Candyland - The World of Sweets Board Game
by Hasbro
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Toys and Games Reviews of Candyland - The World of Sweets Board Game
Customer Review: CANDY!
Summary: 5 Stars
Yes, CANDYland. CANDY! How did this game survive the anti-sugar movement? Sugar Pops are now labeled "Corn Pops" and my beloved Sugar Smacks are now just "Smacks". Yet Hasbro has taken a stand against the spin doctors and refused to alter their game. They know that kids and candy are a force in the universe that cannot be changed. They seek each other out like soul-mates.
My niece was raised totally sugar-free. She was given no candy, not even allowed to look at candy, and started the alphabet song " B E F G...". However as soon as she could put sentences together she began loudly proclaiming "I WANT CANDY". "Santa, bring me CANDY". "Is that CANDY you hide up there?". She was obsessed with it...it was the eternal flame she sought over all other objects on earth.
When my daughter brought her newborn over to visit, I noticed my niece down on the floor next to his baby carrier, whispering in his ear. I asked her what they were talking about, and she answered "He wants some candy". I rest my case. Even a two-week-old with zero language skills can find a way to express his inborn addiction to all things sugary sweet. Or maybe my niece thought this tiny creature everyone was cooing over had a better chance of scoring some candy than she did.
So whether it's because Hasbro took a moral stand or just couldn't figure out how to change the title AND packaging without losing their market, I say BRAVO. Bring on the sugar. And by the way, am I the only one who is confused about Splenda? "It's not sugar but it's made from sugar". What the heck does THAT mean? Were they down in the lab watching Frankenstein while experimenting? "Hey, he's not human but he's made from humans. Hmmm....".
Customer Review: There are good reasons this is your kid's first board game
Summary: 5 Stars
...there are several good reasons why "Candy Land" is the first board game children learn to play:First, the game does not require children know how to read. They do not even need to know their numbers as they do in "Chutes and Ladders." Movement is based on a child being able to recognize colors and symbols. What could be easier than that?
Second, the game is based on luck (or chance or divine intervention or however you want to characterize it), which means it is a great equalizer. This is a game where a kid has the same chance of winning as their parents, older siblings, grandparents, babysitters or whoever. Children are not going to be interested in playing a game they cannot win, which is why "Candy Land" is where they begin instead of "Monopoly" or "Trivial Pursuit."
Third, the game teaches the basic skills of board games. The hardest lesson kid have to learn with this game is to...take turns. Yes, this might be one of the first times in their young lives when kids are confronted with the regiment of structure that will afflict them the rest of their lives. But from board games like "Candy Land" to sports like baseball, structure and rules are a basic consideration. Strategy and tactics come later, but learning to take turns comes first (and I could argue is a basic lesson in civil behavior).
Therefore, I would respectfully submit that "Candy Land" remains the ideal choice for the first board game you play with your children. Just pick a card, move to the appropriate square, and proceed to have a great life.
Customer Review: why so girly?
Summary: 3 Stars
It drives me nuts when manufacturers try to "girl-ify" or "boy-ify" classic toys--heaven help us if a toy appeals to both genders instead of being sugary pink or aggressive black and purple (I see they have a Spiderman version of Candyland now *sigh*). Candyland originally had bright, primary colors and SIMPLE, appealing graphics that emphasized the candy--the "ice cream float" card had an ice cream bar, and the graphic on the board was of ice cream "floating" in water. Oh, the fun of landing on a candy space and pretending to gobble up the candy canes or peanut brittle! This version has some ridiculous "princess" theme going on and lots of pastel colors to appeal to girls (as if girls need more "princess" toys in their lives). and the nice simple graphics and concepts have given way to cluttered graphics and all this "king of whatever" and "prince of whatever" stuff. You can't even neatly fit the stack of cards on the mulberry bush anymore.
That said, it's a great game for teaching turn-taking, colors, distinguishing between "one" and "two" spaces, and rules of a game (move forward, slide along a shortcut, stop here until you draw a particular card). My son learned this game in stages starting around age three, and the simpler candy graphics on the vintage version kept him interested enough to finally master all the rules. He is far less interested in this version, which his female cousins have.
Customer Review: A great classic never dies (unless it gets torn up)
Summary: 3 Stars
This classic game was played by myself and my brothers as our first experience with board game playing and it is also my son's first experience with playing board games as well. We began playing Candyland when he was 2 years old and knew his colors well enough. It teaches colors and matching, obviously, but it allows for the parent to teach valuable concepts like taking turns, not being a sore loser, playing by the rules, and other good social skills involved in game play with others. That said, I was so disappointed with the quality of the game itself. The board is OK (although I wish the spaces were large enough to accomadate the gingerbread men pawns that are supposed to fit on the spaces). But the cards are very flimsy. All of our cards are bent up and some are torn. All are dirty. I realize that the price of this game is quite inexpensive and is still a good value for the price. But I wish they had an alternative Candyland game that cost more and was more durable to withstand play for all my child's toddler and preschool years. An ideal game would have a larger board with larger spaces and sturdy (maybe chipboard) cards that are laminated. A plastic "draw-discard" container would also be nice to contain all of the cards during play to get children use to that concept of card play. I would gladly pay more for a more durable version of this wonderful gameCustomer Review: A classic kids game.
Summary: 4 Stars
I remember playing Candyland as a child, so it is another game that has passed the test of time. It is simple, and it does not require reading skills, so very young children can play the game. It is good for practicing colors and for taking turns and following rules. I do feel that the game is a little long, especially for the 3-year old kids in the recommended age range. Some of the rules, like getting stuck until a certain card is drawn, makes the game rules a little more difficult to follow, so in that way I would recommend it more for a 4-6 age group. A 3-year old can play it with a lot of supervision, but some of the rules are hard to understand at that age - especially when they can draw a card but can't move their game piece! The game is very inexpensive, and therefore the quality of the actual game is not great. I agree with another reviewer that a "classic gold" edition with wooden pieces and a durable box would be a wonderful option for someone who would like the game to last. It would also be nice to have a nice spot to put all of the cards during the game and for storage. Despite the length of the game and the durability factor, I would still highly recommend this classic game to parents with small kids, especially those in the 4 - 6 age range.