Anitra Smith is the managing editor of The Family Gamers, and co-host of The Family Gamers Podcast.
Explore the reviews and podcasts she has contributed to.
Xtronaut introduces a level of realism we don’t see in other space-themed games. Its mission: to introduce kids to the wonders of space flight.
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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
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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.
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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!
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Welcome to the exciting world of bug collecting! Snatch bugs off the rug to add to your collection, but watch out for the bugs you don’t catch – they’ll fly onto the wall and do tricky things.
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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.
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Happy (almost) New Year! We’re back to doing “regular” shows after our PAXU blitz, and it feels good.
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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.
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Simon’s Cat Card Game is a simple shedding game with a minor twist. The suits aren’t evenly distributed, and you take a “mess” if you can’t play a card on your turn.
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Friends ask me on a regular basis about good games for very young children or children who have learning impairments. How can you have a game that’s fun without counting or even color matching?
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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!
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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.
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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.
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In Catch! from Peaceable Kingdom, players work together to move 4 cats to surround a mouse and keep it from escaping the yard.
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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!
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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.
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In Chupacabra: Survive the Night, you use your chupacabra dice to steal other players’ animals.
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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.
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A simple take-that game, 10 Essentials aims to to introduce kids to the standard “ten essential items” for backcountry hiking. Remedy dangers like dehydration or snow while playing similar dangers on the other players! What did Asher and Anitra think of this game? Listen to their review in 6 minutes, or read on below. 10 Essentials was designed by John
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I love science fiction and I love games; but I hate waiting around. Unfortunately, whether it’s a music class, sports practice, or just school pickup, I do a lot of waiting. Why not play a game? Twin Stars is a solo wallet-sized game from Button Shy, played with only 3 cards at a time.
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