Cupcake Academy, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Cooperative matching game with a cupcakes theme 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  8 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Cooperative game + board game lovers  

We came from a competitive family that treats our game night a little too seriously 🤣. It’s refreshing to have a change for once to see the guests working collaboratively to solve common puzzles like true comrades. This “Cupcake Academy” from Blue Orange brings out a positive quality that I didn’t know exists within these bunch of cousins 🤣🤣🤣. Thank you Leisure Learning for providing this game to us for a review! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Cooperative Game - This game reminds me of a cooperative version of “Gobblet” and “Eureka”; the objective is to re-arrange the coloured components to match the challenge cards by covering up the smaller items using the larger pieces, all under the theme of scrumptious, hard-to-resist cupcakes! The set comes with 20 cups (in 5 different colours and sizes), 12 personal “plates”, 1 “shared plate”, 60 challenge cards, an achievement checklist, and a 7-minute sand timer. Players work simultaneously, stacking and moving their cups using only their personal plates and the shared plate, with the aim of matching the illustration depicted on the selected card, whilst bearing in mind a few rules (eg bigger cups on top of smaller cups, not touching a cup on another player’s plate, but we can pick or pass a cup to another player using the shared plate). It’s frantic, a little chaotic, extremely noisy, very panicky (the sand timer is running fast!). At the end of each game, we clapped, cheered, and gave each other high-fives. It’s a feel-good, uplifting game that promotes teamwork and good communication. 

(2) Great Components - As per usual Blue Orange standard, the components are beautifully-made. The round, fluted plastic cup are vibrant in colours and look exactly like baking molds. 

(3) Different Variations - I love that this game can be played by 2, 3 or 4 players (or independently if you use a bit of imagination). The game is confusing for young kids (my five-year-old finds this game “too difficult”), but the older kids and adults would have a great time solving these hectic and unique puzzles. I also love that this game has “expert” variations (eg completing the assignments using non-dominant hand and without speaking). 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Leisure Learning  (Australia) 

Enjoy the video!