Marbles: The Brain Store: You started working on Reverse Charades in 2008. What prompted you to start designing a game?

Scott, Inventor of Reverse Charades: We played the game on a vacation weekend with friends and had such a blast playing it!  The concept was such a simple and hilarious twist on a familiar game, we thought that families and groups that love party games would really love Reverse Charades.  We grew up in a big family that went crazy for party games and we could imagine the game making groups everywhere laugh—hard—at each other and with each other.  And we loved that the game created unforgettable memories (and potentially incriminating photos and videos) for a lifetime.  So we started working to bring it to the masses—the design, the words, the manufacturing, the marketing.  We figured either it would fly and catch on or we’d have wedding and birthday gifts for the rest of our lives.

Marbles: The original Reverse Charades has 720 words!  How do you come up with the words?  Is there a process to narrowing down or choosing the words?

Scott: Oh, it’s very scientific.  :)  Actually, we are constantly on the lookout for new words that would be providing maximum laughs.  We just met someone from Salt Lick, Kentucky and thought that “salt lick” would be a really funny addition in the next edition.  When we first started out, we play-tested thousands of words in hundred of game sessions with family and friend groups in totally different settings for about a year.  We wanted to make sure that all of the words we selected for the game would be laugh-out-loud funny—words that would either be hysterical to have a multiple people act out in a mini-scene together (like synchronized swimming, dogpile, CPR or cow tipping) or for a group to all be doing the same thing at the same time (like kick boxing, slow motion, trampoline or grenade).  That’s really the secret to the game and why anyone would want to buy it.  They know they’re getting words that are guaranteed to make you laugh ’til you cry!

Acting out “lifeguard”

Acting out “jumper cables”

Marbles: What was your reaction to winning Creative Child’s Game of the year award?

Scott: We were absolutely thrilled!  We may have even done a cartwheel or two in celebration!  Especially since it was the Junior Edition that won.  We had just released it in June—it was hot-off-the-presses.  For the past years, our customers—especially moms with younger kids—loved playing the Original Edition but really wanted us to develop one with more kid-friendly words.  We thought it was a fantastic idea and we’re really glad we listened to them.  The Junior editions has already won a slew of awards in addition to the Creative Child recognition (like the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Seal, Toy Man award of Excellence and the Tillywig Laugh out Loud award) and mostly importantly kids and their parents go bananas over it!

Marbles: What’s next? We know you have different editions that you are releasing as well as an iPhone App!  Anything else new in the works?

Scott: The new Junior edition is just the beginning.  We’re really interested in further enhancing the traditional group game-playing dynamic in family, party, team building or even educational settings. So Reverse Charades now comes in App versions (for Apple and Android products) ready to unleash the fun anytime, anywhere—with 1,000+ words including new Junior, Awesome 80s, and Sports fans words, a built-in timer and scoreboard.  We’re also developing expansion word packs with new themed words to match those game-playing scenarios.  And even looking at new language editions in either App or hard copy editions (or both).  We love to hear suggestions and ideas for the game.

Marbles: We know you probably have many stories about words that have been acted out in hilarious ways.  Any word in particular that stands out?

Scott: Acting out “Mt. Rushmore” has really earned near legendary status in our Reverse Charades storybook.  Four team members heads were all lined up nicely and apparently looking presidential. One team member even drove her family in their “station wagon” to point out the historical site.  The guesser was just about to get it when one of the “president” actors erupted with her hands in the air, making sounds effects and then creating a very convincing lava flow with her arms.  The guesser and everyone else were completely stumped.  Then, from the back of the room, a spectator friend realized what had happened and corrected the “erupting president” with a kind yet humorous “Wrong mountain!”  We are still laughing about this one to this day.  Other honorable mentions: co-ed “chest bump” with complete strangers, “mistletoe” with cousins and grandkid-to-grandparent “cowtipping.”

Acting out “Rogaine”

Marbles: What do you like best about working with Marbles?

Scott: It’s so great to find a retail partner like Marbles!  How can you not love working with someone who’s mission is a to foster a healthier brain?  And you’re selective about what you offer your customers so we’re honored to have made the cut.  We both share a passion for fun and interactive play.  Reverse Charades’ unique twist on the classic game really unlocks powerful brain-building concepts that Marbles champions—like critical thinking, creativity and coordination.  We’re very impressed with the way that Marbles is reinventing the retail game experience—it’s like being in an Apple store for games.  You have game gurus consulting with each customer—listening to the customer needs and expertly providing advice on game selections.  It really is a special experience and we couldn’t be happier to be associated with such a brilliant and innovative group!

