Game review for Lost Puppies. Ages 5 to 7, # players 8
Lost Puppies is a co-cooperative game by Family Pastimes. This award-winning game has lost puppies on the loose. Night is falling and players have to work together to search the neighbourhood to find the puppies and bring them home.
Set up
To start, players turn over the 28 tiles and place them facedown on the pathway squares on the board. Next, decide on who goes first. As this is a co-operative game, this isn’t a big decision.
The Tiles
The Night Time Tiles
These tiles have numbers on them. When you turn over one of these, the tile is then placed onto the square with the corresponding number. If there is a tile on this space, it remains there and can not to looked at or used until the night tile is removed, this includes puppies that are waiting.
Flashlights
How do you remove a night card? Good question. To remove a night card you need a flashlight. When a flashlight is turned over, it is placed on the side in the equipment pile where any one can use it. When you use a flashlight, you remove the night tile that you wish. Both the flashlight and night tile are placed out of the playing game and can not be used again.
Telephones
When you turn over a telephone, it is placed to the side in the equipment pile for anyone to use. What are the telephones used for? To call a friend. To use a telephone, you chose a tile that is still facedown on the board. You can then peek at it to see what it is. The tile remains face down on the board.
The Puppies
When a lost puppy is turned over, you can move it right away along the path. The idea is to get the puppy to an unoccupied home. However, the puppy can not move over or through any tile that is still on the board.
Playing
On your turn, you can choose to do one of four things. First, you can choose to turn over a tile that is facedown. You can not turn over a tile that has a tile on top of it.
Second, you can use a light from the equipment pile. The light is used to remove a tile.
Third, you can use a phone. The phone is used to peek at a tile.
Fourthly, you can move a puppy. Remember that you can only move a puppy on open road spots.
There is one puppy turned over but is unable to move, the puppy stays put until the path is cleared.
A telephone has been turned over and is placed in the equipment pile for later use.
Winning
When all the lost puppies have made it back home then you win. If there are no more moves left and there is a puppy still missing, the game suggests that you turn over and mix up all the tiles again, leaving the safe puppies home and play again.
Variations
The Colored Puppies
All of the puppies have a colour on their collars that corresponds with a house colour. In this version of the game, you have to get all the puppies back to the correct houses. This adds an element of difficulty that can be fun.
Let Tiles Lie
In this variation, when a phone or flashlight tile is turned over, it remains on the spot where it was found until you use it. These tiles become blocks for the puppies. Theses tiles can also be covered with night tiles, making the game more challenging.
What we Like
We like the co-operative spirit of this game. Also, we like that you can play just by yourself when no one else is available to play. We have a dog lover in the family, so that theme is good. The variations also make this game more fun and challenging. The price is also a great positive. The price is very reasonable.
What we don’t like
The art work is a little dated, but honestly, I see this a style rather than a drawback. The houses, on the other hand, are a little crowed, making the tiles hard to keep on the board. Also, the tiles would be better if they were a little studier. The biggest negative to this game is the box. Although, it is a great size for that game, our box is falling apart.
About the company
Family Pastimes is a Canadian company (not too far from where we are). Also, the company is committed to making everything in Canada and of environmentally friendly materials and processes. This is a big win for us.
Conclusion
Lost Puppies is a great cooperative game with a great theme for the 5 to 7 age range that it targets. The box suggests that up to 8 players can play, and although 8 players could play, I think kids this age would lose interest in how long it would take to get back to their turn. I think 4 or 5 players would be a great number. Also, the age range of 5 to 7 is spot on but I think older kids would like this game as well; our 11 year often pulls Lost Puppies off the shelf to play. In the end, I would say that you should make room on your Family Game Shelf for Lost Puppies.
Rating:
Julia
Carrie-Anne
To buy your copy of Lost Puppies, click here.
Pros: Co-operative, easy to learn, price, different layers of play
Cons: Quality could be a little better, adults could tire of it after a few rounds
Mom: Co-operative (need we say more 🙂 critical thinking
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