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Blue Orange Games 2019 Holiday Gift Guide!

Posted on October 1, 2019October 3, 2019 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

The holidays are fast approaching and we understand it can be difficult to find the perfect gift for family and friends. We’re here to make the holiday shopping process easier with a great selection of our games!

These games are for the person in your life that loves to break out fun games when you get together during the holidays and can’t get enough!

Beagle or Bagel? Ages 7&up, 2-6 players

Who knew that sleeping dogs and bagels could look so similar! Flip the cards quickly and be the first to call out beagle or bagel depending on which is showing the most on the table! There are three different ways of playing to challenge your friends and family during the holidays and keep the fun going! Skills: Visual Perception | Processing Speed Check out this awesome video review by Vat19! How to Play!

Bears in Barrels Ages 7&up, 4-8 players

These two bears stuck inside their honey barrels love to play by wrestling and tumbling and racing! Roll them over so they can continue chasing one another and their fun never ends! This party game is all about dexterity and fun: with one finger, players rush to flip the bear so that it lands right-side up then pass it quick to their neighbor, to avoid losing a honey token. The goal is to not get caught by the other bear! Skills: Fine Motor | Social Play Check out this fun video on Bears in Barrels!

Panic Island Ages 8&up, 1-8 players

Hurry! The volcano on your island is going to erupt and the inhabitants are counting on you to save them before 2 minutes are up! Flip 2 cards at a time and remember their location to create the right pairs, don’t get delayed by the wacky action cards, and find the raft and paddle to escape safely! This unique cooperative race takes players on a frantic adventure they will only survive with strategic teamwork and memory! Skills: Memory | Focus & Attention | Cooperation | Social Play

Gifts for the person in your life whose mind is always buzzing. In their spare time they love to stimulate their minds in fun, creative, and challenging ways!

MindBlock Ages 8&up, 2-4 players

Rummy with stacking building blocks! Create sets and runs by combining blocks that range in height of 1 to 7. Sets are made with 3 or 4 blocks of the same size, but different colors. Runs are made up of 3 or more blocks of the same color in consecutive order. New opportunities come from the ability to stack blocks on top of others to form new heights. Think ahead and make the right decisions, without losing track of what’s on the table as you dissemble runs and sets and assemble them into new ones using your blocks. The goal is to get rid of your blocks first. Skills: Strategy | Focus & Attention | Math How to play!

TumbleMaze Ages 8&up, 1 player

Let’s get this ball rolling! In this solo action puzzle game, challenge yourself to roll a stainless steel ball into a specific spot with a minimum of trials, navigating between obstacles and using bonus walls to guide the ball into the right direction. This ball rolling game gets tougher with higher level challenges! Skills: Visual Perception | Focus & Attention | Logic Check out this video review by Lucky Penny Shop! How to play!

These games are the next hit at your holiday game night!

Detective Club Ages 8 & Up 4-8 Players

Detective Club is a social deduction party game featuring beautiful, surreal artwork and intriguing player interactions! Each round, one player secretly writes a word in all but one of the other players’ notebooks. The player who does not know the word is the Conspirator this round. All players then take turns playing cards they feel best represent the word. When the word is revealed at the end of the round, each player explains why their cards make sense with the word. The player who didn’t know the word will have to quickly come up with an explanation in order to not be detected! Skills: Creativity | Storytelling | Social Play Check out this video review by The Dice Tower!

Planet Ages 8&up, 2-4 players

This game has been acclaimed by reviewers since its launch and even won the coveted Mensa Select Award. Player take on A world is taking shape in the palm of your hands. Take on the role of super beings and compete to create perfect worlds with the ideal conditions for wildlife to flourish. In this very unique game, each player’s board is a 12-sided 3-dimensional planet core. Throughout 12 turns, select landscape tiles representing oceans, deserts, mountains or frozen lands, and arrange them on your planet to create the best ecosystems. Win animal cards while fulfilling your own “natural habitat objective and create the most populated planet in the universe. Skills: Strategy Check out this video review by The Dice Tower!

