Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts

Tuesday 5 December 2023

Scribble Shakedown! by Paladone Games - A Review

(AD - Gifted) 

We have several budding artists in our family, so my children love any opportunity to show off their artistic skills. I was therefore really excited to introduce them to Scribble Shakedown, which is a drawing game with a difference.

Scribble Shakedown is by Paladone Games and is described as being a fast paced wobbly drawing game, that is suitable for ages 6+. It can be played by 4 or more players, which makes it perfect for larger families like ourselves. The front of the box is really artistic and stands out with its doodles galore across the front. 

The rear of the packaging continues with the doodle theme, as well as providing some brief details on how to play the game, as well as a list of contents which includes:

  • 2 x Shaking Pens
  • 1 x Sandtimer
  • 2 x Paper Pads
  • 100 Cards
  • Instructions

I feel it is also important to point out here that there is small writing at the bottom which states that each pen requires 1 x AA 1.5V DC batteries and these are NOT included within the box. Unfortunately I didn't spot this until we were ready to play, so we had to delay gameplay until I could pop to the shops. However, once the battery situation was resolved, we sat down again, ready to put our drawing talents to the test.

The game can be played in two different ways, with the first being Team Battle. The aim of the game in the team battle, is to be the first team that draws and guesses 5 different objects correctly. Each team must have a shaking pen and their note pad ready, and someone must shuffle the cards from one of the packs and place them face down in the centre of the table. Each team can consist of two or more players and the youngest player picks a card and selects which object they would like to draw.


Once they have chosen, then they must also show the player from the other team who will also be drawing, at which point both players then have one minute to draw the object using their shaking pens. The first team to guess correctly will win the card and should place it in front of their team. Should no one guess correctly then the card goes back to the bottom of the pack and the youngest player from the opposing team now picks a card and chooses the object instead. This gameplay then simply continues until one of the teams guesses 5 objects correctly.

It is super easy to get the hang of and encourages plenty of laughter as you try and guess what is being drawn. In our case a lot of the pictures looked so different to the intended object which we found hilarious, and I personally found it got harder to draw with the shaking pen as the minute went on as I kept loosening my grip whilst laughing.


The second way to play the game is called Quick Fire Scribble, where just like the first game, you separate into teams, but this time you try to draw as many objects on the card as quickly as possible until the sand timer runs out. You can only move onto the next object though if you team manages to correctly guess what you are drawing. In this game the winner of the card is the team that manages to guess the most objects, with the overall winner being the first team to collect 5 cards.

Overall, we really enjoyed this game, it's super simple to play and easy to understand and it's an enjoyable one for adults to join in with too. We will definitely be playing this with our guests on Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year as it's loads of fun and provides plenty of entertainment. My only negative would be that there are no batteries included, but this is easy enough to resolve and I would happily recommend Scribble Shakedown to others.

If you would like to purchase Scribble Shakedown, then this is currently available to buy at Next subject to stock availability with an RRP of £20.

*Disclaimer - We were gifted a copy of 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 may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a small commission should you choose to purchase.

Sunday 8 November 2020

A Night of Family Fun with Spin Master Games - A Review

Whilst lockdown has had many disadvantages, it has created a very positive experience for us, in that we have been able to spend plenty of family time together. In the summer we were able to enjoy the fabulous weather in the garden, but now the colder and darker nights are drawing in, it has given us the opportunity to enjoy some fabulous family games that have provided us with plenty of entertainment.

We were recently sent a selection of games from Spin Master which included Grouch Couch, Beat the Parents and Hedbanz. All of these games were great fun and suitable for all of our family with our age ranges being from 7 to 40. 

Grouch Couch Review

Grouch Couch was the first game that my children wanted to play. Our first impressions were that it looked like a fun game that was sure to make us laugh and we weren't wrong. The box has a clear window at the front (which is always my preferred choice when it comes to toys), so that you can see exactly what the product looks like inside. The text on the front describes it as 'The furniture with attitude game!™' and it is recommended as being suitable for 2-4 players aged 5+.

The rear of the box provides some clear images of game play along with a brief description of the game, which provides you with a good understanding of what is involved to play. It looked simple to understand, exciting to play and lots of fun, so we couldn't wait to get started.

On opening the box we found the following contents inside:

  • 1 x Grouch Couch
  • 16 x Treats
  • 15 x Lost Goodies
  • 1 x Dice
  • 1 x Instruction Sheet

The Grouch Couch was fastened into the box using an elasticated band and two plastic connectors. These connectors simply need to be twisted to allow the product to be released from the cardboard base. This was really simple to do and even better they can be continually used going forwards, meaning that you can also refasten it back into the box once you have finished playing. My only slight frustration with the game arose at this point as it was only on removing the item that we realised it needed batteries. I had checked the front and rear of the box before opening it to check this, but hadn't noticed that the information was actually detailed underneath the box and that it required 3 x AAA batteries. Luckily we had already bought some spare packs in preparation for Christmas, so this was only a minor inconvenience that we could quickly resolve. We were soon ready to play and I began to read out the instructions to the rest of my family. 

