The Cranium Hullabaloo Game

2008-11-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

The Cranium Hullabaloo is incredibly fun to play. Its most important advantage is the fact that the whole family can play it together. You will be delighted to see your kids learn new words and identify various colors and shapes.

The brightly colored buttons show the game's age recommendation. It is best suited for kids aged between 4 and 8, but even a 2 year old can tag along. All in all, it is a great game that will provide the family with a lot of fun and laughter.

The Hullabaloo console is made of sturdy plastic with brightly-colored buttons that are easy for little fingers to find. Batteries aren't included and parents will need to put those in with the help of a screwdriver before play can start. The easy-to-read, illustrated instructions tell you how to play the game, which is a snap to learn. The console also clearly announces the rules of the game each time you turn it on. (It also plays a bouncy song at the beginning of each round that will stick in your head long after the game is over.)

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Our Review
Hullabaloo will get the whole family moving. As kids ages four and up bounce, spin, and jump between the colorful pads, they'll learn new shapes, colors, and words. They'll also hone their listening skills --especially when they "freeze" and wait to see if they're a winner at the end. Though it's geared towards kids ages four and up, even two-year old kids will want to play along. Though younger kids might not "get" everything, they'll still have a great time -- especially dancing to the "funky" music at the beginning and end of each quick-moving round. Though kids can play Hullabaloo among themselves, parents will enjoy the silliness and the exercise!

Do the Funky Dance!
The talking musical console adds an element of excitement and unpredictability to the game. You never know what it will tell you to do next! The catchy music and the instructions to "do a funky dance!" at the end of the rounds especially appeal to kids. Later, when you're not even playing the game, you can say, "Do a funky dance!" and they'll start dancing excitedly all over again. The pleasing palette of colors in Hullabaloo are appealing to the eye, from the purple, green, and red console to the multicolored play pads with their slightly retro images. These brightly-colored, sizable play pads are hard to lose. Still, they are also easy to put away when the game is over.

Get Your Goof On
We especially enjoyed doing the funky dance at the end. We would even do a funky dance at the beginning of each round too-- the music is so catchy you just can't help it! At times, we wished the maximum volume of the console was higher. We also would have appreciated being able to put the batteries in without using a screwdriver. But overall, we found this game to be fun and energizing, with just the right amount of goofiness thrown in. It proceeds at a good pace -- slow enough so that kids have time to process the console's spoken directions, but fast enough to keep things exciting. The rounds are short so you don't get bored. And there are thousands of combinations of moves so you'll probably never play the same round again, not matter how many times you play!

This game is sort of like Twister meets Simon Says. Lay the Hullabaloo pads around on the floor about two 'kid's feet' away from each other. The pads are different shapes and colors and have pictures and words on them. Turn on the game console and the cheerful music begins, a happy voice welcomes you to the game and then gives the simple directions you'll need to play. "Jump on a square shape," "Slide over to a red shape," "Hop to a shape with an animal on it" and so on. Then it might tell you to freeze, or to put a body part on one pad, and then a different body part on another. Then, it'll tell you that if you are on a particular pad at the end of that round, you are the winner. We found it to be fun, and easy to understand--though we did wonder how long it might hold a child's interest. --Megan Sullivan

Cranium Hullabaloo is the high-energy game that's full of cool tunes, fun sounds, and all kinds of surprises. Kids listen closely and think fast as they bounce, twist, spin, high-five, and dance to the music, sounds, and friendly voice of Hullabaloo. Whether after school, at a birthday party, or even on a rainy day, Cranium Hullabaloo gives kids something to cheer about. And with thousands of game variations, kids never get tired of the fun. Cranium Hullabaloo won the 2003 and 2006 Toy of the Year awards from the Toy Industry Association. Reading is not required to play.

A Word From the Manufacturer
CRANIUM Hullabaloo is the surprise-filled, high-energy game that turns bouncing off the walls into bouncing across the room! Players move from one colorful shape to another and use their bodies to perform the many Hullabaloo moves -- touch your nose to a circle, spin to a red, put your elbow on a musical instrument. When Hullabaloo says, "Freeze!" the player on the lucky pad wins! Every few minutes there's a new winner who gets to take a bow, make a victory jump or do a funky monkey dance. Faster than a scavenger hunt, more creative than Simon Says and able to make imaginative leaps past musical chairs, Hullabaloo provides hours of fun for any occasion -- birthday parties, play dates, even a rainy day. Ready to play? Comes with an audio console that calls out fun instructions for kids to follow! Colorful play pads and thousands of gameplay variations keep kids entertained for hours. Includes a Hullabaloo talking audio console, 16 colorful play pads and instructions.

Product Features and Details
- High-energy game loved by kids of all ages
- Simple, out-of-the-box fun - just turns it on and goes
- Encourages listening, problem solving and friendly competition
- Kids play alone or with friends -giggling guaranteed
- Thousands of game variations, so kids never tire of the fun
- Product Dimensions: 4 x 10.5 x 10.5 inches ; 2.1 pounds
- Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
- Our Recommended Age: 4 - 10 years
- Manufacturer Recommended Age: 4 - 10 years
- Batteries: 3 AA batteries required.

What comes in the Box
Talking musical console that directs play, 16 play pads, instructions.

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Useful Resources:
Cranium Hullabaloo Game Fan Website - This is a website dedicated to the Cranium Hullabaloo.