Game Gumshoes Presents: Gigamon

Description provided by GameGumshoes on YouTube:

Gigamon MFG: Blue Orange Games #of Players: 2 -4 Age Range: 6+ Overall Construction: In Gigamons you will receive 4 cheat cards that are made of a material similar to standard playing cards. The Elemons & the Gigamons are made of the same quality cardboard as what you would find in Memory. They are a nice durable batch of cards. There are little plastic bases that are pretty standard, they go on the bottoms of the Gigamons. The rules are in a nice glossy rulebook, unlike most of the parts, it needs to be handled gently. There are also plastic bags to put your cheat cards, rocks, and bases in, but they are not necessary. Now for the negative. The only negative I have found about the game is the difficulty of opening the box. With that being said, the box will not randomly come open. Bet you thought I was going to forget to mention the box didn’t you. Gameplay: The one thing I like most about Blue Orange Games is the simplicity of their gameplay. This game is no different. If you know how to play Memory, then you already know half of the rules. Each player is given a cheat card. It details all of the special abilities of the Elemons. The Elemons are shuffled and dealt out into a 3x3 field. The youngest player starts off by flipping over 2 cards. If there is a match take the pair, check the cheat card for the special abilities of the cards, and perform the special ability if possible. If you have 2 different Elemons, but one is the Polymon then you take both of them. If neither of them is the Polymon, then flip them back over. Play continues around the table. Once a player collects 3 of any Elemon they ca trade them in for the matching Gigamon. Everyone is trying to collect 3 Gigamons to win the game. This can be harder than you’d think since other players can steal your Gigamon from you if they collect 3 of the same Elemons. Yes/No Recommend: Unlike your standard game of Memory, Gigamon feels like it gives you a goal to shoot for. There are several mechanics to this game that make it more fun than memory and a better starter game to teach children matching. The reason it makes a better game to use with children to teach matching is because it also teaches two other important skills, strategy & reading. I say reading because I make players read the cheat card to use their Elemon’s special ability when a match is made. Strategy because of the timing in which you capture Gigamons and use how you use the special their special abilities. Example: The Flaremon (Fire Element) give you the ability to destroy another players Elemon, which puts them one extra element away from getting a Gigamon. The Geomon (Earth Element) allows you to place rocks that no other player can move. Have fun exploring all of the ways you can use the special abilities to your advantage. Where To Get It: Currently the best place to get this item is your local game or hobby shop. The big boxes are slowly getting these games, so it will only be a matter of time before you will be able to get them there as well. For more information on this game please visit the website at http://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/gigamons