ThinkFun is a toy and board game company known for creating family-friendly puzzles and board games designed to stimulate and educate children's minds. While many children's games can sometimes seem lacking in substance, ThinkFun is dedicated to altering that perception. Today, I'll be reviewing two of their games: Sesame Street Zingo! and Math Path Monster to see how well they deliver on their promise.

Sesame Street Zingo!

Gameplay

Zingo! is more than just Bingo, as its name might suggest. It's a game that teaches concentration, recognition, and can even help kids learn to read through word and picture pairings. It also introduces them to a bit of competition and patience.

Each player receives their own 3x3 double-sided board with a unique set of images. What's neat is that depending on the age group, there's a red and blue side to the board. The red side is more competitive, with more shared pictures between boards, while the blue side is less competitive, offering fewer shared pictures. This setup allows for a challenge for those ready for it, while still being fair to others.

The game begins with a cookie monster-themed tile dispenser placed in the middle. When moved forward, it dispenses two tiles with images on them. If a dispensed image matches one on your board, call it out quickly to claim it; the first person to do so gets it. The game continues until someone fills their board and wins!

The rule book outlines various ways to play: Normal Zingo, where you aim to fill out your board; Small Zingo, where you aim to get three in a row first; Zany Zingo, where you create a predetermined design to win; and Big Zingo, played with multiple boards. These variations keep the game engaging and entertaining for kids.

Feedback

The cookie monster dispenser's design includes slots on top for easy cleanup, but it frequently gets caught while dispensing tiles. Additionally, the lid comes off too easily. This could lead to a frustrated child losing their temper, potentially resulting in either breaking the dispenser or creating a messy situation with scattered tiles that would take time to tidy up.

Verdict

Sesame Street Zingo! is a family-friendly game that at its core has some simple yet effective learning aspects to it. With an easy clean as you go top loader on the dispenser, the game is perfect for kids who have a hard time picking up after themselves too! If you’re looking for a way to introduce a game night to young ones for the first time Sesame Street Zingo! Is the way to do it because it’s a simple game with a cute theme.

Math Path Monster

Gameplay

Math Path Monster is all about quick thinking and math skills. In this game, up to four players race against a Math Monster to reach the cave entrance first. The gameplay involves rolling four dice and using addition or subtraction to match a number on the board, guiding your progress through the cave.

While the mechanics aren't overly complex, they demand quick thinking. Players need to strategize to minimize the monster's movement while maximizing their own progress. This challenges kids to think critically, making judgment calls that benefit everyone. It's not just about moving the farthest but also evaluating if the monster's move is worth it.

Each turn, players roll the dice and allocate two numbers to their hiker and the remaining two to the monster. They decide whether to add or subtract, aiming to reach the farthest number on the board for their hiker while limiting the monster's movement.

What I appreciate about this gameplay style is its blend of simplicity and cooperative play. Players must collaborate to prevent the monster from reaching the entrance first, all while making decisions about risk and reward. It's a fun way to reinforce math skills and strategic thinking in a group setting.

Feedback

While it's expected that a kids' game won't be highly competitive or pose significant threats, the game's lack of consistent challenge arises from the player's control over the monster's movements. Introducing a random movement option for the monster or adding a "hard mode" targeted at older kids could broaden the game's appeal to a wider audience.

Verdict

Math Path Monster offers a clever approach to introducing kids to quick-thinking games with a touch of math problems. The game's mechanic of assigning dice to hikers and the monster presents an opportunity for players to engage in critical thinking, deciding whether to make a smaller movement for a better overall outcome.