Games & Puzzles - a look at what’s hot in this staple sector

Big Potato Games

Ahead of the game

Puzzles and games have always been popular, and never more so than in the past 18 months. But as restrictions lift, what are suppliers doing to keep up the interest? TnP finds out...

University Games

When you succeed, as the games and puzzles arena We continue to innovate and release fresh “ games and gifts into our portfolio, which helps provide depth and diversity as well did over lockdown, there is pressure to continue to keep that momentum going. So what are suppliers doing to ensure interest doesn’t wane?

Jack Probyn, UK retail manager at Winning Moves, says: “Fortunately, here at Winning Moves, we have an excellent licensing team who work tirelessly to get us the best licences out there. And with restrictions across the country having been lifted, we can now expect to see the backlog of hotly-anticipated movie franchise releases hitting our cinema screens soon. All of this will help us keep up to date with the latest trends and keep in the mind of the customer.’’

A broad range is the key for University Games and The Lagoon Group, as sales director Mark Jones explains: “With The Lagoon Group joining University Games, we have welcomed a fantastic range of jigsaw puzzle designs, as we know our regular as a great range of dedicated Christmas lines including Christmasthemed Games in a Tin. Along with a full complement of puzzlers expect new on-trend games, we have also this from us. Many introduced mindfulness games and people were new to the category during puzzles as well as new strategy games and Murder Mystery Case Files that can be played with just one player or more.’’ lockdown and Thames & Kosmos has also discovered a added to its offering. “We have new hobby expanded our award-winning and a real love for the brand range of Exit games to include two Exit Jigsaw puzzle games offering the same mindbending riddles, but now with Kate Gibson, Gibsons, MD an added jigsaw element. We have also released an Exit Advent calendar for Q4.’’ says Nicky Thomas-Davies, board game sales and marketing manager. Big Potato Games is diversifying to take advantage of that renewed interest, says Hannah Cornish, account manager for the South and Ireland: “We have some amazing new games for this year, and we are even stepping into jigsaw puzzles. We’ve just released our first-ever jigsaw puzzles with a fun game twist.’’

Fresh designs

Gibsons is all about puzzles of course, but it is not sitting on its laurels either, as MD Kate Gibson explains: “We continue to innovate and release fresh jigsaw puzzle designs, as we know our regular puzzlers expect this from us. Many people were new to the category during lockdown and discovered a new hobby and a real love for the brand. The link with puzzles and sport has also been an interesting one to explore. Athletes are finding puzzles really beneficial in helping them relax and switch off between training sessions.’’

Meanwhile, Vivid Toy Group/Goliath is taking advantage of the fact that

families have learned to re-engage. “Last year, with the increased time spent together, families learned to re-engage and enjoy spending that time together, and what better way to do that than with a game?’’ says marketing manager Ben Hogg.

Family fun

That family focus is key for Mookie Toys too, as international marketing manager Christina Aikman points out: “We have always looked to develop new games that are different and interesting with an element of interactivity, and our strategy hasn’t changed in that sense. We still want to focus our games around families having fun.’’

So with more of us enjoying family time, and with staycations on the cards for many of us this year and possibly going forward, has this changed the age range that companies focus on?

Mookie Toys’ Christina continues: “We are launching a few games this year that are either targeted at teens and young adults, or have a broader age range by including elements that alter the difficulty level, ensuring all the family can get involved.’’

Ravensburger is also focusing on fun for the whole family: “For A/W we have 55 new puzzles alone, and dedicated marketing campaigns focused on the benefits of puzzling and drawing on the fact it brings families together, which we believe will be especially important this year, following the challenges of Christmas 2020,’’ says Katy Fletcher, head of marketing & product development. “What we are seeing is a distinct appetite for togetherness, which is what makes puzzling and playing games so appealing. Longevity of play is important to our customers, and the game extensions we provide mean they get played time and again.’’

Co-operative gaming

Over at Thames & Kosmos, Nicky Thomas-Davies has found that “some of our slower-paced games have really taken off, as people look for co-operative rather than confrontational games.

Ask the retailers

We asked: Amanda Alexander at Giddy Goat Toys, Didsbury, Manchester; Duncan Conner, at Bus Stop Toy Shop, Largs, Scotland; and Hazel McCarthy at Toy Corner, Galway, Ireland.

What brands do you stock in this category and which products are your best sellers?

