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What type
of game is Planetaire™?
Planetaire™- The Grand Tour is a rummy
type card game in which players compete to be the
first to obtain nine suites of planets and their moon
cards. To complete The Grand Tour and win the game,
players must obtain the card suites for Mercury, Venus,
Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and
Pluto. Each suite varies in number of cards, from
1 to 5, depending on how many moons each planet has.
Planetaire™ is action packed, educational, and
a blast to play! The game is unique in allowing
the free interchange between cards you lay down
and
those you hold in your hand. Wild and Action cards
provide for dynamic interaction. There is also a
fair amount of strategy involved in the game play
that
is beyond what most "space" games have
that are targeted solely at young children.
The game can be played with up to 3 of your friends
in a Multiplayer format or as two-player Teams. You
can also play the game by yourself in a Single Player
version. A typical game can last from 1 to 3 hours
depending on the number of players and their skill
level.
Do I have to
know a lot about space and science to play the game?
Planetaire™ requires no previous knowledge of
the Solar System to play. Unlike most space science
games, where the ability to answer trivia questions
about space and science are required to advance in
the game, Planetaire™ takes a different approach.
(Hence we can claim that the game is "fun for
the entire family" regardless of who knows what
about the planets!)
Planetaire™ is a visual learning tool in which
players become visually familiar with the images
of
the nine planets and their moons while they play.
Players simply have to be able to match color coded
suites of cards for each planet (and their moons)
to play effectively. Additionally, the game cards
include
images of asteroids, comets, Kuiper Belt Objects,
Oort Cloud Comets, Comet and Asteroid Impact events,
and much more.
Each playing card includes facts and information about
the card image, and references for further information
are provided in the game materials for those who wish
to learn more about our Solar System.
What are the educational
benefits of playing Planetaire™?
After repeated playing of Planetaire™, players should be able to:
1. Visually recognize and identify the 9 main planets.
2. Visually recognize and identify the major moons of the planets.
3. Visually recognize and identify the major asteroids and comets.
4. Visually recognize and identify other Solar System objects and events i.e.
Kuiper Belt Object, Oort Cloud Comets, Asteroid and Comet Impact events, etc.
5. Recite the 9 main planets in order from the Sun.
6. Identify the four inner planets and 5 outer planets.
7. Name the major moons associated with the planets.
8. Recite other facts and information about each Solar System object as presented
on the playing cards and game materials.
9. Possess an enhanced understanding of the overall diversity and nature of the
objects that comprise our Solar System.
What age group
is the game suited for?
The game can typically be played by players ages
8 years and up. A good gauge to use is, if the younger
child can play the card games Uno® or Phase 10™,
or the dice game Yahtzee®, then they can learn
to play Planetaire™. Some adult or older sibling
oversight and direction may be required to help
the
younger child understand the Rules, strategies, and
to learn to play the game correctly.
Is the game difficult
to play?
Planetaire™ is easy to play once you understand
a few basic concepts and strategies of play that are
unique to the game. The Rules Booklet provided with
the game, includes a "Quick Rules" section
which summarizes the rules of play. Each Quick Rule
refers you to the specific page or figure of the main
Rules Booklet where you can obtain a more detailed
description and/or example of the specific rule, if
needed.
Can the game
be simplified for younger children?
Yes. The game can be simplified by doing away with
the point scoring after each round of play. The first
player to complete The Grand Tour wins the game regardless
of the point score. If players still want to keep
score, a calculator may help the scoring process.
HomeStar Games is also pleased to be able to offer
our online customers a simplified version of the
game called Planetaire™Junior Grand Tour designed
for younger children. The Planetaire™ Junior
Grand Tour Rules are also adaptable to the Single
Player and Team versions of the game. The Rules
for the Junior Grand Tour game are available free
of charge by opening
and printing off the following Junior Planetaire
Rules file below (This is a PDF file. To open a PDF
file you must have the Free Adobe Acrobat Reader
available at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html).
Junior Planetaire Rules (pdf format)
Should the game still prove to be too difficult for
the younger child, we have found that the Planetaire™ playing
cards can be used for a great version of the popular
children’s game “War”. Hint: The
Wild cards are high card and the Planet X Wild card
takes all!
Additionally, the game cards have intrinsic
educational and collectable value. Each card represents
the best available image and latest information about
each Solar System object. This unique collection
of cards provides an up to date overview of the Solar
System that could also be used as flash cards.
