I SPY Spooky 3D Mansion Game

    

Review Written By Michael Aucone

      I Spy is a game that is known throughout the ages.  Long ago we only had our surroundings to play the game, but with the help of University Games, we now have a variety of board games available to liven up this game that has lasted literally through the ages and to keep us on our toes!   

      I SPY Spooky 3D Mansion game integrates the classic game with a board game for hours of fun for the whole family!  It is uniquely designed so that the box itself is the board game and storage unit- all in one.  Once you do the initial set up, your game is good to go--forever that is it!   Made out of sturdy cardboard, you have two levels of “rooms” that you make your way through in order to gather all the keys needed to the let yourself out of the front door, and escape the Spooky Mansion.

     First roll the die. Whatever number you get you MUST move that amount to get into a room. This means you can move backwards forwards left or right, as long as that room has a door, you can move through it and make your way to a room that holds not only the key you need, but new puzzles for you to solve.  Once you land in a room, pick an object to search for from the set of 80 word cards included.  These cards not only have a word on it but a small picture of the object that include small clues as to which card this item might be found on.  Once you have your item, turn over the sand timer and search through the 20 picture cards to find the object you seek hidden within!  When the sand runs out you are out of time and your turn is over.  If you succeeded in finding the object, you will take the key from the room you are in and place it on your personal mansion map. The map has each room on it and you will place the key in the room that you have taken it from. You may only take one key per room. Once you have all five keys you will roll the die until you can maneuver yourself to the front door, and then to freedom!

   This game is awesome.  I mean seriously, Spooky mansions, hidden objects, a race to escape--it has it all!  The whole bottom half of the box is decorated inside and out in keeping its theme of a haunted mansion.  Making it not only beautifully designed but also a very unique board to play on.  The objects that are hidden vary in degree of difficulty from an over-sized tea cup to a small sculpture in a corner hidden by some leaves.  You will find yourself struggling at some points and hitting the nail on the head at other points.  Moving from room to room in order to gain access to the  keys is a great way to incorporate a board game experience to a game that is usually only visual, and the artwork on the picture cards are spooky without being scary as well as being beautifully drawn.

      This game is fun for all ages, and I have had a room full of kids playing it as well as a room full of adults on different occasions, and both groups had equal amounts of fun.  Making this game a rarity when it comes to board games which are usually produced to appeal towards one or the other end of the age spectrum.  I particularly love how the box itself is the game as well as storage, leaving us with no lost pieces and minimum set up and clean up, and making us want to play it often,  I Spy Spooky Mansion is a game that you will play for years to come, with your kids, your friends and hey if you take care of it, even your grand-babies! Available on Amazon.com for $24.95 this is a winner!