Customer Reviews

Mastermind

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

"Mastermind" is a great game for those who like to use their deductive reasoning.I have the older version and it has lasted for years. It can be played by children(starting around the pre-teen age)and adults together and it's also great for just the kids or just the grownups to play on their own.

The game consists of multi-colored pegs and a board.One person arranges several pegs(which are hidden from view) in any number of color schemes. The other player has several chances to guess the pattern by arranging the pegs in different orders until he guesses the correct scheme or runs out of chances. The first player indicates how many correct colors are displayed. Using the process of elimination is the key to winning!

It's a great game to take along when traveling or visiting (much easier to pack up then a computer and video games!). The pieces are very small so I would reccommend keeping it out of reach of toddlers.

It will really make you think!(I like to see my kids thinking, it's such a rare treat!)...Have Fun...Laurie

I've had the original Mastermind for about 30 years, and it's a great way to hone logic skills. My 5-year-old recently got Mastermind for Kids as a gift, and I was disappointed. I guess it's "cute" to make the game look like a bowl of Lucky Charms or something, but in the kids' version there are NO PEGS - the pieces get scattered everywhere, ruining the game, with one false move. Tedious and very frustrating, especially for little ones. The kids' version is a bit simpler as it allows for only three combinations, not four like the original; BUT you can just as easily decide to do the same with the original version anyway. GET THE ORIGINAL, IT's GREAT!

Mastermind is a classic game, and I still play the occasional game even after having owned it for 15+ years. The premise and rules are simple, so it is easy to learn how to play. But that simplicity works against it in the long run- most of the time, I slip into the same optimum strategy and inevitably break the code. Since the game lends itself to this mechanical play, I can't give it more than 3 stars for fun. Before you find the strategy that works best, though (or, if you don't mind applying the same strategy over and over again) the game is great fun.

Common durability problems among the several sets that I've owned include lost color pegs and broken password covers- of course, improvising solutions to these can add to the fun factor ;-/

The toy is excellent educationally. The game stands out for encouraging the codebreaker to apply rigorous thought to potential solutions. I remember busting my brain over this game as a kid. The mix of logic and creativity necessary to come up with satisfactory solutions make it a great game for budding minds.

that is the sales pitch barely legible still on the well-worn box that my copy of mastermind came in. i honestly cannot remember when i first learned to play this intriguing game, only that i am very grateful for the amazing woman who gave it to me. i still have the original box, becuase i plan on one day passing down this game to my children & their children. this wonderful toy is simple in design yet fosters critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and creativity without inherintly emphasizing competitiveness. i grew up playing it with my dad & it was something that inspired me to excell; we enjoyed one another's accomplishments (either one coming up with an "unbreakable" code, or the other being able to solve it) and didn't feel that one could only win at the expense of the other.

also, i recently saw a version made out of wood; so perhaps a few adjustments to the design could increase the durability factor (though my little plastic version has lasted 15+ years! & i simply put the pegs in zipper bags to keep them from getting lost)

~enjoy~

This game is the best logic IQ indicator I've ever encountered and, considering it is a hobby of mine, I have encountered a good deal. It is art in simplicity. Not so ''durable'' because of the very very small parts. Almost everyone I know loves this game.

We recently started playing this game and my 5 year old loves it. It is a simple game and one through which one can learn a lot. We played with an older set until recently when we bought the new design (featured on this page). I have several complaints about this new and improved design: It has a storage compartment, but it is not so well designed. With only half of the pieces in the storage compartment, its lid takes a while to close. The key pegs fit too tightly into the holes and the pegs are harder to put in and take out than the older (and more simple and plain) set. But, this set does come with over 100 pegs, which is very convenient.

Despite my complaints, this game is worth getting for what one gets out of it: it is not just fun--it is an intelligent game of logic and deductive reasoning.

This game has such a wide range of age appropriateness. I started playing it against my parents when I was in my early teens, and we loved it. My younger sister, probably seven or so, was jealous of how much we loved the game and taught herself the rules through observation. Soon she was able to beat the rest of us at our own game! If someone is interested in the kind of logic and systematic deductive approach required to play Mastermind, it can be enjoying by someone of any age.

I would recommend this game for people who have grown out of simpler games such as Connect Four.

This is a great game for grandparents to play with younger people, because the older person doesn't have to "dumb down" their technique to play a kids game. It exercises your brain without having any overt educational tone. Everyone can benefit from some good Mastermind strategy practice!

Like many other reviewers, I grew up on this game. The logic skills that this game teaches are invaluable. I would even dare say that I feel like I owe some of the skills I employ daily in school to the stratagies this game requires.

I worked at a toy store for a while. Everyone who asked me to suggest an eduactional game was taken directly to this classic.

My only gripe with this new version is the peg compartment. It is completely useless, and I am inclined (as other reviewers) to suggest keeping the pegs in one or two ziplock bags. The compartment is too small to close with all the pegs inside. And the seperator doesn't hold up to its purpose, the small and large pegs inevidably get mixed up. But, it is nice to have all the pegs available when playing. Just don't count on the compartment to keep the pegs from ending up all over the inside of the box everytime you dig the game out of the closet.

I find this game fascinating! With it's simple concept and easy - to - learn rules, anyone can learn to play in minutes; however, the game is not that simple to win! Players of different skills can compete, and have a great time doing so. I would not reccomend it for households with small children or pets, though, because the small pieces tend to end up on the floor.

I've been playing the Mastermind game as a kid and I liked it a lot. I was excited to offer the same to my children. However, this particular edition turned out to be very poorly made. The plastic is ugly and cheap - doesn't even have consistent color throughout the board. Some of the small pegs are too thick to put them into the holes, some other are loose, most are too hard to pull out for my kids. Colors of the big pegs are dull and are hard to distinguish from one another in ambient light.

Returned to store.