Great review! I'm a fairly experienced GM for games such as Warhammer Fantasy, and Chivalry & Sorcery, which of course are definitely not suitable for children, however I was turned on to Amazing Tales by a friend, and have now run several games with my 6-year old Daughter. The beauty of Amazing Tales and it's simplicity is that you can really have *anything*. The last game we played had a walking Jellyfish, a Robot Princess and a walking, talking ninja crocodile in the fairies setting. As a GM, it really keeps you on your toes as you are constantly adjusting the story around the children's actions, and encouraging them to find innovative solutions to the problems you throw in their path. Amazing Tales really helps encourage children's language and confidence skills as they describe in great detail how their character acts. The rule system is also simple enough that my 6-year old was even able to GM an adventure for me to play through. While the PDF is great, I would encourage people to seek out the hardback book - having the physical media that your child can look through the pictures really helps.
Second grade teacher here, I just started implementing this game in my classroom yesterday! I play a 20-minute session with a group of five and send them off to journal about their adventures. This has been the most engagement and the most voluntary writing I've ever got from my students! What a great product! Also, as a new GM for adults, there are so many invaluable pieces of advice and skills to glean by GMing for kids. This book is filled with advice on how to build up tension without relying too heavily on violence, letting your players narrate some of the details, failing forward and trying to say yes to your players as much as you can. Certainly one of my best purchases of the year.
Tip 1 -- Make a random table of settings that the Mystery Machine rolls up too (e.g., amusement park, museum, old castle, etc.) Tip 2 -- Make a random table of reasons why the kids are going there (e.g., vacation, to see someone's aunt, etc.) Tip 3 -- Introduce two or three NPC early (e.g., caretaker, two of whom seem suspicious and the other innocent (who will in the end be guilty); possibly a fourth that is a celebrity (e.g., phyllis diller, harlem globetrotters) who will work with the team. Tip 4 -- Make a random table of monster types (e.g., ghost, werewolf, caveman, mummy, etc.) that you see on the scooby doo show. Tip 5 -- Create setting by rolling thing up (or choosing) setting elements the tables; place them in the setting. Map out the setting like a game board so the players can move tokens or tell you where they are going. Tip 6 -- Place clues (or things the kids might witness) in the setting that point to the motive behind some crime that the monster is committing, but not necessarily who the culprit is. When they go to those locations, they will find those items (possibly with some chance of failure if something is missing). Tip 7 -- When the kids show up at the place, introduce the NPCs and let them tell the kids about the monster who has been bothering them. The kids will say realize that they have a mystery to solve. Tip 8 -- If you put some time constraint (such as number of turns to finish) they might split up to make the search go faster. Tip 9 -- After they have enough clues to determine a motive, they will rejoin and discuss a crazy plan to trap the monster (based their observations of its behavior). Tip 10 -- If the trap works, they can de-mask the monster and find out whodunnit, and it should be the person who seemed innocent at the beginning. Tip 11 -- Let the kids explain the motive for the crime and how it was done. Tip 12 -- End with the culprit admitting guilt by saying, "And I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for these meddling kids." The secret to fantasy game design, in my experience, is to determine what kind of things can happen in the literature you are basing it on, then finding the mechanics to make it come to life with some sense of risk.
I'm just exploring tabletop RPGs for myself but thought it would be fun to experiment with it with my kids. This review convinced me to buy this product.
Thank you for this. I admit to not knowing much about RPGs, but my husband plays D&D and some other ones. Our 4 year old really wants to play with them but they're a little too complex. I think this would be one we can play with her (and I can play too--considering I'm a total novice). I didn't want to buy it if it were too complicated for her to play. I appreciate your review.
You're very welcome. IF you have any worry look up their sample PDF it has all the mechanic of the game for free. The purchased book then also includes settings and tips for GMs
Great review!
I'm a fairly experienced GM for games such as Warhammer Fantasy, and Chivalry & Sorcery, which of course are definitely not suitable for children, however I was turned on to Amazing Tales by a friend, and have now run several games with my 6-year old Daughter.
