Page 9 – Toy Street

Top 5 Dobble Editions

What Is Dobble?

Dobble is an award-winning card game of speedy observation! Each game entails 55 unique cards with eight different symbols on it. And between any two cards, there is always only one symbol in common… It’s up to the players to spot the match!

To test your reflexes, there are five different mini-games but all of them rely on one thing: be the first to find the matching symbols! These five include including The Well, The Towering Inferno, Hot Potato, Catch Them All and The Poisoned Gift.

Dobble is perfect for playing with friends and family. Anyone can learn and players of any age can win! What’s more, the deck comes in a handy tin which is protective and makes the game perfect for travel.

Players must have a keen eye and lightning reactions in order to be the first to spot the matching symbol. The match can be difficult to spot as the size and positioning of the symbols will be different each time. Found a match? Shout it out before the other players and either take the card or place it somewhere else, depending on which of the five mini-games they are playing.

Players: 2-8 players.

Age: 6+

How to play: Dobble Card Game.

Top 5 Dobble Editions

Dobble Classic

The Classic edition has to be our first favourite because this edition where it all began. In this edition, the circular cards feature an assortment of colourful images including insects, flowers, symbols, and smiley faces.

Dobble Disney Princess

Perfect for the little ones who adore Cinderella, Snow White and all of the wonderful Disney Princesses. Find out who has the fastest reflexes with a host of beloved Disney princesses! Look out for your favourite royal ladies, while winning the next round!

Dobble Beach

Next, we have the perfect addition to a family holiday! Dobble Beach comes with fully waterproof cards and a lightweight travel bag meaning that you can take the fun with you anywhere. We love that this edition is so durable and waterproof. Play by the beach, abroad, on an outside adventure… It is great for all occasions!

Dobble Animals

This edition is perfect for animal lovers at home. Hop on an Asmodee safari with a game of fast reactions and observation. With 8 different animals to match, what are you looking for? Two bears or two seals? “OWL!”

Dobble 123

This edition is unique, as it is suitable for players aged 3 years and above and is best played with 1-5 people. In addition, Each card in Dobble 1, 2, 3 features six different symbols rather than eight. Our final favourite is great as it helps children to learn numbers, shapes and colours. With different ways of playing, the children will never get bored!

Shop for Dobble now!

Editors note: This post was originally published on 23rd January 2023 Updated on 2nd May 2024 to improve the information available.

Top 10 Card Games

We’ve all had to suffer that really long train journey or rainy day stuck inside, but what better way to pass the time playing a card game together? Of course, we’re talking more than a simple game of snap, at Toy Street we have the UK’s best collection of card games all at very competitive prices! Our games range from quick-to-learn, quick-to-play party favourites to immersive tactical battles!

Now let’s take a look at Toy Street’s Top 10 Card Games!

Uno (2013 Refresh)

A family classic! Get rid of your cards by matching the colour or number, when you only have one card left be sure to shout…. UNO!! Despite it’s age (it was first created in 1971!) it just doesn’t get old! Be careful though, playing the draw four cards on to your opponent has been known to create the odd family dispute! Of course, if you’re tired of Uno you could try “WHOT!” a similar matching card game but with various themes including Frozen and Star Wars!

Ages: 7+.

Players: 2+

Playing time: 10 minutes.

Bang! The Card Game

“The Outlaws hunt the Sheriff. The Sheriff hunts the Outlaws. The Renegade plots secretly, ready to take one side or the other. Bullets fly. Who among the gunmen is a Deputy, ready to sacrifice himself for the Sheriff? And who is a merciless Outlaw, willing to kill him? If you want to find out, just draw (your cards)!”

It’s a classic Wild West shoot-em-up in card game form! Each player is assigned a role with a special ability and their own secret objective! As the player you have to try and achieve your objective before the others achieve theirs, but be quick otherwise you may find that you come to a grizzly end!

Ages: 8+.

Players: 4-7.

Playing time: 20 – 40 minutes.