To begin game play you lift the centre cushion of the Grouch Couch and load all the 15 Lost Goodies into the hole before closing the cover securely. The Lost Goodies look like tokens, but each one has an object printed on them such as a sock or a mobile phone.  You then place the treats in a pile within each reach of all the players. Underneath the Grouch Couch is an on and off switch, so when you are ready to play you simply switch this on to begin your game.


Starting with the youngest player, you roll the dice and place that may treats anywhere on the Grouch Couch. That player then presses the remote control button which will make the Grouch Couch come alive as it begins to move and open its mouth. If he likes what you feed him, the Grouch Couch will make some satisfied burping noises and then release one or more Lost Goodies. These are flung out of the bottom of the sofa and are released quickly and at speed, which my children found hilarious. You then need to keep these Lost Goodies safe as the person who has the most at the end of the game is the winner. You will know when you have reached the end of the game as the Grouch Couch will sing a song before releasing the final Lost Goodies.

The dice can also play an important part in helping you to win, as if you roll a vacuum cleaner on the dice, you can then roll a number and remove this amount of tokens from another player. This adds a good twist to the game as just when you think you are winning, another player could take some of your Lost Goodies. After we had played this game a few times, we also added a further challenge in for my older children, in that they had to catch the Lost Goodies as they were released otherwise they would be forfeited. This added another fun element to the game and we loved that it was easy to add our own variations.

Overall we all loved this game and found it really funny. I liked that as well as playing by the set rules, we were also able to adapt this to suit my older children and add some variation to the game. It is really simple and easy to understand and I know it is a game that my youngest son Riley will want to play with his friends repeatedly, once they are allowed to visit again. The game is currently available to buy at Amazon for £19.99, which I feel represents good value for money. I can see this being a game that many families would enjoy playing together and I would therefore happily recommend this to others.


Hedbanz Review

Hedbanz is a game we are familiar with and has been a firm favourite of ours for many years. As described on the box, it is the quick question game of "What Am I?" and provides a wacky guessing game as you try to figure out what is featured on the card on your head.

The game comes in a red square box with bright and colourful graphics on the front and rear. Whilst there is no description on the front, the images give you a good idea of what the game involves and what is included in the box. The rear of the box provides a contents list, further graphics and some more details about how the game can be advanced using the Hedbanz app.

On opening the box we found that the contents included:

  • 6 Blue adjustable headbands
  • 13 Scoring badges
  • 69 Picture cards
  • 3 Sample question cards
  • 1 Timer
  • Instructions

To set up the game you firstly need to separate the Picture Cards from the Sample Question Cards, then shuffle them up and place them face down in the middle of all the players, along with the Scoring Badges. Each player then places a Headband on their head, making sure that the Hedbanz logo is in the centre, as this is where the Picture Card will be placed. You then deal one Picture Card face down to each player, who must then insert their card into the clip on the headband. As tempting as it may be, do not sneak a peak at your card!

The youngest player then goes first, before play continues to the left. On each players turn the timer is flipped over and you have to ask the other players questions to try and guess the picture on your head.  The Sample Question Cards give you some ideas of what you could ask if you get stuck, but we enjoyed trying to think of our own questions. If you manage to guess the picture before the time runs out, then you take another card and continue asking questions until the time runs out. When you guess a card correctly, you can add a Scoring Badge to your headband and the first to collect 3 Scoring Badges is the winner.

Now whilst the rules of the game are simple and easy to understand, it is amazing how quickly your mind can go blank whilst you are trying to think of questions to ask whilst racing against the clock. I had a clear plan in my mind of how I was going to figure what was on my card fast, but once the timer began and the pressure set in, my plan of action went out the window. My family and I couldn't stop laughing throughout the game at some of the guesses that were made and it took a few turns each before we gradually started to work out our cards. Overall we think that this is a great family game that is easy to set up and understand. It is currently available to purchase on Amazon for only £10, which offers excellent value for money.


Beat the Parents Review

Beat the Parents is a game we have never played before, so we were keen to try this out and find out more. The front of the box didn't give too much away, but the reverse gave a good explanation of this head-to-head family game which is packed full of questions and challenges. Adults have to answer questions about kids' stuff, whils the children answer questions that the parents should know. As well as being full of fact filled trivia, it also includes fun and exciting challenges, with the team that crosses the game board first being declared the champion.

