Game pyramid made of wooden blocks. Board game Jenga (Tower) and its variations
The rules of the Jenga game are so simple that they can be explained to anyone in a minute. The set includes - wooden blocks with a rectangular cross-section, each of which differs slightly from the other in size. All of them are made from natural hypoallergenic materials, therefore safe for children and people prone to allergic reactions. Before starting the game, you need to assemble a tower from these parts, laying them out perpendicular to each other in threes. The players' task is to take one block at a time from any floor of the tower and move it upstairs.
Features of the game and the reason for its popularity
The rules of the game Jenga seem very simple, but the process of rearranging the pieces is very exciting. Each wooden piece, due to its rough surface, fits quite tightly to its neighbors, so removing it can be difficult. But due to the difference in size, some bars are easier to remove than their neighbors. The only way to find out whether the selected block is mobile enough is to try to push it out. The most important thing is to prevent the building from collapsing during the player's action.
Jenga is one of many balance games. But it is one of the most popular thanks to the maximum simple rules and versatility. You can safely take it with you to nature or to get-togethers with friends, without worrying about parts breaking or getting lost. There are many Jenga competitions. Players train hard to achieve excellence in pulling bars from the lower floors. Some people use special clicks for this, knocking out the lower bars so quickly that the tower remains practically motionless.
Additional rules for the board game Jenga
There is a additional rule: Having selected a part and touched it, the player does not have the right to change his decision. It doesn’t matter whether the piece of wood “fits” tightly, it needs to be removed. But if the tower collapses at this time, the player will be declared defeated. The rules of the Jenga board game are sometimes changed by the players themselves. For example, the bars can be numbered, painted in different colors, and some kind of prize can be invented for the fact that the player draws a bar of a certain color.
Varieties of board games for balance
On sale you can find similar games for balance: “The Leaning Tower”, Tower and “Baklushi” are almost identical in appearance to “Jenga”. “Villa Paletti”, “Bausak”, “Pack Donkey”, “Crash” are created according to the same principle, but differ in the shape and number of bars. The parts that make up the tower can have a square cross-section, which makes the pulling process easier. But because appearance The number of bars in each version is very different. There are many varieties within the Jenga game line itself. One of the most popular is Jenga Boom. The set contains the same wooden blocks, but in addition the set has a special stand with a timer, which greatly speeds up the process and makes players nervous, distracting with loud ticking. The rules of the Jenga Boom game are not much more complicated: if the player does not have time to make his move before the “bomb” goes off, the stand begins to vibrate and destroys the tower. The one on whose turn this happened is considered a loser.
There is a variation of the game Jenga with plastic parts in the shape of Tetris figures. Playing such a “tower” is much more difficult, since the configuration of parts inside it is not visible, and by pulling the stick, you can draw out, for example, a zigzag figure and bring down the building. The rules of the game "Jenga" with numbers and dice are a little more complicated than in standard version: players need to roll four dice and get from the tower a piece with a number that is the sum of all the dots that fell on their faces. In this version, all faces will be numbered.
How the game is useful for adults and children
The rules of the game "Jenga" with dice can be changed at your discretion. Although the process of building a tower and destroying it may seem simple, it is very captivating for players of all ages, allowing adults and children to compete on equal terms. In addition, the process of removing parts from the structure develops fine motor skills, attentiveness and accuracy, and the Jenga Boom version will be an excellent stress resistance trainer and teach you how to quickly react in a critical situation when “time is running out.” Perhaps little players will find it even more interesting to play with wooden blocks if they combine the rules of the game “Jenga” with numbers and cubes and the presence of a timer. Or apply different colors to the parts by taking extra die with multi-colored edges, which will further complicate the game.
So simple and so interesting - what is the name of the game where they pull blocks out of a built tower? What is its meaning and what rules are relevant? Who invented it and why? What are the playing sticks made of and how to build a tower correctly?
So funny at the same time interesting game, called - Jenga. The main point activities: gradual destruction of the tower by pulling out the “bricks” from it. The defining moment is that the tower gradually becomes an unstable structure and every move is risky. On whose turn the arable land fell apart, he lost.
The right set for the game Jenga: what does the set consist of?
It would seem that wooden blocks and a flat place to build a pyramid are all that is required for Jenga. In fact, everything is somewhat more complicated.
- The set must contain 54 wooden blocks. More or less quantities are not acceptable;
- The length of each block should be three times its width;
- The height of the block is half its width;
- Building a tower from plastic “bricks” is not allowed. The right material is wood. It has optimal weight and creates the necessary friction when pulling out the bars.
