Birthday Party Complete Kit for 12 (Green) - Including Balloons, Table Cover, Cups, Plates, Dessert

The item was as described and arrived on time without any problems! I would definitely recommend this product and this seller! This complete party kit really saved me time when I was decorating for my sister-in-laws birthday party. Vibrant colors & great quality! I love that everything was included for such a great price — this was significantly less expensive than buying each item separately!

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D & D Minis: Unicorn # 36 - Dangerous Delves

This is a great mini, especially for the price. It's perfectly sized. There's another unicorn D&D mini that's not nearly as good. Get this one if you're in the market for a unicorn D&D mini instead of the other one that looks like a My Little Pony.

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Hoohobbers Gofer Table, Red

Best table ever! I have been looking for this table for my daughter! I had it as a child and I wish my parents saved it because I used it ALLL the time. I found it! Im so excited child hood memories are coming back and I am excited to buy it for my daughter. Lemonade stands coloring, eating laying under and watching t.v.. BEST table. There is no table out there like it!!

Bought this for my toddler and very happy about it. It appears to be a great quality, sturdy but lightweight at the same time. This table is really great for small space living, when he's done playing we can just fold it and it disappears under the bed, or fits just right in the gap between the dresser and the wall.

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Got this when I was a college student and needed a table and still have it 20 years later. Great quality and wonderful to pop out whenever you need it or fold up and store between the back of your sofa or any other space. Easy to transport to the beach or park I love it so much!

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Large Table Top Chess Set for the Blind or Those With Low Vision

i bought this hoping to play chess with my wife who is evidently blind. in any case the board came very quickly. however none of the pieces look like they do in any other chess board. the board itself looks used. the black on the black spaces are all chipped and scratched. the board looks homemade the doors for the pieces aren't even rectangular looks like a newbie with a saw tried cutting all the individual pieces to put it together there are nicks and stuff all over the board it is very small. the doors for the pieces are stiff due to the fact they aren't even the right shape. the wood feels like balsa wood and it feels like the creator didn't know what sand paper is. overall i am extremely dissatisfied i payed 30 dollars after shipping for something i could have made myself for 10 bucks i was expecting something more professional not something that looks like a little kid made it.the thought behind it is OK but then a magazine for a hearing impaired company came with it now why in gods name would someone hearing impaired need a chessboard for the blind. and for a blind person to feel these pieces they wouldn't know what is what due to the fact that they are shaped totally different form real pieces. honestly i want a full refund shipping and all and a box sent by the company prepaid for me to send this back. and once again it is a very small board the cheap paper boards i get form the dollar store are larger and have better quality. nails totally missed its mark. this is dangerous for a blind person THEY CANT SEE THE NAIL so they are gonna get hurt. it wasn't even finished with wood stain. lets see 34.20 was the price i payed. the phone number on the invoice is (111)-111-1111.

I ordered this chess set that is for the visually impaired. I should have got my ruler out with the dimensions. It states it is large. It is not large. It is quite small. It is also poorly made for the price, more of a dollar store quality. I was quite disappointed with how cheap it looked. I now have to pay money to ship this lousy thing back. I regret not reading all the reviews before sending my order as one of the reviewers shared exactly what I discovered. Small, poorly made.

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I purchased this chess set for my blind daughter.She constantly raves about how stable the pieces are which makes playing alot easier.She also likes the storage compartments because she doesn't have to worry about misplacing any pieces.And finally, the pieces are readily recognizable by feel.In her opinion, it just about the best for someone who is blind.

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Fantasy Furniture Microsuede Wave Chair

I think my 1 year old will really love this. His first big boy seat! It's looks like really good quality

This chair is so cute and comfy, I wish I had one for myself!I purchased it for my son's 1st birthday (March 29th) and I know he will love it!It is the perfect size for a 1-4 year old...so it will be around for a while hopefully!The fabric is very soft...the colors are slightly darker than pictured, but very nice!I am very happy with the chair so far!

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We bought this chair to go in our living room for our almost 2 year old. It's a good size. She likes to lay against one arm and put her feet up on the other. It's well built and super cute! She's quite big for her age and I think she'll be able to use this chair for a few years. She's 32lbs and very tall. She and her friend sit side by side in it too and are comfy.