Inside the box we found the following contents:
  • 1 Game board
  • 110 Question Cards
  • 50 Challenge Cards
  • 2 Movers
  • Instructions

My children were really excited about this game as they were determined to beat us parents. The object of the game is for kids to play their parents as both teams try to answer questions and complete various challenges. The first team to get their mover to the other end of the game board are declared the winners.

Setting up the game is easy and each team sits on opposites sides of the board. Kids are yellow, whilst the parents are red. You then shuffle both decks of question and challenge cards and place them face down next to the board. Kids go first and the parents must draw a Question Card and read out loud the first question on the card. If this is answered correctly then the kids can move their mover by one space on the board and the parents then go on to ask the next question that is displayed on the card. An incorrect answer means that they can not move ahead and their turn is over. If you land on a challenge space whilst moving your mover then you must stop there and draw a Challenge Card. 

The Challenge Cards feature a wide variation of challenges. The challenges can be anything from playing Rock, Paper Scissors with an opposing team member or having to quickly add up the ages of everyone in the room and being the first person to shout the correct answer. We found the challenges to be great fun and some of them also provided plenty of laughter. The team that wins a Challenge Card can then move their mover the amount of spaces indicated on the card. The first team to reach the Win space wins the game!

Overall we really enjoyed this game and particularly liked the variety of challenges it offered. Beat the Parents is currently available on offer at Amazon for only £10, which offers great value for money, especially as this game can be played many times without feeling too repetitive, due to the amount of question and challenge cards available. You do need some extra items to complete some of the challenges such as a pencil or ice cubes, however most of these are ordinary items that you would have in your home and you could always remove any Challenge Cards that you would be unable to complete. My family and I enjoyed this game and felt that it also helped to improve our general knowledge skills. I would therefore recommend this game to others.


*Disclaimer - This blog post features items that were gifted to us for the purpose of writing an honest review of the products. Any thoughts and opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. Any prices stated within this post are subject to change. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Sunday 19 April 2020

Rubik's Cage from Ideal Games - A Review

Over the past couple of weeks, we have written reviews on some of the great family games available from Ideal Games. However, as much as we have enjoyed playing these together, we also love a good puzzle. My eldest son has always been a fan of Rubik's and as had various original 3 x 3 cubes over the years. He still hasn't managed to successfully complete it yet, but has certainly enjoyed trying and he has definitely got closer than me in his attempts.

We were therefore really excited to learn more about the Rubik's Cage, where unlike the original cube that is for a sole player, this puzzle can be played by 2-4 people at a time. It is a 3 in a row strategy game, which although sounds easy, it is definitely not as simple as it may first appear.


The box is quite small, so it is easy to take away with you and use as a travel game and there is a clear window at the front, so you can see the product inside. It is bright, colourful and certainly eye catching, with the phrase "Drop It, Twist It, Flip It, Win It" written across the bottom. The rear of the box provides some brief details as to how the game is played, along with some supporting images and a list of contents.

On opening the box, we found it included:
  • 1 x Rubik's Cage
  • 24 x Cubies
  • Instructions

Setting up the game is really easy and you simply start with the Rubik's cage empty. The number of cubies each player has, depends on whether you are playing a 2, 3 or 4 player game. We played a two player game first, so this meant that each player selected three different sets of coloured cubies. For example, I chose red, blue and orange and Riley chose white, yellow and green. In a two player game, each person should have 12 cubes. 

The object of the game is to be the player who manages to align three of their coloured cubies in a row on one face first. This row can be vertically, horizontally or even diagonally, which might sound simple, but once the game is in play, anything can change.


Each player must take it in turns to make a move, which can be any of the following:
  1. Drop a Cubie - This is when a player places one Cubie into any of the eight sections.
  2. Twist the Cage - This is when a player turns one layer of the Rubik's cage 90 degrees in either direction.
  3. Flip the Cage - This is when a player turns the cage upside down by rotating it 180 degrees.
It is also important to remember that you cannot simply reverse the previous players move, no matter how much you may want to!


The winner is the person who manages to get three of their Cubies of the same colour in a row on one face of the Rubik's cage first. If the game continues until all pieces have been played then it is classed as a draw.

Overall we absolutely loved the Rubik's Cage and felt it was a great addition to the Rubik's puzzle range of toys. It is really easy to understand how to play, but we loved that you needed to think carefully about your move to prevent your opponents from winning, making it the perfect family strategy game. With an RRP of £19.99, I think that it offers good value for money and can definitely keep you entertained. It is available to purchase from toy retailers including Smyths Toys, Asda and Amazon and I would happily recommend this product to others.

