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Category: Events

New Spot it! Unveiled at Annual SF Giants Event

Posted on August 23, 2014December 17, 2014 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Blue Orange Games hosted its annual Giants Event this past weekend. We invited all of our Bay Area retailers to enjoy a night of games, food, drinks, and baseball…and most importantly—to unveil a new Spot it! game!

The office slowly turned into a party space with games on every table, lots of snacks, and a rotating hot dog machine. Each table offered seating for guests, as well as many of our favorite Blue Orange Games. Toy store owners and workers were able to enjoy playing new games, such as Battle Sheep, Aztack, and Niya; while enjoying classics, such as Spot it! and Gobblet. The competition became intense when co-workers challenged each other to a game…which always followed with several rematches.

Guests were also introduced to Blue Orange’s Spot it! San Francisco Giants edition. This Spot it! features images from all of your favorite sites and memories at and around AT&T Park. Each attendee was asked to grab a Spot it! San Francisco Giants edition Ice Breaker pin to get the party started. This ice breaker pin consists of a Spot it! card to wear on your shirt, you then go around to other guests to try and seek your match! To learn more about creating an Ice Breaker pin for your next party, keep your eye out for upcoming posts on our blog, Facebook, & Pinterest.

Toy store guests walked into the world of Blue Orange and were able to connect with many Blue Orange workers and the atmosphere in which we work. Upon entering, guests checked in and received a ticket to the Giants game, as well as a chance to enter into a drawing. The drawing consisted of many Giants themed prizes—Giants flag, bobble head, hats, & best of all two tickets to the Virgin Mobile Suites. Drawing winners were announced toward the end of the event and headed to the ballpark!

We were excited to feature a photo booth for our Blue Orange team and guests to have some more fun. The photo booth consisted of a fun backdrop and many crazy props to create a fun and creative picture! Stores gathered their whole crew to squeeze into one picture and strike a pose.

Once 7:15 hit, it was game time. The event moved down to AT&T Park to enjoy a beautiful night of baseball in San Francisco. This annual event is always a great way for Blue Orange to connect with their retailers and to appreciate them. We would like to thank all of those who attended our event, and to those who could not make it—we hope to see you next year!

Look for Spot it! San Francisco Giants edition coming your way soon. Go Giants!

Blue Orange goes to Camp

Posted on July 30, 2014December 17, 2014 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Blue Orange Games is busy this summer giving kids even more chances for fun at their camps. Samantha is this summer’s intern and has traveled around the San Francisco Bay Area to host game days at local summer camps. Read about her experiences as Blue Orange’s Brand Ambassador.

What Is A Camp Game Day?

By Samantha Fry

I was originally drawn to this position because it would allow me to gain experience in the field of marketing as well as build on my experience in childcare. A camp game day consists of a taking a bunch of our games to camp and engaging kids in board/card game play. The ages at the camps vary but we are able to accommodate kids of all ages from Pengoloo to BraveRats. Sometimes the kids are lucky to play with games that haven’t hit the store shelves!

These young campers are playing Doodle Quest

Long time camp favorites are Pengoloo, Gobblet Gobblers, and Fastrack. Luckily, older campers were also able to try out some of our newest strategy games such as Aztack, Battle Sheep, and Niya!

A new favorite with the campers has been our new game Spot It! Splash. It’s just like the original Spot It! but has a fun summer theme with waterproof cards. This was a great compliment to our sometimes messy campers.

It was fulfilling to play with the kids and engage their minds in learning new games this summer.

TableTop Day 2014

Posted on April 4, 2014December 17, 2014 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Tomorrow marks the second annual TableTop Day – an international event championed by former Star Trek: The Next Generation star Wil Wheaton. The event is a direct result of the succes of Wheaton’s Youtube series of the same name — part of Felicia Day’s premium channel “Geek & Sundry” — in which Wheaton plays popular board games with other celebrities. (TableTop on Youtube)

Wil Wheaton plays Munchkin with Felicia Day, Steve Jackson and Sandeep Parikh

Wheaton’s charm and deep knowledge of board games has made the show very popular among board game aficionados all around the globe. It is a great way to learn about new games and how to play them.

TableTop Day is a wonderful excuse to unplug for a day and play games with your friends and family. Here at Blue Orange, we are celebrating the event by going out to 3 of our favorite local games stores (Gamescape North, Games of Berkeley, and Games Unlimited) to play games with our community of fans.