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Learning Curve Thomas & Friends - Sodor Line Caboose

i am so so so so so so very super excited about getting my sodor line caboose. no train is complete without the sodor line caboose or toad the brake van.

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Taf Toys Infant Car Seat Style Toy

Like another review I have found that the mirror is not in a place that would allow the child to see herself.However that is alright since there are other components to entertain the child.The toys dangle and seem to dance and jingle while the car is moving.This movement always prompts my daughter to "talk" to the characters and keeps her happy for much longer than she would otherwise be.The only complaint I have about this toy is that you need a headrest in order to attach it. But my daughter has loved this toy since she was a month old and still does at four months old.

Better used as a toy to attach to the inside of the crib.Unless your baby has crazy long arms or the back of your seat is really low your baby will probably not be able to reach the toys, just look at them, which was a tease to my kid.Didn't really like...

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I bought this a year ago after an unsuccessful attempt with a similar item by Sassy.This is much better!It holds the toys out so that the baby can see and reach them.They dance as the car moves and are very entertaining.Today my 13 month old was actually able to squeeze the sun hard enough to make it play its music for the first time.He was so excited.The velcro is strong enough to withstand tugging from a child but the toys can be taken off to be used separately (in a stroller or a restaurant).As mentioned before, you do need a headrest to attach the toy.All in all I would call this a very good buy.

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If you have a mirror to view your baby, dont waste money on this product! My own fits infront of the mirror so I can't see her at all! The toy is ok product, no complaints at all. Should have been better designed.

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Not much to say about this product accept that its so far useless

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Crayola Tadoodles Scribble and Sing Art Station

OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a tad bit, but not much.I don't mind messy toys, there is playdoh all over my house after all, but this toy is just ridiculous.Noisy and messy, what a wonderful combination.My MIL purchased it for my 2 year old to keep him busy while I help his older brothers with school work the problem is if you look away from your burgeoning artist for a minute you have a rather large mess on your hands.The idea of having markers without tops that don't dry out sounds good in theory, but the application leaves much to be desired.The color is made from a watery liquid stored in the little "animals".If you press them to the paper and hold them down this liquid will come running out, a fact that my son discovered quickly.He also discovered that if you bang them on the table little color drops will spatter all over the place enjoyable for him, not so much for me.Oh and the voice that sings (and I use that term loosely) the color songs is the most grating one I have ever heard.If you receive this as a gift, RUN, don't walk, back to the store.

My daughter got this for her 2 year old birthday.She and her older sister (4 years old) have fun playing with it however i do not like the design.My kids were constantly grabbing at the markers to where the paint tip was in their palm & then they would flip it over so their hands got so messy.(Look at the picture of the product how else is a kid supposed to pick up the marker?) Also the paint is very wet & mixes a lot on the paper so that the tips of the "markers" end up all being the same shade of dark brown/black when you are done playing with them.the nice thing is that you can clean them by rubbing them on a clean sheet of paper when you are done until the color comes back.However i'm less likely to pull out this toy due to the amout of clean-up required (paint all over toy, clothes, hands, etc.).I'm sure of the educational value it "sings" when you put a marker in the center spot & talks about the color that is in that spot (so if you put the green in that spot, it sings a song about green) it also will randomly select a "way" to draw (squiggles, dots, etc.) Maybe if you played this toy with an adult & a child (vs two children) it would be more educational (you could reinforce the song, etc.) however my kids wouldn't really pay attention when it was singing they thought the tunes were catchy but they weren't listening to "dots" vs "squiggles", etc. so i'm not sure that aspect of the toy is utilized. I also thought it might help my 2 year old with her colors but i'm not sure it's doing that.Overall not a toy i would recommend to friends.

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The markers sit in the holder ink side up, so when a child grabs a marker they get a hand full of ink.The ink gets everywhere.And there is lots of ink.It saturates the paper.The paper remains wet and the ink is then transferred to arms, clothes, and everywhere else.I love a good messy art project, but this is too much.

The educational value is dubious at best.It names the color of the marker when a marker is placed in the yellow cradle and it sings a song.An adult saying "would you like the blue marker?" would have more value.

