Callapidder Days

I’m a big fan of games I can stick in my purse and have available for down-times in restaurants, airports, and other places where a quick game would improve the experience. Treehouse is just such a game. It’s easy to learn, quick to play, and portable. Read on to learn more.

Treehouse is a game for 2-4 players that fits in your purse and can be played anywhere you have access to a flat surface. The recommended age is 8 and up, but I believe 6- and 7-year-olds could easily catch on to this game as well, especially with a little help.

Treehouse comes in a square-ish plastic tube. When you open the tube and dump out the contents, you’ll find 5 sets of pyramids. Each set is a different color, and each set consists of 3 different sizes of pyramids (small, medium, and large). A set of pyramids can nest together or can be stacked in various ways. Treehouse also comes with a special die containing the words: Tip, Hop, Dig, Swap, Aim, and Wild.

Each person receives one set of pyramids, and stacks those pyramids in front of themselves like this (they call this a “tree”):

Another set of pyramids is placed in the center of the table and is arranged like this (this arrangement is called a “house”):

The goal of Treehouse is to be the first to get your set of pyramids to match the configuration of the pyramids in the center of the table. You’ll do this by rolling the die and taking the prescribed action.

On your turn, roll the die and move your pyramid pieces according to what you roll. (Note: If you cannot take the rolled action on your own pieces, you have the option of taking the action on the pyramids in the center of the table.)

Here’s a brief description of what each action means:

Tip allows you to knock over any upright piece (either to the left or to the right). If there is another piece stacked on it, the pieces both get tipped, and then separate.

Hop allows you take one of your upright pieces and “hop” it to another place in line.

Dig allows you to take a piece that’s lying on its side, pretend that it “digs” underground, and then emerges upright in another place in line.

Swap allows you to switch the positions of any two pieces.

Aim allows you to change the direction/orientation of any one piece (you can set it to point left, point right, or stand upright).

Wild allows you to perform any of the above five actions; as a bonus, you may perform this action either on your pieces OR on the center pieces.

To give you a brief example, let me walk you through some sample rolls-and-moves for one player.

Ann starts the game with her Tree in place. On her first roll, she rolls Hop, and decides to Hop her medium pyramid to the right. Because the small pyramid is on top of the medium pyramid, it goes along for the ride:

On her second roll, Ann rolls Tip, and tips over the medium pyramid to the left. The small pyramid tips as well, and both end up separate, and pointing left.

On her third roll, Ann rolls Aim. She decides to re-aim the smallest pyramid, and re-orients it so it is upright.

Ann has her pyramids in the right order and just needs to get them all pointing the correct way. She still needs to get the large pyramid to point to the left, and the medium pyramid to point to the right.

Players alternate turns, and the first one to match their pyramids to the center pyramids is the winner.

Depending on the luck of the die, a game of Treehouse can last a mere five minutes or it can stretch into a 15-20 minute game. Most of the games we’ve played have lasted 5-10 minutes, and C. has won the majority of them!

One of the tricky parts of the game is when a player rolls a Wild and decides to rearrange the pieces in the center of the table in some way. All the other players have been working toward one configuration and now, all of a sudden, they have to start working toward a different one. The game can change quickly, but that’s part of the fun.

Treehouse is easy to teach and even easier to play. We’ve played this game at our kitchen table, and also at Max & Erma’s. Oh, and a tube of Treehouse lives in my car, just in case we find ourselves in need of a game.

In summary:

Treehouse

Number of Players: 2-4
Time required: 5-20 minutes
Ages: 8 and up
Where to buy: Time Well Spent or Amazon.com

Callapidder recommends it: As a great take-al
ong game. Perfect for those 15 minutes before your food arrives at a restaurant, or to take along to a game-loving friend’s house when you’re invited for dinner. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that kids love playing with the plastic pyramid pieces, too. And we moms can always use another, “Here honey, look what I found in my purse for you to quietly play with” item.

Read more of Callapidder’s Game Reviews by clicking HERE.