Tic Tac Toe-tally cool! (Bigjigs Tic Tac Toe)

Member Name: B_O_M_B_A_

Product:	Bigjigs Tic Tac Toe
Date:	10/10/08 (71 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy and cheap to play

Disadvantages: Mainly for youngsters

Noughts and crosses, or Tic Tac Toe isn't just a kids game, there can be an incredible amount of skill involved when it is played properly, like when me and my friend Liam used to play it during lectures...The concept is incredibly simple, it is essentially a two player game, you start off with a blank 3x3 square grid, at the start of the game each player chooses whether they want to be noughts or crosses. Usually the player who chose to be crosses goes first and begins by placing a 'X' on one of the squares in the grid. The 'O' player then places a 'O' somewhere on the board, in an empty square. The idea is to get three of your symbols in a row vertically, horizontally or diagonally.

There are a vast number of ways the X's and O's can be placed on the board (around 362,880), and depending on where the first X is place, there is always an unbeatable strategy. The Tinker toy computer was developed by MIT students and only plays Noughts and crosses, to this day it has never lost a game, it is on display at the Museum of Science in Boston. The simplicity of the game means that the game can be used in many interesting ways; Casino owners now give players the choice to play it against trained chickens, although the chickens are influenced by a computer.

One of the main advantages of the game is its ability to be played anywhere and everywhere, all you really need is a pencil and paper, you can draw your grid and symbols and then simply throw the paper away. This makes it ideal as a travel game, and amazingly cheap. Although I don't personally play the game that much anymore it was a great way to pass the time during our more boring lectures, the games are also incredibly short (around 1 minute) so you would never have to leave a game half completed.

I have to say I would lose more often than not, but I didn't really care, its not as if I can put on my CV 'Great at Tic Tac Toe', although at the time I did get a little frustrated that he always seemed to find a way to beat me.

I wouldn't advise anyone to buy the game unless it is perhaps one of the outdoor versions that can be purchased for around £10. They made of foam and work great as a party piece. Considering the game can be played for free though it is a bit of a waste of money. I would recommend the game for young children, until they learn an unbeatable method, at which point they can move onto more difficult games such as 'Dots and Squares'.

Summary: Fun for travelling