Bananagrams

For the computerized version, see Bananagrams (online game).

Bananagrams
Bananagrams game bag and word tiles
DesignersAbraham Nathanson, Rena Nathanson
Publication2006; 19 years ago (2006)
Players2–8
Setup time1–2 minutes
ChanceLow (tile drawing)
SkillsSpelling
Anagramming
Websitehttp://www.bananagrams.com/
Related games
Scrabble
[1]

Bananagrams is a word game invented by Abraham Nathanson and Rena Nathanson[2] of Cranston, Rhode Island, wherein lettered tiles are used to spell words.

Nathanson conceived and developed the idea for the game with the help of his family.[3] The name is derived from his claim that it's the "anagram game that will drive you bananas!"[4] Beginning as a family innovation, Bananagrams was made available to the public in January 2006 at the London Toy Fair.[5] The game is similar to the older Scrabble variant Take Two.

Gameplay involves players arranging letter tiles into a grid of connected words. Two to eight players can participate, but the game can also be played solo. The object of the game is to be the first to complete a word grid after the pool of tiles has been exhausted. The tiles come in a fabric banana-shaped package.[6]

Gameplay

An arranged word grid with a newly drawn tile, "T" (left). In order to fit the "T" in, the "D" at the end of "F O O D" can be moved to another position at which it spells a valid word, yet where "T" would not spell a word, so that "T" can take "D"'s current position (right).

The game consists of 144 lettered tiles[7] that are placed face down on the playing surface. This is called the Bunch. The same number of tiles is drawn by each player (between 11 and 21 depending on the number of players), and once a player calls out "Split!", all the players turn over their tiles to reveal the lettered sides. Each player races to create their own word grids by arranging the letters to form words connected in intersecting or interlocking manner (words should not be separate from one another). You may rearrange your grid as many times as you like – the name "Bananagrams" is a play on the word anagrams, as a player must often rearrange the words one has already formed in order to allow newly drawn tiles to be placed into their grid. When a player uses up all of their tiles, they call out "Peel!" and each player must draw a new tile from the pool of remaining tiles.

If at any time during play a player gets stuck with a tricky letter, the player can announce "Dump!" and exchange any letter for three tiles from the Bunch.

When there are fewer tiles in the Bunch than there are players, the first person to use up all their letters shouts "Bananas" and wins, becoming Top Banana if all of their words are valid.

The letter distribution is as follows:[8]

  • 2: J, K, Q, X, Z
  • 3: B, C, F, H, M, P, V, W, Y
  • 4: G
  • 5: L
  • 6: D, S, U
  • 8: N
  • 9: T, R
  • 11: O
  • 12: I
  • 13: A
  • 18: E

Variations

The Bananagrams company has expanded with other versions of the classic game. Variations include My First Bananagrams for younger children, Bananagrams Duel for a two-player game, Double Bananagrams with double the tiles and Bananagrams WildTiles with wildcard tiles. There also are Spanish, French and Hebrew versions of the game.[9]

Comparison with other games

Bananagrams uses elements of both Boggle and Scrabble. It is similar to Boggle in the sense that gameplay is simultaneous, yet players build interlocking puzzles similar to those in Scrabble. Because Bananagrams can be played by players at any (English) reading level, the game is useful for children who are learning to spell, and has been touted as both educational[10] and popular among consumers. An independent psychologist reviewed Bananagrams and expressed her recommendation of Bananagrams as a positive example of creativity stimulation because, perhaps unlike Scrabble, the goal is to play all of one's tiles, which generates a need to configure and reconfigure one's word grid to accept all of the letters.[11]

Other tabletop word games that are played without a board include Anagrams, Dabble, Perquackey and Quiddler. Bananagrams is also similar to Syzygy,[12] a letter-tile game released in 1997,[13] and the 1999 game Double Quick.[14]

Awards

Bananagrams has won numerous awards for its innovation, popularity among consumers and educational value:

  • Game of the Year 2009 by TOTY Awards
  • Gold Award, Good Toy Guide (UK 2006)[15]
  • Best Toy Bronze Award, Right Start Magazine (UK 2006)[15]
  • Top Toy of the Year Award, Creative Child Magazine 2007[16]
  • NAPPA Honors Award, Parenthood.com[17]

Online gameplay

Main article: Bananagrams (online game)

An online version of Bananagrams was developed by Large Animal Games, in partnership with Majesco Entertainment. It ran from 2008 until 2012.[18]

The online version adhered to the same protocol as the tabletop edition, but certain gameplay adjustments and social features were also available. Players could play live games or send challenges to friends, and share completed games with one another. The game also included solitaire modes and "Banana Café", where the objective was to beat one's own best time.[19]