Fluxx 5.0

For those who like their games to be a little more chaotic! It starts simple: Draw one card, Play one card… easy right? But then suddenly it can all change when a new card is played and your new objective is Bread and Chocolate!

Ages: 8+.

Players: 2-5.

Playing time: 5-30 minutes.

6 Nimmt!

In 6 Nimmt!, you want to score as few points as possible. Each player is dealt with 10 cards and simultaneously players place their chosen cards on an ascending ordered row of cards. When the sixth card is placed, the owner of that card then picks up the other five. This is a quick, fun, fast-paced game for both young and old. Perfect for family parties and all kinds of fun occasions

Ages: 8+.

Players: 2-10.

Playing time: 45 minutes.

Fungi

Fungi is a beautifully illustrated strategy card game. Who will be the tactically better gourmet in this game for two? In the game, you try to collect the most delicious mushrooms and roast them, earning you flavour points. To win, you must have collected the most flavour points!

Ages: 10+.

Players: 2.

Playing time: 30 minutes.

Hanabi

Hanabi is named after the Japanese word for ‘fireworks’. This is a cooperative game, where the players aim to create the perfect fireworks show. With a twist… in this game, you must hold your cards so only other players can see your cards. To help one another, you can give hints but you must not make any errors! Or you may run out of cards before our display is ready.

Ages: N/A

Players: 2-5.

Playing time: 20-30 minutes.

Loonacy

Next in our top 10 is the maniacal matching card game! Coming from the creators of Fluxx, it is obvious it will be an awesome card game! This pick is a rapid fire game where players race to be the first to empty their hands by one of two images to the card in front of them.

Ages: 8+.

Players: 2-5.

Playing time: 5-10 minutes.

Cards Adjust Humidity V2

Vampire Squid Cards dug deep into their therapist’s notes and angsty, forgotten Live Journal blogs to bring you another 112 inappropriately-worded cards that-were you to play them in public-would probably get you put on a list of some kind.

Age: 18+.

Players: 2.

Playing time: 30-90 minutes.

Pandemic: Contagion

In Pandemic: Contagion, you are competing against other diseases (fellow players) to see who can eliminate humanity. With no cure to be had, whoever wipes out all human civilisation will come out the winner.

Ages: 14+.

Players: 2-5.

Playing time: 30 minutes.

One Night Ultimate Werewolf

Our final pick is One Night Ultimate Werewolf. This is a fast game, in which everyone is assigned a role. From one of the werewolves to a trouble maker or one of the other 12 characters. Each player has a special ability. But, will the lynching one werewolf win?

Ages: 8+.

Players: 3-10.

Playing time: 10 minutes.

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Top 5 Gifts For A 1 Year Old

Gifts for a 1-year-old… what is going through your head? A book, which they maybe already have… maybe a box of chocolates, no they’re going to be eaten by the parents of course.

The time has flown by, and that little one you know has already turned a year old! But what do you buy a child that is still learning how to speak, walk and walk? It is always a difficult question when you don’t know what to buy a full-grown adult, or better yet, a still-developing baby! It’s perfectly fine to feel a little less clued up on what to buy for a 1-year-old, which is why we are here to help, by compiling a list of our Top 5 Gifts To Buy A 1-Year-Old.

A Mystery Box

Here at Toystreet, we have a selection of Mystery Boxes specifically for boys and girls aged 1. However don’t get me wrong, we also have a page where you can specify age and gender to buy a Mystery Box for all children aged up to 11.

You have the choice to choose from the Green Box, which is the cheaper option, or the Orange Box, which is the slightly more expensive option but a better value for money! There is also a Family box you can purchase if you were looking for something a little more selective for the whole family.

This is the perfect gift choice if you are completely unsure as to what to buy and know you will struggle to make a decision – we make it for you! It also leaves the element of surprise there for you as well when you open up the box for the first time (if that’s what you decide to do).

