Each player starts with a hand of cards. On each card are four pictures of pet shop animals (goldfish, puppy, turtle, etc.). A set of smaller cards is turned over one at a time. On these smaller cards are two animals, sometimes one or both will have a red "X" over it. To win, players try to get rid of all their cards by matching them to the requirements on the small cards. So, if a small card shows "turtle not-kitten," any card a player has with a turtle but no kitten on it can be discarded.
The game is attractive and the play is quick. It has a minor educational value, teaching pattern recognition and very, very light analysis. Winning is entirely a random prospect.
The game will play well with very young players. Optimally, I think Ages3 - 5
is the right age for it, though the game box says Ages 4 and up
.
The game includes 35 big cards, 28 small cards, a tray, and rules. The storage box is conveniently small (no over packaging).
Awards include:
Great American Toy Test - Recommended - 2002
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award - 2002
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Educational Toys - 2002
Canadian Toy Testing Council Three Star Award- 2003