Outfoxed Info

Product: Outfoxed
Company: Gamewright
Website: https://gamewright.com/product/Outfoxed
Recommended Age Range: 5 and up (though our newly 4 year old loves this game too)
Price Range: ~$20
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

I really love this game. Who doesn’t like a game in which you get to use a special decoder? It is seriously so fun. Whoever came up with the concept behind this game was extremely clever and inventive.

Outfoxed is reminiscent of Guess Who. You have to use yes or no questions (like is the thief wearing white gloves or carrying a briefcase) to eliminate suspects and ultimate figure out which fox stole the pie.

However, instead of asking questions, you move around the board collecting picture clues (like a briefcase) and then use the decoder to figure out whether the suspect has or does not have the clue included in their outfit. The concept behind this game is really pure genius.

I also appreciate that this game is a cooperative game. All the players are trying to catch the thief before he makes it to the end of the game board. Cooperative games are perfect for families with kids covering a wide age span. It is too bad that it is limited to four players, but really, there is no reason why you couldn’t add extra game pieces and have others play as well.

If you wanted to make the game easier to win, you could have the fox only move 1 or 2 spaces for unsuccessful rolls instead of 3. As is, I’d say we lose about a third of the time, which is a good amount, but for kids that are very sensitive to loss, you could make the game easier to win while you are learning the game.

This is currently my absolute favorite game to play with my preschooler and 1st grader. The fact that my third and fifth grader likes playing it as well demonstrates this game’s wide appeal.

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Product: Enchanted Forest
Company: Ravensburger
Website: www.ravensburger.com
Recommended Age Range: 4+
Price Range: ~$25
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Comments: My kids received this game for Christmas over a month ago. I’m a huge fan of board games, but our game closet is already pretty packed, so I have to be selective. We almost didn’t get this one, because the price is a little higher than I’m used to paying. However, I’m extremely glad that we did. It is a great game to play with all ages, because it’s fun for adults, but even the littlest kids can understand the concept. My 7 year old son loves it so much, he’s even played it on his own with his friends a few times. (I love when I don’t have to participate!) On his birthday recently, his dad was going to take him skiing, but he wanted to play Enchanted Forest instead.

The main concept behind this game is that all the players are on a search for a specific treasure (like Jack’s beans or Cinderella’s glass slipper). You move around the board looking under trees for that specific treasure. After a treasure is located and earned, another card is flipped over with a different treasure to search for. The first person to earn 3 treasures is the winner. Here’s the trick: If you remember what is underneath ALL the trees as you hunt for a treasure, you might already know where the next treasure is when the card is flipped over. Therefore, even if someone is losing, it’s possible for that person to earn 3 treasures in a row if they just remember where everything is. I think that makes this game fun.

I think one of the reasons why I most like this game is because after reading the book Moonwalking with Einstein a couple years ago, I like to practice memory tricks. One trick is that it’s easier to remember things in pairs. For example, you can remember that the trees with Little Red Riding Hood’s cape and Hansel and Gretel’s Lollipop are next to each other. It is even easier to remember when you make a mental image (like Little Red Riding Hood eating the lollipop). The crazier the image, the easier it is to remember. Another trick is to picture yourself going on a walk seeing these images in order. You can picture yourself walking through the Enchanted Forest and first you come across Little Red Riding Hood eating the lollipop, then the 3 Little Pigs climbing Rapunzel’s castle, etc.

Kids are pretty good at just remembering where stuff is. I need my memory tricks. All of us have fun. Well, except the 4 year old who doesn’t like to lose. However, sometimes we only play a quick game to see who can find the first treasure. She has just as good odds as everyone else when we play this way. When we play a full game for 3 treasures, I usually win. (I’m competitive like that.) As my kids get older, I’ll teach them my secrets. Ancient memory tricks or not, this game is definitely a keeper.

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Comments: I LOVE this game. I know these recommendations are supposed to be based on what kids like, but let’s be honest. If you don’t enjoy playing a certain board game with your kid, you’re not going to do it, and the best part of a board game from your kid’s point of view is your participation. Don’t get me wrong, he loves this game too, but he’s not very picky. He would play Chutes and Ladders and Candyland for hours on end if I didn’t lose my mind and quit after 30 minutes.

There are lots of cooperative games on the market to choose from, but this is one my favorites at present. All the players either win or lose together so there are never any tantrums, though we still use other games to talk about the concept of being a “good sport” or a “sore loser”. The primary fun aspect of this game is that you and your child have to work as a team to search for hidden objects on the board (flowers, flags, fire hydrants, etc.).

In theory, the more you play, the better you get, but there are so many objects to choose from and the board is so big, that so far this hasn’t really happened with us. I think this would be a great game for siblings of varying ages to enjoy playing together and still be able to include the three year old.

Note that there is a Disney version of this game as well. Our family actually owns both for variety. I find that it’s a little easier to win the Busytown version than the Disney version, so it’s slightly better with younger kids, but they are both fun!

Included on Lists:

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2. Best Gifts for 5 Year Olds
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