Designed by: Carol Wiseley,Masaru Aoki
Looping Louie (also available under a number of other names, including the Star Wars-themed Loopin’ Chewie) is hugely simple – but fun – dexterity game.
A responsible adult assembles the game, which looks like a miniature fairground ride – Mouse Trap phobes don’t worry, it only takes a few seconds to set up. Players sit around the table close to one of the ‘arms’ that project from the centre. Each arm has a lever you’ll be pushing down, and a slot for three coins. When everyone is ready, you flick a switch and Looping Louie begins to loop – he flies around in a circle, at such a trajectory that, if you don’t stop him, he’ll knock your coins out of the slot. You stop him by pushing your lever down: the other end goes up and – if you get it right – bumps him out of the way, and hopefully back down onto someone else’s coins. The last one standing (i.e., once only one player has any coins left) is the winner.
The hits really come from Louie himself rather than the other players, so unless you have a very sensitive player, the sense of affront is minimal.
None while you play. You're playing right until Louie knocks you out. Waiting for the next game may be irksome if you have a couple of geniuses, but usually it's over quickly.
None. It's all about timing.
Adults may tire of it quicker than children do: there is no variation in the game at all. But as a silly, short game of dexterity, it's pretty neat.
2-4
Players
4+
Years
5-15
Mins
Sam says
Watching Louie go in circles doesn't shout genius in neon letters. But something about the game is rather more-ish and it's a great leveler - little kids can beat grown-ups on a regular basis.