Story driven with multiple game modes, Blue Orange’s Interactive collection consists of five different electronic toys, and offers a reliable way to redirect children’s attention from tablets and digital devices towards body movement, creative exploration, and social interaction.
Where’s Squeaky? is a HIDE AND SEEK GAME. The adorable little mouse, Squeaky, makes sounds when someone hides her, low at first, then louder and louder until one player finds her. It works well with a small or large group of children, but one child can also play and enjoy the game if a parent hides the mouse for them.
Freeze Dance with Chilly is a FREEZE DANCE GAME. Players listen carefully as Chilly plays one of 5 original songs. Song themes and lyrics vary, inviting children to imitate animal movements, practice special actions, dance freely, and recognize the colors one is wearing. The goal is to actively listen, act out directions and then ‘’Freeze’’ when prompted to.
Pass the Ball with Olie is a HOT POTATO GAME. While Olie, the adorable otter plays music, children pass the inflatable ball from one to another until the music stops, like in a hot potato game. The goal is to avoid holding or touching the ball when the music stops.
Hoot or Toot is a MEMORY GAME. Shake the owl and listen to the sounds it makes. Children try to match what they hear (hoot, hoot hoot, toot or toot toot) with illustrated tokens spread out on the table. The goal is to collect at least 1 token of each of the 6 colors.
Color Scramble with Cora is a COLOR RECOGNITION GAME. This new addition to the collection will be released in Fall of 2025, and supports solo or group play. As Cora the Crocodile calls out colors, players locate the colored nests distributed in a play area and place her on top. The goal is to recognize colors and sequencing, while strengthening memory and social play skills.
Game Creator Robert Coleman has partnered with Blue Orange Games to launch his newest game Linkx. In this 2-player game, players compete to be the first to connect two opposite edges of the grid. Strategically placing tetris-shaped pieces in a vertical board, players can choose to either block opponents or grow their lines. We caught up with Robert recently to talk about his early life, career, game design, the creative process behind Linkx and gain some tips to improve our playthrough.
Turning Love of Board Games into a Career
Growing up, Robert always loved board games. His favorites were Stratomatic Baseball and Chess. He was the chess champion at his school. When he was 11, he tried to set a record with a friend by playing Monopoly for 48 hours straight. They lasted 43 hours in total.
He entered the career world as a computer programmer, eventually progressing to team management. While working, he created games on the side and eventually decided to locate a game agent. He sold his first game, Rock Paper Switch, through Mary Ellroy at GameBird Toys. Following that collaboration, Robert decided to give full time game inventing a try. Now, several years later, with over five games currently on the market, his dream job has fully solidified.
When he invented Linkx, he originally thought of calling it “Pathological”. He started with the idea of a vertical game board where players drop pieces in. As his design progressed, his love of geometric shapes influenced game piece design. The goal of the game, to make a path from one side to another, just seemed to easily follow as the logical choice.
Ideally, Robert hopes players will have fun playing Linkx and enjoy the strategic challenge. Because players have to learn a bit more about strategies each time they play, it is a game that gamers will want to play again and again. His pro tip for beginners: “Play defense first and don’t let your opponent seal off your pieces!”
Recently a finalist in the Mensa Select competition, Linkx was well received by reviewers. Many praised the game’s replay value, appreciating the quick set-up and play time. Others flagged it as a great game for kids and a perfect introduction to spatial reasoning. While simple and straightforward, reviewers were pleased to see strategy unfold over repeated plays.
The Kingdomino App just launched in June 2025. Now available for purchase on iOS and Android platforms, for an initial investment of $4.99, Kingdomino fans can play this 2017 Spiel de Jahres favorite anywhere, any time. So, how does the digital version compare to the board game, and is it worth it?
The Board Game
For those new to the Kingdomino ‘verse, the board game accommodates 2-4 players, ages 8 and up. Each game takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. The game comes with 48 dominoes composed of 2 terrain squares. The objective: build the perfect kingdom by strategically selecting and adding dominoes to your kingdom. Match them to form different territories, connecting terrain squares with point-earning crowns to improve your overall score. For each territory created, points are only gained if there is at least one crown present in the territory!
