HappyBirthdayHappy Birthday!, from North Star Games, has game play reminiscent of Apples to Apples: Every round, one player gets to be the judge and adjudicate over a set of cards handed to him by the other players. These cards represent birthday gifts, and the judge chooses one that’s the best and one that’s the worst. The types of presents include kitten, dinosaur sculpture, hot air balloon trip, and even more outlandish things.

Much of the fun derives from the subjective nature of the game: For example, “one night in a haunted house” might not seem like a great gift idea—indeed, the player might have submitted it to try and score a point for the worst present—but who knows? The judge during that round might surprise everyone, deeming it the best of the lot (if you’re friends with this particular player, cherish these moments of camaraderie, as they’re likely to mysteriously vanish one day soon, probably while investigating the Bermuda Triangle).

All 150 game cards feature full-color photographs, adding a potential wrinkle if gamers decide that pictured objects will be the actual gifts. After all, under most circumstances, “puppy” might rank higher than “new school uniform” or “new family car,” but what if said family car is the Batmobile?! (By the way, a lot of images on the cards are amusing, but a few are disturbingly so, which justifies the 6 and up recommended age range.)

Happy Birthday! is a fun party game, and like a lot of the entries in the genre, offers chances for players who know one another to exploit intimate knowledge. Perhaps you play the “underwater tea party” card because both you and the judge have expressed an interest in sipping Chamomile together at the bottom of the Hudson. That’s a point for you. Now if they opt for a different card for best birthday present, or if they deem “underwater tea party” as the worst, of course it’ll be disappointing, but best to know before investing in expensive scuba equipment.

About the author

Phil Guie

Phil Guie

Phil Guie is an associate editor at Adventure Publishing Group. He writes and edits articles for The Toy Book and The Licensing Book. Phil also serves as lead editor for The Toy Book Blog and The Toy Report newsletter, and manages social media for The Toy Book. But of course, Phil’s pride and joy are his weekly reviews for The Toy Insider, in which he writes about video games, movies, and other cool things. His hobbies include comics, baking, fidgeting, and traveling to off-the-beaten places and making new friends.

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