Products tagged with Mensa Select

Hive Game

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

So, you love games of abstract strategy, but you’re tired of the same old military-themed matches. Well then, welcome to the Hive: a kinder, gentler, board-less game that will flex your brain’s left hemisphere and put your strategic planning skills to work. The object of Hive is to surround your opponent’s Queen Bee with ants, spiders, beetles and grasshoppers. Each bug-themed piece has its own way of moving, resulting in endless strategies and counter-strategies. Sometimes called “nature’s chess,” this highly addictive two-player game is well designed, superbly crafted and never, ever tested on bugs. Hive comes with a handy carrying case, making it a smart travel game.

Abalone Board Game

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Our hyper-connected world has made us mad multi-taskers. Which is all well and good except for one thing: it’s given us human beings the attention spans of a gnat. That’s where Abalone board game comes in. This strategic game helps players focus their attention as they try to push six of their opponent’s 14 marbles off the hexagon playing surface. But there’s a catch: it takes two marbles to move one of your opponent’s marbles and three to move two. While the game seems simple, it’s not simplistic. Abalone’s six directions of movement require players to stay focused as they balance both offensive and defensive strategy.

Quarto!

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

If there were a popularity contest for games, QUARTO! would be class president, prom king and head cheerleader all rolled into one. The object of one of the world’s most award-winning games is seemingly simple: outwit other players by lining up four pieces with common characteristics. But, as with all good-for-your-brain games, there’s a catch: your opponent chooses the piece you play with. QUARTO! not only tests your strategic, visual perception and deductive reasoning skills, this handsome, crafted-from-wood game also looks cunningly cute on a coffee table. Smart and sexy. Head cheerleaders everywhere would be jealous.

Dizios

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

If your brain cells are barreling towards oblivion, it might be time to give them a little love and attention. We recommend giving your frontal and occipital lobes workout with Dizios, a domino game with a psychedelic, dizzying twist. Just take turns placing down the glossy, colorful tiles with matching edges to create a flowing piece. Along the way, you’ll refine visual perception skills and improve your brain’s ability to distinguish colors.

Smart Mouth

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

So you fancy yourself a word nerd, huh? Well here’s your chance to put your smarts where your mouth is with a game of Smart Mouth. This quick-thinking word skills game reveals two tiles with letters on them and challenges players to be the first to come up with a word that begins and ends with the letters. So, say the first tile is a “C” and the second tile is an “E,” you could shout out “crate,” “correlate” or “coelenterate.” Oh, and just in case you were wondering, coelenterate is any invertebrate animal of the phylum Coelenterata, such as a jellyfish.

Fluxx Card Game

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Fluxx is a game that will flex your decision-making and strategic thinking muscles with four card types and rules that are constantly changing. Goal cards tell you how to win, rule cards tell you how to play, action cards tell you what to do and keeper cards help you reach your goals. But the rules that govern the cards are always in “Fluxx” so it’s critical to pay attention and keep your eye on the prize. Which, in this case, is the highly sought after title of “Fluxx Player of the Evening, Your Living Room Division.”

Loot Card Game

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

We thought about writing the whole description for this pirate-themed card game in pirate speak, but decided that would just be annoying. You can thank us later. Loot is a Mensa Select winner that will improve your memory, decision-making abilities and strategic thinking skills as you storm your opponents’ merchant ships to seize valuable treasure. But, you have to watch your back because plundering pirates are also out to capture your ships. (Pirates are sneaky like that.) The team version of the game will improve your leadership skills and have you saying “Ahoy matey!” Sorry, we couldn’t resist.

Marrakech Game

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Marrakech uses a fictional rug market to teach strategy and decision making skills. Each player, or salesperson, takes turns rolling the dice and moving Assam, the market organizer. If Assam stops on an opponent’s rug, the salesperson must pay its owner before placing his or her own rug on the adjoining space. Whoever owns the most rugs at the end of the game wins. With rules easy enough for a child to grasp and game play complex enough for an adult to enjoy, Marrakech is great for families. Consider it practice for starting that family-owned retail empire. Cha-ching!

