Don't Pick the Bucket - Cherries will escape and run free!!!
Written: Jan 02 '02 (Updated Jan 02 '02)
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Pros: Reinforces number identification, easy to play, and teaches counting.
Cons: Small parts, choking hazard, cheap made board, spinner lands on line.
The Bottom Line: It is very easy to learn, and play so it really is a great beginners game!
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| mrssmoopy's Full Review: Hi Ho Cherry-O |
Endless commercials during the pre-holiday season brought the this game to the attention of my five-year-old child. "I want that" over and over drove me nuts, so we made sure she got it for Christmas from a relative who was looking for a gift idea.
The price listed on Epinions is $9.00, but $6.99 was the actual purchase price at Toys R Us during the month of December. I believe that $6 - $7 dollars is more realistic in my area toy stores. I'm sure it's even cheaper at KB Toys. (www.kbtoys.com).
AMOUNT OF PLAYERS:
Two to four players can play.
AGE REQUIREMENTS:
The box states that this game if for ages 3 - 6. I personally feel that 4 - 5 year olds would enjoy this game better because of the lack of strategy that a six year old would enjoy, and the pieces are so small that a three year old may try to ingest the cherries, or not have the attention span to finish this game due to the unpredictable length of play that is sometimes incurred.
GAME SETUP:
This game requires very little in assembly.
CHERRIES: There are 40 cherries that are molded onto plastic strips that just need you to pop them off of their tiny supports to serve as game pieces. CAUTION - THESE CHERRIES ARE VERY SMALL, AND COULD GET LOST EASILY. I SUGGEST PUTTING THEM DIRECTLY INTO THE GAME BOX LID AS SOON AS YOU POP THEM OFF TO PREVENT THEM FROM ROLLING AWAY.
SPINNER: The game spinner come in two sections that need to be snapped together - THE ARROW, AND THE BASE. The arrow part (top visible section) of the spinner attaches on top of the game board, and the base goes below the board to attach the spinner to the playing section itself. It has a little section that pops up through the pre-cut hole that snaps into the arrow part of the spinner. You can find this precut hole in the preprinted center section of the game board that is yellow. You can't miss it.(There are illustrated pictures of specific spinner assembly instructions on the pamphlet that comes in the box.)
BUCKETS: There are four color coded buckets (more like tiny doll cups in my opinion) that go in the cut-out circles on the game board located under each player's cherry tree. You easily insert each colored bucket under that each tree to help store & collect cherries throughout the game. You choose your color, and play from that tree that your color bucket is under.
GAME BOARD ASSEMBLY: The game is pre-assembled except that you have to punch out the 40 pre-cut cherry "resting" holes that are in each tree. 10 holes per player's tree. Just apply slight pressure to each punch out and pop out the cardboard circle. The board itself is set inside the bottom "lid" of the box and remains there once the game is prepared for play the first time. I recommend leaving it in the box as it will retain it's shape, and remain somewhat sturdier that it standing alone (if it even could stand by itself).
GAME PLAY:
Ok, now you've popped out your cherries, you've inserted the buckets, and you've installed your spinner - You are ready to play.
According to how many players are involved, you fill each players tree with 10 cherries. (example: 2 players - two trees).
The youngest player spins first. Then the player to the left has the next turn.
Each player spins and plays according to where the arrow spinner lands on the following preprinted picture:
One cherry: (clearly marked #1 on one of the cherries) - Pick one cherry from your tree, and place it in your colored bucket.
Two cherries: (marked #2) - Pick two cherries from your tree, and place them in your colored bucket.
Three cherries: (marked #3) - Pick three cherries from your tree, and place them in your colored bucket.
Four cherries: (marked #4) - Pick four cherries from your tree, and place them in your colored bucket.
Bird or Dog: Take two cherries out of your buck and place them back on your tree. If you only have one cherry in your bucket, just put back one. If you have zero cherries in your bucket, you pass your turn.
Spilled Bucket: Take all of your cherries out of your bucket and put them back on your tree. (Seems to be my landing spot on each game I play.) The instructions state to pull your bucket out of the board and dump them out and then put them on your tree. I personally can not get my bucket out due the the fact the lip on the cup is so tiny, I can't get my fingernail under it. Also if you pull on the cup too much and it won't come up easily, it can displace the entire game's pieces if you end up picking up the game board as well. I again suggest just picking them out of your bucket rather than attempting to remove the bucket from it's current position.
HOW DO YOU WIN?:
The first player to remove all 10 cherries from your tree and have them in your bucket - YOU WIN!
PROBLEMS WE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE GAME:
Sheer boredom - as the game is very unpredictable as to how many times you remove and replace cherries in your tree & bucket, your child could get bored and walk away as mine did.
Game board disruption - This game board is made of a very flimsy cardboard, and a child who is insistent in removing his/her bucket for dumping could cause the entire game to have to be restarted due to the unleashing of freed cherries that run off in every direction when "flung" when the bucket is freed with too much force.
Frustration - A child could get very discouraged as they would have to replace cherries every other turn if the arrow chooses to land in the same spots over and over.
Confusion - The lines that separate each picture on the spinner indication area are very thin. You can not sometimes tell which section it should have landed on causing a re-spin for the current player. I feel these separating lines should be thicker or bolder, and should be noted as a re-spin rather than cause arguments of whether it should have been one space or another. Just my two cents.
Loss of mind with lost cherries - These cherries are so tiny that if one escapes under your table, you have to make sure your cat doesn't take off with it before you find it. The good news is that on the instruction sheet there is a reorder address to get another 40 cherries for a minimal fee of $2.50 (postage and handling included). This address for those of you who have misplaced your instruction sheet are as follows:
Send a check for $2.50 made out to PARKER BROTHERS and mail to:
CONSUMER RELATIONS
PARKER BROTHERS
PO BOX 1012
BEVERLY, MA
01915
OR CALL 1-978-921-3500
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
GAME PLAY: My child enjoyed playing the game for a few times in a row before she became bored. The first few games went quickly, so when the last time we played became longer due landing on the dog, bird, and spilled bucket over and over again - SHE JUST WALKED AWAY. This will probably be a once a month game, and sit in the closet with the other 10 games that are in there for a rainy day.
GAME CONSTRUCTION: Cheap flimsy cardboard game board which luckily remains in the bottom of the box itself to retain it's shape. As long as you leave the buckets in their prospective holes, your board should remain intact for a while. Cherries are entirely too small in my opinion. Either I have hands/fingers that are too large, or these cherries are a pain in the neck to retrieve from the buckets. I could never imagine my Grandmother being able to remove these with arthritis in her hands!
Storage: The box itself is 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" x 2", so it's a smaller board game which is easy to store. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND PUTTING THE 40 CHERRIES INTO A ZIPLOC TYPE OF BAG DURING STORAGE IN CASE THE GAME GETS TURNED OVER BEFORE PLAYING AGAIN. WHAT A MESS IF THEY GET LOOSE!
WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS TO ANOTHER CONSUMER?
Sure, this isn't the worst game as far as understanding the concept of rules, winning, and losing. Very easy to play, whether the game lasts 10 minutes or a half an hour. My only gripe is the thought of construction size wise of the game pieces, and the "must have been recycled" game board itself not being as sturdy as other Parker Brothers Game Boards.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 6.99
Type of Toy: Game
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
mrssmoopy
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Member: Jamie Simpson
Location: Tree Lined Suburbs of Central NJ
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