Read Time:1 Minute, 37 Second
Players: 2 (ages 8+)
Playing Time: 10-15 minutes
MixUp is a bit like one of my old favorites, Connect Four—except it’s more colorful…and it’s much more challenging. To begin, players place all 54 game tiles (which, incidentally, fit neatly inside the game board) face-up in front of them. On the tiles are three different shapes (moon, lightning, and raindrop) in three different colors (blue, green, and red). Players take turns selecting a playing piece and sliding it down one of the game board’s seven channels. But here’s where the challenge comes in: the objective is different for each player. One player tries to get four tiles of the same shape in a row or in a two-by-two square, while the other player tries to get four tiles of the same color in a row or in a two-by-two square.
MixUp is simple to learn—but mind-boggling to play. My eight-year-old nephew had no problem figuring out the rules—but actually playing the game was an entirely different issue. It looks easy enough, but looks can definitely be deceiving. There’s so much to watch for that it’s easy to accidentally play in your opponent’s favor. And, after a while, all the colors and shapes start to look alike. So while it’s a fun—and nerve-wracking—game for a while, after playing a few rounds, you might find yourself frustrated and ready to throw in the towel.
If you’re looking for a simple game that requires a lot of concentration and strategy, MixUp is the perfect game for you. It’s easy to learn and difficult to master. Just remember that it isn’t as easy as it looks—and the frustration factor runs high. So if you prefer a mildly-challenging game to play with the kids, you might want to look elsewhere.
Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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Kristin Dreyer Kramer has been writing in some form or another (usually when she was supposed to be doing something else) since the ripe old age of ten—when she, her cousin, and their two Cabbage Patch Dolls formed the Poo Authors’ Club. After a short career in advertising, Kristin got sick of always saying nice things about stuff that didn’t deserve it—so now she spends her days criticizing things, and she’s much happier for it.
Since creating NightsAndWeekends.com in February of 2002, Kristin has spent her life surrounded by piles and piles of books and movies—so many that her office has become a kind of entertainment obstacle course.
As if her writing and editing responsibilities for N&W.com weren’t enough to keep her out of trouble, Kristin also hosts a number of weekly radio shows: Reel Discovery, Shelf Discovery, and On the Marquee. She’s also a proud member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (CriticsChoice.com), the Central Ohio Film Critics Association (COFCA.org), the Online Film Critics Society (OFCS.org), and the Women Film Critics Circle (WFCC.Wordpress.com).
Kristin lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, Paul, and their daughter, Anna. She welcomes questions, comments, and fan mail at kdk@nightsandweekends.com.
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