Introducing…. TRASH PANDAS!!
We tried out this game this week and Gamewright does it again! Some of our favorite games are made by Gamewright (Sleeping Queens, Quixx), and we love this one too!
I especially love card games because they’re easy to learn, but Gamewright always puts a really fun spin with the artwork and theme of the game. My boys think the whole trash can/raccoon pest theme is so funny and every time they play, it is a raucous affair.
The rules are simple – on a player’s turn he rolls the dice to collect tokens. Each token has a slightly different benefit, but they all generally help you draw more cards from the pile or other players’ hands, or “stash” cards for points at the end of the game. There’s a little bit of chance involved – if you throw an unlucky roll you can lose all your tokens and it’s the next player’s turn.
Each card has a point value, which you only get if the card is “stashed,” and can also be an advantage to you or a disadvantage to other players.
There’s just the right amount of chance, strategy, and interference to make the game fun and the outcome unpredictable.
The only con I can think of is that the pile to draw from is called “the trash,” to fit with the racoon/trash panda theme, but I kept getting the drawing and discard piles mixed up. The kids didn’t have this problem, I guess I’ve had more years of conditioning to make it a little confusing, but I quickly got used to it.
{Click here for the official Trash Pandas game rules.}
Each card’s ability can be read aloud to the other players so there’s no arguing about cheating!
My vivacious and exuberant 6 year old loves to play games and he has such a delightful face to photograph. All this emotion is real, I assure you. He feels everything very deeply, and I love playing games with him. He is usually so happy and fun, and he’s a good little game player! Even though he can’t read yet, he learned very quickly what all the cards meant and can play just as well as the 0lder boys.
There’s plenty of opportunity for card stealing, which everyone loves and hates!
Must have been an exceptionally good draw…
If you love Sleeping Queens or other card games, Trash Pandas is another really fun game that I think your family will enjoy. It’s inexpensive and would make a fun surprise family gift or birthday present.
Have you played? What did you think???
{This review is sponsored by Gamewright. I received the game free of charge to facilitate this review, but all opinions are my own.}
