Family Game Night Favorites: Blue Orange Games

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What if I told you there are table-top games out there that a three-year-old, 10-year-old, or adult can play together, and everyone will have fun? I know you’re not likely to believe me, but it’s true. A few years ago, I randomly nabbed a few Blue Orange Games on a flash sale, and we LOVE them. They were worth every penny, and I’ve happily paid full price for them several times since to give as gifts. I’m not ashamed to admit that Gobblet Gobblers and Chicky Boom are often played by adults only in our house, too!

Family Game Night Favorites: Blue Orange Games

There are so many things to love about Blue Orange Games and the company itself; I don’t know where to begin! Their games have won just about every award, recognition, and designation under the sun, including Parents Magazine Best Toy, The Outstanding Product award by Learning Express, and recognition by Green Parents. The products are made well, from the boxes to the game itself. The company is committed to creating high-quality, lasting products, games that are both fun and educational and are environmentally responsible. For every tree used to manufacture a Blue Orange Game, they plant TWO.

This fall, blue orange announced a partnership with Disney to create a licensed line of games incorporating beloved Disney characters into tried-and-true blue orange Spot It!  and TellTale games. Dusty Crophopper, Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Buzz, Woody, Jake, and Sofia are just a few familiar Disney faces featured in the new games. Given my other Blue Orange Games experience, I was very excited to play our Planes Spot It! Alphabet game when it arrived. First of all, before I even took it out of the package, my first thought was, “yes! this will be perfect for tossing in my purse when we go out to dinner.” The card game is in a tin that will fit in the palm of my hand and easily into any backpack or diaper bag. Notice I said tin, not box. The packaging is meant to last. I won’t be moving the game into a Ziploc bag in a few months because its box fell apart, and that makes me a happy mom. Packed into this light, sturdy little tin is 55 game cards and instructions for three game variations and play options. Games are for players age three and up (although the right 2-year-old would like the game, in my opinion) and two to eight players—Games last about 15 minutes.

My kids have loved playing Planes Spot it! so much that I ordered the Frozen Spot it! already. Perfect for playing around the coffee table at home for game night, as a busy game, while traveling or out to eat, these games are sure to become a favorite in our house and a gift we will share with others. Spot it! is a matching game where you are finding the one and only one match on the cards. Melissa tells you all about the gameplay in last year’s review.

I {Melissa} also received a new game from Blue Orange Games that is perfect for families. I have stated in previous reviews my love for family game nights and how much we enjoy Blue Orange Games.  Like Holly’s family, we have several of their games, and they have never failed to entertain and delight.  After I played with some of their newer games at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair this past November, they sent me my own copy of Doodle Quest to play with my kids.

My kids love puzzles, especially mazes, and lately, the little one has become obsessed with dry erase markers, so this game was a hit from the get-go. Doodle Quest is a 4-player game, which is tough when we have five-game players. Technically, the 3-year-old doesn’t totally understand it (recommended age is six and up); we worked it out by doing teams.

Each player has a board and a transparent plastic sheet. Different puzzles, some are mazes, some are drawings, are placed in the center, and you have to try to draw your answer on your blank sheet without putting it on top of the puzzle. Basically, you have to do a maze while looking at the maze without drawing on the maze. It’s great fun, and there are multiple levels and lots of puzzles. Gameplay can last anywhere from 10-20 minutes as each round is only six puzzles.  We have had so much fun playing it, and after a few times watching, even the three years old is catching on, although (as you can see from the picture above) she likes to embellish her drawings a lot. My big kids (7 and 9) can play this together, and since the puzzles challenge different skill sets, they both get to win at different times.

Games make great last-minute family gifts! Blue orange games can be purchased through online retailers and local toy stores (seen at Learning Express Toys in Lake Zurich).

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By: Holly G.
Antioch

Holly keeps busy with freelance writing, as well as many volunteer ventures including PTO, dog rescue, and Lakes Region Historical Society. She is quick to pitch in for a good cause. She is an aspiring vegan, Jazzercise addict, runner, coffee junkie, and enjoys cooking.

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