SET Game
There are VERY FEW GAMES I can stand to play more than a few times. It’s even worse with children’s games. SET is one game I’m willing to play again and again and again.
It doesn’t SEEM like it would be much fun. You lay out a bunch of cards (we’re not much for “reading the directions” at our house, but we put out a grid of three by four as shown in the picture), and you try to make sets of three. To be a set, all three cards either have to be ALL SAME or ALL DIFFERENT on four different attributes: color, shape, number, shading. So, for example, all three cards can be green, or they can be one each of red, purple, and green, but they can’t be TWO green and ONE red. ALL SAME or ALL DIFFERENT. And it has to be that way not only for color but also for shape, number, AND shading, in EACH set.
No, no–stay with me! I know it sounds terribly, terribly dull and/or complicated, but once you get started it’s like Tetris: such a simple concept, but you’ll see it behind your eyes when you’re trying to fall asleep. And don’t be discouraged if it takes you awhile to get a grip on the so-called “simple concept”: my husband and my third-grader understood it at once, while I was still frustrated and saying things like, “OH I SEE! So if YOU say it’s a set, then it’s a set, but if I say it’s a set, then it’s NOT, is THAT the way the rules go??”
SET can be played by one person or by as many as you can cram around the table.
The age range is “6 and up.” We have a 6-year-old in our household, and although he’s able to grasp the concept, his attention wanders. The 8-year-old is the perfect age for it. One of the reasons this makes a good family game is that once a child can understand the concept AND focus his/her attention on it, it’s a nearly-level playing field between children and adults. —Swistle
Link: SET game on Amazon.com (they claim to have only 5 left in stock, but if they do sell out there are “more buying choices” on the righthand side of that page)
Ballpark price: $11.00
Posted: January 21st, 2008 under Personally recommended by Swistle, Games.
Comments: 11
Comments
Comment from superblondgirl
Time: January 21, 2008, 6:40 am
Honestly, that does sound like a lot of fun. Our go-to games of that sort are Connect 4 (which my 5 year old trounces me at more often than I like to admit) and Cranium Cadoo (an Xmas gift we are very thankful for). Anything addictive and Tetris-y will definitely go on that list. And I’m glad that I’m not the only one who sees Tetris behind her eyelids as she tries to sleep. That makes me feel slightly less crazy.
Comment from laura
Time: January 21, 2008, 7:46 am
i LOVE set! i’ve been playing it for about 10 years and it is seriously the best game ever. SET!
Comment from gabby
Time: January 21, 2008, 7:59 am
We LOVE Set. We played it online for years before we got the cards, and now we’re addicted to both!
Comment from Jumpy Girl
Time: January 21, 2008, 8:48 am
SET rocks! I’ve been playing it online forever and look forward to getting the card version. Thanks for reviewing this awesome game and spreading the word!
Comment from Kate
Time: January 21, 2008, 4:49 pm
We’re always looking for good gift ideas for our 8-yr old pseudo-nephew. This sounds great. Thanks!
Comment from Rae
Time: January 21, 2008, 9:19 pm
This is how I kept 12 children between 6 and 13 entertained for the entire rehearsal and run of Christmas Carol one year. My now-SIL introduced the game to us and it has been a staple ever since
Comment from pseudostoops
Time: January 22, 2008, 10:59 am
Oh my god there is an online version of Set? Gabby, you have just ruined any chances of productivity I had for this week. I LOVE this game.
Comment from paige
Time: January 22, 2008, 12:06 pm
This game sounds fun, although I am more relieved to hear that seeing falling Tetris shapes is perfectly normal. 
Let’s see, if I turn that one this way, and this thingamajig that way, then I can…
Comment from Barbara
Time: January 23, 2008, 9:25 am
SET is my absolute favorite game and the most amazing news are, it is available to play now at the New York Times: www.nytimes.com/set
Comment from Kelsey
Time: January 23, 2008, 11:22 am
A friend introduced me to SET about seven years ago and it is still a favorite of mine. I get excited just thinking about Harper being old enough to play. I loved introducing this game to my first graders. The online version is nice because there is only one puzzle a day, so once you solve it, you can let go of it for the day — no going back to play every five minutes.
Comment from BRash
Time: January 23, 2008, 12:41 pm
I still sometimes think of Tetris as I’m drifting off to sleep. I don’t think I could deal with more of THAT!
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