Once Upon a Castle Ages 8&up, 2-4 players

Roll the best resources, strategically position them on your board to draw your castle with their residents, and earn points. Use the outlined castle on your pad, or play on your artistic abilities to draw, color, and decorate as you wish! The Great Architect version adds complexity to the game with visitors and their special powers. This charming roll-and-write game keeps players engaged planning the collection of resources and doodling their prestigious castle one piece at a time! Skills: Strategy | Creativity Check out this video review by The Dice Tower!

Slide Quest Ages 7&up, 2-4 players

The kingdom is in total chaos! Work together to guide this brave rolling knight through 20 adventures filled with twists and traps. Players each hold on to a lever and guide the moving platform in all directions, sliding the knight to follow the right paths while beating obstacles. As challenges become more difficult, hold on to your lives to make it to the highest level and win! Slide Quest turned a video game concept into a board game where dexterity and cooperation are the keys to success. Skills: Cooperation | Fine Motor | Focus & Attention Check out this video review by The Dice Tower! How to Play!

The perfect gifts to give to your little ones to help them explore their creative and motor skills through fun challenges!

Fishing Day Ages 5&up, 2-4 players

It’s too cold out to go fishing but luckily we have the perfect solution for your adventurers here! Pick up your lucky fishing line and head to the pond for a crazy game of fishing. Follow the card at play and use your line to catch the correct objects out of the water before the yellow duck makes it out. Fishing day is a clever race made to help your little angler work on their color and shape recognition, deduction, and counting! Skills: Fine Motor | Focus & Attention | Social Play Check out this review by The Dice Tower!

Pengoloo Ages 4&up, 2-4 players

A Blue Orange classic! This wooden game has been delighting little ones for the past 12 years, who wouldn’t be excited by a fun south pole eggs-pedition! Each turn, players roll the colored dice and look under 2 penguins for eggs that match the colors on the face of each die. Guess correctly and keep the penguin on your iceberg. Collect 6 penguins to win! Skills: Memory | Social Play Check out this video review by Marbles the Game Store!

Kitty Bitty Ages 4&up, 2-4 players

It’s nap time for the itty bitty kitties, but they just want to play! Help them jump, bat the yarn balls around, and race to the basket without catching a look from the watchful eyes of the mommy cats. Players must remember which mommy cat eyes will catch the kittens so that the fun never stops in this adorable memory game. Skills: Memory | Social Play Check out this video review by The Dice Tower!

Looking for a stellar gift to put in the stockings? Look no further!

For the youngest in the family, we recommend Dog Rush! Ages 6&up, 2-6 players

It’s dog walking time in park. Oh wait! A reindeer passes by and all the dogs escape their owners to run after him getting their leashes tangled up. Quick! Find the end of the leash corresponding to the dog that was chosen at the beginning of the round, pull it from the messy entanglement, and win a treat for your furry friend! This unique party game will keep everybody’s attention at play! Skills: Visual Perception | Focus & Attention Check out this video review by HeyThatsMike!

For ages six and older, Oh My Gold! Sprint! Who did it? Are our top 3 favorites!

Oh my Gold! Ages 6&up, 2-4 players

Are you ready to embark on a lively treasure hunt? Roll the luck keys to open treasure to roll again… you only get one second chance! This quick push-your-luck dice game requires the right decision to be made at the right time! Skills: Focus & Attention How to Play!

Sprint! Ages 8&up, 2-4 players

You are a tenacious turtle racing against a fearless rabbit… Do you stand a chance? Yes! Guess the correct number of cards to take from the pile and the more precise you are, the further you will go on the track. If your guess is way off, the rabbit will speed through to the finish line! Skills: Visual Perception | Math | Cooperation Check out this video review from HeyThatsMike!

Who Did It? Ages 6&up, 3-6 players

The #1 card game about #2! In this hilarious game, race to get rid of all your cards to avoid the blame of owning the animal that pooped. Each game is as funny as it is fast; quickly find your card, be the first to throw it down, and then blame someone else’s pet! Skills: Social Play | Memory Check out this video review by Lucky Penny Shop! How to play!