I would not suggest this toy to anyone.I'd rather give my toddler a handful of uncapped permanent markers than this toy.

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My daughter also got this for her 2nd birthday.Although it says that it is age appropriate, it really is not.The markers don't have caps and sit with the marker point up.Which means that my daughter would constantly grab it by the marker part which gets messy.Also, while the markers do sit in a holder that tells you the color and such, the way to make it talk is to push it down.The most natural way for a 2 year old to push something down is to push it down on the top (where the marker ink is) with the palm of their hand.She ended up with ink all over her.It does clean up easy however, not a sit by yourself and color while I make dinner kind of toy due to the mess factor.I returned mine.Maybe more appropriate for an older child.

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Our 15 month old daughter really likes these markers.She has mild success drawing with them only because she tends to hold them upside down, and doesn't apply enough pressure for the marker to write fully.The ink washes away from hands and clothes no problem.The singing and talking is nice but I am not sure how much education value they have cause we have only had it one week so far.I am happy with this toy and would recommend.

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Miniature Zen Garden

I had an older Zen garden for years that someone gave me and I have set up at work. I would compliments on it all the time. A friend and coworker of mine loved mine so much and wish she could find one but never could. I surprised her for her birthday and got her her own and she loves it so much. She set it up at work and uses/plays with it all the time. It was higher quality than the one i had and I'm thinking of getting another one to replace the one i currently have because it was such a nicer one than i thought it would be. Very worth the money.

The product I purchased was not really a toy.The Zen Garden was made of good quality and a reasonable price.

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This miniature zen garden is a reasonable product at a reasonable price (< $20).However, the amazon.com description fails to provide the dimensions which are:11.5" long x 7" wide x 1" high (on very short legs).It come with a bag of fine white sand, 5 small stones, & two small rakes.Individuals have a difficult time keeping themselves away from the rakes to create their own design in the garden sand.

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I ordered this item and it was around $17.00 or so. What I received was this little tiny with a very tiny square and mini accessories as it looks...not what I ordered. Contacted Amazon and they refunded my purchase price right away, but stated they could not reship it and that I would need to replace a new order. Well, upon returning to this item it had increased to $29.99! I contacted Amazon again and they said they would give me free 1 day shipping. It is really the point of the matter. Not ordering it again. Not worth the headache!

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I bought this as my main tray. It arrived quickly and in fine condition.

Since it doesn't come with any accessories I bought several things to go with it, and so far it's working great. The tray should never pull attention away from the actual garden and this products simple, clean design works perfectly for that. I also enjoy the rakes (pretty nice for the price) and the little book.

I gave a low durability rating because after reading previous reviews, I am worried about the bottom becoming lose, but mine appears sturdy. I do wish they made it with a better bottom however.

But overall, for what you get for the price it's a great starter-tray with a peaceful book to help one's calm new hobby.

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Modern Chess Set with 15 in. Distressed Wooden Board with Pull-Out Drawers & Weighted Modern Pieces

We own many chess sets and we have played chess with many additional sets.But this chess set, which sits so elegantly on our coffee table, ready to go, is our favorite. We like the size of it, the feel of it, the beauty of it.And we play for hours.

I think my title says it all. It would have been nice to also have come with a checker set.

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Of the drawers, but aside from that this is a great set.Contacted customer service and they resolved the issue very quickly.

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New York Jets Plastic Tablecloth

The tablecloths were better than expected!Great quality and look great!Very fast shipping.Highly recommend.Going to use them for a Jets wedding theme.

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The Candy Wizard - Automatic Candy Dispenser

I was hoping to find more reviews on this product. After one week of infrequent use in the office the batteries (4-AA) were dead. When I tried to have people turn it on only when in use, the first serving would be a large portion. Now I'm back to leaving it on all the time and hoping this set of batteries lasts longer. I don't know if Amazon allows external links, but this site has Q&A with answers from the manufacturer . That site claims that it drains little enough of the batteries that it can be left on for extended periods of time.

