Friendsgiving Game Night #friendsgiving #gamenight #telestrations #theopgames #tryazon

A complimentary copy of What the Cup!? and Telestrations were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

Over the years, we started hosting a Thanksgiving dinner ahead of Thanksgiving weekend. It has become a favorite activity and friends and family alike enjoy joining us for this 'rehearsal' dinner complete with a turkey and all of the fixings (although we do cake instead of pie). This year, we were able to include as part of it a Friendsgiving Game Night celebration through a Tryazon party. The Friendsgiving Game Night with the Op included a copy of two games that could be enjoyed by our friends and family, a new game and a familiar favorite.

The first game we checked out was What the Cup!?, a new game from the Op.

Description: What The Cup!? is a game of luck and lies where you must do whatever it takes to end up with highest or lowest valued die. Sabotage your opponents by changing the winning target, or follow card directives to spy, swap, re-roll, or reveal dice. Bet your chips to raise the stakes and bluff your way to victory. Does your cup hold the winner? The die don’t lie... but YOU can try!

The game was relatively easy to learn but took a few rounds before people started to catch on to the strategy and how they wanted to handle the action proposed on each card. The game was enjoyable and the group was laughing often during the game. Overall the group liked how easy it was to play, the fun of shaking the miniature red cup (it was a little noisy when all were shaking them), and hearing the one player declare each time he was asked that the value on his die was mid (fully supporting that 'the die don't lie but YOU can try!' on the box). The group did not opt to play a second round right away, instead moving on the other game, a familiar favorite.

The second game was the classic Telestrations game. If you aren't familiar, it is a cross between a drawing game and a telephone game.

Description: The award-winning game Telestrations will keep your family and friends entertained and laughing! Draw what you see then guess what you saw for hilarious and unpredictable outcomes

We first discovered Telestrations several years ago when a friend shared at a game night. Each player starts with a booklet and a clue card, the die is thrown and everyone writes their clue down on the inside cover. Then, they draw it, pass it to the next person who guesses it, they pass it to the next person, who draws that clue, then pass it to the next person who guesses based on tne new drawing, and so on. The book continues its journey until it reaches the original player. Then the fun and laughing begins, as each player shares the progression of their clue through the series of drawings and guesses. Of course, everyone is happy when their clue makes it all the way through but there is a lot of laughing when you see how the clue morphed to the final guess at the end. It is always funny when you realize what you saw vs where the clue started. And some of the guesses, you ask - do you really think that would have been on the card? When the round is done, you clean your booklet and start again.

Game night is always a fun evening spent with family and friends. Finding new games and getting to play classic favorites, makes each game night a unique and fun experience. If you are looking for some games to enjoy on your next game night, be sure to check out What the Cup!? and Telestrations.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. A complimentary copy of What the Cup!? and Telestrations were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could play the games and inivte my friends to check it out too.

Game Night - featuring Telestrations and Blank Slate #theOPgames #telestrations #blankslate #boardgames #Tryazon

Complimentary copies of Telestrations and Blank Slate games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

At my house, we have enjoyed playing many of the OP games that we have come across. So, when Tryazon sent me an invite to apply for a Game Night featuring two of our favorite games, I was excited to apply and hoped to get the chance to participate and share the games with more friends. This game night party kit came with two games: Telestrations and Blank Slate. We have been playing Telestrations for several years, ever since one of our friends recommendimg we check it out at a game night and we have been playing Blank Slate for a few years, since getting it one Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, it always feels a bit like Christmas to me when the party pack arrives. I enjoy unboxing it and seeing what all we got in the party pack.
The initial reveal:

After unpacking:

Once we had the games, all that remained was having friends over and introducing them to two of our favorite games.

Telestrations

Description: The outrageously fun party game Telestrations will keep your family and friends entertained and laughing! Draw what you see then guess what you saw for hilarious and unpredictable outcomes.

