Our staff reviews games to help your family find new games to play that are worth your time and money! Please see our review policy for more information.
Reviews
Her Story: Iconic Women of History
9/10
I expected Her Story to fall in the usual “educational game” mold. But what I found was a game that’s simple enough for an 8-year-old, plays quickly, and invites you to learn more about each historical woman without being preachy.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Across America Fluxx
Are we there yet? Keep the road trip fun and ditch the hassle with this family card game.
» Read moreGift of Tulips
8/10
Gift of Tulips celebrates the promise of spring, with a competitive game that’s all about giving flowers away.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Ecosystem: Coral Reef
For kids studying food webs and ecosystems, this new marine biology card game from Genius could really help to reinforce concepts. But will parents actually enjoy playing it?
» Read moreLacrimosa – Requiem for a Game
8/10
This meaty game by Gerard Ascensi and Ferran Renalias allows up to four players to work to recreate Mozart’s life and finish his Requiem.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Wildtails: A Pirate Legacy
Players’ choices really matter in solo or cooperative legacy games – what you do changes aspects of the game permanently!
So how on earth can Button Shy Games make a legacy game with just 18 cards and a few stickers?
SNAP Review – KuZOOka
We’re going to help the animals escape from the zoo, in this cooperative game that feels a cross between Liar’s Dice and a video game rogue-like.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Scribbly Gum
We’re squirming with delight over this all ages game from Phil Walker-Harding. Can your scribbly gum larva collect the most food?
» Read moreFlamecraft – Straight Fire or Drag-on Along?
9.5/10
Flamecraft is an impressive blend of two things: a good game, and a cute game.
We’re fired up and we think you will be too!
» Read moreSNAP Review – Featherlight
Ignore the silly bird. We’d recommend Featherlight for couples or families with older kids who want a game that will engage your brain while staying light and fast.
» Read moreNacho Pile
6.33/10
Nacho Pile is a great snack-like game to play in between courses of a game night. Open the bag and start playing in less than a minute – and it plays faster than hungry teens can gobble a plate of nachos.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Star Trek Super Skill Pinball
Chronicles of Avel – The Battle of the Beast
9/10
Chronicles of Avel doesn’t do anything particularly new and inventive with the mechanics. However, it doesn’t really need to. Everything in the game is so well implemented, logical, and reasonable, it doesn’t really matter.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Kabuto Sumo
Let’s play a game about wrestling beetles! Slide items onto the board and try to push your opponent off.
» Read moreFyfe – A Beachside Getaway
8.5/10
With Fyfe, I can envision myself drawing out a board in the sand and using found objects to play. This game is incredibly open-ended, almost to the point of being overwhelming.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Mada
So the goal of Mada is to have the most prickly pears in your winnings pile at the end of the game. Try your luck to get high values – but if you ever grab a lower value card by mistake, you lose the round!
» Read moreSplitter – Two Halves Make a Whole!
7/10
Anyone can play Splitter due to its simplicity. But with no theme, is it a good choice for families?
» Read moreSNAP Review – Head Spin
Two players race to solve four-color puzzles and indicate the answers on a spinner toy. Can you solve the puzzles faster, or will they make your Head Spin?
» Read moreLongboard – Surf’s up!
8/10
Living in the Midwest, there are no ocean waves. But surfing is on my bucket list of things to try someday. In the meantime, I’ll try the next best thing; running a surfboard shop right at my kitchen table.
» Read more