Toc Toc Woodman is a title recently published (or re-published) by Mayday Games (yes, those same guys that make those sleeves we all use, know and love). It's a dexterity game for both children and adults that can handle up to seven players. A game takes roughly about fifteen to twenty or so minutes to finish.
I will be reviewing the second edition of the game, which I understand is quite different from the first edition.
I'll be doing something slightly different in this series of reviews, as instead of writing on how it compares to similar games in its genre, I'll replace that section with my five year-old daughter's thoughts on why she likes a certain game (paraphrased of course). It'll be written in a short Q & A style.
COMPONENTS:
The game comes with a sturdy plastic tree base, nine plastic tree "cores", an axe and thirty-six pieces of plastic tree "bark" (pictured below). It also comes with the shortest rulebook I've ever laid eyes on.
Picture Submitted By: Chris Funk || Taken From the BGG DatabaseThe rulebook is easy to read and comprehend, and you should have no trouble playing and understanding the game after just one read. In fact, most of what you need to know on how to play the game can be gleaned from the back of the box.
Since this is my first title from Mayday Games, I wasn't sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and the appearance of the components. Everything seems quite sturdy, and fits/locks together like a glove. The only thing I miss, is a telescopic box as this game comes with your typical open from the side type of box that I don't really associate with board games. But overall, I'm very happy with the component quality (specially for the low, low price).
GAMEPLAY:To set-up the game, you surround the tree "core" with four pieces of tree "bark" and stack them up on top of each other atop the tree trunk base (pictured below). Hand the axe to the first player, and you're ready to play. As a quick side note to overly worried parents out there... don't worry, the axe is neither sharp or heavy so it is unlikely to cause your children (or yourselves) any harm.
Picture Submitted By: William McCaroll || Taken From the BGG DatabaseOn a player's turn, he/she is allowed to hit the tree with the axe twice. He/she can hit it as hard or as soft as she wants. If at anytime during his/her turn, a piece (or more) of bark should fall from the tree, the player collects it and places it in front of them. Each tree "bark" is worth one point. If, however, a player should unintentionally (or intentionally for some unexplainable reason) knock off a piece of tree "core", he/she puts that piece in front of them as well, but each tree "core" is worth negative five points.
After a player has taken two swings/hits, play (and axe) passes on to the next player and play resumes. The game goes on until someone reaches a pre-determined number of points, depending on the number of players. The game also has a couple of variants, but I will not be getting into those as I have yet to try them.
Q & A W/ MY DAUGHTER:Q: Why do you like this game Kashieu (pronounced cashew)?
A: I like hitting the tree with the axe and watching the bark fall down.
Q: What do you think of the components?
A: They're really nice daddy. I like how it looks so realistic.
Q: Did you find it hard to understand how to play the game?
A: No, it was super easy.
Q: Does the game frustrate you?
A: Sometimes... it's harder to not knock the tree "cores" down, specially near the end.
FINAL THOUGHTS:Toc Toc Woodman is a game that's fun to look at and even more fun to play. The game is relatively easy to set-up, and very easy to explain. The colorful and toylike components appeal to children of all ages. The game can also appeal to adults looking for something very light and silly to play.
Overall, this game has been a hit with my daughter and I'm glad to have it as part of our collection. If you're looking for a game to play with your child, I'd heartily recommend Toc Toc Woodman... I guarantee it won't disappoint.
_3696.gif)
_3218.gif)
