Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

Do you really know your spouse or date? Team up with your significant other and unlock the mysteries of the opposite sex! Discover each other's thoughts on love, marriage, sex and communication with Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Game, inspired by John Gray's phenomenal bestseller.

In Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Game, couples roll the die and move that many spaces on "The Orbit." The color of the space determines the category of the question. There are four categories that couples try and match answers in: Mars and Venus on a Date, in the Work Place, in the Bedroom, and in Love. Match your partner from the given choices and earn a card.

But matching answers in the four categories isn't all you have to do. In order to win the game, you must also receive a Heart Card, a Star Card, and a Together Forever Card. To win a Heart Card, you must shower your partner with compliments based on the instructions indicated. Whether it's appreciation for something he did, or gratitude for her kindness, you have to reveal it to get a card. To win a Star Card, you must divulge your partner's cutest quirk or tell the group the one thing you did that proved you were a fool for love.

Once a couple has won a card in all four categories, as well as a Heart Card and a Star Card, it's time to win by earning a Together Forever Card. Whether it's her favorite television show or his favorite food, you must match your partner without the help of multiple choices. Win this card and you've won the game.

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Game is designed for 2 to 4 couples ages 18 and up. It's available now, with an approximate retail price of $24.99.

Password Junior

The classic word association game that everyone knows and loves is available for children ages 6 to 10 with the introduction of Password Junior.

With 500 words specifically geared for youngsters, Password Junior challenges communication skills in teams of two to three. Unlike its classic predecessor, Password Junior doesn't limit teams to one-word clues; rather the clue-giver must say or do something to make their teammates guess the word.

Once you've separated into teams, decide how many clue cards it will take to win -- the length of the game is up to you. Next, spin the spinner to see which number on the clue card to use. Using the decoder, find the word and give your partner a clue. Clues can be words or an action, but the guesser only gets one guess at the clue. If they guess right, they keep a clue card. If they guess wrong, they pass the decoder and clue card for the next team's turn.

The round continues until the password is guessed. For a challenging bonus, if players guess a password with a one-word clue, they receive an extra clue card.

Password Junior is designed for 4 or more players, ages 6 to 10. It's scheduled to be available in spring 2003 an approximate retail price of $11.99.

The Pyramid

Donnie Osmond's smiling face graces the cover of The Pyramid. With all new categories, this contemporary version of the classic game show will delight a new generation and the following the game show has enjoyed since 1973.

"Thirty seconds on the clock. Can you identify these things associated with child stars?" Players form teams of two and decide who will be the clue-givers for the first round. Teams have thirty seconds to relay seven target words and complete a perfect round.

Clue-givers can communicate the word in any way they choose, with two exceptions: they may not use any part of the word, nor say "rhymes with" in their clues, so they must be clever and quick. After each round, players switch responsibilities, so clue-givers now become the receivers. After three rounds, the team with the highest score moves to the Winner's Circle.

The winning team decides which partner will give the clues in the Winner's Circle. This time, players are guessing categories instead of words.

The Pyramid is designed for 3 or more players, ages 10 and up. It's scheduled to be available in August 2003, and to retail for approximately $14.99.

Route 66

With the Route 66 board game, players travel the 2,448 miles of Route 66 and relive the magic, memories and nostalgia of the most historic highway in American history.

Players hit the gas in New York and take Interstate 80 across Pennsylvania, through Ohio and finally to Chicago. In the Windy City, they pick up Route 66 and head to their final destination, Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, California.

In order to advance across these scenic highways, players must complete a series of challenges that offer the chance to speed ahead or fall behind the competition. A Hi Performance challenge tests players' dramatic skills. Players fill in the blanks with the Fill 'er Up challenge. Get a Green Light by answering a true or false question correctly. Do you have a flat? Get Roadside Assistance by guessing the answer in less than three clues. There are eight different types of challenge.

But players must watch out for Tourist Traps -- which send you off the beaten path. Once you've been detoured, you must pull a Side Trip card and perform the challenge. Challenges include: Where Am I, where players must guess which state corresponds to the portion of the map they are shown, Smooth Navigator, which gives players an opportunity to perform, and Once Upon a Time, which has players drawing on yesteryear to tell a travel related story.

The first player to reach Santa Monica Pier is the winner.

Route 66 is designed for 2 to 4 players ages 10 years to adult. The game is available now for an approximate retail price of $24.99.

Spill and Spell

Spill and Spell, a time-honored and fast-moving spelling game, pits speed versus smarts. Players put all 20 dice in the cup and let them fly. As soon as the dice hit the table, the timer starts and players have one minute to create their words. When a player runs out of words, he or she gathers the unused dice, "re-spills" them and starts spelling again. Each player gets two "re-spills" per turn.

Three letter words are worth one point per letter, four letter words are two points per letter, and any word over five letters is worth three points per letter. One point gets subtracted for each unused die.

Players can select a specific category before beginning, such as "sports words" or "slang words." If a player is able to spell a word in that category, he or she gets double the points for that word.

Spill and Spell is for 2 or more players, ages 8 and up. It's scheduled to be available in August 2003, and to retail for approximately $14.99.

In addition to the games above, Endless Games also was displaying some of their classic titles -- such as Password and The Newlywed Game -- and a game I had never seen before, Goth - The Game of Horror Trivia.