Seattle Times
Stephanie Dunnewind
December 2005
USA

These family games will challenge and provide fun for parents, grandparents and kids

One of the great joys in parenting comes when kids move beyond Candy Land and progress to games that require parents to exercise brain cells. The ultimate test of a family game is how well it appeals to a wide range of ages, and finding the tricky blend of skill (to keep parents and older kids interested) and chance (so adults don't always beat the less-experienced-and-knowledgeable).

Other requirements: fast play, no long waits between turns and easy directions.

I played several family games released this year with a preschooler, sixth-grader, parents, grandparents and even a great-grandparent to see which would fare well for holiday gifts and seasonal gatherings.

"Squint Junior"
Out of the Box Publishing, $16.99
Spatial game, age 8 and up, three to eight players (www.otb-games.com)

For our family, success in this game had less to do with age and more to do with spatial ability.

Players take turns drawing cards that give a word (such as a sword or star) and a suggested pattern to show it.

Overlapping transparent cards with simple designs (straight and curved lines, circles, squiggles), one player creates the image while the others guess what it is. The designer and correct guesser both get a token. Younger children might have a hard time positioning the cards, though they can guess others' designs.

Unlike a drawing, which can be moved or picked up for display, it's harder for players around a table to see the card creations.

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