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Whack Pack

Roger von Oech sent me his Ball of Whacks to experience first hand (sic). Each of the identical pieces of plastic have a magnetic signature to them that creates unique constraints when sticking the puzzle together. I have very little patience for puzzles, but nonetheless had fun playing with a few “whacks.”

Roger felt that his puzzle embodied the ideas of simplicity. I could see his point. Easy to take apart, feels good, creates a quick emotion-al bond. But this toy is definitely not for small children in the house because each “whack” is perfectly shaped for a journey into the mouth (of course there is an explicit warning on the box).

products   Nov 27, '06

5 Responses to “Whack Pack”

1. 
   
   mike  November 27, 2006

   i think toys/games like this and, say, tetris (one of my favorites…), are the best, because they balance simplicity and complexity so well… in some respects tetris is a simple game, takes a few minutes to learn, but it is not easy - i think that combination is what gives it its appeal…i haven’t seen these before, but maybe they belong on my christmas list…um, i mean my kids’ lists….

   as the christmas season is upon us, i know that my kids enjoyed simpler toys more than flashy toys with a lot of features - the flashier toys are more marketable, easier to sell features than an experience… gee, this sounds a lot like, say, software or consumer electronics…

   while the flashy toys held interest for a while, they become quickly boring - simpler toys provide a blank slate for endless exploration….

2. 
   
   maeda  November 27, 2006

   Simple toys certain keep things open for interpretation.

3. 
   
   Roger von Oech  November 29, 2006

   Hi John,

   Thanks for writing about the “Ball of Whacks.” I appreciate it a lot.

   I’ve been getting a really good response from it. You’re right, it’s not for young kids. On the box, I say: “Not for Children Under 8 Years Old.”

   I created it for adults, specifically for engineers, designers, writers, and artists. But I’ve been getting a lot of mail from [business] people who take it home and play with it with their high school and junior high school age children.

   If your readers have difficulty getting it from the Amazon link you posted, they can always go to our e-commerce store: www.creativewhack.com (and see a 1 minute video as well).

   Best wishes to you and your readers.

   Happy whacking!

   Roger von Oech (looking forward to a simple holiday season)

4. 
   
   Kare Anderson  December 2, 2006

   How perfect for meeting planners (who’ve hired) me to get a toy they can use with their conference planning team, their peers on staff - and their family and friends. And I love reading your blog. You might want to know that a cluster of critical care nurses love it too (and told me about it).
   - Kare, SavvyHer.com

5. 
   
   maeda  December 2, 2006

   Thanks for the compliment Kare. I enjoyed your site as well. Nurses are cool …

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