Balloon Lagoon

Balloon Lagoon is not going to knock your socks off -- it doesn't contain any brilliant new mechanics or clever scoring systems. What it does contain is a whole lot of fun in a well-built package that entertains the heck out of kids.

Balloon Lagoon is essentially four carnival games with an aquatic amusement park theme:

1. A frog-flicking dexterity game.

2. A word-creating puzzle using a fishing pole and magnetic letters.

3. A pattern-recognition game using a four-spinner machine.

4. A game where you roll 6 dice attempting to get four of a kind.

All of these games are timed by a music box/spinner in the shape of a carousel at the center of the board. (Adults: You will grow to hate the music. I promise.)

However many elements of a game you finish (each game has a maximum of four) is the number of balloon markers you get to stick into your vehicle -- fill your vehicle and win. That's it.

The games were well-chosen. A smart five-year-old can play them at nearly the same skill level as the average adult, making this one a lot of fun for adults and kids together. As well, Cranium does their usual stellar job of creating a box for the game (Jam Pack Jam is an exception to this rule), and all of the pieces fit snugly into place between games.

My boys go in waves (yes, inadvertent aquatic metaphor) about playing this one. It stays in the closet for four to six weeks and then comes out on a regular basis for two or three weeks. My oldest (who is almost seven) will occasionally pull it out and play with it on his own... so it has a pretty high "toy factor" as well as being an enjoyable game.

Balloon Lagoon is for 1 to 4 players, ages 5 and up. It was designed by Forrest-Pruzan Creative and published by Cranium (now owned by Hasbro).