Amanda: Orchard Toys has been my ‘go to’ for games and puzzles since I opened nine years ago. They are perfect for children from 18 months to about eight years old. I also have a range of Hasbro games, and games from Big Potato Games, University Games and Cheatwell Games, while Dobble is a consistent best seller. I’ve just taken on Kidicraft as a new supplier as its 3D puzzles are great, and that’s extended the age range of my puzzle lines.

Duncan: We have an eclectic range of board games in store - always at least 100 different games. In the lower price points, games like Fluxx do really well for us. In the big boxes, Ticket to Ride and Small World by Days of Wonder always sell well, as do other classics like Catan and Carcassonne. And of course, Pandemic by Z-Man Games has sold well this last year for some reason!

Hazel: I stock adult puzzles from Ravensburger, Clementoni, Falcon (Jumbo/Galt), and children’s puzzles from Ravensburger, Orchard, Melissa & Doug and Jumini.

A good example of this is The Lost Words card game based on the best-selling book of the same name, which will be joined by The Lost Spells card game later this year.”

Kids’ action games

Ben Hogg at Vivid says the age range has not changed for them, as they cover “preschool/kids, family, party, or strategy. We are well established in kids’ action games but will not, for one second, be resting on our laurels and have a number of strong new releases including Beware of the Bear and Gobble Monster, as well as the return to the Goliath portfolio of perennial sellers Doggie Doo, Pop the Pig and Gooey Louie.’’

Gibsons wants to focus on a broad age range, says Kate Gibson: “As a family business, it’s all about entertaining the generations and bringing people together. The great thing about a jigsaw puzzle is that anyone can pop a piece in and suddenly children and grandparents are sharing an activity together! We are seeing growing interest in our White logo range of puzzles aimed at younger adults: those looking to switch off from screens and take part in something mindful.’’

And there’s a family focus at University Games, too, says Mark Jones: “We have always had strong and competitive ranges in our preschool, children, family and adult categories, but one area we have focused on is the family games category, introducing lines that incorporate and keep teenagers interested, such as the on-trend Autocorrect, 5 Star Review, AntiMonopoly and Dumb Criminals.’’

With the sector garnering such a lot of interest, there’s clearly going to be plenty to look forward to. “With more than 700 games, puzzles and gifts in our combined University Games and Lagoon Group portfolio,

we will always look to balance our offering to each of our core sectors - preschool, children, family and adult - and ensure we have on-trend products launching to keep our range fresh and current.’’ says Mark Jones. Hasbro

Games are very strong at the moment and we have a wide range. With summer holidays in full swing and lots of holidaymakers staying at campsites or on boats, games are keeping them entertained. Puzzles have been good, but the summer months often slow down. Last Q4 was crazy for adult puzzles. How this year pans out... who knows? But it will be good, I think

Dan Lovett Manager, The Toy Box, Beccles, Suffolk

Immersive gaming

And there’s plenty of new product from Ravensburger too. “New for A/W are some fabulous immersive games, with titles such as The Princess Bride, Alien and Carpe Diem following a packaging refresh,’’ says Katy Fletcher. “Our Marvel Villainous and Disney Villainous games both have new expansions for this season. We also have some interesting Cold Case Files from ThinkFun, delivering education through fun and extremely clever game formats! Another new game to look out for is Echoes: We have always had strong and competitive “ an app-based card game that is new to the range - a completely different way of gaming.’’ ranges in our preschool, children, family Advent calendar As we look towards Christmas, Kate Gibson and adult says: “We can’t wait for the categories, but launch of our jigsaw puzzle one area we have advent calendar. With last focused on is the family games category, year’s design featuring on [ITV chat show] This Morning and as a Gift of the Year 2021 award winner, it’s sure introducing lines to be in demand. We have that incorporate a new game too, Out of and keep the Order, hitting the shelves this teenagers interested Autumn. It’s trivia with a twist - brilliant fun and infuriating at the same time - like all the Mark Jones, best games, I think!” University Games “Aside from kids’ games, we wish to establish ourselves in a permanent way across family, party, and strategy games,’’ concludes Vivid’s

Spin Master Ben Hogg. “We have a fantastic opportunity to show we have arrived this Q4 with some terrific titles under our belt including Unsolved Case Files, Escape Room: The Game, The Floor is Lava, Battle of the Ages, Fireball Island and Sequence.’’

