Drumond Park Crazy Claw review

*** Don't miss my giveaway coming up in my next post where you can win a copy of the game ! ***

Having grown up in a seaside town, I know how irresistible the amusement arcades can be. Whenever we visit the Madhouse grandparents, we always have to spend a morning playing on the 2p machines, but the kids always want to have a go on the cranes too, desperate to win the huge soft toys carefully positioned inside, even though we all know they're impossible to pick up. When I saw Drumond Park's new Crazy Claw game, I knew that it would be a huge hit with the Madhouse kids because it brings all the fun and excitement of the amusement arcades into your own home.

I knew we were on to a winner when Pierre was already playing with the grabber, picking up everything that was on the table, while I quickly slotted the box into position !

Game play is very simple (and much easier to win than the real crane machines in the amusement arcades !). You put all the different coloured balls inside the box and use the claw to pick one out. To make things more complicated for the "clawmaster" - and also more fun for everyone else waiting their turn - all the other players can bash on the paddles on each side of the box to make the balls jump up in the air. This does create a lot of noise though, so you may prefer to play a quieter version without making the balls jump !

Once you've grabbed a ball, you need to open it up and see if it's got a toy token inside. If it hasn't, you put it straight back into the box. If it has, you need to see if it matches one of the three pictures on your game card, in which case you keep it. If it doesn't match, it goes back in the box.

This means that you can play tactically, by trying to remember which coloured ball holds the toy token that you need, or just go for the luck of the draw and grab the first ball that you manage to catch (which is easier for younger players).

The game is aimed at children aged 5 upwards, but the grown-ups had just as much fun playing ! We also gave the game a new twist, putting small sweets or coins (1p and 5p work best) inside some of the balls before we started playing. Madhouse Grandad made me laugh too because he wrote out lots of silly messages on pieces of paper that he hid inside the balls before we put it away, without the kids noticing. The next time we played, they fell on the floor laughing every time they opened one of the balls and found one of his messages ! This could also be used with Christmas cracker jokes or even forfeits, which would make it a brilliant party game.

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £22.99

For age 5+, 2-4 players

For stockists and to play games online, visit www.drumondpark.com

Disclosure : We received the product in order to write an honest review.