Game Review: Imagidice
This next item on my list of “off-screen entertainment gift ideas” would make a perfect stocking stuffer for someone who loves word games or dice games.
And because I’m required to repeat this every single time: Timberdoodle provided Imagidice to me in exchange for my review.
What is Imagidice?
Imagidice is a set of 12 picture dice that can be used in myriad ways. They come packaged in a nice little tin with a clear plastic window and a tray that holds the 12 dice in neat little rows right behind the window.
Under the tray is a kinda fat little game booklet. I couldn’t imagine why they needed so many pages to explain how to use Imagidice, but I was hoping for lots of game variations perhaps.
No such luck. Instead it’s 4 pages of English instruction… and then 4 pages each for 20 other languages. All righty then. I guess non-English-speakers deserve their meager share of the instructions just as much as I do.
Themes
The instruction book explains that each die has a theme:
- sky
- places
- food
- emotions
- actions
- fantastic
- human body
- animals
- hobbies
- travel
- everyday life
- history
The Object of the Game
So how do you play? Well, that’s really up to you. Under the Object of the Game heading it says, “Throw the dice, then with the other players, think up a story including each of the pictures shown on the dice. In Imagidice, there are no winners or losers.”
I’m sorry, but that sounds pretty boring to me. That is, unless you’re playing with some really creative storytellers. In which case, they probably don’t need picture dice to help trigger stories, now do they?
Fortunately, the instructions go on to say, “Variants exist to transform this creative game…” That piques my interest. Tell me more about these creative variants.
And so… on the next page are instructions for 3 more simple games you can play with these admittedly cute dice.
The first variant suggests using the dice to help built your vocabulary. A player rolls one die and comes up with as many different synonyms for the picture as he can think of. For example: how many different words for dog can you think of? (Never mind that the die is upside down in the picture. I didn’t stage it. I’m just using a random shot.) So… doggy, puppy, pooch, mutt, canine… You get the idea. You could keep track of points with a game like that.
“Construct a sentence” and “memory” are two other suggested games. And then that’s the extent of the instruction book. Not all that helpful for such a thick little booklet. For so much potential, I have to say, I’m a little disappointed.
Oh, but wait! What’s this?
On the back of the instruction book it says, “Download the Teacher’s notes and student worksheets for free on www.gigamic.com”
A-ha! I knew they could do better! Go check out the free PDF! It includes 40 more activities and games which definitely helps make full use of this sweet set of dice. That’s more like it. I need to print that out.
More ideas
I haven’t yet read through all the various activities in the PDF, but another idea I had would be to use these die with a Mad-Libs book. You might even be able to find some printable Mad-Libs online to use with them.
I think Imagidice might also be fun for a writer to keep on her desk to help with brainstorming creative writing projects.
What creative ways can you think of to use a set of themed picture dice?
Stay tuned for more fun reviews of fabulous Timberdoodle products all week long. Also, check out my previous Timberdoodle reviews for more great gift ideas!
