Don't Break the Ice
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| Players | 2 or more |
|---|---|
| Age range | 3 and up |
| Setup time | < 5 minutes |
| Playing time | 3 to 8 minutes |
| Random chance | None |
| Skills required | Manual dexterity |
Don't Break the Ice is a children's tabletop game for two to four players ages 3 and up. Originally marketed by Schaper Toys in 1968, the game is presently manufactured by Hasbro subsidiary Milton Bradley.
The game is set up by placing plastic "ice" blocks in a tight-fitting, raised stand with space for 36 blocks arranged in a square. A large 2x2 block is placed in the center, and the remaining space is filled with 32 1x1 blocks, filling the entire blue plastic frame. The frame has tabs built in to push the blocks together – they are only held in by friction.
A red plastic game piece resembling an ice-skating polar bear is placed on the central 2x2 block, and the game begins. Each player takes turns knocking out 1x1 blocks with a thin, green plastic "hammer." Players are not allowed to hit more than one block, and in a given player's turn, the block must fall before it is over. The object of the game is to knock a block out of the structure without causing the bear to fall. In a game with more than 2 players, when the polar bear falls, the board is reset, and another round of play begins with the remaining players.
The original version of the game, first available in 1968, included a plastic man seated in a chair rather than the polar bear figure. The figure in that version is known as the "Iceman".
In certain respects, the game is similar to Jenga because of the steady motion required to remove pieces. The difficulty of the game increases as the game goes on. With fewer and fewer pieces supporting the central block, each move become more risky, and when there are only a few blocks left, strategy becomes important as players try to make opponents lose.
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