I will personally be going out to Games of Berkeley to talk about our game development process and to demonstrate 3 of our new 2014 games, out next month:

Battle Sheep (2-4 players, ages 7+)

BraveRats (2 players, ages 8+)

Doodle Quest (1-4 players, ages 6+)

For more information and to find a participating store location near you visit:

http://www.tabletopday.com/

Blue Orange Games Visits SF Friends School

Posted on December 21, 2013December 17, 2014 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

At Blue Orange Games, we love engaging with our local community. We make it a priority to attend street fairs, festivals and game store play days in the area. And we never turn down an opportunity to give back to our schools. I was recently invited to the SF Friends School by Max Millard (game designer and extended day teacher). I brought along the giant-size versions of some of our more popular games as well as free samples from our Spot it! and Tell Tale series.

The kids had a lot of fun playing with our games, especially Gobblet Gobblers, a twist on the classic school game Tit Tac Toe. We played that the winner of the game got to hold the table, so kids lined up to watch and learn from others’ strategies and collaborated to dethrone the reigning champs.

On another table, we set up a serious match of Blue Orange Games’ short-term memory game Pengoloo, full of focused stares from all the players as they tried to remember which colored eggs were hiding underneath their penguins.

I also got to play some of the games that Max and the kids had created together! They were all lovingly hand-made and many were inspired by classic games from today and Max’s youth. My favorite was a combination of Blue Orange Games’ Tell Tale and the classic game Memory Match — a simple twist on two great games and a delight to play!

Max wrote about the event for the school’s periodical newspaper which he curates and writes for along with the help of the students at the SF Friends School. You can read the article by clicking on the following image:

This article appeared in the SF Friends’ December issue of the Circle Back Magazine. For more information about The San Francisco Friends School, please visit their website: http://www.sffriendsschool.org/

Blogger Alena Belleque Recaps ChiTAG 2013

Posted on December 9, 2013March 28, 2014 by Blue Orange Games

This year was the first time that Blue Orange Games exhibited at ChiTAG, the public fair put on by the Chicago Toy & Game Group. ChiTAG showcases the best new toys and games and gives people the chance to meet inventors, play in tournaments, enjoy live entertainment and score some hot deals and freebies.

Chicago Toy & Game Group was founded 10 years ago to bring together the inventors, manufacturers and industry experts for a family of annual initiatives that encourage and promote the innovation of the game industry. Our CEO, Julien and Director of Sales, Martin joined our team of game gurus in Chicago to attend the T&GCon as well as the fair. The 2 day conference was jam packed with educational presentations, inspirational speakers, networking opportunities and even an inventors award ceremony.

Here is what our CEO, Julien said about his time at the conference:

“My first T&GCon was a fantastic experience. I was deeply impressed by the warm, familial atmosphere and the smooth execution of the large scale event. So many great companies were represented, and we thoroughly enjoyed connecting with talented new people and seeing familiar faces. The well selected speakers captivated the entire audience, whether you were a game inventor, marketing guru, or running a board game company like myself. We cannot thank Mary Couzyn enough for gathering the game industry every year for an invaluable exchange of ideas!”

After the conference, the fun really started when Blue Orange opened it’s booth to the public at the ChiTAG Fair at Navy Pier. In case you weren’t in frigid Chi-Town for the event, we wanted to give you an attendee’s perspective. Alena Belleque of The Homemade Creative posted a great recap of the Fair on her blog and graciously allowed us to repost excerpts and photos here. Enjoy living through her and her adorable daughter Serenity’s adventures! You can also read the full post here.

Getting Our Game On! | ChiTAG 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013

There’s nothing so fun as a good adventure. At least I sure think so! I’ve been dying to get into Chicago, and I found the perfect opportunity in this year’s Chicago Toy and Game Fair…

ChiTAG 2013 sign

One of the coolest new toys at the fair was the Crazy Cart by Razor. It’s this awesome motorized cart that spins on a dime, and looks like it would entertain kids (or adults) for hours. The awesome sales rep at the Razor booth gave Serenity a ride!

ChiTAG

She wasn’t quite sure what to make of being handed to a stranger, but she loved riding on the Crazy Cart. Just ask the people who watched her have a huge melt down when she had to get off!

