We always host Thanksgiving, which means I am always looking for ways to keep
Chicken and Nugget entertained while I get things ready. This year, enter Outfoxed.
Outfoxed is a fun, engaging, cooperative game geared for the younger crowd. A wiley fox has put on a disguise and you must figure out who the thief is before the fox escapes out the fox hole. If he does, you lose. I know, sounds weird, but it really does make sense once you start to play.
The game consists of a board, three dice with paw prints and eyes on them, a stack of suspect cards, a stack of thief cards, token-esque clues, 4 hat-shaped player pieces, a fox figure, and a decoder. Yes, a decoder. The main reason the game is such a hit.
A thief card is selected at random (don’t peek!) and is put inside the decoder to be revealed at the end of the game. The suspect cards are laid around the edge of the board. Players take turns rolling the first three dice. Prior to rolling the dice, you must state if you are going for a clue (paw prints)or a suspect (eyes). If you match all three dice with the correct symbol, you get to flip over a suspect card or move toward a spot on the board that will allow you to put a clue in the decoder. If not, you have to move the fox three spaces down the path on the board, bringing the fox closer to his escape.
The goal is to use the clues and deductive reasoning to figure out who the thief is before the fox escapes. For example, if your decoder tells you that the thief has a necklace, and good old Mary is not wearing one, then you know Mary is not your gal. Conversely, if Alice IS wearing one, she is still in the running.
The cooperative aspect comes in several guises. Players will start to encourage (or shout out, whichever) others to go for a clue, or point out we don’t have enough suspects. Players have to decide whether to listen to their teammates or go with their gut. Near the end of the game, players must also make decisions as a team. Are we confident enough to take a guess as to who the thief may be? If we are wrong, we lose! Do we want to risk rolling the dice, not getting a match, and letting the fox escape? Because we all win, or we all lose. Oh, the drama and the negotiation! I feel obligated to point out here that Chicken recently convinced Nugget and I to listen to her, which resulted in us losing the game. Thanks, Chicken.
We started playing this game when Chicken and Nugget were 7 and 5, respectively. I played it with them a few times, and they were soon able to play independently. Like get it out, set it all up, play multiple rounds, and put it away all by themselves. Hallelujah! So I can be up to my elbows in mashed potatoes and apple pie, and they can happily play away without an iota of help from me. It really is a Thanksgiving miracle.
It’s also a game I actually enjoy playing with them, and it is a frequent star of our family game nights. The concept is simple but fun, the decoder brings an unique aspect to the table, each round is completely different, I like watching them negotiate the strategy, and for a kids game there are moments of drama- are we going to figure it out? Will the fox get away?!?
So….
What it is: fun, cooperative, easy for kids to play independently, a great way to practice those logic and negotiation skills, unique (decoder!), visually attractive, nicely illustrated, reasonably priced, probably best for kiddos ages 4 to 9 maybe older if they are a really kind older sibling), a game that stays fresh because it is different each time you play
What it isn’t: Meant for tweens and up, travel sized (although if they make one I would totally get it- hello, restaurants!), heavy on requiring academic skills that require lots of adult support
Would we recommend it?: Totally! My kids absolutely love it, and so do I. It’s great addition to any game library for the younger child. And I would have said this even if it hadn’t completely made my Thanksgiving prep way easier today.
We were introduced to this game at a local independent toy store and I have seen it popping up more and more at different places lately. However, should you not have a store like that near you or they simply don’t carry this game, it is, of course, available on Amazon.
Adventures with Chicken and Nugget 