If you would like to find out more about Rubik's or other products in the Ideal Games range, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:



*Disclaimer - We were gifted this Rubik's Cage puzzle for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product and our experience. All opinions and thoughts are my own, unless otherwise stated. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link.

Monday 13 April 2020

Junior Rummikub from Ideal Games - A Review

During the Easter Weekend, we have continued to enjoy playing some of the games that we were kindly sent from Ideal Games. Today we have decided to review Junior Rummikub, which is a fast paced numbers game for the whole family to enjoy.

The front of the box is a lovely bright red colour that features some fun graphics including a cheeky monkey, a cute blue rabbit and some vibrant colourful stars. It is really eye-catching and also shows you some of the game pieces. The top right hand corner identifies the game as being suitable for children aged 4+ and that it can be played with 2-4 players.


The rear of the box provides you with a brief overview of the game, which gives you a good idea of how it is played. There are also some images of the actual contents that are included, along with a list. The box contains:

  • 40 Tiles (1 to 10 in 4 different colours)
  • 4 Joker Tiles
  • Star Counters
  • 4 Tile Racks
  • 1 Instruction manual

We carefully removed all the items from the box and began to set up the game. The instructions were relatively straight forward and it was very simple to get everything into place. Once we were ready to play, I read out the instructions to the rest of the family and although a couple of my children didn't quite get it intially, this all fell into place once we began to play and in just a few minutes it all made sense.


The aim of the game is to collect as many stars as possible by creating Runs of numbers or adding to them. A Run has to comprise of at least 3 tiles and these tiles must also be in consecutive number order. In addition, all numbers in the run must be the same colour.

To begin, we each selected a playing rack and 6 stars, before turning all the tiles over on the table face down to create a tile pool. I then told each player to select 6 tiles at random and we each placed them on our tile rack, whilst ensuring that our opponents could not see which tiles we had selected.

The oldest player then starts off the game play by trying to lay down a run. If they are unable to go, then they must pay the bank one star and pick up a tile from the pool. The person to the left then takes their turn. Once a player is able to lay down a run, then the next person has the choice to add another tile or tiles to the run laid out, or alternatively they can start a new run of a different colour.


To help you to earn stars there are a series of rewards and for every tile that you manage to lay down, you can claim one star. If you manage to lay a run then you can also claim another star and on the last tile played which clears a player's rack, then this also entitles you to a further bonus star.

For example if I was to lay down a new run consisting of the numbers 3, 4, 5, then I would score 4 stars. It is very simple to pick up once in play and as soon as we had finished our first round, my children immediately requested to play again.

There are also 4 Joker tiles that can be drawn and these are very useful and valuable tiles, due to the fact that they can be used as any colour or numbered tile in a run. You can also use two or more jokers in the same run which can make the game quite exciting.

The game is complete once a player manages to successfully lay down all of their tiles from the rack. The remaining players must then each pay the bank one star, for each tile that they have remaining. The winner is the player with the most stars, but in the event of a tie, then the winner can be determined by who managed to put down all of their tiles first.


Overall my family and I really enjoyed this game. Whilst I initially thought it would be most ideal for my youngest son Riley, it ended up being something that we could all enjoy and it has been a great addition to our family collection. Everyone picked up the idea of the game very quickly which meant that no one got frustrated trying to understand how to play. I particularly liked the fact that it was helping my youngest son with his numeracy skills, as well as encouraging him to use logical thinking. With an RRP of £22.99, I think that this is great value for money and I would definitely recommend Junior Rummikub to others.

Junior Rummikub can be purchased from toy retailers including Amazon.

If you would like to find out more about Junior Rummikub or other products available from Ideal Games, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:



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

Wednesday 8 April 2020

Brightening Up Our Day with Triominos Sunshine - A Review

We have another fabulous review for you today, this time covering the wonderful game of Triominos Sunshine, which is a bright and colourful version of the classic game Triominos. It is a fun variation of the well known Dominos, however instead of rectangular pieces, these are triangular shaped instead and if used wisely, you can create various formations and gain some extra scores too.


It instantly appealed to me from the outset, due to its portable size and handy travel bag packaging, which means that we will be able to take this with us on our adventures and holidays in the future. It can be played by 2-4 players and is recommended for children aged 6+ which I would agree is a suitable age.

The contents of our game included:
  • 1 x Handy Travel Pouch in Orange and Yellow
  • 56 x Triominos
  • 1 x Instructions
The aim of the game is simple and you must try to get as many points as possible by strategically matching the Triominos. Each Triomino is unique, so it is wise to think carefully before using a piece in the hope of achieving some extra points. The aim of the game is to be the player who scores the highest number of points and this can be done in a number of ways, by simply placing a piece down to adjacent numbers, or laying your pieces to create a shape such as a bridge or a hexagon.


