We recently purchased FReNeTiC game after some deliberation.
As a guidance the game is aimed at those 8+ (but this depends entirely on child and ability-you may find your 6 year old enjoying the game).
How does it work?
Initially I was in two minds about purchasing another words game. We've thoroughly enjoyed our Bananagram game (see blog post here), and therefore didn't want another game that was very similar. However, even though word building is involved, this game is has a completely different structure and style.
The game board is the periodic table (symbols and atomic numbers), and alongside the board you use the tiles. There are 96 tiles with symbols and atomic numbers.
The rules of the game are simple, you can play in teams or solo, and using the timer it is all about word building.
At that start of play, the first player removes 8 tiles from the bag (lovely little pouch). These tiles are placed face up on the board in the correct places, and these letter are used to create words in 45 seconds. You cannot switch letters around, for instance sodium is Na, so in order to create a word you cannot switch the 'n' and 'a' around (can use 'Na' to write Nan but not Ban). All words must use at least two tiles (otherwise my list would consist of 'Am', 'I', 'Be'!). A symbol can be used more than once, and plurals are acceptable.
Once time is up, it's time to add up and check scores. Word scores are simply the atomic number for each symbol added, and the winner is the first person to reach 1000.
After the first round the next player picks 4 tiles (not 8 again), and play resumes as before.
Tiles with the FReNeTiC logo act similar to the blank tiles in scrabble. So the tile can be used to act as any symbol on the board, but can only be used once (and you don't place it on the board).
There are other rules such as double scores, spelling element names (means you receive all the FReNeTiC tiles) and more...
What we think
I must admit, I was awful during the first few rounds! I was shocked at how terribly I was playing, but it was so much fun with my 7 year old. He did (I can't believe I'm saying this) score more than me in the first rounds, and that alone was a huge boost for him!
I was elated to learn that this is in fact very different from the other word games such as Bananagram and scrabble. Even though the general concept is similar, word building, the rules, the symbols and the timer etc are all very different ideas, making this unique.
I've noted that little person is happily remembering elements and atomic numbers. This has been a huge step in our home schooling journey, even though he doesn't need to know this information, it is fantastic to have this knowledge. We will be starting our periodic table online lessons soon, so this can only further improve what he does need to learn.
Personally I've throughly enjoyed this game too, it's been a nice walk down memory lane (chemistry A-Level was a long time ago!!). I can also see myself using this game as a revision tool with little person, in fact I have so many ideas of other ways to use this game....just a case of starting these! It'll be great for games such as 'memory', timing little person placing the tiles in the correct places on the board and remembering where, for instance, noble gases are and so on.
Our Verdict
I am extremely pleased to say we have thoroughly enjoyed playing FReNeTiC. Word building with a twist has been a wonderful learning tool for English, the periodic table and elements have been a great addition to our science, and the timer aspect has really helped little person appreciate working 'under pressure ' (he has no idea really(!))...
The quality is as expected, of a high standard. Everything needed is included, even the timer, pencils and notepads. The rules booklet is so simple to understand, and I may not like to admit this, but there have been games in the past that have required multiple reads of the rules to try to fathom what to do! That was not the case here, and 7 year old read and understood how to play.
Overall, a big thumbs up from us! Why not give it a try and see for yourself, we purchased ours here, head over and take a look!
As a guidance the game is aimed at those 8+ (but this depends entirely on child and ability-you may find your 6 year old enjoying the game).
How does it work?
Initially I was in two minds about purchasing another words game. We've thoroughly enjoyed our Bananagram game (see blog post here), and therefore didn't want another game that was very similar. However, even though word building is involved, this game is has a completely different structure and style.
The game board is the periodic table (symbols and atomic numbers), and alongside the board you use the tiles. There are 96 tiles with symbols and atomic numbers.
The rules of the game are simple, you can play in teams or solo, and using the timer it is all about word building.
At that start of play, the first player removes 8 tiles from the bag (lovely little pouch). These tiles are placed face up on the board in the correct places, and these letter are used to create words in 45 seconds. You cannot switch letters around, for instance sodium is Na, so in order to create a word you cannot switch the 'n' and 'a' around (can use 'Na' to write Nan but not Ban). All words must use at least two tiles (otherwise my list would consist of 'Am', 'I', 'Be'!). A symbol can be used more than once, and plurals are acceptable.
Once time is up, it's time to add up and check scores. Word scores are simply the atomic number for each symbol added, and the winner is the first person to reach 1000.
After the first round the next player picks 4 tiles (not 8 again), and play resumes as before.
Tiles with the FReNeTiC logo act similar to the blank tiles in scrabble. So the tile can be used to act as any symbol on the board, but can only be used once (and you don't place it on the board).
There are other rules such as double scores, spelling element names (means you receive all the FReNeTiC tiles) and more...
What we think
I must admit, I was awful during the first few rounds! I was shocked at how terribly I was playing, but it was so much fun with my 7 year old. He did (I can't believe I'm saying this) score more than me in the first rounds, and that alone was a huge boost for him!
I was elated to learn that this is in fact very different from the other word games such as Bananagram and scrabble. Even though the general concept is similar, word building, the rules, the symbols and the timer etc are all very different ideas, making this unique.
I've noted that little person is happily remembering elements and atomic numbers. This has been a huge step in our home schooling journey, even though he doesn't need to know this information, it is fantastic to have this knowledge. We will be starting our periodic table online lessons soon, so this can only further improve what he does need to learn.
Personally I've throughly enjoyed this game too, it's been a nice walk down memory lane (chemistry A-Level was a long time ago!!). I can also see myself using this game as a revision tool with little person, in fact I have so many ideas of other ways to use this game....just a case of starting these! It'll be great for games such as 'memory', timing little person placing the tiles in the correct places on the board and remembering where, for instance, noble gases are and so on.
Our Verdict
I am extremely pleased to say we have thoroughly enjoyed playing FReNeTiC. Word building with a twist has been a wonderful learning tool for English, the periodic table and elements have been a great addition to our science, and the timer aspect has really helped little person appreciate working 'under pressure ' (he has no idea really(!))...
The quality is as expected, of a high standard. Everything needed is included, even the timer, pencils and notepads. The rules booklet is so simple to understand, and I may not like to admit this, but there have been games in the past that have required multiple reads of the rules to try to fathom what to do! That was not the case here, and 7 year old read and understood how to play.
Overall, a big thumbs up from us! Why not give it a try and see for yourself, we purchased ours here, head over and take a look!
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