Do you remember playing with a Rubik’s Cube when you were younger? I know that many of my readers are around my age so I’m pretty sure that most readers have played with a Rubik’s Cube before, or at the very least know what it is.
Do you remember how hard it was to figure out how to get all the colors on the side side? I know some people were experts at it and could easily figure it out. Others I know actually cheated by peeling off the color stickers (no kidding).
Its nice to see that the Rubik’s Cube is still available and people still enjoy it. In fact we purchased some as stocking stuffers for my kids.
If you liked the Rubik’s Cube then you’ll LOVE Brainstring Advanced.
This game looks really easy. Ha Ha! It’s NOT! No one in my family has yet to get it back to where its suppose to go. Its a lot harder then it looks.
The object of the game is to mix up all the strings by moving them around the sphere, letting them twist, turn and overlap on one another. That is the easy part. The hard part is trying to un-do what you did and make all the strings go straight across the sphere without being twisted or overlapping the other strings.
I know that my daughter “ate her words” after she first tried this game. She said that it was so easy and that she could do it in a matter of minutes. Ha Ha Ha! She has yet to figure out the Brainstring and get the strings back to where they belong.
Our Brainstring has not been set back the right way since day one! We’re close. There are only a few that are still a bit twisted. I’m determined to figure it out. I try and work at it whenever I get a chance.
If you are looking for an inexpensive, portable and challenging game for both young and old then you’ll also want to check out a game called Wurmm (I have also seen it called Apple and Worm).
It looks like an easy game. You simply have to twist and twirl the little yellow worm and make him go in and out of the hole to to end and then get him out of the apple. I’ve managed to get the worm lose from the apple ONCE! Just once! I was so obsessed with figuring this out that I would take it with me. It’s small enough to fit inside a purse. I used to sit at the bus stop playing with this in effort to figure it out. I’m sure once you know the trick then its easy but until you do its so much harder then it looks.
There are some holes that allow you to only move the worm one way and other holes (as you can see) that allow you to turn him side ways a bit. You have to some how get him down to where the “notch” is at the base of the apple in order to get him out. How I figured it out that one time is beyond me.
Possibly the hardest game I’ve ever played it called Icosoku. OMG! This game is SO HARD! But I enjoy the challenge.
Icosoku is a sphere that has numbers printed on yellow pegs all around it that can be removed. There are also white triangle shaped piece that come off, each with dots at each corner (some corners are blank which stands for “zero”).
The object of the game is to put the yellow numbered pegs on the shere then put on the white triangles so that the sides with the dots equal the yellow peg they are next to. For example, if the yellow peg reads “5” then the corners that is touching it must add up to 5. One corner might have a three, another two and then the third one blank (zero). Or you might have a corner with a four, another with a one then the third one blank.
I’m sure I’m not explaining it too well. There is a video on the company’s website that shows you how the game works, http://www.recenttoysusa.com/index.php?id=53. The video is in the top right side of the page. In fact all the games I mentioned here have brief videos. Just visit www.RecentToysUSA.com and look on the left side bar for the toy you are interested in to go to it’s page and see the video.
Currently my pegs and tiles are in a ziploc bag. I’m trying to figure this game out or hope that my kids can figure it out for me.
Shhh… don’t let it be known that Icosuku also has some educational benefits to it. It helps children with identifying and adding numbers.
What I LOVE about these games is that they are not easy. Kids tend to get bored with games quickly if they are easy to figure out. However if you can provide your child with a game that is a bit more challenging then its more likely to hold your child’s attention much longer. Many kids enjoy a challenge just as much as adults do.
To be honest with you I think these games would be great for adults too. I think I play with them more the my kids do. I think my kids tend to give up too easily.
All of these games are very portable and would be great to have on hand for long car trips. I’ve actually used the Apple and Worm while waiting in the doctor’s office.
These games are affordable and will certainly be enjoyed for a long, long time. They are great for people both young and old who like to have fun and enjoy giving their brains a workout.
You can learn more about Recently Toys, the maker of these fine games, at www.RecentToysUSA.com. If you are interested in purchasing any of these games you can do so on the Fat Brain Toys website, www.FatBrainToys.com. On their site Wurmm is called Apple and Worm.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.
Susan says
Good products here. Thanks for the Christmas gift ideas. I like the Wurmm game the best. Looks like it would strengthen your hands too. Really enjoy your blog and newsletter and giveaways. Keep up the great work!