Pentago Multi-Player

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Generally speaking, we’re not a fan of sequels. Really, did the world need The Next Karate Kid or Speed 2? But in the case of Pentago, we’re big fans of the multi-player version. First, Pentago Multi-Player allows for up to four players. Second, it ups the ante from four quadrants to nine moveable sections. Which, according to our staff mathematical geniuses, makes the infinite possibilities of the original Pentago even more infiniter. Yeah, we know that’s not really a word. But it should be. The object of the game remains the same: use your planning and visualization skills to be the first to get five like-colored marbles in a row.

Pentago

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Don’t be fooled by Pentago’s simple design and striking good looks. This two-player abstract strategy game is deceptively complex with seemingly infinite outcomes. Played on a 6x6 board divided into four quadrants, the object of the game is to get five black or white marbles in a row. The twist (quite literally) is that players also rotate one of the quadrants by 90 degrees with each turn, meaning that a move intended to bring you closer to victory could actually result in crushing defeat. All the twists and turns of this award-winning game are enough to give even the world’s best soap opera writers whiplash.

Quoridor

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

The objective of Quoridor is to advance your pawn to the opposite end of the board. With each turn, you’re faced with a decision: move your pawn or place a wall to hinder your opponent. The first pawn to the other side wins. But don’t be fooled by this Mensa Select Winner’s simple rules. The strategic thinking, planning and problem solving skills needed to master Quoridor are enough to make corporate takeover geniuses salivate. This fast-paced strategy game will have you playing round after round, learning from trial and error, and developing your strategy as you go.

Qwirkle

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Creating rows of matching colors and symbols sounds easy enough, but don’t let the substantial wooden pieces and contrasting colors of Qwirkle fool you. This seemingly simple game requires tactical maneuvering as you add tiles of the same symbol or color to create rows of six. A great game for family members of all ages, Qwirkle is a multi-award winner that will activate your brain’s temporal, parietal and frontal lobes as you play. Where we come from, three or more is a party. Which means there’s a 98% chance that the aforementioned lobes will be donning party hats while you boost your visual perception and critical thinking skills.

Rush Hour

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

This multi-award winner is one of our bestsellers. Perhaps it’s the fun of setting up the game board based on pictures of traffic jams and then plotting your escape as you slide cars and trucks out of the way. Or maybe it’s because Rush Hour looks like a kid’s game but it’s challenging to even the best adult puzzlers. Whatever the reason, this world-renowned game will rev up your concentration, spatial awareness and sequencing abilities. Now if only your morning commute were this mentally rewarding and fun.

Set

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

This fast-paced game challenges players to identify the similarities or differences among a set of cards. Each card in the deck is unique, with varying shape, color, number and patterns. Just shout out “Set” when you spot three cards that form a set. Whether playing alone or with a group, Set will put your recognition and deduction skills to the test. Set also makes a great gift. In fact, half the people who buy it at our stores already have Set at home and are coming back to buy one for a friend. Gift for impossible-to-shop-for Aunt who has absolutely everything: check!

Wits and Wagers Party Game

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Trivia, gambling and social interaction: sounds like a killer excuse for a party to us. But please, invite only your most fascinating friends because they’ll make this fast-paced game all the more entertaining. Wits & Wagers asks players the same question. Don’t know the answer? Not to worry. Just take a guess or bluff. That’s where the “wits” part comes in. Now for the “wagers” part: bet on the answer you think is correct. The trick is knowing when to bet on a long shot, when to play it safe and when to use your uncanny ability to read your friends against them. Hey, all’s fair in love, war and party games.