Casual, family, party and strategy gamers alike all agree that Telestrations is one of the top 10 board games to add to their game collection, and game night. It’s an engaging game that can be played over and over with many different ages and types of groups and gatherings – it’s the perfect group game for game night!

The award-winning game Telestrations will keep your family and friends entertained and laughing! Draw what you see then guess what you saw for hilarious and unpredictable outcomes. Over 1,700 words, 8 erasable sketch books, 8 dry erase markers, and 8 clean-up cloths. Perfect for families, small parties, and friends new and old. A great ice breaker! No Drawing Skills Required. Stick figures & sense of humor welcome! Ages 12+. For 4-8 players. Play time: 10-15 minutes per round.

Telestrations combines classic drawing games with the age old game of Telephone. This is one game where laughter ensues with each reveal of the sequence from original clue through a few iterations of drawings and guesses. Sometimes we have clues that make it through 'intact' but most of the time there is a definite evolution to the guesses and drawings. As with the classic Telephone game, the miscommunication of guessing the drawing leads to some wild departures from the original clue. We love how it can be played by any age group. Our kids can play with their friends, we can play with our friends, and we can also all play together. We have found that with an all adult group there are a few more adult themed guesses and drawings (even though everyone knows the initial clues are not adult themed since we don't have the 'after dark' version of the game). The original version is intended for 8 players but they also offer a 6 player and 12 player version of the game. The difference is the number of iterations that your original clues go through before returning to you - the more iterations the broader the departure. There is also an 80s and 90s expansion pack (featuring decades-inspired words and phrases that will have you sketching out the tunes, fads, and fashion from the end of the 20th century) available for more clues. We don't own this one but would be a great game for us to play with our friends (I assume that the kids might not get all of the clues, having not lived through those years). Since we already had a copy of the original game, we shared this gift with a friend so that they could enjoy the fun with their family and friends.

Blank Slate

Description: TPick one of over 250 Word Cue cards (with 500 total cues), write the word you think best completes the phrase - and try to match it exactly to another player's word without giving a single hint.

If you're looking out for something new to introduce to the family, then the Blank Slate Board Game is your best bet. This fun game comes with 8 slates, markers and 250 double-sided cue cards. The objective is to complete phrases with any word, but you score points for matching your word with any one other player. The rules are simple to understand and each match lasts only up to 30 minutes, so you know this game is going to be the new favorite with the family.

Game night is always a hit with Blank Slate - just ask Ryan Seacrest or Bobby Bones! Blank Slate game is featured on AT40 with Ryan Seacrest and The Bobby Bones Show - fans love it!

Blank Slate is a fun game. There is a certain strategy to try to match one and only one other answer. You need a word to fill in the blank that is obvious but not too obvious. I will say that it does help if you have connections with the people you are playing with, as those common experiences are often the source of the best answers. This game is great for all ages and you don't need to have any specific knowledge to play (everyone knows words and phrases). The game plays quickly, allowing you to play multiple rounds in a few hours (and crowning your winner based on best of 5 or 7). Since we already had a copy of Blank Slate, I shared the new one with some party guests.



What are some of your favorite games for family game night? or game night with friends? Have you played Telestrations or Blank Slate before? What did you think?

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. Complimentary copies of the games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog, with enough to share some with my friends too.

Game Night - featuring Venn and Hues and Cues #theOPgames #VENN #HuesAndCues #BringTheFun #Tryazon

Complimentary copies of Venn and Hues and Cues games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog. All opinions expressed are my own

As I have shared before, Game Night has always been a favorite activity at our house. We have been fortunate to have many friends and family members that enjoy not only hanging out but also playing games. Our friends have introduced us to many games and we have introduced them to many games. There always seems to be a new game to play but we still try to make time for favorites. As with any good gathering, we enjoy an assortment of snacks and always have a good time. We compete and we laugh and we genuinely enjoy the time together. When we started hosting, we had little kids and would often start around bedtime so that the kids would be sleeping through most of the time but now that they are teenagers, they often times will join in for the games too, whether with us or at their own game table with their friends.

