Dragomino, By Blue Orange- REVIEW

Nature / Type:            Board game 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:    5 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Young kids who enjoy matching / dominoes-type games + cute dragons

Dragomino by Blue Orange is a cute, kid-friendly twist on the award-winning Kingdomino. It keeps all the fun of the original, with rules simplified just right for little gamers. We first tried it four years ago—and we love it even more now! Thank you VR Distribution for providing a copy. 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Match Landscapes + "Crack Open" A Dragon Egg

Dragomino is easy to learn—even preschoolers can pick it up in minutes! Each turn, you pick a tile to grow your island and try to match the landscapes. Match them right, and you get to crack open a dragon egg! Will it be an adorable baby dragon or just an empty shell? The player who finds the most baby dragons wins! And if you find a shell, you get the Mommy Dragon token, which lets you go first next round—and scores you a bonus point at the end! No tricky math here—just count your dragons (plus one if you’ve got Mommy Dragon) to see who wins!

(2) Sneaky Strategy & Maths Lessons - Hiding In The Fun

There’s sneaky strategy hiding in all the fun! Kids quickly start noticing patterns—like how some landscapes seem to hatch more baby dragons than others. Every terrain has exactly 7 baby dragons, but the number of egg tokens (which include both dragons and empty shells) changes based on how common that terrain is on the dominoes. So terrains like forests have more egg tokens overall, but your chances of finding a dragon is lower. Rarer terrains, like the red volcanoes, have fewer total eggs, so the odds of scoring a dragon are higher! It’s a perfect little lesson in probability, cleverly disguised as dragon hunting. Kids soon started making strategic decisions, and even tracking which dragons have already been found to help decide what to pick next.

(3) Delightful Artwork & Sturdy Quality Tiles

The artwork and quality are delightful! The tiles are made of sturdy, thick cardboard, and oh those baby dragons! - each have their own unique poses, expressions, and little personalities. It’s the kind of whimsical detail that sparks imagination and keeps everyone giggling.

(4) Great Packaging With Custom Slots For Each Components

The packaging is top-notch! Everything has its own perfect place—tiles, eggs, tokens—all neatly stored in custom slots designed for each piece. Even the different types of egg tokens have their own special compartments, which makes packing up just so satisfying! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.bigw.com.au/product/blue-orange-games-dragomino-kids-children-interactive-fun-play-tile-game-5y-/p/9900557297 (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman, Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:             Card Game

Rating:                       ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:   8 year-old ++ (but our 4 year-old enjoys this too!)

Who would love this: Anyone who loves fast-paced matching game & Christmas

WE LOVE THIS GAME - and it’s really beginning to look a lot like Christmas! This game is adorable, full of festive mood, and enjoyed by my entire family (4 to 40 ++ year old). Introducing: “Santa Cookie Elf Candy Snowman” by Blue Orange ! (Thank you VR Distribution for providing a copy.) 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Christmas Version of The Popular "Taco Cat" Game

This is the Christmas version of the wildly popular “Taco Cat” game. This game is all about SPEED, (ouchy) hand-slapping, and being silly! First, shuffle the cards and distribute them evenly between players. Players need to chant the 5 MAGIC WORDS in this sequence: “Santa - Cookie - Elf - Candy - Snowman”, whilst each player takes turn to flip over the top card and place at the centre of the table. For example, the first player says “Santa” and places the first card; the second player says “Cookie” when placing the second card, and so on. When a player flips a card matching the word they said, everyone race to slap the pile on the table. The last player to slap takes all the cards and add them into their personal draw pile. The game ends when a player with no remaining cards is the first to correctly slap a match or special card. I love the joyous holiday-theme, the multi-player (up to 8 or more) party game, and how fast-paced and hilarious this game is! 

(2) 3 Special Cards For Some Fun Twists! 

There are 3 special cards that require players to do an action before slapping the centre pile. When you see a Star (Silent Night), everyone puts a finger to their lips and says “shh”; if a “Drum” shows up, everyone taps the table and says “rum pum pum pum”; and if it’s a “Reindeer”, players make antlers with their fingers. I love how the game makes everyone constantly moving! 

(3) Super Cute Artwork 

The artwork is simply adorable! There are a few “deceptive” cards within; for example, a white COOKIE that resembles a snowman at a quick glance, ELF that wears a Santa red hat, Santa in green suit (that looks kind of like a gnome, according to my girl 😂). We laugh so hard each time when these silly (and confusing) cards show up! 

