, especially the blind bags, whilst the playsets will be perfect Christmas presents to put under the tree for Christmas Day.

If you would like to find out more about SuperZings, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

YouTube - SuperZings
Instagram - superzings_uk
Twitter - @superzings
Facebook - SuperZings.UK


*Disclaimer - We were gifted these products for the purpose of writing an honest review of the toys. Thoughts, opinions and photographs are my own. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Friday 22 November 2019

Mardles hugARmals Dragon - Toy Review

It's safe to say that Riley loves a good cuddly toy. I have lost count of how many he has and I am surprised that he can even fit in his bed for the amount of teddies. Like most children, he loves to use his imagination and will often pretend that his toys have come to life and will create play scenarios to involve them all. He was therefore delighted when he was recently sent a beautiful Mardles hugARmal Dragon, which can be brought to life in front of your very eyes, by using a clever and innovative app.


Our lovely Mardles hugARmal Dragon is so soft and features wings on its back, sparkly fur, bright blue eyes and glossy ears, making it a lovely toy to cuddle up to. It is a great product to be enjoyed by children and it is very easy to bring the cuddly toys to life, by simply downloading the Mardles app and scanning the special badge.

I love the fact that the Mardles app is free to download, but also, once you have used your wifi connection to add it to your device, then it will work anytime and anywhere, whether you have an internet connection or not. I think it is great that it does not need to depend on wifi or data to be used, which means that Riley can play with his toy whenever he likes. There are also no in-app purchases available, so there is no need to worry about children asking for add ons, or running up an expensive bill.


We downloaded the app without any issues onto two devices, a Samsung Galaxy S10 and a Huawei P30 which both run on Android. This was really quick and simple to do and within minutes Riley was able to to enjoy playing with his dragon. He scanned the badge on the dragons foot and was very quickly able to interact with the toy and make it do a whole host of exciting things on the screen. You can even stand next to the dragon on the camera and have photos taken!

Riley was able to change the colour of his dragon, make it fly and even get him to take a nap. His favourite action though, was making the dragon dance on the disco floor which he found hilarious! If your child isn't a fan of dragons however, then there is also a gorgeous Unicorn version of the toy, which looks fantastic too.


Overall we absolutely love the Mardles hugARmals Dragon and it has really helped Riley to use his imagination in bringing it to life. I really like the fact that the app is free to download, easy to use, plus it is both child and parent friendly. The cuddly toy itself stands at approximately 30cm tall, is really soft and feels a very good quality. It has an RRP of £24.99 which I think is very reasonable for a toy that can be enjoyed time and time again. I would happily recommend this to others.

Mardles hugARmals are currently available to buy on the Mardles website, QVC and Amazon. If you would like to find out more about Mardles and their product range, then you can find their website and social media pages on the following channels:

Website - https://www.mardleslife.com/
Facebook - facebook.com/mardleslife
Twitter - @mardleslife
Instagram - instagram.com/mardleslife


*Disclaimer - We were gifted this product for the purpose of writing an honest review of the toy. All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains an affiliate link.


Wednesday 14 November 2018

Poopsie Surprise Unicorn - A Review

Now let's be honest, as an adult the thought of a unicorn poo-ing out slime, isn't something that particularly appeals to me, but my five year thinks that the concept is absolutely hilarious. I have also seen Poopsie Surprise Unicorn feature on quite a few must-have toy lists for Christmas, so when the opportunity arose to write a review of this product, I was certainly keen to find out more.

With the use of slime growing hugely in popularity, it is no surprise that toy manufacturers have now began to involve its use within their products. This does of course mean that adult supervision is a must, as no one wants brightly coloured slime adorning their pristine cream carpet, or fabric sofa. However, when used carefully it can provide lots of fun and its easy to see why it appeals to children of all ages so much.


Poopsie Surprise Unicorn offers the slime factor in abundance and whilst the thought of running your hands through unicorn poo slime may sound disgusting, it definitely provides plenty of laughter and fun for the kids. So what is Poopsie Unicorn Surprise?

Poopsie Unicorn Surprise is a brightly coloured unicorn doll who comes with a selection of over 20 surprises! There are 4 different designs of unicorn to collect and the product is hidden from view inside the box, so you can't be sure which one you will have until you open it up. I have however noticed that some online retailers are advertising particular designs, so if your child is after a specific unicorn then it could be worth shopping around to find the one you want.

