Cortex Challenge Game – Review

Cortex Challenge is a handy sized brain game from Esdevium, for  2-6 players, aged 8+, RRP £12.99. Available now from your local toy store or online from Amazon (my affiliate link is below)

There are three editions in the Cortex family each have slightly different style challenges. All are easy to understand, but mastering them is the challenge. The Cortex Challenge box includes 90 cards, 10 raised touch cards, 6 brain jigsaws, and instructions.

Game play is simple each player has 30 seconds to examine the 10 raised touch cards before they are shuffled and placed face down on the table. The remaining Cortex test cards are shuffled and placed on the table. Players starting with the youngest, take it in turns to turn a card, and test their brainpower. There are eight different style of challenges like memory, maze, duplicates and colours. We found one or two slow-paced game was enough to get used to the types of challenges before playing at full speed.

When the card has been turned it is the first player to cover the card with their hand, and without looking shout out the answer. Answer correctly and you keep that challenge card. Answer incorrectly and no card, plus not being able to answer in the following round. You can win up to 4 test cards, and once two challenges have been matched you can choose a brain piece. The Cortex Challenge winner is the first to complete their 4 piece brain puzzle.

This all may sound simple, and it is to start with. We soon found that as you get faster at answering mistakes were often made. It may seem simple to spot the word written in the correct colour, but your brain may take a while to pick out the answer. We loved the addition of the touch challenge. Remember at the beginning you felt the raised cards? When this card appears the last person who won a test card has the chance to win the touch card. The other players choose which card the player will feel, and you have 10 seconds to decide which one it is. I found this easy and difficult in equal measure. You may think you are good at remembering the feels, but with only 10 seconds this is a great test.

We took Cortex on our summer holiday as it was neat and easy to pack. Because it doesn’t take much room to play Cortex Challenge it is perfect to play while waiting for our evening entertainment, or even after lunch. The more you get used to the types of Cortex Challenge’s the easier it is to play. There was still enough cards for us not to become to over-familiar with the game. And even better we could play easily with 3 players with games lasting around 20 minutes.

If you would like the chance to try out Cortex Challenge, or the Geo or kids edition then click on my Amazon affiliate links below, or visit your local stockist. ( I also spotted Cortex for sale in my local WH Smiths)

Would you like the chance to win Cortex Challenge and see if you can beat the Brain game? Then enter with my gleam app below.
Cortex Challenge

Disclaimer we were sent this game in return for an honest review.

Terms & Conditions:

The giveaway is open to the UK only

• It is mandatory to leave a comment in the post comment section answering the question specified. Other tasks completed will gain additional entries. The winner will be checked to make sure they have both left a comment and completed the task for the winning entry.
• Winner will be drawn randomly after the competition closes at 23:59 on Monday 14th November 2016.
• The winner will be sent an  e-mail to the e-mail address left at time of entry. The winner will need to reply to the e-mail within 7 days of the notification. Every effort will be made to contact the winner, but if no response is made within the 7 days a new winner will be chosen.
• The prize details are stated at the top of the giveaway, and may be subject to change if they become unavailable.
• The prize will be posted by the promoter, unfortunately I cannot be held responsible or replace missing parcels. Please contact me if there is a problem.
• Please allow 28 days from notification for your prize to be sent out.
• This competition is listed at: Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com and SuperLucky