The unit is all plastic, including the upper clear part. The parts all fit together fine and it's easy to assemble/clean. Jelly Bellies are ideal for this unit, and it holds one Costco container of Jelly Bellies (4 lb or 64 oz, or 35x45 beans). On the small setting, when it works, the portion is about 9 jelly bellies. When on the large setting, the portion is about double.

When using it, people have a tendency to want to withdraw their hand in order to make it stop pouring. Since it is timed to release its set portion, this has the effect of making jelly bellies drop all over the floor. You may want to put a sign on it advising users to hold their hand under it until it stops. Also, sometimes the beans dropping create a hole in the middle of the dispenser and you need to shake it a bit to get the beans to settle and start dropping again. So far, anytime it hasn't worked, shaking and tapping it has solved the problem. The batteries are a pain because it requires a Phillips screwdriver and 4 seems like a lot (and could get expensive if it continues draining as it has).

When it works, people in the office enjoy it a lot. Keep your expectations low, plan on losing a lot of jelly bellies, and you will probably have a fun time with it.

Purchased this dispenser for the office and everyone loves it. However, it eats up batteries just as quickly as the staff eats the candy. We turn off the power when not in use.

We have discovered the dispenser will jam and cannot be used for:

Gumballs

Peanut M&M

Pretzel M&M

The turning mechanisim is rubber and items frequently get jammed.

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This dispenser is very cheaply made.It broke after only 2 days of purchase.The motor went out and when it did work it kept jamming up.

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Got this for mydaughter for Christmas and she was so excited, we got it out of the box and it didn't work!!!! We tried everything very bad product do not buy!!!!!

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I would like to state that this product should not be used with salted nuts or sour candies. The Salt or Sugar could cause the mechanism inside the machine to corrode or jam.

Please note: I am not an expert, just a 14 year old girl fairly familiar with this product.

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Edu Science Land & Sky 360 Tabletop Refractor Telescope - Blue

My wife purchased this toy for my son at our local TRU. Out of the box it was missing the sky charts, the manual and the CD. Additionally, the knob and screw assembly to attach the telescope to the tripod is about 1/4 inch short (5 millimeters).

I called to see if I could order the parts, but the agent wasn't interested in even knowing what product I had. I guess there are no parts available. Boo, TRU.

Armed with a larger screw for the mount, I assembled the scope to the tripod. The product actually works nicely for its price point. This product delivers a clear image of distant objects. The adjustment knobs are bright silver and well machined. The product also includes a pair of storage tube for the eye pieces.

The tripod is made for children and should be used on a bench or table. It has central arms for stability.

All and all, for $20-30, it isn't that bad if you can get over the missing pieces. Nothing that was missing was a deal breaker.

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Shining Stars Pug

Shining Stars Pug actually is much cuter than the advertising photo.I purchased the pug as a Christmas gift for a friend. Along with being able to name the pug AND a star, she will be able to hug this soft, cuddly pet!

I got this stuffed dog for a friend for Christmas. She absolutely loved it. Adorable! It is plush and soft and definitely worth the price.

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Twilight Board Game

This game is terrible. There are trivia cards to do with the movie but the other questions are all depending on what you roll with the die or they ask us to write down what the other player's favorite animal, movie,band etc. They have absolutely nothing to do with the movie and they are pointless. I thought it would be like trivial pursuit and different categories about the movie scenes, etc. To accomplish a task you have to roll a die and depending on what number you get you accomplish the task. These are pointless tasks and are not challenging at all. A 2 year old could do that. This is coming from a person that has loved the books, movie and anything else to do with twilight. The game is not worth what you pay for it. The pieces aren't the best quality and the cards are flimsy. What a rip off. Buyer beware.

My grown daughters and I are huge Twilight fans and I bought the game for us to play when they visited.What a major let down!The instructions were not only poorly written, but very, very incomplete.Most of the directions on the playing cards were not explained anywhere either, so we had no clue what to do-and all three of us are intelligent women.I can not imagine a young person trying to figure this game out.We finally gave up and tried to play it like Trivia, the actual Twilight questions anyway.But, even some of the questions were incomplete and some of the answers were wrong!I'm guessing the makers spent all of 24 hours creating this game.Save your money-buy Monopoly.

