Twister Rave – The Skip-It Game and More
Toy Review – Twister Rave
Everybody knows Twister. Never in the history of man has a party game lead to more immense feelings of awkwardness and simultaneous hilarity. It was a new and different idea; using the players’ bodies as the game pieces, and it worked very, very well. You’ll still find Twister played today at plenty of house parties, and it’s still just as awkward and fun as it always was.
Twister Rave is not Twister. At all.
We have to get that out of the way before we continue. Twister Rave is quite literally Twister in name only. It has nothing to do with Twister. There is no board. There are no real rules. They can only really be played by a maximum of two players, and are more so really designed to be played solo. The only similarity to Twister is the notion that they are both games where the body is the primary piece, and even that is honestly a stretch. If you come looking for this product expecting an updated form of Twister, leave. You will not find it, because Twister Rave is not Twister.
So what IS Twister Rave, if it’s not Twister?
Twister Rave is a series of Trick Toys. That is to say, toys that can be used to pull off cool tricks. Think of the Yo-Yo as a prime example, or the Hula Hoop. That is what Twister Rave is. With that out of the way, is it any good? Yes, actually. Just because it’s not Twister doesn’t mean it’s not good. For what they do, the Twister Rave toys are quite entertaining.
There are 5 different kinds of Twister Rave games as of me writing this: Skip-It, Stickz, Ringz, Hoopz, and Dance. The idea is that each toy flashes with a variety of rave-lights, and as you perform tricks with them successfully, you get more colours and more flashing patterns. Most of them come with instructions on how to perform a basic trick, with more tricks available from Twister Rave’s website.
Skip-It is…well, Skip-It. If you grew up in any period past 1980 you probably remember Skip-It. It’s a trick toy that goes around one leg that you swing around in a circle and skip over. The Twister Rave incarnation is pretty much the same thing, but with the Rave lights and “leveling” system.
Stickz are a nunchuck-esk pair of connected wands that can be used to perform numerous flip tricks, and change colour based on success.
Ringz are small, light-up rings that will change colour when the bottom half collides with something; be it a flat surface, a place on the body, or the other ring.
Hoopz are miniature hula hoops that can be spun around on one’s arms, and will change colour based on the number of times they are successfully spun.
Dance is really the only game that IS NOT a trick game. Rather, it is essentially Dance Dance Revolution without the need for a television or monitor.
Who Is This For?
Children or adults who enjoy physical activities.
Excessively hyperactive youngsters.
Age
8 and up.
Things We Like About Twister Rave
It’s a series of fun, easy to pick up and play physical activity games and trick toys. Especially good for adults looking to get a good workout while playing with their kids, or just want their kids to get into more physical activities.
Things We Did Not Like About Twister Rave
It shouldn’t be called Twister. I know I’m getting hung up on this, but Twister Rave is one of the most blatant cause of nostalgia-baiting I’ve ever seen; and I’m an AVID gamer, in an industry that loves re-branding games based on classic nostalgic hits, hoping that the poor quality of the product will be carried by it’s name and nostalgia for the sake of nostalgia. None of these products have anything to do with the classic Twister game, with the sole exception of “Dance,” and even then it’s just that it utilizes the classic four colors for it’s 4 dance pads. The name Twister is there solely for marketing, nothing more, nothing less.
It’s also good to note that one of the main draws of the Rave series is it’s bright, flashing “rave” lights…in spite of the fact you’d think that most of these toys would be most appropriately played out doors, where the effect of the lights would be dampened. Optimally, these toys are played with either in-doors in dark rooms (though not completely dark for the sake of safety) or at night, when the lights can be fully enjoyed. Otherwise, kids may not be able to enjoy the colour aspect as much as they would.
How Much?
The base prices vary from toy to toy, with the base price ranging anywhere from $11.99 to $34.99. However, you will usually find them for anywhere between $11.99 and $17.99, as the base price is usually highly discounted from most carriers.
Guarantee?
All Twister products have warranties that protect against workmanship defects. They will not however, cover replacement via misuse or ware due to physical usage.
Is Twister Rave Worth the Money?
For physical games? Yeah, definitely. They’re quite inexpensive, and these kinds of toys tend to have very good staying power since they never can really be “beaten” and are difficult to truly master.
Where Can I Buy Twister Rave?
All major department stores and toy outlets should have the Twister Rave line in stock. If you want to go the online route, the same thing applies. Amazon, Toys-R-Us, they should all have it. Just make sure to shop around and ensure you’re getting the best price.
Final Thoughts
Fun, simple trick-games and a nifty dance game. Just don’t go into it expecting anything even remotely related to Twister.
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