Initially this game is difficult to understand. My son and I had to use the solutions on the back of the cards to figure out how to do it. But once we got the hang of it, the game was definitely worth the effort. It's unlike any other game we have and we go back to it again and again. Perhaps they will improve the directions or provide better examples in future editions but we think it's worth getting as it is.

I received TipOver as an 2007 Xmas gift after briefly playing it in a local game store. As someone who grew up playing games (yali, Shuttles, Labyrinth, etc) and who still enjoys playing games (Magic:TG, Killer Bunnies, Catan, etc.) this is one of the better games I have played.

Don't put much weight in the reviews which complain about the complexity of the rules. It's, in my opinion, pretty straight forward. You can TipOver the tower on which the figure is standing and then move to any adjacent tower so long as it is touching the piece you just tipped and does not involve a diagonal move. Solutions on the cards are a tad more difficult but still relatively easy to figure out as they code the towers numerically and then use U, D, L, R, for Up/Down/Left/Right (i.e. direction to tip the tower).

Positives include some VERY complex puzzles that will require backtracking and forethought. TipOver also comes with a handy carrying bag to make things easier.

Negatives include the figurine that doesn't stay very well on the towers, and that the towers do not stay put on the black playing field very well once you start the frenetic tipping sessions. I was also a little underwhelmed at the paltry offering of 40 challenges (though 6 more are offered at the developer's website). My father and I buzzed through the first 32 puzzles in about 90 minutes.

Nonetheless, I wholeheartedly believe that this game should be in the collection of any game enthusiast who enjoys a good solitaire game and/or cerebral workout from time to time