(* I was gifted 2 games by Hasbro to review, but this is my blog, my words, my opinion…my terribly lame jokes.)
I loved Connect Four growing up.
I am pretty certain now as an adult, that as the youngest in my family, I may have actually been allowed to win on most occasions. However, at the time, I believed I was a bit of a genius and that possibly I could grow up to be a professional Connect Four player. Funny how life turns out, but surprisingly that didn’t quite happen. Now I am a mum myself, and I am constantly torn between the incredible future that technology will have in the lives of my kids, whilst craving the ‘simple’ life. Do you remember? The nights when the power went out and you were left with an open fire, candles and the pressures of Monopoly? Or those rainy Sunday afternoons desperately praying for the pink question in Trivial Pursuit? Simple, clever fun. I miss that.
So when Hasbro offered to send me a couple of games for my kids to try out, I whipped my technology out to reply with a resounding, “Yes, please!”
The first is TOILET TROUBLE (ages 4+).
Winning from the outset. My kids are aged 5 and 3, so anything with toilet in the title is clearly comic genius and the poo and wee jokes were flying way too freely out their beaming little faces. But it was simple, ‘clean’ fun. They shrieked, they laughed, they argued (of course) and I sat on the ground with them and played. The concept is basic. A mini model toilet that you have poured a small amount of water in. Each player spins the toilet roll to decide the amount of flushes they get. Expect the unexpected; suddenly a fine spray of water will shoot out at random intervals. If you get sprayed, you are out. But we just flushed away taking turns. No one actually went out. After a bit, I was able to actually get up and sort dinner whilst they continued on. Another display was demanded once Daddy got home from work, and he was even treated to another round before breakfast the next day. Lucky Daddy! My son is even now nagging me to ask his friends for a play date to see our flushing toilet; not quite sure how to word that invitation!
The second game is FANTASTIC GYMNASTICS (ages 8+)
Now this game is a bit too advanced for my kids (and possibly me), but I have certainly been gnashing my teeth to win this struggle. As yet, I have been unable to land my gymnast. Basically, you have a gymnast on the bars and you need to hit a button to get his swing in motion…ultimately he will spin around and you slam the red button to get him a 10/10 performance as he is released and sticks to the provided mat. It is rated hard on the “difficulty metre”…and trust me; it is, but the little bugger has got me in. I will not let him defeat me. Sadly, I am thinking this may be our entertainment this Friday night once the kids are in bed and the wine is in hand. But you know what? We will be laughing and chatting and not stuck on either ends of the couch with our phones. I am absolutely sure that this is a game that my gymnastic crazy niece would go mad for! Do stay tuned to my Mummy Muckups Instagram or Facebook, because dammit; the minute this guy flies, I will try to get it on video for you. (I know; you are absolutely ‘riveted’ now, aren’t you…but I know if this little sucker was sitting on your table like it is mine, you would completely understand my mission).
And so ladies and gentleman, on that note, it is time for me to roll up my sleeves and keep plugging away at this game, all in the name of ‘work’. I cannot produce it for my kids until I have nailed it.
Thanks Hasbro for the laughs, and the chance to ‘play’ and giggle with the kids.
But know this: I will NEVER let them win at Connect Four.
There can only ever be one champion.
Just saying.
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