game review- Wahoo

Our family is a game-playing family. We love board games, card games, video games. Games we make- up, games to play outside, games to play while we work… I think you get the picture :)

I think it stems from the amazing ability that Chris has to make anything fun. Whether it’s scrubbing toilets and making beds, waiting in line for the movies, or cleaning up the yard, he always manages to find the fun in everything.

So, I thought we could start reviewing some of the games we play as a family to give you an idea of if you might like to try them. Or, if you have played the game we review, let us know what you think of it!

Wahoo is our first game review

Since we make and sell this game, might as well tell you about it! Plus, it is the first game we were gifted when we got married. Chris’s parents bought us a handmade Wahoo game board ( which we still have, even though it’s been cracked through ) and a handmade Chinese Checkers game board for our first anniversary.

But enough back story- let’s review the game.

Wahoo/ Aggravation/ Marbles/ Murdur/ Killback/ and many others

This game is old. I mean, really old! The Wahoo version is thought to have originated in the Appalachians, but it is very closely related to Parcheesi, which can be traced back to the 4th and 7th centuries in India.

Wahoo/ Aggravation is usually played with marbles and dice. There are other versions played with marbles and cards ( Carbles or Jokers) You can also make a board to play with pegs or just regular playing pieces.

The classic version of Wahoo is for 2-4 players and consists of a cross pattern that one has to move all one’s pieces around to reach “home” before his opponents'.

If an opponent lands on your piece, your piece is sent back to the beginning to start all over again.

Wahoo is a classic game for a reason. It has a good mix of luck and strategy involved in it, which makes it fun for all ages.

We used this game to teach our kids how to count by counting the pips on the dice rolls, then the marble spaces to move.

This is a great game to teach patience, the art of winning, and the art of losing. We love to tease and this game lends itself to teasing, boasting, being on the verge of winning, and then having to start all over again. The range of emotions throughout a typical game-play period is amazing.

Due to the quick play-time of each turn, the game itself moves rather fast, though playing time might be drawn out if opponents keep sending one another back home. Sometimes, that is the best way to play! Games last about 30-60 minutes, on average.

If you are in the mood for a fun game to play after dinner or on a rainy day, Wahoo is an excellent choice. We do make boards that have up to 8 players, which is great for large gatherings or if you have 6 kids ( like we do).

Wahoo is also a fun warm-up game for a longer game day or gaming weekend. I love that it is very quick to explain the rules and learn. (Some of the games we play, take quite a while to read through all the rules)

We include the general rules for Wahoo with each of our game boards, but there are different family rules that you can try as well, such as:

~ 4’s are backward. This allows you to get your guy out of the starting place, role a 4, and then be in line to move him home without having to travel around the board

~ 7’s can be split between two of your players. Move a man into home with 4 spaces and use the other 3 spaces to move another man closer to home. You can use any combo to make 7, but you cannot get a guy out of the start place. You cannot use less than 7 moves total.

~ Partners. This is particularly fun if you are playing the 8 players, but works well with the 4 players too. Partners sit every other one. Once one partner gets all their guys home, they roll to help their partner move home. If you cannot or choose not to move your man, you can move your partner’s man.

Overall, Wahoo is one of our family’s favorite, go-to games to play. We love that it can be played with the toddler ( no marbles in the mouth please!) the teen, mom & dad, and grandparents- all in the same game! It’s quick set-up, easy-to-remember rules, and classic style, making it a great game for the casual game player, to the “ my house is stuffed with games” game player.

Rate: 5 stars

Let us know what y’all think, is Wahoo one of your go-to games?

Do you have a game you'd like us to review? Let us know in the comments!

~Chris & Carrie