To add dimensionality to a game, players can select from several variations:
Build big. If playing a 2-player game: create a 7×7 kingdom.
Harmonize. Earn 5 bonus points by forming a complete grid without gaps.
Center it. Gain 10 extra points if the castle is in the middle of your kingdom.
Create a run. Play 3 games in a row. The player with the highest score at the end, wins.
For gamers wanting to disengage from digital, the physical version offers a visually enticing tactile experience. A beloved fan favorite, this is often a go-to strategy game for family-and-friend game nights.
Additionally, Kingdomino board game packaging has received a fresh new look. Featuring all-new illustrations by Pauline Detraz, this edition brings renewed charm as well as visual appeal for both longtime fans and newcomers to the world of Kingdomino.
The Digital App
The Kingdomino Digital App brings everything you love about the original board game to digital form. Select then place terrain tiles and watch your kingdom come to life through charming animations. Players accessing the app will have four play options available. Choose from Single Player or Pass and Play. Alternatively, connect with people around the world with the Online Public feature or meet with friends in an Online Private session.
Unlike the board game, the digital version can now accommodate single players. If a game remains unfinished, players can start or stop easily and progress will be saved. The main menu also provides access to multiple bonuses that enhance player experience. These features include:
Character selection: choose from multiple avatars.
Special item acquisition: win magic dominoes and use them to unlock special features.
Adapt your experience: purchase characters and castles for customization.
Check your stats: track progress on the Achievement and Leadership boards.
Perhaps the single player option, the gamification of Kingdomino, improved portability and increased accessibility may give the digital app an edge over the physical board game. Ultimately though, at the end of the day, individual preference will likely factor into which version appeals.
In the last month or so, we had the opportunities to present our awaited new games to retailers all over the country, at trade shows and through our representatives and distributors. We are excited to now ship them! They will find a place on store shelves, some will be opened for demos and events and we can’t wait for you to get your copies, play them and share wonderful moments with your friends and families.
This collection was carefully selected and developed by our team members in the spirit of Blue Orange ”easy to learn, fun to play and play again” often used motto, and we know they won’t disappoint!
Enjoy our new titles through these short descriptions below, and stay tuned for the videos explaining the games, which will become available in the next few months on our youtube channel!
HOOT OR TOOT | 4 & Up | $19.99 | 2-4 PLAYERS
Hoot or Toot is an interactive matching game and a fun twist on a traditional memory game in which young players try to match Mr. Owl’s hoot and toot sounds with illustrated tokens. On their turn, players shake the cute owl toy, listen carefully to the sound he makes, and flip a token on the table to try to match the sound. Trying to remember where each token is helps! While all players are having a silly time listening and matching lots of hooting and tooting, the first one to collect one token of each of the six colors wins!
PASS THE BALL WITH OLIE | 4 & Up | $19.99 | 2-10 PLAYERS
The classic Hot Potato game just got an upgrade with an adorable singing Otter! Players select a song and sit or stand in circle around Olie, and while she plays music, they pass the ball to each other. They go as fast as they can but when the music suddenly stops, they can’t drop the ball or get caught with it in their hands or they will be eliminated! This interactive toy features two original sound tracks and includes an inflatable ball. It’s the perfect active game for young players to socialize and improve motor skills.
BEAT THE 8 BALL | 6 & Up | $24.99 | 2-4 PLAYERS
This intense family party game has players concentrating on getting their timing just right! The goal is to launch their ball on a ramp at the right time to beat the 8 Ball coming down a chute! The 8 Ball is first launched into the funnel and spins like a coin in a spiral wishing well; it then shoots down the scoring chute. Players watch eagerly all the balls crash to their final position to see who succeeded to land before the 8 Ball. The locations on the ramp determine everybody’s points!
