My family has a really nice collection of games. Some are classic board games and others are more modern games with a lot of “bells and whistles”.
I like games that can be played with a minimum of two people. Sometimes my kids want to play games but not everyone is able to participate, especially if we are busy doing something else. I hate to tell my kids “Not now, I have something I need to do“, but sometimes I have no choice.
Sometimes only one child wants to play a game and no one else. This is why I appreciate games for the Nintendo DS. At least the kids can play games by themselves if need be.
Its not alway easy to find games that one person can play, other then games online or on the Nintendo. Sometimes we can play Solitare, other times we can play the Peg game. Other then that there are no many more options.
Mariana Games has a really fun game called Crossword Cubes that is fun to play with multiple people, or even on your own. Shhh… don’t tell the kids. Its some what educational too!
Crossword Cubes consists of a cup and 13 dice size cubes, each side having a different letter. A couple of cubes have blank sides on them. These are used for “bonus” letters to help you create a word.
Each player takes turns rolling the cubes from the cup. The challenge is to come up with words using the letters that are facing up after they are tossed on the table. You can only make words similar to what you would find on a crossword puzzle, sometimes referred to as “anagram layout”.
This sounds easy but sometimes you roll cubes that make it next to impossible to come up with more then one word. Other times, if you are lucky, you can create multiple words.
Each cube has a point value in the corner next to each letter. The more letters you use the more points you can score.
The game does come with “official” rules but my family has adapted them to suit our needs. Sometimes we come up with our own winning point amount (100, 200, 300…). Other times we challenge each other to see who can come up with the most amount of words from the same roll, without using the same words the other person used. The beauty of this game is that its super flexible.
I love Crossword Cubes because its a game you can play by yourself too. Many times I find myself sitting at my desk, tossing a few rolls of the cubes, and seeing what words I can come up with. Its actually pretty relaxing.
Another thing I really enjoy about this game is that it helps kids with their spelling as well as challenge them to come up with new words which they can add to their vocabulary. A few times my husband and I have come up with words that our kids were unfamiliar with so we used that as a moment to teach them a new word to add to their vocabulary.
Crossword Cubes is also very portable and compact. All the cubes fit inside of the cup. The cup can be tucked into a backpack, suitcase or duffel bag for on the go fun. This game would be ideal for camping trips, sleepovers and long card rides (providing you have a flat surface in your vehicle).
To learn more about Crossword Cubes, or to check out the other fun games that Mariana Games offers, please visit http://www.MarinaGames.com. I found the game on Amazon.com for $7.99 which is a great prize for this game.
Kimberly
*I received a free sample in order to do this review as part of a campaign with Mariana Games and the Family Review Network. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.
Kayla says
How fun!!