The cart is rated for ages 9+, and I think it would be a really fun addition to a youth group room. Razor makes ride-on products for younger kids, and a huge range of powered and non-powered ride-on products for all ages.

The TDC Games booth had lots of unique games. The Cambell’s Alphabet Dice Game is super popular, and what drew me to the booth. They also have a line of puzzles, and seem to specialize in crazy-difficult ones. The World’s Most Difficult Puzzle is double sided, with no way to tell which side is which until you get it all put together. They also have The World’s Smallest Jigsaw Puzzle – they average 200 pieces, and are the same size as a 4×6″ photograph!

ChiTAG 2013 TDC Games

One of the cool things about the Chicago Toy and Game Fair is that they highlight inventors! I had the pleasure of meeting two inventors who debuted their brand new games at the show.

ChiTAG 2013 Inventors

Samir Lyons is the creator of Daytrader, a revolutionary new game designed to bring “the trading floor [to] your dining room table.” I’ll admit, I’m not sure I’ve ever really thought about the stock market before, but the sleek and sophisticated design of this game drew me in, and suddenly I’m actually interested in learning Our economy is apparently built on this stuff, so a game that makes learning about stocks and trading fun and challenging sounds like a good deal to me!

Tony Aceti is a farmer from Bend, Oregon, who came to the show with his game Lucky Farms. It’s a fast paced “game of action, luck, and making deals”, and is modeled after a roulette wheel. The fun colors and graphics draw you in, and the surprising intricacy of the design – with simplicity of play – promise hours of fun.

Goliath Games had a huge booth, featuring tons of great games, all of which were overshadowed by a huge Gooey Louie. I do not understand that toy, but there sure were a lot of little girls having a blast pulling on his giant booger!

ChiTAG 2013 Goliath Games

We also met Tim Fort, creator of Stick Storm, at the Goliath Games booth. Tim performed on America’s Got Talent, and has won major accolades for his kinetic invention.

The Blue Orange Games booth was bright and colorful, and made me wish I had lots of spending money. The Pengoloo game is so cute, with the little peg penguins! I’m super excited to be featuring three games from this creative brand this month in my Christmas gift guide. Be sure to check back on Wednesday for my review of Spot It! Party, and next week for Twenty Express and Keekee the Rocking Monkey!

ChiTAG 2013 Blue Orange Games

Our favorite booth, by far, was Mayfair Games. If you can call it a booth – they had a Settlers Of Catan game rug that could have easily carpeted the entire ground floor of my townhouse! The Settlers of Catan Worldwide Championship USA Pre-Qualifier took place at the fair, and oh my goodness I wanted to play so bad!! I’m not nearly good enough for that yet, but give me a year or two… *wink*

ChiTAG 2013 Settlers of Catan

We discovered that Settlers of Catan can actually get cooler. Did you know they have Star Trek Catan??? Out of all of the games at the fair, that’s the one Serenity decided she needed to take home (sadly, we didn’t). She’s saying “please” up there in the right-most photo.

ChiTAG 2013 photos

Some of the other games and toys we saw included SET Enterprises, the creators of Quiddler Jr. and other great educational games for children; the inventors of Floppets, collectible wearable pets that are super ridiculous cute; The Un Block by Aha! Concepts, which are wooden building blocks that interlock (check out the photo, above – he’s holding that huge structure up off the table by the top block only!!), and the creator of Shoulder Buddies, the zany mini-friends that stick to almost anything with a magnetic clasp!

ChiTAG 2013 Shoulder Buddies

Serenity and I had a great time at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair, and we’re looking forward to next year. I hope you enjoyed coming along with us on our adventure!

Batkid Saves San Francisco

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Make-a-Wish Foundation Transforms San Francisco into Gotham City. Hearts melt, lives saved!

Today San Francisco has been transformed into an elaborate Make-A-Wish Foundation Adventure for an awesome kid named Miles, who has been successfully battling Leukemia at just five years old. His wish? To save Gotham City! Have no fear, Batkid is here! Below are some truly heart warming and exciting photos from Batkid’s adventures though our city. You’re a hero to all of us, Miles!

Make a Wish Foundation Batkid SF

Donate to Make a Wish

Batkid’s day of fighting crime

Batkid Takes off in Batmobile after being called by Police! There’s an issue with the Cable Car on Nob Hill!

