Can you still buy knickerbocker glories? Sadly this game doesn't involve actual eating... (Orchard Toys Knickerbocker Glory)

Member Name: azana

Product:	Orchard Toys Knickerbocker Glory
Date:	15/06/09 (70 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easily played

Disadvantages: non really

This was the first board game that both of my daughters ever played at just under age 3 for both of them. It was the first Orchard game that I ever purchased, actually at full price from a shop, though I have since acquired a largish collection of other Orchard Games, mainly from varied Fairs and Car boot sales. It is currently £5.87 from Amazon, the rrp is £7.00.

This is a great introduction to the concept of taking turns and playing a game for little ones, and the game play is not too annoying for parents either. As with all Orchard games it is a quality and British made product. It is made from nice thick wipeable recycled cardboard.

In the box you get 6 icecream glasses (cut out shape on a board) and then 6 different coloured layers in different colours to fit into the knickerbocker glory. There are also 2 dice and instructions. If you lose the instructions they are summed up on the box.

Gameplay:

This is far easier to play than explain! Basically one of the dice is a traditional one, and one is a coloured one. You can play with either dice, for younger players the coloured dot one is best. The youngest child starts, rolls the dice and picks up a piece of knickerbocker glory of the colour they rolled. This piece slots into the glass and the winner is the player to finish building their icecream first. The icecream has 6 layers and 6 colours so eg the mandarin layer is orange and has one mandarin, the blueberry layer is blue and has 5 blueberries.

As mentioned you can play by colour or by number; in either way of playing there is opportunity for re-inforcing colours and numbers in a fun way. The numbers run down the side of the glass in the colour of the piece so that the child can see where to put the piece.

The pieces fit in well so playing is not frustrating for the child or too long lived for the parent, though you may need to teach your child to throw the dice and perhaps allow younger children to win if you can. Up to six people can play, it is a bit limited with two but still good fun.

A good buy?

As mentioned earlier this was the first game both my children played, and they picked up the idea fairly quickly and do enjoying playing "the icecream game", as they have christened it.

The manufacturer's guidline of age of 3-6 is about right, so I think that the game is pretty good value. It is not the most exciting game ever but is very accesible and a good first game. If you go on to own others from Orchard you will find that some of them are pretty similar, I think this is one of the better games, and it has been much played and well loved in this house, generally making it into the bag of toys to take on holiday for a rainy day.

This item would make a great present - for me it is right in the £5 "party budget" - I have been told that in some parts of the country £10 is the norm but in these parts £5 seems about standard. This is a good buy.

Summary: a great first board game