Shake 'n Take. Photo: Out of the Box Games
Rainy summer afternoons are perfect times for board games.
Out of the Box Games makes many of the games that our family plays time and time again. Word on the Street, Apples to Apples, 10 Days in Europe/Africa/The Americas/Etc., Pirate Versus Pirate, Ninja Versus Ninja, Super Circles.. The list goes on and on. They have recently put out another game that will see heavy rotation in our house.
Shake ‘n Take falls in the category of a fast game that everyone can play together. It is both fast-paced, and quick to play. Grab one to nine people nearby, and play a quick round or two. Subtitled, “The Fast and Frantic Search for Aliens,” this game involves furious die rolling, egg shaking, and alien circling. If you’re at a game night and are waiting for another group to finish their never-ending game of Fluxx or Settlers of Catan, Shake ‘n Take is a great in-between activity.
Who Is it For?
Intended for 2-10 players aged 8 to adult, this game is actually fun and entertaining for anyone old enough to write. It is also for anyone who likes fast-paced, giggle-inducing games. I’ve played this game with as few as three people, though the optimum number is probably higher, for the fastest pace and most chaos. That’s part of the fun!
Shake 'n Take. Photo: Out of the Box Games
How to Play
The game instructions vary depending on how many people are playing, since with more people you can use both sets of dice, Shaker Eggs, and markers. But the general idea is this. Each player takes a game board, with younger players using the side with geometric shapes and older players using the side with aliens. One person (or two people on opposite sides of the table for games with enough players) start out as the Alien Hunter. They take a marker and a die. They roll the die, and start marking out or circling the shapes on their board that match the shape on the die (the actual directions say to circle the aliens, but your group may agree that marking them in any fashion is sufficient). While this is going on, the person to the right of the Alien Hunter(s) gets a Shaker Egg. They keep shaking the egg until the alien appears on the die inside. Once it does, they can grab the marker and die from the Alien Hunter and start rolling and circling. The person to their right then takes the Shaker Egg. Play ensues. The first person to mark out or circle all of the shapes on their board is the winner.
Is it any Good?
I was lucky enough to be taught how to play this game by John Kovalic himself, at Maker Faire this year. (John was illustrator for the game.) I found it to be quite entertaining. It’s fun with grown-ups only, with an age mix, or with kids alone. You have to think quickly, but it’s also fun to try to thwart the others’ progress, using the Shaker Egg. I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes fast-paced and silly fun.
Shake ‘n Take sells for less than $25. Grab a copy for your next family game night!
Note: I received a copy of this game for review purposes.