We have enjoyed playing many of the OP games that we have come across, so when I see that there is a new game out, I am always intersted to learn more. So, when Tryazon sent me a message inviting me to apply for the Venn Game Night, I was excited to check it out. The party kit came with two games, Venn and Hues and Cues. Venn was new to us but we have owned Hues and Cues for a while now.

Venn

Description: Introducing VENN, a clever game where clues and art overlap! Race to find three secret words based on where a Clue Giver arranges unique Art Cards onto color circles. Set a timer or outguess the others to find the similarities, come to the right conclusions, and win! Go head-to-head as teams or work together through cooperative gameplay in this hands-on communication game that mixes friendly competition and fun.

Venn is an interesting game that requires creative thinking, a skill that sometimes I think we don't always get the chance to develop. It can be played competitively or cooperatively. I like this because I find that the cooperative play is an easier way to learn the game and a great way to play as a family, especially with younger kids. The concept of finding art work that applies to one, two or three of the words on your card is a fun way to get your teammates to guess the words. It did take a little while to figure out some people's thought process but with time, being able to guess became a little easier.

Hues and Cues

Description: Test your color knowledge and guessing abilities with Hues and Cues – a vibrant group party game of colorful communication where players are challenged to make connections to colors with words. Using only one and two-word cues, players try to get others to guess a specific hue from the 480 colors squares on the unique game board . The player with the most points after several rounds wins the game!

Hues and Cues is a fun game. It is helpful if you are familiar with context for your clue giver's clues. As an example, when the color card has a shade of blue and the clue giver says Cinderella for their word. If you don't know that Cinderella wears a blue dress or aren't familiar with which princess is which, then you might be guessing a shade of pink or yellow. We also discussed that for those that are color blind, it would also be quite a challenge. They can often differentiate shades but certainly aren't going to be as succesful with the nuances of the colors on the board. Since we already had a copy, I shared the new one with my brother and his family.

You can find more information on The Op or purchase your own copy of the games HERE.

What are some of your favorite games for family game night? or game night with friends? Have you played Venn or Hues and Cues before? What did you think?

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. Complimentary copies of the games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog, with enough to share some with my friends too.

Game Night - featuring Five Crowns and Farkle #playmonsterfun #tryazon

Complimentary copies of Farkle and Five Crowns games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share them with friends and through my blog.

Game Night has always been a favorite activity at our house. We have been fortunate to have many friends and family members that enjoy not only hanging out but also playing games. We always have way too much to eat and always have a good time. We compete and we laugh and we genuinely enjoy the time together. Some nights, we play card games, some nights we play board games, some nights we visit so long that we never get to the games. When the kids were little, we would put them to bed just before game night or shortly after it started. Now that they are older, we invite everyone's kids and we set up multiple game tables, one in the basement and one upstairs, so that everyone can get in on the fun. Durning the past couple of years, those types of nights slowed down but so glad to be back in the swing of things again.

Recently, we had the chance to share Five Crowns and Farkle from PlayMonster with our friends, as a participant in the Tryazon party. Both are games that we had played before but not with our friends.

Five Crowns is a rummy-style card game that featuring 5 suits and rotating wild cards. The box says that you can play with 1-7 players, ages 8 and up (it says 99 but I bet you could play if you were 100). I've not played the solitaire version but always love a game that you can play on your own. The game is easy to learn and with an estimated game time of 45 minutes, is easy to fit in a quick game almost anytime.

Farkle is a dice game that can be played with 2 or more players, ages 8 and up (although, you could actually play by yourself - maybe challenge yourself to reach the target in the fewest turns). Another game that is easy to learn and quick to play at an average game time of 30 minutes. It is also easy to take on the go and play almost anywhere. We have a pocket version that has a scoring pad that you could tuck in your purse or glove box and a small tube that holds the dice (about the size of a 35 mm film cannister for those of you old enough to remember).