See for yourself how much fun Reverse Charades is! >>

Perplexus – Two things make a maze addictive. First, it has to be challenging enough to hold your interest. And second, it has to be possible to solve so you can experience the thrill of victory (and not go completely mad.) Perplexus meets both criteria.

Wobble – You’d never guess that a teetering game board, a wobbling ball and discs hanging in the balance could teach kids to read. But according to experts, games that improve hand-eye coordination can help kids do just that. Whether you’re six and learning to read or 106 and trying to keep your brain in tip-top shape,

Pigz Up! – Pigz Up! boosts hand-eye coordination, which experts say helps kids learn to read. That means with regular play, your little ones could be reading the Three Little Pigs faster than you can say “PigzUp!

Brain Noodles – Brain Noodles take us back to kindergarten art class and our masterful pipe cleaner creations. While Brain Noodles are kind of like bigger, fluffier pipe cleaners, what you can do with them is so much more.

Brainetics Main Kit – The Brainetics Main Kit uses math to teach you how to use two parts of your brain at once. In marketing speak, that’s what we like to call a “twofer.” By using the part of your brain that processes information at the same time as the part that stores information, you can train your mind to work better and faster in all academic subjects.

Pengoloo – Pengoloo is as much fun as one of penguins’ favorite pastimes: sliding down icy hills on their bellies! The best part? This charming game works your memory without you even realizing it. (The greatest brain health games are sneaky like that.)

Chicky Boom – As far as brain-building games for kids go, Chicky Boom is a quintuple whammy. This colorful game of balance teaches kids about weights and cause and effect while building coordination, developing fine motor skills and encouraging both cooperative and competitive play.

Magic Labyrinth – Hidden mazes, a mystical theme and a Master Wizard combine in an enchanting memory game aptly named The Magic Labyrinth. In the game, players must collect lost objects before the Master Wizard notices they’re missing. But every worthwhile mystical adventure comes with a catch. In this case, that catch is hidden walls under the game board that players find through trial and error.

Baby Beads – Okay. Technically, Baby Beads is for babies—just like the name suggests. And while it’s a brilliant toy for keeping infants engaged while exercising fine motor skills, we happen to think it’s a smart toy for grown-ups, too.

Dado Squares – Dado Squares look sharp, build creativity and have a brain-healthy dose of visual spatial exercise thrown in for good measure. A winner of seven prestigious awards, this modern building toy contains 35, three-inch squares made of heavy-duty plastic right here in the US of A.

First of all, the Gibbon Slackline gives you the chance to test your circus skills. Learn how to tightrope walk by tying the slackline to two stationary objects (like between two trees) and then step onto the line. Walking or just keeping on the line works your core muscles and improves your balance.

Myachi is also a great game for the outdoors! The Myachi Original Hand Sack combines the fluid hand motions of martial arts with the full body coordination of action sports. You can use any body part you want, except NO PALMS ALLOWED! This game can be played in a group or solo. Doesn’t it bring you back to the days of hackie sack? Well this time you have to focus on the upper body coordination.

Ogosport

Snatch-It

Brain Software:
Art Dealer
Brain Fitness Program
Insight
Mindfit
NeuroActive

Insight - for Mac and PC

Of course, there are many more possibilities that you can discover in our stores or online. Feel free to ask a Brain coach for their favorites or recommendations for any age – that is what we are here for.

Memory
GeoMaster – this game quizzes you on world geography and challenges you to remember the capitol of obscure countries
gFlashPro – create your own flash cards with this app as well as use the ones already created in their database

Coordination
Flight Control - one of Devon’s top picks, this app has you coordinating numerous flight patterns at once as different planes land on different landing strips
Edge – move your cube across an obstacle course suspended in space without letting it fall off the board – received Best Mobile Game 2008 (Milthon Award)
Aquablobs
RSoccer09
Labrynth

Critical Thinking
KenKen – similar to Sudoku, KenKen challenges your critical thinking skills through increasingly difficult number problems within square formations
Sudoku Unlimited – can’t go wrong with Sudoku!
Smart Go and Smart Go Pro – the ancient Chinese game of building territory
Mathemagics
Brain Toot - similar to Brain Age that we carry

Visual Perception
Set – a fun pattern-based game
Tangrams – create certain shapes using a given amount of other smaller shapes
Where’s Waldo?
Bejeweled

Word Skills
Bookworm and Bookworm 2 - form words with the letters provided and new letters will appear
Wurdle – similar to Bookworm, you try to form as many words as you can out of the letters supplied
2 Across – pulls crosswords from top tier newspapers

So there is our list of cool iPhone apps to work your brain on the go! Please let me know if you have suggestions. You can also follow me on Twitter (@thebrainstore) to hear more updates.