We played this game initially with 4 players which meant that to begin we placed all the Triominos face down on the table and mixed them all up. We each then chose 7 random Triominos each and placed the remaining tiles at the end of the table to create a 'pool' of spare pieces. If you are only playing with 2 players then you each draw 9 Triominos instead.

In order to decide who begins, each player selects a Triomino from the pool and adds up the numbers on the tile. The person with the highest number gets to go first, which I think is a very simple way to select the starting player and also prevents any arguments.


The first player then places any Triomino of their choice on the table and adds up the value of the numbers. The next player must then try to place one of their Triominos next to the tile that is already on the table by matching the numbers on one side. This might sound easy but as the game progresses it can become quite difficult and requires some thought into your chosen move. Only one Triomino can be placed down per go and if you are unable to use any of your existing tiles, then you must select a spare from the pool. If you are still unable to go, then you can take a further tile from the pool up to a maximum of three times. For each Triomino that is selected this way, you must deduct 5 points from your score. If you select the maximum three pieces and still cannot place a tile then you lose an additional 10 points. This means that you can lose points just as quickly as you can earn them.

Bonus points can also be scored if you manage to create a shape such as the following:
  • If you form a Bridge you can score 40 extra points
  • If you form a Hexagon you can score 50 extra points
  • If you form a Double Hexagon then you can score 60 extra points
  • If you form a Triple Hexagon then you can score 70 extra points


The game comes to a conclusion when a player manages to place down their last tile and they then score a bonus of 25 points. In addition they can also add the total of all the points the other players still have on their racks.Each player then simply adds up their score and the person with the highest number of points is the winner!

Overall I really liked this game and I am pleased to have found a fun new game that is small and portable enough to come on our travels with us in the future. The handy zipped pouch is ideal for keeping all of the pieces safe and I loved the bright and vibrant colours. I would have liked the addition of a little score pad, so that you can keep a note of the points as you play, but we have simply used a small spare notepad instead. It is a strategic game that really encourages you to think and my youngest son Riley particularly enjoyed this game and working with numbers. With an RRP of £14.99, I think this is a very fair price for an enjoyable family game that can be used both at home and away and I would gladly recommend this to others.

Triominos Sunshine can currently be purchased online from Amazon, but if you would like to find out more about Triominos Sunshine or the other products in the Ideal Games range, then you can visit their social media pages on the following channels:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IdealGamesUK/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idealgamesuk/


*Disclaimer - We were gifted with the game of Triominos Sunshine for the purpose of writing an honest review of the game and our experience. All opinions and thoughts are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains and Amazon affiliate link.

Thursday 2 April 2020

Wordsearch Junior - A Review

Like most parents we are still trying to find the right balance between learning at home and still having some fun, during the school closure period. My children are doing great with the work that has been set by their teachers, however I think it is also good to add a touch of educational fun into the mix to help try and maintain a positive mood.

Therefore, when an opportunity recently arose to review Wordsearch Junior, I thought this would be an ideal game to help Riley learn how to identify and read some new words, in addition to working on his spellings. We therefore excitedly waited for it to arrive, before involving it in one of our literacy lessons this afternoon.


Wordsearch Junior is described on the box as being a fun way to play and read. It is recommended for children aged 5+ and can be played by 2 to 4 players at a time. There are three levels of play which each vary in difficulty, so you can choose the most appropriate game boards for your child.

The front of the box is really bright and vibrant, which features the name of the game across the front in large text. The rear of the box has some really clear images, that give you a good idea of how the game is played and what you will find inside.


On opening the packaging we found the following contents:

  • 1 x Game Board (consisting of a base, transparent disk and ring)
  • 6 x Blue Picture Grids
  • 6 x Red Picture and Word Grids
  • 6 x Green Word Only Grids
  • 140 Counters (35 red, 35 green, 35 yellow, 25 blue)
  • 1 x Instruction Manual

The grids have varying levels of difficulty, with the Blue picture grids being the easiest. These grids consist of pictures only and you have to look for sets of 3 pictures in the right sequence. The red grids feature both pictures and words, so this is ideal for younger players who can use the picture clues to help them locate and identify the words. The green grids are words only and you simply have to search for the word as quickly as possibly against your opponent.


As this was Riley's first attempt at such a game, we opted to try one of the red grids first, so that he could get use to the game and understand exactly what he needed to do. We therefore chose one of them and placed it into the base of the game board. I then covered this with the transparent disk, which then holds the grid into position, before finally adding the blue ring.

