Educational Insights just supersized one of the most recognizable shape puzzles around. Two new versions, Kanoodle Party and Kanoodle XL, take the classic 12-piece Kanoodle logic puzzle and blow it up to tabletop, then backyard, scale. Here's what each one actually is, and how they stack up.
Kanoodle Party
Kanoodle Party is a 15-inch tabletop board built for 1 to 4 players, ages 8 and up, with a lid that doubles as built-in storage. The 12 pieces are three times the size of the original Kanoodle set, chunky enough for a group to gather around and solve together. Its signature feature is the turn timer: scan a QR code to pull up an official web timer, choose a 5 to 30 second turn window (or set a custom time), and place a piece before the buzzer sounds and the turn passes to the next player. There's also a built-in "#ShakeChallenge." The set ships with 100 puzzles plus 40 bonus challenges in the included guide, and the board is compatible with original Kanoodle and Kanoodle Ultimate Champion puzzles too. Kanoodle Party is $29.97, available now exclusively at Walmart stores and Walmart.com.
Kanoodle XL
Kanoodle XL goes even bigger: a 30-inch board with 12 extra-large pieces, built to be portable for parks, beaches, and backyards rather than a tabletop game night. It comes with 25 double-sided challenge cards, a guide card, and a mesh storage bag for carrying it around, and like Kanoodle Party, it's compatible with original Kanoodle and Kanoodle Ultimate Champion puzzles. Kanoodle XL is $79.97 and launches at the end of October, also exclusively through Walmart.
"...simple to understand, but endlessly satisfying to solve." – Lisa Guili, VP/GM, Educational Insights
How They Compare
| Kanoodle Party | Kanoodle XL | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Tabletop group play | Portable outdoor play |
| Board size | 15in | 30in |
| Piece scale | 3x standard | Extra-large |
| Players | 1–4 | Not specified |
| Timer feature | QR-code web timer, 5–30 second turns | None |
| Included content | 100 puzzles + 40 bonus challenges | 25 double-sided challenge cards |
| Price | $29.97 | $79.97 |
| Availability | Now, Walmart exclusive | End of October, Walmart exclusive |
Both boards are compatible with original Kanoodle and Kanoodle Ultimate Champion puzzles, so existing challenge books carry over to either giant format.
Where Katachi-Go Fits In
If a Walmart-exclusive launch window isn't ideal, or you'd rather solve by deduction than trial and error, Katachi-Go is a giant-scale shape puzzle sold directly from Hoffmakers with its own free digital companion game. Every other shape puzzle makes you guess. This one gives you clues, so every puzzle has exactly one correct solution instead of several ways to fill the board.
Want the full head-to-head? See the full side-by-side comparison with Kanoodle and Kanoodle Party →
Katachi-Go
Free to play, right in your browser, or pre-order the giant physical set