iPieces: A Review and Giveaway

My Mom has graciously always shared her iPad with W. In the evenings and on weekends they can both be found basking in the glow of technology.

Most of the games and programs that W has lend themselves to being single user type of experience. When I met the people from Pressman at BlogHer this year I was really digging their  iPieces concept. The idea is that by using their pieces with corresponding apps multiple people could play a game.

I asked Mom to try out the pieces with W and let me know how it went.

(So this was game play between a 3 year old and a, er, AARP aged person.)

From Lolly:
“W & I just went fishing and then out on the ice! I was afraid we would wake you with all the laughing and squealing we were doing, but we were having so much fun playing, we couldn’t help it.

First we went fishing, trying to catch these toothy little fish out of a pond and get them in our buckets. And while we were trying to snag them in those moments they had their mouths open, they were getting bumped by other big fish or getting wrapped around the lily pads. And THEN, while we were wrangling them on our lines and hauled in, shadows would pass across our bent heads and suddenly a big bird would swoop in and snarf a fish out of the buckets! It was crazy and funny and energetic!

Then we set down our fishing poles and headed out on the ice with our battle pieces to shoot pucks. We played a series of tournaments, even though we decided that 5 goals in would be the winning score. And W absolutely trounced me! I know he’s 3-1/2, but he may be trying out for the Flyers next season. I not only didn’t win any matches, he quickly figured out a strategy that proved him the superior player. At least I didn’t fall and crack my patoot! And when I congratulated him for winning, he laughed and said, “You won, TOO!”

I think he was right. Yes, I out-fished him and he sent me spinning on the ice, but we both had such a blast playing TOGETHER, helping each other out, and hunkered over the same venue: “Pocky”, our shared iPad! And super geeky soul that I am, I was delighted and amazed by how we were able to do this by connecting with fish and ice with physical objects that we scooted along Pocky’s surface, bumping into each other and flora/fauna lurking just underneath. It was a real shared experience and we both want to play again. And again!

We actually had special fishing poles that we held and pulled through the pond, and pawn-like puck-knockers that we streaked across the ice. Each “piece” interacted with the respective free apps we downloaded from iTunes, and Game Playing immediately rose to a whole new galaxy of experience.”

{seriously, how awesome is Lolly?!!}

For those of you not quite getting the concept:
You know the classic magnetic fishing game? Well this is THAT, but a digital version. W was able to do this version better than the plastic version. Less frustration = longer game play in toddler land!

I want you guys to experience how fun these games are! iPieces from Pressman toys has agreed to give one of my readers an iPieces game of your choice.

To enter leave me a comment and tell me about the last time you played a game with your family.

Rules:
• US Residents only
• one comment per person
• comments will close at 7pm EST on 12/14/12
• winner will have 72 hours to respond to my email

Disclosure: iPieces sent us game pieces to review. I was not compensated for this post.