For all ages, TopiCubes is sure to be a hit! Ages 7&up, 2-6 players

In this fun word game, players roll 10 dice, 5 with a letter, and 5 with an illustrated topic, and race to find matching words. A winning matching word must start with one of the letters showing on a dice, and must belong to one of the categories showing on a dice of a different color. With topics like celebrities, TV shows, articles of clothing, “something square”, mammals, and more, this game is sure to entertain your creative mind and guarantee bursts of laughter! Skills: Speech & Language | Creativity | Social Play How to play!

Sherlock Express and Dragon’s Cave provide lots of fun for the ones in the family that enjoy adventuring with strategy, logic, and quick thinking!

Sherlock Express Ages 7&up, 2-6 players

Help Sherlock find Moriarty’s accomplice! Each turn, observe the 6 suspects, and as alibis get placed down on the table, use your deductive skills to expose the culprit first and win the round! If none of the suspects are guilty, then Sherlock will finally catch his sworn enemy Moriarty. Sherlock Express is a fast game of deduction where everyone is a suspect… until proven innocent! Skills: Visual Perception | Processing Speed | Logic Check out this video review by The Dice Tower! How to Play!

Dragon’s Cave Ages 7&up, 2-4 players

Lured by a precious treasure, you are brave dwarves venturing into the dragon’s cave, gathering gold coins on your way! Pick each step carefully! If the dragon predicts your next move on the path, you will move backward and risk losing the coins you haven’t saved in your treasure chest. Bluff your way through the whimsical cave to strike it rich! Skills: Focus & Attention | Strategy | Social Play Check out this video review by The Dice Tower!

To take a look at all of our games, please visit our website: www.blueorangegames.com. Happy Holidays from all of us at Blue Orange!

Congratulations to Shenanigans in Charlottesville, VA for Winning September’s Store of the Month

Posted on September 6, 2017September 7, 2017 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

As if it’s name wasn’t clear enough, Shenanigans is all about the funny business. Our sales representative, Bastien, recommended Shenanigans for their character! From being family owned, to having the friendliest staff, and creating a store with a little bit of everything available, there’s clearly something special about this shop! Although its filled to the brim with entertainment, Shenanigans also has the rich history to match.

Shop owner, Kai, moved from Florida to Charlottesville in the 70’s with her 4 week old son. Working as a copy writer there was never a shortage of tasks that she could lend her creative wizardry to, and add some flare. Just like mom, her son was a little go-getter. As a fast learner, he was walking by 9 months and out growing his old toys and games quicker than most. This left Kai having to travel far just to get those toys and games that were developmentally challenging and gender neutral. With other mothers in the area doing the same, it was clear the Charlottesville needed a toy store where the community could find that big city quality, and diversity, without traveling hours north. It was during these pilgrimages in search of fun that Kai saw a future for herself and family. Since she had also been looking for work with a young child, she was able to design a job with built in childcare that was just right for her. Thus Shenanigans was born!

With it’s door open for over 40 years, this shop knows fun like no other! In 1974 Shenanigans first welcomed those who sought out fun engaging toys and games without the journey. Fast forward to today where they still provide just that. Even though they aren’t the only toy store in the neighborhood, Shenanigans still reigns supreme! Kai states, “what sets them apart is their product selections”. With such a cute, little store, every item within those four walls is curated by their staff with maximum fun in mind. Knowing what makes customers squeal in delight is something that keeps the neighborhood coming back. Tailoring their selection so that games are completely original and never stale is exactly what puts Shenanigans at the top of the list!

As far a Blue Orange Games, Kai would have to name Dr. Eureka as one of her favorites. Going into detail, Kai says our games have such bright and nice art and there’s always a great eye-catching factor. But what truly lies beneath the cover is Blue Orange’s dedication to inspiring STEM and core developmental skills that don’t go unnoticed to parents. Kai motto is that “if it’s boring, it’s not educational, since they’re not going to play it”. This blunt but true statement by Kai really resonates with our product line.

