Ryan Smoker has been writing occasionally for The Family Gamers since 2019.
Explore the reviews and podcasts he has contributed to:
This game is a gem! It’s worth the intial mental climb… It’s just so fun to play once you get the rules down.
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Harvest Hoppers is Snowbright Studio’s new “cute but cutthroat” board game, delivering heartwarming fun for 2 to 6 players over 30 to 60 minutes. This strategy game with area control components comes with dozens of produce tokens, uniquely configured neighborhood maps, and a heapin’ handful of adorable Hoptop bicycle delivery antics.
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In Sunrise Lane, players compete to build the most lucrative and attractive neighborhoods. The higher their town rises, the more prestige they will enjoy. Certain city blocks are better investments than others, but timing is everything, and sometimes blocking a fellow builder from a great investment is the way to get ahead! The player with the most clever balance of both short-term scoring and long-term planning will surely rise to the top.
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There’s no Mr. Nice Guy in this all out player vs. player vs. player war to find & slap card pairs. Collect the most pairs! Become the champ!
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It’s time for a safari with Animix! Collect animals of different types and make sure the ones still on the table are arranged in their favorite patterns.
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This game is just elegantly smooth in how it plays. Simple mechanics, easy to learn, and so much fun to deduce where the thief is.
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In What the Heck? players bluff their way to victory using a deck of cards numbered from 1 to 15. Each card can only be played once, and players who play the same card cancel each other out. The game rewards crafty and unexpected play — with either a Point Card in your pocket or a friend berating you for your silly play style!
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haven’t encountered another 30-minute game that we’ve put on the table as often as Bloom Town. Easy to play and surprisingly deep in strategy, it’s a great game with unique mechanics and a variety of paths to victory.
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Put a little “fun with gravity” in your next family night with Crazy Tower, a building game that’s engaging for both builders and destroyers—you know who you are!
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Lightning Dice is a competitive dice-rolling game that rewards both quick reflexes and quick thinking. It’s one of those pick-up-and-play types of games that’s approachable for both gaming groups and families.
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In this worker placement game for 2-5 players, governors must skillfully manage their resources while they create new buildings, carefully construct trade networks, and toil to build the Temple itself. In the end, the governor who secures the most favor with King Solomon is the winner.
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Welcome to the world of Evolution, where every turn is a fight for survival—quite literally. In this colorful and competitive strategy game, each player takes control of one or more animal species. Every turn means survival or extinction as players compete to collect limited food resources.
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Compete with tribes of Cave People to shove mammoths off cliffs… or trick each other into careening off the edge! Survive prehistoric pitfalls and collect Mammoth Meat to feed your tribe.
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Kings of Israel is a cooperative game for 2-4 players. You and your fellow prophets band together to preach to the nation, destroy idols, gather resources, and build altars to the Most High God. Along the way you will courageously hold back the tide of sin as you race to build enough altars to save the people and avoid ultimate destruction.
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