Review: Tall Tales Game – Imagination Required!

We received the Tall Tales game on a Friday.  With only one daughter home that day, I had hopes of waiting until her sister was home to open it.  Didn’t happen… it was opened and my daughter and I played it right away.   The first thing we notice was how different Tall Tales was from other games.  Sure there were directions in the box, every game comes with directions.  However even if you read the directions, it still had us reading them twice, then looking for another sheet of paper.  Surely there has to be a way to win this game, or a time limit or something?  Nope… no winner and no time limit.  We were intrigued to say the least.

The directions give five different ways to play.  Tall Tales comes with 50 small flexible type game pieces, as well as 24 story cards.  At first I thought perhaps my girls, at almost 12 years old, might think this was too young.  The box does say “Ages 4-99 Imagination Required” on the box, so I remained optimistic.   So first Nora and I played it, quite soon finding ourselves laughing and enjoying it.  We tried different versions of it based on the directions.  Then my husband, after watching us, gave us a new idea, so we tried that and liked it.  Then Ella came home the next day and we showed her the game. She too kind of had a puzzled look -no winner or time limit? This game, the game with no time limit, and no winner, became a hit at our house.  Our girls were playing it all weekend and making up their own versions to it, laughing, storytelling and enjoy it every which way they tried. Imagination is required, but not too hard to find once you pick up Tall Tales.

How does Tall Tales work?

This real 3-D game includes 50 detailed game pieces, 24 full color story cards and a story bag to store game pieces. Players draw random story elements from the story bag and twist their best tale using each piece.

With 5 ways to play the only limit is your imagination!

·        Basic Game: One player reaches into the story bag and draws 8 story pieces one at a time. Player then begins telling a TALL TALE using one of the pieces drawn until all the pieces are included in the story. The story can be as wacky or fun as your imagination will allow. When the story is over, all the pieces go back into the story bag, and the next player draws to start their TALL TALE.

·        World Tales: Follow the BASIC GAME directions. After drawing 8 story pieces, draw one story place card and use that card as an environment for your TALL TALE. As you tell your story, place your story pieces on the story place card as used.

·        Taller Tales: Choose a number 9 to 50. One player draws one piece to use in their story. Once that piece is used, that player draws another piece which must be the next piece they use in their story. The story continues until the number of pieces chosen to use is achieved. Story place cards may be added for even more variations.

·        Group Tales: Each player draws two or more story pieces, making the total number of pieces among all players between 10 and 20 (or whatever amount you desire). The first player chooses one piece they’ve drawn and begins the story. Once the first player uses their piece in the tale, they pass the story onto the second player who continues, using one of their pieces. The story passes from player to player until all players have used up all their pieces. Story place cards may be added for an added challenge.

·        Marathon Tales: Like TALLER TALES, but the number chosen is always 50 pieces (the entire bag). Have one story teller, or make it like Group Tales where the story travels from player to player. Story place cards may be added for professional storytellers.