Customer Reviews

Cranium Family Edition

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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:

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, but 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.

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.

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.

Cranium The Family Fun Game is an engaging, interactive family game and unlike many board games works well for for families with kids who have a significant age range. Because many of the challenges on the cards are just as hard for an adult as a child (drawing with your eyes closed, using flipper frogs to knock down stacks of Cranium cubes) the playing field is more level than in some games. Also, because you work in teams, it is easy to pair kids and parents up to help each other.
The board and all the playing pieces are fun and colorful.
Another family friendly feature is that the game runs between 30 minutes and an hour so is a good choice if you have limited time.

Our kids really love this game! They are 9 and 11 with completely opposite personalities and strengths, yet both like it. It has things that are challenging and fun for the parents too. There is such a great mixture of wackiness (jumping frogs) and teamwork activities that it really keeps everyone involved. The other nice thing is the kids haven't tired of it and it stays fresh and fun time after time.

This game is SO MUCH FUN! It's *so* hard to get everyone together for a truly interactive experiece... From the moment we started playing, me, my husband and the kids (ages 8, 11, 16) were working together on fun puzzles, laughing with each other, and high-fiving. The variety in the game gave each of our kids the chance to help their team with their special skill... Julie loves to sing and act, Jim Jr. is a whiz with word puzzles, and my husband Dan is an ace with drawing... Even our youngest showed her stuff when it came time to flip the frogs... Too bad you can't go to the Olympics for that!

This game is AMAZING... A must have for any family looking for ways to pull the gang out of the TV for some real human interaction.

Hi,

just wanted to let everyone know that this game is the same game as the game formerly named "Cranium Family Fun", except the older version included "fun flipper frogs" and this newer edition (the Cranium Family Edition) does not. On this game's box, it even says "formerly named Cranium Family Fun Game". Just wanted to clear that up!

It is so much fun!! When we play we usually laugh so hard we cry. My daughter is seven but was six when we started playing it, so sometimes, if she doesn't understand something on a card, we improvise. My son is 10 and never gets tired of playing. Also, the box has a neat compartment for everything which makes clean up a breeze and keeps the game looking brand new. Other game manufacturers could learn a lesson from this game box!

I recently played this game with my family of four and once was not enough. The kids asked for more and the adults didn't mind complying! We had many laugh out loud moments as we attempted to complete each challenge.

While this is definitely a great game for families it would also be an *excellent* addition to meetings for team building programs such as Destination Imagination or Odyssey of the Mind. As a team leader, I know that this game is one that my teams would enjoy while improving their cooperation skills.

Kris Bordessa, author
Team Challenges: Group Activities to Build Cooperation, Communication and Creativity

I bought this game on a whim because I've played Cranium with adults and thought it was great fun. Not only was this a fantastic way for me to have fun with my daughters, husband, and son, but contrary to what another reviewer suggested, this game was *completely* different from adult Cranium- except for the fact that this game is also incredibly fun. We had so much fun playing after dinner the other night that I looked up to discover that we had overshot bedtime by an hour and a half!

This game has a variety of activities you have to complete- a few familiar, but mostly totally new things to do. For example, you do hilarious stunts that make it possible for younger kids to have fun and make their contribution to the game in more than just a patronizing gesture. My team couldn't have won the game had my youngest daughter not been such a whiz at flipping those frogs. The kids also loved to watch my husband and I doing silly things like try to stack the cubes up with our elbows. I haven't laughed so hard with the kids all year! There are all new word games you play with letter dice and fun trivia. There's a great variety in the game- like Cranium- but the cards are totally different... I love that during the game each of my kids got their opportunity to contribute through an activity that they were particularly good at. I can't think of a time when $20 has brough more fun and entertainment to my family. I can't wait to give this to my sisters for Christmas so they can have as much fun with their families.

What a party! We are always looking to do something different when we have friends over and now that most of our friends have kids we find it extra challenging to come up with things we can all do together. We found it with Cranium The Family Fun Game! We started the evening with make your own pizzas which got the kids engaged from the start... and then we brought out the secret weapon! Everyone loved the jumping frogs, clay modeling and the crab walk! For the FIRST TIME EVER the kids were begging the parents to stay longer and "play one more time!"

So far it's not been as fun for me using it as directions state. I got it to keep here at the house for when my only Granddaughter visits. We have never gotten to play since it requires four people. However, it's still fun getting out the cards and making up our own rules. It lost a star because the decription didn't mention the number of players required.