Building a Jenga tower
In addition to a standardized set, for fair play it is necessary to follow the rules, starting from the construction of the tower.
Jenga bars are laid out next to each other in groups of three. The layer laid on top should lie perpendicular to the lower “floor”.
The tower must stand at players' chest levels, without restricting any player's approach. The game can be played by 2-4 people.
Jenga game rules
What is the name of the game where the bars are pulled out? Do you know what the rules of this game are?
- The most important rule, which is most often not observed in companies, is allowing the bar to be removed with both hands. The original rules only allow play with one hand. Otherwise, it will lose all meaning;
- The one who built the tower goes first;
- After each move, a block is placed on top of the entire tower;
- It is forbidden to pull out sticks in the top three layers;
- The game continues until the tower is completely or partially destroyed. The exception is the fall of a block that was pulled out by the player in the last move.
Who and why invented the game Jenga: pulling blocks out of a tower
This fun game was invented by Leslie Scott, the founder of the largest toy factory in the UK. A similar idea came to her mind as a teenager. Leslie had best friend suffering from partial damage to the central nervous system. The disease provoked constant shaking of the hands. Leslie Scott wanted to create something that... game form It could be to train and develop the motor skills of a sick friend.
By the way, at the moment, many doctors, educators and parents use the game Jenga to develop motor skills in children over 4 years old.
Varieties of the game Jenga
As in any business, there is no limit to perfection. Modern Jenga sets add some subtleties to make the game even more fun and interesting. For example, Jenga Fant is now gaining popularity - a comical task is written on a block that must be completed by the one who pulled it out.
It's funny, isn't it? But just recently we didn’t even know the name of the game where wooden blocks are pulled out of a tower. Now, in addition to the real version of the game, they are also creating electronic games, working on the basis of ordinary smartphones.
Hello, dear readers of the review.
If you want to compete with your friends in sleight of hand, then the cat is for you.
For those who do not know what Jenga is, I provide information from Wikipedia:
Jenga - board game, created by Leslie Scott and distributed by Parker Brothers (a division of Hasbro).
Players take turns removing blocks from the base of the tower and placing them on top, making the tower increasingly taller and less stable.
The word jenga is the imperative form of kujenga, which means "to build" in Swahili.
Rules of the game:
The game involves 54 wooden blocks.
The length of each block is three times its width, and the height is approximately half its width.
To start the game you need to build a tower 18 floors high. Each floor consists of three blocks placed closely and parallel to each other.
The blocks of each next floor are placed perpendicular to the blocks of the previous floor.
After the tower is built, players begin to walk.
The one who built the tower goes first.
A move in Jenga consists of taking one block from any level (except the one directly below the unfinished top level) of the tower and then placing it at the top of the tower so that it can be completed (you cannot build floors above an unfinished top level).
Only one hand is allowed to remove the block; the second hand can also be used, but you can only touch the tower with one hand at a time.
The blocks can be pushed to find the one that fits loosest.
Any moved block can be left in place and not continue to be removed if this will cause the tower to fall.
The turn ends when the next player touches the tower, or when 10 seconds have passed, whichever happens first.
The game ends when the tower falls.
The fall of a tower is considered to be the fall of any block other than the one that the player is trying to place at the top of the tower in a given turn.
The loser is the one on whose turn the tower collapses.
However, if several blocks have fallen, players can continue the game if they wish.
In this modification of the game, the rules are complicated by the fact that before his turn the player rolls 4 six-sided dice.
By summing the values on their upper planes, we get the number of the block that the player must pull out.
After a short educational program, I’ll move on to the description of the product itself.
I bought this product on April 12 of this year from a seller from China ddl2012, received it yesterday (May 14) at Russian Post.
The packaging is a regular paper envelope, wrapped with tape, and covered with bubble wrap inside. In general, everything is as always.
The packaging itself contained a slightly battered box like this:
Regarding the standard officer line:
On the back of this cardboard box are the rules of the game:
Bones (1.1cm) relative to ruler:
Full set:
One of the blocks:
Block size - 5.1cmx1.7cmx0.9cm (LxWxH)
During the game:
But still, not everything is perfect. The blocks do not slide very well and require a little sanding.
I think that after I sand them, I’ll take the clear varnish from my sister and paint the blocks with it.
This image shows that the wood is not perfectly smooth:
Another disadvantage of this product is the lack of a normal storage box.
I put the blocks with bones in/out several dozen times, and nothing
There won't be any left of this cardboard box.
