Deck building was a little challenging because even among “pure” deck-building games, some of their foundational mechanics are different. Nevertheless, we came up with three we’d recommend to learn this style of game.
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If you love trick-taking games, Seers Catalog is a unique take on the genre as a card-shedding game. But it’s not really a family game.
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For fans of The Walking Dead Universe, The Walking Dead: Surrounded is a solid addition to any collection. The gameplay is challenging, and the included scenarios offer plenty of meat on the bone for even the hungriest zombies…
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I love that here, you’re kind of dividing the group in half every round, but everyone is still working towards the same goal. I also love how the teams are changing all the time with shifting roles.
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The kingdom’s princesses have come together for a spectacular five-day celebration. But not everyone made the guest list—every needy prince in the land, feeling snubbed, plans to crash the ball. As a strong, free, independent princess, you’re determined to dodge their unsolicited marriage proposals. You’re not just any royal, you’re a Rebel Princess! Rebel Princess is a trick-taking game that
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Even if you never go past the four walls and 120 cards of the Gateway box, this is a full and wonderful Lorcana experience.
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Your goal in Flip 7 is to be the first player to score 200 points. But you cannot do that in a single round. Each round, you’ll score points based on the cards in front of you. But you’ll bust and get zero points for the round if you have two cards with the same number.
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Another Man’s Treasure is a great option for a game to take out if your family only plays games with regular playing cards and you just want to mix it up. And if you’re playing with multiple generations, I suspect you’ll run into more than a few situations when you throw down grandma’s canner and have your own story to tell about your own family’s weird kitchen gadgets.
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Reign of Dragoness is a light, approachable game that plays well across generations. If you’re familiar with traditional card games, you’ll pick this up quickly.
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Looney Labs did some fun and clever things with how they want you to put your words together for success in this game.
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Strato is a solo card game with ten different puzzling scenarios, designed by Sophia Wagner and published by Helvetiq. The box says it’s best for ages 8 and up and plays in about 15 minutes.
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This Fluxx game was really crafted with a love for Winnie the Pooh and it references all our favorite moments from these 100 year old stories.
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Combo is a great unique game for the family! It’s kind of cooperative, in the sense that you can’t create a full combo on your own. You have to work with people at least a little bit if you’re going to score any points. But it’s not REALLY cooperative, because you still want to get the most points, and win.
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I’ve played and reviewed plenty of trick-taking games over the years. Some flop, while others become regulars at game nights with friends. Trick-taking games always offer a unique twist, whether through a quirky theme or an inventive scoring system that sets them apart.
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We’d recommend Streamer Standoff for teens and young adults who are REALLY into streaming culture. Otherwise, save your subs for something less standoff-ish.
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When I heard about Cabanga!, I knew I had to try it. The thrill of deciding whether to play a card that might cause me to gain unwanted cards adds an exciting layer of suspense, making every turn feel like a risky, strategic gamble.
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Sheep in Disguise is a light family game with just a little bit of take-that. We did have some hurt feelings when players would “expose” another player’s sheep, which meant they were abducted when an attack card was played – but the game is light and moves quickly enough that we could pretty much get past that.
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Toil & Troublez brings a touch of magic to the table! This whimsical game keeps players engaged as they anticipate each draw and carefully place cards in hopes of getting the Talisman they need.
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This might be the Uno-killer! We recommend Mojo as a fun family game that’s a bit more strategic.
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