How and when
can I contact HomeStar Games directly?
You can contact HomeStar Games directly either through
e-mail, fax, or by calling us toll free. To send us
an e-mail or fax, please refer to the Contact
Us page.
HomeStar Games does not currently have a physical
storefront for you to visit. You can contact us
directly
by calling toll free: 1-866-478-4263 or for outside
the United States and Canada call: 206-367-1516 (no
collect calls please).
Currently,
our hours of operation are from: Monday through Friday
5pm - 10pm
(Pacific Standard
Time)
Saturday and Sunday
8am - 5pm
(Pacific Standard Time)
Should you happen to call after hours or are unable
to speak with us, please leave a message on our 24
hour voice messaging service. Be sure to leave a convenient
time for us to call you back. We will make every attempt
to call you back at that time.
What is your
Privacy Policy?
The future of our business is based on establishing
a relationship with you that is built on trust and
respect for your privacy. Our Privacy Policy is founded
on the promise that information about our visitors
and customers will never be sold or given to anyone.
Your name, address, or other personal information
will never be distributed for marketing purposes to
any outside person, company, or organization.
HomeStar Games is committed to your privacy by providing
a safe and secure online environment. We utilize the
latest secure server technology to ensure a safe transmission
of our visitors and customers private information.
Do you offer secure
online ordering?
Ordering online is safe and secure with our secure
encrypted server, GeoTrust, Inc. GeoTrust is a leader
in providing online secure payment tools using Secure
Socket Layering (SSL) to encrypt your personal and
credit card information.GeoTrust uses the highest
level of commercial encryption available (128-bit)
to ensure a secure transaction. Submitting your order
online allows us to instantly verify your credit
card
information and send you an email order confirmation.
Aside from online
ordering, what other options are available?
HomeStar Games will accept credit card transactions
via the fax, regular postal mail, and by phone. The
simplest way is to proceed with the ordering process
online, Click the “CHECK OUT” button,
fill out the Customer Information form, click “Continue”,
on the Shipping/Payment Selection page, simply choose
your shipping and payment preferences. Click “Continue” and
instead of entering your payment information online,
just
print the Checkout: Payment page. Complete the credit
card or other billing information offline and call
us at 1-866-478-4263 or fax it to us at 206-367-1524.
You can also mail the Checkout: Payment page to us
with either your credit card information or with
a check or money order. Our mailing address is: HomeStar
Games, P.O. Box 55231, Shoreline, WA 98155.
If you
would like to place an order entirely offline by
phone, fax, or mail, just click on the order form
below (this is a *PDF file). Print it, fill out
the requested information including your method of
payment
and either call us, fax it to us, or mail the Order
Form to us with your method of payment. *To open
a PDF file you must have the Free Adobe Acrobat
Reader.
(available at: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html).
What forms of
payment are accepted?
We accept Mastercard and Visa credit cards. We also
will accept personal checks, cashier's checks, and
postal money orders.
Please allow an extra two weeks for personal checks
to clear if you reside in the continental Unites
States.
The product will be shipped once the personal check
clears for orders received from Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto
Rico, APO/FPO, and international addresses. All orders
must be paid for in U.S. dollars. Please do not send
cash or foreign currency through the mail.
Note: if you pay by credit card you will be asked
for the Credit Card Verification code. This is a
three digit code on the back of your card in reverse
italics above the signature panel or it is on the
front of your card above the end of your card number.
We must have your code to complete your credit card
transaction.
What is your
Sales Tax Policy?
Sales tax will be collected from those residents
of the State of Washington making purchases from
HomeStar
Games. The current sales tax of 8.8% of the total
sale will be applied to all purchases made by Washington
State residents. Sales tax will not be collected
from residents of other states within the United
States. International
customers are encouraged to check with their respective
government agencies to determine whether import duty
or tax may apply to your order (see International
Ordering below).
What are my
shipping options?
All United States destinations are shipped United
States Postal Service (USPS) within 48 hours of receipt
of your order for items in stock.
Please allow 7-10 days for delivery. We do provide
a Rush Service for U.S. destinations only for an
extra
charge. Rush Service delivers in 3-5 days of receipt
of your validated order. Please call us to arrange
Express Service for overnight delivery.
