Makers of award winning board games and card games for all ages
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!
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!
Parents want to give the best opportunities to their children. Music lessons, language lessons, extra tutoring, after school learning programs, the list can go on and on. We all want to give our kids the advantages and opportunities to succeed and/or perhaps we didn’t have as children. All of those activities are wonderful opportunities. However, play sometimes gets a bad reputation as being frivolous. On the contrary, play is very important in child development! If you want to learn more, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a report about the importance of play in promoting healthy child development (read here). Play can reduce stress and anxiety for kids AND adults so make some time to get silly! The National Lekotek Center , a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, provides an array of services to improve the lives of children with special needs through the utilization of toys and play. They have 20 wonderful reasons to encourage play for ALL Children.
Top 20 Reasons to Encourage Play for ALL children
Doing crafts around the holidays is as old a tradition as stuffing a Douglas Fir in your living room. Popcorn string tree garlands and cut out stars were all what most had to make the season festive, and even many gifts were hand-made. The hobby of craft projects has suddenly become stylish in the past few years, no doubt spurred on by the popularity of Pinterest and DIY blogs. And I think after decades of mass manufacturing and consumer culture, people are more charmed than ever by creative handiwork!
We’re jumping on the craft wagon and hunted the internet to give you our favorite holiday crafts to do as a family.
This project seems pretty fool-proof and will be a real conversation starter with your holiday guests! Use felt and cut out diamonds to arrange them into snowflakes. The How To even includes a template.
Turn your tree into a menagerie with repurposed plastic animal toys. Sometimes they have packs of these at dollar stores or look online to buy in bulk. Glittery gem toned paint turns the critters into unique holiday ornaments.
Can you believe these beautiful flowers were once water bottles? Any craft that recycles materials is a winner in our book!
Even younger kids can get in on the action with this simple yet statement making garland. Use a string of lights or even just a long ribbon and tie gorgeous strips of fabric. Try to keep a color theme or make a pattern for maximum impact.
Put the “elf” in selfie with these irresistible handmade greetings. Have your kid draw an elf’s jacket, pants, hat, shoes and hands on different colored construction paper. Cut out the pieces and glue on a card to make up the elf’s body. Draw additional elements like buttons and a shirt collar. Cut out the face from a front-facing photograph and paste it on the body. The result may end up being pretty hilarious!
If you are going to send out hand made holiday cards this year, you are better off keeping it simple as you will likely have to make many. This design doesn’t take a lot of effort but the result is stunning. And buttons are easy on the wallet too!
I’m of the opinion that you can never have too many mugs! To make this handmade gift, buy inexpensive white mugs at IKEA and use sharpies or those glue paint pens to decorate the mug with your holiday themed doodles. This is another good one for grade school kids.
“Not a creature was stirring….”
I can’t get enough of this ingenious use of Hershey’s kisses. You don’t even need instructions to make this; it looks so easy. One thing I’d add is a little pink pom pom for a nose!
Yes! Another amazing use for mason jars! Kids will get a big kick out of making their own snow globe and picking the items to include in the scene. I also saw an awesome idea on My Sweet Greens for presenting a gift card. Glue the (plastic!) gift card to the lid and fill the jar with water, tiny ornaments and sparkly confetti to make a snow globe card holder! Sure beats an envelope.
The little guys in the picture require an advanced level of crafting but you don’t have to be a pro to decorate pine cones! Collect pipe cleaners, little pom poms, glitter, yarn, buttons and felt and bust out the glue gun! How adorable are these little skiers?! I think their heads are ping pong balls.
Happy Crafting!
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!
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 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.