The online game version offered players the opportunity to customize the game with "Banana Chip" credits. Banana Chips were earned by playing games and by issuing and winning challenges. They could be spent in the virtual store to purchase new tiles and playing boards, and to buy in-game hints and bonuses to gain an advantage over other players. Multi-tier achievements were also awarded to players in recognition of outstanding skill, and a leaderboard contained information pertaining to other players.[20][21]

References

  1. ^ Goodridge, Michelle; Rohweder, Matthew J. (15 November 2021). Librarian's Guide to Games and Gamers: From Collection Development to Advisory Services. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9798216110958.
  2. ^ Grimes, William. "Abraham Nathanson, Bananagrams Inventor, Dies at 80", The New York Times, 9 June 2010. Accessed 12 June 2010.
  3. ^ "Toys n' Playthings, Featured Games and Puzzles, April 2006". Bananagrams-intl.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  4. ^ "Bananagram Beginnings". Bananagrams-intl.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  5. ^ "Toy News, December 2006". Bananagrams-intl.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  6. ^ "boardgamegeek.com". boardgamegeek.com. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  7. ^ "toycrossing.com". toycrossing.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  8. ^ "Letter distributions in Bananagrams and other games". Bananagrammer.com. 13 July 2009.
  9. ^ "Our Games new". Bananagrams. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Christmas Toy Review". Bananagrams-intl.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  11. ^ "Evaluation by Beth Carroll, PsyD, writing for ToyDirectory Monthly Magazine, October 2006". Bananagrams-intl.com. Archived from the original on 26 December 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  12. ^ "Syzygy – The Word Game". Archived from the original on 20 October 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  13. ^ "About the SYZYGY Board Game". Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  14. ^ "Double Quick".
  15. ^ a b "Toy News, 2006". Bananagrams-intl.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  16. ^ "Awards bibliography". Bananagrams-intl.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  17. ^ "Parenthood.com". Parenthood.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  18. ^ "Bananagrams Official Facebook Page". Facebook. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  19. ^ "Large Animal Press". Largeanimal.com. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  20. ^ "Facebook Game". largeanimal.com. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  21. ^ "Bebo Game". Apps.bebo.com. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bananagrams.

Read other articles:

Nomaden

Penggembala nomaden yang sedang berkemah dekat Namtso, Tibet, tahun 2005. Nomaden atau pengembara, adalah berbagai komunitas masyarakat yang memilih hidup berpindah-pindah dari suatu tempat ke tempat lain di padang pasir atau daerah bermusim dingin, daripada menetap di suatu tempat. Masyarakat yang berpindah-pindah tempat tetapi bukan di padang pasir atau daerah bermusim dingin, disebut sebagai kaum gipsi. Banyak kebudayaan dahulunya secara tradisional hidup nomaden, akan tetapi kebiasaan tra...

 

Sukhoi Su-2

Su-2 Jenis Pesawat pengebom Pembuat Sukhoi Perancang Pavel SukhoiAndrei Tupolev Penerbangan perdana 25 Augustus 1937 Status Dipensiunkan Pengguna utama Angkatan Udara Uni Soviet Jumlah 910 Sukhoi Su-2 (Rusia: Сухой Су-2) adalah pesawat pembom ringan dan pengintai Soviet yang digunakan pada tahap awal Perang Dunia II. Pesawat ini adalah pesawat pertama yang dirancang oleh Pavel Sukhoi. Desain dasar menerima mesin dan persenjataan Upgrade (Su-4) dan dimodifikasi untuk peran seranga...

 

العلاقات الألبانية القبرصية

العلاقات الألبانية القبرصية ألبانيا قبرص   ألبانيا   قبرص تعديل مصدري - تعديل   العلاقات الألبانية القبرصية هي العلاقات الثنائية التي تجمع بين ألبانيا وقبرص.[1][2][3][4][5] مقارنة بين البلدين هذه مقارنة عامة ومرجعية للدولتين: وجه المقارنة ألبا�...

Divisiones Regionales de Fútbol in Navarre

The Divisiones Regionales de Fútbol in the Community of Navarre: Primera Autonómica (Level 6 of the Spanish football pyramid) Preferente de Navarra (Level 7) Primera Regional de Navarra (Level 8) League chronology Timeline Primera Autonómica Football leaguePrimera AutonómicaFounded2015Country SpainNumber of teams2 groupsLevel on pyramid6Promotion to3ª RFEF – Group 15Relegation toPreferenteWebsitewww.futnavarra.es The Primera Autonómica de Navarra is the sixth level of competition...

