For most
of us, ‘summer’ means two things – mangoes and school holidays, both of which
offer some compensation for the intense heat. The beginning of the holidays is
celebrated with movie nights, late mornings and basically just lazing around.
But this soon gets old and then begins the age-old refrain, ‘Mom, I’m bored!!’
Most
parents have realized the futility of buying batteries for bright, noisy
contraptions and look for alternatives that don’t necessitate breaking the
bank. They’d also love it if the kids learnt something in the process. Enter MadRat Games.
The
company that launched the first ever board game in an Indian language has come
a long way and now has an in house IP of more than 70 games to its credit. With a presence in 2000 stores across India and on popular ecommerce websites like
Flipkart and Amazon India ,
MadRat has become a big player in the board game business.
Launched
by IIT graduates Rajat Dhariwal, Madhumita Halder and Manuj Dhariwal, MadRat Games is an
inspiring story of entrepreneurship.
Aksharit, the Hindi board game, was
their starting point and they recently crossed their milestone of 2 lakh board
games, manufacturing about 25,000 box units of games a month. But the most
impressive fact is that they come up with 4-5 new ideas every month –
yes, every month!!!
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After Aksharit,
they’ve released several popular games including My Toy Factory, which helps kids learn scientific concepts through
simple experiments and play. They also have official licensed Chhota Bheem board games, which are
unsurprisingly a huge hit, considering how popular the character is among
Indian kids. In addition to Bheem, Chote and Bade, popular comedy characters on the channel 9X have their own games.
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MadRat
has also gone international; the company has launched an imported line of
Modular Toys in India .
These are construction toys similar to Lego, but priced much lower. They are
targeted towards both boys and girls and the models range from simple castles
to complicated race tracks.
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Have I
mentioned that they think up more than 4 new ideas every month? Well, here are
some of their latest releases, hot off the shelf and the best part – they’re all
under Rs. 600.00!!!
No. of
Players – Any
Ages – 4+
This is
an eco friendly game where kids can plan their own town layouts. The set
contains buildings, vehicles, trees and more for children to play around and
arrange on the town mats. It’s a planning and construction game rolled into one.
No. of
Players – 2
Ages – 8+
An
interesting take on the classic Tic Tac Toe, you have to manage 9 different Tic
Tact Toe boards at the same time!! With magnetic components, this sounds like
the perfect way to keep those brain cells active even when not in school!
No. of
Players – 2-4
Ages – 4+
Kids have
often accompanied their parents on shopping trips, but here’s the chance for
them to do it by themselves. The MadRat Mall is stocked with all kinds of stuff
and the players have to move quickly to fill up their carts. Of course, it isn’t
as simple as it sounds as they have to encounter quite a few surprises on the
way!
In
addition to these, there is this range called Puzzle+, a completely innovative
theme which combines a game and a puzzle into one set.
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Impressed?
So were the people who decided to give the company these awards:
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MadRat
games make great gifts and are sure to be loved by kids and parents alike. Kids
will find them unique and exciting; while parents will be relieved they don’t
have to buy any more batteries! What’s more, most of the games encourage
multiple players, so that there are many opportunities for bonding. Happy
Playing!!
Do check out the reviews of ‘My Toy Factory’ and ‘Bheem Team’.
18 comments
Fabi, that Worldopedia and the Town builder look like so much fun! :D Nice review. I doubt if I ever grew out of toys. I think I enjoyed my son's toys more than he did :D
ReplyDeleteHa ha, I'm exactly like you Vidya!! I have a confession, I spend an equal (if not more) time window shopping online for toys as for clothes and shoes!!!!
DeleteThis is my first visit to your blog, hope to browse through some of your previous posts in the coming days, to get a feel for the blog :) This is the first time I am hearing of this company MadRat, maybe because I haven't been in the market for toys for many many years now...but I appreciate this review and information you give here because next time I have to shop for a gift for my nephew who is growing up fast I know where to look :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by Beloo!! MadRat has been around for a few years and they have some really innovative toys, quite different from the ones seen everywhere.
DeleteGreat review! I love such games :D can never outgrow the kiddo in me! ;)
ReplyDeleteAh, me too Aditi!!! Me too :)
DeleteThis looks like so much fun, Fab. Suddenly made me long for summer holidays and lots of cousins to play these games with!
ReplyDeleteSo glad that these guys got the recognition they deserved!
They certainly deserve it, Corinne!!! Some of these games are just genius!
DeleteWow!! This promises loads of fun and exciting times for kids, this summers! Will definitely get a few for my son and Ultimate Tic Tac Toe is my absolute favorite! Thanks for sharing a wonderful review, Fab :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Shilpa!! The best part is that they don't cost a bomb and are easily available online!!
DeleteImpressive to come up with so many new ideas!! Wow - great reviews - and looks like something for kids all ages:-) he he ...
ReplyDeleteThank you Eli!
DeleteI love games and love the innovative game ideas you have shared here. Brilliant job for the review. Sounds like a barrel of fun for all ages.
ReplyDeleteIt is lots of fun, Kathy!
DeleteI have there Toy Factory and I have there English Aksharith too! They are so cool, I actually recommend them to my friends :)
ReplyDeleteI have the Toy Factory too - it's real fun!
DeleteThats a great bunch and much away from the usual stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteCheck out RuskAndTea's latest post here
That's very true!
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