European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 15, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 s c e n co d Busy lives Short attention spans prompt faster Board games Michelle Hastings admits the game of life twists turns Shes sometimes cheated to get through edition lets players determine ahead of a game of Candy land with her 5year time How Long or Short they want to old daughter Campbell the Board game to last game can take just too Long she said a monopoly is getting an optional Disney monopoly is another big offend Speed die rolled in addition to the regular two Dice certain Rolls will or a game like that if could literally move the player to the next available take you Days said Hastings of Hollis property moving the game along ton mass a lot of times you dont play games because they take so Long Board game makers Are heeding pleas of parents like Hastings and introducing games tailored to Busy lives and Shorter attention spans that take Only about 20 minutes to play Hasbro inc the nations largest game company is releasing a streamlined ver Sion of the game of life that uses a visa card rather than Cash and a life pod that electronically keeps track of Points which can keep the game moving the Pawtucket a based company is also introducing three express versions of classic Board games this year monopoly express scrabble express and sorry express a lot of people like playing games but they want Resolution said Jim Silver editor chief of toy wishes Magazine and that Why you see some of these quicker games coming out the changes come at a time when the Board games business is More competitive than Ever Hasbro is fight ing for Market share with Al Segundo Cali based Mattel inc and seat to leased cranium inc which made a splash when it debuted a few years ago with a game that draws on play ers varied talents like drawing and humming total Board game sales were up 13 percent to million in 2006 after falling 8 percent in 2005 to million according to Market research company Ned group of that Hasbro controls 513 percent of the Market according to Ned but Sean Mcgowan an analyst with wed Bush Morgan securities said that Down from in the past when Hasbro controlled 75 to 80 percent of the Board game Market fast games Are nothing new think while a monopoly game can drag on As players Duke it out to avoid bankruptcy monopoly express moves quickly and players decide on a winning Money value ahead of time so they can play a Long or Short game Best of Al for Busy parents and kids the games Are Brief and there packaged different i i i i f 1 Yso they can be involves the whole family taken along in the car its analogous to Chris Byrne a kid picking up his Independent toy consultant its analogous to a kid picking up his game boy for 10 minutes yet it Byrne an Independent toy consultant based in new York yet it involves the whole family Mcgowan said Board games Are a Backbone of Hasbro representing about 25 percent to 30 percent of the company total sales but its customers interests Are evolving when there 10 there More Likely to be texting each other on cell phones he said its extremely important for Hasbro to do whatever they can to hold onto and grow their games business cranium is coming out this year with Jam pack Jam a race against an 18second timer to pack a car trunk full of stuff and triple Triumph a 3d Pyra mid building game its who Onu game released in 2005 quizzes players on their competitors likes and dislikes the games take 20 minutes or less to play so gamers can play As Many or As few rounds As they want it puts the control Back in the con Sumers hands Byrne said theres also a trend toward did games which can be speedier and More interactive than traditional Board games the scene it series of trivia games from Mattel incorporate dds that contain clips from movies and to shows along with a Board game play lasts about half an hour Hasbro has also released did ver Sions of Candy land which has players put color blocks around the living room As a real world game Board clue which has Butler and inspector charac ters who walk players through the the classic card game Uno or the timed game with a narrative storyline and word building game boggle but Ana twister which gets players up and lists say game makers Are More Daggres moving with a dance party Mode and sively concentrating on fast games and instructional Mode even retooling classic games so they games Are becoming in a lot of dont take so Long respects entertainment Silver said photos by a Michelle Hastings left plays Candy land with her daughters Campbell Hastings 5 Center and Peyton Hastings 2 right March 10 at their Home in Holliston mass Board game makers Are heeding pleas of parents and introducing games tailored to Busy lives and Shorter attention spans that take Only about 20 minutes to play a 20rninuie game of chutes and ladders hold the attention of even you guns such As Peyton Hastings 2 and Andersen Hastings 5 months