Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Firstly, I would say that the age rating (9+) is appropriate for this game. We have played it several times and found it enjoyable each time.
How the game is played:
The lifepod and Visa DEBIT cards are a real addition to the game. I highlight the word debit because some people seem to be voicing their concerns that this game is Visa's way of getting children hooked on credit cards at a young age. I do not have a credit card, but I do have a debit card for several reasons, primarily because the world is becoming more electronic and sometimes you need a debit card (for example, ordering something off Amazon.) Another thing that may remove some worries is that there is a penalty for being in debt in the game. Every time you spin and you are in debt you get 10% of your total amount taken away. (In a way this discourages debt because you can easily lose the game this way.)
How the Game is Played:
One of the most fun features of this game is that all players do not have to take the same "Life path." There are 4 paths you can choose to start on (although you can move between all 4 throughout the game) learn it, earn it, live it, and love it.
The lifepod records everything (except for you occupation although it does keep your salary) and you have a "scorecard" which really functions only to have something to clip your "Occupation" card to.
We love the lifepod as it makes the game fun, less messy, and interesting. Each turn you put your visa debit card into the lifepod and press spin.
The goal of the game is to get the most life points. (Money, assets, children, homes, etc... are turned into lifepoints at the end of the game.)
Learn it is the area of the bored where you can get a degree and (if you desire) a PhD. Only about half of the careers actually require degrees.
Earn it is the area of the board where you have the opportunity to make money, buy cars and houses, and get promotions.
Love it is the area of the board focused on getting married and having children (and also buying cars and houses). (As a note you can ony have children if you are married even in adoptions).
Live it is focused primarily on adventure and earning life points.
Each turn you spin, collect your life points and then move your skateboard/car/sports car (whatever you have at the time) to the next space. On all 4 areas of the bored you have several crossroads you can choose to go down.
Even if you do not land on anything you still get to choose a LIFE card. Each LIFE card has 4 options (one for each area of the bored) and you follow what is said on your area.)
(Example:
Earn It: You find a wallet and return it to its owner. Collect a reward. +500 LIFE +$1000
Learn It: Fail your class in auto repair when you forget to put oil back in the car. -$10,000
Live It: You party with your favorite celebrity. +800 LIFE
Love It: You didn't see your cousin's car in the driveway and you ran into it when you backed out of the garage. -300 LIFE -$10,000.
The cards are pretty randomized although after a few turns the same things do start to reappear.
The way to win is by having the most LIFE points in the end. You choose the number of years you would like to play (I would recommend 10-20 or it gets boring) in the beginning. After the last spin you put your Visa debit cards back into the LifePod and it adds up all your life points.
Pros:
*Compared to the original Life game I have found this to be much more fun and more realistic. Not everyone chooses to get married and some people have 10 children but don't focus on careers... etc... It's more personal choices rather than just luck in this game
*The LifePod is brilliant (takes AA batteries, I use rechargeable ones for all my games.) It makes the game fun and easy to add everything up and keep score of everything
*This game seems to allure more interest from a more diverse group of players than the original board game
*2-4 Players, this is also a con, but as a pro it's fun to have some games that just 2 people can play, sometimes you don't always have a huge group
Cons:
*The biggest con I have found is with the careers. If you spend several turns focusing on earning a degree it should be more valuable than the "supermodel" who by chance (with no degree) wins the game by 5X the LIFE points. College degrees (and especially Phds should be like houses and add LIFE points every spin.
*Another con is not so much with the game as it is the idea of the game as well. It seems that American consumerism is extremely positive in this game. You can own up to 3 cars and 3 houses at the same time. Many of the cards say things such as "purchase a boat, +1000 LIFE points" while cards that read "Help your grandmother with her garden" only earn +100 points. The game seems to say that real life should be all about earning money, spending money, and all they toys you can accumulate on the way. Unfortunately in real life these things often leave people empty and lonely. While I don't see this being a big enough problem to keep me from playing the game, I am disappointed to see so much value put on material things and career advancement vs. relationships and education, especially in a family board game that would probably be purchased by families or friends trying to emphasize the value of relationships.
*2-4 players, while a pro this is also a con, I think this game would be better suited to have 2-6 players. While I can see playing on teams it could be frustrating (especially with middle school kids) if one wants to love it and the other earn it. :)
*It would also be nice if there was about double the LIFE cards as this game comes with. After a few plays the same LIFE scenarios come up again and can be a little repetitive.
Overall I would give this game a 4 star rating. Lots of fun, especially if you like the original LIFE, not too hard to understand, and entertaining for a pretty vast range of ages. Plus you can't complain when a board game can be played with as few as 2.
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The Game of Life Twists & TurnsThe Game of Life: Twists and Turns puts a new and modern spin on Hasbro's classic family board game. It is a game of choices, where players can "test drive" different lifestyles, take their chances and experience the twists and turns of real life. Jobs, money, marriage, children and all sorts of unexpected events -- just like real life, it's all here! Recommended for ages 8 and up, there are a thousand different ways to play this game, and no two games will ever be the same.Updating a ClassicLike the classic version of the Game of Life, the Game of Life: Twists and Turns is based around real-life events. You'll choose a profession at the beginning of the game, and roll the dice to progress along the board. As you progress, you'll encounter all sorts of real-life events (injected with a hefty dose of humor, of course), including marriage, houses, cars and family matters. You'll essentially live real life and make life-defining decisions, but without having to live with the consequences.However, Twists and Turns has a number of updates in store. Not only does it offer far more choices and possibilities than the original, it also has a number of new technical features that both longtime fans and newly-introduced players will appreciate greatly. The game now features a "LIFEPod," which helps players keep track of time and manage their careers, houses, cars and families with the touch of the button. The high-tech interface adds loads of fun to the game. The innovations don't stop there: each player now gets their very own Visa credit card, which they can use to spend. This not only puts a fresh modern twist on the game, but it also could possibly teach younger players about credit card responsibility at an early age. This gives educational value to an already quirky and fun game.
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