TOP TRUMPS > Past, Present & Future !!! (Top Trumps)

Member Name: jedimastergray73

Product:	Top Trumps
Date:	16/09/09 (187 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A classic card game re-launched, highly collectable, easy to play and lots of fun !!!

Disadvantages: None

~~~ A BRIEF HISTORY OF TOP TRUMPS ~~~

The very first deck of TOP TRUMPS cards were released in 1977 by DUBREQ (the toy company that made the legendary Stylophone).

In 1982, the company was taken over by WADDINGTONS who continued to produce TOP TRUMPS until the early 1990s. At this point in time, TOP TRUMPS were mainly aimed at boys as the theme of the decks were often cars, motorbikes, aircraft, military vehicles and dinosaurs !!!

By the late Nineties many people had assumed that Top Trumps (like the Stylophone) had become a thing of the past ... something you could maybe pick up at a car boot sale and enthusiastically show to your kids so that they could see what you used to play with when you were their age (in those magical days before handheld games consoles).

We all have a soft spot for things that remind us of our childhood and "retro collectables" are starting to become increasingly more and more popular. Infact, some of the early Top Trump decks have become so collectable these days that they sell for crazy prices on auction sites such as eBay !!!

In 1999, however, a whole new generation were introduced to TOP TRUMPS when they were re-launched. Toy Company WINNING MOVES had bought the rights to the game itself and to date they have produced some of the most stunning decks of TOP TRUMPS cards ever released. The key to their success was simple ... they kept the gameplay the same as it always had been but chose some of the most popular themes form the world of entertainment and media to base their decks on.

~~~ THE WINNING MOVES TOP TRUMPS PRODUCT RANGE ~~~

To date, WINNING MOVES have produced almost 100 brand new decks of TOP TRUMPS and have taken their inspiration not only from the classic TOP TRUMPS products but also from a variety of popular franchises. These include ...

* Comic Books (including DC, Marvel and the Beano)

* Children's TV Shows (including Ben 10, Bratz and Power Rangers)

* Cult TV Shows (including Dr Who, 24 and The Simpsons)

* Sport (including Cricket, Formula One and Wrestling)

* Premier League Football (including MUFC, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea)

* Entertainment (including The X-Factor, Movie Star and Smash Hits)

* Movies (including Star Wars, The Lord Of The Rings, Transfomers, The Chronicles Of Narnia and High Schol Musical)

* In addition to this WINNING MOVES have also produced a number of decks based on a number of information based themes including science, wildlife, space, travel and technology.

~~~ LOOKING AHEAD ~~~

TOP TRUMPS are now more popular than ever and as well as standard decks the company is now producing a number of TOP TRUMPS SPECIALS as well as producing a number of rarer collectable SUPER TOP TRUMP CARDS (please read the description of these below). The company has also dramtically widened it's audience in recent years by producing TOP TRUMPS Cards aimed at both younger and older players !!!

>>> TOP TRUMPS JUNIOR CARDS have been designed for younger players. The Disney Pixar Deck is a great example as despite resembling TOP TRUMPS the cards themselves are much larger and the information and gameplay has been simplified.

>>> TOP TRUMPS LIMITED EDITIONS are clearly designed for adults. The recent FHM Cover Girls Collection TOP TRUMPS was the first deck to feature naked women. Whilst the company was criticised for producing this specific deck it only added to the hype and the product sold out in days !!!

The most recent TOP TRUMPS to be released was a G.I. Joe Movie themed deck with 3-D images ... this latest addition to the range has already become one of the fastest selling decks of all time. With many more themed decks planned for the future the success of WINNING MOVES and TOP TRUMPS looks set to continue !!!

~~~ TOP TRUMPS GAMEPLAY EXPLAINED ~~~

TOP TRUMPS is a game that anyone can play and because all you need are the cards themselves ... it can also be played anywhere. As a game, it is very simple to understand and extremely addictive. Each card features a list of numerical data and the simple aim of the game is compare the numbers to "trump" and therefore win the other players cards. So, as an example, in one of th decks themed on Popstars one of the categories is "Number of Top Ten Singles". Whilst each player would have a different number written next to that category it would be the player with the highest numerical value that would win that round !!!

~~~ THE RULES FOR PLAYING TOP TRUMPS ~~~

[1] There must be at least 2 players.
[2] All the cards are dealt out between all of the players.
[3] One player is picked to start the game.
[4] The starting player chooses a category from their top card and reads out the numerical value.
[5] The other players then read out their values.
[6] The player with the highest value wins the cards belonging to the other players.
[7] The player who wins these cards must then start the next round by choosing the next category.
[8] If at any time the numbers read out are of equal value all cards are placed in the middle.
[9] The player who has just read out the information must now choose a new category from their next top card.
[10] The player with the highest number this time round also wins the cards in the middle.
[11] Players are out of the game when they lose their last card.
[12] The winner is the player who wins the entire deck back at the end of the game.

~~~ THE "COLLECTABLE" FACTOR ~~~

At the start of this review I mentioned that many of the vintage decks of Top Trumps that were released in the Seventies and the Eighties have become increasingly rare and are now much sought after collectables. I also believe that many of the more recent TOP TRUMPS decks will also be become extrememly sought after in a few years time. This is because many of the newer sets were either 'Limited Editions' or 'Exclusives' that were only sold for a brief period of time. In addition to this, owning a deck which contains a SUPER TOP TRUMP CARD (cards usually available at events or as cards available through special offers) will also add not only to the fun of the game itself but to the value of the deck to collectors !!!

A couple of years ago I went to "Star Wars: Celebration Europe" at the EXPO Centre in London where I purchased a deck of the Clone Wars TOP TRUMPS. At the event I was also given a promotional SUPER TOP TRUMP Card for the set ... a card that was only available at the event itself. I have since seen these cards on eBay going for crazy prices but for collectors who like to complete these super rare cards are an essential item.

~~~ THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS ~~~

A great deal of research has been carried out to examine the educational benefits of collectable card games such as TOP TRUMPS and from that research one thing is clear ... whilst the game itself is fun it also provides many opportunities for what educationalists describe as 'camouflaged learning'.

>>> Reading the many detailed character profiles, celebrity biographies and technical specifications is a great way of encouraging the development of Literacy skills.
>>> Selecting, presenting and comparing the numercal data and statistics clearly relies on (and tests) Numeracy skills.
>>> Communication skills are also required as the game also involves a great deal of interaction and discussion ... which in turn encourages positive social skills whilst learning through play.

~~~ FINAL THOUGHTS ~~~

TOP TRUMPS are simply fantastic. It's a classic card game with simple gameplay that anyone can enjoy. Themed decks also make TOP TRUMPS appealing to a vast audience. If you haven't played TOP TRUMPS since you were a child then I would strongly encourage you to go out and buy yourself a deck tomorrow ... because as soon as you start playing you will remember just what a fantastic game it is !!!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!

Summary: Go out and treat yourself to a deck !!!