(4) Compact Travel-Friendly Game 

The box is compact with magnetic closing on the lid of the box. This is a perfect travel game for the holiday season! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.gamesworld.com.au/product/santa-cookie-elf-candy-snowman/ (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Mindblock, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Modified, 3D-version of the classic Rummy game 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  8 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Older kids and adults that love strategy games, especially those involving number, pattern, and anything methodical. 

We are BIG FANS of number games! The boy loves counting, exploring patterns of numerical order, and discovering magic of equations and all things mathematical. So it’s not surprising that we were instantly drawn to Mindblock by Blue Orange, a modified 3D version of the classic Rummy card games. Thank you Leisure Learning for providing this awesome game for a review! 

Why I love ❤️ this game?: 

(1) Game Rules: Arrange Blocks According to Numbers/ Patterns

This game would attract anyone who finds number, pattern and anything methodical fascinating. Mindblock contains 56 blocks (in 7 sizes, 4 colours, 2 of each), 4 block trays, 1 cotton bag, and an illustrated rules. The aim is to create “Sets” (3 or 4 blocks of same size but in different colours) and “Runs” (3 or more blocks of the same colour in consecutive order) by combining blocks that range in height of 1 to 7. On each player’s turn, we must play a “Run” /“Set”, or play at least one block and re-arrange the current blocks on the table to make valid “Runs” / “Sets”, or add a block to your tray (randomly drawn by another player, or course). There is another condition: each of the “Set” and “Run” must have a total sum of at least 15 (for example - “4, 5, 6”, but not “3, 4, 5”). The first player who gets rid of all the blocks on tray wins the game. This game is the exact genre that we LOVE! 

(2) Fantastic Strategy Game For Kids & Adults

We love that this game relies very largely on strategy, visualisation skill, and playing around with numbers (adding, subtracting, and re-arranging equations etc). I love that we can stack up like-coloured blocks to “substitute” a higher number block (eg stacking up a blue “2 and “3”, and use it as a blue “5”) - which is a great tactic to deplete the blocks in the tray quicker!

(3) Board Game With Vibrant & Bright Wooden Components

The wooden components are simply fantastic! The blocks are chunky, vibrant in colours (but with a hint of “seriousness” / grown-up feel in it due to the unique tone of colours), carved with tactile ridges, and have a very pleasing quality in them. The presentation is visually-appealing. The player trays are made of nice quality timber with a very luxurious and natural appearance, and I love the cotton storage bag for the blocks. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/mindblock

Check out the reviews of other Blue Orange games for older kids/ adults that I really love: 

• Tumblemaze, By Blue Orange 
• Dragon Market, By Blue Orange 
• Kingdomino Origin, By Blue Orange 
• Cloud City, By Blue Orange 
• Block Ness, By Blue Orange 

Enjoy the video! 

Cross Clues, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Word game 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Anyone who loves word games (Codenames, Scrabble, and the like) 

There are certain types of games - you either love it or hate it. I think word games fall squarely into such category. Leisure Learning sent us this “Cross Clues” from Blue Orange for review recently. If you are a fan of “Codenames”, “Scrabble”, or any word games in general - THIS is for you! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Fun Word Game - Cross Clues is a cooperative party game about finding links between pair of words. The rules are pretty simple; all players are both clue-giver and clue-guesser. Each player draws a Clue Card, think of a clever “clue word”; and everyone else work together to guess the location on the grid where two code words intersected. The “clue” must be a single word and must not share a root with either code word. The game can be rather frustrating when you are stuck with a series of non-sensical combinations. BUT, on those occasions when we figured out clever associations between pairs of random words, oh that sense of achievement is so incredibly satisfying! For example, the clue for “Pig” and “Small” for our family is “Peppa”; “Banana” and “Dessert” is “Fritters”, “Smart” and “Costume” makes “Tuxedo”. The game is easy to learn, suitable for kids as young as 7, and generally, quick and sweet! 

(2) No Downtime - I love that everyone can participate simultaneously as both clue-giver and clue-guesser. There is never a “downtime” or dull moment; everyone has a clue card, and can shout out a clue whenever a player is ready. Players can discuss / argue/ fight amongst themselves, before coming to a consensus for each guess. 

