northeastgal's Full Review: Milton Bradley Pictionary Junior
Somehow when there's children around, you accumulate all sorts of board games and toys. Some of them they have because of their popularity and some are old time favorites which their parents enjoyed and the games are the same such as Scrabble, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Chutes and Ladders and many, many others. This game of Pictionary Junior was left at my house for me to play with the grandkids when they come over. I'm not sure how many versions of Pictionary Jr. there are, but mine is the one pictured above with the blue box. Below I will describe the game for those that are unfamiliar with it and explain afterwards my reasons why this game is only worth 2 ** stars to me. I enjoy many board games and will play a new one just to see what it's like. If it bores me, then they can play it with someone else because I just will not play a boring game more than once.
Pictionary Junior Item #: 04532
Hasbro Games/Milton Bradley
144 (2-sided) cards
2 Playing Pieces (White & Red)
Approx. Retail: $ 14.99
Ages: 7 to 12, 3 or more players Content: 144 (2 sided) cards, pad of paper, one-minute timer, 2 playing pieces, 2 pencils, die.
How the game is played
Before starting the game, it's a good idea to get to know the cards and the gameboard. Each card is Red on one side for ages 7 - 9 and Blue on the other for older children. On the card are 5 colored pencil drawings with 5 different words in each pencil. Above the 5 words on the card is the "Clue" a hint for the word to be sketched. The gameboard has a "Start" and "Finish". Each space on the gameboard has a picture of 1 pencil or 4 pencils. This means the 4 pencils square is an All Play space. The color of the square tells the "Picturist" or otherwise known as the artist drawing the word which word on the card corresponds with the same color on the board. Both teams must have a "Picturist" that will sketch the same word. The timer is placed on the gameboard and the team that answers within the time limit gets to move the amount on the die. If neither teams guesses the right answer within the time limit, then they will switch being the "Picturist" and continue for a different card for a new word. If one team guesses the correct word, they move on by rolling the die until someone reaches the end.
The rules sound a bit complicated. They do state on the "Rules page that came with the game "Please Read all instructions before you begin to Play". The idea is to time 2 teams to guess each word that has the same color on the card as on the board. I'm not sure a child can learn all the rules quickly to play the game unless they have played it at a friend's house before that was already experienced playing this Charade on paper. On the rules card they have examples around the edges of the rules card how to draw various things that will be on the game cards. They look easy but to remember them is another story. This game requires visual skills and quick thinking to guess the non verbal words.
To give you an example of the play, I've picked one card at random and on the Red side of the 2-side card which is supposed to be easy, the clue is "NOISE". Under the clue are the words to sketch depending on the color of the space on the gameboard, they are:
Yellow - Loud
Orange - Listen
Blue - Quiet
Pink - Whisper
Green - Speak
On the other side which is Blue is the harder words to sketch, the clue is "ACTIONS"
Yellow - Hit
Orange - Scratch
Blue - Clap
Pink - Shake
Green - Step
My Opinion
You can buy this game at any store that sells children's games both retail and online. Prices may vary.
Considering the rules to this game are somewhat complicated and most times you don't have 4 children to make up 2 teams, when I played with one child, the rules were changed to make it less complicated and to make it easy for the age of the child. We didn't go by the color on the playboard but rather which word in the list was easiest to draw.
A game is supposed to be fun and challenging. While this is a drawing/artistic game, it's frustrating if the child can't draw certain words. It's no longer fun if an adult has trouble drawing some of those difficult words such as car alarm, Tokyo, tarantula, museum, shiver, godzilla, goose bumps". Those are a few words that I found to be difficult for a child to draw but there are many more.
Perhaps the adult edition of Pictionary might be fun for adults. I don't have that game near me but I've seen my children play when they were over 15 years old with their friends. This may be fun for high school and up ages but children under 12 to draw those words under a minute is not enjoyable. Therefore, this game just stays under the pile of games. I would not spend over $15 for a game of frustration watching someone stand thinking of how to draw a difficult word. This game gave me a headache trying to play it without showing my dislike and waste of time.
Drawing is fun for anyone without the pressure of being timed. I played this game 2 times and both times the child wanted to quit and play something else. I can't blame them. I didn't like it myself but wasn't going to show them I was a quitter. I encourage children to finish what they start but this was one game I could not finish myself.
I wouldn't buy this game for anyone under 12. It's very difficult drawing any word within one minute unless it was a simple word where this game has very few of them. This game might be enjoyed by children with artistic abilities.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): N/A Type of Toy: Board Game
Age Range of Child: 9 Years or Older
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