To begin the game, you simply turn the board until the grid colour appears in the word gap in the ring. Each player then takes a turn to turn the grid and reveal a new word and reads this out aloud for everyone to hear (or in the case of the blue image board, simply describe the picture instead).

The words can be displayed in any direction so it is important to look not only left, right, up and down, but also diagonally too. Everyone searches for the word and the first player to spot it, shouts out the word and points at the answer. If this is correct, then they can place down their coloured counters to cover the word.

Game play continues like this until all the words have been found and the coloured section appears in the word gap again. If a word you find has to cover a space that already has another players counter in, then you can remove it and replace it with yours. Riley particularly enjoyed this part of the game and thought it was hilarious that he could remove my counters.

Once a full turn of the grid is completed then each player counts how many counters they had placed down on the board, with the winner being the person who has successfully used the most counters. A player can also win by using up all their counters, which Riley managed to do on a couple of occasions, much to his delight!


Once Riley had got the hang of the game, we decided to try one of the harder levels and switched from a red grid to one of the green wordsearch grids. Riley was a little apprehensive at first as he thought he would find it too difficult, but to be honest he surprised both himself and me, winning the first game with ease!

The green grid works in exactly the same way, except you are solely looking for words and there are no images this time to help you out. There were a couple of occasions where I thought I had found a word only to find that I was wrong, so make sure you definitely know where the word is before shouting it out.

For younger members of the family, the blue grids are ideal as these feature pictures only, so it is a great way of improving observation skills from an early age. I felt that these boards would have been too easy for Riley so we didn't attempt them, but they looked great and easy to understand.


Overall I really enjoyed playing this game with Riley and felt that it was a great way to help him learn some new words, whilst also staying focused. He enjoyed reading out the words, as well as racing against me to be the first to find them. We also made sure that we spelt out each word as we placed our counters down, which I hope will help Riley with his spellings going forward. We both found it to be a fun educational game and I look forward to playing it with him regularly going forwards. 

The game is very easy to set up and it has simple instructions to play, making it an ideal game for families to enjoy together. Wordsearch Junior has an RRP of £19.99 and can be purchased from Amazon.


*Disclaimer - We were gifted with this item 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.



Sunday 13 October 2019

Bank Attack from John Adams Toys - A Review

Bank Attack is a brand new game from Ideal by John Adams Toys, which is sure to get families working together to crack the code and win the prize. But can you become criminal masterminds to break the vault and release the hidden gold inside?

Each player must pick their role in the group from Hacker; Money Man; Look Out or Explosives Expert and then use your special talents to break the bank. You can also select a difficulty level, then follow the spoken commands without delay: grab the right tools, pass them on at the right moment, use them quickly and grab the millions.


Now that my children are getting older, I really like the fact that we can play more challenging games together. This new electronic game encourages players to cooperate with one another and follow the instructions carefully in order to win, so it was really nice to play something a little different as a family.

The product itself comes packaged in a recyclable cardboard box which features brightly covered graphics all over. The front doesn't really give much away as to what is included or what the game is about, however the reverse has very clear photographs that show the product well, in addition to some basic instructions which gives you a good understanding of what is involved. Both the front and rear state the recommended age of 7+ and also advise that it is suitable for 2 to 4 players.

It was really easy to set up the game and simply involved removing the tools from their packaging and placing some batteries into the safe. It requires 3 x AA batteries to play and it is important to note that these aren't included. The full list of contents are:
  • 1 x Electronic Safe (requires 3 x AA batteries which are NOT included)
  • 8 x tools consisting of goggles, drill, laptop, map, flashlight, headset, explosives and gloves
  • 12 x plastic gold bars
  • 20 x money bills
  • 1 x set of instructions
I read through the instructions briefly and so initially there was a little bit of confusion amongst us and we failed the first attempt spectacularly! However after reading through them again more carefully, it soon became clear as to what we needed to do and we very quickly got the hang of what was required.


To play the game all players need to firstly select their role in the mission. This can be the Hacker, Money Man, Lookout or Explosives Expert. Once all the positions have been decided then you next select your level. There are five progressive levels to choose from which each get quicker and more intense, so it is definitely the best option to begin on level one until you have had some practice. There is also a bonus level which we haven't attempted just yet. You also need to load your gold bars into the top of the vault which is really easy to do and takes less than a minute and replace the lid.

Once you are ready to play you need to follow the instructions from the Boss, whose voice comes out from the electronic safe. The Boss will tell you whether you need to grab certain tools, pass them to one another, use them quickly, or collect the money bills. If mistakes are made then the alarm will trigger, but if you manage to successfully work together then you will pull off the heist and the gold bars will be released from the top of the safe.