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I played this game with my daughter and it is very disappointing. First, the instructions are lacking in information and not clear on how the game is to be played. There is no mention of playing in teams human vs. vampire. I only found this out by Googling the game. Second, there are many typos on the challenge cards. It is like they didn't take time to review this product for quality before production. Third, the white dagger challenge questions are too easy and really have nothing to do with Twilight... For example, you win the challenge if you roll the die and get a 2 or above. This means you have a 5 in 6 chance of winning the challenge. There are "Story" cards that opponents can play to add or subtract numbers to a die roll; but again, the instructions are not clear on how to use these cards. Last, the overall quality of this product is low. The game pieces are basically slips of paper that you insert in a stand. The cards are not sturdy and easily bendable. In addition book fans will be disappointed to learn that the questions in the game are based on the movie you will find contradictions! If you must buy this game know that you are not getting quality.

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I bought this game because I was having a Twilight party.There were 7 of us playing, and we had a blast.The age range of our players was 17 to 41, and everyone really enjoyed the game.

At first, the directions are unclear, but once you start playing, you can get the hang of the game quickly.The object is collect all 8 "scene cards".To do this, you complete challenges.Some challenges are trivia from the movie, while others are rolling the dice.Most of the trivia questions are extremely easy if you have seen the movie, but there were a few stump-worthy questions. Then there are other challenges that test your powers of observation and your knowledge of the other players.For example, in one challenge, everyone has to write down their biggest fear, and the challenger has to try to guess what they are.

This game is an extremely fun, interactive game.Although, it is best played by four or more players.

The only downfall to the game it that the game pieces and cards are not very sturdy.They are made of flimsy cardboard and feature the Cullen Crest in different colors.I would have preferred something made likw Monopoly game pieces, and have them shaped like characters from the series.

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The instructions are confusing... The questions are way too easy... the challenges for the white daggers were stupid and definitely boring and have nothing to do with the books or movie.

I do not recommend this to anyone. If you want to play a Twilight game wait for Trivial Pursuit. At least then the questions will have some challenge and will include book and movie trivia!

One more thing about this game.... on the cards it will say, Plot Challenge human... or plot challenge-vampire... Your supposed to do something different with each version... at least thats what I got out of the directions... although what you're supposed to do with them is completely beyond me... especially since its not clearly marked as to what you are to do with them.

Maybe if the directions were more clear and easier to understand, then maybe the ratings would be a little higher...

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Doll Chair, Salon Doll Chair for 18 Inch American Girl Dolls, Doll Chair, Doll Furniture Provides a

Sorry, but this item was incredibly small. I'm not sure if a Barbie doll would fit on the chair? So an 18" American Girl doll absolutely does not fit on this chair.I have returned it and purchased it for less and the item I purchased was much bigger and sturdier (like the ones you see at Walmart or Target). I also looked before purchasing for "item details" giving me the exact dimensions but didn't see anything. So I assumed their heading/advertisment and title of the chair was accurate fits 18" dolls. Luckily I am Christmas shopping early so there's plenty of time to return the item.

I had to write a review on this after I read the other saying this salon chair isn't even big enough for a barbie. My daughter got it for a Christmas gift yesterday and loves it! Her American Girl doll fits perfectly in it. Can pump the chair up and down and bring the footrest up. Great buy!

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my daughter loves her american girl and this chair was the cherry on top. it keeps her busy brushing the hair and it ads so much more value to her doll.

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My grand daughter not only styled her American Doll's hair but all of her other dolls and stuffed animals also.

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It came on time.Packaging could have been a little more sturdy, but it was not broken.Overall a good product and experience.

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John Deere 8 ft. Black Vinyl Pool Table Cover

Item as described. Shipped promptly. Tracking was great. Haven't taken out of package yet since it is a Christmas gift.

This is not a fitted cover! It basically is just a generic large plastic sheet. I am going to return it and get a fitted cover. Also the corner weights are useless.

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Risk

I used to hate Risk. A couple of my friends back in high school tried to get me to play a few times and I absolutely hated it. Seriously... playing with little tiny men, cannons, and horses; rolling dice to take over the world? NO thanks! But a funny thing happened. Fast forward 20 years and someone breaks out Risk at a small gathering. Begrudgingly I accept the offer to play, and wonder of wonders, I had a great time! After that night, a small group of Risk fans began to gather once a week to play Risk together. During one of our sessions, we discovered some rule variations in the back of the instruction manual, things like "Commander Roll" and "Capital Conquest" mode. We incorporated these rules and a few others and Risk only got better!

