TacTac Jack, A Smart and Fun Dexterity Game for Kids, Family and Friends

Whole family loves it. Even my toddler.

Tac Tac Jack is a reskin of a Korean game that was reskinned in America a few years ago. I guess the Korean rights were resold to Fox Mind. It's also known as Click Clack Lumberjack.As Tok Tok, I have loved this game for years. There are many versions of this same concept. The main thing Tac has that's an upgrade from Tok is it uses three colors of bark instead of one, which Click also used except it also had bug stickers that went on the back of the bark for extra points.In all of the games the basic concept is the same. You use a tree stump as a base (this is significantly different in Tak as the stump is the same diameter as the log pieces, so it may not be as weighted down though there's no large difference to me) and stack completed log discs on so it's a tree. Log discs are completed by sliding four bark pieces on each side, which slide off freely except when on a flat surface.Each player takes 2 swings of the axe at the tree. You try to use just enough pressure to move log pieces so bark pieces slide freely to the ground. Bark is 1 point. Logs that you cause to fall off are -5 points (this means knocking a disc off with four bark is -1 to your score, so at least you can catch up to positive points). After all the bark or log discs are gone all players tally their points for a winner. I suggest reassembling the log discs as you acquire those and bark to speed up the setup.There are minor rules variants such as the winner gets only one swing for the next match but the most popular is a bark set of three colors is a point bonus. I play a house rule where logs are -10 and bark is scored from 1-3 as the colors darken, which adds a bit of incentive on where to swing.

TacTac Jack is a reimplementation of a game which has been around for over ten years (one of the earlier names is actually still embossed on the axe for those who are curious). It remains as simple and as fun in this incarnation as the others. The objective is to tap the tree with the axe to such a degree that the pieces of bark fall off, but the core pieces stay on. Bark pieces are each a point but a core is worth -5. It is surprisingly easy to knock multiple cores off at once if you're not careful. The game is loud with plastic bits clattering all over which makes it well suited to play at parties or for a light appetizer game in between more intense offerings.There are optional advanced rule suggestions, such as varying point values for the three colors of bark, or requiring the players to collect sets, but it is probably best to get the hang of the dexterity element and the proper timing of an axe swing before worrying overmuch about complicating anything.

This is a smart little dexterity game that most anyone will enjoy. Takes less than a minute to teach, and maybe 10 - 15 minutes to play. So it's easy to get to the table, which is important!How it works is that you slide the bark pieces onto the wood "core" pieces, creating sections of the "trunk." Then stack these trunk sections onto the "stump" base. Each turn, a player taps a trunk piece two times (or 2 different trunk pieces 1 time each, I suppose?), hoping to push a trunk piece just far enough so that the bark slides off onto the table below, WITHOUT knocking the "core" or "cores" over. Bark pieces are worth 1 point each, core pieces are negative 5 points each!By the end, you have this twisty-turvy trunk that's very tense to tap!Of course, this isn't something you're going to pull out and play for hours – it's a novelty that will get played once or twice in a night, then put away for awhile. But for what it is, it's a cool little game to add to your collection. I'd say it fills a similar niche to something like Coconuts (the monkey-launcher game), though that one is a little more fun, I'd say.I'll also mention... the price of $24.95 seems a little high to me. The box is flimsy compared to most "designer" board games, and the components are just plastic (though nice enough.) I'd say $19.99 would feel about right.Overall, though, this is a fun little diversion, and something people will have fun with if they're sick of games everybody has, like Jenga. Recommended!

This is a great family game for all ages, a simple concept that is still challenging enough to be fun. The concept is sort of Jenga-like, in that you have to carefully remove pieces of the "tower", however in this case the tower is a tree, you have to use a toy ax instead of your fingers to tap at it, and you only want the bark on the outside- if you knock out the trunk, you lose points!The official rules call for only 2 hits, however we found that too difficult to play so we decided to double it to 4 taps per turn and the game has improved in our household. Definitely a little different and a lot of fun!

This is a very clever and fun game that I got for the kids. The game is really a lot of un and the kids really enjoy playing this game with each other. They play and laugh and have a lot of fun while playing this really smart and interesting game. The game materials are very nice and haven't fallen apart. This is a really great game to pass the time and keep the kids from getting bored. I would highly recommend this clever game.

This game is awesome, the box it came in was not! 5 stars for the game but they never should have shipped it given the condition of the box

My 3 and 5 year old love this game!!! Easy to follow directions and easy for them to play. They think it is hilarious when it falls. Love family game night!