Mood:  don't ask

Yep! I'm mad!

Who am I mad at? I'm mad at the makers of Tri-Cross and I'm mad at the TOS Homeschool Crew for choosing me to review Tri-Cross!

It doesn't matter that the makers of Tri-Cross were nice enough to send us, not one, but two Tri-Cross games to review. We received the regular sturdily made version and the eco-friendly travel version.

I'm still mad!

The regular version comes with a sturdy playing board, twenty scratch proof playing pieces, a really nice bag to carry the pieces in and the instructions. The eco-friendly travel version still has the scratch proof pieces, but replaces the cardboard box with a cotton bag, a cotton playing board printed using soy based ink and instructions. All of that doesn't matter.

I'm still mad!

It makes no difference that this is a strategy game like no other and I love strategy games. The fact that I appreciate that, in a world filled with mindless video and computer games, this game really makes you think makes no difference.

I'm still mad!

Even though this game came with very easy to follow instructions - even a convenient computer CD with diagrams of how to play...

Even though John Allen and I quickly learned how to play this game and soon found out that the phrase "an easy to learn game that takes a lifetime to master" easily fits this game. And, even though the Tri-Cross motto that this is "A Classic Game of Strategy for the 21st Century" is spot on...

John Allen and I played this age 8 to adult game for hours at a time. We played all of the different game variations that you could play with two players (there are also ways to play with three or four players- even teams). Each variation was easy to learn, but, as I said, a challenge to master. Just look how easy it is to play the basic game:

But, all of that doesn't matter...

I'm still mad!

Well...you might be wondering why I am mad. You might think that since it was simple to learn and to play, we had fun, the game came in great condition, and the company is a wonderful and nice company, that there is no reason to be mad...but...

And I'll tell you why! John Allen kept BEATING me!

This has never happened before. I've always been the superior one. I mean, after all, I am the father. I'm supposed to be smarter. I'm supposed to be the one that teaches my son new tricks. But, he kept BEATING me.

It didn't matter where we played. We played the regular game at the kitchen table...he still won. We played the travel game while waiting for Joshua and Jacob during speech and physical therapy...he still won. We took the travel edition to the football field and played during Joshua's flag football practice...he still won. There was no problem taking this game places. It was always easy to get out and put away, but, not matter where we played...HE STILL WON!

This is not supposed to happen. He's fifteen and I'm fifty! His growing mind is not supposed to grasp complex thinking skills like my mature mind does!

However, it doesn't matter which version we played...he still won. We played the easier, face up, beginner's version...he still won. We played the more challenging face down version...he still won. We played the "Guts" version and then the "Reverse Guts" version...it didn't matter...HE STILL WON!

Oh, I guess I shouldn't feel so bad. After all, I did win a few games. He didn't quite win all of them. And, shouldn't I feel proud that I was such a good teacher in life that the student was finally able to beat the master? Perhaps I'd do better at the three player, four player, or team version. Maybe I should just try one of those. That's it...my mind is just so complex that it doesn't do well with games of little challenge. It's like one of those gifted children that doesn't do well in the regular classroom because their brain isn't stimulated enough. That's it! My brain just needs more stimulation! I need the challenge of a multi-player game! Tomorrow I shall teach Joshua how to play as well. Maybe I'll even teach Sarah. Then we can have a three or four player game. My brilliant mind will be sure to win then!

Oh...*sob*...who am I kidding. I've been defeated! My mind isn't the same as it once was. I'll never win a game of Tri-Cross again. Even Jo-Jo, our dog could beat me. Hey...that's not a bad idea...teaching Jo-Jo to play. Dog's aren't really complex thinkers. Maybe I could beat him.

Of course if I taught Jo-Jo to play I would have to buy another game. John Allen and Joshua would be fighting us over the games that we have. Well, the Tri-Cross website - which I can access by clicking here or on any one of the hi-lighted links above - says that the Eco Travel Version is only $19.95 and the Standard Version is just $24.95. I could even buy a really nice wooden version for $35.95. Let me see now...I could buy one of these award winning games directly from the website or I could buy it from a retailer. The Tri-Cross website has a page that will tell me every location in the U.S. that sells their games.

While I'm waiting for the new game to arrive in the mail I guess I could click on over to the TOS Homeschool Crew blog and see what all of the other great TOS crew members that reviewed Tri-Cross had to say about it. I can do that by just clicking here. Maybe one of them has gotten beat by one of their children as well. That would be nice to hear. Misery loves company you know.

I really need to cheer myself up. Perhaps it would help if I wished myself "Happy Homeschooling" like I always do at the end of a homeschool product review. Here I go..."Happy Homeschooling, Tim!". There now, that wasn't so bad. I do feel a bit better. I think I even feel good enough to play another game of Tri-Cross. Now where did that dog go...?

As a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew I was sent a free version of the Tri-Cross standard game and a free version of the Tri-Cross Eco-friendly Travel edition in order to try out and give a honest review on this blog.

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