Alien Hotshots

by Gamewright

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5 x 6 x 1 inches ; 11.2 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• ASIN: B00000GBQK
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,986 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

In the game War, players compare cards, and the highest number wins and takes the other cards. Alien Hotshots picks up where War leaves off. In the year 4560, an interstellar war breaks out between the Evens and the Odds. Each side, strategizing, ups the ante, creating exotic secret weapons such as the Odd Eater and the Space Germ. Plustoids and Minusaurs orbit the planets, ready to help their favorite side. The 55 standard-size cards are illustrated with such space creatures as Cephaloid Surfers, Zygodactylous Terrain Walkers, and the disgustingly slimy, inedible Plasmoid Pods, each with an odd or even number value or a power-card symbol. This space-age complexity adds fresh interest to the classic game while teaching strategy, exploring the concepts of odd and even, and inspiring young players to ponder what's really out there beyond Earth. --Emilie Coulter

Product Description

Alien Hotshots plays with the ideas of space travel. Is there life beyond Earth? What would it be like to fly near a black hole? The game play is a fun introduction to the ideas of odd and even, and the strategic importance of deterrence. We hope that kids will be inspired to visit their local library or planetarium to learn more about space.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Family Game, November 29, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Alien Hotshots (Toy)

This is a great game based on the classic card game War. The designers added an odd-even element to the game which makes it more interesting to play and encourages more mathematical thinking (in a fun way). I've played with my eight-year-old and five-year-old and we all enjoyed it. The pictures on the cards are enjoyably ugly.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Card Game!, January 21, 2001

By 

M. Ragen "searagen" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Alien Hotshots (Toy)

This was an eye-opener of a card game for our boys. It was highly recommended to us and we have not been disappointed. It has saved us through many restaurant dinners when the boys needed something to keep them busy and relatively quiet!

The play is similar to the familiar card game of 'War' which I learned with a regular deck of cards when I was growing up. The great part of this game is that certain cards have special values. The even-eaters will always beat any even card and the odd-eaters can take any odd card -- as long as it is one of the cards without the immunities. There are, however, some other cards that offer immunities to those attacks which results in an extra degree of randomness. Moreover, there are 'plus' cards which can be held separately from your other cards; these can be used strategically to defeat other cards. This element of strategy is what gives this game some educational value as the players have to be careful for when they use those special cards. The Black Hole card is also a key differentiator. When it comes up, it takes cards out of play which helps to ensure that this game can actually come to an end.

Alien Hotshots is a nifty game. We highly recommend it for kids as a lively alternative to other card games.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alien Hotshots Hot!, July 21, 2002

By 

jeff bullard (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Alien Hotshots (Toy)

Whenever a child has a chance to learn basic, lifelong skills and have a blast doing it, that's a chance not to be missed. Alien Hotshots not only teaches children about numbers, this card game teaches the relationship numbers have with each other and the multiple ways numbers can interact with each other. The fear of numbers and, by extension, the fear of math that some children have will be greatly relieved by this game. The game is very easy to learn and never grows stale. Being a card game, cards can get misplaced. Children will want to carry certain cards around with them. The artwork on each card is eye-catching and interesting to look at over and over again. When my daughter wrote to Gamewright saying what a great game this was, the owners sent back an appreciative, personally-written response. An endearing game from an endearing company.