(3) Awesome Replay Value - This game has great replay value - there are plenty of words for different combinations (no two games are ever the same). Included within are 10 Axis Tiles, 25 Clue Cards, 50 Code Word Cards (double-sided, 4 words on each card), and a 5-minutes sand timer. We can start with an easy 3x3 grid, before moving on to the more challenging 4x4 and 5x5. Alternatively, if you want  to ramp up the challenge, use the sand timer! 

(4) Work Cooperatively - The kids love cooperative games - everyone wins or loses together. Everyone can have a great laugh whilst pushing themselves to the next level of words challenge! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Leisure Learning (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

TumbleMaze, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Logic puzzle with marble run concept 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  8 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Older kids and adults who enjoy logic puzzles with an action element 

Blue Orange is one of my few favourite brands for board games and all things fun. Leisure Learning sent us the TumbleMaze for review recently, and I must say, we are very impressed with this smartly-designed logic game. 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Marble Run + Logic Puzzle - This game incorporates marble run, gravity, chain reaction, and logic puzzle into one!  Included within are a transparent maze board (that can be set up slightly slanted), 21 “walls” with 3 different lengths (that serve as “ramps” to guide the marble run), 5 steel balls, 40 challenge sheets, 3 blank challenge sheets, and illustrated rules. To play this game, pick a challenge sheet and slide it under the slanted plane; Next, set up the walls and the starting position of the balls to match the illustrated card. Now, exercise your brain and figure out where to add the indicated wall piece(s) to change the trajectory of the balls. Finally, release the balls and check if they reach the targeted end positions. We love a thrilling ball run and watch how the invisible forces of physics create series of movement. I love how each challenge is completed with a cool action element! 

(2) Different Difficulty Levels - The difficulty level of the challenges increases progressively, which is an excellent way for us to learn and discover new techniques at each stage. Some challenges are pretty straightforward - add a wall and adjust the direction. Some play around with the theory of “chain effect” - for example, hit a ball against a specific wall and triggers the movement of another ball; some require us to “block off” and capture a ball using multiple walls. The solution is at the reverse side of the card. The game makes sense to young kids, but is also tricky enough for older players. 

(3) Clever Design Features - I love the few thoughtful and clever features. I like the fact that we can insert the challenge sheets beneath the transparent peg board for easy set-up. I love that the balls can be released with the push of lever, and I love the 3 empty “make your own” challenge sheets for those who desire to invent your own puzzles! The plastic components are of decent quality and reasonably durable. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/tumble-maze (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Save The Dragon, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Board game with dragon theme 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  5 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Young board-gamers, especially those that love something "action-packed" + fairy tale related theme

Do you have little ones who are eager to participate in tabletop games? Are you scratching your head looking for something action-packed (but minus lengthy rules), preferably one with a fairy-tale theme involving prince and princess, dragon-in-chain, evil sorcerers, rolling boulder, and stunning backdrop? “Save The Dragon” from Blue Orange is exactly the game that would capture young kids with an undeniable “wow” factor. Thank you Leisure Learning for providing a copy for review!

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Visually-Appealing 3D Presentation - The presentation of this game is visually-appealing. Using the box as base, we set up an impressive-looking 3D staircase that leads up to 3 chutes at the top (from which 3 bad sorcerers would push a crashing boulder down occasionally to sabotage our rescue plan). A gentle-looking dragon is being chained above the arched doorways, waiting for our bravest princes and princesses to dodge all obstacles and defeat the baddies. The objective is pretty simple: race against each other and be the first to reach the top and free the dragon! I love the competitive element of the game, captured in a “mission-inspired” storyline. 

(2) FUN Of Rolling Down A Boulder! - At each turn, players roll a “number” die to advance up to 3 moves (left, right, or up). If the player rolls a 1 or 2, they can also roll the action die which allows them to either move the shield or door piece to a different slot, or roll the boulder through either of the 2 open doors. We love the minimal rules and the very appealing components - No one can resist the temptation of rolling a boulder down the steps and watching others being knocked down chaotically 🤣 . But despair not, players who got knocked down to the bottom earn a token that allows them an extra move in future. I love how the game incorporates tactical move in such subtle and entertaining way that makes sense to the targeted age group. 

(3) Quality Components - The staircase, dungeon wall, shied, coins, and base are made of sturdy and thick cardboard. The dice are chunky, and the wooden pawns and boulder are a pleasure to behold. 

