2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Games
Board games bring families together around the table. So why not give games to your loved ones this holiday season? Here are our suggestions for every age and ability level.
» Read moreFamily Games
Arraial: A Pack-Em-In Portuguese Party!
Arraial is the closest analogue to Tetris we’ve seen yet, but with player interaction and the ability to choose your polyomino shape(s)! The goal of the game is to attract the most visitors to your festival in the form of meeples.
» Read more162 – Your Game Collection – The Family Gamers Podcast
Apparently, there are 162 games in a season of Major League Baseball. So, we’ve reached that milestone now – yay? We’re going to talk about collecting (kids are natural collectors – or maybe hoarders) and “improving” your collection in various ways. What We’ve Been Playing Brainwaves: The Astute Goose – a memory game that actually improves your memory! Spy Club
» Read more159 – Portal Gaming Podcast with Brandt Sanderson – The Family Gamers Podcast
We have a great time this week, talking to Brandt from The Portal Gaming Podcast… and our old friend from college. Math, games, and friends. What could be better?
» Read moreDraftosaurus: It’s the Tricera-tops!
Build your own Jurassic Park and fill it with the best dinosaurs in this short game for 2-5 players.
» Read more151 – Origins 2019 Interviews – The Family Gamers Podcast
150 – Theme – The Family Gamers Podcast
Nick joins us for episode 150, where we cover some recent favorite games, and discuss THEME. Each of the three of us has a different take on theme and its role in board games.
» Read moreIceCOOL 2: Frozen Boogaloo
When the teacher’s away, the penguins will play! Each player will take a turn being the hall monitor (or Catcher) while the other penguins (Runners) try to collect fish hanging over the doors. IceCOOL 2 is a sequel and/or expansion that we prefer slightly over the original IceCOOL.
» Read more144 – All Filled Up! Top 10 Filler Games – The Family Gamers Podcast
We’ve got a top 10 today – yes, actually 10! Inspired by some filler games we recently received in the mail, and looking forward to hanging out with One Board Family (because we talked filler games when we had them on the podcast), we decided we’d talk about our favorite filler games today. First we thank Breaking Games, whose game
» Read moreVisitor in Blackwood Grove: An Alien Assumption
An alien ship has crash-landed in the forest outside of town. Agents have been tracking the craft and rush to the scene, hoping to dissect the Visitor and seize its craft. But a local Kid has also ridden her bike out to the wreck to save the Visitor. Who will make it through the ship’s force field first?
If you’re up for an unusual deduction game with asymmetric roles that accommodate many skill levels, we highly recommend Visitor in Blackwood Grove.
» Read moreQwirkle: Colorful Strategy
132 – American History – The Family Gamers Podcast
“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 moreScarabya: Excavations that Missed the Beet(le)
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 moreSports Dice Football
“What I love best about Sports Dice Football is that it plays in real-time; there are no commercial breaks or risqué half-time shows. The best roll makes the play. Rules are simple, making it appealing for new players.”
» Read moreSNAP Review – Potions Class: Bubble or Boil?
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 moreDicey Peaks: Not High Enough
Sheer adventure awaits you in Calliope Games’ Dicey Peaks, by Scott Almes. Up to six players assault the summit of a Himalayan mountain. Listed for ages 8 and up, we found that even kids as young as 5 can join in on the expedition, making this a good option for a wide range of ages. Strap on your crampons, brave adventurer, and read on.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Robots & Rockets LIGHTSPEED
Robots & Rockets: LIGHTSPEED is the second entry in the Robots & Rockets series from designer Sye Robertson. Now that you’ve mastered robot tourism, you must practice the art of building rockets. Did our rockets launch to lightspeed, or did this game fizzle out? Listen to our thoughts in under 5 minutes, or read on below.
» Read moreFruit Ninja Combo Party
You are young apprentices, in training to legendary Fruit Ninjas. Now that you’ve learned the basics of slicing fruit, you need to master the art of combos. Sharpen your blades and reflexes to slice the best possible combos to earn maximum each round. Perfect these skills and Honorable Sensei will name you the Master of Combos.
» Read moreKaruba
Four explorers arrived on the beaches of Karuba in search of the lost temples. Which player can clear the best path through the forest, find the most treasure, and find their temples first? Karuba is a simultaneous tile-laying game designed by Rüdiger Dorn and published by HABA. A game lasts 30-40 minutes for 2-4 players age 6+. Setup To set up
» Read moreMini DiverCity: A Race to Save the Reef
In Mini DiverCity, divers work together against corporations to save archipelago from ecological ruin. All players win together by saving a set amount of species.
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