In a Pickle: A Product Review

In our house we love to play games: video games, card games, board games, strategy games, and any kind of "fun in a box" that lets us spend time together testing our skills or just having fun. "In a Pickle" is a lot of fun and involves a lot of creative thinking.

"In a Pickle" is produced by the company Gamewright, which is known for it's inexpensive fast paced little games. We have purchased other Gamewright games in the past and have not been disappointed. "In a Pickle" comes in a bright red box with a pickle jar and a lot of little angular cartoon images (a baby, a shopping cats, a taxi, a rug) on the front. On the pickle in the jar we are told that "In a Pickle" is the "What's in a Word Game" I love word games so I was eager to try "In a Pickle". On the back we are told that "In a Pickle" is appropriate for people aged ten and up, should take about 20 to 30 minutes to play, and can be played by 2 to 6 people. Very appealing if you have a small family with older children and would like to squeeze a little fun into a busy schedule. Also there are pickles involved somehow, so what's not to like? (Our daughter has always loved pickles, so that may have been a draw for us!)

"In a Pickle" consists of 320 cards and instructions. Each card has a word and an arrow pointing down. The objective is to make a series of four words that fit "in" each other. The examples on the back are "Baby in a bathtub in a house in Hollywood" and "Juice in a Pickle in a Supermarket in a Parking Lot". Each game starts with for cards to build on (or in this case "in"). You can build on either end. When anyone puts down a fourth card they trigger a "Pickle Round" where each player gets a chance to add a card, but only on the "bigger" end. The player who puts all the other cards "in" the biggest word wins the round. With three or four players you have to win four rows to win the game. We've have had a lot of fun playing "In a Pickle". The only "problem" we have is that we tend to be too creative sometimes. For example: Can a giraffe fit in a cup? Well, yes, a toy giraffe can. But do you accept that, or assume the card means a REAL giraffe? That's up to you. You can decide where to draw the line and take a vote on the more outlandish explanations. We tend to be very easy on each other as the point is to have fun, but it depends on how competitive you are. "In a Pickle" is a great card game for encouraging creative minds. I think the 10 years old recommendation could be lowered a bit depending on the child.

"In a Pickle" is a pretty quick game and a fun way to spend time with family I also like the fact that "In a Pickle" was fairly inexpensive especially considering the many times it is likely to be played. Due to its somewhat "abstract" nature I don't think very young children would keep up. But for families with older kids, or to be played with friends, I highly recommend "In a Pickle" for your game collections!

Have fun!