... If you want to have some variation from all the expensive electronic and console games around and go back to a more traditional game suitable for all the family to play then you can't go wrong with "Frustration".
Crumbs, I even remember playing this as a child - yes, I was one once - so ... Read review
Advantages: Great family fun. Disadvantages: Temper tantrums a strong possibility
Time to start thinking about Christmas presents. If you want to have some variation from all the expensive electronic and console games around and go back to a more traditional game suitable for all the family to play then you can't go wrong with "Frustration".
Crumbs, I even remember playing this as a child - yes, I was one once - so it has been around for a considerable length of time and is still proving a popular game ... ...now part of Hasbro International Incorporated, which has an excellent reputation and is a long established and trusted manufacturer of children's toys. It is actually distributed by Hasbro UK Ltd in Newport, Gwent, only around 15 miles from where I live.
When you pick up the cardboard box containing the game, you immediately realise that it will not take up much space wherever it is to be kept. It only measures 23.6cm x 23.6cm x 5cm ... more
Time to start thinking about Christmas presents. If you want to have some variation from all the expensive electronic and console games around and go back to a more traditional game suitable for all the family to play then you can't go wrong with "Frustration".
Crumbs, I even remember playing this as a child - yes, I was one once - so it has been around for a considerable length of time and is still proving a popular game today.
"Frustration" is made by MB Games, now part of Hasbro International Incorporated, which has an excellent reputation and is a long established and trusted manufacturer of children's toys. It is actually distributed by Hasbro UK Ltd in Newport, Gwent, only around 15 miles from where I live.
When you pick up the cardboard box containing the game, you immediately realise that it will not take up much space wherever it is to be kept. It only measures 23.6cm x 23.6cm x 5cm approximately. This is a big plus in itself and means that the game is extremely portable and can be taken away on holidays - very useful if you are staying in a caravan in this country - think rain!!
The box lid is very colourful showing the name of the game "Frustration!" in yellow lettering with a red edging and underneath telling you that it is "The game that drives you popping mad!"
The main picture shows a none to angelic looking boy smashing the popper (which I will describe later) with his fist with a young girl with her head in her hands looking on with the sort of expression I would have if my six numbers came up on the lottery. The rest of the picture contains a view of the game board with pieces flying out at what appears to be warp speed 9. Do not be alarmed though as this does not happen when you play the game for real.
The game can be played by two, three or four players and is recommended for ages 4 and up. This is because it is not suitable for children under that age due to the small pieces and the risk of choking.
The back of the box contains the assembly instructions and rules for playing the game so you don't have to worry about losing an instruction leaflet. However, the assembly is a one-off task and the game is so easy to play that once you've played it you won't need to refer to it again.
How to assemble.
You get the coloured board, which is just made of ordinary cardboard and place the main plastic gameboard over it and align up with the four holes into which you insert the four rubber feet. This not only protects tables from being scratched, but stops the game from moving around and obviously joins the two boards together. That's it, assembly completed, and you don't have to dismantle when you've finished - it fits neatly back into the box. The dimensions of the board are slightly less than that of the box and is square in shape with rounded corners with no sharp edges.
The game is virtually identical to ludo. Each player picks a colour, either red, green yellow or blue and you get four pieces of your chosen colour. Each piece is made of a hard plastic, cylindrical in shape, around 2cm in height with a small ridge around the middle to pit into the raised spaces on the gameboard. What I like with this is that the maker gives a spare piece for each colour in case any are lost.
On each rounded corner are four coloured holes to match the colour of the counters and if you've chosen red, for example, you'd pick the red corner and place your four counters in those four spaces, each hole marked with a small star. These are your starting spaces. The other players do the same with their chosen colour. The base is also marked with each corresponding colour so it's easy to see where you have to go.
In the middle of the game board is a raised platform containing one dice encased in a hard plastic dome which is on top of a sheet of what seems to be thin metal. By pressing on this dome you hear a 'pop' as the metal is pressed down and when released, the metal sheet pops back into shape and the dice is thrown around in the dome. Whatever number is showing on the top of the dice is the number the player uses.
To start the game you decide on the order the game is to be played - let the kids go first you meanies!! To start you need to get a 'six'. If you don't then it's the next players turn, and so on. Once a six is thrown, you move one of your counters out of the starting spaces into the hole marked with an arrow, and you're off. As with most games, if you throw a six you get another go (hehe) and you move around the board in a clockwise direction.
The aim of the game is to get all four of your counters around the board, 28 spaces before you reach safety, and when you get round adjacent to your starting spaces there are four numbered spaces, 1,2, 3 & 4 leading up towards the dice. Easy you may think, but here's the catch and the reason the game is called "Frustration".
