Buckaroo is a very simple game aimed at children aged 4 years and over and is suitable for 2 or more players. Minimal assembly is needed - the mule just needs to be clipped onto the base and you are ready to go. No batteries are needed for this game either which is a bonus! There are three difficulty levels which dictate how heavy handed you can get away with being during the game so one of these levels will need to be selected before the game starts by flicking a switch on the base.

The plastic mule is spring loaded and at the beginning of the game it is positioned so that all four of its feet are on the red base that it stands on. Players then take it in turns to very carefully place various wild west themed items on the mule's back by hooking them onto its saddle. The saddle therefore has to be the first item that is added (by the youngest player who takes the first turn) and after that the items can be added in any order. The items are different shapes and sizes and some of them seem easier to place than others. They are all plastic and they include a lantern, a cowboy hat, a crate, a canteen, a bedroll, a rope, a frying pan, a shovel, a holster, a stick of dynamite and a guitar.

Of course, if you are not careful enough when placing your item or if the mule has too many items on its back already it will buck! This means all the things previously loaded on its back will get catapulted all over the table! The player who triggered to mule to buck is then out of the game. You can also get knocked out of the game if the item you are putting on the mule falls off during your turn. My advice is to go for the rope as it is easy to hook over things, avoid the guitar as it is big and bulky, and try not to pick the cowboy hat as it slides off easily!

The bucking of the mule is supposed to be fun but as a child this was always by least favourite board game as I found it really scary! The mule in the version of the game that I had also had a really evil sneering expression which I wasn't keen on. So I wouldn't recommend this game for very young children or for shy children who don't like sudden noises and movement as they will probably not like Buckaroo very much.

This game is completely plastic which doesn't really look very nice. The other thing I don't l don't like about it s the fact that it isn't very colourful. The mule is brown and yellow and the pieces are either red or blue. As far I can tell the colours that the pieces are doesn't have any particular relevance to the game play - players do not have to pick a colour and then only use pieces of this colour during the game so these colours are pointless. In my opinion, it would look much better if they were more realistic colours or if the game came with stickers that could be put on them so it doesn't look quite so boring.

Buckaroo is a common game and can be found in Toys R Us, Tesco and Argos among other places, as well as online. It seems to be cheapest at the moment at Toys R Us at £12.99. Or shop around for a second hand bargain if you are not fussed about buying brand new.

In summary, Buckaroo can be an enjoyable for children who are not easily frightened but other children may not enjoy the tension and the and the whole thing is very plasticy and cheap looking. It's an average game so I will rate it three stars.