100 Piece Wood Blocks Set

Next up we have a wooden block building set. Buying a gift like this for a 1-year-old will help aid their development, as well as help them to increase their knowledge of shapes! They are given a wide variety of shapes and colours to give them the opportunity to build whatever they like.

Something like this, I believe is quite a staple piece in any growing child’s early years as there are the elements of maths within building towers (and masterpieces) as well while also being a fun, time-killing activity.

Baby Einstein Magic Touch Deluxe Piano

How cool does this mini piano look?! Not only is this ideal for babies who come from a very music-orientated family, but it’s just as perfect for those whose parents only sing when they’re in the shower or trying (but sometimes failing) to get the little ones to sleep.

The little wooden piano is made with 11 colourful keys which, when tapped – literally just touching the wood, play real piano sounds. There are also 5 music sheets that are double-sided and play 10 melodies which is a great introduction to the world of music for little ones. This piano also gives babies a chance to express themselves and create their own pieces of music! Now if this isn’t one of the most perfect gifts for a 1-year-old, I don’t know what is!

The two-volume settings mean that the neighbours can’t get annoyed and will never know if Fur Elise was being played on volume 1 or 2 because of the quick and easy switcher button!

Skip Hop ZOO 3-in-1 Ride-On Toy Fox

Do you want to know something cool about this? There is also a Dog and a Unicorn version available to buy! Have I caught your attention yet? Yes, yes. I know you want one for yourself but here we are speaking about gifts for a 1-year-old, not you! Well, I have another component that will truly grab your attention! So, you’re buying this for a 1-year-old, but this will last them until around the age of 4/5 as it has the ability to extend and grow with them as they grow! Speak about value for money!

Not only is it extremely adorable, but it is very aesthetically appealing and small enough to be able to put it out of the way when not in use. It is sturdy, also a key component for when children like to run into walls, and stable enough to aid them when walking!

Baby Einstein Symphony Sounds

This small wooden toy may look small, but it holds a whole lot of power! Much like the Baby Einstein Magic Touch Deluxe Piano, it just involves a simple tap on the wooden colours to create a sound. The mini features of all different animals and colours symbolising each different sound helps to influence the layering of sounds to create new melodies!

This is also a very good toy to sway into floor play. You could perhaps buy alongside this a floor mat such as this one here, as a cool little bundle gift in aid of floor play!

Did this countdown of gifts for a 1 year-old help you? We hope it did, but don’t forget to also check out our full, wide selection of toys on Toy Street!

Editors note: This post was originally published on 13th July 2022. Updated on 18th April 2024 to improve the information available.

Disney Villainous Review

It’s Good To Be Bad

Since Walt Disney’s first hit of the silver screen Snow White and then Seven Dwarves introduced a villain for the ages with the Evil Queen, Disney’s baddies have grown bigger and badder. Everyone today will remember growing up fascinated with their villain, whether Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, Jafar from Aladdin or, my personal favourite, Ursula the sea witch from The Little Mermaid. There has always been a fascination with villains. They have the best costumes, the best songs, the best voices. We all wanted to be them! So giving you the opportunity to play as them in a board game feels like an obvious attempt at wish fulfilment. In comes 2018’s Villainous from Ravensberger. Designed by the collective Prospero Hall, it has quickly become one of the most successful Disney games around with multiple expansions and spin offs including a Marvel and a Star Wars Villainous.