PAWVOCADOS | 4 & Up | $12.99 | 2-6 PLAYERS
Pawvocados is a card game featuring cute pups, cats and bunnies, which all need to find their pair to get their nose back. On their turn, players roll an original avocado dice: the adorable fruit will break open and may reveal a little paw seed! The sides the dice land on will determine how many cards are won. Players collect cards, make pairs for points or exchange them for magic cards, for a chance to earn more points.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR PEEPS? | 7 & Up | $19.99 | 3-10 PLAYERS
Do You Know Your Peeps? is a fun trivia game filled with amusing questions for all ages that will challenge friends and family members to see if they really know each other. One player reads a question and three possible answers out loud, then all the other players lock their answers, and the reader tries to guess everybody’s response. With five categories (Favorites, School, Magic, Hobbies, and Personality) and 200 questions (From silly to everyday life situations), the multiple family friendly topics encourage all players to express themselves about their choice of answer, share past memories or aspirations. This game will surely spark fun conversations and create memorable family moments with lots of laughter and learning about each other!
SLIDIN’ TOUCAN | 4 & Up | $19.99 | 2-4 PLAYERS
In this unique cooperative game, players take turns launching a Toucan carrying its eggs down the sliding ramp, trying to escape from an unwelcome explorer. The toucan will topple and tumble while the eggs fly away! The side the eggs land on after the chute will determine how far the explorer will advance. To win, players need to tuck away the eggs in all of their hiding spots before the explorer gets to the nest!
PICNIC TWIST | 8 & Up | $13.99 | 1-9 PLAYERS
Picnic Twist is a puzzling game where players try to organize their picnic meals and tablecloths in the best possible way. Through a drafting system, they select their cards to place them in their playing area in such a way that they combine the largest possible number of similar elements: food and tablecloths. Picnic Twist includes several game modes and modules to add complexity and replayability.
Starting on Tuesday February 28th, 4 tournaments on Board Game Arena will determine champions for these zones:
USA
Canada
Australia
New Zealand
You need to register based on your country of residence.
Look for these tournaments on BGA or follow these links:
Kingdomino USA Championship by Blue Orange Games: https://boardgamearena.com/tournament?id=197108
Kingdomino Canada Championship by Blue Orange: https://boardgamearena.com/tournament?id=197110
Kingdomino Australia Championship by Blue Orange: https://boardgamearena.com/tournament?id=197111
Kingdomino New Zealand Championship by Blue Orange: https://boardgamearena.com/tournament?id=197112
The winner of each zone will win a one year membership on Board Game Arena!
They will be invited, along with winners from many other countries in the world, to participate to the Kingdomino World Championship, organized by Blue Orange Europe, on March 26, 2023, also on Board Game Arena.
The big prize:
The World Champion will receive 2 passes for Essen Game Fair in Germany (October 2023), ‘’Comfort Plus’’ 2-days tickets (Saturday+Sunday), a poster featuring an exclusive illustration by Cyril Bouquet, a bundle of new Blue Orange games as an exclusivity, a selection of goodies and a trophy!
IF YOU ARE NEW TO BOARD GAME ARENA:
Registration is free. Create your account, and play a Kingdomino game to get familiar with the online adaptation, which is so similar to the table top game! You normally need 100 ELO points to be able to register to the tournament, unless we invite you directly. Send us a message through Board Game Arena and we will invite you to join. Or play and win a few games to get to 100 and you can register directly.
Kingdomino is our 2016 tile board game for 2-4 players designed by Bruno Cathala. In this 15-20 minute, family-oriented game, players build a five by five kingdom of domino-like tiles, making sure as they place each tile that one of its sides connects to a matching terrain type already in play. For 2 players, the kingdom can be seven by seven.
Kingdomino won many awards including the 2017 Spiel des Jahres, and was followed by several spin-offs and expansions: Queendomino, Kingdomino Age of Giants expansion, Kingdomino Duel, Kingdomino Origins and Dragomino.
It’s that time of the year! Here are our new games, that will be released in the upcoming months.
Our new collection of games for kids, party games, family board games and fidgets, is as diverse as it can be this year, with thrilling components, quality materials, fun themes and new mechanics for all ages.
Take a look at our line up and tell us which ones you look forward to bring home!
