Trucky 3

Trucky 3 - Use logic to build puzzles in trucks that really roll

Trucky 3 is another in the long line of one-person logic games from SmartGames. With three plastic rolling trucks and 10 colorful plastic shapes, most have wanted to give this one a try.

Your goal is to use the pieces shown on a puzzle page and load them into the truck(s) shown so that they fit and are flat across the top (nothing sticking up out of the back of the truck). You can see two trucks loaded this way in the image above.   

The trucks are sturdy and each truck has a wooden base, cab and wheels. The beds are clear plastic. The 3 trucks measure 3 1/8", 4" and 4 3/4". The 10 pieces are each a different shape and they are hollowed out on two sides. It will help you while solving the puzzles to remember that the hollowed out sides will always face out.
 
The puzzle book is spiral bound so it will lie flat. The front of each puzzle page shows the puzzle and the back of the page shows the solution. The puzzle pages show the empty truck(s) at the bottom and the pieces that need to be loaded at the top (see image below). The Trucky 3 puzzles fall into four categories which get more difficult as you work your way through the book. Here are the four levels:

• Starter - 12 puzzles, 1 truck per puzzle, 2 to 3 pieces per truck
• Junior - 12 puzzles, 1 truck per puzzle, 2 to 4 pieces per truck
• Expert - 12 puzzles, 2 trucks per puzzle, 4 to 6 pieces per truck
• Master - 12 puzzles, 2 or 3 trucks per puzzle, 4 to 8 pieces per puzzle. Only 2 puzzles use all 3 trucks with 7 and then 8 pieces. The other 10 puzzles use 4 to 6 pieces.

Below are images of the first and last puzzle, each with their solution, so you can see how they increase in difficulty.

Trucky 3 puzzle #1 with solution.

Trucky 3 puzzle #48 with solution.

I was very happy the day I discovered the SmartGames line of logic puzzles and have used them successfully in my practice for years. To read more about one-player SmartGames that I have blogged about, click here.

Try this:

• Play with the pieces before working the puzzles. See how they look different in different orientations, see how they fit into the trucks, etc.
• Build the trucks from the solution pages if figuring out the challenges would be too difficult.
• Show the individual how to load a truck or load it from the solution page. Then take the pieces out, turn them into different orientations, and let the individual solve the same puzzle.
• Place the first piece in as the individual is learning and let them add the rest.
• Ask the individual to turn the piece in-hand before placing it if they pick it up in the incorrect orientation. Make sure the pieces are lying in the incorrect orientation before you start a puzzle if you want to make sure they practice this.
• Fill the truck will all but the last piece and let the individual add it. Then fill the truck will all but the last two pieces and let the individual add them, etc.
• Continue to use the game if the individual cannot get past the first section, separating and giving them the pieces to only one truck at a time on more difficult puzzles.
• Give verbal instructions to someone who cannot solve the puzzle on their own. For instance "Put the pink piece on the bottom, fit the green piece over the cab, add the last piece". 
• Study the solution page. Then flip back to the puzzle page and see what you can remember.
• Talk out loud as you solve a puzzle and the individual looks on, teaching how to apply logic and solve problems.
• Allow the individual to roll and play with the truck(s) a little after solving a puzzle. If it has wheels, people are going to want to roll it :)
• Work on spatial relations, visual discrimination, visual form constancy, visual closure, manual dexterity, logic, problem solving, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 3 trucks, 10 plastic pieces, puzzle book with 48 challenges

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.

 

Furglars

Furglars - Can you catch a Furgle?

The public doesn't know it, but Furgles are real, on the loose, and they're everywhere. And there's a secret society, called the Furglars, that will stop at nothing to catch them. No, this isn't a public service announcement, just the set up for the game.

The objective of the game is to capture, steal and protect as many Furgles as possible to collect bullion points. You will do this using furry Furgle dice, bullion bars, character cards and a bullion bank (all shown in the image above). 

As I read the list of contents I wondered how in the world they were going to depict furry dice. But by golly, these really are furry dice! There really is fur inside each furry die. The dice are hollowed out and a small amount of green fur (think Jim Carey in The Grinch) is stuffed inside. There is a plastic piece, in the shape of eyes, over the opening so that the fur can't fall out. First place for most unusual dice in a board game goes to Furglars!

The six sides of the dice are:

• Hand - 1 side - May break any one lock protecting a Furgle or may steal one Furgle that is not being protected by a lock.
• Padlock - 1 side - Protects Furgles from Hands. Other players must break all your locks before they can steal any of your Furgles.
• X - 3 sides - No action is taken.
• Furgle - 1 side - Keep these to exchange for bullion points at the beginning of your next turn.

The bullion bars are small plastic bars and you can see them sitting on a card (the bank) in the image above. The conversion rate for these bars also equal points. They are:

• 1 die (point) - 1 brown bar
• 2 dice (2 points) - 1 silver bar
• 3 dice (3 points) - 1 gold bar
• 4 dice (4 points) - 1 white bar

You can also see the character cards in the image above. Each card shows a different masked Furglar and has a white space on the left where you can set your dice as you collect them, and a white space on the right where you place your bullion bars as you convert them. The conversion rate is also printed on the card.

Object:
The first to win 15 bullion points wins the game. If two people are playing, the first to win 21 points wins the game.

Set up:
Place the bank card to the side and place the bullion bars on it. Give each person a character card. Each player gets dice: 5 for 2 players, 4 for 3-5 players, 3 for 6 players. Players place all their dice X side up.

Play:
Players take turns. The first round is different from the rest of the rounds, so I will describe the rounds below as round 1 and round 2+.

Round 1

1. Roll your dice - Roll all the dice in front of you.
2. Make your move - Keep any Furgles and locks you throw and put them on your character card. With each hand icon you throw you may break one lock or steal one unprotected Furgle from another player.
1. You may not steal a Furgle until ALL the locks are broken for a particular player.
2. You can break locks or steal from multiple players as long as you have the hands to do it.
3. When you break another player's lock, place that die X-side-up in front of you.
4. When you steal another player's Furgle, place it on your character card.
3. Pass the dice - Pass any remaining dice to the person on your left.

Round 2+

1. Collect your bounty - Cash in any Furgles on your card for bullion.
2. Roll the dice - Roll all the dice in front of you including:
1. Dice passed to you.
2. Furgles that you had at the beginning of your turn that were traded for bullion.
3. Any locks you had on your card at the beginning of this turn.
3. Make your move - Repeat instructions from round 1.
4. Pass the dice - Repeat instructions from round 1.

Play until someone collects enough bullion cubes to win the game.

Try this:

• Skip the game, just have fun cupping the hand and throwing the dice. Throw them once and push all that landed furry side up to the side. Then pick up the rest, shake and throw again. Keep doing this until they are all furry side up. You have caught all the Furgles!

In the box: 6 character cards, 1 bank card, 20 bouillon bars, 20 furry Furgle dice

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.