The Fuzzies Review
Advert: this game was gifted by VR Distribution, this has not affected our opinion.
“Does anyone want their Fuzzy Felt?” Is a phrase you were much more likely to hear in the 80s than you are today! To those that didn’t build pictures out of pre-cut felt in their childhood this may, now I re-read it, sound a little like innuendo! So, why am I even talking about it? Well the name of The Fuzzies made me recall the brand from my childhood. Other than that, I’ve pretty much derailed my review introduction very early on and have no real defence for doing so.
In a vague attempt to get back on track and move away from any innuendo, let me ask you, who wants to play with some furry balls? Oh dear, I’ve just reread that too. I give up, let me tell you about the game…
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Setup
Remove the cards and tweezers from their storage area. Shuffle the cards to form a draw deck. Push all the balls down a couple of times with the base in the cup provided. Flip said cup and lift the lid off. You are ready to play, quicker than you can read this paragraph, well nearly. Especially if I make my paragraph this little bit longer.
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Gameplay
There is only one loser in The Fuzzies. All other players get to share the glory of a joint victory. On your turn you look at the card at the top of the draw deck as this tells you which coloured ball you have to go for. Then you remove a coloured fuzzy ball from the stack and place it higher than the point from which you took it. That doesn’t necessarily mean placing it at the top. You can use the tweezers provided or fingers. If any balls drop, you take the corresponding number of cards from the stack (up to a maximum of three) and flip them over to reveal a forfeit.
Forfeits will always impact how you take the next ball from the stack. They range from covering one eye to taking from the stack as if you had an elephant trunk. The forfeits increase the difficulty, add some ridiculousness, but nothing humiliating. The person who topples the tower (or at least ten balls) is the loser.
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What it’s like
If you’ve played Jenga, you pretty much know what to expect. The round balls and colours give this game a little more table presence than boring bits of wood and make less of a racket when they tumble to the table top. Picking by colour and the forfeits also add more to the game.
Dexterity games are predictable that the tower or structure will topple at some point. This is hilarious for the onlookers. Ultimately though, having a loser, particularly in the family environment with younger children, isn’t always the best.
As to age range, I suppose it depends on the fine motor skills of the individual, but there is nothing complex here. Max, my seven year old can play competitively. Although the loss record of the children is far greater than the adult losses. That’ll teach the clumsy kids!
It’s not as easy as it looks, that’s not to say it’s difficult. It just seems like the balls are really stuck together when you pull one from the stack but lack any sort of adherence when you are trying to balance them back into the pile!
I think the novelty will wear off and The Fuzzies may languish for long periods on the shelf between plays. However, when the situation arises and it gets pulled from the Kallax, it will always offer good fun.
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Table Presence
The Fuzzies is a neat little package. The cards and tweezers store in the base of the cup which in turn holds all the Fuzzy balls.
The fuzzy balls are colourful and enticing, it looks great wobbling on the tabletop! I like that the cards have faces on them too. It just adds a little character to them which is super cute.
The rules were light, and that is because there isn’t a lot to this one as you’ve probably gathered. The only question I had that the rules didn’t cover was if you get a forfeit for dropping the ball you were placing. I presume you do as it is implied, but not explicit.
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What the kids thought
Max (7): It’s the best tower game I have ever played! It’s a hundred times better than Jenga! I really like that there is a funny face on all the cards. I also like how you can use your tweezers or your hands. The challenges when you knock a ball off are fun!
George (11): I love it! Normally I hate balancing games because I always lose. I think it is a great game I will play with my friends.
Harrison (14): I would say exactly the same as George, normally I suck at dexterity games but this one easier so I enjoy it more. The forfeit cards are fun too. Overall I’d give it an 8 out of 10.
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Final thoughts on The Fuzzies
The Fuzzies is quick, silly, fun. I can see it getting to the table often at our house. Firstly, the kids think it is brilliant. Secondly, after a tipple with friends and family I can see it being pulled off the shelves and working well. By now, you probably know whether this is a game for you or not.
This party game isn’t going to tax your brain and isn’t going to wow you. However, party games rarely do, they are there to be easy to learn and entertain. The Fuzzies fulfils that brief exceptionally well.
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Key Facts
Number of players: 2 to 4+
Board Game Review Recommended Age: 6+
Publisher’s Recommended Age: 6+
Playing Time: 7 minutes
Setting Up and Take Down Time: 1 minute
Designers: Alex Hague, Justin Vickers, and Wolfgang Warsch
Publisher: CMYK
RRP: £19.99
Summary
If you are looking for a fun, family-friendly, no-brainer party game to have a giggle whilst playing, The Fuzzies is well worth considering. It is bright, colourful and entertaining, what more do you need from a party game?
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Artwork and Components
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Complexity
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Instructions
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Interaction
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Value for Money
Overall
Pros
- Light, silly fun
- Spectacular topples
- Bright and colourful
- Very fun party game
- Forfeits aren’t humiliating
- Family friendly
Cons
- Only one loser
- Balls will go everywhere
- Not much depth
- Novelty will wear off
Need more games?
If you already own The Fuzzies and enjoy it, or are looking for other inspiration, you might also like these similar games:
- Jenga
- Tokyo Highway
- Rhino Hero
- Men at Work
Reviewer’s Note
For clarity: we don’t get paid for our reviews. However, we were kindly gifted this game by VR Distribution. We have tried not to let this affect our review in any way.
