Printworks Play Chinese Checkers

Chinese Checkers has always been a brilliant game. It just hasn't always looked this good.

Printworks has given the classic strategy game a complete rethink, replacing the traditional star-shaped board with a beautifully simple fold-out design in cream, blue and flashes of pink. The playing pieces are glossy wooden marbles in six different colours, and the whole thing packs back into a slim patterned box when you're finished.

The aim is to move all of your pieces across the board and into the opposite corner before everyone else, using single moves or jumping over other pieces to get there faster. It's easy to understand, but once you realise how much difference a cleverly planned sequence of jumps can make, things get considerably more competitive.

It can be played by up to six people, which makes it a particularly good one to have around when there are more of you. Children can get involved without endless rules to learn, while there's enough strategy to keep adults properly interested.

And when nobody's playing? Back in that very good box and straight onto the shelf.