I Want To Be Evil…

In Disney Villainous, players will have the option of playing one of six iconic Disney villains each with their own player board, card decks and beautiful miniature. The minis are the highlight of the show. It would have been so easy to just manufacture little plastic replicas of the characters themselves but instead you are presented with clear plastic, artistic renditions of the villains themselves. Not meaning to literally look like them but to capture their essence. They are surprisingly satisfying to pick up and move around your board and gaming aside, I would happily keep them out of the box and put them on display. The artwork is gorgeous as you would imagine as everything is taken from the movies themselves but remastered in vibrant clarity. And the individual character’s card backs are just gorgeous! Each player board has four locations that you can move around and each location has a series of actions you can choose from. Much like Scythe you must move to a different location each turn and choose from the designated top and bottom actions. This mechanism really makes you think about, not only your current turn, but what you are going to want to do next. So, what are your options? Each player will have a deck of cards from which you will draw upto five each turn and one option might allow you to play a card. These come in different flavours. Some offer Allies that will sit beneath a location on your board and usually help you fight off any heroes that might come to bother you. You could also play objects that sit with the allies and offer them extra abilities. Finally you could play an effect which gives you an instant boost that might allow you to draw extra cards or search your discard pile. Another option is to simply collect power. These tokens are what you will need to play the cards and you also will have options to trash cards you don’t want. So far so simple? So how does it become more villainous?

To Fate Or Not To Fate…

Every player will have a fate deck. These are your worst nightmares. The heroes of the story! When you select the fate option you will be drawing from another player’s fate deck and sending their heroes to try and slow them down. Heroes work a little like allies in reverse. They are played along the top of a location but unlike allies they will cover the top actions making them unplayable when you move there. There are also items that will power them and one off effects all designed to slow you down. There is only one way to get rid of those pesky goody two shoes and that’s vanquish. If you have an ally or allies at the same location as a hero who have a total power more than the hero then you can let them fight and send them running. However, you will also lose those allies to your discard deck so make sure you vanquish at the right time with the right allies.

Sinister Asymmetry

What makes this game so great is that each and every character has a very different objective that will demand a very different style of play. For example playing as Ursula you will need to burn through your deck to find the trident and the crown whereas Maleficent needs to start her turn with a curse played in each location. Some villains like those will need to do a lot of deck diving whereas others like Captain Hook will need to find and defeat their main heroes. This asymmetry is great fun and allows for so much replayability. Also when you add in the number of expansion boxes that can be mixed and matched together, there is so much fun to be had.

With the Disney brand everywhere now it feels important to really emphasize that this series is not a ‘cash grab’ but a genuinely great game that has been designed and made by one of the world’s leading board game design companies. And with that, means that it is not aimed at children. This is a tough game. It has complex mechanisms and its asymmetric nature makes it more difficult to teach that many other games. It also works best at two or three players as it can go on a little long at the higher play count. But if you like Disney and you have some experience playing modern board games then you’d be mad not to try Disney Villainous.

This Blog was written by Dan Street-Phillips

Editors note: This post was originally published on 4th April 2023. Updated on 18th April 2024 to improve the information available.

Top 5 Harry Potter Toys

Gather round, fellow Potterheads! We’re about to embark on a whimsical journey through Toy Street, where all the wizarding wonders await. Whether you’re a Gryffindor, Slytherin, or just a plain ol’ Muggle with a penchant for magic, you’re in for a treat. We’ve scoured the streets and rounded up the coolest Harry Potter gear you can snag, so grab your butterbeer and let’s dive in!

1. Guess Who Harry Potter:

Anyone up for a game of Guess Who, Potter style? This version is decked out with all our favourite characters from the series including Harry, Hermione, Ron, and many more. Test your deductive skills as you narrow down your opponent’s character through a series of yes or no questions. Think you can guess who’s who? Time to put your wizarding knowledge to the test with a twist on this classic game.

2. LEGO Harry Potter Hogsmeade Village Visits:

Get ready to unleash your inner architect with this LEGO set! Build your very own slice of wizarding paradise with the LEGO Harry Potter Hogsmeade Village – We’re talking Hogsmeade, Honeydukes sweet shop and the three Broomsticks. And with Harry, Hermione, and Ron minifigures included, you can recreate your favourite scenes from the series or invent new adventures. This intricately detailed set is a must-have for any LEGO enthusiast or Harry Potter fan!

3. Harry Potter: Wizard Chess Set:

Ever dreamt of playing wizard’s chess like they do in the movies? Well, now’s your chance! This chess set is straight out of Hogwarts, with intricate pieces and a board that’ll make you feel like you’re right in the Great Hall itself. It’s time to strategize like a true wizard and checkmate your opponents in style.