Items will be shipped via U.S. Postal Service for
P.O. Boxes and APO/FPO destinations. Please allow
an extra week for delivery. There is no Rush Service
available for P.O. boxes. For international destinations
please see International Ordering below.
Customers should contact us by phone, fax, email,
or use our email message center (see Contact Us page)
to request special shipping needs such as multiple
delivery addresses, special timing, overnight delivery,
etc.
What are my
Shipping and Handling costs?
Our Standard HomeStar Games Shipping and Handling
Rate Schedule is provided below. The Shipping/Payment
Selection page of our online Shopping Cart does provide
you with several additional shipping methods available
from USPS. For Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto
Rico,
and APO/FPO destinations please add $5 to the Regular
Shipping & Handling charges and allow an extra
week for delivery.
SHIPPING AND HANDLING CHARGES
USPS Delivery in U.S. (U.S. Funds)
| Order Amount |
Regular S&H |
Rush Charges |
| Up to $20.00 |
$4.95 |
$12.00 |
| $20.01 to $39.00 |
$6.95 |
$14.00 |
| $39.01 to $50.00 |
$8.95 |
$16.00 |
| $50.01 to $100.00 |
$9.95 |
$18.00 |
| $100.01 to $150.00 |
$11.95 |
$20.00 |
| $150.01 to $200.00 |
$15.95 |
$25.00 |
| $200.01 to $300.00 |
$19.95 |
$32.00 |
| Over $300.00 - Regular S&H is
8% of merchandise subtotal. Rush Charge is 12%
of merchandise subtotal. |
What if my product
is backordered?
Should a product be backordered, we will immediately
notify you of the backordered item and how long of
a delay to expect. We will make every attempt to fill
your order first as soon as the product is available.
If for some unforeseen reason the delay is longer
than 30 days, we will contact you to obtain your consent
for the delay. If you don't agree with the requested
extension, we will promptly refund all of the money
you have paid for the backordered product.
What is HomeStar
Games' Refund Policy?
HomeStar Games provides you with a 30 day money back
guarantee on our products. If you are not completely
satisfied with our product within 30 days of receipt,
we will refund your money in full upon receipt of
the returned undamaged product. Please contact us
prior to returning a product for refund. We will assign
you a Return Authorization Number to track the return
process. You will be responsible for the return shipping
charges.
Should you receive a product from us that is damaged
or defective, please contact us within 30 days of
your receipt of the product. You will receive an exchange
or refund for the original order. Please contact us
prior to returning a damaged or defective product
so we can assign you a Return Authorization Number
to track your return or refund. We will advise you
on shipping and packing instructions for return of
the damaged/defective product.
If you purchase a damaged or defective product from
an authorized retailer of HomeStar Games products,
please return the damaged/defective product to the
retail establishment where you made the purchase.
Do you accept
international orders?
HomeStar Games does accept international orders for
our products. All international orders must be paid
in advance and in U.S. dollars. Communications in
English with our international customers will be through
mail, e-mail, and faxes. All international customers
will be responsible for paying any Duty or GST due
on their purchases. International customers are encouraged
to contact their government agencies to determine
if any import duty or tax may apply to their order.
What is the
ordering procedure for international orders?
The following shipping and handling procedures apply
to our international customers.
Shipping and Handling charges for Canada and Mexico
delivery:
1. Add $5 to Regular Shipping & Handling Charges.
2. Allow 2 weeks for delivery. No Rush Service.
3. Customer to pay GST and any other duties upon delivery.
Shipping and Handling charges for all other countries:
1. Add $10 to Regular Shipping & Handling Charges.
2. Shipments sent via U.S. Airmail. No Rush Service.
3. Allow 2-4 weeks for delivery.
4. Customer to pay any import duty or taxes upon delivery.
How do I find
a foreign language version of your web site?
You can view a foreign language version of any
of the pages on this web site by clicking on the following
link and inserting the full URL for the page in the
text box:
www.babelfish.altavista.com
Home Page: http://www.homestargames.com
About Us: http://www.homestargames.com/about.htm
Product Info: http://www.homestargames.com/product.htm
FAQ's: http://www.homestargames.com/faq.htm
Ordering: http://www.homestargames.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PLST&Store_Code=HG
Contact Us: http://www.homestargames.com/contact.htm
What is your
Retailer Policy?
If you own a retail establishment and would like
to place an order for our products, please go to
our Retailer Information page.
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