Tumball

No Christmas could be complete without throwing in a few family games. Like this one from Megableu.

This is Tumball – The nerve wracking bead stacking game.
It’s a very minimalistic easy set up and easy play game. No batteries needed, no board, no counters or even cards. Just a frame and a whole lot of balls and beads.
The coloured calls are suspended in a cradle and the object of the game is to each place a smaller white bead onto the cradle of balls.

It’s not quite as easy as it sounds, as the white beads have to be carefully placed using a thin stick/straw and not with hands or fingers.

If the bead stays on, then the next player goes. However the cradle of balls gradual gets weighed down with the beads on top and begins to come apart meaning the white beads will fall down. If the white beads fall on a go, then the player must pick all the beads up and add them to their own pile. The winner being the one to get rid of all their white beads first.
It takes a steady hand to place the beads correctly and it gets more difficult as the more beads get placed. I think it works best with more players too, as this again adds more beads, building up more of a suspense on each turn. Up to four can play and it’s recommended for ages 5 and over, It’s all about trying to work out the best position to balance the ball cradle out.
I can just imagine this being played on Christmas Day with children and one or two slightly tipsy adults attempting to place the beads with a straw.
Tumball retails around £17.99.