Fictional Reality Magazine
Clay Richmond
December 2006
USA

MixUp is a game for 2 players that takes the familiar concept of a Connect 4 kind of game and adds a couple of extra elements for game play. The box contains a small 4-page rule book, a plastic game board that doubles as a carrying case for the tiles and 54 games tiles. Each game tile bears one of three designs (crescent moon, teardrop or lightning bolt) in one of three colors (blue, green or red). The tiles are made of plastic and feel like they will hold up very well even with lots of use.

Each player will be trying to connect four tiles either in a 2x2 square or by a row of 4 straight tiles in any direction. One player will be trying to do this with just colors an the other will be trying to do it with just shapes, but to win you have to do it with all the same colors or all the same shapes. So, depending on how the turns evolve you might start out trying to win with green (if your playing "colors") and decide to switch to red halfway through the game because your opponent gives you an opening that you can exploit while they were trying to build a connection of teardrops. The game board is made of plastic and contains slots that you'll drop your tiles into as you try to build your block or line.

The age range (8+) is low enough that it can serve as a very good starting game for your (or my) kids and is one that they can play together while the grownups are playing something else. I'd say that it may not have a lot of long-term appeal for your more hardcore gamers but it's one that you can easily play with your spouse who doesn't like your games with all of those strange rule and fiddly bits.

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