Prepare for Battle: Classic Battleship Movie Edition & KRE-O Battleship Combat Chopper Set {Review & Giveaway}

As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. So, although that rain is great for those growing seeds, it also means that families everywhere need to be prepared to spend a few rainy days indoors this month. After all, parents know that too much time spent sitting around bored inside can lead to the rainy day blues, so this spring it is time to be prepared by picking up a great game!

And it doesn't take long to figure out that from traditional board games for large groups to innovative, handheld games for one, no one knows how to better bring the fun and entertainment of gaming to our lives more than Hasbro.

This May, the epic action of the classic naval combat game will unfold in theaters nationwide with the release of Universal Pictures' Battleship, starring Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker, Liam Neeson and recording superstar, Rihanna.

However, the live action doesn't have to end with the film, as young naval commanders can go head-to-head with the alien fleet in Hasbro's Classic Battleship Movie Edition game while recreating their favorite actions scenes from the big screen with the KRE-O Battleship Combat Chopper set.

Having grown up with the original Battleship, I have lots of great memories of this game and was excited to see the changes that have been made with this new version. As I pulled it out of the box, I felt as though I was already having flashbacks of the laughter and good times spent calling out, "Argh! You sunk my battleship!"

By taking the original search-and-destroy tactics and moving them out of this world, Classic Battleship Movie Edition allows players to choose to command either the Navy or Alien fleet for their attacks. In this game, not only can you hunt down your opponent, you have the opportunity to unleash brand new super weapon cards to destroy them with attacks reminiscent of those from the big screen!

Including the two game units, five Navy ships, five Alien ships, two Decks of Special Ops cards, red & white pegs, and a rules and reference card, play begins with each contender at the helm in the fight for the future of the planet.

After deciding which player is commanding the Alien Fleet and which is defending the Human Navy, the game begins with the familiar job of scanning the battlefield for locations to conceal your highly-detailed, movie-based ships. Then play continues as you brace yourself for the intensity of battle as you compete with the enemy to sink their ships while protecting and keeping yours afloat.

As a new twist to the Movie Edition, this Battleship game allows players to choose from three game variations for edge-of-your seat excitement. As well as playing the traditional game where the participants take turns calling out locations (A-5! F-7!), this version also includes the Salvo game and the Special Ops cards.

In Salvo, players are allowed as many shots in one turn as they have ships still afloat in the game - so if they still have three ships protected, they are given three guesses. Or, when using the movie-based Special Ops cards, players are given special powers depending on which strategy cards they receive.

While we haven't tried this method of play yet (my kids are still a little young to grasp just the regular method of play), I can see how older players would enjoy being able to use powers such as Blitz, Scan, and Reveal to help plot to how to conquer their enemy.

Providing just as much entertainment, skill and strategy (and a bit of luck) as the original, this innovative game is a great addition to any game library. Designed for two players ages 7 and up, the two Battleship boards even attach together to form its own convenient carrying case, making it easy to wage your own battles at home or on the go. We did feel as though the plastic is a little thinner than in the past and there were times that the boat pegs needed a little extra force to be removed from the holes, but in all, it has been a lot of fun!

Retailing for $19.99, Classic Battleship Movie Edition is available for purchase at mass merchandise retailers nationwide, directly from Hasbro or on Amazon.

Commanding your own fleet in Battleship isn't the only way that Hasbro has allowed kids of all ages to recreate their favorite action scenes from the big screen. With the 174-piece KRE-O Battleship Combat Chopper set, kids can pretend to take their missions to the skies, complete with a KREON fighter pilot and KREON alien figure.

As my kids were a little too young (and impatient) to follow the instruction booklet to put this chopper together, I found myself doing much of the work. Fortunately, the illustrated directions were easy to follow...

...and it wasn't long before our pilot, alien and chopper were constructed. Then it was up to my girls and their imaginations to come up with plenty of adventures and missions! Plus, we found that it didn't take much more than a push on the lever to spin the rotor blades and launch two firing missiles at incoming alien attacks – suddenly we were action heroes right from the movie!

While my kids were on the young side for this set as well (it is recommended for ages 7-14), they have still had a great time constructing (and deconstructing) this Combat Chopper and coming up with a variety of action-packed adventures for this aircraft, its pilot and the alien.

Whether the child in your life wants to imagine an aerial battle, complete with firepower, missiles and an enemy or they would rather take their Chopper on a leisurely flight to visit Grandma's house, this set is all about open-ended fun. For any child that is a fan of building with these familiar small blocks, they'll be thrilled that this set fits with other leading brands as well – so there's no limit on where their creativity can take them.

Retailing for $19.99, the KRE-O Battleship Combat Chopper set can also be purchased at mass merchandise retailers nationwide, from Hasbro or found on Amazon.

Do you have a Battleship fan in your life? Thanks to the generosity of Hasbro, one person will be able to bring home and action and adventure of these great new additions, because...

One lucky person will win Classic Battleship Movie Edition game and a KRE-O Battleship Combat Chopper set from Hasbro! 

(Enter with the Rafflecopter form below - if you don't see the form, click here! If you have any problems entering, there is a video tutorial found here that can help.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Hasbro for providing a Classic Battleship Movie Edition game and a KRE-O Battleship Combat Chopper for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.