The Sock Game Review
THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER'S OWN.
Reviewed by Kat Harrison
When I saw The Sock Game I thought it would be right up my family’s street. It’s a quick and easy to play sensory game, that involves racing your opponent to be the first to find an item in a sock full of stuff!
Two teams. Two socks. Each sock filled with thirty items. The same items in each sock. A spinner is spun and whichever object it lands on, is the object the players must find in their sock. Cue frantic fingers. The first player to find the object by sense of touch alone wins a point and moves forward a space on the board. The first team to find 11 objects wins. Simple.
The premise is appealing in its simplicity. It promises fun for all the family. On setting up the game, I was disappointed to find that we had an item missing – and the fact that it was a guitar plectrum meant it wasn’t one this non-musical family could replace. It meant we had to spin again if the spinner landed on that item. Not a big deal just a tad irritating. I did like the fact that you’re able to customise your Sock Game experience by adding your own identical objects to the socks and writing the items on the blank spaces provided on the spinner. My girls were immediately on a quest to add the most obscure objects into the mix that already features dominoes, elastic bands, chess pieces and bouncy balls.
The Sock Game can be played with two players or two teams, meaning it’s ideal for children to play against each other, or to get the whole family involved. Indeed, the concept was designed by two competitive brothers, based on a game that they’ve enjoyed since they were kids.
We all had fun playing but it didn’t quite hit the mark I expected. The spinner was a little dodgy and didn’t spin as smoothly as it should; a little more engineering is required.
The game is recommended for ages 8+ and I did wonder why, given its simplicity. I discovered that big socks, little hands and a plethora of tiny objects don’t always mix, and the race of the search can become frustrating for younger members of the family – for them (and actually the grown-ups too) the game isn’t actually quite as easy as it sounds!
Our first sock ‘match’ went down well; it didn’t quite drum up the excitement I expected. I do think we’ll get a better reaction from the kids when we get the grandparents involved too. Watching others struggle to find the items is much more entertaining and thwarting than struggling yourself. There’s as much joy to be had in the failure of others as the success of your own efforts!
The Sock Game is potentially a great addition to your family games cupboard. It is the kind of game you could make yourself with a pair of Dad’s old socks and a few random nik naks but for £20, it probably isn’t worth your effort. If you’ve got a family who love to compete; a dog eat dog dynamic, then, socks away!
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
RRP: £20
For more information or to buy direct, visit www.thesockgame.co.uk. Also available to buy from Amazon here