Up to eight players can take part in Zingo!, a game that exercises children's memory, verbalization, matching, and image recognition skills. While it plays much like bingo, with players' objectives to fill their card with tiles before their opponents do, Zingo! has special features that distinguish it from the classic game.
Each player selects a Zingo card that is filled with nine images of familiar objects such as clocks, cats, and trees. The player who is elected the dealer of the game slides the special tile dispenser, called the Zinger. Two tiles appear in the dispenser tray, and players must quickly determine if either tile matches an image on their card. The first to shout out the name of the matching object wins the tile and places it on their card, after which play is resumed until someone fills their card with tiles.
Zingo! is a fantastic game for young children, approximately aged 3 and up, for a number of reasons. First, it is exceptionally easy to understand and play. The Zinger dispenser is ingenious—the tiles pop out easily and fairly. A thoughtful feature allows families to choose the level of competition in a game. Choosing the yellow-sided cards ensures a less competitive game than would be had with the red-side up. This is because there are fewer common objects on the yellow side, while the red-sided cards make the game a little more competitive with more pictures shared. This latter feature helps make the game appropriate for younger children who may not be as quick to shout or grab the tiles they need to fill their cards.
Our testers are enthralled with the game. Zingo! appeals to a wide range of age groups, is quick to play, and easy to understand. Because each player is actively involved throughout a round of play, the pace is exciting and fresh. This is a game that will be pulled out of the closet frequently—kids never seem to tire of it.
