Loopin’ Chewie
Overall Rating: 8/10
Age: 4+
GLAM Age Range: 4-8
Number of Players: 3
Playing Time: 5 min
Publisher: Hasbro
Complexity: Low
Available At: Amazon.com
Quick Take: Amazing choice for a young Star Wars fan. Chewie loops around and you try to flip him up to bash your opponents storm trooper tokens (don't think too hard about it, otherwise you realize you're basically playing for the dark side). The game is simple but lots of fun and is based on an older game with an airplane called Loopin' Louie which I had never heard of but it seems to be a classic. My 7 year old quickly figured out that there's an art to flipping up Chewie so that he exactly lands on your opponent's tokens in a way in which cannot be blocked. I really enjoy simple dexterity games like this, they're fun and require some good reflexes and the process of "figuring out the game" is great for younger kids. Also, my kids can play it on their own without me, also a big perk at times. My other notes about this game are: 1)You have to play with three players to make the game work well. 2)The storm trooper tokens are a little precarious in their slots and if you have a young child who bashes on the flipper it can be enough to jostle a token and have it fall below, which is a bit upsetting for the child and 3)This does not fit back into its original box without being dismantled so you have to choose between storing the awkwardly shaped game somewhere or you have to unassemble and reassemble each time you want to play.
How to Play: Start with Chewie upright and turn on the switch on the side (love that this game uses AA batteries which are easy and we always have them around) and Chewie drops down and starts spinning around in a circle. Use your flipper to protect your tokens from being hit and in order to try to have Chewie dive bomb onto your opponent's tiles. Last player to have any tokens left is the winner!
Variations: I'm told that the original Loopin' Louie game is used as a drinking game in some colleges, so perhaps this could be used for the same purpose if you're cooler than me and can handle more than one drink in the evening.
Similar Games To Check Out: Hungry Hungry Hippos, Buggaloop, Bugs in the Kitchen, Rhino Hero Super Battle