Oh no! A Damsel is in Distress she seems to be tied to a mysterious bomb on the cable cars! Will Batkid arrive in time?

Phew- Here come’s Batkid!

Focused and determined, he calmly dismantles the bomb tied to the victim!

An emotional thanks and Batkid saves the Damsel! (We are officially crying over here too.)

But the moment of peace was fleeting. Soon after he saves the lady, Batkid receives word that all these shenanigans are the product of the Riddler, and now he is off to the Financial District to rob a bank!

Batkid fortunately has the help of his trusty sidekick Robin (played by his younger brother)!

Batkid zooms to the financial district and into the Bank to stop the robbery.

Batkid apprehends Riddler!

And throws him in the slammer!

After successfully locking up the Riddler, Batkid hears a loud grumble. He looks around and hears it again…why, it’s his stomach! “Time for a lunch break,” he declares (hey, superheroes gotta eat too!) and takes off to Union Square to grab lunch. While enjoying his meal, he hears the shrill cry of our beloved San Francisco Giants mascot, Lou Seal.

He looks out the window and sees an all too familiar faced Penguin. And he has captured Lou Seal! Batman leaps from his seat. The chase to rescue Lou Seal is on!

Penguin flees with Lou Seal. They’re headed to AT&T Park!

Oh now what is Penguin going to do with Lou Seal tied up in the batting cages?!

Thankfully Batkid was close behind and was able to capture Penguin with the helps of the police officers!

After a congratulatory hug, it’s announced to Batkid over the big screen that he has earned the Key to San Francisco! Or is it Gotham? No matter, just pass the tissue box please!

Batkid on his way to City Hall! Crowds flock to the grand building where he will be commemorated for his bold actions!

batkid at sf city hall

Batkid with Mayor Ed Le receiving the Key to the City!

Thank you Batkid for protecting our beloved city! Please donate to Make a Wish Foundation to help hundreds of kids like Miles achieve their dreams.

Our First Year at Chicago Toy & Game Fair

Posted on October 21, 2013November 16, 2013 by Blue Orange Games

2013 marks the first year that we will exhibiting at Chicago Toy & Game Fair on November 23 & 24 in you guessed it, Chicago, Illinois. Every year, we try to extend our reach and appear at more shows, both trade and public. In just 11 years, ChiTAG has grown into an important stage for the toy industry, and it’s a wonder that we could go this long without being a part of it! Luckily, this year we have enough staff to spare several during the crucial pre-holiday season to send ‘em over to Chi-Town for the largest toy and game fair open to the public.

Attendees will discover the best and latest in playthings from around the world, and have the opportunity to check out exhibits, play in tournaments, meet their favorite characters, and more! ChiTAG is unique in that it also caters to inventors, industry professionals and educators with conferences and an awards ceremony.

Visit Blue Orange Games at ChiTAG

Blue Orange Games will be at booth #510 with special show prices and lots of fun to be had. If you’ll be at the show, don’t miss your chance to impress us with your spotting skills. Every day we will be hosting game tournaments with prizes, of course!

Fastrack Tournament on Saturday & Sunday at 11am
Spot It! Tournament on Saturday & Sunday at 4pm

Here’s another tip: Say the magic word “Hans” to one of our charming game gurus to get a $1 OFF each game your purchase! If you don’t know what Hans is all about, you probably need to Like Blue Orange Games to keep you in the loop about these things! Hans it’s the name of the Spot it! Hand, you know the little guy on the game tin. We ran a Facebook contest to name him and Hans won by highest vote.

A fun and cheap family day out

So if you are in a 100 mile radius of the Windy City, we urge you to get your tickets to this awesome family event that will thrill kids and give parents plenty of ideas for Santa’s bounty this year. The tickets are delightfully inexpensive and entry is free for the following guests:

Educators & Librarians (school ID required)
Girl/Boy Scouts in uniform (or sash, badge/button, or troop ID)
Retail & Industry Professionals
Grandparents on Nov. 24
Firefighters, police, active military and military veterans with ID

ChiTAG’s Mission: To build community through play by providing opportunities for people of all ages to connect with one another and experience the joy and educational value of traditional play.

Learn more about the show and get your tickets today!