Mousetrap game

by Caitlin Tull
(Virginia, USA)

Game:
Mousetrap
Game manufacturer:
Hasbro/Parker Brothers
Number of players
2-4
Ages:
6+

Quick verdict

Mousetrap is lots of fun. It requires fine motor skills and a quest to capture! I actually loved this game as a kid and still enjoy it very much.

The game and gameplay

To start gameplay, you must get everything set up, which I am sure you've already done, right? Pick your mouse and line up at the starting line.

Remember now, youngest first, then follow to your left. On your turn, roll the dice and move your mouse the number of spaces indicated.

Then carry out any instructions printed in the space landed upon. Two or more mice can be on one space at the same time.

The build spaces are the only things that can get confusing in the Mousetrap game. What you must do is if you land on one, you can only play that if the number of people playing the game corresponds to the number on the board. For example: If there are two players, then you may only play on the build spaces that say: 2, 2-3 or 2-3-4.

Also, you have to play the pieces in numerical order! So, if you are first, you can put down part #1, which is Base A on the board.

Then take a Cheese Card from the pile. If you land on the Build Space around the Cheese Wheel, you get to build two parts of the Mousetrap and take two Cheese Cards. If you complete the trap, nothing happens if you land on a build space.

There are spaces called Go Back, Move Ahead, and Go To Cheese. If you land on one of these, you go to the space indicated but do nothing.

There are spaces called Take Cheese or Lose Cheese. When you land here, take or return the required amount.

Every time you land on the Cheese Wheel Space, you automatically take two Cheese Cards. Also, and this is the best part, in my opinion. If you require Cheese Cards, and the pile is empty, you can take them from whoever has the most. In the event of a tie, you can take from one opponent, or divide equally amongst the two.

There is also a Loop on the Mousetrap game board which is six spaces, beginning with Safe and ending with the Cheese Wheel. You circle around this Loop until the Trap is complete and only one mouse remains. Then the game is done.

When your trap is done, you can try to capture your mouse friends. If you end your turn on the Turn Crank space and there is a mouse on the wheel, you can turn the crank to try and capture it. If that mouse is caught, its owner is out of the game. You receive their Cheese Cards.

BUT, if the trap fails, which it could, that mouse gets to be safe! Also, if you end your turn, and no mouse is on the wheel, you may pay with your Cheese Cards to roll the dice and try to "lure" the mice to the trap.

If you get a mouse there, you can try to trap them! But if you or they happen to be on the safe space, nothing can happen.

Other games your family might enjoy!

10 Days in Asia
Aggravation board game
Blokus
3D Blokus game
Clue (Cluedo)
Clue Harry Potter edition
Clue Jr.
Connect Four
Cover Up board game
Game of Life board game
Guess Who? game
Hide and Seek game
Jenga stacking game
Jumanji game
Mall Madness
Mancala board game
Monopoly games guide
Mousetrap game
Pass the Pigs
Pay Day board game
Pictionary
Ruin board game
Skip-Bo
Sorry the board game
The Pumpkin King game
Ticket to Ride board game
Toppo game
Toss Across
Tribond game
Tricky Town
Trouble board game
Turn the Tide game
Twister game
Uno card game
Wooly Bully
Yahtzee game
Yahtzee Free For All
Zathura game
Best family board games guide
The Game of Life for the PC
Skip Bo Castaway Caper for the PC
Monopoly PC game

Pros and cons

I love the Mousetrap game so much! I really can't find many faults with it, honestly.

The only problem I have found is that the trap pieces can be a little rickety, and if kids get over excited, they may break the trap, and you have to re-piece it together. Other than that, this game is a ton of fun!

The verdict

The Mousetrap game is a lot of good-natured fun. It's great for kids, they get to fine tune their motor skills and it involves a little counting for the younger kids, because you get to count spaces and such. It's great!