Beasts of Balance Game Review
It may be hard to classify the Beasts of Balance Game as it is on its own level of unique gameplay. It is an augmented reality game that you physically play like a type of stacking board game, that is completely connected with and affects the digital game's virtual world. Using Bluetooth technology the plinth, or base is connected to your phone, tablet, or computer. You stack animals, energy blocks, and more to create endless possibilities within the digital game world.
Beasts of Balance is a Powered by Mom Holiday Gift Guide pick. Check out our Gift Guide HERE.
We were SO excited to get this and play it!
The Concept
This game is all about balance. Physically balancing the various animals, energy blocks, and migration and morph blocks on the plinth. You also have to balance the ecosystem you create within the digital world! Certain animals are stronger and take energy from smaller animals each turn. Once animals all have the same level of energy, balance is achieved. You can boost smaller animals with energy blocks, or conserve and redistribute energy with the miracle block.
The Game
The Beasts of Balance Game has physical game pieces and the app you download. You must have an Android device or an iOS device to get the app. The plinth the connects via Bluetooth to your device (make sure your Bluetooth is turned on!) The first time through you can follow the tutorial, but as it turns out the "rules" are simple. You pick what you want to place on the plinth and hold the icon on the pice to the icon on the plinth until it registers on the screen (this is very quick!) Stack you animals and block and build your digital world!
The Blocks
Animal blocks place animals within your world. Migration blocks will transform animals into new ones in a different environment. Morph blocks will also combine animals into new and strange creatures! The game keeps track of all your new discoveries as well in the Beastiary. The miracle block adds another element by allowing you to store and redistribute energy to animals, but you have to complete challenges on the app while placing your block on the plinth! Fail the miracle challenge and you lose the miracle. There is no right way or wrong way to play. This makes it simple for everyone, young and old, to figure out. You stack whatever piece you want on your turn!
Playing
My boys loved playing! Balancing the pieces helps with hand-eye coordination, and teaches them basic elements of physics. They loved seeing the new stuff pop up on the screen and would race the volcano to rebuild their stack if it fell. Admittedly they did not pay a whole lot of attention to the digital games portion of "balancing" the animals' energy. So they learned that they would lose animals if they didn't keep their energy up. What's great is if your stack falls, you do not have to rebuild it the exact same way. As long as all the pieces get back on, you're good to go. We managed to save a couple of topples and keep playing!
Winning and Losing
The Beasts of Balance Game is almost endless. It's all about how many points you can rack up by keeping animals alive (if they lose all their energy, they die!) and adding new ones. However, if your stack falls, you have limited time to rebuild or the digital volcano explodes, your world is destroyed, and the game is over.
Overall
This game is crazy fun. Its simple concept makes it easy to learn and play, but the ever-changing digital worlds you create with it keep it interesting. My kids love playing this on their own, and I have just as much fun playing with them! I plan on bringing this with us during the holidays to play with the whole family. The Beasts of Balance Game will be a go-to for our family for quite a while!
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I like that it is a physical play item where the child interacts with the blocks.
This would be fun for my boys to play and to help them practice fine motor skills.
I love games like this. Challenging with balance aspect and learning about nature and ecosystem
I like the idea of a balancing game
Sounds like a fun game! I love the Bluetooth technology!
I would love to play this with my granddaughters. We have a game night about twice a month.
I love this game, I know that my grandson would also love it. We would have hours of fun playing it.
This looks like so much fun. My daughters would enjoy playing this.
My girls like to balance blocks and so forth so I think they would really like this game.
Looks like a blast!
This is a very creative game and it looks like it will be a lot of fun. we can't wait to try it out.
This game looks so fun
What a fun looking game! Would love to play this with my little one! Thanks for sharing.
My Grandson would love to play this.
That looks like a lot of fun.
Looks like a fun and educational game. I learned that balancing the pieces helps with hand-eye coordination, and teaches kids basic elements of physics
this is kind of great,, i think it would keep kids interested and help them learn as they go
What a fun and versatile game that would be fun for the entire family. I have not seen any game quite like this before.
This game looks so much fun not only for children, i love that it involves technology and hand on
This sounds like it would be so much fun for our whole family. Thanks for the review!
These would be perfect for my niece
I really think my niece would love this. It sounds very different.
This sounds like fun and teaches kids cause and effect at the same time they are playing! I'd have as much fun playing it as my daughter! LOL
Looks like a fun and learning game also
This would make a great gift for my son. He would love how interactive it is.
this would be great fun for my to play with my little niece
This game looks like it would be fun. My grand kids would love it
A game I know many children would like as a Christmas gift.
This would be a fun game to have for the holidays when all the family and kids are visiting.