(4) Quick Game For Young Kids - I love that this game is quick and manageable, and always gives a good laugh! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

Leisure Learning (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Pop The Box, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Modified version of a classic game 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Kids & adults that love quick & fast-paced number games 

I grew up popping bubble wrap 🤣 . That was, of course, way before fidget toys became an internet frenzy and when “pop-its” toy wasn’t quite a “thing” yet. We recently brought this “Pop The Box” from Blue Orange (kindly gifted by Leisure Learning ) to our 2-weeks road trip, and we’re falling in love with this amazing travel toy through and through!

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) "Pop-It" Version Of The Classic Game - “Pop The Box” is essentially a 2-player, pop-it version of the classic “Shut The Box” game. The set includes a silicone tray with 2 rows of 9 popping bubbles with numbers on them (1 to 9), two dice, and an instruction sheet. On each turn, player rolls the two dice and pop the number / or combination of numbers that add up to the total sum. For example, if you roll a 3 and a 6, you can pop the number 9, or any combination of numbers that add up to 9 (eg 6 + 3 / 2 + 4 + 3 / 1 + 2 + 6 etc). The first player that completed the popping of all the 9 numbers in a row / or the player with the lowest remaining “un-popped” numbers wins. We love the soft and pliable board. I love that the set incorporates a sensory element into a competitive game. It’s modern, fun, and tactile. Once the game is done, flip the board over, press all the bubbles down, and start the game again! I’m not a big fan of luck-based game, but Pop The Box is highly addictive with great replay value. I love the versatile game tray that can also be used as a therapeutic, stress-relief fidget toy. 

(2) Quick Maths Game - This is a simple and fast-paced mathematics game for young kids. Our 6 year-old enjoys it. I love watching him thinking up all-sorts of possible and alternative number combinations, whilst figuring out the best strategy to win. This is an ideal game to kill some time, keep the kids entertained, get quick stimulation to the brain, and develop arithmetic skills. 

(3) Light Weight & Travel-Friendly - The game components are light weight and travel-friendly. With only a tray and two dice, the game has zero set-up time and is super easy to pack-up. 

(4) Pop Of Colours - I also love the bright and bold colours - striking pink and yellow bubbles divided by a soft turquoise tray. The game components are visually-appealing and a joy to look at! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/pop-the-box (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Where’s Squeaky, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Hide-and-Seek mouse that squeaks  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  4 year-old ++   

Who would love this: Parents looking for a mess-free solution for Hide-and-Seek game / and any kids! 

Kids who enjoy construction & building toys / parents who love sustainable wooden toys  Hands up 🙌🏻 if you have kids who love hiding stuffs around the house, make unapologetic BIG messes, and repeat the Hide & Seek process numerous times with zero regards to messy consequences 🤦🏻‍♀️. Sometimes, when you can’t stop the action, you might as well go with the flow. 😅 I found my solution recently with this super CUTE “Where’s Squeaky” by Blue Orange , kindly gifted by Leisure Learning . 

Why I love ❤️ this toy: 

(1) Mess-Free Hide & Seek Game - Squeaky squeaks in the most adorable cartoonish voice, and it doesn’t stay quiet for too long (until we switch it “off” of course!). Squeaky is a heart-meltingly cute white mouse, full-of-mischief, with two big ears in lavender colour, and a pair of bright alert eyes. “Do you want to play Hide ‘N Squeak?” Yes, of course! We took turn to hide Squeaky in our perfect location (under the desk, beneath the blanket, inside the closet, behind the shelf). “Nice Spot!” whispered Squeaky once we activated the purple button underneath it. Squeaky starts giggling and saying “Hello” after 10 seconds, and the noise gets louder each time. We need to stay really quiet, listen to the clues, identify the direction, and look at the right spot! Squeaky makes hide-and-seek tidy and neat. We don’t need to rummage the entire house, or turn every corner and nook inside out to search for it. Once Squeaky is found, press the purple button, and we can dance all the way back to its “cheese box”. Not many toys can make us move that much, run that fast, think that hard, laugh that loud. Squeaky comes with batteries included, so you can get right into the game once it is out of the box. 

(2) Cheese Box - The cheese box has a hidden magnet at the bottom that helps to reset the voice timer between each game. I love how Squeaky brings joy and happiness to everyone with its giggles, “Yay, you found me!” shout, and a happy song. 