New additions

UNIVERSITY GAMES

020 7254 0100 | www.university-games.co.uk

Launching at Autumn Fair and joining the best-selling Harry Potter Wizarding World 3D Puzzle series will be three new spellbinding 3D Puzzle Models. The magical home of the Weasley Family, the Burrow 3D Puzzle will be joined by the transforming Knight Bus and the home of Hogwarts’ Keeper of the Keys, Hagrid’s Hut.

Quicksand and Eye Opener are just two of the fun-packed new additions to the children’s games portfolio. Quicksand is a game of Slip, Slide and Sink! Players use their shrinking playing pieces to race through the jungle to get them (or whatever remains left of them) to the fi nish camp! Eye Opener is a hidden picture guessing game that the whole family will love: use the fun lever to slowly open the eye to reveal the hidden picture.

There are also some new and very on-trend board games joining the family and adult games range. Autocorrect is a hilarious modern-day game, perfect for those who can relate to sending that text too quickly! Five Star Review will draw out those inner critics, and AntiMonopoly is the real-estate trading game for the 21st Century. Judge Your Friends is a party game full of questions that you might just not want to know the answer to! In addition, there is a new series of strategy games arriving this Autumn which are perfect for testing the grey matter: Pathagon, Quadefy and Eternas. Q4 is defi nitely the favourite time of the year for Murder Mystery parties. The evergreen parties. The evergreen Murder Mystery titles from Murder Mystery titles from University Games have been given a new contemporary University Games have been given a new contemporary look. Also adding to the strong Murder Mystery range are look. Also adding to the strong Murder Mystery range are two new Case Files - Mile High and Chef’s Knife - two new Case Files - Mile High and Chef’s Knife - as well as four new Murder Mystery Puzzles: The as well as four new Murder Mystery Puzzles: The Orient Express, Murder on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, Murder on the Nile, Murder on the Underground, and The Art of Murder. Underground, and The Art of Murder. The University Games Puzzle range The University Games Puzzle range has plenty of new additions in 2021 has plenty of new additions in 2021

Guess what…

Autocorrect is a hilarious modernhilarious modernday game perfect for day game perfect for those who can relate those who can relate to sending that text to sending that text too quickly… players too quickly… players have to decipher some have to decipher some brilliantly autocorrected brilliantly autocorrected messages

Flair shoots… and scores!

FLAIR

0208 643 0320 | sales@fl airplc.co.uk

From a talking toilet to a stacking game with a difference, Flair’s A/W21 games portfolio is not to be missed.

Combining all the things that children love, Shoot the Poop is a hilarious game where players must shoot their toy poops into a talking toilet bowl - that’s Tank the Toilet to his fans and friends! To play, simply place the poop on the poop launcher, aim the launcher, and shoot! The fi rst player to shoot all of his/her poops into Tank the Toilet wins. Following an incredible consumer response in the US, the game launches in the UK from October and will benefi t from extensive marketing support, including TV, pre-roll, and infl uencer activity.

Continuing the family fun theme is Pick-Up Pete: a game that families in the US can’t get enough of! Perfect for preschoolers, this is a stacking game with a difference, where players must pile up the chairs while Pete the Pick-Up truck drives around. The winner is the fi rst person to stack all his/her coloured chairs on the truck as Pete passes by. The game launched this summer with a 360-degree marketing campaign, including TV, pre-roll, and infl uencer activity.

Finally, with football front of mind following the Euros - and with the World Cup tournament set to take place next year - Flair’s football-inspired card game Goal 10 will be right on target!

Fun for little ones

TOYNAMICS UK & IRELAND

0116 478 5230 www.toynamics.com

Toynamics UK & Ireland offers a wide choice of Hape puzzles in a variety of sizes, shapes and levels of diffi culty for two- to fi ve-year-olds. All are designed to ensure that puzzling is fun for children, while encouraging critical thinking, hand/eye co-ordination and dexterity.

Children can learn more about the solar system with the Hape Solar System Puzzle, featuring solid-wood planet pieces, a glowing LED sun, and a poster with all the planet names. The Hape Animated City Puzzle is a large 49-piece cityscape with a magic card camera viewer that creates animated effects as children move across the completed puzzle picture. And the Hape Chunky Clock Puzzle gives children a colourful introduction to telling the time. For children aged two-plus, the Hape Farm Animal Puzzle and Play helps them learn about where each animal feels at home.

