Chickyboom

The game’s called “Chickyboom.” It’s called “Chickyboom” because that’s what happens when Chicky slides off the balance bar: Chicky goes “boom.” Well, not exactly “boom.” But boom enough to make you laugh.  So, you might have, well, lost, but never you mind, little chicky, it’s hard to take the game seriously, especially when you’re playing with such funny-looking chickies.

There’s a lot about Chickyboom that makes it an exceptional invitation to play. You probably won’t be able to tell until you’re able to accept that invitation. It’s not just that the game is made of finger-pleasing wood. Or that the point value (if you’re playing for score) is so clearly indicated on each point-worthy piece. Or that everything is painted so brightly. Or even that the Chickies are so darn cute, and it’s fun to pick them up by the little felt “feather” that sticks up from their heads: it’s the elegance of the way everything works.

The roof (well, it looks rooflike) of the base (which could easily be imagined to be a chicken coop or hen house or something chickeny) is gently curved, so that it’s relatively easy to build the “rocking perch” (the see-saw-like board which is balanced on top of the chicken-coop-like thing). There are small legs on the bottom of the balance board which make it a wee bit more forgiving when it comes to balancing it. As does the gentleness of the curve of the coop roof.

And then there are the one-point wagon wheels, which, though not as heavy as the three-point hay bales, and less than half as thick, are wider and more accommodating (for, perhaps two chickies or a chicky and a bale. And as for the chickens, there are two kinds: the fatter three-pointers and the smaller two-pointers. With all these variables, and the effect of where they are placed on the balance board, combined with what other pieces are also on the board, and where they are placed, and how those pieces are stacked, and what happens when the balance board starts a-rockin’… all adds up to a game that’s worthy of hours and hours of serious contemplation and just as many hours of much hilarity.

The stacking part of the game is at as much fun as the unstacking. And what if you can remove two pieces at a time, or just one? Or have to use chopsticks?! Or play cooperatively, using only one finger per player.

And if the stacking part gets too challenging, you could, conceivably, turn the balance board over, using the two red rods on the underside (now topside) as stops to prevent pieces from falling off too easily.

And then there’s the “you don’t really need to keep score” rule: “the last player to collect a piece from the perch without making it topple wins the game!”

Chickyboom was intelligently designed by Thiery Denoual and is available from Blue Orange games.