Toy Fair 2015—Peaceable Kingdom

Always a favorite of mine, Peaceable Kingdom is well known for fantastic kids’ games with a cooperative element. Of course they carry other products such as stickers, temporary tattoos, and the amazingly cool Jean Tats, but we’re here to talk games. There’s 3 new games in the lineup this year and, as usual, they all look pretty cool.

Cauldron Quest – $19.99 – Ages 6+

I had to start off with Cauldron Quest because of it’s sheer cool-factor. A bit different, and more indepth, than Peaceable’s usual offerings, this one will offer a bit more to older players. The game has the players trying to get 3 ingredients into a potion to stop an evil wizard. Each pillar on the board has a hidden ingredient under it, so players must move the pillars towards the middle, figure out the hidden ingredients they hold, and get the 3 needed ones into the potion. The whole time the evil wizard is trying to stop you from doing so. If the wizard blocks all the path to the middle the players lose. Available now.

Dinosaur Escape – $17.99 – Ages 4+

A volcano is about to erupt! Get the dinosaurs to safety before it does to win the game. Players take turns moving the dinosaurs around the board looking for tiles that match the dinosaur being moved. If it’s found then that dinosaur can move to the safety of the island. Be careful, though. Roll a volcano and you have to place a piece of the 3D volcano puzzle in the middle of the board. It’s game over if the volcano is completed before all dinosaurs reach safety. The real fun here is the plastic dinosaurs and watching the volcano built up in the center of the board. Available in March.

This or That – $15.99 – Ages 10+

A new title in Peaceable Kingdom’s party line of games, This or That is a conversational game where players try to guess which of the 2 items on a disc the other player would choose. Each disc has 2 sides with choices on them. Do you like sneakers or sandals? Iced tea or lemonade? It’s portable, and easily played on trips or taken with you to parties. While the box says ages 10+, there’s nothing in here inappropriate for younger players. A certain reading level is required for the tokens, but that’s about it. Available in March.