Re-makes are not really my thing. The Ben-Hur movie of 2016? Woof. Crystal Pepsi? Trying too hard. Every Disney animated movie ever now coming back as live action? NO. So when I heard that there was now an entire tabletop game company, Restoration Games, devoted to remaking* classic games, I was … skeptical. Then I heard about Downforce. And my inner 10-year-old demanded a play though.
It’s been quite a week! We define a handful of board game terms (what’s a meeple?) and talk about lots of games we’ve been playing. Andrew describes his recent cooking experiment “FOR SCIENCE” and we share a big announcement!
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It’s time to bear down and start building! This week we take a look at one of the hottest games to come out of Origin this year, the tile-laying game Bärenpark from Lookout Spiele and Mayfair. We’ll tell you whether it’s a universally koality* experience, or if we think it’s a bit more polar-izing.
Sometimes you just need to buy a game in person, whether it’s because you don’t want to buy online or because you need to pick up a last-minute present. We share with you our top games that we found at our local Target store.
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Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Robo Diner
Set
Whistle Stop
Our listener Nick M (@ShredDemon) tweeted us a selfie with Andy Geremia!
His highlights include:
Fireball island from Restoration Games was the most exciting news for me. (Remake of Fireball Island circa 1986. Molded plastic board with tiki idol in the raised middle. Periodically spits out “fireball” marbles that roll down the mountain, knocking over pawns or destroying bridges.)
Santorini & 5 Minute Dungeon both sold out on the first day at GenCon.
(5 Minute Dungeon: cooperatively escape a randomized dungeon – in under 5 minutes. Use the cards in your hand to fight monsters and the final boss.)
Century: Golem Edition – Plan B’s popular Century: Spice Road, re-themed. Manga-like illustrations, beautiful crystals as currency.
Stuffed Fables
Tiny Park photo from Nick M.
HABA Tiny Park – basically Barenpark for kids!
Slide Blast photo from Nick M.
Slide Blast (FoxMind) looks fun.
Everyone was tweeting about Clank! In! Space! Still a deckbuilder, still traverse the board trying not to make too much noise. Board fits together like a puzzle. More compact than the original Clank!
Welcome to Dino World – PnP roll and write game. Build a dinosaur theme park, and try to avoid having too many “incidents”. James O’Connor (Stellaris Games), illustrated by Beth Sobel (Lanterns: The Harvest Festival, World’s Fair, Coldwater Crown, Viticulture, etc.)
Photo contest – http://www.gencant.com/2017-photo-contest-winners/
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Every person who takes care of children knows the importance of play. But sometimes young kids need to be encouraged to stretch their imaginations. Sometimes their grownups need permission to be silly and simply have fun. Have you howled like a wolf today? Maybe you should! » Read more
Don your deerstalker hat and grab your magnifying glass! This week IDW Games brings us Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty’s Trail, an adorable take on deduction and cooperative gameplay that puts you in the role of a new inspector at Scotland Pound. Is the stalking of our felonious feline worth the trouble? Should you take the time to track these criminal critters? Let’s take a look!
This week, we take a look at a pair of short, simple games from Strawberry Studio, What’s Up and Strawberry Ninja. Strawberry Studio’s mission is to “enrich the world of gaming with a line of smart, fun and easy to play microgames for families and friends”. Do they succeed with these two titles? Let’s dive in and find out.
Whizz! Clack! At first glance, Potion Explosion looks like just a gimmick – a board game adaptation of digital match-3 games like Bejeweled. Pull out marbles, make matches. But there is so much more to this delightful game!
You are a king (or queen), looking to expand your kingdom. As you explore the terrain, you must decide which territories will be the best and most productive. But watch out! Other monarchs are scouting the territory, too, and may steal your most-coveted lands!
The clue-scouring gumshoe has always been a role masked in mystery and intrigue. Hardly a role for kids usually, mysterious detective tales filled with riddles and enigmas are designed to confound even the brightest observer. Enter Outfoxed, a lighthearted cooperative whodunit game from GameWright aimed squarely at a younger generation. Somebody stole Mrs Plumpert’s pot pie and it’s up to the team of young detectives to find out who it was before they get away! Is Outfoxed outstanding, or is it insipid? Let’s find out.
Crashing lightning, booming thunder, and thousands upon thousands of gallons of water pour from the sky. The drumming of torrential downpour on the roof of the Ark is calming in its regularity, as the unending rows of matched pair animals bray and paw nervously. There is a loud creaking as the rising water level begins to lift the massive boat off its perch, a dry dock in the middle of the desert. You’re in Noah’s Ark. But how did you get here? Are you Shem, Ham, Japheth, or are you the patriarchal head, Noah himself?
On this episode, we discuss what makes a board game good for playing outside, like at a picnic!
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Scuttle! by Jellybean Games is a card game full of pirate adventure, attacks, conquest, and fun, for 1-5 players. Manage the shifting seas of cards like an old salt, be the first to collect enough treasure, and you’ll win the title of master pirate captain.
Arrrrre you ready to find out what makes Scuttle! so interesting and different every time you play? Hop aboard, and you’ll earn your sea legs as we explore this great game and sail to capture the most doubloons!
Welcome to episode 50! We’ve been doing The Family Gamers Podcast for quite a while, and thought we would take an opportunity to look back, especially at a few of our early episodes.
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Unbelievable tales of legend filled with debauchery, treachery, and heroism make the stories of the Greek gods fascinating to anyone who enjoys a good adventure. From the snakes of Medusa to the rippling muscles of Hercules, to the near invincibility of Achilles, every hero and villain captures our imagination with their epic tales of adventure, victory, and heartbreak.
With virtually countless characters to draw from, it’s a small wonder we don’t see more games in this setting. Fight for Olympus, released last year by MayFair Games and Lookout Games, puts the Greek roster to good use. One of the gods has died and you are fighting to ascend Mount Olympus and assume their recently vacated post. But will Fight for Olympus yield a mountaintop experience?
This past weekend, Anitra attended Granite Game Summit 2017 in Nashua, NH. It was a lot of fun, but also very different from the type of events we normally attend as The Family Gamers. We discuss what G2S was like, highlights of the show, and what else happened in our family the past two weeks. » Read more
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We were inspired by our recent experiences playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild to talk about playing games collaboratively or cooperatively. We often talk about cooperative board games, but did you know there are many options for playing together with video games, too? » Read more
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Sushi Dice is a fun, fast-paced dice-matching game for 2 to 6 players, designed by Henri Kermarrec. For this review, we heavily “kid-tested” the game, with good results. I’m a parent who approves, so it’s got to be good. » Read more
This week, we have special guests! Spencer & Lara Williams, of Married with Board Games, co-host the show with us and talk about their favorite games to play as a couple. » Read more
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