Classics with a contemporary twist

HASBRO

020 8744 5652 | www.hasbro.co.uk

Hasbro Gaming continues to bring newness to its classic games this Q4 with the launch of Monopoly Cash Decoder and Trivial Pursuit Decades 2010-2020. In the Monopoly Cash Decoder game, things aren’t always as they seem. Someone added fake cash and fake Chance cards! Luckily, Mr. Monopoly is giving players his decoder so they can find the fakes and still make a fortune. It’s an exciting game of hidden reveals, and players get to challenge their opponents for using fakes with accusation coins. But they must use them wisely! Players only get a few coins to play. The game includes Monopoly tokens that play up the deceptive theme. The player with the most money at the end - real or fake - wins. Aimed at adults and teens with a love of trivia, the new Trivial Pursuits Decade 20102020 gives players a chance to put all that streaming, scrolling, and sharing to the test with questions about bingeworthy shows, chart-topping hits, major headlines, hilarious memes, and more from 2010 to 2020. The board game features pop culture trivia questions from six categories, including Playlist, Bingeworthy, Culture, News Alert, Break the Internet, and Game On. Friends and families can play individually or in teams with 1,800 trivia questions on 300 cards. In addition, Hasbro continues to support its much-loved classic board games including Monopoly, Cluedo, Guess Who and Twister, offering the perfect mix of games to keep families and kids entertained this winter season.

Five friends in one

WINNING MOVES

020 3920 8151 www.winningmoves.co.uk

With last year’s influx of puzzles flooding the market, consumers are looking for fresh ways to keep themselves entertained. As a result, Winning Moves is launching a new product this Winter: the 5-in-1 collection of Friends puzzles, which consists of a 160-piece puzzle, two 500-piece puzzles, and two 1000-piece puzzles.

Last year, during the beginning of the pandemic, the company launched its first Friends puzzle featuring the iconic image of the cast of the US TV sitcom drinking a milkshake and it was a massive hit. Since then, two more variations have been added to the range, and 5-in-1 is expected to add to the success of these products.

Challenges and Christmas cheer

RAVENSBURGER

01869 363830 | www.ravensburger.co.uk

What happens when your world turns upside down? Find out when you put the goggles on and experience how the easiest task suddenly turns into a real challenge! The#UpsideDownChallenge is simple and easy to play. It takes just 20 minutes and is suitable for two to six players aged sevenplus. Suitable for a quick game or an entire games night, it contains more than 100 drawing and activity challenges.

Meanwhile, The Christmas House Limited Edition 2021 is a 1,000-piece puzzle developed by Ravensburger’s UK-based team for adults and children aged 12 years and up. The 25th Limited Edition Christmas design shows a house adorned in lights, with garlands wrapped round the porch and Christmas crackers, stars, garlands and a large Santa in his sleigh at the front of the building. In the garden are super-sized gifts and baubles and nutcracker figures stand guard, alongside an angel, another Santa, a sleigh and lots of illuminated trees. Beyond the house are the lights of a pretty village and church and distant, snow-covered hills.

A gamut of games

VIVID TOY GROUP

01483 449944 | www.vividtoysandgames.co.uk

Goliath Games is launching 11 games for A/W21 to join its ever-increasing portfolio.

Since launch, The Floor is Lava has been a sell-out success with consumers. It has also been the recipient of plaudits from celebrity influencers, who have posted their fondness for the title and in doing so laid the foundations for a strong A/W period.

Making a welcome return to the Goliath Games range this Christmas are Pop the Pig (formerly Pig Goes Pop) featuring the company’s largest-ever pig, Doggie Doo in a new Corgi edition, the gruesome Gooey Louie and the classic game of Triominos Deluxe.

A perennial success story is Sequence and this year, there’s a host of new formats available including Travel, Premium and Jumbo editions plus Sequence Harry Potter edition.

The adult party range has been bolstered with titles such as Unsolved Case Files. In the family range, there’s Skid Markz (yes, you read correctly!), which is in equal parts funny and gross.

Another addition is Double Ditto, a party game that has already launched in the US, where the more you agree in your answers to open-ended questions, the more you score.

There are also some new additions to TV advertised preschool games for 2021, including Beware of the Bear and Gobble Monster.

