Holiday Game Shopping Guide 2017
It’s that time again – time for holiday shopping. Need something new for the gamers in your life? Here is the Family Gamers’ guide to games your family will love.
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Downforce: The Best Racing Game of the Eighties and Nineties is Back
Didn’t you play Daytona 500 when you were a kid? Downforce is just like that, but with superpowers and betting. Sold, amiright?
» Read moreBärenpark: A Koala-ity Family Experience
It’s time to bear down and start building! This week we take a look at one of the hottest games to come out of Origin this year, the tile-laying game Bärenpark from Lookout Spiele and Mayfair. We’ll tell you whether it’s a universally koality* experience, or if we think it’s a bit more polar-izing.
» Read more62 – The Family Gamers Podcast – Top 5 Games from Target
Sometimes you just need to buy a game in person, whether it’s because you don’t want to buy online or because you need to pick up a last-minute present. We share with you our top games that we found at our local Target store.
» Read moreSilly Street: Silly Fun for All Ages
Every person who takes care of children knows the importance of play. But sometimes young kids need to be encouraged to stretch their imaginations. Sometimes their grownups need permission to be silly and simply have fun. Have you howled like a wolf today? Maybe you should!
» Read moreWhat’s Up and Strawberry Ninja: Short and Sweet!
This week, we take a look at a pair of short, simple games from Strawberry Studio, What’s Up and Strawberry Ninja. Strawberry Studio’s mission is to “enrich the world of gaming with a line of smart, fun and easy to play microgames for families and friends”. Do they succeed with these two titles? Let’s dive in and find out.
» Read morePotion Explosion: A Magical Concoction!
Whizz! Clack! At first glance, Potion Explosion looks like just a gimmick – a board game adaptation of digital match-3 games like Bejeweled. Pull out marbles, make matches. But there is so much more to this delightful game!
» Read moreTumble Tree: Build a Baobab
A baobab tree has a thick trunk and flat, spreading branches. Why? Because the players have to build it that way! Can you build a spectacular canopy, or will your tree tumble?
» Read moreOutfoxed!: Cooperative Logic for the Littles in your Life
The clue-scouring gumshoe has always been a role masked in mystery and intrigue. Hardly a role for kids usually, mysterious detective tales filled with riddles and enigmas are designed to confound even the brightest observer. Enter Outfoxed, a lighthearted cooperative whodunit game from GameWright aimed squarely at a younger generation.
» Read moreBox of Rocks & Parent Quiz: Trivia Games the Whole Family Can Play
Box of Rocks and Parent Quiz are two simple trivia games designed for family play. Each takes just a few minutes and encourage discussion among the players. Which one is right for your family?
» Read moreArk & Noah: A Game Drenched in Biblical Themes
Crashing lightning, booming thunder, and thousands upon thousands of gallons of water pour from the sky. The drumming of torrential downpour on the roof of the Ark is calming in its regularity, as the unending rows of matched pair animals bray and paw nervously. There is a loud creaking as the rising water level begins to lift the massive boat
» Read more54 – The Family Gamers – Top Games to Play Outside
On this episode, we discuss what makes a board game good for playing outside, like at a picnic!
» Read morePirate Ships: Yo Ho Ho and a Battle of Fun!
What could be more classic than a naval battle between two warring pirate ships? With straightforward mechanics and great art by accomplished artist Kevin Rechin, The Haywire Group brings us Pirate Ships, a simple game of naval destruction! Do we think Pirate Ships is seaworthy? Or is it cannon fodder?
» Read more51 – The Family Gamers Podcast – Donovan Eberling and Jeff James
Donovan Eberling and Jeff James are the founders of Iron Hippo Games and co-creators (or maybe “architects”) of Tournament of Towers, a dexterity game now on Kickstarter.
» Read moreTournament of Towers: A Sophisticated Game of Dexterity and Planning
The beauty of Tournament is in its difficulty. The pieces were intentionally designed to be difficult to use for building boring towers. Once I realized that, I embraced the difficulty; rather than trying to build the tallest tower, I began trying to build the most interesting tower instead.
» Read moreClear for Takeoff: A Race Down the Runway
One of my recently adopted criteria for a good family game is total length – from setup, through play time, to teardown. In this, Clear for Takeoff excels. Designed by Hagen Temeryazev, an airline pilot, illustrated by Etienne Hebinger, and published by Blue Orange Games, Clear for Takeoff is a card game that has you racing to get all three of
» Read moreDr. Eureka: Formula for Fun?
Test tubes clank as their contents are poured back and forth. “Eureka!” a voice shouts. “I’ve got it!” Dr. Eureka promises fast-paced, family-friendly gameplay. But does this dexterity-puzzle game master the formula for fun?
» Read moreBattle Sheep: One Sheep, Two Sheep, Red Sheep, Blue Sheep
I love playing games with my kids that have either a simple setup, a simple cleanup, or simple rules. Battle Sheep, designed by Francesco Rotta and published by Blue Orange Games, has all three. With just a handful of quality components and a very limited set of choices to make each turn, games are breezy fun with your little lambs…
» Read moreDigit’y Do: Fun With Numbers For All Ages
Digit’y Do is a simple pen-and-paper game that combines Bingo, counting, probability, and guesswork. It keeps kids and adults engaged and entertained. It takes less than five minutes to explain, so you’ll be playing in no time. Best of all, proceeds from this game go to a good cause: the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF), which provides medical grants for children
» Read more2016 Game Shopping Guide
Thinking about buying games to give this holiday season? Check out The Family Gamers list of our favorite gift ideas this holiday! We’ve featured gifts for all ages, party games, and two player games! We’ve featured some great stocking stuffer options as well! Check out the list below with links for your convenience! Games for toddlers (3 and
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