Gaming Signal: A trio of children's games

A trio of children's games

For Christmas/Chanukkah this year (yes, we're a dual-holiday household) my kids got three interesting games I thought I would share with the group. Note that this is going to be a long entry, but I decided to see how it plays out in terms of content.

Chicken Cha Cha Cha by Rio Grande Games

MY RATING:

Winner of 1998's 'Children's Game of the Year', this game doesn't disappoint. At its heart this is a memory matching game but with a game objective. You move your chicken around the game board from space to space matching hidden tiles to be allowed to move. If you manage to catch up to an opponent and jump them, you steal their tail feathers. The first to steal all the feathers is the winner. It is suitable for ages 4 and up and my 8 year old was having as much fun as anybody. There isn't any strategy here, but it beats just matching tiles. The production value is outstanding with quadruple-thick pieces that no kid could break. The chickens are high quality wood and just the right size and weight for little fingers to play with. I give it a 5 out of 5 because it accomplishes everything a game for a 4 year old should.

Pickomino by Rio Grande Games

MY RATING:

Another Rio Grande import, Pickomino is a game aimed at a little older kids. This game is suitable for ages 8 and up and once again has you playing fowl - you're a group of birds interested in getting some good grilled worms to eat. The game itself is a basic die roller similar to Yahtzee in that you work to try to collect sets of numbers on each roll. Each roll you amass point that allow you take a tile (worms) either from the center area (grill) or from your opponent. Fail to get the right number, and you have to throw one of your worms back on the grill. The winner is the one who collects the most worms. The tiles contain the number required to take them along with a number of worms that indicates the value in score at the end of the game. The dice are normal except for the 6 which has been replaced with a worm symbol. Production value is typical Rio Grande Games high quality. The game itself is fun and encourages math skills. There is some strategy here similar to Yahtzee but not so much that a 7 or 8 year old will struggle. I give it a 4 because it's a solid game but not necessarily innovative.

Old Century Raceway '57 by Front Porch Classics

MY RATING:

Something different this time - a racing game similar to Formula De but unique as well. The cars move around spaces on a track that overlap similar to other games. You roll one die to move and use up car resources (tires, fuel, or suspension) based on what space you land in as well as how far you moved. The winner is one who crosses first in 3 laps. You can take a pit stop to replenish resources (at the cost of a turn). One twist is that the game includes a deck of (standard playing) cards. You are dealt 3 at the start of the race, and you can use the number on the face of the card to move rather than rolling the die if you choose. You are limited to how high a card you can play based on your position. Also once per game, you can choose to roll the die multiple times (as long as each die roll is less than the last) and move further. Finally, the game allows plays to bump one another causing chassis damage that could eventually take a player out of the race completely. Gameplay-wise the game is reasonable, with several ways to keep the cars close together (the highest numbered cards can only be played by those trailing, for example.) You also have a balancing act to play between going fast and using up resources to having to stop in the pits. Front Porch Classics makes at least 3 versions of this game with varying production value. There is a 'Discovery Edition' that has plastic cars and cardboard pieces that sells for about $30, there is a 'Bookshelf Edition' with metal cars and a wooden box for $50. These versions of the game include a custom deck of cards that fits the theme. I have the 'Old Century' edition that hearkens back to games from the 50's with magnets for pieces to mark your resources, metal dashboards, solid metal cars, and a nice wooden box. The magents and metal are very nostalgic to me and remind me of playing board games with my grandparents. Unfortunately, they left out the custom deck of cards and instead threw in a set of playing cards. I find this a terrible error in judgement on their part. Maybe this version was done first (it is listed as out of print on FPC's web site) and later versions benefit from custom cards, but having to play the Four of Clubs or King of Diamonds to move breaks the mood. I got this game as a gift, but I was also able to find this version for $75 online - way overpriced for what it is. The game is accessible to 8 year old players and everybody at my house has had a decent time playing it. I just can't help but think that there could be so much more though. I give it 3 out of 5 as a result.