We were very keen to see which unicorn we had been sent, but first of all we set about unboxing the other surprises which were located within the packaging. This is great fun in itself as you peel the cardboard packaging around in a circular motion to reveal a collection of blind bags. This creates a sense of anticipation and excitement as you find each bag and open it up.


We received the Rainbow Brightstar Unicorn which looked fantastic with it's brightly coloured rainbow hair. I think if we could have chosen a specific design then this would have been the one that we'd have picked. After opening all the packaging and the individual packets we found the following:

1 x Rainbow Brightstar Unicorn
1 x T-shirt
1 x Nappy
1 x Golden feeding spoon
1 x Feeding bottle
1 x cleaning aid
1 x potty
1 x sachet of Unicorn Sparkle
4 x sachets of Unicorn Shimmer
2 x sachets of Unicorn Magic
4 x sachets of Unicorn Food
1 x Rainbow poopsie keyring
1 x hair brush


When it comes to creating the slime, I admittedly found this a little complicated at first as there were quite a few different steps to go through, so it took a couple of attempts to find the right consistency for the slime. Our first try didn't go particularly well and our poopsie was more like a wee! But we read the instructions again and our second go went much better.


Firstly there is a switch which is located on the rear of the unicorn's body and it is important that this is on the feeding setting. In the picture below you can see that there are two modes which are the feeding to the left and the rocking to the right. Our unicorn had the switch set in rocking mode, so you need to make sure you slide this to the correct side before commencing the feeding process. Next you will need a packet of the unicorn shimmer and you feed this using the special golden spoon before feeding 5ml of water too.


For the next step you need to use the feeding bottle provided and you pour one sachet of unicorn food inside and fill with 25ml of tap water. After replacing the lid, you need to shake the mixture together for around 60 seconds. Note that there is a straw at the top so fluid can leak from this if you don't make sure it is covered whilst shaking. It does state this in the instructions, though somehow I happened to miss this, so don't make the same mistake I did!

Once these steps have been completed, then you need to feed the unicorn by placing the straw in it's mouth and squeezing firmly but gently on the bottle until it is empty. You then need to change the switch on the rear of the unicorn back to rocking mode and move your unicorn around for 15 seconds. The instructions recommend moving it in a cartwheel motion, as well as back and forth. We actually did this for a little longer than advised for 20 seconds instead and we found that when we did this the slime was much better.

Nearing the final stage of the poopsie making process, you then remove the unicorns nappy and place it on the potty, pressing the belly button to make her poop slime. Unfortunately you cannot play with the slime straight away and you need to allow a further 20 minutes for it to set properly. This was my children's only annoyance with the toy as they wanted to be able to play with the slime immediately and aren't great at waiting, but we set a timer on my phone and played a game together to pass the time.


As you can see there are a few steps needed which could be a bit confusing for younger children, so I would definitely recommend that an adult is always on hand to help out with this process.

Once the slime had set, we added some sparkle and played with it for a while before placing it inside the provided keyring. My children immediately wanted to create some more Poopsie slime and now that we had a better understanding of the process, we found it much easier. There is also enough unicorn feed to have a few goes.

I had been slightly apprehensive about the cleaning process, as thought that this would be a nightmare, but it has actually been really well designed with an easy access compartment on the back. We have used several toys previously involving slime that have been hard to clean and therefore remained sticky or messy, so it was definitely a relief that the cleaning of our unicorn and her potty was very simple.


Top Tips

* Make sure that you place towels or sheets on the table or flooring where you intend to use Poopsie in case of any spillages
* Read the instructions carefully
* Double check the switch settings when starting to create the slime
* Be prepared for the slime making process and allow yourself plenty of time
* Plan something to do to make the time go quicker whilst waiting for the slime to set
* Clean the product after each use


Overall my children really enjoyed this and even my eldest two couldn't resist getting involved and creating some slime. I found the slime making process a little frustrating to begin with, but managed to figure it out on the second attempt and created some poopsie with success. I can understand why it is so popular with children and it provided us with plenty of laughter whilst testing it out. I think the RRP of £49.99 is reasonable in comparison to some other toys on the market, but for this price I would have liked it to have included a few more sachets of unicorn food, as if you struggle with the first couple of attempts then this can quickly be used up. This toy is ideal for children that love unicorns, slime and laughter!

Poopsie Surprise Unicorn is set to be a very popular Christmas toy and it is currently available to purchase from Smyths, Argos, The Entertainer and other good retailers.


Disclaimer: We were gifted this product in exchange for an honest review of the toy. All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains affiliate links.