Andrew Smith is the executive editor of The Family Gamers, and co-host of The Family Gamers Podcast.
Explore the reviews and podcasts he has contributed to.
“Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it.” Games are one of the best ways to get facts to stick. We recommend some games that teach history, and games with a historical setting that will get you and your kids talking.
» Read more
The Champion of the Wild is a voting and negotiation game for 3-8 players. Coach your animal(s) to victory in a series of competitive events. Listen to our thoughts in about 5 minutes.
» Read more
It is up to you to find the most Scarab relics! From the desert to the rain forest, from the Bermuda Triangle to Antarctica, these golden beetles are scattered across the world. Set up camps and mark Excavation Areas. Can you find the most Scarabs and uncover the mystery of Scarabya?
» Read more
We talk to Tom Clare about his game, The Champion of the Wild. If he could talk to animals, he’d put them into an elite sports competition!
» Read more
We look forward to 2019 and our most anticipated games, conventions, and Kickstarter fulfillments.
» Read more
Daniel Zayas is well-known in boardgaming circles, especially on Facebook. We talk to him about snow and football… but then get to the real reason we’re here: his new game! Tangled Timelines Tangled Timelines is a card game, on Kickstarter starting January 22nd. Tangled Timelines is a strongly thematic set-collection game. Start with a hand of 4 cards, representing different
» Read more
Mix potions faster than your opponent in this micro-game from Button Shy. Potions Class sits at a low simmer for us; with just a few changes, it could hit a rolling boil.
» Read more
We discuss our top games from 2018 – and ask the kids about theirs. Plus Boardgame in the Middle, what we’ve been playing, and Backtalk!
» Read more
California rolls, cucumber rolls, soy sauce, wasabi – sounds delicious. In Maki Stack, you stack wooden replicas of these items. Does Maki Stack stack up? Listen to our SNAP review in under 5 minutes, or read on below.
» Read more
Happy (almost) New Year! We’re back to doing “regular” shows after our PAXU blitz, and it feels good.
» Read more
Drop It was designed by Bernhard Lach & Uwe Rapp and published by KOSMOS. It feels a bit like Connect 4 played with tangram shapes, if your object was to make as few lines as possible. Hear our impressions of this strategic dexterity game in about 6 minutes, or read on for more.
» Read more
We just returned from this year’s PAX Unplugged. We’re exhausted, but ready to share with you our favorite moments and interviews from the show!
» Read more
We really enjoyed Dragons & Chickens, even though most of us aren’t huge fans of speed games. It makes a great filler game for a group of 3-5 players.
» Read more
Untold is an episodic cooperative storytelling game. The premise is that you and up to three fellow players are characters in a TV show. Using a framework of “scenes” and Rory’s Story Cubes, you’ll work out a role-playing story together.
» Read more
In Catch! from Peaceable Kingdom, players work together to move 4 cats to surround a mouse and keep it from escaping the yard.
» Read more
Did you know the average family has 1.8 kids? What do you do with the extra .8? Thanksgiving and the winter holidays are upon us. Even if you normally play with 2 or 3 players, you’ll probably want to accommodate more family in your games!
» Read more
You want to be a master painter? In Pigment, from Copper Frog Games, you can be. Send your apprentices out to collect or trade “pigment” cubes (red, yellow, blue). Then spend them in the right combination to paint Renaissance masterpieces.
» Read more
It was a big night for our family – the night we finally showed the world we were deserving of respect. We were tired of Al Mansky (the richest mobster in the country) getting all the glory – and hogging all the loot. Al was out of town, and had left all his loot stashed in his mansion. No guards,
» Read more
Ever thought about the viruses and bacteria that get you sick? They’re fighting back against your body’s immune system to grow and reproduce.
» Read more
It isn’t often that a board game is released that changes game mechanics in a dramatic, noticeable way. These games are exciting, remarkable, and iconic. They often capture the essence of their predecessors but with unique twists that leave players wanting more. Chronicles of Crime is one of these games.
» Read more