Both games are family-friendly and can be enjoyed by young and old alike. The ability to play with only a few people, how easy it is to learn the games and the ability to play a full game in a short-time, makes them appealing game options. We have foudn that card and dice games have always been favorites to play with grandparents when they visit us.

You can learn more about PlayMonster and order your own copies of the games at PlayMoster.com. I recieved a coupon code to share with my guests but I also see that if you join their mailing list, you can get 25% off your first order.

What are some of your favorite games? Have you played Five Crowns or Farkle before?

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family and friends. Complimentary copies of the games were provided to me through Tryazon so that I could share my experience with friends and through my blog, with enough to share some with my friends too.

Game Night - Telestrations Upside Drawn

As a participant in the Tryazon Telestrations Upside Drawn party, I received an Upside Drawn party pack which included two copies of the game and coupons to buy the game to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love to host a good gathering. There is a lot of work that goes into planning and hosting a gathering but I enjoy it. Finding the right food for the event, preparing the house for the arrival and planning the preparation of the food, so that it all comes together at the right time in the right way. I enjoy it and the sense of satisfaction when it all comes together. With Covid those gatherings have all but disappeared from our social calendar. We have had a few bonfires with friends, where we can all sit socially distant and visit, relax and enjoy each other's company. Everyone has brought their own drinks, snacks and chairs. 

This weekend we extended our gathering to include a cookout and plans for a small game night. All planned for outside where we could rely on the benefits of sunlight and the lack of close quarters. We kept the cookout simple with burgers, chicken and hot dogs. For sides, we had garden veggies, fruit, macaroni salad, and salad. We also had chips with homemade onion dip, fresh garden salsa and a jalepeno dip. For dessert, we went Disney inspired options. We made chocolate cupcakes with chocoalte hazelnut buttercream frotsting. Our friends brought their soft serve maker and Dole whip mix so we could all enjoy Dole Whips. And, of course, with a bonfire planned to cap the evening, we had all the makings for S'mores. 

As with most plans, we had to make some adjustments. As we approached the day, we confirmed that some were unable to join. I forgot to buy watermelon, so fruit was scratched from the menu. Then, the day of the event, as we were finishing up the cookout portion, we were concerned briefly about rain as the cloud cover increased and the sky darkened. It didn't rain but we wound up having to relocate to the front of the house to follow the sun and the warmth when the non-rain cold front passed through and the temperatures dropped. 

 It was so nice to have an event to plan. It was so nice to hang out and visit with friends. As sometimes happened, we spent less time than planned playing games because we got caught up in visiting and eating! Fortunately, my daughter had played the games many times with friends and was able to easily explain the game and roles that everyone on the team would play. Telestrations Upside Drawn

is a unique in that the artist is one of the guessers. They don't know what they are drawing but rather are taking instruction from the guide as they move the drawing board under the marker, providing up or down instructions telling the artist to lift or lower the marker back to the board. Needless to say, even more so than other drawing games, the pictures can be pretty interesting as a result and lead to laughter and kidding when the answer is learned. Fortunately, there are hints along the side of the board that you can guide the board to (be sure to have the marker up as you move so you don't cross thorugh the drawing). The game is enjoyable but I will say that I think I still prefer the original Telestrations game - the 'telephone' game of drawing and guessing has been the center piece of many game nights at our house over the years. 

All in all, it was a good night. The group was smaller than expected. The cupcakes were a big hit. The bonfire was enjoyable and I even got to have a couple of toasted marshmallows, even if it was after the guests left. We even had a bonus copy of the game that we got to share with friends to enjoy at their own game nights.

What are some of your favorite games to play with friends?  You can find Upside Drawn at Amazon and Target.

As a participant in the Tryazon Telestrations Upside Drawn party, I received an Upside Drawn party pack which included two copies of the game and coupons to buy the game to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own.