If you are looking for a fast paced game that all the family can enjoy this Christmas, then how about Ringo Flamingo? We were sent one to try out from Ravensburger.
The idea of the game is to flip the coloured lifebuoys to save the flamingos from the crocodiles. The player with the most lifebuoys around the flamingos' necks wins. The game consists of 1 game board, 7 flamingos, 2 crocodiles, 4 boats, 48 lifebuoys (in 4 different colours) 12 tokens, 1 instruction leaflet and the colourful box.
The flamingos and crocodiles fit into the holes in the game board, which then fits into the box ready to play. Players have to fire the plastic hoops from their boat in an attempt to get them over the flamingos' necks, saving them from the crocodiles lurking in their pond. It's a bit like a mixture of tiddly winks and hoopla!
The launching mechanism for the lifebuoys is really effective and Freddy was able to fire the 12 hoops from the boat easily, although not always accurately! But he enjoyed launching them across the room nevertheless.
Players all play at once in a frenzy of lifebuoy shooting action, until all 12 of their lifebuoys have been used up. Then you need to count how many of the hoops landed around the necks of the birds. If you hoop a crocodile, you lose a winning ring. The player with the most winning rings receives a token and the player with the most tokens over three rounds wins the game. If it's a draw, everyone is a winner!
Freddy found it easier to get his lifebuoys around the flamingos' necks if the board was laid flat on the table, rather than being raised on the box. He happily played on his own, as well as enjoying playing with his sisters.
I liked the game play as it helps develop a child's dexterity and co-ordination. It is very nicely made, with a beautifully designed box. The board is made of very thick card which is sturdy and the characters are detailed. The game play is fun and the enjoyment of the game is more important than the winning so it doesn't get too competitive.
Another good feature of the game is the fact that it all packs very neatly back into the box when play time is over, keeping all the coloured rings grouped together.
The game sells for around £16.99, which is good value as it will appeal to all ages, recommended from 5 - 99, resulting in lots of fun over the years.