4. Harry Potter Scrabble:

This special edition brings the wizarding world to your tabletop with custom tiles and a board that’s practically oozing with Potter charm. In this version the rules are flexible – want to play with wizarding words only? Go for it! Feel like giving double points for spells and potions? Why not? So, brab your wands (or pens) and get ready to spell out your favourite spells!

5. Harry Potter Magical Creatures Puzzle 500pc:

Let’s slow things down and unwind with a good old-fashioned puzzle. But not just any puzzle – we’re talking magical creatures galore! From Hippogriffs to Nifflers, this 500-piece masterpiece is a feast for the eyes.

So, there you have it, folks – the best of the best when it comes to Harry Potter gear on Toy Street. Whether you’re a hardcore fan or just dipping your toes into the magical waters, there’s something here for everyone!

Magic Maths Review

Magical Mathematicians

When a game is labelled “educational” that definitely doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun at the same time! And this one, published by Orchard Toys, is magic! Magic Maths in fact!

Orchard Toys do a great collection of games for younger players which help reinforce kids’ learning in ways that are engaging, colourful, and definitely don’t feel like homework!

In Magic Maths up to four budding wizards (age 5-7) use their number skills to solve a range of simple sums (addition, subtraction, and multiplication). When they do, they gain gruesome ingredients which they can place on their own cauldron boards.

Spellbinding Sums

Players begin with 6 randomly selected square number tiles – these are effectively the answers to the sums they are about to solve. Each one has a charmingly grim image on the back ranging from smelly cheese and rotten apples to stinky socks and old bones. And which kid do you know doesn’t love bogies?!

Then they take it in turns to try to match their answer tile to the sums they select from a shared pool of rectangular sum tiles. If they have the answer on one of their tils, they take the sum and add their answer tile to their cauldron, flipping it over first to show the yucky image! And If you don’t have the answer on your turn but someone else does, they take the sum instead and add an ingredient to their board! The first player to successfully solve 6 sums and fill all six empty spots on their cauldron board completes their potion and is declared the winning wizard!

What’s extra cool is that if you want to check the answer of any sum, you can rub the back of the tile to check. Using magic (okay, science!), the answer will appear from nowhere!

Final Thoughts

This is a fun game which brings KS1 level maths into the learning-through-play zone. The artwork on the tiles is icky in the way little kids love, and it plays in that golden 15-minute window where attention is kept!

The heat sensitive patches do work, but it can take some rubbing on a cold day or if you have cold hands like me! And the cardboard components are nice and thick so the durability of this game shouldn’t be too much of a worry.

As a parent and a gamer, I love it when my two worlds collide. And our son’s favourite subject at school is maths. So, when he was following the KS1 curriculum during the pandemic, we found this really helped support him and his learning in a pressure-free way. For him it was fun and for us it was guilt free!

Orchard Toys are a great option for kids’ games that reinforce and help to support many skills, including social development. And what can be better than playing a game knowing that it is enriching their minds as well as making them smile? It doesn’t get much better than that! Thanks Magic Maths!

Editors note: This post was originally published on 21st March 2023. Updated on 11th April 2024 to improve the information available.

Catan Review

Catan is the board game that started me on this wonderful path of cardboard counters and wooden meeples. It has and always will hold a special place in me as one of the greatest games. Let me share with you why.

How Was I Introduced?

I was first introduced to this game in 2000 by someone who was hugely in to Games Workshop games and other wargames in general. It was somewhat a surprise to see this game coming out and onto the table over our more typical games such as Necromunda, Blood Bowl or Battletech. We all gave it a go and I loved it. I found it so much fun and can still vividly remember the day. It’s hard to believe really as I cannot remember the first time I played most games, there are some I can and this is one of them because it was that good. I cannot remember if I won, I think I did and that may have influenced me, but it was just so cool and fun.