Cornerstone Essential

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Strategic planning skills, coordination and the luck of the dice converge in the game of Cornerstone. The object of the game is to build and climb your tower, carefully placing blocks and strategically balancing oﬀense and defense. With each move, the towers grow taller and the structures become more unstable. The trick is to be the ﬁrst one to reach the top before your structure falls. This Mensa Select Winner boasts a timeless concept and heirloom quality construction, which means family members will be working their prefrontal cortexes and having fun for generations.

Dao Deluxe

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

This Mensa Select winner offers plenty of strategy, a touch of harmony and a little eco-friendly goodness to boot. The object of the game is to guide your river stones across a bamboo playing mat in order to create one of four winning formations before your opponent. But the brain-enhancing trick is that you must move your stone as far as you can without stopping it mid-stream, jumping over another stone or moving onto an occupied space. Along the way, you’ll exercise your strategy skills and get your frontal lobe skipping like stones on a still pond. Comes in a polished bamboo tube for easy storage and travel.

Rush Hour Expansion 3

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Forty more puzzle cards to use on your Rush Hour game board. This set contains Intermediate through Grand Master puzzles and a new white limousine game piece.

Rush Hour Expansion 2

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Forty more puzzle cards to use on your Rush Hour game board. This set contains Intermediate through Grand Master puzzles and a new red convertible game piece.

Rush Hour Expansion 4

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Forty more puzzle cards to use on your Rush Hour game board. This set contains Intermediate through Grand Master puzzles and a new yellow taxi game piece.

Quixo

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

This handsome little devil is one of those rare abstract strategy games that can be played with either two or four players. Kind of like the smarter, better-looking sibling of ticktacktoe, Quixo Classic has 25 wooden cubes that shift up, down, left and right. The object of the game is to line up five of your symbols diagonally, vertically or horizontally. With each turn, a player removes a cube from the board and puts it elsewhere on the periphery, which might bring you closer to, or further from, victory. Win or lose, this Mensa award winner will boost your planning and critical thinking skills.

Word on the Street Party Case

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Taunt, tease and smack talk your way to a better vocabulary and word recall skills with Word on the Street. This high-energy party game lets teams heckle each another as the opposing team draws a category card and then brainstorms words that fit the category. Before time runs out, the team must agree on a word and pull tiles with each letter of that word one lane closer to their side of the street. Word on the Street is a clever tug of words game that challenges players to think quickly and creatively as they try to capture letters. The party case includes a carrying case and an extra timer.

Forbidden Island

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Fire up your frontal cortex. You’re going to need it on a do-or-die mission to capture four sacred treasures from Forbidden Island before this perilous paradise sinks and takes you and everyone else with it. But leave your competitive spirit at home because this 2010 Mensa Favorite Brainy Games Winner is a cooperative game where you win or lose as a team, making it a rewarding game for families. Ornate treasure figurines and sturdy cards with vivid illustrations help immerse players in the game as tensions and waters rise in a race against the clock.

Anomia

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

Sure, coming up with the name of a frozen food or a dog breed sounds easy enough. Or at least that’s what you think while downing a Hot Pocket and petting your cocker spaniel. Turns out, coming up with it before your opponent in a game of Anomia is not quite as easy. The rules for this Mensa Select winner are simple: Flip over a card from the pile and face off with the player whose card has the same symbol as yours. Then, blurt out an example of the person, place or thing on your opponent’s card before they can do the same. Win or lose, you’ll laugh, shout and exercise your noggin.

Mine Shift

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:03:13 +0000

It’s a funny thing about games. The simpler the are, they better they get. Which is the case with the boardless game of Mine Shift. The object of the game is to move all four of your jewels through a mine shaft maze made of tiles, but the tiles have walls that block your progress. On your turn, you can move a jewel one space, rotate a tile a quarter turn to open up a pathway or shift a tile to an empty space. The goal of each move is to either get your jewel closer to the other side, or mess with your opponent. With 27 tiles and almost endless combinations, this Mensa Select award winner is never the same game twice.