Monster Munch Review ⏤ Memory match with some crunch

Monster Munch from Haba takes on the classic memory match kids games and adds just enough bite to feel fresh without overwhelming the little ones. Childrens’ games can be a challenge to pull off and be engaging for the kids and parents alike but Haba has found the magic sauce. We favorably reviewed both Forest Friends and Flotsam Float from Haba, but does Monster Munch deliver a satisfying experience?

The game plays with 2-4 players, aged 5-99, taking turns in an effort to reach the end of the buffet the fastest. The players are cute little monsters represented by chunky, brightly colored and screen printed meeples. On your turn you roll a six sided die to see what color of food your monster finds “yucky” for that turn. Then you name a color for one of the two plates in the row next to your monster and choose one to flip over. If the plate isn’t your yucky color, then you get to advance down the buffet table. At this point you can push your luck and try again or else stop there. If you decide to keep going but flip over your yucky color, then you go back to where you started that turn. Finally you flip all the plates back over. This continues until one player’s monster has gone down and back on the buffet table.

Mechanically, the game will feel familiar to anyone that’s played a memory match game with a basic set of cards or a printed set of tiles. The twist, and what makes Monster Munch feel like it’s really innovated on the design, is that you aren’t trying to collect matches like the classic game. Instead you are trying to remember the location of the specific colored plates in order to avoid the “yucky” flavors and race to the finish. The introduction of the Push Your Luck mechanic done well and kids will catch on pretty quickly.

 

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