One of the world-famous board games – Jenga has got its world popularity long ago and ceased to be a curiosity: in any toy store, it is possible to buy this game and enjoy playing with friends, grinding accuracy, the correctness of movements and coordination. Nowadays the new version of this game is waiting for you – giant Jenga where the “sticks” can be as long as 50 cm in length and the height of the entire stack in the game can reach a height of 3 meters! Impressive, right? It’s spectacular and unusual and it can be, for example, the finale of your interactive team building program. You can arrange a competition not on only one Jenga but on two at once: the teams take turns making a move, rearranging the bars of their tower… Are you ready to fight for the height of the pyramid without crushing it before your rivals? Let’s consider rules, risks, and advantages of this unusual version of so popular board game.
Giant version and it’s rules
Firstly, let’s consider how to create a really giant Jenga and what is the main its difference from the traditional version. The giant version is many times magnified copy of the traditional Jenga game which has become a real boom in the world of board games for already more than thirty years ago. Rules for both these versions are similar and the difference is only in size of the tower and bars. For those who do not know or forgot the rules, we will remind them now.
Everything is very simple: from the absolutely identical rectangular wooden bars (giant bars, of course) the participant builds the tower according to the following principle: 3 bars should be laid flat on the one floor and then 3 more bars should be placed on top of them. The main condition is that they must lie perpendicularly to the bottom ones. The next “floors” are stacked in a similar way until all the bars are stacked in the high tower. In general, you should get the 10 floors. After that, the most interesting part begins: players should pull out the bars from the floors below the last one by one and put them on top as if increasing the “skyscraper” in height. Holding the construction and use both hands is strictly prohibited. The process continues until one of the players crashes the tower. The winner is the one who put the bar last before the next competitor crashed down the Jenga construction. It is also important to note that the first player who takes the bar should be the one who constructed the tower.
Pros and cons of the giant Jenga
It is not difficult to guess from the rules that you can play this game either one-on-one or the whole company. On large-scale events with a large number of guests, you can play with teams. In this case, each new bar will be rearranged by a new person. This will give an opportunity to engage in the process of the game and interest all guests. The more participants, the more passions, the higher will be the rivalry spirit. So, the main advantages of the giant Jenga are the company, team spirit, and the possibility to play it outdoors.
For many people it may seem a disadvantage that a giant Jenga is a calm game because all the participants are standing still – they do not run and jump. However, here the serious excitement reigns and the passions are heated as the tower grows because the higher it is, the less it is stable, and each turn can be the last. Actually, participants have to make a lot of efforts in order not to be the ones who crash it. First of all, you need to think carefully about where it is best to pull out the bar so as not to break the whole structure. Secondly, you need to act with the extreme caution because any sudden movement can become fatal.
Giant Jenga is universal entertainment for almost any event. To play it you do not need a lot of space, so you are able to play it either outdoors or indoors. There is no age limit for the game either: it is interesting to play both for adults and children. This game will also be an excellent choice for elderly guests who for health reasons can’t take part in active outdoor games.
Speaking about the cons of this Jenga version, we want to mention the weather. If you are already searching for tips on how to create yard Jenga at your next team building event, one simple rain can ruin all your plans. Nevertheless, this is not a statement as you can always play it inside your house but in such case, you should be ready that it will be very loud. Among other cons of the game some people mention risks because of its size, however, we want to assure you that all the varieties of the giant Jenga have lightweight bars so you will be safe and sound even if standing close to the falling tower.
As you can see, the number of pros is much higher so if you are still doubting about the purchasing of the giant Jenga, the answer is YES, of course, buy it! This exciting game will please you and the company of your friends with the unforgettable emotions and bring a lot of fun while playing it outdoors.
I’m thinking about getting a giant Jenga game for my children. They like playing outside but I notice that they sometimes need a little guidance when they get bored – this would be something they’d love!