We thought that the audio was really loud and clear so it was easy to hear and follow the instructions, but it could sometimes be hard to remember who had what tool which added to the fun element of the game. It was exciting and challenging and I really liked the fact that there was no designated loser out of the individual players which certainly meant that there was no upset or arguments between my children.

Overall we really enjoyed this game. Admittedly it took a couple of goes of level one for us to fully get the hang of it, but once we knew our roles and what to do, it quickly became a fast paced and engaging challenge. It is recommended for ages 7+ which I think is definitely the right age bracket as although my six year old played with us fine, he found it hard to process the information and react as quickly as he needed to, especially in the harder stages. I really liked the fact that it encourages the family to work together, so there were no arguments about anyone being the loser. It stores away in the box easily and it's size also means that it is ideal for us to take away with us on holiday. I would happily recommend this game to families and groups of friends and I can definitely see this being a popular game to play on Christmas Day.


Bank Attack has an RRP of £24.99 and it is currently available to buy now from Argos, Smyths, Amazon and The Entertainer.

To find out more about Bank Attack or other games in the John Adams range, then you can visit their website and social media on the following channels:

Website - www.johnadams.co.uk
Twitter - @JohnAdams_toys
Facebook - facebook.com/IdealGamesUK
Instagram - @johnadams_toys
YouTube - JohnAdamsToys



*Disclaimer - We were sent this item for the purpose of writing an honest review of the product. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated. This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. Video is from the John Adams YouTube channel.

Friday 11 October 2019

Slap Ninja by Jakks Pacific - A Review

Last night after a rush of homework, driving children to various clubs, making dinner and general tidying up, I had prepared myself for an early night, or simply just relaxing on the sofa and watching television. However, my children had other ideas and my lazy peaceful hour actually resulted in sixty minutes of hilarity, fun and so much laughter that I cried!

Why was this? Well....allow me to introduce Slap Ninja! A brand new game which was sent to us from Jakks Pacific to review. It is suitable for all the family from ages 4+ and requires 3 x AAA batteries which are included. Designed as a game of skill, you must perfect your speed and precision on your quest to become the ultimate ninja champion.


The packaging is simple and you can see the full product on display, which is great for shoppers as you can instantly see exactly what the game is about. There is also a 'try me' function, so you can press the button whilst it is still in the box and listen to some of the audio as well as feel the buzz. My children found this extremely funny before game play even began as the buzzing would make the box move across the table and it was also very loud, much to their delight.

The game was easy to remove from the box and was simply a case of tearing some of the box and cutting a couple of plastic ties from various parts that were holding it in place. My only minor complaint with this, is that it is the sort of box that you cannot use to store the game in afterwards. Within less than a minute though, the game was ready to play and my mini ninjas prepared for battle.


Game play is super easy and simply requires two players to sit opposite from one another, with each player placing one hand around their handle. One player is the designated Ninja Student, whilst the other is the Ninja Master. The challenge if you are the student, is to press the red button three times without being slapped and believe me this can get tricky, especially if you have a very competitive Ninja Master in charge of the giant slapping hand.

If the student manages to do this, then the master gets a shock through the controller, however if the master successfully slaps three times, then this shock is delivered to the student instead. Super easy to understand, but not quite so easy to master the skill!


Whilst playing there is music provided, which adds to the tension of the challenge and I personally thought that this was a great idea. It certainly built the suspense as we each took it in turns to take a go of being the student. There are star lights which turn red to help you keep track of the score too, so there are no worries about missing a point.

My children are all extremely competitive and as most parents will know, this can often lead to arguments where games are concerned, but this one just resulted in so much laughter that it was fantastic. It was actually funny to lose, which helped to create such a nice atmosphere during play.


Overall we absolutely loved this game! In short, it is an electronic version of the age old playground game of slaps, but with an added twist and plenty of laughs. I really liked the fact that the game was good to go from the moment you got it out of the box. There was no tricky set up, no having to read through mountains of instructions, you just simply have to place it on your chosen surface and get ready to play. My family found it hilarious and the look on Riley's face when he lost the first round and the handle began to buzz was absolutely priceless. I would happily recommend this game to others and I can see this definitely being a Christmas must-have!

This game is currently available to purchase from Smyths Toys, Amazon and other good retailers.

For more information on this product or others in the Jakks Pacific range, then you can visit their website or social media pages on the following channels:

Website - www.jakks.com
Facebook - facebook.com/jakkspacifictoys
Twitter - @JAKKSToys
Instagram - @jakkstoys



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


Wednesday 8 November 2017

Shark Bite Game by Drumond Park - Review and Competition!

