Customer Reviews

Cranium Zigity Tin

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I got the free promotional copy of Zigity when I bought Balloon Lagoon (another great game). The box didn't look very impressive, so I didn't open it right away. What an oversight! Both my 4 1/2 YO son & my 13 YO daughter love it.

Zigity appears to be an educational cross between Uno and Rummy. The first player to fun out of cards wins. You get cards out of your hand by making "Sets" which can be words, numbers that add up to 11, matching instruments or a completed "puzzle". Making words is still a bit challenging for my 4 1/2 YO, but he can overcome that by making sets in other ways. And it didn't take that long for him to figure out how to add to 11.

The deck also contains action cards that allow you to force your opponents to draw cards, reverse the order of play or avoid drawing cards yourself.

The deck is well put together so that none of the cards dominate. The addition of the 3 piece "puzzle" and instrument matching option allow younger children to compete with parents and older siblings.

The only thing I didn't like about this game was the make of the cards. They are clear. Yes that's cool. And they are very durable which is nice. But the cards are slippery which makes them difficult to shuffle and hold on to.

This game still rates 5 stars. It is simple to learn, fun to play and requires both luck and strategy to win.

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.

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.

This is a great card game! My 5 year old and I love to play it. It helps him count, match, and spell. What more can you ask? And it is one of the few games we can play together that is not boring for me. Highly recommended.

In orher words my first copy of the game was very expensive. Now I buy target out every time I am there and have a running journal as to who I have given it to as the perfect gift to add to a birhtday gift for that extra special kid or for a hostess gift but for the kids. So much fun. Let me put it this way, I left to go get take out with my college roomate who was visiting and we stayed for a capucino while waiting for the food. The men were to be in charge of entertaining the kids by playing ziggity. When we got home the kids were playing spys in the bedroom and the two dads were in a massive competitive ziggity game. Here was the surgeon and the Senior VP and they were unable to put it down and would not come to eat until the game over. The kids love it to when they can get to it.

this toy is awsome! i love it! i got it at starbucks it was expensive but worth it. me and my sister play it all the time. it is like uno but wwwwaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better. it is durable because the cards are plastic and water proof. i dont even relize it is educational because of the fun...well besides adding to eleven. well the only thing bad about this because the cards slip sometimes because of the plastic but ove all that its great. even my friends love it!

We purchased the game after seeing it a few times at Starbucks. Our whole famiy loves to play this game. Even our 3 year old thinks it's fun to play (he needs a bit of help). THe game usually goes pretty quick and isn't so involved that you can't carry on a conversation while you play. Great purchase if you love board and card games.

We got a promotional copy of Zigity (without the storage tin) free when we bought another Cranium game for our 4 1/2-year-old. We didn't expect to play it much as it's recommended for ages 8 and up. However, this has become a family favorite, although our daughter needs help to play.

Zigity cards are used to build four different types of sets. Each set card has one symbol in each corner: a letter, a number, a puzzle piece, and a musical instrument. You build a set by combining cards to create a word, add up to 11, complete the puzzle, or group identical instruments. A free card can be used like a wild card to complete any type of set. When you play your set, the picture in the center of the top card determines what kind of set the next player has to build. You can also play an action card, forcing the next player to draw cards, allowing you to skip your turn, or reversing the order of play. The first player to play all his or her cards wins.

The cards are clear, which makes them cool to look at and allows you to easily see all four corners of the cards. This does have two disadvantages, though. The cards are very slippery and occasionally go flying out of your hand when you're holding the desk. (Especially if you're four years old.) Second, it allows you to tell which puzzle piece is on the card on top of the draw pile or see that the card is either an action or free card (altough you can't tell which). The puzzle piece is in a bottom corner, though, so it's easily hidden once the card is in your hand.

Zigity is entertaining for adults, with lots of opportunities for strategy and the ability to use action cards to create sudden changes in momentum. For kids, its fun and educational. While it would probably require a 7- or 8-year-old to fully appreciate this game, even a younger child working on spelling and addition skills can enjoy Zigity with the help of an adult. I highly recommend this game, especially for families stuck in the Old Maid/Go Fish/Crazy Eights rut.

I COULDNT PUT THIS GAME DOWN!! IT WAS SO FUN! everyone loves playing it again and again and again. its really easy to store and to play. i recomend it for people over 8years or older!! its a game that everyone will enjoy and have fun playing! my friends and i played it for hours...its also a good game to play when waiting for food to come in a restraunt! Its easy to put in a small bag and carry around.~I LOVE ZIGITY!! ITS MY NEW FAVORITE GAME!!!!!!!!~

This is a fun game for kids who can add and spell, even just a little. It plays very similarly to Uno, but each turn requires some adding or spelling or puzzle matching. It's a lot of fun, even for the grownups.

We love every Cranium product we've ever purchased. Keep up the good work, Cranium!