(3) Travel Companion - Squeaky is light, and doesn’t take up too much space (it’s probably in the size of a small piggy bank, minus the weight of coins). I can imagine bringing Squeaky with us to any family holiday - it’s travel friendly, easy to be tucked into a bag, and would be an awesome companion. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/wheres-squeaky (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Tongues Out, by Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Memory game with extremely adorable squeezable pugs!!!  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  4 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Kids and Adults that love something fun, cute, squeezable! This is a super entertaining game for all ages. 

Blue Orange is INGENIOUS when it comes to creating the most hilariously entertaining memory games. From “Pengoloo” to “Dinoloo”, we have been HUGE fans of these games of immeasurable fun! Just when you thought this can’t get any better, Blue Orange delights us with its new “Tongues Out” that surpasses everything before that. This game is INSANELY cute (thank you, thank you, Leisure Learning for providing this to us!). ‬

‪Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Super CUTE - “Tongues Out” brings “memory games” to a whole new level! Included in the set are 12 cuteness-overload pugs with distinctive chubby face and folded ears, 2 “lollipop” dice, 4 parklet cards (with 6 spaces with numbers), and illustrated rules. ‬The story goes that these playful pugs have been licking and devouring lollipops  around, and now it’s up to us (the super-spies) to capture these incredibly adorable “culprits” by checking their colours-dyed tongues. The game rules are pleasingly simple: throw the dice, squeeze the pugs, and collect the dogs that have their tongues match the colours of the lollipops on the dice. The first player that found and accumulated 6 pugs wins the game. The kids laughed so hard and couldn’t stop squeezing the mischievous squishy pugs! This game is an immediate love, and you know this game is a success when the kids wanted to play with it 6 times in a row and kept asking for more. 

‪(2) Awesome First Board Game - This game is the perfect FIRST board game for kids. Apart from “memory training” (the aim is to remember colours of pugs’ tongues and where the dogs are to easily locate them on the player’s turn), it’s also an extraordinarily engaging game for colours recognition, matching skill development, and the pugs are very “sensory” as well. 

(3) Advanced Rules - There is also a more “advanced” version of rules for older kids where we get to “steal” pugs from another player’s parklet card. 

(4) Great Components - The components, as usual, are above and beyond as per many other Blue Orange games. The pugs are easy to squeeze even by little hands, look durable, and can be used in many imaginative play settings (our kids have been doing “pugs soccer game” with them 🤣 ). ‬

LOVE THIS! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/tongues-out (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Dragon Market, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Board Game with a colourful floating market theme! 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  7 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Board game / strategy game lovers! 

Murky river banks, labyrinthian of floating sampan, vibrant livelihood, eye-catching colours. Dragon Market from Blue Orange has everything I love in a board game - exciting theme, unique components, clever game! Thank you Leisure Learning for providing this to us for a review.

 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Creative Market Theme + Fun Game With Rotating Boats - I am in love with the market theme with rich Asian flavour, incorporated impeccably into a strategy game! The set comes with a game board, 10 boats, 4 “heirs”, 2 dice, 4 merchandise tokens, 12 coins, 13 red objective cards, 10 blue objective cards. On each turn, players roll the 2 dice to determine the number of moves, and then plan the required actions to accumulate the required goods specified on the objective cards. Players can move the heir token, slide a boat in a straight line, rotate a boat 90 degree, jump onto an adjacent boat.  Few rules to be observed: the heir cannot cross over a sailor, the boat can only be turned using the sailor as the rotating “axis”, and players can “save” their moves and gather coins instead. The first player to collect all items shown on the assigned objective cards and return to their pontoon is the winner. I love that the steps are sufficiently sophisticated to attract the adults, but easily comprehensible enough for kids to visualise. 

(2) Love the Components! - The components are marvellous! The game board is a tranquil blue of waterscape, the boats are made of thick quality cardboard; the wooden sailors wear hat with circular cone painted in mysterious gold; the merchandise are interesting and iconic (bonsai, Buddha statue, folding fans etc). The graphics are visually appealing, and I love the storage box with organised inserts. 

(3) Different Variants of Game Rules - This is a family game that can grow with the kids. We can play the basic level or advanced variant by using different objective cards. 