Now that the clocks have turned back, the evenings are dark before we know it, so it's nice to have a fun activity to do as a family whilst keeping warm and cosy at home. One of our favourite things to do together, especially when the weather is poor, is to play some family games. We have had some firm favourites over the last year including Stoopido and Rapidough, which are always guaranteed to provide a good laugh together. However, the lovely team at Drumond Park, recently sent us their Shark Bite game to review and we couldn't wait to see how this fared in the fun factor stakes!


Shark Bite was released earlier this year and I am sure the box is sure to have caught the attention of many children when browsing in the toy shops. The front of the packaging features some brightly coloured graphics, displaying an angry looking shark whose mouth is full of fish and lobster delights. It also features a photo of two children playing the game in the bottom left hand corner, which helps you to gain a better understanding of what the product and the contents look like inside.


It is designed to be played by 2-4 players and is recommended for children over the age of 4. This really appealed to me, as my youngest son is 5, so I felt reassured that it would be suitable and easy enough for Riley to play, as well as understand.

The reverse of the box provides some brief information on how you play the game, as well as providing further graphics and images. The contents list is also provided which is as follows:
  • 1 Shark
  • 12 pieces of shark food
  • 1 fishing rod
  • 1 sticker sheet
  • Instructions

After Riley had taken a quick look at the packaging, he couldn't wait to get the box open and get the game ready for us to play. We removed the contents and began to prepare the shark and dice. This was really simple to do and simply involved placing some stickers on the dice, as well as applying the sharks eyes and pushing the shark into its base. Riley insisted on doing this himself and found it really easy. We then took the 12 pieces of shark food and began to push them into the holes in the sharks mouth. In less than a minute, the game was ready to play, with the added bonus that there were NO batteries required. Perfect!


Emma and Ben joined Riley and I, so that we could all play the game together. We read through the instructions and we were all confident that we knew exactly how to play. The game itself is a really simple concept with easy to follow rules. To play you simply roll the dice which shows you how many fish you need to catch. You could roll one fish or two, so it is easy for very young children to identify how many they need. Once you have rolled the dice, you then need to catch your fish, using the fishing rod provided. Riley found it a little difficult to remove the fish during his first couple of attempts, but soon got the hang of it and realised that if he pulled the rod with quite a quick tug, then the fish would come out easily.


This is where you have to be careful though, as when you try to remove the fish, the shark may bite without warning and if that happens, then you need to return any food back to the sharks mouth. The aim of the game is to be the person to collect the most fish.


We immediately fell in love with this game as soon as we began to play. Everyone was laughing, as each person took their turn to try and retrieve an item from between the scary sharks jaws. Each of us hoping that it wouldn't snap on our go. Not only was it great fun to play, but it also encouraged Riley to recognise colours and numbers. It also tested his coordination skills by trying to hook a fish or lobster onto the fishing rod.


We played the game for over an hour, as each time a round ended, I was met with shouts of "Again, again". Due to how easy it is to set up and play, the kids have also been playing it every day both before and after school and I have been really impressed at the fact that it has also been an 'argument free' game so far!


My only minor criticism of the game, would be that I think there should be more than one rod included. I am a little concerned that if the one rod that is included should break, then we would be left unable to play the game properly, which would be very disappointing. If there were additional rods provided, then this would prevent that potential problem. The game could be played by picking the objects out using your hands, but I think that the rod adds more skill to the game, and that makes it more enjoyable.


Overall we all really enjoyed this game and it is certainly very popular in our home at the moment. There are no fiddly parts, no batteries required and no great skill needed to put the game together. It is literally ready to play in seconds and provides lots of fun and entertainment. The instructions are simple and it is the perfect game for families to enjoy together. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to others. It is available to purchase from all good toy retailers including Amazon and has an RRP of £24.99.

You can also find out more about Shark Bite and the other great games in the Drumond Park range, on their website here:  Drumond Park



We love this game so much, that we have teamed up with Drumond Park, to giveaway a Shark Bite game to one lucky blog reader! If you would like to enter, then please do so, using the gleam form below. Terms & Conditions apply. Good Luck!

Win a Shark Bite Game by Drumond Park

Terms & Conditions

  • There is 1 (one) prize available on a Shark Bite game by Drumond Park. 
  • Entry is open to UK residents aged 18 years or older.
  • The prize is as stated and no cash alternative is available.
  • Competition closes on 6th December 11:59pm.
  • The winner will be notified via email and will have 7 days to respond to the winning email to confirm their acceptance of the prize, before an alternative winner is drawn from the remaining eligible entrants.
  • No bulk or third party entries.
  • The winner's details only will be shared with Drumond Park for the purpose of prize fulfilment.
Disclaimer: We were provided with a complimentary Shark Bite game for the purpose of providing an honest review of the product. All opinions and photographs are my own unless otherwise stated.