Rock the Beat
Buy online
$14.99 MSRP
(actual price may vary)


Editors’ Rankings
TimetoPlayMag.com Ratings and Reviews
At TimetoPlayMag.com, we want to engage, inform and entertain our readers to give them the benefit of our knowledge, experience and the breadth of products we cover. We look at more than 10,000 new toys and children’s products every year, and our primary purpose is to help you make the best choices for the kids in your life.
Our goal is to give you the real story on what you’ll find when you bring a toy home. And we know that every kid and every family is different. That’s why we always say: “The hot toy is only hot if it’s hot for your child.”
Our editorial team has more than 100 years combined experience working in the toy industry. Our rating system ranks toys on 4 key criteria:
- Fun — Does it engage the child? Does it inspire imaginative play? Does it contribute to creative expression? Is it entertaining?
- Repeat Play OR Collectibility — Some toys are played with, some are collected. If we feel a toy is better suited for collectibility, we’ll rank it based on Collectibility instead of Repeat Play.
- Repeat Play — Will kids come back to it over time? Does the toy allow diverse imaginative play experiences? Does it provide longer-term play value?
- Collectibility — Some toys may have limited traditional play, but kids will treasure them as collectibles.
- Assembly/Instructions — Is the toy easy to assemble? Are the instructions clear?
Over the years we’ve learned a lot about what makes great toys and exciting play experiences. We want to help you create the best experiences for your kids and your family.
Ultimately, you’re the best judge of what you want to bring into your home — and what’s best for your kids. And because you’re an important part of the Time to Play family, we invite you to let us know if you ever find an error or have any ideas how we can better help you. After all, we exist for one reason: to help you have more fun!
What It Is
Rock the Beat is a new party game that tests your powers of observation and ability to follow a sequence. Deal out the gesture cards to each player. Each card shows a different hand gesture that's easy for players to replicate. The gesture pictured on the card becomes each player's signature for the round. To start each round, players get a beat going. The beat keeps going throughout the play. On each turn, a player makes his or her signature gesture and then "passes" to another player by making that player's gesture. Play continues around the group until someone makes a mistake and has to take a penalty card, which changes up the game.
Why It’s Fun
Rock the Beat is the type of casual, active game that people have played for years. The cards and the structure give it a focus. The gameplay, which reminded us of a living game of Simon, is simple, while requiring good observation skills and the ability to stay on beat.
Who It’s For
Rock the Beat is for ages 10 and up. Rhythm games are a fun way to reinforce learning and observation skills with kids of this age. Chances are this will also appeal to teens and college students—who will undoubtedly have their own off-label variations.
What to Be Aware of
Despite how simple the game is, we found that the instructions were a little convoluted, so give yourself some time to figure it out. We were playing within 10 minutes of opening the box.
Rock the Beat is available at specialty stores nationwide.
Sign In
Don’t have an account?
Create one here.