A Rules Overview

For those that have no idea what Settlers of Catan is I will provide you with a quick explanation. Catan is a fictional Island made from Hexagonal tiles. These tiles are your resources and consist of Wheat, Sheep (I know it’s pasture but in my home it is sheep), Ore, Brick and Wood with every tile containing a number (2-6 or 8-12). Everyone starts with 2 settlements and a road piece adjoins each of your starting settlement. Settlements are placed in turn by each player and then you go. Roll 2 dice and gather resources to then trade and build more settlements, roads, cities or purchase development cards. The first to 10 victory points is the winner. There is a little more to it with multiple strategies available to achieve your 10VP’s, but this in essence is it.

There are also expansions to the base game, I love the oil expansion. Such a cleaver addition. There are also standalone settlers games that are Game of Thrones themed and Star Trek themed to name a couple. Not to mention the countless rereleases of the great game, now up to this 2015 edition.

The Critics

I’ve read some blogs that have been highly critical of this pioneering board game. The game was made in 1995 and some recent articles have slammed it for being dated with limited opportunity that can keep some players out of the game. The expansions also offering no improvement to what has been described as a poor game with nothing to see after a couple of games. I couldn’t disagree more with this as I love the familiarity with the game and the nostalgia for me and the fun memories evoked whilst still being a challenge to win each time it comes out. The board starting layout is never the same, the random dice roll for resource draws is never then the same and player approach is then influenced by the circumstances presented.

Our Love Of Catan

I have introduced this game to people more than any other game. Why? It is a perfect gateway game in my mind and incredibly easy for me to teach. I know my friends have then gone on to buy the game for themselves and that is testament to the positive gaming experience Catan still supplies. I always try and demonstrate some basic strategy early on in the learning. This is so the new players have an idea of what to do. After the first game where they have fully grasped the rules they immediately want another game because they recognise how to better the start. That’s how quick this game is to understand and then it really gets fun and competitive.

My wife, brother and I had the game out just over this Christmas in 2022 and it was as fun now as it had been the first time I played, except we all know the game inside out and there is no deceiving anyone about what is happening (or so I thought). I had the opportunity to place the first settlement in the game and I actually never like this, don’t know why but it doesn’t sit well. However, I identified a strategy whereby I got good numbers on starting resources and close to the wood port. My opposition played their pieces leaving me the last settlement to place which actually left me with another opportunity of good numbers on resources near another 2 for 1 port, but no wheat. I thought this should do nicely and work well, especially as my brother and wife missed what I was looking to do. With the way the numbers came out I fell behind on the VP’s and I was being severely mocked. It wasn’t looking good. I then got my foothold on the game, I got my ports and all of a sudden, I was steaming back into contention. What worked in my favour is my wife and brother had got locked into a battle over competing for the longest road (and the 2VP’s attached to that). This allowed me a little time and I came back enough to take the victory. What was more incredible was my wife who played her turn after me had a winning play for her next turn, then my brother also had a winning play after that if he had got one more turn. It was that close! You cannot beat that level of excitement and intensity, it doesn’t always go this way. Sometimes 1 player will totally dominate purely from the chance of the dice rolls as they come up each turn. But isn’t this what makes a game, that random chance element? I’ve also seen games where someone appears to dominate early and then just stagnate and almost stop because their numbers stop appearing. It’s unfortunate but isn’t that the same for any game with dice, the dice can go against you?

It’s also been a brilliant game in our house for providing some wonderful one lines and innuendo. The classic line from my wife as I was explaining the rules to friends “Don’t trade with him (me), he’s up to something”. You would think that obvious in a game where I am trying to trade resource to better my position. We had long cottoned on to the sheep and wood jokes way before The Big Bang Theory featured the game on their show. How wonderful was this to see also for all us board gamers. The Big Bang guys had long focused on either console games or Dungeons and Dragons. I couldn’t believe how much of a feature they made of Catan, I was equally stunned and falling about with laughter in the same moment. It was wonderful to see and also highlight how popular the game is as well as our hobby of board games.