Overall, I'm pleased with the purchase. This version of Jenga deserves a four on a five-point scale.
I advise you to buy it.
The game is interesting to play for both adults and children. The latter is even useful - the game develops fine motor skills.
Thanks for reading.)
Number of players From 2 to 4
Party time From 5 minutes
Game difficulty Lightweight
Jenga was developed by Scott Leslie. The game was invented in her family and various cubes were used instead of wooden blocks. Jengo translates to “build!” The game was later purchased by Parker Brothers. The game can be played by 2 to 4 players.
Equipment required to play Jenga: 54 wooden blocks (the height of one block is equal to half the width).
Purpose of the game
- It is necessary to pull out blocks from the bottom of the tower and at the same time avoid the fall of the tower itself.
Jenga: rules of the game
- Before starting the game, you need to prepare the tower, that is, build eighteen floors.
- Each floor consists of 3 wooden blocks, built parallel and close to each other.
- The next floor should be built perpendicular to the previous floor.
- The player who built the tower starts.
- Each player takes turns pulling out a wooden block from any floor except the top two.
- You can pull out the block with only one hand.
- You can't hold the tower up.
- Any block can be stopped moving if it could cause the tower to fall.
- The player on whose turn the tower falls loses.
the site is a portal for board games, where we tried to collect the most popular board games, as well as the latest in the gaming industry. The Jenga Board Game page provides an overview of the game, photos and rules. If you are interested in the "Jenga Board Game", we recommend that you familiarize yourself with games in other categories with similar characteristics.
Board game Jenga (Tower) and its variations
History of appearance
The familiar “Jenga” was invented by British board game designer Leslie Scott three decades ago. According to the author, it was created in the image and likeness of the game at which the entire Scott couple spent their evenings in the distant seventies. Only then, instead of elongated wooden blocks, elements of the Takoradi children's construction set, brought from Ghana, were used. Based on the same African fun, another game was created called “Ta-Ka-Radi”, very similar to “Jenga”. She appeared on American market a few years earlier, but did not achieve such resounding popularity as Jenga.
The game has a rather exotic name. "Jenga" is a Swahili dictionary word meaning "to build." The game's author, Leslie Scott, is of British descent, but she was born in Tanzania and spent her entire childhood in Africa. Therefore, Leslie decided to pay tribute to her second native language by christening her new brainchild with a name so unusual for Europeans.
Kit Contents
The original Jenga consists of 54 oblong wooden blocks. The surface of each block is carefully sanded, but not covered with varnish or paint. This increases friction between structural elements and prevents the tower from falling apart. The dimensions of the block of the classic version of the game are 1.5x2.5x7.5 cm.
With the growing popularity of Jenga, many of its “remakes” have appeared on the market, the dimensions of the elements of which may differ from the ancestor, but the aspect ratio of the blocks is mostly preserved.
"Ta-Ka-Radi" vs. "Jenga"
The two games are very similar, but have some significant differences. Ta-Ka-Radi uses only 51 rectangular blocks. As a result, the original tower is one floor lower than in Jenga, but the height of the structure is greater. The most important difference is how the bars should be placed. In “Ta-Ka-Radi” the blocks are installed on the short side of the section with significant gaps between the elements of the same row. At the same time, in Jenga, the bars lie close to each other on the long side of the section.
If “Jenga” comes in paper packaging, then “Ta-Ka-Radi” is sold in a fabric bag made of natural cloth with a print. The manufacturer also offers a choice of several types of fabrics from which the bag can be made, all colors in the spirit of Africa.
Preparing for the game
Before the start of the round, the starting tower must be level. You can level it using the box from the game itself. Some Jenga sets come with a special plastic corner that acts as a kind of level. Initially, our building has 18 “floors” of 3 blocks each. The bars are laid on the long side. All elements must fit tightly to each other. In this case, the bars of each subsequent row are located perpendicular to the blocks of the previous one.
Rules and gameplay
Jenga is designed for two or more players. The principles of the game are very simple: each participant takes out one block from an already standing structure and places it perpendicular to the previous row. At the same time, the “penthouse” tier, preceding the unfinished one, remains untouchable. Also, you cannot start laying blocks in new level, leaving the top "floor" unfinished.
You can only pull the block out of the tower with one hand. You are first allowed to touch the elements and tap the ends of the bars, checking which of them is the most pliable. If something moves out of place, the player must return all affected blocks to their original position before the end of his turn.