You may be merrily moving around the board but say an opponent has a counter out and is three spaces behind you. If they then throw a 'three' and land on your counter, yours has to go back to the starting spaces, where you need to start again by throwing a 'six' and going all the way around again. It always happens to me.
If you are fortunate enough to get your counter all the way around and into the home spaces marked 1,2, 3 or 4 then you are safe and can't be knocked back to the start. The object of the game is to get all your four counters home before anyone else.
My children are 12 and 8 and we, perhaps somewhat unfashionably, really enjoy playing this. It is a good way to get the whole family involved and playing a game together.
Be prepared however with younger children for the odd temper tantrum as it can be terribly frustrating to be landed on by another player, and you may have to compromise. Nevertheless it is great simple fun.
The game can be found at all major retailers for between £10 - £15 dependent on what deals are on offer, and you pick one up on e-bay for as little as £6.99.
Advantages: Tres gooD fun !!! Disadvantages: The FrustratioN !!!
...game of the moment is frustration …
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FRUSTRATION (MB games):
Frustration is a game that fulfils its name … ‘frustration by name; frustrating by nature’. A Timeless game that takes little time to master and provides ample fun! If you are hugely competitive, like me, then the game can be more than frustrating, it can be downright annoying as the outcome is largely determined by luck, we as players have little - no control!
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... ...again. oH the frustration !
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The game is great fun but can get incredibly ‘frustrating’ largely because there is no time limit to the game. Therefore dependant on the roll’s of the dice; the game can go on and on and on and on and on.
As mentioned before, it is a very easy game to master. Although there are a few strategic tactics … for example; try not to get in front of your opponent as you are increasing your chance of being landed ...
L0BSTER_QUADRILLE 18.07.2004 (19.07.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Frustration
Advantages: easy to play - helps introduce dice in a fun way to youngsters Disadvantages: can be a bit repetative and take ages if there are a 4 players
Well here goes with another review of a game which you may find useful as it's coming up to Christmas.
I've chosen to write about this classic game for a number of reasons - the main ones being that it is so easy to play and is great for keeping young children quiet for a while after the Christmas dinner has been eaten, although the popping can get annoying after a while.
This game is really just a different version of the old favourite Ludo where ... ...position, round the board and home to one of 4 spaces. Unlike ludo you don't have to throw the dice but instead have to use the pop-o-matic device in the centre of the play area. This can be a bit tricky for young ones to press down until they get the hang of it but then there's no stopping the popping.
So what do you get in the box? Well the game board itself is made up of a see through plastic top with knobs on all around. There are 4 different ...
belfin 01.12.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Frustration
Advantages: Makes you determined to win, makes you think, fun game Disadvantages: Frustration!
...by your opponents colour. The frustration of it is that being eaten happens often, and you have to start all over again with that piece. To start the game, by getting the pieces out of their original "home", you must press this dome shaped cover over the dice in the middle of the board, and try and get a "6". If you succeed in doing this, then you get the opportunity to get a piece out. You then get another go, and whatever the number on the dice, ... ...travel in an anti-clockwise direction around the board, until they reach four vertical spaces, just above your starting position. Then they have reached their finish. The first person to get all four starting pieces in those spaces, wins.
The trouble is.. it isn't as simple and as quick as that! It can take many gos before you get a 6 to get out and start moving your pieces, in the first place. And when one piece is eaten, then that piecegoes back, ...
Rocky76 13.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Frustration
Advantages: it be cool Disadvantages: can get boring after a while
The game Frustration is a family game and the game aim is to get all your colour counters home before everyone else and thus you have won Its a game for up to four people and they each choose a different colour which are red, blue, yellow and green. To start the game you have to get the number six by pressing the dome shaped cover over a dice which is in the middle of the board. This can take a while before you get the number six, so thats why its ... ...same time it is active Once you get the number six you move your counter round the board until you get it home. You can only move other counters if you get a number six on the dice There are four counters for each person with four different colours and the winner is the person who gets all there counters home first. The game can take a while to finish amd if you are waiting to get anumber six which seems to take a long time to come up You can buy ...
NAZGUL 03.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Frustration
Advantages: fun to play Disadvantages: frustrating when you can not get a number 6 on the dice
...so thats why its called frustration and it is very frustrating.
Once you get the number 6 you move your counter round the board until you get it home. You can only move other counters if you get a number 6 on the dice.
There are 4 counters for each person with 4 different colours and the winner is the person who gets all there counters home first.
The game can take a while to finish sometimes especially if you are waiting to get anumber 6 which ...
tabyorky 01.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Frustration
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