(4) Numerous Configurations & Set-Ups - I love that each game can have different configurations and outcomes, depends on how we set up the boats and the merchandise tokens, which objective cards we drew, the roll of dice, and the number of players. I love the combination of skills and luck, strategising and randomness. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/dragon-market

Enjoy the video! 

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! 

Kingdomino Origins, by Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Dominoes-inspired board game with pre-historic theme 

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Recommended age:  8 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: strategy board game lovers! 

We are BIG FANS of Kingdomino, Queendomino and Dragomino; so when Leisure Learning sent us this Kingdomino Origins from Blue Orange, WE WERE THRILLED!!! We LOVE the graphics, the design, the components, the theme, the variety of playing modes, and so so much more. I can’t wait to share about this game! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Dominoes-Inspired Game With A Twist - As per the classic Kingdomino, this is a fantastic game with an interesting spin on traditional dominoes, elegantly set up in the theme of prehistoric time with cavemen tribes, hunting territory, and burning lava! I love how the game is original but has a sweet hint of familiarity. The object is to strategically connect the “dominoes” pieces into a 5x5 grid territory, and depending on the playing modes, we get to earn points by bringing fire to the regions through volcanoes eruption or harvesting natural resources. I am loving the interesting landscapes, versatility, and the familiar rules with interesting twist! 

(2) Different Playing Modes - I love that the game has 3 playing modes; it can be delightfully simple or strategically complex, perfect for any family game night of wide range of ages! We started with the basic Discovery Mode- I love the super cool “lava-launching” and how we can tactically “move” the fire from the volcano to maximise our points. We then tried out the Totem Mode by adding resources (mammoth, flint, mushroom and fish) into the game, where players that accumulate the most of any particular resources would be rewarded bonus points. The Tribe Mode is a little too complicated for my 6-year-old, but I see its appeal to adults who would love to incorporate strategic elements (cost versus benefits consideration) into the game; players can gain extra score by recruiting cavemen of different strengths and skills (e.g hunters or warriors) using resources. 

(3) Great Quality - As per usual Blue Orange quality, the components are amazing; I love the wooden tokens and the thick cardboard quality of the dominoes, huts and cave board. The storage box is thoughtfully-designed with well-made inserts for each components. 

Thank you Leisure Learning , this game is super awesome! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/kingdomino-_-origins (Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Sumoku, By Blue Orange - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Crossword-inspired Board Game with Mathematics Theme  

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:  9 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Board game lovers who are reasonably good at maths 

We love Qwirkle, we love Scrabble, and we love Bananagrams. So it’s only natural that we would love a Mathematics version of such similar game. 😊 THIS, is the colourful, summing and multiplying, “crossword” game but with a “numbers” twist. This is “Sumoku” from Blue Orange ! Thank you Leisure Learning for providing this for a review! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Learn Multiplication In A Fun Way - I love it as a useful and interesting tool to learn multiplication in an entertaining way. This is probably not the sort of party games that would generate laughters and silliness. The game gears more towards older kids who are familiar (or at least know the basic of) multiplication, especially the 3, 4 and 5 times-table. This game is engaging and fun, but with a slight sense of “seriousness” in it. Do we love it? Absolutely, 100%! The game comes with 96 tiles, a dice, and illustrated rules, all contained in a travel pouch. This is a unique mathematics-focused, crossword-style game that can be played in 5 variations. The game starts with the roll of dice to create a “key number” (3, 4 or 5). The aim is to create rows and columns where the digits on the tiles sum-up to a multiple of the key number (eg, 3 + 2 + 5 for a multiple of 5). Like the game of Qwirkle, each tile is in one of 6 colours, and a colour cannot be repeated in a connected line of tiles. The rules are easy to learn. We immediately fall in love with it! The game is probably a little tricky for a six-year-old (the colours limitation rule annoys the boy a bit), but I can see the full potential of this game once a player reaches a certain school age! 

(2) Great Components- The game components are fantastic. The tiles are sturdy and have a very solid feel to them. I love that the colours tiles are engraved with the numbers slightly “raised” on the tiles (in other words, no issue with painted numbers fading off over time). 

(3) Cute Pouch- I especially love the handy, cone-shaped travel pouch with zipper. The pouch is small enough to be chucked into any light carrying bag, but big enough to contain all the components. I love the portability of this game! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.leisurelearning.com.au/ (Australia) 

Enjoy the video!