All participants take turns taking turns. The turn ends when the next player touches the tower or ten seconds after placing the pulled out block.
Nature of the game
The game trains motor skills and analytical skills well. At the same time, it does not require participants to develop strategy and mental stress, so the gameplay is a relaxed, fun pastime.
Varieties of the game
On the modern market of board games there are a great variety of Jenga varieties: from small portable versions from tiny bars to huge specimens that serve more of an advertising role than serve their direct purpose. Such a “tower boom” among board game manufacturers was undoubtedly due to the popularity that the game found among fans of such games. According to the creator of the classic version of Jenga, about 50 million copies have been sold worldwide original game.
"Jenga: Throw and Go" (Throw "n Go Jenga)- a game resulting from the fusion of good old Jenga and gaming dice. The elements of the classic set are painted in three different colors. The dice are marked with colors and words that indicate where exactly the block should be pulled from (middle, top, bottom of the tower), as well as exactly how many blocks need to be pulled in one move. For example, after the first roll, you get the words “any two” on the top face of the die. This means that you will have to “fight” with two bars, and not with one.
Throw the die again, and the top one turns out to be a crimson side with the word “beginning”, which means that the first element is crimson, and it is located at the base of the structure. Next, you roll the dice and get the word “middle” on a black background - you pull out a black block from the middle of the tower.
Jenga Truth or Dare. The set consists of the usual number of blocks, two-thirds of which are painted orange and purple (colors may vary in different editions of the game). Orange bars are desires, purple bars are questions. In this case, one third of the game elements remain uncolored. It is on these pristine bars that players are invited to write their own wishes or questions. Then the game acquires individual characteristics and becomes one of a kind. Overall, this variation is quite fun and aims to get participants talking, and the gameplay is generously filled with fiction and eccentricity. Due to its nature, it is intended for players over 12 years of age. Nevertheless, many rightfully note that this variety of Jenga is not suitable for children. The desires and questions proposed by the creators cannot be called crystal innocent. On the one hand, you may only be required to sing a song or describe one of the participants and games (why not?). There are also more amusing statements, such as “sensual dance with a mop” and other similar inventions. The questions are tricky ones with a touch of the now popular “American humor.”
More suitable for children Jenga Girl Talk Edition- a much more harmless edition of the game. The blocks are painted pink and crimson and, just like in the previous version, are covered with questions. This kind of thing could once be seen in children’s notebooks and questionnaires, which were then filled out by friends and classmates. Here you will find traditional questions: “What is your deepest desire?” or the more modern “Name your favorite website.”
Jenga Extreme. The game elements are not a rectangular parallelepiped, but a parallelogram. This adds gameplay a certain extreme and makes it possible to build tilted towers of absolutely bizarre shapes.
"Jenga: Las Vegas Casino" (Las Vegas Casino Jenga)- a completely unexpected combination of two completely different games: Jenga and roulette! As the tower is built, players place bets. The set consists of 54 numbered blocks in red and black, playing field for bets and 75 chips. Recommended for players 18 years and older.
"Jenga" XXL- an enlarged version of the classic Jenga (although there are also much larger copies of the game). The size of each block is approximately 45x22.5x7.5 cm. The set includes 50 elements (48 directly for the game and 2 “in reserve”). All blocks are made not of sanded wood, but of painted plywood, so that when they fall, the structure will not kill players. The original tower is 120 cm high and can theoretically grow to three and a half meters during the game! This version of Jenga is especially good for playing on fresh air, with a bang he goes as cheerful accompaniment to the barbecue.
We briefly talked about only some of the varieties of this simple board game. There are also special editions of it. Deserves special attention Jenga Nigthmare before Christmas- a game designed in the spirit of a popular cartoon that appeared on screens more than twenty years ago. The blocks are colored black, purple and orange. Each of them bears images of ghosts, funny, sad, cunning faces of Jack Skelington and, of course, the name of the cartoon with its signature “Halloween” font.
In addition, there are many board games created based on Jenga. Some retain the rules of the original game, but the elements themselves are significantly modified. In particular, the snow-white set looks very interesting Jenga Stack The Bones with blocks in the form of bones and a skull crowning the tower. Such a set can become not only your favorite game, but also original decoration interior design, which will also serve as a wonderful gift for lovers of various outlandish things. There are also similar sets with a more peaceful theme: with cats, bunnies, carrots, and so on.
As you can see, the good old Jenga does not stand still, but develops in accordance with the desires of modern users. The market is replete with various versions of the long-loved board game, among which you are sure to find the best “Tower” for yourself.
