Hip to Be Square
By Karyn M. Peterson -- Playthings, 11/1/2007
There's a new game in town and it's all about communication. Kubit2me, the fuzzy and fun-to-hold talking cube, is finally hitting retail this fall after years of development, and inventor Mary Kay Russell could not be more excited.
Russell dreamed of creating “a unique game that would specifically address a void in the girl tween and teen market,” she tells Playthings. And, after working with several design and branding teams, that vision has become the ideal sleepover game: Kubit2me Truth or Dare Edition, for girls ages 8 and up.
Russell brought her unique game concept—which was actually born out of her desire to create fun activities for a kids' book club she was leading—to the Toy and Game Inventors Forum last year. TGIFcon provided “an enlightening, rewarding educational experience,” she says. “I had the chance to meet face-to-face with industry executives, who shared their experiences and insights while providing me with beneficial critique and feedback.” Truth or Dare took second place at the show, leading Russell to decide to manufacture and distribute the game herself.
“We've received many emails and letters from customers,” Russell says. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from girls who love the thought-provoking truths and outrageous dares ... We've even had many parents who've had a blast playing [it] with their kids.”
The game's cube features cloth pockets that hold question cards (which can be switched out for any others cards players wish to use), plus a hidden center compartment for treats players retrieve following their turns. Bonus card/treat sets are also available to extend play. Other editions are the more open-ended Now You're Talkin' (for tweens to adults), and the educational Lil' Scholars (for ages 3 to 6), that's already popular with teachers.
Russell's Lisle, Ill.-based company hopes to expand its distribution to more specialty toy and teacher supply stores soon. She is also developing a religious edition and a reminiscence edition for seniors.
“Above all else, we strive to encourage the desire to communicate while having tons of energized fun,” Russell says. “Beyond that, we'll let our imaginations run wild.”
