Jenga Quake Game, Ages 6 and up

I received this as a part of the Walmart Sparks review team. I have played regular Jenga in the past. I liked the older version of Jenga but admit it was rather redundant and could get boring after playing a few times...seems everyone had a strategy for removal of the blocks so every game seemed to follow a pattern. This version has a shaking element that is RANDOM, so forget trying the same old tried and true strategies . Finally, a game that every play is different! The game does require 3 batteries that are not included in the game , but for the small additional cost of batteries you get a game that is going to hold interest and be exciting for a LONG time. The added shake factor is what makes this game a winner. Don't be fooled into thinking the shake factor is just a simple little twist though...the shake intensity changes and does not follow a pattern...it's RANDOM, which keeps the players on their toes and evens the play field for less experienced players. Kids can play with each other, kids can play adults, adults can play adults...this game covers all the bases and is fun and exciting for everyone. The blocks are not wooden like the old Jenga, they are a colored* orange, gray and darker gray* hollow plastic( weight is greatly reduced making the shake element a major component of game play) and the shake element does go from light shaking to a major full out tear 'em down shake that will level the blocks , but being as it is completely random no-one knows when the "big one" will hit, which adds to the level of fun in my opinion. As I understand it, if the tower topples on your turn( regardless of if you removed a block or not) then you lose...which seriously cuts down on those players who 'take forever' choosing a block to remove. Nothing worse than waiting 'forever' for the opponent to make his/her move . This game MOVES...literally( pun intended) so if you stall in taking your move and 'the big one ' hits...you might just lose , so make your move and hope it's still standing tall! I am happy to add this game to our family's collection and am feeling really pumped that it won't be a 'one and done' game...I see many Jenga games being played with this one.

Jenga Quake Game My children were both always big fans of the Jenga game, so were anxious to give the new Jenga Quake Game a try. The box is colorful, and looks like there has been a lava explosion. Note that the game DOES take batteries - three AA size. This powers the quake effect of the game. There is a good part of that though - it will automatically go into "sleep mode" after ten minutes of non-use, so the drain on the batteries will not be totally endless. It is always best to turn the game off when you are done, of course. The game consists of the base you build on (instead of a table or floor like the regular Jenga game) and thirty-six (36) plastic oblong blocks in colors of orange and grays. The blocks are NOT wooden in this game - they are plastic, so they are lightweight enough to be moved by the quake base. The game play is pretty much standard stuff - stack the blocks by sets of three, alternating the direction of the blocks. You take turns removing a block and stacking it on the top. What makes this game different is that there is the element of random "quakes". The base will shake, and depending on how strong the shake is, will either move the stack a little bit or knock it all down. There is a red light that lights up when a quake goes off (apparently so you know the difference between the quake and someone kicking the table!). There is a red plastic piece that mimics a Richter scale when it shakes. There is no particular pattern that we were able to discern as far as which quakes came when in any order. Sometimes, it was a small vibration, sometimes stronger, and many times a complete shaking that knocked everything over. But, I have to admit that I wasn't really writing anything down either! Both kids enjoyed the game and played it for a few hours on the first run. Overall, while it is almost all plastic, it is still a fun game that any Jenga fan should enjoy playing. It is a nice element of uncertainty for even the best Jenga expert when you never know when or how strong a "quake" is going to be. Enjoyed the game a lot!