Gotta Catch 'Em All!
Written: Apr 25 '01 (Updated Apr 26 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fun, easy, ages 4 to 8 will enjoy, challenging counting for the little ones
Cons: Gets old, but younger kids stay interested longer
The Bottom Line: Simple. Fun. Family Quality Time.
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| Peachy3's Full Review: Pokemon Yahtzee Jr. |
Players: 2 to 4 (can also be played solo)
Ages: 4+ (3-year-olds can play with adult supervision but the dice are choking hazards)
Description
The 6 most adorable Pokemon characters star in this game. They are Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Jigglypuff, Squirtle, and Ditto (which is wild-can be used as any pokemon). Pokemon Yahtzee Jr. is a very simplified version of regular yahtzee.
Contents
***1 small red gameboard- Board has the 5 different Pokemon (not including the wild one, Ditto) vertically and 0,1,2,3,4,5, horizontally
***1 blue cup for dice rolling
***5 yellow dice each consisting of the 6 different Pokemon on each side
***4 sets of square differently colored Pokemon pieces each having a different Pokemon character (excluding wild Ditto). (20 pieces in all) The different colors are red, blue, yellow, and purple. Hint: The first time you set up, the dice have to be labeled with pokemon stickers.
Objective
To win you have to score the most points by trying to get a 1 through 5 of a kind (basically trying to get a yahtzee, which is a 5-of-a-kind, on each of your pokemon). You get 3 rolls. There are no full houses, straights, etc. like regular yahtzee. At the end of your 3 rolls if you only rolled one matching pokemon that equals 1 point. If you rolled 2, then you get 2 points, and so on all the way up to 5. There is one exception to the scoring. If you rolled 5 pikachus at the end of your 3 rolls and someone already has a pokemon piece on that same space (explained later) then you have to take a cut in points and go down to 4 and put your pokemon piece there. If someone's piece is on 4 then you go to 3 and so on.
Starting The Game
Place the gameboard on a flat surface (otherwise the pieces will slide off due to the board having a shiny coating). Each player chooses a color (red, blue, yellow, or purple) which consists of the 5 different Pokemon characters. (The Ditto character is only used on dice). Put all 5 dice in the blue dice cup. The instructions say the youngest player goes first, but of course this causes arguments and is really not fair. So we role the dice to see who gets the most of one pokemon to decide who goes first.
Before I explain the game there are a couple important rules. They are as follows:
1. No 2 Pokemon pieces can occupy the same space. If a pokemon piece is already on the scoring space that you got, you have to take a point cut and put your piece on the next available space below it. If that space is occupied then you go to the next lower-pointed space, etc.
2. Once you put a pokemon piece on the gameboard the piece CANNOT be moved.
3. The pink Ditto pokemon located on one side of each of the 5 dice is wild. It can be used as any pokemon.
4. If you roll a 5-of-a-kind on any of the regular pokemon it is called a "Yahtzee". With a score of 5 of course.
5. If you roll 5 Dittos that is called a "Ditto". You then get to choose any of your remaining pokemon to count as a 5-of-a-kind. Although, if the space on the gameboard is occupied, you still have to follow rule # 1.
6. Your colored game pieces consist of each of the 5 pokemon. Each of your pokemon can only be used once. So be careful not to roll for a pokemon of yours that you already played on the gameboard.
7. After your third roll, if you cannot play a remaining pokemon piece because you've already played the pokemon pieces shown on the dice then you have to score a 0. You would then put your piece on the 0 for that character. Important: More than 1 pokemon piece can occupy the zero in any column since it is a score of 0.
Now the first player is ready to roll the dice. Shake the dice in the blue cup and roll them. Keep the dice you want...preferable ones that have more than one matching. (For example: You roll 3 Bulbasaurs, 1 Squirtle, and 1 Pikachu. Keep the 3 Bulbasaurs then you only need 2 more to get a score of 5). After choosing the pokemon to keep it is time for your second roll. On the second roll keep any pokemon matching the ones (Bulbasaur) you kept on the first roll. (Hint: If you didn't have many of one matching pokemon on the first roll and you get a lot of different matching pokemon on your second roll, you can keep the matching ones on your second roll and throw back the one(s) from your first roll.) Lastly, roll the dice for the final third roll. Total up all the matching pokemon (only 1 character) from all 3 rolls. Then take your Pokemon piece (which matches the pokemon on the dice you totalled up) and find that pokemon vertically on the game board and follow over horizontally to the matching number (score) you got. Note: See rule #1 if the space you scored is already occupied by another player's pokemon piece. See rule #2 if the characters shown on your last roll have already been played by you and your remaining pokemon isn't on the dice.
Continue the game until everyone has played all of their pokemon. Or....depending on the amount of players you can limit the game to a certain amount of turns. Such as a 2 player game = 5 turns each, a 3 player game = 4 turns each, a 4 player game = 3 turns each. For younger children this option is better to avoid hurt feelings if a space is already occupied. For more competition continue all players until all their pokemon pieces are gone.
Who Wins The Game
After all player's pokemon pieces (or turns) are played, each player totals the number above each of their pokemon pieces on the gameboard. The player who has the highest score wins! Note: If playing by turns on a 3 or 4 player game there will be remaining unused pokemon pieces for each player. In the case of a tie, both players roll the dice and whoever has the most Dittos in one role wins the tie breaker.
Overall, this game is cute and fun. It can also be educational since counting is involved. Counting the number of pokemon you scored on each turn and counting your total score at the end. It involves taking turns and sharing the dice. Also, learning the consequences for spaces being already occupied (although this is not a fun thing to learn...LOL). The game is much easier than it sounds. Simple. Fun. Family quality time.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 4.99
Type of Toy: Game
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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Peachy3
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Member: Crista .
Location: IN
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