Ad disclosure: This product was sent to us free of charge for the purpose of this review, and represents our honest opinion of the product.
Product: Hape Pallina
Price: £26.99
Age Range: 3 years+
Manufacturer’s Description: Can you pull out a stick without any of the wooden balls falling down? This fun game can be played in three different ways to suit all skill levels. Made of sustainable bamboo.
Rating: (4/5 stars) Review: As the girls get older, they are enjoying playing more challenging games and this toy from Hape gets their brains going, trying to work out which sticks to draw out to get the best results. Included in the box, you get a felt mat, the main ‘basket’ structure of the toy, 16 coloured wooden balls, a die, 20 wooden sticks with coloured ends, and an instruction leaflet. This toy is mainly made from bamboo and wood, and seems to be sturdy and well made. The sticks don’t feel like they will break easily, and you can slide them in and out of the woven basket smoothly. The basket has a triangular gap at the bottom for players to reach in and retrieve the fallen balls. There are three different ways to play, of varying difficulty. This makes it good for players of all ages, as younger players can stick with level 1, while more advanced players can try levels 2 and 3. Level 1 – Get the most wooden balls to win! In this level, players roll the die and pull out one stick that matches the colour on top. The player then keeps any balls that fall through the basket onto the mat, and the next player then takes their turn. When all the balls have fallen through, the game is over and the player with the highest number of balls wins the game. Level 2 – Collect a certain colour to win! In level 2, players choose which colour they wish to play as at the start, and then play continues as in level 1. However, after each ball falls it gets distributed to the player who has claimed that colour. The winner is the player who gets all four of their balls first. Level 3 – Last ball to fall wins! This level is the most difficult as the aim is to keep your balls in the basket for as long as possible, rather than get them to fall. Each player chooses a colour and then play continues as in levels 1 & 2, however you have to aim to keep your balls safe while causing your opponents balls to fall. The winner is the player that has the last ball in the basket. As you can see, there is a lot to think about and consider when you play this game – which stick do you pull out to get the best results? Should you pull it out quickly or slowly? How many sticks need to get pulled out to drop a particular ball – and which one shouldn’t you pull out? We have really enjoyed playing this game, and it’s been out and played with a few times since it arrived (I’m shamefully late with this review – and everything else in my life – thanks to all my health problems). The only negatives I have is that it’s pretty bulky to store and take anywhere, and it is a touch on the expensive side for us. 4 stars for the Hape Pallina from us.
