The LOL Surprise product line continues to dominate with a new, cute, fun board game. Parents and kids alike will enjoy the latest entry into the LOL Surprise collection, with a game that is fun for players of all ages and abilities, even if they aren’t doll collectors.
The LOL Surprise 7 Layers of Fun board game has the pretty packaging we’ve come to expect from MGA Entertainment, prominently featuring doll-inspired artwork and the cute designs typical of the line. The game is for 2-4 players, ages 5 and over. Players too young to read the collector’s card (“shoes,” “outfit,” “accessory,” etc.) may need help from older players.
What’s Included in the LOL Board Game
- The game board
- A spinner
- 4 LOL Surprise Doll character pieces with stands (Merbaby, Queen Bee, Rocker, and Diva from Series 1)
- 4 bottle-shaped playing pieces
- 7 Surprise balls
- 28 tokens
- 4 collectors’ cards
- Game play instructions
Image: Cardinal Games
To Set Up the LOL Game Board in Order to Play
- Assemble the doll characters on their stands
- Pop the tokens out of the sheet
- Place 4 tokens into each ball (without looking at them)
- Close the balls and place them on the game board
- Each player chooses a bottle that will be their playing piece for the first phase of the game
- Each player has a collector’s card
LOL Board Game Play
- Place the bottles on the “start” square on the game board
- Each player spins the spinner in the center and then advances their bottle accordingly
When you land on a game space, follow the instructions on that space. A player may:
- Mix me! Rearrange all the surprise balls on the board
- Unbox me! A player opens any surprise ball on the board to see what is inside, and chooses a token to place on their collector’s card (if they want any of the tokens inside). They then close the ball, hiding the remaining tokens from the other players.
- Take a peek! The player can look inside any surprise ball, but not take any token
- Spin again! The player spins a second time
- Trade me! The player can trade a token from their collector’s card with a token from a different player
- Surprise! The player can take any token from any player
Game Objective
In the first phase of game play, the players use bottles to move around the board.
When a player finds and chooses a doll token, they place it on their collector’s card and switch from using the bottle to using the doll character they have chosen.
Their objective then becomes to complete their collector’s card by collecting all the tokens that match their doll character, either by drawing them from surprise balls on the board, or by trading or taking the tokens from other players.
Game play continues until one player has collected all the tokens that match their doll character, and they win.
LOL Board Game Strategy
Unlike many games for small children, LOL Surprise 7 Layers of Fun board game is not simply a game of chance, where all game play is determined by the spinner.
It’s also necessary to remember which tokens are inside which surprise ball, in case you need them later, and keep track of the balls even when they are mixed around on the board. This element of remembering and keeping track of the balls is a good mental exercise, and creates opportunity for strategic play.
Game Pieces are also Bonus Accessories
The bottles that come with the game as game play pieces are also exclusive accessories with LOL Surprise Dolls, so you can add to your doll accessory collection when you get the game.
Each package contains 3 exclusive bottle accessories you can see on the outside of the package, and one surprise bottle accessory inside. Because these accessories are exclusive to the game, your LOL Surprise collection really can’t be complete without them.
What We Like
We’ll mention the issues below, but we absolutely love the LOL Board Game!
- Playing the board game is a perfect introduction to the world of board games for little ones. After playing this game, our little ones because interested in more classic board games like Sorry and Operation.
- Game play averages 30 to 40 minutes…much longer than we expected it to.
- Playing this game got my little ones off their tablets and video games.
- My little boy was so interested that he decided to play as well. He is only 3 so he and I sat and played with my girls together.
- The game is reasonably priced (check the price on Amazon).
- The game is a great standalone gift for kids who like LOL dolls, making it a great birthday or Christmas gift.
- Opening the balls simulates the unboxing experience so kids feel like they are opening an LOL doll over and over.
What We Don’t Like
While the vast majority of reviewers find it a fun and engaging game, true to the design and spirit of the whole LOL Surprise line, there are a few (very minor) comments it might be worth noting:
- The surprise balls aren’t very stable and roll easily. This can be frustrating for those who are trying to remember which token is in which ball
- The doll character playing pieces are top-heavy and tip over easily. Many people continue game play with the bottle playing pieces for the sake of convenience
- The board layout, with the doll characters around the outside edge, the surprise balls in an inner ring, and the spinner in the very center, is cute and attractive. Although it’s on-theme for the LOL Surprise “layers,” it can be a little bit difficult to manage. Players have to reach down into the center of the board to use the spinner, risking tipping over the wobbly surprise balls and the top-heavy doll character playing pieces. Younger players with less fine motor skills, or even young players who are simply too short to reach down into the center of the board from the top, may find themselves unintentionally knocking over balls and game pieces
For these reasons, children on the younger end of the age range, however much they love LOL Surprise, may find the game a bit challenging, and parents may want to make some modifications that make it a little simpler mechanically for small kids to play.
Some suggestions for modifications:
- Use Velcro dots to stick the balls to the board in a way that they are more stable, but still able to be picked up, moved, and manipulated
- Move the spinner to the side, away from the center of the board, so that it’s easier to access
Final Verdict: [usr 4.5]
Overall, the game is more fun, enjoyable, and re-playable more for children than adults, but that is true of many board games. When looking for a fun, healthy activity for the whole family, sometimes adults end up playing board games that aren’t the most challenging for them.
But…
Kids of the appropriate age love this game, and want to play it again and again. And it’s simply a must-have for LOL Surprise collectors, who want to have the complete product line and the game-exclusive accessories.
Click here to the prices for the LOL Surprise! Board Game on Amazon.
What happens when you land on “start” during game play?
Hi Phil, according to the rules, nothing happens when you land on start during game play. However, we treat it as a spin again space. You just have to agree on that with the other players. Happy playing, Elizabeth
When you trade tokens, can you trade token dolls if someone else has the doll you want? Also, what If all of your spots on your collector card are full with both ur color and another color but you land on “Unbox me” or “surprise” and your color of token you need is in the lol ball…can you swap it out with the one currently on your collector card? How would you free up some of your layers to make room for the color you need?
Hi Lisa,
Here are the technical rules (although you can really play however you want):
1. You cannot trade doll tokens if someone else has the doll you want. The doll token determines the color of the other 6 tokens you need to own to win the game.
2. There’s nothing in the rules that says you can’t swap out tokens so I say yes…You can swap out a token that’s not your color with one that is your color.
3. To get the tokens you need, you can trade with another player OR take a token from then when you land on SURPRISE. The surprise space allows you to open a ball or take (not trade) a token. I suppose you can trade if you want to but you don’t have to.
When we play, there are some times when we just lose a turn because we can’t trade or take and all the slots are full. But, these are the rules we’ve agreed on. You can change them as long as all the player agree.
What does the tokens mean like the faces with tears where did it go on the score board..it’s hard to tell where the tokens should go accept the obvious ones like shoes ECT…
Hi Tosha, the faces with tears are the water surprises. The only other one that’s a bit confusing is the water surprise sticker. It looks like a small piece of paper. Happy playing!