Countdown to Christmas

GIBSONS

020 8661 8866 www.gibsonsgames.co.uk

Gibsons, the 102-year-old jigsaw puzzle and board game company, is launching a range of fresh products this month. The new releases consist of two new games and a collection of puzzle designs that are sure to keep the whole family entertained.

Out Of Order is the trivia game with a twist. There’s a laugh on every card in this fast-paced party game. The quirky quiz sees you whizz through just five questions a card… and they’re not that hard. So, what’s the catch? Simple: you must always give the answer from the question before - with hilarious results! Out of Order is cheeky fun for two to six players aged 14 and over.

And returning for the fourth consecutive year is Gibsons’ jigsaw puzzle in a bauble. Inside the gorgeous gift is a 200-piece Sugar & Spice puzzle that features gingerbread treats, Christmas tree decorations and lots of lovely presents. The innovative, baubleshaped packaging features luxury silver foiling, making it the perfect addition to any tinsel-laden Christmas tree. This joyful puzzle is the ultimate Christmas gift that is bound to spread some festive cheer.

Finally, back by popular demand is Gibsons’ best-selling Puzzle Advent Calendar. The theme of the Merry Mischief Puzzle Advent Calendar is animals, and behind 22 doors is a festive jigsaw puzzle to complete in the countdown to Christmas. Behind the two remaining doors is puzzle glue and ribbon, so you can turn your puzzles into hanging decorations.

An entertaining assortment

ASMODEE UK

01420 593593 www.asmodee.co.uk

Asmodee’s catalogue of board games is full of must-have products for the coming months. Its Family Games collection brings together its most exciting sellers, including The Sock Game. Challenging two teams to rummage around inside an oversized sock, searching for a variety of objects using only their sense of touch, it’s a hilarious dexterity game that puts all players on an equal playing field.

Another success for Asmodee is BrainBox Harry Potter, a high-profile licensed edition of the millions-selling educational game. Built upon the proven BrainBox mechanics, in which players have 10 seconds to study a card before answering questions to see how much they can remember about it, this version features stills from the movies, and tests memory and knowledge of the hit film adaptations of JK Rowling’s books. Asmodee’s flagship Dobble brand continues to go from strength to strength as it enjoys its biggest year yet for new licensed editions of the top-selling game of speedy observation. Dobble Pixar, Dobble Paw Patrol, Dobble Marvel Emoji and Dobble Minions have all already hit shelves this year – and there’s even more excitement to come. The image-matching card game has teamed up with football clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City for special editions perfect for fans of the beautiful game. 2021 has brought the opportunity to celebrate some of Asmodee’s most enduringly popular Modern Classics. Ticket to Ride Europe marked its 15th anniversary with a definitive collector’s edition, while Carcassonne is soon to release an eagerly-awaited 20th anniversary set, and the upcoming Catan 3D offers the most vivid and inviting edition yet of the game as it celebrates 25 years of success.

Another Asmodee title is set to debut a new edition, with the release of Pandemic: Hot Zone - Europe: a streamlined version of the co-operative game which can be played within half an hour.

Guess what…

The image-matching card game Dobble has teamed up with several of the country’s biggest football clubs - including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City - for special editions perfect for fans of the beautiful game

Big bundle of games and puzzles

BIG POTATO GAMES

02036209495 | bigpotato.co.uk

Big Potato Games is back with a big bundle of new party games for the second half - perfect for finally reuniting with all the family this Christmas. And if that wasn’t enough - the company is also launching its first-ever range of jigsaw puzzles. A Night At The Movies and A Day At The Festival are both 1,000-piece puzzles and the fun doesn’t stop once they are completed; both puzzles also come with 101 riddles to try to solve. Next up is another exciting first. Billed as the world's first action adventure board game, What Next? is made up of three epic adventures where you have to work together to reach the end of the story in one piece. However, in this game, choosing the right path is only half the battle. To complete their mission, players must take on more than 60 different physical minigames, from blowing a card across the table to catching a piece before it hits the floor. Each adventure is packed with different events, challenges and rewards, compelling players to go back and explore again.

If those two firsts weren’t enough, Big Potato Games is also back to doing what it does best - bringing out another game with another wellknown licence. Get ready for the Mean Girls party game. Gather your friends, tear out a page of the Burn Book, and pass it around as you take turns answering scandalous questions about each other. This is a game for everyone, not just super-fans of the US teen comedy movie that takes a look at high school cliques. It’s not about how well you know the plot, but about how well you know the people you’re playing with, so no need to worry if you don’t know Glen Coco from Regina George (both characters from the film).

