Have you scene it? (Mattel Harry Potter Scene It 2nd Edition)

Member Name: giksy21

Product:	Mattel Harry Potter Scene It 2nd Edition
Date:	20/03/09 (112 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun for all the family.

Disadvantages: A bit tricky to get used to, at first.

Are your family bored? Then why not get board? The family board game has fallen out of favour in recent years, and I for one think this is a bad thing. I remember when I was a lad, sitting around a table and playing board games, such as Monopoly, or Trivial pursuits. And guess what we did? We talked, and had fun together. Too many families these days, do not make enough time to be together. Its a shame.


Now, I agree that the selection of board games available, were not strong enough to pull the kids away from their ps2. They became more of a bored game, than a board game. They were boring, tedious and pretty lame. That is, until now.


We have all seen them. DVD games are becoming increasingly popular. One of the first on the scene, was .... er....scene it. It was basically a game that utilised a DVD to base its question. This DVD contained scenes (hence the name.), from movies on which you had to answer questions. So, in a way the game meshes watching tv, and a board game. The very fact that the game involves watching tv, should be enough to get your kids joining in.


So, the idea was a good one. Get the family together to play a game. How could it be improved upon? Well, to be fair the original was not as easy for the kids to get involved with, as the questions could be from a series of different movies. Harry potter 'scene it?' was born. In this game, the field of play is levelled, by narrowing the subject matter to a series of films, that the kids will no doubt know, and enjoy.


Although there are other titles available, for example Pirates of the Caribean, we chose Harry Potter as all the family likes the films. We were able to buy a set, very cheaply. If I remember correctly it was about £10. We chose our night to play, and sat down as a family for the first time in god knows when.


In the box, is a game board, two die, pieces, trivia cards, buzz cards and a dvd. The board is simple, in the general shape of an oval. You aim to go round the board to the end, which is called final cut. When in final cut, you must then try to answer the challanging end game questions to become the winner. If you get it, you claim the glory. If you don't, you try again on your next turn. Simple. I think that a good family game, should not be too tricky to play. This is easy to pick up, and quick to get started.


The DVD controls the questions, and you operate it using your DVD remote. You role your dice. One is a normal dice, the other has symbols on it. The normal dice tells you how many squares to move. The other one has symbols on it. The symbols tell you what task to take. You either have to take a my play question, an all play question, a trivia question or a buzz card. My play is a DVD question just for you. Get it right to continue. An all play question is a DVD question, but everyone gets a go at answering. You need to get this one right before the others to continue. A trivia question, is a question read off the trivia cards and does not involve the DVD. Get it right to continue. Buzz is a card that tells you to do something. Similar to a chance card in Monopoly. Your game ends with a buzz card.


The first time you play, it takes a bit of getting used to. You must learn what the symbols mean, and how to operate the DVD. My advice is to allow an adult to control the DVD, as it keeps a bit of decorum about proceedings. The DVD itself, contains scenes from the movies, and various tasks to complete. Don't worry about duplicates. Even if the DVD chooses the same scene, there are many different questions on each so do not count on it being one you have heard before. Chances are it won't be!


Fun, and a good talking point, I believe that this is a game that can be enjoyed by family members of all ages. The game is for two or more players, and can be played by anyone. You can take a look around, to see which title suits your family more, but Harry Potter was ideal for us. It obviously makes it better if you like the subject involved. Parents get as much enjoyment as the kids, and it claws them away from the computer. Give it a go. Its cheaper to buy than a KFC, and probably much better for you!


Reccommended. G

Summary: New take on an old idea. Stops a board game, being a bored game!