Kai elaborated that the kids don’t need to think about the skills they’re gaining, but rather the fun should conceal it. When playing with building blocks, a child doesn’t necessarily know he or she is developing a basis of engineering, nor do they understand they are growing familiarity with STEM when they play a game like Dr. Microbe. Blue Orange has the same values; learning should be fun, and if kids already want to play the games then half the work is already done. Shenanigans’ philosophy is to leave the term educational out by labeling their games and toys as fun! As a type of parental shenanigans, or a method of mischievousness, kids are left having uninhibited fun without knowing that their developing better motor and strategic, critical thinking skills! store 1

When considering their success, Shenanigans is no stranger to being a community staple. Kai thanks her neighborhood for being the perfect location, as it is a region with few chain stores and many unique shops that are supported by their community. Not to mention being between two hubs of the city, Shenanigans is accessible for all, either for a quick stop in for the grand kids, or an afternoon spent exploring with the kids. Make sure to grab a copy of the original Shenanigans Coupon Book, with monthly deals such as Board Game Discount November coming up, it’s sure to be a good time!

Working with Shenanigans has been a pleasure and we proudly award them September’s Store of the Month. As a important part of Charlottesville , Shenanigans is a place where you can find something for everyone, from the helpful staff to the perfect game. Shenanigans is always reachable via their website here or at 601 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA.

Congratulations!!

Time Warp! Board Game Commercials from the Past

Posted on November 8, 2013November 16, 2013 by Annika Harper

The 80’s and 90’s made up the heyday of cheesy board game commercials. For many of us at Blue Orange Headquarters, the jingles and catch phrases from these games are forever ingrained in our memories. Looking back on them with our 21st century, ultra-PC point of view, it’s amazing to think some of these products were successful. But others, like Operation and Candy Land are classics and will most likely survive for many years to come.

Since it’s Friday and we’re all in a light-hearted mood, we’ve collected some of our favorite commercials for reasons good and bad. Press play and take a trip down memory lane!

Don’t Wake Daddy

Teaching kids to sneak behind their parents’ backs after everyone has gone to bed. This sort of behavior certainly becomes troublesome after puberty hits. Fun game though! The little fabric night cap (who wears a night cap?) flying off the plastic Dad was endlessly entertaining as a kid. And what’s so wrong with getting a midnight snack anyway?

Operation

In some ways, this commercial perpetuates the old stereotype that all doctors are “wacky” quacks that are just out to make a buck. Look at the face on the patient! Someone get that guy some anesthetic!

Thanks Operation for fine-tuning my fine motor skills and teaching me to appreciate idioms such as “butterflies in your stomach” and “charlie horse.”

Candy Land

This is the driest Candy Land commercial ever: “This is candy land. A place you pretend to visit when your play this game.” Pretend to visit! We’re just pretending??

Compare to the contemporary version. “A place that’s made of sweets and yummy treats.” Count me in! Rebranding like this is what keeps classics like Candy Land alive.

Socker Boppers

Okay this isn’t exactly a game per se, but aren’t all physical contests a game?

“Sock all day and bop all night!” Bop all night? Hmm…as if encouraging kids to bash each other over the head wasn’t enough. I don’t see this flying in 2013. But how funny are all those kids delightfully beating each other with inflatables?!

Pogs

The commercial is as ambiguous as the game. I knew tons of kids who had pogs and collected dozens myself, but nobody really seemed to know how to play.

Hungry Hippo

“Hungry Hungry Hip-POS!” This jingle was even all the more appealing with its punctuation by the cartoon hippos’ bulging bottoms mid-Conga line. I remember my siblings and I used to mimic the commercial and conga around the living room while singing the diddy. Apparently this game is still around and this commercial is still used. It just goes to show how much kids like repetitive motions and banging on things.

Dream Phone

Basically a reworking of Guess Who? marketed to tween girls. This game was a part of a whole slew of releases that combined gender norms and electronics (the big gimmick in the 90’s, always accompanied with “batteries not included” disclaimer). Want a boy crazy girl who competes to win guys and uses the word “hunk”? Get her Dream Phone!

For a hilarious round up of the other questionable board games targeted to girls from this era, check out this BuzzFeed article. (Warning: contains strong language)

And for a game that’s clearly meant for boys, judging by the commercial we have….

Crossfire

Notice that the jingle is just a repetition of the game’s tagline, “Win it in the Crossfire,” which is probably the most original and descriptive tagline I’ve ever heard. He he.