In this technological age where everybody has a smartphone or tablet to play games, board games are a great way to put down the screens and have fun with friends and family and spend some quality time together.
Board games are always a handy way to relieve boredom and spend the cold wintery days tucked up nice and snug in the warm. We have lots of board games and are always happy to try out more, so we were delighted when Igloo Mania from Brainstorm arrived.
While Igloo Mania isn’t strictly a board game in the traditional sense (it has no board), it is a game that requires skill, patience and a very steady hand!
Igloo Mania is a game for 2-4 players, aged 5 years and upwards. It has a playing time of around 15 minutes so is great for children with short attention spans or just for something quick to play before school!
In the box there is:
x64 Ice Blocks, x4 Penguin Picks, x1 Parka Pete, x1 Support Dome (in two parts), x1 Base Ring with Door, x1 Sticker Sheet and an instruction leaflet.
There is some one-off setup to preform before the game can be played; you need to stick the stickers on all the ice blocks (each block in numbered inside). Once this is done you are ready to play.
To play, firstly you need to assemble the igloo. There is a support dome to help do this and keep the ice blocks in place. Once the igloo is complete and Parka Pete place on top lift the igloo (by the igloo door) off the support dome. You can now begin to play.
The idea is that you use your penguin pick to insert into a block and remove it from the igloo without causing other blocks to fall. You really do need a steady hand and as younger children may be not so dexterous, there is an option to play by leaving the support dome in.
The winner is the person who has the fewest blocks at the end of the game or whoever has the lowest score by adding up the numbers on the blocks.
Overall, this is a great game of skill, dexterity and patience. We have had some great fun with it but did have to use the support dome to play as the twins are still a bit too heavy handed and just gets them frustrated.
If you’ve ever played Pop-Up Pirate it is quite similar to that except that you have to remove bits.
Igloo Mania is a fun family game that all the family can take part in, and with two different ways to play depending on skill levels, it truly is one everyone can enjoy.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £19.99
Available to buy from Amazon here.
