Search Party: Chaos At The Park – 15 Story Missions Your Kids Will Love!

 

This is a review of the “new to me” game called “Search Party: Chaos At The Park”. It’s a 3D search-and-find game by “What Do You Meme?”. I got this game as a birthday present from my wife and kiddos.

At first glance, it reminded me of my childhood playing iSpy books, looking for different items scattered in a hoarder’s messy room. “Where’s Waldo?”, is another example that comes to mind when thinking about similarities for Search Party.

Would I Recommend Search Party: Chaos At The Park?

I would recommend this game for families with children. It’s easy to get into, and easy to play. There are not very many rules which makes it easier to get settled in. When I played it with my wife we thought it was extremely easy to play, maybe a little too easy for people our age. Keep in mind that we had no idea what to expect from this game. We thought it would be similar to the childhood games we grew up with, but after playing for a while we realized that “Search Party: Chaos At The Park” was meant for more of a family game night.

If you are buying this game for a kiddo, then I would recommend making sure that they have someone to play with them. Some of the missions can be a little tricky due to the increasing level of difficulty in the final missions.

There is a nice catalog full of characters to find too. If the missions aren’t what you’re looking for then you can use the catalog and go hunting.

Overall, it’s a fun little game that can get a few hours out. Great for a kid’s game night, possibly good for a grandparent to buy, or even for a kid’s party.

General Information
Play Time: About 2 Hours
Designer: What Do You Meme?
Recommended Age Group: 8+
Player Count: 1+
Difficulty 1-10: 3

Search Party: Chaos At The Park has a 3D Board?

The 3D board is really the selling point for this game. I really like how the designer made it pop up perfectly and seamlessly fit around all the chaos. When I first saw it in the store I was worried that it be a bit too much to try and keep track of. After playing it I now think they did a good job at balancing characters and objects both in the 3D model and also on the board itself. The pop-up folded back down nicely without any problems and that was a relief for me.

It was a fun touch that you don’t get to see as much of in newer games. Brought in a new level of fun both in searching and literally in level.

How Is The Artwork And Design Of The Board?

I enjoyed getting to see all the different characters that were scattered all over the map. The design of the buildings, the characters, and especially the story was delightful. With the use of the missions, they were able to design a small story that gave you a nice start and finish to each mission.

I also liked the colors they decided to use for this game. I thought it all went well with everything. Reminds me of a Simpsons episode, with solid and bold colors to give all the characters a little pop.

Search Party: Chaos At The Park Comes With 15 Missions?

The missions were an important detail of this game. I think that without them it just wouldn’t have been much of a game at all. The missions are really where the core of the small stories originate. Leading you to each end of the board, and even into the 3D pop-up.

There are 15 different missions, each one getting more difficult as you progress. The first 8 missions are not too much to think about. It was fun and silly getting to explore and take in what little details they planted around the park. But the first half of the missions just felt like the game designers easing you into the game.

How Is It For Kids?

Search Party: Chaos At The Park, is a perfect game to get a group of kids together and do a search of the park. It’s pop-up which is something they would love. Also getting to investigate and figure out what happened in some of the missions would keep them well entertained.

The magnifying glass is a fun little touch too, we didn’t have any trouble finding anything. I normally wear glass so my eyes are already at a disadvantage, and didn’t seem to have difficulty spotting some of the smaller details. My wife did use the magnifying glass a bit, but I think it was just to make sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing.

How Was The Box Organization?

It was good, but not the best. They took the time to add little slates for the missions to sit on in the box, which is a good idea. Unfortunately, it’s not deep enough and sits at an angle that makes the mission bundles slide on top of each other. That is a nitpick by me, other than that little tray problem everything else was great with the box.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the gameplay like?
   • Gameplay is what you would expect from the title, it’s a search party. There are different people and things to search for and a lot is happening.
2. How many players can play?
   • You can play this game with a single person. As long as you can see the board then you can play. So the true answer is as many people as can fit around a table.
3. Is it suitable for families with children?
   • This is a perfect game for families with children. They will love the 3D board and all the fun and silly characters.
4. How long does a typical game last?
   • This will vary depending on how many people are playing, and also how old the players are. If you’re only doing the missions the game will take about 2 hours. If you search for each character in the catalog then it could take you a bit longer.
5. Is it easy to learn and play for beginners?
   • The game is easy to learn and play. The missions explain themselves, and the map does a good job of staying close to itself.
6. Can it be played solo or does it require multiple players?
   • Yes, it can be played solo. Most likely this game will be played by a child and parent.
7. What is the age group for the game?
   • I think this game could be played by kids as young as 5 or 6. That doesn’t mean that we older folk won’t find enjoyment in this game. For all of us who loved “Where’s Waldo”, this will bring back a feeling of nostalgia.

My Wife’s 2 Cents

3 Games We Recommend

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SPLENDOR	Check On Amazon	My Review

Thanks for taking the time to look over my review. I hope that it brought you some value. God Bless.