We were all quite excited when we recently saw a commercial on TV for a new version of Risk. It had a fresh new look to it and had new rules for playing that promised to speed up the game. So I bought it. Some of the new rules are the same as the rule variations from original Risk. The new guide book doesn't mention anything about "Commander Roll" but it does have new objectives and a very unique reward system that compliments the objectives. Rewards range from an extra attack dice, extra defense dice, an airfield, a guaranteed country card at the end of your turn, extra strategic maneuver at the end of your turn, and my personal favorite, an extra strategic maneuver at the START of your turn (can you say surprise attack!?).

Visually, the new game board is dramatic. Everything is a little darker but very bold. Gone are thesoothing blue oceans and seas. They're now blood red with subtle stripes radiating from the bottom corner. Most of the countries have remained the same but a few names have changed. There also appears to be a few extra land bridges connecting some territories, which is helpful (unless you reside in that territory!). The playing pieces have changed. Gone are the diminutive soldiers, cannons, and horses. They are replaced with simple flat arrows, a short one indicating one troop and a longer one with three stripes on it indicating, that's rightthree troops. They're roughly the same color as earlier versions of Risk but they are a lot harder to pluck up off the board during skirmishes and I don't think there's enough of a difference between the two arrows. This new version of Risk also has cities that are randomly placed about the board at the start of the game. If you control a territory with a city in it, you get to add a "+1" to your territory count before you divide by 3 to see how many troops you draft at the start of your turn.

Another change I really like is the country cards you receive at the end of your turn (if you defeated a neighboring territory). They no longer have soldiers, horses, or cannons on them. Instead they have either one or two stars. When you have at least two stars you can turn them in for troops. You can also collect as many cards as you want and turn in a larger number of stars for exponentially more troops. (2-stars=2 troops, 3-stars=4 troops, 4-stars=7 troops, etc).

There's a few other minor differences, but overall we all loved the new and improved Risk. I can't say that the game went any faster. It still took 4 of us over 2 hours to finish a game. Granted it was our first time playing this version and it will probably go faster next time. I think that next time we'll add some of our older rules to the mix which will help speed things up. Here's one of our favorites--the Country Card Re-Roll: when you receive a country card for winning a territory, if you later attack the country on the back of one of your country cards, you are allowed to re-roll one of your attack dice on each roll. It doesn't work when defending, but it can really help you overcome the defender advantage. And in case you don't have original Risk and have never heard of the Commander Roll, you must try it at least once! Once PER TURN (not per attack) you are allowed to change one of your attack dice to a six. This is kinda symbolic of your commander being present at that particular battle and helping deliver a more decisive defeat. It's great when you just wanna pop over to a neighboring continent and take one of your opponent's territory so they don't get the continent bonus at the beginning of their turn!

For more info on this new version of Risk, be sure to click on the "Watch it in action" link at the top of this page to see a great Flash overview.

UPDATE: Having played this new version of Risk many times since I wrote this review, I have to say I'm still a big fan! The game does go a lot faster (especially using our rule variations described above) and it's a lot more fun. Still don't like the little arrow pieces presenting soldiers. We still pull out an old version of Risk and use the soldiers, horses, and cannons from it. Parker Brothers: please change the army pieces!

Note: 1. Though I had the opportunity to playtest the prototype version of this game, the following is based on plays of the finished product alone.

2. The prototype version was known as Black Ops. This is the same game with different colors.

Relative to the enormous number of games that have been published, there are a rare few that have enjoyed popularity for fifty years. Risk is one of the rarities. Originally introduced in 1957 (in France) it was published in the United States, by Parker Brothers, in 1959. Since its inception, the game has grown in popularity and is now published around the globe in more than 20 languages. There have been several computer and console renditions as well as a variety of play-by-mail or play by email groups. There are Risk clubs and leagues and even a World Championship held in October of each year.

