Penguins Huddle Up

I’m back this week with another smart game from Timberdoodle. This one is called Penguins Huddle Up, and it’s definitely a keeper.

It can be played by 2-4 players and has simple enough rules of play that even a six year old can understand it.

Yet it is fun and challenging enough that older kids enjoy playing as well. My kids and grandkids are enthusiastic fans of this new strategy game and have been actively recruiting everybody who drops by our house to play a round or two.

No two rounds of play are alike. The “ice blocks” get repositioned at the start of each game, so the board is continually changing.

And each player’s penguins get placed on the board by the opponent to your left, so the starting positions are never the same, either.

The object of the game is to be first to get all your own same-colored penguins grouped together in a huddle on contiguous ice blocks or spaces.

Each player can move only one penguin one space at a time, although if you land on a space with a “hole” in the ice, the penguin can dive under and pop up through any other (unoccupied) hole on the board.

For an added challenge, you can stipulate that all the penguins in the huddle must have their heads at the same height, which means the babies must stand on the clear, moveable ice blocks, and the adults must stand directly on the board.

You’ve got to think a few moves ahead if you want to group your penguins faster than your opponents. And you’ll want to place your opponents penguins as far away from each other (and from step-saving ice holes) as you possibly can.

The things I like most about Penguins Huddle Up (besides the fact it’s a fun game to play) are the cute, chunky pieces, the bright colors, the clever concept, and the sturdy box.

I also like the fact the games take only 15 minutes or so to play. I can take a break from chores or lessons, play a couple rounds with the kids, then get back to work without sacrificing a whole afternoon.

Do you have kids who’d enjoy playing Penguins Huddle Up as much as mine do? You can get your own copy of the game through Timberdoodle.

And while you’re on the Timberdoodle website, I’d encourage you to look around. We love everything we’ve ever ordered from this small family-owned company!

Be sure to sign up for their Doodle Dollar program to save on future purchases. And to read more of my Timberdoodle Reviews, follow this link.

PLEASE NOTE: As a member of the Timberdoodle blog team, I routinely receive free or deeply discounted products in exchange for writing honest reviews. Opinions expressed in these posts are 100% my own. I’ve been a happy and enthusiastic Timberdoodle customer for decades — long before I ever started blogging for their company.