It’s usually quite calm in my household, but that all changed when we decided to have a game of Ravensburger’s ‘Bugs in the Kitchen’. A fast paced family game for 2-4 players, and designed for ages 6 and up.
Family themed mayhem
Whether you’re playing in a group of 2 or 4, this adaptable yet chaotic game is always full of fun. The first time I played was with my partner, and one quick game turned into several very competitive bouts of bug herding.
The aim of the game is simply to guide the nano bug through the maze and into the right trap to gain coins; with the first player to five coins being the winner. This is achieved by rolling the dice to decide which utensil you can turn, and using the movement to guide the bug in the right direction.
It’s this simplicity which makes this game so much fun to play, and perfect for playing on a family game night. And with rounds being so quick, you can easily fit a few games in.
What’s lurking inside?
Inside the box are a variety of components that will be sure to excite everyone playing. This includes:
- 1x HEXBUG nano;
- 1x 3D game board;
- 24x movable utensils;
- 18x cockroach tokens;
- 1x die;
- 2x doors;
- Instructions.
From the get go, if you plan on playing this with younger children, I recommend setting this up on the table and inviting them over once it’s ready. The mechanisms that work under the board are easy enough to set up but can take a little bit of time.
But once you’re all set up, there’s very little to playing the game, which means rounds are fast paced and heaps of fun. In fact, the rules could be explained in under 30 seconds, leaving more time for playing.
I also love that the game has been designed to have a limited number of pieces that can be knocked off the table. All cutlery is attached to the board, as the bug is trapped in the maze, which only leaves the dice to be rolled by each player. Which makes tidying up at the end of the game far easier.
Creepy Crawly Chaos
The main highlight of this game for me has to be the Nano Hex bug that is included and comes with the game. It’s ready to go right out of the box and once you place it in the maze it springs to life and skitters around the board.
Personally, this little bug brought back so much nostalgia for me, and probably will do for most adults as I had quite a few growing up as a kid. They were amazing fun to play with, and I remember making paths and mazes for it to follow through the house.
I would, however, recommend placing it back in the small case it comes in to avoid it getting lost easily. As it’s quite a small component, it’s quite easy to misplace and lose.
Engaging little brains
Although this is a fun game for any age group to enjoy, I think it’s also really important to highlight just how many ways this game engages learning in children. Problem solving immediately comes into play as the cutlery walls are always changing throughout the game, prompting players to combine symbols and quick thinking to direct the bug to victory.
It also teaches adaptability and resilience, as even if you have the perfect path designed for the bug, it may quickly change direction any second. This encourages players to think about all directions when planning their route, and to plan short term to combat the unpredictability.
Final thoughts
As I’ve said throughout the review, I can’t express how deceptively fun Bugs in the Kitchen is to play. Even though it’s designed with the younger audience in mind, it’s still great fun and very competitive with two adults battling it out.
It’s everything that it needs to be, and with very little set up or clean up involved, it’s a great game to get out if you have half an hour spare before you go out, as rounds are so fast paced.
And I’d love to know if your family enjoyed it as much as mine did. Be sure to let us know by using the @zatu tag on all social media platforms.