From 1959 to 1999 the only variation to the classic version of Risk was Castle Risk introduced in 1982. Beginning with Risk Napoleon in 1999 there has been a new variant introduced almost every year. (These include: 2210, Godstorm, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Star Wars the Trilogy Edition, Warriors (the card version), Narnia, Transformers and Express. (This does not include the various versions published either by small/self publishers or the variants published in Italy where Risk has a substantial following.) Each version is different enough from the other publications that no two versions are interchangeable. With the exception of Knizia's Risk Express the only feature that all of the games share is the basic combat system. These are not simply themed games where the play of the game remains the same but a new theme is tacked on; these are unique. The complexity of the games range from the vary basic (Express) to the fairly complex (Napoleon).

I have played the various versions of the game for many, many years (Moses and I even played a few he is a poor sport). Classic Risk was my introduction to the world of sophisticated gaming and what a ride it was. As with so many gamers that have played a substantial number of games of Risk, there are tales to tell, memories of games that will never be duplicated. This is an area at which Risk excels. The game generates a story as you play; it has an initial stage, a middle game and an end game. It is an aspect of gaming that so many other games fail at. The game unfolds as a novel or movie might. Many classic games (Chess for example) posses this trait and there are several modern games that have managed to include it (Diplomacy, Civilization, Imperial, Struggle of Empires, etc.) These are rare games; games that afford the memorable moments.

Another aspect of Risk games is the emotional response generated during the game. Few other games produce this affect. One can play hundreds of other games, that while interesting, fun and challenging, simply do not ignite this fire in the player. Risk does this and does it very well. All Risk players have encountered the normally reserved player that becomes overly aggressive during a match. Though I cannot explain this with certainty, I suspect that it is the result of the simple rules and player elimination in the game. Consider that the rules to most Risk games are minimalist, so basic that even non-gamers can easily absorb them allowing the player the opportunity to concentrate on strategy rather than remembering the rules. When this is combined with the possibility of elimination, the result is a do-or-die game experience. (Add in a dose of testosterone and the mix can be explosive as well as entertaining.)

The final common thread in all Risk games is the nature of the contest itself. Each of the games represents an epic battle of some sort from conquering the world to establishing control over a galaxy. It is this bigger than life theme that pulls so many players into the games. If one considers the theme in relation to that of movies it is simple to see that it is the epic films that are remembered, the films in which good versus evil in some near apocalyptic form is described. When suggesting a film to a friend, which is the most likely topic to interest him/her; world domination or planting fields? Theme plays a significant role in all Risk games.

So what of Black Ops? As I mentioned earlier I have been playing Risk for a long, long time. When I first played Black Ops, I was disappointed; this did not feel like Risk. I deliberately waited to write about the game until I had played it a few more times. First impressions are not always accurate especially in gaming. Since that first game I have played Black Ops a significant number of times; more than any other Risk game this year. Unlike classic Risk with its relatively straight forward strategies, Black Ops is far more subtle without sacrificing the simplicity of the rules set. It has all of the elements of a typical Risk family game. Transformers and Narnia have simple rule sets but lack the depth of Black Ops. This is a game where repeat play will reveal additional strategies and opportunities for play. It is a mix of Mission Risk, Capital Risk and the classic game with a few tweaks incorporated. It surpasses the original in the variety of routes to victory.

Similar to many Eurogames, the set up almost insures that no two games will be alike. Locations for the cities and the objectives will be different in every game. (I can foresee player designed objectives increasing the variety.) Retaining player elimination adds a level of tension to the game that is not found in so many others. In a four or five player game, player elimination becomes a vary viable option for victory. The playing time is short enough that elimination will not result in long periods of wandering about the room; most often, when a player has been eliminated, the game ends. As with the classic version of the game, familiarity and experience are rewarded. The dynamic is such that new players may win but the experienced player has an advantage.

I would be remiss if I did not mention a few of the changes incorporated in this new version. As with many home rules and several of the newer published versions of Risk, moving armies at the end of a turn is not limited to an adjacent space. A player is permitted to move armies along any connected chain of territories. This eliminates the problem of trapped armies and allows for surprise movements. The second and most significant change is with the determination of reinforcements. Cities, capitols, territories, continents and cards are included but the value of the cards has been completely revised. The new method introduces another level of strategic choices. It is a wonderful addition that presents the player with more control but tougher decisions as the opportunities have expanded. It is worth playing for this change alone.

