SNAP Review – Rush Hour

Ugh, I hate being stuck in traffic!

You know what’s worse than a traffic jam on the highway? A traffic jam in a parking lot. No one has space to move, and you’re not all going in the same direction! It’s annoying even though I’m in the back seat!

You may be right about that. But it does make a great basis for a puzzle!

This is a SNAP review for Rush Hour.

Game

Rush Hour is a solo puzzle game that was first created by a Japanese puzzle inventor in the 1970s. This version is done by ThinkFun. They say it’s for ages 8 and up, and it comes with 40 challenges, ranging from beginner to expert.

Art

So Elliot, let’s talk about the art in Rush Hour. What does it look like?

It basically just looks like different colored ’70s cars and trucks.

They are pretty colorful, and there are a lot of them!

I think there’s enough to cover every square on the board!

There are, in fact! And they click into place, but they’re easy to slide forward and backwards.

I also really like this sliding drawer that holds all the puzzle cards, and the bag that holds everything. It means this is really easy to pack, and even to play while traveling.

Mechanics

For anyone who hasn’t tried it before, Elliot and I are going to explain the mechanics of how Rush Hour works.

Set up the gray parking lot with cars and trucks as shown on the puzzle card. Your goal is to get the red car out of the exit.

To do that, you’ll have to move the other vehicles, bit by bit. And it won’t always be a straightforward, clear path.

Especially on the harder puzzles! And you can’t lift or turn them, either.

So you keep sliding vehicles back and forth until you get the red car out. And then, you win!

Yay!

If you get stuck, the back of each card has a solution of what to move and in what order.

And like we said, there are 40 puzzle cards that get progressively more difficult.

Expectations

So Elliot, what did you expect from this game?

I mean, I expected a solo game. I thought you would need to move stuff to make a pattern, basically.

Mom and Dad both enjoyed these puzzles when we first saw them in our teens. We figured you guys were going to like them too. The way the puzzles are set up, you can usually tell you’re making progress, even when you’re not entirely sure what to do next. And it’s so easy to backtrack, or even reset the puzzle. Even though it can get frustrating sometimes!

I expected it to be less hard!

Surprises

Well, that brings us to our surprises. Elliot, what surprised you about this game?

I tried to play this fast, and then it ended up like Donkey Kong.

What do you mean, Donkey Kong?

I mean, like, you have to use a big chunk of your brain to figure out the puzzle.

And you use your brain in Donkey Kong?

Yeah? I mean, you’re solving puzzles!

I was surprised that this game was just like I remember it from when I was a teenager. The industrial design in this game hasn’t really changed much at all, and that’s a good thing! The cards – and the cars – pretty much work exactly the way I expected them too. I do think the plastic might be a little bit thinner, but other than that, it’s pretty much exactly the same.

I also think it’s a little bit louder, but maybe that’s just my “dad ears”.

(I think so.)

Recommended?

So Elliot, do you like Rush Hour?

Yes, I like it! It’s a solo game, so you don’t have to worry about anyone else beating you.

I think we’d recommend this for kids and adults who like puzzles. It doesn’t take very long to set up, and you can play it just about anywhere when you have a few minutes.

I don’t think some of my friends would like it. They don’t have the patience to figure it out. But you might!

And, you can actually play this cooperatively as well! (It’s true.)

Elliot, what are we going to rate Rush Hour?

I think we’re going to rate Rush Hour 5 parking spaces out of 5.

And that’s Rush Hour, in a SNAP!

Find it on Amazon or at your local store for toys and games.

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The Family Gamers received a copy of Rush Hour from Thinkfun for this review.

This post contains affiliate links, which do not change your price, but help support The Family Gamers.

SNAP review music is Avalanche, provided courtesy of You Bred Raptors?