Mia London and the Case of the 625 Scoundrels, By Scorpion Masque - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Board game 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    5 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Kids that enjoy memory / detective games 

“Mia London and the Case of the 625 Scoundrels” by Scorpion Masque is truly one-of-a-kind. It offers a clever twist on memory games, pushing kids to remember not just what they’ve seen, but the items they’ve only seen once (but not twice), all while trying to identify the culprit among 625 quirky suspects. Huge thanks to Let's Play Games for providing a copy!

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Memory Game With A Twist - Reconstruct The Villain's Portrait 

You know this game is a success when your five-year-old can’t stop raving about how much she loves it! Inside the box, you’ll find 4 Investigation Booklets and 40 Accessory Cards, featuring 10 Hats, 10 Glasses, 10 Moustaches, and 10 Bowties (each type of accessory has five versions and two copies). To set up, shuffle the accessory decks and secretly remove one card from each accessory groups. This combo represents the guilty scoundrel. One player, the Chief Investigator, reveals the 4 decks of cards (one at a time), while everyone else uses their booklet to identify the 4 accessories that appeared only once (instead of twice). The player who successfully reconstructs the villain’s portrait - matching the four set-aside cards, wins the game!

(2) Cleverly Designed Investigation Booklets - Mix & Match The Portraits

The use of investigation booklets is a brilliant idea. Each booklet features four sets of flaps for hats, glasses, moustaches, and bowties, allowing players to mix and match portraits of the suspected crooks. I love the “front flap” that serves as a handy bookmark for saving answers. 

(3) Easily Adjust Levels Of Difficulty 

In the rules, cards are revealed in four face-up piles for hats (where the 5th to 8th cards cover the first four etc). This method continues for the other accessories, with fewer piles as you progress: three for glasses, two for moustaches, and one for bowties. You can easily adjust the difficulty based on the kids’ ages, such as flipping cards faster or reducing the number of piles. I love that everyone can play simultaneously in this game, with zero downtime! 

(4) Wacky Artwork With Eccentric Scoundrels 

The art is adorable and eye catching - with an eccentric purple scoundrel full of wackiness and bad guy vibes! The accessory cards are in different colours according to groups, along with highlighted icons for easy sorting. 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.presentsofmind.com.au/game/mia-london/ (Australia) 

https://shop.goodgames.com.au/products/mia-london?variant=36675649601694 (Australia) 

https://morethanmeeples.com.au/product/mia-london-board-game/ (Australia) 

https://letsplaygames.com.au/mia-london-213776 (Wholesale, Australia) 

Enjoy the video! 

Mysterium Kids, By Libellud & Space Cow - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:           Board game for kids 

Rating:                      ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:   6 year-old ++ 

Who would love this: Kids who love detective games, especially one with cute Halloween-feel theme 

If you are looking for a not-too-spooky game for Halloween with an adorable concept, look no further! “Mysterium Kids - Captain Echo’s Treasure” by Libellud and Space Cow is an amazing choice for kids that would guarantee loads of laughter and overflowing of creativity. Thank you VR Distribution for another fantastic recommendation. 

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) Adorable "Treasure Hunt" Game With Cute Haunted Mansion Story  

This game is a HUGE success in our family. Both of my kids (7 and 4-year-old) LOVE it. I love the cute story that goes with the game. So legend has it that this mysterious old mansion is home to a fabulous treasure. Our young adventurers decided to spend a night at the haunted house for a “chilling” treasure hunt, guided by the ghost of Captain Echo who communicates with the “eerie” sound of a tambourine-lookalike instrument. And that, sets the backdrop of this fun detective game. Each player rotates the role as the silent “ghost”, giving clues to the Noise Card by producing sound using only the handheld drum. The story and concept is captivating and unlike anything that we had ever seen before.

(2) Unique Sound Clues Using Tambourine Instrument 

The most prominent twist of this game is, undoubtedly, the sound-based clue system using the drum. I was pleasantly surprised with the variety of creative ways that the kids can use to “replicate” the various sounds correspond to the 78 Noise Cards: Could it be a cat scratching the wall? Cornflakes pouring onto a bowl? The sound of teeth-brushing? Bubble popping? Or paper-ripping? It was hilarious to watch the kids scratch the drum’s surface, knock on it gently, bang on it loudly, tap on it repeatedly, and many more! 

(3) Double-Sided Board For Different Difficulty Levels 

The Manor Board is double-sided - “Calm Nights” for beginner level, and “Stormy Nights” for the more experienced young players. Sometimes, players have to make and guess 2 different noises in a turn. I love the easy-to-learn structure that makes the game accessible to younger players, and the subtle complexity that makes it appealing to older kids. I love that this is a cooperative game where all players work together as a team to decipher clues. 

(4) Great & Fun Components 

The components are great, and the artwork of this game is adorable and charming! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.gameology.com.au/products/mysterium-kids-captain-echos-treasure (Australia) 

https://www.gamesworld.com.au/product/mysterium-kids-captain-echos-treasure/ (Australia) 

Enjoy the video!  

Detective Charlie, By LOKI - REVIEW

Nature/ Type:          Mystery-solving games for young kids     

Rating:                     ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age: 7 year-old ++   

Who would love this: All aspiring, future Sherlock Holmes/ kids that love deduction games & mystery-solving 

I’m a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and all intriguing detective stories that keep me up all night. I LOVE the Escape Room concept, but there are not many games of such genre in the market that target younger kids as audience. I am so happy to receive “Detective Charlie” by LOKI from VR Distribution - we’re loving this refreshing detective experience for kids! 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) A Game With 6 Light-Hearted Mysteries To Be Solved By Kids 

Detective Charlie is a mystery-solving game with adorable storyline for the right audience. Included in this game are 6 light-hearted, not-too-serious mysteries occurring in Mysterville, waiting to be investigated by Detective Charlie and his young helpers! Each of the 6 “mystery” packs includes an introduction of the case, 8 witness / evidence cards, 8 suspect cards, and a separately sealed brown envelope containing the identity of the culprit. Kids work together to solve the mystery of the missing chocolate bars, nameless parcel, slippery market, and other strange happenings in town. Kids throw a dice, “interview” witnesses, analyse the clues, eliminate the suspects, and race against the “clock” to identify the culprit. The idea is fresh, original, and allows kids a chance to practice deduction skills to crack a case! 

(2) A Game With Age-Appropriate Clues For The Little Sherlock 

I love that the clues tailor perfectly for the intended audience; you don’t need to put on your adult’s hat to over-analyse them. A witness might provide an alibi for another suspect, or produce an incomplete clue such as a torn piece of card or a photograph. Some of the clues are straightforward, some need to be paired together to form a conclusion. Once you have done solving the 6 cases, you can donate the game away to the next lucky little Sherlock, or revisit the mysteries again after a lapse of time. 

(3) Game With Outstanding Components & Visual Presentation 

I am impressed with the presentation of the game; I love that the box has slots that can hold 8 suspect cards vertically around it; I love the adorable detective notebook, the cute artworks with animal characters, the smart-looking cat detective, the insert that hold the components neatly in place in the box. This game is for all aspiring, future Sherlock Holmes! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this:

https://www.gamesworld.com.au/product/detective-charlie/ (Australia) 

https://gamesempire.com.au/products/detectivecharlie (Australia) 

Enjoy the video!