Cranium Zigity Tin
Cranium Zigity Tin
Looking for 10 minutes of fun? Try Cranium Zigity, the quick card game for 2 or more players ages 8 and up that's filled with crazy twists and a fun mix of activities. You'll play sets of cards that add to 11, spell a word, complete the puzzle, or match musical instruments in a race to be the first to get rid of all your cards! Think you're about to win? Watch out! Action cards can change the game in a flash. Fast-paced and full of surprises, Cranium Zigity is a great game to bring on trips -- or enjoy any time you need a quick burst of fun with family and friends. Plus, the cool clear cards come in a colorful, collectible, embossed tin!
Customer Review: Like Uno, only more challenging
Bought Zigity for our 6-yr-old son, a confirmed Uno fan. As other reviewers noted, this card game bears some resemblance to Uno, but that's not all bad. Zigity's advantage comes from more complex set-making than its counterpart.
*PLAY
Each player is dealt seven of the clear plastic cards. Those cards consist of four Action cards, four types of Set cards, and a wild card. Players make sets of cards based on the set type, discarding the matching set (or playing an Action card)in response to the top card turned over from the remaining deck. If they can't make a play, they must draw one card from the deck. Sets are placed face up on the top card of the discard pile and play moves to the next player, who must play off the previous discard. To win, players must get rid of all their cards.
*CARDS
--Action cards:
>Dodge - Allows a player to force his required move onto the next player.
>Bounce - Like Dodge, but also reverses the direction of play.
>Draw 2 or Draw 3 - When played, the player following must pick up that many cards, UNLESS he has another Draw card or one of the other action cards to counter. All Draw cards are cumulative, so if several people play them in a row, someone without an Action card to counter may be drawing a lot of cards.
--Set cards (Must be played in response to the top card on the discard pile. Each Set card contains a letter, number, puzzle piece, and instrument.):
>Creative Cat - Must complete a set of three puzzle piece cards, including the card on top.
>Star Performer - Must match the instrument displayed on the top card. A player can discard as many cards as match.
>Word Worm - Must create a word using the top card and any usable letters from other set cards in hand. No limit on word length.
>Data Head - Must create a set of numbers adding to eleven from the top card and any usable held cards.
>Free - A wild card that can help build a set.
*REVIEW
Pros:
We've played this game with all ages. It's been universally liked, even by folks who find Uno too familiar. Eight is the suggested age limit, but younger children can play if they get help with the words and addition. (I bought this game with the idea that my son will build his spelling skills, and it's helped.)
The clear plastic cards are unusual and have a "gee whiz" factor. They shuffle more easily than regular playing cards, plus they resist creasing and grime better. High durability makes this game a good value. Comes in a nice metal storage box, too--a real plus.
Anyone can win in Zigity, no matter his or her skill level. While the sheer number of possibilities for playing a set of cards makes it difficult to plan out discards, it's still possible to mount a strategy for stymieing other players while dumping the largest sets available.
Because of the nature of play, this game can easily be played with an open hand (with younger kids), yet still be fun.
Cons:
The cards are quite slick and sometimes slide around on the discard pile, making it tough to keep them in line. This lessens with time, from what we've found.
Though some strategy exists, the game play forces a lot of thinking-on-the-fly that may have some players whining that winning is nothing more than luck.
Younger children will be drawn to the bright colors and cartoon characters on the cards, but the word and addition set-making may be too much for those under the recommended playing age of eight (though that's not Cranium's fault).
*OVERALL
A fun, new card game that's durable and challenging for all ages. Even teens enjoy playing. In fact, we've found them to be the most enthusiastic about the game.
Enough strategy exists that the winner isn't simply the luck of the draw. The requirements for set-making keep players' heads in the game, especially when forming word sets. The ability to compound "pain" by adding, dodging, and reversing the Draw cards gets people laughing (or crying), too.
All in all, a winner. And a good value, too.
Customer Review: Multiple Cranium Game Reviews:
We have several Cranium games at our house, and have played various
ones at various times, depending on the age and interest of our kids
(currently ages 12, 9, and 6). This is a review of the ones we have used.
So, in no particular order:
Ziggity - Ziggity is a card game - think Uno with the added twist that, like other games, different parts of the brain are used. The cards have a number, a puzzle piece, a letter, and a shape, one in each corner. On each turn, the player is required to match shapes, add numbers, complete a puzzle or spell words in order to play the cards. There are also draw cards, skip cards, and wild cards. This is a fun game for kids old enough to spell and add, as well as for the rest of the family. The games are very quick, unlike the cranium board games. We will sometimes get in a quick few hands before bedtime when we want o play a family game but don't have much time. Finally, the plastic cards are very colorful and durable, a big plus when you have young `uns wanting to learn to shuffle.
Hullabloo - great, silly fun and very kinetic. It works best when a parent is willing to get down on the floor and be silly with their kids. It holds their interest for a relatively short time (10-20 minutes), but it does burn up the energy and generate the laughs.
Cadoo - a fun, quick board game that taps into different part of you brain - memory, analytical, creative, expressive, etc. - but keeps things fun and fast-paced. We found it more approachable for our younger kids than Cranium
Cranium - like Cadoo, it mixes in many different ways to use your brain, this time in a longer board game format. This one is a bit tougher on younger players. Also, both games do a fair job of letting younger players be competitive, but they are still games that can be a challenge to keep fair and interesting to all players if the age range between them is too great.
Bumparena - In this one, players take turns adding bumpers and rubber balls to a sloped game board, base on easy-to-understand game cards (all pictures, no reading). When the balls are released, the bumpers divert the balls to one of three player goals. Collect 6 balls and win. This game sets up and moves quickly, you could probably complete one game within 15 minutes of opening the game box. It is simple to learn, and it probably could be played by most 6 year olds with minimal adult help. While the concept is easy to grasp, there is some strategy involved, as well as some appreciation of physics (angles, rebound, gravity, chance). This is another good game for getting young and old siblings to the same
table.
Cranium Family Fun Game - Teamwork is probably the best aspect of the Family Fun Game, and it's seems like such a novel idea that you are left wondering why more board games don't use this approach. Unless you have twins, then having multiple kids in your family means wide variations in ability. That is okay for games of chance, but for games that require dexterity or creativity, it's very hard to find a game that kids who are 13, 10, and 7 can enjoy together. This game solves the problem by dividing into two teams. Teams then alternate between completing certain tasks. Examples include "find three items that start the letter S", answer a true/false question, or "build a tower with blocks and then knock it over using the frogs" (they hop like tidily winks). Like other Cranium games, the tasks use your whole brain. Also, the team concept lets at least half of the players come away winners and teaches cooperation, both rare in board games. Another winner from Cranium.
Overall - great family games that stimulate parts of the brain often
neglected by board games, yet keep it so fun that kids won't even
realize that they are educational.