Final Thoughts

Catan always has been and always will be one of the greatest board games within my collection. It’s a perfect game to introduce new players to the hobby and also a wonderfully familiar game that provides much enjoyment every time it is opened up. The basic game is wonderful and the expansion only enhance the experience, or a theme makes for a wonderful adaptation. It is simple to learn and just the best introduction to our wonderful hobby of board gaming.

This blog was written by David Ireland.

Editors note: This post was originally published on 21st April 2023. Updated on 11th April 2024 to improve the information available.

Ticket To Ride Europe Review

Get on Board!

The biggest board game success story since that top-hat-wearing fool tried to Monopolise the London property market has to be Alan R Moon’s Ticket to Ride. The original game pulled into the station in 2004 with its simple gameplay and colourful components taking the world by storm. After only ten years of its release, it had sold over three million copies and has continued to break the bank in the decade since. For those of you who have yet to jump on board, the rules are simple. There is a central map, (in the original game it was the USA(but I will come back to that) and all across it were a series of coloured tracks that connect all the major cities. At the beginning of the game, each player receives a set amount of little plastic trains in their chosen colour and three tickets showing pairs of cities. Your job is to complete those tickets by connecting them using your trains. Do so and you get points. If you do not, then you lose those points. Sounds easy right? So how do you put those cute little carriages down? You need to collect train cards of the same colour matching whatever track you want to lay down. If you want that little connection between LA and San Fran then you will need either three pink cards or a mix of pink and wild cards. Once you do, you can trade them and place your trains, collecting points for each time you place. The longer the track the more points that placement is worth. On your turn you have three options. You can either pick two cards from the card market, (blind from the deck or from the face up options) adding to your unlimited hand. Or you can discard cards to place trains and score some points. Finally, if all is going well and you have completed some of your tickets you can draw some more. This is the real spice of the game. Get greedy and you won’t finish all of your tickets and lose out big time at the end of the game. But get lucky and you can draw tickets you have accidentally completed already! The end game is triggered when any player has only four trains or less remaining and all points are tallied. As well as scoring as you go along, you add or deduct your ticket points as well as reward the player with the longest continuous track.

Choo Choo Choose Me

Much like Monopoly it didn’t take long for Days of Wonder to utilise the power of local appeal. But unlike the big ‘M’, Ticket to Ride realised that in order to treat your audience with the respect they deserve, slapping a skin onto the product wasn’t going to cut it. And so they started releasing new maps that offered different mechanisms into the game. The first map set was Asia which added a six player to the game and also allowed for cooperative team play. Or you could play the Heart of Africa map and get extra points if you managed to collect terrain cards that matched your routes. This allowed for localised marketing but also variation for those who just wanted new elements to try. Most recently they started releasing city versions of the game including New York and London that are designed for a shorter game. And even a junior version as a brilliant introduction got young players. For many of the expansions you will need one of the larger base sets to play, either USA, Germany, the Nordic Countries or in comes Ticket to Ride Europe.

Euro-Vision

Europe didn’t just replicate the USA version with a different map. It offered some new mechanisms and cards to change it up. First up are the channel crossings. As Europe is broken up by water ways you might need to use ferries to continue your routes, whether across from France into the United Kingdom or from Essen to Cophenhagen. To do this you are now going to need to have a certain number of locomotive (wild) cards. This makes the search for the wildcards much more competitive. You could quite easily play the base game without ever taking a wild but here, you are going to need them to travel across the map. So this tension when they appear in the market row is much more exciting! The next addition is that of tunnels. Building tunnels is dangerous work and so laying down these tracks comes with risk. When you decide you are going to play a tunnel track you must declare what colour you are using but don’t have to say where. Then three cards are drawn from the face down draw pile and for any card drawn that matches your declared colour (yes that includes wilds) you must discard an extra card. This can be brutal if you are particularly unlucky. It adds a great decision point, do I go now and risk it before anyone else has a chance, or do I play it safe. The final new mechanism, and perhaps the nicest, is the stations. Each player gets three station pieces in their colour. These can be placed at any city (without a station) and will allow you to use someone else’s route from that particular spot. For every station you still have at the end of the game, you will score three points and so you aren’t going to want to play them willy-nilly. But, when you are holding that big point ticket and someone takes the only track you can use to complete it, then these little plastic towers are a lifesaver! This is the only module you can choose not to play with if you want a tighter, more cruel game, but having it there means you can be more adventurous with your ticket choices.