A head-spinning selection

SPIN MASTER

01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk

Spin Master has a great selection of games and puzzles for everyone in the family to enjoy. Refreshed versions of popular family games Hedbanz and Beat the Parents are hitting stores this year with exciting upgrades for even better play, including Hedbanz Blastoff, which features an added element of time pressure. Spin Master has also recently partnered with several popular brands to produce a wide range of movie-inspired games, including Harry Potter Catch The Snitch, and a deluxe version of the classic Jumanji game with a new electronic video centrepiece and immersive jungle sounds. For younger games fans, Spin Master has a range of Paw Patrol themed games such as Paw Patrol Movie Adventure City Game and the Paw Patrol Pop Up Game, that feature characters from the Paw Patrol TV series and the new feature-length film. Also on offer is a selection of puzzles including the Perplexus Beast and the Perpluxus Rebel. These puzzles are perfect for challenging dexterity and patience as children and adults alike put their skills to the test while manoeuvring tricky obstacles such as the laughing man, tightrope, and super spiral, without falling off the track.

For younger players

ORCHARD TOYS

01953 859520

www.orchardtoys.com

Orchard Toys celebrates its golden 50th anniversary in Q4 and with a reputation for award-winning educational play, the company continues to centre its games and jigsaws around the ethos of ‘Learning Made Fun’.

The recently launched Wiggly Words, a brainteasing word and spelling game, has seen a fantastic response since its release. Players take turns to join their heads or tails cards to the domino line to build a new word. Doublesided cards with quirky characters feature at the beginning or end of a word to allow for different word combinations to be made. Championing the balance between education and fun, children (and adults) can practise words they already know, as well as learning new words, in this fun literacy game.

Within the jigsaws range, First Farm and First Jungle Friends are proving popular additions, with their simplistic, engaging, and bold illustrations capturing the imaginations of young toddlers. Both products feature two 12-piece jigsaws.

Orchard Toys will support its range through a multichannel social and marketing campaign to drive brand awareness throughout Q4.

Picture perfect

JUMBO

0161 428 9111 | www.galttoys.com

With the end of 2021 fast approaching, Jumbo is releasing a selection of seasonal puzzles, as well as a host of new titles from brands loved by fans and retailers alike. New for 2021, the exquisitely illustrated Christmas in Edinburgh from Falcon de Luxe is an enchanting 1,000-piece puzzle that showcases this historic city in all its festive glory. In addition, the beautiful scenery of Portloe and the action-packed Vintage Car Rally are just two of the latest 1,000-piece releases sure to delight puzzle fans everywhere. Falcon Contemporary is a new puzzle collection for 2021, which celebrates modern artwork and designs. The range uses 100% recycled cardboard and smaller, more compact, boxes, which are free from plastic shrink wrap for a more sustainable way to puzzle. Shop Local from Jacqui Lee transports puzzlers to a vibrant local market in a quaint town square. Other colourful titles in this selection include The Marina from Ben the Illustrator and Life’s a Beach from Ruby Taylor.

Meanwhile, Wasgij is the original brainteasing jigsaw, and in these new puzzles, the illustrations and clues remain as rib-tickling as ever. Wasgij Mystery 20 Trouble Brewing! is a 1,000-piece puzzle that shows a brewery tour that’s well underway as the guide struggles to keep the rowdy bunch focused - especially a hen party that has imbibed too many free samples! Wasgij Original 38 Market Meltdown takes us to a bustling cheese market where hilarity ensues. Lastly, in Wasgij Destiny 23 Theme Park Thrills, puzzlers must imagine how state-of-the-art attractions have transformed the charming Have a Jolly Day Out Land theme park.

Guess what…

Wasgij Mystery 20 Trouble Brewing! is a 1,000-piece puzzle that shows a brewery tour that’s well underway as the guide struggles to keep the rowdy bunch focused - especially a hen party that has imbibed too many free samples!

Time for adventure

THAMES & KOSMOS

01580713000 | www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk

Thames & Kosmos is pleased to announce the latest addition to its award-winning range of Exit games: an Exit Advent Calendar. The Mystery of the Ice Cave is a 24-day adventure that requires the player to solve a riddle per day to move on to the next tiny 3D room.

