Spotlight is a classic seek-and-find game with a twist. Rather than just searching through the fun artwork for a list of things, you have to use the magic flashlight to illuminate small sections at a time. Players will race against the clock to find as many hidden characters as possible in 5 rounds of play.
What sets Spotlight apart is the magic flashlight. The picture you are searching is a dark screen, and you will use a cardboard flashlight to illuminate a small section of the picture. There is a small and a large flashlight beam to change up the difficulty, but either way, it will test your ability to observe details and remember what you’ve seen before.
Spotlight also adds some board game elements to attempt to make seek-and-find more of a game rather than just a fun activity. There is a board that you move around in a race with the moon to find all of the characters before morning. It adds a minor bit of tension and theme to the game, which gives players seeking a goal something to focus on.
The artwork in the game is in a hand-drawn doodle style that is fun to search through. The pictures have a nice blend of chaotic busyness to make the seeking challenging, combined with a cohesive theme that brings the entire picture together. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of the old Waldo books, but with a bit of game added in. The game comes with 5 pictures and 60 characters to look for. That combination theoretically means there are a lot of possible combinations to keep the game fresh for a while, but the same 5 pictures do get old after a while.
For families, Spotlight is a great way to spend an evening. The sand timer and race with the moon give a sense of urgency and drama that will have the whole family frantically searching for their picture each round. Even though the game is designed to be cooperative, there is a bit of competitiveness between players regarding who can find the most characters. It’s not very deep, but it is fun. If you have kids in the 4-7 age range, I think Spotlight is a great time.
Publisher: Horrible Guild
Designer: Lorenzo Silva & Hjalmar Hach
Artist: Giulia Ghigini
Spotlight
Good
Spotlight is a seek-and-find game that amps up the challenge by making you search a darkened picture with a flashlight. Younger kids will have a blast, and it’s engaging enough to keep the whole family interested for the short time it takes to play 5 rounds.
Pros
- Innovates on a classic
- Plays fast
- Great production
Cons
- Older kids will lose interest quickly
- With only 5 pictures, I’m not sure how many times you can play it
This review is based on a retail copy provided by the publisher.