The beauty of Amazing Tales and it's simplicity is that you can really have *anything*. The last game we played had a walking Jellyfish, a Robot Princess and a walking, talking ninja crocodile in the fairies setting. As a GM, it really keeps you on your toes as you are constantly adjusting the story around the children's actions, and encouraging them to find innovative solutions to the problems you throw in their path.
Amazing Tales really helps encourage children's language and confidence skills as they describe in great detail how their character acts.
The rule system is also simple enough that my 6-year old was even able to GM an adventure for me to play through.
While the PDF is great, I would encourage people to seek out the hardback book - having the physical media that your child can look through the pictures really helps.
Second grade teacher here, I just started implementing this game in my classroom yesterday! I play a 20-minute session with a group of five and send them off to journal about their adventures. This has been the most engagement and the most voluntary writing I've ever got from my students! What a great product!
Also, as a new GM for adults, there are so many invaluable pieces of advice and skills to glean by GMing for kids. This book is filled with advice on how to build up tension without relying too heavily on violence, letting your players narrate some of the details, failing forward and trying to say yes to your players as much as you can. Certainly one of my best purchases of the year.
Thank you for the review. It was very helpful in helping me determine whether or not to purchase this.
Are there helps for running a "Scooby-doo"-type mystery game?
Tip 1 -- Make a random table of settings that the Mystery Machine rolls up too (e.g., amusement park, museum, old castle, etc.)
Tip 2 -- Make a random table of reasons why the kids are going there (e.g., vacation, to see someone's aunt, etc.)
Tip 3 -- Introduce two or three NPC early (e.g., caretaker, two of whom seem suspicious and the other innocent (who will in the end be guilty); possibly a fourth that is a celebrity (e.g., phyllis diller, harlem globetrotters) who will work with the team.
Tip 4 -- Make a random table of monster types (e.g., ghost, werewolf, caveman, mummy, etc.) that you see on the scooby doo show.
Tip 5 -- Create setting by rolling thing up (or choosing) setting elements the tables; place them in the setting. Map out the setting like a game board so the players can move tokens or tell you where they are going.
Tip 6 -- Place clues (or things the kids might witness) in the setting that point to the motive behind some crime that the monster is committing, but not necessarily who the culprit is. When they go to those locations, they will find those items (possibly with some chance of failure if something is missing).
Tip 7 -- When the kids show up at the place, introduce the NPCs and let them tell the kids about the monster who has been bothering them. The kids will say realize that they have a mystery to solve.
Tip 8 -- If you put some time constraint (such as number of turns to finish) they might split up to make the search go faster.
Tip 9 -- After they have enough clues to determine a motive, they will rejoin and discuss a crazy plan to trap the monster (based their observations of its behavior).
Tip 10 -- If the trap works, they can de-mask the monster and find out whodunnit, and it should be the person who seemed innocent at the beginning.
Tip 11 -- Let the kids explain the motive for the crime and how it was done.
Tip 12 -- End with the culprit admitting guilt by saying, "And I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for these meddling kids."
The secret to fantasy game design, in my experience, is to determine what kind of things can happen in the literature you are basing it on, then finding the mechanics to make it come to life with some sense of risk.
Good honest review, bought the book... Very simple and therefore appropriate. Excellent for kids 4-9 more or less.
I'm just exploring tabletop RPGs for myself but thought it would be fun to experiment with it with my kids. This review convinced me to buy this product.
same reason why I am here :)
Thank you for making this!
Thank you for this. I admit to not knowing much about RPGs, but my husband plays D&D and some other ones. Our 4 year old really wants to play with them but they're a little too complex. I think this would be one we can play with her (and I can play too--considering I'm a total novice). I didn't want to buy it if it were too complicated for her to play. I appreciate your review.
You're very welcome. IF you have any worry look up their sample PDF it has all the mechanic of the game for free. The purchased book then also includes settings and tips for GMs
Thanks for this good review. I bought a copy.
Nice positive review. Seriously making me considering getting it for my two young girls. Thanks.
Awesome review I think I will pick this up for my kiddo
Ordering now. Thanks!
Thanks for the great review!
Thanks for watching AND commenting
Thanks for this!
I liked the review, thanks
It's definitely could've been a "better review" if you showed us inside the book. Thank you
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