Game Review: Farm 3-D Memory Match-Up

Little Tikes Farm 3-D Memory Match-Up is a nice twist on the matching game. Most of those games involve cards, either a regular deck of playing cards or specially designed cards. I have a friend that used paint sample cards from Home Depot for her toddler. It's true the backs of the cards have the name of the color but the typical toddler can't read, so it's not a problem.

This game comes in an egg carton package and has little farm animals that can be split in half. Each farm animal also has two little plastic haystacks. The haystacks are used to hide the animal halves.

Typical farm critters

Half the animal they used to be!

The box contains ten animals and players can use as many or as few as they want. It's a good way to start small and build up to a more difficult game. Our children enjoy putting the animals back together after making a match.

Another advantage of the haystacks is that they can be left in play. Players not only have to remember where the various animal halves are but also which haystacks are empty underneath. This makes the end of the game more challenging when only two animal halves are left. The last player doesn't necessarily get a free match.
 

Lucy demonstrates setting up.

Lucy at play

We've enjoyed playing this game. Naturally, you can play a matching game with most anything but this game makes it more fun. We recommend it heartily!

Zombie Apocalypse Appropriateness: One of the things you might be concerned about is how appropriate a game will be in an apocalyptic setting. I've decided to add some commentary about this issue, specifically on solitaire playability (in case you are left alone in the apocalypse). The game is small, light, and portable, so you can take it on the road with you without undue burden. Also, depending on how well you shuffle the haystacks, you could play solitaire, just to keep your memory challenged. And the farm animals are pretty cheery, so it will raise your spirits. Unless you are really hungry and you grow to curse their inedible plasticity. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.