Despite the appeal for the Euro-centric player, the extra mechanisms make it the go-to base set. If you are to own only one of the big boxes then this is the one. A great map without lots of variety and that station module makes for a much ‘nicer’ game, especially when playing with younger players. And if you really want to localise then I recommend buying Europe along with the United Kingdom map which offers a complexity for more experienced players or something for the family to work up to together. Come one, what are you waiting for? Get on board and play Ticket to Ride!

This blog was written by Dan Street-Phillips

Editors note: This post was originally published on 21st April 2023. Updated on 4th April 2024 to improve the information available.

Nature-Based Learning Activities

Many of us are used to sending our little ones off to school for a large amount of the week, so having our children at home all week can be a little overwhelming! With that said, there are lots of affordable and enjoyable activities under the doorstep. Whether it be going on a nature hunt, making pebble art, or watching a documentary.

We have put together a list of nature-based activities that we know you’ll love. Inspire and entertain the kids with the world around us, while providing a breath of fresh air and keeping negative behaviour at bay. Now, let’s see what you can do this weekend.

Go On A Nature Hunt…

Let’s start with something that costs time but no pennies. A nature hunt is a great exercise for little ones, triggering their imagination and getting them into the fresh air.

Start by grabbing your favourite felt tips and make your own scavenger hunt! There are lots of examples online that you can use for reference, or print out if you would prefer. We love the colour scavenger hunt and the mandala scavenger hunt most, but there are so many to pick from. What can you spot in the garden that is green? Or pink?

Next, head out into the garden or a local woodland area and begin the hunt. For extra fun, you can add prizes for those who finish first or are most creative in their finds.

Garden Camp-out…

It is not common that your trips away have been postponed or cancelled, but that does not stop the fun. Set up a tent in the garden and camp out close to home. The kids can pack their bags for a night away and spend the night camping in the garden. You can even add some nature-inspired music for extra entertainment. Even better, smores by the campfire! For a safer option, follow this microwave s’more recipe.

A Documentary Day…

When the weather is not looking great, you can enjoy nature-based learning inside too. Take a look at the recommendations and each pick a documentary you would like to watch. David Attenborough has announced a new series which would be perfect.

Don’t forget the food! Cut up some carrots, apples and grab the fruit juice for some healthy and quickly prepared snacks. If your little ones have a kitchen playset, they can get involved too.

Earn A Blue Peter Badge…

I remember when I was little, I always dreamed of getting my hands on one of these. Well, lockdown is the perfect oppurtunity to get applying. Did you know there are eight badges to earn? Beginners can earn their blue badge by sending in letters, stories, poems, and much more.

Pebble Art…

During the lockdown, lots of us have been testing our creative side. If you walk around the block, windows and homes are decorated with beautiful rainbows. In addition, painting pebbles has become a commemorative mark of lockdown. Pebble art can be a great homemade garden decoration, and a way to remember lockdown in years to come. All you will need is some pebbles, paints and a home for them!

Butterfly Magnets…

Another creative idea is to decorate your own butterfly magnets. In these packs, you will get 4 wooden butterfly magnets (all with unique designs), 10 gem stickers, 4 pots of paint, paintbrush and glitter glue. To get educational, take a look at butterfly facts and images that you can paint from.

Check out the best blog collection!

Editors note: This post was originally published on 15th May 2020. Updated on 4th April 2024 to improve the information available.

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