Finally Seinfeld fans will be disappointed to discover that the Ukraine has been replaced with Russia. (Sorry Kramer.)

I have read in several articles that this version of the game will replace classic Risk. Originally I was disappointed believing that Black Ops just wasn't up to the task....I was wrong. While retaining the introductory nature of the classic game this is a far superior version of Risk. It is quicker and offers more `gameplay' without sacrificing the critical elements of Risk family games. Being totally honest, I have not bothered with the world domination version of classic Risk in years. When we play the classic board it is with the 2003 edition of Mission Risk. If I were to devote the time required for the classic game, I would rather play 2210 or Godstorm. Black Ops however, is a game that will come off the shelf often. It is a superb revision of the classic game.

If some version of Black Ops replaces the original it will not only introduce new players to more advanced gaming (as the original did) but may drag in some of the Eurogame crowd. As an introductory game, the variety of player decisions and options far exceeds that of Ticket to Ride or Carcassone and rivals that of Settlers of Catan.

Black Ops is the real deal.

Buy Risk Now

I got this game because I saw all the hoopla about Black Ops risk on boardgame geeks and though the game does not look as awesome its still a blast to play.

The game takes many of the rules from the original risk and twists them just a bit to make the game go faster. For example this variant adds cities to the game and when you draft troops these cities add to your total number of possible troops.

Also you can hold an infinite number of cards, but each of these cards has a number on them and when you think you have collected enough of the cards your turn em all in for a number of troops based on the total of the numbers.

The game also adds rewards and objectives which can range from near impossible to not so bad.

The game is extremely fun to play and I would recommend it to any gaming enthusiast.

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If you buy this game thinking it is like the Risk game you used to play years ago, you will be very disappointed.For example, you used to be able to turn in sets of country cards based upon the infantry, cavalry and cannon symbols on the cards and the additional two cards with all three symbols on them.But not in this version.And whoever created the army pieces never played the original Risk with the wooden pieces or the version with the plastic soldiers, cavalry and cannons.The game pieces in this set are tiny and guaranteed to be lost quickly.Its horrible.They could have made it compatible easily, but chose not to.

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The 2008 revision of Risk brings the game into the 21st century.The new objective based victory system is a much needed refresh to the classic game of global domination.The objectives make the game go quicker (I finished my first game with a group of friends in about an hour and a half).But don't worry, you can still play a game of global domination if you wish.

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P'kolino Little One's Table and Chairs

This is perfect for my 21 month old.It's a little big for her right now as her feet can't reach the ground but she could get onto the chair by herself with no problem.There's plenty of room for her to grow into it too.She loves to sit in it to eat, drink, read, draw and watch TV by herself.My husband only had a minor complaint that a few of the pre-drilled holes was not big enough and that he had to use a drill to drive the screw in and hence the 4 stars.

My boys love to do crafts at this table.We needed to get a replacement table leg and they sent us a whole new table.

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Great cheap, modern, high-quality table. Seats can support adults (~150lbs) -not big people.We love this for our 2YO toddler!!

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High quality, durable, and nice to look at.Expensive but quite nice. Our little girl loves it.Check it out

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The product is great but it came damaged, se had to use some glue to put it together because it would be a lot of work to return it and wait for it to get it back.

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Gund Curious George in Red Shirt Plush 26" Figure (Brown/Red)

My son loves curious george and loved it... It is just the right size to carry around. sleep with etc. Very happy with this purchase

This Curious George is so cute and big. Almost as tall as my 20 mo old. Well made and durable.

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My grandson squealed with delight when he opened the box and sleeps with him every night!George is soft, big and cuddly!

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Curious George is absolutely fantastic. Exactly what I wanted for my grandson.

He is soft, cute and cudly. My grandson will love him.

Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a terrific plush toy as well as stunningly fast delivery.

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This is a great gift for any child who loves Curious George. I had to buy one for each of my kids as they all love George. They are inseparable from it. It is a good size for toddlers over 3.

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