Meticulous detail combined with the usual mind-boggling puzzles set by Inka and Markus Brand, will amuse, intrigue and delight players aged 10-plus - and it’s calorie-free!

The company is no stranger to Spiel des Jahres nominations. The Crew: Quest for Planet 9 won the Kennerspiel last year as well as Dice Towers game of the year and a multitude of other plaudits.

This year, The Crew: Mission Deep Sea takes adventurers on a whole new adventure. Players will still enjoy the co-operative tricktaking mechanic but will be challenged by a whole other level of difficulty and will find a greater variety of missions to complete.

Also nominated for Spiel des Jahres this year was The Adventures of Robin Hood. This co-operative story-led game is perfect for families and friends aged 10-plus. The advent calendar-like doors on the board reveal bonuses and rewards, while the beautifully-illustrated hardback book leads adventurers through the story as they choose how best to complete their individual quests.

With illustrations and game design by Michael Menzel, creator of the cult Legends of Andor series, players will be enchanted by the artwork, innovative player movement and beautifully designed character pieces.

Collect, play, and display surprises

BASIC FUN! UK

Tim.Ives@basicfun.com www.BasicFun.com

Basic Fun! UK is cornering both the games and the collectables market with Monopoly Surprise Collectables. These blind-boxed, multi-purpose collectables present kids and collectors with a peel ‘n’ reveal experience like no other! Once unboxed, kids can collect, play, and display their game tokens.

The surprises include heavy-weighted, metal, exclusive tokens, unique coins, new Mr. Monopoly expressions, chase tokens, and more. Not just fun to collect, these collectables can be used while playing with nearly any version of the iconic property trading board game.

There are two Monopoly Surprise lines to discover. Monopoly Surprise Exclusive Collectable Tokens contain five surprises in each pack with more than 20 new tokens to collect in this assortment. There are a further 25-plus tokens to find in the Monopoly Surprise Community Chests. Each Chest contains 10 surprises - exclusive gold toned tokens (which cannot be found anywhere else), unique coins, new Mr. Monopoly expressions, different coloured plaques, chase tokens, and more.

Kids, families, and Monopoly enthusiasts can collect all the game tokens and use them in their board game play, and then display them for all to see.

More fun with Mattel

MATTEL

01628 500000 | www.mattel.com

Mattel continues to strengthen its games portfolio with an extensive offering, introducing new lines alongside iconic favourites.

This year, UNO celebrates its 50th anniversary with new products and exciting campaigns. Joining the range this Autumn is the new UNO Extreme, bringing even more action, suspense and surprise into the game you know and love!

Following the continued incredible performance of Pictionary Air in 2020, Mattel Games is expanding the range with new Pictionary Air Harry Potter. Two teams, representing different Hogwarts houses, battle it out to see who will reign supreme. Players take turns drawing clues in the air while their teammates guess the images that appear on screen. The team with the most points wins the house cup!

New to Scrabble this A/W is the Scrabble Star Wars Edition. Play classic Scrabble or try out Galaxy mode! Build words to advance your starship token around the board and collect Galaxy Cards to increase your score and strike back at your opponents. Jump through hyperspace by playing words from the Star Wars glossary.

Finally, joining Whac-a-Mole in Mattel’s Kids Games range is Crossed Signals, an exciting reaction-based electronics game, where players read the lights right or get mixed up! Players choose one of four different games, playing solo or with friends. Utilising light and voice commands, the game will get players on their feet to challenge speed and accuracy - including a duelling showdown where two players each take a stick. The player with the highest score wins. Up to four players can enjoy this frenzied game of lights and action.

0161 633 9800 sales@charactergroup.plc.uk

New for A/W21, Character Options is inviting players to work together in a bid to Stop The Robots! Having proved a smash hit in the Character Kidz event, this game is set in a world where crazy robots are threatening the city. Players must find and deactivate them before it’s too late! Players can use voice recognition walkietalkies to talk to their virtual partner.

They’ll need to work together to identify the robot, solve the puzzles, and cut the correct wires. There are more than 100 puzzles to solve to progress through the game’s 36 missions and nine levels. Kids can either play alone or as part of a team.