 

Marta Husemann

German actress Marta HusemannMarta Husemann (left) with Harro Schulze-Boysen (right) and Günther WeisenbornBornMarta Wolter(1913-08-20)20 August 1913BerlinDied30 June 1960(1960-06-30) (aged 46)NationalityGermanOther namesMarta JendretzkyOccupation(s)Actress, activistKnown forRed OrchestraPolitical partyKPDMovementCommunismSpouseHans Jendretzky Marta Husemann (née Wolter, later Jendretzky; 20 August 1913 – 30 June 1960) was a German actress and anti-Nazi Resistance fighter i...

 

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time

Halaman ini berisi artikel tentang permainan video tahun 2020 yang akan datang. Untuk judul keempat dari seri Crash Bandicoot, lihat Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex. Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Seni sampul, memerankan Coco (kiri) dan Crash (tengah)Publikasi2 Oktober 2020GenrePlatformBahasa Daftar Ceko, Inggris, Jepang, Prancis, Serbia, Spanyol dan Wales 60 Karakteristik teknisPlatformPlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X dan S dan Nintendo Switch MesinUnr...

Yutaka Akita

Yutaka Akita Informasi pribadiNama lengkap Yutaka AkitaTanggal lahir 6 Agustus 1970 (umur 53)Tempat lahir Nagoya, Aichi, JepangTinggi 180 m (590 ft 7 in)Posisi bermain Bek (pensiun)Karier junior1986–1988 SMA Aichi1989–1992 Universitas Aichi GakuinKarier senior*Tahun Tim Tampil (Gol)1993-2003 Kashima Antlers 334 (20)2004-2006 Nagoya Grampus 57 (3)2007 Kyoto Sanga 14 (0)Tim nasional1995-2003 Jepang 44 (4)Kepelatihan2010 Kyoto Sanga2013 Machida Zelvia * Penampilan dan go...

 

Guam

GuamGuam (Inggris) Guåhan (Chamorro) Bendera Lambang Semboyan: —Lagu kebangsaan: The Star-Spangled BannerLagu teritorial: Fanohge Chamoru Ibu kotaHagåtñaDesaDededo13°30′55″N 144°50′10″E / 13.51528°N 144.83611°E / 13.51528; 144.83611Bahasa resmiInggris dan ChamorroKelompok etnik [1] 49,3% Pasifik 36,6% Asia 9,4% Multirasial 7,1% Kaukasia 0,6% Lainnya Agama 94,1% Kristen 1,7% Tanpa agama 1,5% Agama suku 1,1% Buddha] 1,6% Lainnya Pe...

 

趙家驤

追晉陸軍二級上將趙家驤將軍个人资料出生1910年 大清河南省衛輝府汲縣逝世1958年8月23日(1958歲—08—23)（47—48歲） † 中華民國福建省金門縣国籍 中華民國政党 中國國民黨获奖 青天白日勳章（追贈）军事背景效忠 中華民國服役 國民革命軍 中華民國陸軍服役时间1924年－1958年军衔 二級上將 （追晉）部队四十七師指挥東北剿匪總司令部參謀長陸軍�...

Roby, Texas

City in Texas, United StatesRoby, TexasCityDowntown RobyLocation of Roby, TexasCoordinates: 32°44′41″N 100°22′52″W / 32.74472°N 100.38111°W / 32.74472; -100.38111CountryUnited StatesStateTexasCountyFisherGovernmentArea[1] • Total0.72 sq mi (1.86 km2) • Land0.72 sq mi (1.86 km2) • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)Elevation1,962 ft (598 m)Population (2020) �...

 

Origin of the Romanians

Ethnogenesis of Romanians Part of a series on the History of Romania Prehistory Cucuteni–Trypillia culture Hamangia culture Bronze Age in Romania Prehistory of Transylvania Antiquity Dacia Dacian Wars Roman Dacia Origin of the Romanians Middle Ages (Early) History of Transylvania Banat in the Middle Ages First Bulgarian Empire Second Bulgarian Empire Voivodeship of Maramureș Founding of Wallachia Founding of Moldavia Rumelia Eyalet Early Modern Times Silistra Eyalet Principality of Transyl...

 

友谊勋章 (俄罗斯)

  关于与「友谊勋章 (俄罗斯)」標題相近或相同的条目页，請見「友谊勋章 (消歧义)」。 友谊勋章类型单级勋章（仅设有一个等级）授予原因加强各民族友谊、交流与合作国家／地区俄罗斯 颁发单位 俄羅斯颁授资格俄罗斯国民及世界各民族人民設立時間1994年3月2日[1]首次颁发康斯坦丁·蒂托夫（萨马拉州州长）绶带 优先顺序上等荣誉勋章下等光荣父母�...

