My kids and I loved this game… we played it again and again all week long. Sure, it made our brains twist a little, but who doesn’t love challenging their loved ones in a friendly setting?
Mastermind is like the new-age Battleship. A codemaker will set any code of four colored pegs and hide it behind a pop-up shield. The codebreaker’s mission is to crack the code in 10 moves or less. After each guess, the codemaker will use red and white pegs to offer clues as to whether the codebreaker is getting warmer or cooler. With six different colored pegs and an ability to double the color in a code, no one game can be the same; the kids can never get bored!
Not only is this game conveniently packaged with a storage spot for all the pieces, it is rather quiet. My kids went back and forth switching roles as codemaker, the person who creates the pattern, and codebreaker, the player who tries to solve the pattern, for hours.
I also loved the educational piece to this game. It really stimulated my kids to come up with different problem-solving methods. Mastermind is great for honing logic and deductive reasoning skills, as it teaches the children to think outside the box, assess situations and try different approaches.
I would definitely recommend Mastermind as you plan your next family game night! It is available at Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, Kohl’s and Amazon for an affordable price of $15.99.