Another must-have in the games aisle is Projex, the projecting game arcade. This game tests players’ speed and skill as they blast moving targets projected onto any light-coloured wall, all from the comfort of their own home, and without the need for TV screens or sensors. The game features three interchangeable image slides that let you project ducks, targets or UFOs - each with different sound effects. Players can choose from five built-in games and three skill levels, with target pointers on both blasters to help with their aim. Kids can play solo, head-to-head or in co-op mode, teaming up to get the highest combined score.

Finally, there’s the Electronic Spin the Bottle game, where players must dare to perform songs and dances, or answer truths to reveal what they really think. This hilarious game features hundreds of questions, truths and dares.

Balancing acts and boredom-busters

REX LONDON

020 8746 1700 rexlondontrade.com

Shortlisted for a Junior Design Award 2021, the bestselling Wild Wonders Balance Game contains 14 wooden pieces - jungle flora and fauna - and the aim of the game is to balance them on top of each other. It’s a great way for kids to improve their hand-eye co-ordination and learn animal names at the same time!

The cute jungle design is bold and bright - the game is just one of 50 products (so far) in the Wild Wonders range. It reflects a level of whimsy and fun; the pieces feature a retro design and glossy painted finish.

Although the main aim of the game is to balance the blocks on top of each other, children can channel the spirit of Kruger National Park (one of Africa’s largest game reserves) by using the pieces as figures in an African bush scene, or they can be placed on a shelf to decorate a kid’s room.

While the print itself has been designed specifically for children, it has been purposefully developed to be ungendered because exotic animals ignite the imagination in so many little ones, and the bright colours and beautiful finish of the balance game can inspire and delight both boys and girls. Rex London has always opted for ungendered kids’ designs, focusing more on unbiased characters, interests and patterns.

Meanwhile, with UK holidays more popular than ever, parents can keep kids entertained on long car journeys, train rides or days out with the Travel Bingo game. It’s a great way to develop children’s curiosity and observational skills, while busting their boredom. No more cries of, “Are we there yet?” The game comes with four coloured pencils and two bingo pads - one for things to spot in the countryside, and one for things to spot around town.

An Avalanche of family fun

SKYROCKET

01489 668442 | salesuk@skyrockettoys.com

New for A/W21, Avalanche is a fun, fast and furious game. Players must shoot a cannon to knock out their opponent’s ice blocks. It will take multiple shots to displace a block, as players adopt an offence/defence strategy! The first player to hit five blocks wins the game. Parents will love that the cannon balls are connected to each cannon, which avoids any loose or lost balls. And kids will love the fact that this means unlimited ammunition and zero reloading time, offering them heaps of fast-paced fun.

Suitable for players aged four-plus, this game presents families with multiple ways to play. In ‘Frenzy’ mode, two players can battle one another to knock out five blocks. In ‘Turn Based’ play, players can follow a Noughts and Crosses style of game. And in ‘TimeBased’ play, one player can level up their play in practice mode.

Mario’s still super!

EPOCH MAKING TOYS

0208 049 1377 sales@epochmakingtoys.com

Following huge success in 2020 with the launch of Super Mario Games, Epoch making toys is expanding the range for A/W21. After 2020’s sold-out Super Mario Shaky Tower game and ahead of the Super Mario film release in 2022, three SKUs will bolster Epoch’s offering in the lead-up to Christmas.

Hover Shell Strike is a delight for Super Mario fans as it brings the iconic Koopa green shell to life. Launching this month, players can start a game of hockey on almost any surface, as the shell is struck between the branded hockey pucks.

Also launching this month is the Fire Mario Stadium: a one-on-one battle to reach the opponent’s tower before they reach yours. Fans can choose to play as Mario or Luigi as they shoot the other character’s target to attack, before defeating Bowser to win the game. Fire Mario Stadium continues to feature the Link System, which allows the included characters to be played across Super Mario Games, including previous releases such as Piranha Plant Escape and Balancing Games.

To thrill Super Mario Fans for Christmas, Mario Kart Racing DX will zoom onto shelves in October. The kart racing game pits two players against each other, both battling it out on the track where dexterity is the difference between winning and losing. Players will be faced with six exciting obstacles to be crowned the winner; they will have to push buttons and pull leavers to get their kart over a steep winding road, seesaw bridge, a tilting slope and more! No batteries are required for the game, so it’s ideal to play straight away. Mario Kart Racing DX will be the focal point of a TV and digital campaign in the run-up to Christmas.