Tabletop Game – Let’s Play Blokus!

Tabletop Game Blokus by Mattel GamesI’m always on the look out for a fun, entertaining way to pass the time like a good tabletop game! Blokus was introduced to us by my husband’s parents and we enjoyed playing it so much we purchased it straightaway!

Tabletop Game Blokus by Mattel GamesBlokus is a two to four player strategy game that can be played with reckless abandon, or the studied care one would reserve for Chess or Checkers.

Players each choose a color and a corner, then decide who goes first; turns proceed clockwise around the board. To begin, each player must use their first turn to lay down a piece that covers their base corner’s square. Play then continues with each player placing one piece each turn that must touch the corner of one of their colored pieces, but only the corners! Full sides of the same color may not touch one another.

Tabletop Game Blokus by Mattel GamesWhen a player reaches a point where they cannot place another piece, they are done. The game ends when no player can place anymore pieces. Once the game ends the players count the number of squares in their unplayed pieces, the player with the lowest number of squares left, wins!

Tabletop Game Blokus by Mattel GamesMy only complaint is based on the packaging or storage. The version we purchased has no storage for the 84 colored pieces which is surprising and disappointing. I use four sandwich bags, one for each color to store them. This cuts down on the amount of time spent sifting through the pieces before starting each game!

Tabletop Game Blokus by Mattel GamesIf you’re looking for a fun, fresh take on a timeless strategy game that feels like a spiritual successor to Checkers and/or Chess, check out Blokus!

Tabletop Game – Let’s Play Kanoodle!

Tabletop Game Let's Play KanoodleI’m always on the look-out for a fun, entertaining way to pass the time, like a good tabletop game! I purchased Kanoodle by educational insights, as a stocking stuffer for my husband and we ignored it for too long! This game is a great way to pass the time and a good way to stimulate your brain!

Tabletop Game Let's Play KanoodleKanoodle is a solitaire game for ages 7 and up, of two and three dimensional puzzles to solve using up to 12 puzzles pieces called “noodles”. You pick a puzzle from the included booklet, and put the intended number of noodles on the board as shown on the diagram. Do not move noodles that are already in position and solve each puzzle by filling up the empty space with the remaining noodles.

The first two levels, called “Pro” and “Super Pro”, are great for beginners with only one or two noodles needed to solve each puzzle. As the levels increase the puzzle’s difficulty does as well with larger empty spaces to fill with more noodles. The three dimensional puzzles are significantly more difficult so it’s best to start with the two dimensional puzzles and work your way up.

Tabletop Game Let's Play Kanoodle Tabletop Game Let's Play KanoodleI have completed all of the two dimensional puzzles, I am now working on the three dimensional puzzles and I intend to complete them all! Check it out!

  • Kanoodle – This looks like an updated version of the one I’m playing, with more puzzles!
  • Kanoodle Jr. – Beginner’s Kanoodle for little ones ages 4 through 7.
  • Kanoodle Extreme – Over 100 more puzzles than the original included from the start!
  • Kanoodle Genius – For those who have mastered the original Kanoodle or Kanoodle Extreme and are looking for more challenge.
  • Kanoodle Head to Head – A 2 player versus game.