Knock Out (tabletop game)

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Knock Out is a family tabletop game for 2–8 players, published by Milton Bradley in 1991. It’s also known as Bob the Builder: Bricklaying Game Sloper!

Gameplay is simple and quick. Players build a wall of colored plastic bricks with a large “Knockout” brick in the center. On each turn, you roll a color-coded die and use a small battery-powered Rammer Hammer to remove a brick of that color from the wall. If you pull the brick cleanly and place it on top of the wall, your turn ends and play continues. If you knock out more than one brick but the Knockout brick stays in place, you put the brick you were removing on top of the wall and remove the rest from the game. If the Knockout brick is knocked loose and falls to the table, you’re eliminated, the other players rebuild the wall, and another round starts. The game continues until only one player remains. A typical game lasts about 15–20 minutes. The Rammer Hammer runs on two AA batteries.

Reception: In 1992, FamilyFun named Knock Out one of the best new games for children aged 8–10. A 2018 review by Eric Mortensen noted that the electric hammer sets it apart from other stacking games like Jenga, but considered it an average dexterity game at its core. He warned that if you don’t like stacking games, it’s not for you, and if you’re seeking a tougher challenge, this might not satisfy you. He gave it 3 out of 5 stars, suggesting it’s worth a look for fans of stacking games when you can get a good deal.