Thames & Kosmos The Gang
by Thames & Kosmos · Ages 9–12 · Games
No confirmed recall for this toy.
We check it against CPSC recalls every night; our recall list runs through September 24, 2026. Possible matches are reviewed by a person before anything shows here. Always check the model number on the box at cpsc.gov/Recalls.
Why we picked it
A cooperative card game built on poker hands. Each round the table must work out, without talking about their cards, how their hands rank from weakest to strongest, by claiming numbered chips; get it right and the gang cracks a vault, get it wrong and an alarm trips. Three vaults before three alarms wins. Nobody loses alone.
Why it made our list: cooperative games suit this age well (no sore losers, lots of table talk afterwards about what everyone was thinking), it teaches poker hand rankings as a side effect, and it was a 2025 Toy of the Year finalist in the grown-up category, which tells you it does not run out.
Before you buy: the listed age is 10 and up, for three to six players, about twenty minutes a game. It is a card game about poker hands, not gambling: no chips as money, no betting, and a hand-ranking card is in the box for players who have never seen poker.
Before you buy
- Check the age grade on the box; it can differ from ours.
- If younger children share the room, check for small parts.
- Look up the model number at cpsc.gov/Recalls before first use.