The party box includes over a thousand cards for many card combinations. View larger.

Unexpected and funny comparisons make the game fun to come back to again and again. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good:Quick set up; inspires quick thinking and creativity; fun for whole family The Bad:Not as fun without at least five players; subject matter targeted for mid-teens and older In a Nutshell:Quick-paced board game requires just a minute to set up and will have everyone laughing for hours At a Glance Ages:12 and up Requires:At least four players

Smart, Award-Winning Fun
Apples to Apples has won numerous awards including "Party Game of the Year" by Games magazine and "Mensa Select" by Mensa International. And for good reason: it involves quick thinking, humor, and strategy. For teens, the game teaches them to think about how different things can be compared to one another and how analogies are formed. One of our criticisms is that although the game states that it is designed for ages 12 and older, many of the subjects are clearly for older teens.

Hilarious Comparisons and Analogies
The name of the game is a play on the phrase "apples to oranges," and the game is about making comparisons between different things. General game play is as follows: players are dealt red cards which have a noun printed on them, and the judge (a different player in each turn) draws a green card on which an adjective is printed and places it for all players to see. Each player then chooses a red card they are holding that they think best describes the green card. The judge then decides which adjective she likes best.

The fun is in the variety of unexpected comparisons people make, sometimes apt, funny, creative, or simply absurd. For example: people might match "Awkward" with "Oil Spills," "My First Kiss," "Dandruff," and "Gold Chains. " Or: "Painful" with "High School Reunions" and "Regis Philben. " Strategy comes into play since, because each player takes turns being the judge, you begin to pick up on the preferences of each player and tailor your choices accordingly.

Players can also try variations on the basic game play. For example, instead of choosing the most apt comparison, players might try choosing the red card that is least like the green one. These variations keep the game fresh and interesting every time.

Conversation Kick Starter
Part of the fun is in standing up for your choices. For instance, you might discuss why you think "Regis Philben" is painful, or segue into a discussion of the embarrassing situations you got into on your first day of school, or your first kiss. Apples to Apples excels as an ice breaker and promotes a good amount of social interaction, as many conversations will be kick started thanks to these little cards.

More Players, More Fun
Although the box states that the game is playable with just four players, we found that the game is a lot more fun when there are at least five or six players. This increases both the frequency of funny answers and also requires players to refine their strategy a little more. Once we got going, hours passed, and it was only the lateness of the hour that reminded some of us that we had to go home.

This Party Box set comes with more than 1,000 cards total, and will entertain for a long time. Additional expansion sets are available to further increase the variety of word combinations.

Down on the Farm
The Fridge Farm is a great set to travel with. All pieces store on the back of the barn and a carry handle allows easy transport from place to place. The toy's resilient construction withstands wear and tear and holds up nicely to rough child play. With this toy's open-ended format toddlers can create any hilarious combination they choose. It features strong magnets to keep it from falling off the fridge and a lightweight construction so the child can carry the fun from room to room. A handy volume switch keeps the music at an enjoyable level. This toy is easy for little fingers to manage and convenient for parents to store. It requires three AAA batteries (included).

Fun Award-Winning Features
The fridge farm encourages creativity, as your child mixes, matches, and makes zany animals. Bright colors and lively animal songs make the Fridge Farm a family favorite. Loved by parents and their children, this award-winner is both educational and fun. In 2004, it received the prestigious Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award. Superior quality, easy-to-grasp pieces, and lively banjo tunes make it a great addition for any toddler's toy box.