TGD Review: Three Random Card Games

My wife experienced an unusual, spontaneous game buying phase the other day.  This resulted in my sons and I trying out a few new card games for kids, all produced by Gamewright.  None of the titles are new, each at least a year old, yet I review them quickly below for your information.  It's just the kind of guy I am.


Chomp
The oldest of the three reviewed card games was my least favorite, to be perfectly honest.  This game is a variation on War.  All players begin with the same number of cards and flip over one at a time together from a face down deck.  The players then have to try and recognize the proper food chain order.  Should the sea life featured on a player's card be able to eat that on any other player's card, they must be the first to both shout, "Chomp!" and slap their hand on the proper card.  There are cards that cause occasional variations in the rounds, but for the most part, that is the whole game.  You then continue with this until only one player still holds on to cards.
I, personally, want my kids to play card and board games to get them to calm down.  This game had the opposite effect on my sons.  They were bouncing in their seats nervously before each round and occasionally accusing one another or me of intentionally striking them on the back of their hand.  But they did enjoy it in the end even though I didn't look forward to another round.  Thus, it received three fifths of a star from TGD.


Dweebies
Dweebies is a game that features interesting character art in a line-up strategy game.  The object is to collect the most cards by the end, which you must do by lining two matching "Dweebies" on each end of a line of cards.  You then get to collect the two matching cards and any in between.  There is an indicator on each different card telling you how many of that particular variety are in the deck.  Thus, your kids will learn to try and foresee where they might be able to score and where they should try and block other players scoring attempts. The concept is simple enough for kids to grasp, yet challenging enough for parents to enjoy it along with them.  It may be a useful starter game for those who want to get their kids into counting cards so that they can put some hurt on the casino at the blackjack tables in the future.
Dweebies receives a nine tenths of a star rating.  It's simple, quick, can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike and has the added benefit of including original art on the cards that will amuse you and your kids.


There's a Moose in the House
This was the most unique of the games and the one that seems that it would be the most intriguing to play with a larger group.  Instead of playing cards to construct your own home and place moose in or out of the rooms, your home is at the mercy of your opponents, who sabotage you bedroom, bathroom, kitchen or living room with large four legged creatures at every opportunity.  It has the potential to get fairly cutthroat as you try to stick your opponents with more moose in their homes than you have in yours.
The play of this game can be a bit more confusing, though nothing a few rounds can't iron out.  I enjoyed this one more than my sons but they had a good time with it as well.  It's a good game for kids and adults but takes a bit longer than Dweebies and is slightly more complicated.  thus, it comes a close second in this collective review with four fifths of a star to its name.


That's all for this completely random review of three card games.  If your looking for a simple, inexpensive, space efficient game to play with your kids, I would highly recommend the second two titles.  If you're looking to fire your kids up and cause them to argue as well from time to time, pick up all three.