Bored with Board Games? Try GameChanger for iPad

By Jamie Wiersma

Are you looking for the next family game night idea? Are you tired of lots of little pieces from kid board games getting lost or broken? Try Identity Games’ GameChanger for iPad. GameChanger is the innovative, electronic game board which offers a completely new way to play board games using your iPad adding animation and sound to family fun night. The game comes with a board that the iPad clicks into. There are several game skins that you can change out based on the game that you are playing. There are only 4 game pieces needed so you don’t have to worry about losing little pieces!

Beyond these two games, there are also five additional games included that are fun quick games that two people can play against each other.

1. Kaboom – fire cannons at your opponent and defend towers.
2. Kaboom Pirates – similar to Kaboom but with pirates and settlers.
3. Airplanes – shoot airplanes from the sky.
4. Butterflies – catch butterflies with your net.
5. Chalkboard – find the even numbers on the chalkboard. (While my second grader finds this one kind of tough, I’ve been encouraging him to play this one once in a while. It is a GREAT, mathematical, quick-thinking game. When he puts his mind to it, he can improve each time.)

Reasons why I think GameChanger is a great board game option:

1. Both Animal Mania and The Magic School Bus are extremely educational, quizzing each person with facts about animals, the human body, space and planet Earth. The trivia questions are appropriate for my second grader (sometimes he even knows the answer for sure and isn’t just guessing) but they are informative for an adult too.
2. While the games are educational, they are also fun. There are opportunities to compete against other players in fast finger games to earn tokens.
3. The company continues to create new games and updates the downloaded app as they add games. One game has already been added since I began playing the game. I suspect that there is more to come, perhaps being able to purchase additional skins for games similar to Animal Mania and The Magic School Bus.

The only cons are on the design of the game:

1. The iPad plugs directly into the board. The iPad cannot be in a case in order for it to fit properly. We have our iPad in a protective case that takes a little bit of time to remove making you think twice before you decide to play.
2. When my boys start getting too excited (like when they play Airplanes or Butterflies), the iPad sometimes loses connection with the board game. It’s not a huge deal, you just need to reconnect it.
3. I wish the skins popped into something. They move around a bit.

 From a Mom’s Perspective:

I love it when the kids are having fun playing a game and they don’t even realize that education is seeping into their brains! GameChanger has done a great job incorporating fun with education. The games are also fun for adults making it a great option for family game night. My son actually figured out the strategy for Kaboom before I did. After a few times playing it, hands down, he would beat me every time. I need to play against him when I don’t have a two year old on my lap! I look forward to seeing what additional games they add to GameChanger and highly recommend it for purchase.

Game Changer is available at ToysRUs  for $79.99 as well as on sale at amazon.com for $21.95 and eligible for free Super Saver Shipping. This is a great deal! Take advantage of it!

*  I was given GameChanger in exchange for my honest review.  All expressed opinions are my own.