Reviews of Baby Musical Toys

SIMON Flash

• Ages: Eight years and up
• Requires: Eight AAA batteries (included)

At a Glance:

• High-tech twist on legendary Simon game tests memory, speed, and logic skills
• Contains four games in one
• Portable carrying case for on-the-go play
• Automatically shuts off when not in use
• Utilizes Wonder-Link technology, bright lights, colors, and sounds

Challenge your friends or tune up your skills on your own. View larger.

Four SIMON games in one! View larger.

Featuring four brainteaser games to challenge your child's memory, speed, and logic, Hasbro's Simon Flash is a high-tech twist on the legendary Simon game. Four electronic cubes utilize light, sound, and changing colors to keep your child having fun and learning new skills during each game. Revolutionary Wonder-Link technology allows each cube to know where you've placed it, when you win a round, and keeps track of the score.

Four Games in One

Ranging from 90 seconds to more than two minutes, Simon Flash contains four quick-fire games in one package: Simon Lights Off, Simon Shuffle, Simon Secret Color, and Simon Classic. Each game is associated with a colored cube (red, yellow, blue, or green) and can be started by pressing the cube that bears that color. Each game stimulates learning through challenging the player's memory, speed, and logic.

With Simon Shuffle, you solve each puzzle by lining up the colors in the original order displayed. In Simon Lights Off, you have to solve each puzzle by lining up the cubes in the correct order so that all the lights turn off. In Simon Secret Color, you solve the puzzle by figuring out the order to place the cubes in. As you get them in the right place, each cube turns to show the same color. The fourth game, Simon Classic, is the classic Simon game where you correctly repeat an increasing sequence of colors.

Carrying Case, Easy On/Off and Mute Options

The cubes come with a portable carrying case for on-the-go play, ideal for a car trip with the family. A quick-play card lets you begin any game with minimal instruction. Easily mute sound, turn off cubes, or switch to a different game with the press of a button. For added convenience, the cubes automatically power down after three minutes of nonuse to save battery life.

While Simon Flash is recommended for children eight and older, our testers found that some games are appropriate for younger children, and that some games were more challenging than others. In addition, the scoring system, comprised of cubes flashing multiple times to indicate points won, can be confusing.

Note: although the game indicates it can be played competitively with others, most games cannot be played simultaneously by two players. Competition between players requires each player to take a turn and then compare scores.

What's in the Box

Four electronic cubes, game case, rules, eight AAA batteries, and quick-play card.