Da Vinci's Challenge
Ages 7 and up
2 or 4 players
Briarpatch, $30; www.briarpatch.com
The Goal: Tally the highest score by creating elaborate shapes.
How to Play: Take turns placing light and dark pieces on the board to make any number of nine possible designs (including a gem, hourglass, flower, and star). Each form has a point value, and as the game proceeds, the forms are repeated over and over within a larger pattern. Any new piece can alter existing objects, creating a dizzying array of scoring opportunities.
Our Testers Loved: That no two games are alike. "It's very challenging to see all the patterns you're constantly creating," said one mom. She and her son decided to help each other. "I would point out to him that he had just made a gem, or he would tell me to add an hourglass to my score."
Fun Fact: The game design was inspired by a complex ancient symbol known as the Flower of Life -- one studied by Leonardo da Vinci.