2020年夏季奧林匹克運動會波蘭代表團

2020年夏季奥林匹克运动会波兰代表團波兰国旗IOC編碼POLNOC波蘭奧林匹克委員會網站olimpijski.pl（英文）（波兰文）2020年夏季奥林匹克运动会（東京）2021年7月23日至8月8日（受2019冠状病毒病疫情影响推迟，但仍保留原定名称）運動員206參賽項目24个大项旗手开幕式：帕维尔·科热尼奥夫斯基（游泳）和马娅·沃什乔夫斯卡（自行车）[1]闭幕式：卡罗利娜·纳亚（皮划艇）&#...

 

Världsmästerskapet i bandy för herrar 2006

Världsmästerskapet i bandy för herrar 2006 Sveriges flagga Stockholm Datum28 januari - 5 februari 2006ArrangörFederation of International BandyDeltagareNationer12VärdskapLand SverigeOrtEskilstuna Gustavsberg Katrineholm Linköping Oxelösund Stockholm VästeråsPlaceringar Guld Ryssland Silver Sverige Brons FinlandÖvrigtMatcher37Mål347 (9,37 mål per match)← 2005 Ryssland Ryssland 2007 → Världsmästerskapet i bandy för herrar 2006 var det 26:e världsmästerskap...

 

Оганесян, Эдгар Сергеевич

В Википедии есть статьи о других людях с фамилией Оганесян. Эдгар Оганесянарм. Էդգար Հովհաննիսյան Основная информация Полное имя Эдгар Сергеевич Оганесян Дата рождения 14 января 1930(1930-01-14) Место рождения Эривань, Армянская ССР, ЗСФСР, СССР Дата смерти 28 декаб�...

Festival Salzburg

Festival SalzburgSalzburger FestspieleJedermann, sebuah drama yang dilakukan setiap tahun, pada tahun 2014Jenis musik drama Dimulaiakhir JuliBerakhirakhir AgustusFrekuensitahunanLokasiSalzburg, AustriaAcara pertama1920; 104 tahun lalu (1920)Tokoh Hugo von Hofmannsthal Richard Strauss Alfred Roller Franz Schalk Max Reinhardt Situs webwww.salzburgerfestspiele.at Festival Salzburg (Jerman: Salzburger Festspielecode: de is deprecated ) adalah sebuah festival musik dan drama terkemuka yang di...

 

HD 105382

Star in the constellation Centaurus HD 105382 A light curve for V863 Centauri, plotted from Hipparcos data[1] Observation dataEpoch J2000      Equinox J2000 Constellation Centaurus Right ascension 12h 08m 05.22401s[2] Declination −50° 39′ 40.5728″[2] Apparent magnitude (V) 4.47[3] Characteristics Spectral type B6III[4] U−B color index −0.67[3] B−V color index −0.15...

 

George Smoot

Artikel ini tidak memiliki referensi atau sumber tepercaya sehingga isinya tidak bisa dipastikan. Tolong bantu perbaiki artikel ini dengan menambahkan referensi yang layak. Tulisan tanpa sumber dapat dipertanyakan dan dihapus sewaktu-waktu.Cari sumber: George Smoot – berita · surat kabar · buku · cendekiawan · JSTOR George Smoot George Fitzgerald Smoot III (lahir 20 Februari 1945) adalah fisikawan astrofisik (ahli astrofisika) dari Amerika Serikat dan ...

Stasiun Bandara Adisoemarmo

Stasiun Bandara Adisoemarmo AS05 Tampak luar Stasiun Bandara Adisoemarmo dari arah landasan pacu, 2020LokasiKompleks Bandar Udara Internasional AdisumarmoNgesrep, Ngemplak, Boyolali, Jawa TengahIndonesiaKoordinat7°30′49″S 110°44′52″E / 7.513480°S 110.747914°E / -7.513480; 110.747914Koordinat: 7°30′49″S 110°44′52″E / 7.513480°S 110.747914°E / -7.513480; 110.747914Ketinggian+131 mOperator Kereta Api IndonesiaDaerah Operasi ...

 

Angela Duckworth

American psychologist Angela DuckworthAngela Duckworth, in 2017Born1970 (age 53–54)Bangkok, ThailandNationalityAmericanAlma materHarvard College University of OxfordUniversity of PennsylvaniaSpouse Jason Duckworth ​(m. 1998)​Children2AwardsMacArthur FellowshipMarshall ScholarshipScientific careerFieldsPsychology Angela Lee Duckworth (born 1970) is an American academic, psychologist, and popular science author. She is the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang P...