NewsReviews Brainstrain

It sounds painful, but it isn't. This type of
strain can only be caused in your laugh
muscles as you watch other players sit
with a yellow, red or purple card sticking
out of the front of a colored headband on
his or her head.

Those of you who are board game
enthusiasts have a new challenge on
your hands. It's called Brainstrain and it
was created by a Rocklin husband and
wife, Ben and Darlene Calhoun

Just one year after Brainstrain's
conception it was debuted at the New
York International Toy Fair. It is
categorized as a "must see" new board
game by the American Specialty Retailers
Association. "The Good Toy Group" and
"Terrific Toys" holiday catalog include the
game in their holiday catalogs.

Two months following Toy Fair, April of
this year, Brainstrain won the National
MENSA Select Mind Games 2001
competition from American MENSA, LTD.
MENSA is known as The High IQ Society.

Even though members of a high

IQ society selected it as one they would
play again, your local game gurus admit
you don't have to be a genius to play.

MENSAN Mind Game judges have
historically been among the first to
recognize commercially successful
games, such as Trivial Pursuit, Taboo,
Magic-The Gathering and Scattergories.
But does it take a mental giant to play
Brainstrain? No! The National Parenting
Center (TNPC) selected Brainstrain to
receive its fall 2001 Seal of Approval.
The center's comments were "The game
is simple to understand and the active
involvement everyone feels from start to
finish makes for a thoroughly involving,
entertaining experience for everyone. If
your family enjoys game nights, then this
is one that you will want to have on your
shelf".

Even though the Calhouns claim it is good
clean family fun, the level of play
depends on those competing.

"There's a lot of strategy to this game,
Ben added. "The first round is just

to get your feet we. After that it can get
real cut-throat".

The fun and strategy was evident while
watching a few friends and neighbors
come up with a person, place or thing for
opponents to guess.

"I'm just learning", said Julie Kuehl-
Kitchen, an instructor at Sacramento
State College. "The reason I like it
(Brainstrain) is if you are horrible at
geography you still get an opportunity to
be right during the game".

As players laughed, teased, made
guesses, chose words and turned the
timer over, there was an atmosphere of
learning at the game table.

"This is great because you learn all sorts
of things," said neighbor Jackie Kuehl.

"I got one for a wedding present and I've
had it for months, I was afraid to play it,"
said Jeff Kuehl of Roseville. "I thought it
would be too complicated. But it's a
blast".

Matt McClure, a Rocklin High School
senior, tried to throw in a few youthful
phrases to get ahead in the game. He
lost the first time, but won the second
round.

"I told them if they wanted a challenge to
pick my cards, he said.

Another player, Clint Ronsse, described
Brainstrain as "Pictionary with words".

As the hour was getting late and players
picked up babies and snack residue from
the table, the general consensus was
"when do we do this again?"

Brainstrain is available in more than 120
specialty stores throughout 41 states in
the U.S., in Guam and available at on-line
stores, including the company website:
www.brainstraingame.com.

by Brenda Meadows

The Placer Herald