Dr. Reiner Knizia is a prolific board game designer, and one of our favorites for family games.
Every once in a while, we find games that are so well suited to very young children that they’ll pull them out and play them alone, without an adult’s help.
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I think this is a great step up from traditional memory matching games. The storytelling aspect is a nice twist, and when everyone feels invested in the stories, it actually makes it easier to remember what item was placed where.
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I was surprised and impressed at how simple this game was while being simultaneously incredibly fun to play. This is the kind of game that you lose and then it’s pretty easy to convince yourself you can win the next go ’round.
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In Sunrise Lane, players compete to build the most lucrative and attractive neighborhoods. The higher their town rises, the more prestige they will enjoy. Certain city blocks are better investments than others, but timing is everything, and sometimes blocking a fellow builder from a great investment is the way to get ahead! The player with the most clever balance of both short-term scoring and long-term planning will surely rise to the top.
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Although Ra felt pretty simple to learn, it’s still going to be very challenging for younger kids. The well-designed player boards smooth the way to understand all the scoring, but it’s still a lot to keep track of. We think the 12+ age range on the box is about right.
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No, it’s not about allergies! Attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies by planting appropriate flowers. You’ll need a variety of different bugs to win!
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Living in the Midwest, there are no ocean waves. But surfing is on my bucket list of things to try someday. In the meantime, I’ll try the next best thing; running a surfboard shop right at my kitchen table.
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Tutankhamun has great table presence that will raise eye brows for a curious onlooker. It’s very family friendly (up to 6 players!) and is a could welcome anyone to the table for the first time.
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A legacy game with rules that gently ramp up over time – and NO conflict! We think it’s perfect for families.
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In Tajuto from Renier Knizia up to four players will construct pagodas to increase their Meditation and achieve Spirituality points. Tajuto is published by Super Meeple (Luma Imports distributes it in the US & Canada) and is best for players ages 10+. How to Play Your goal is to have the most Spirituality points when the fourth pagoda is completed.
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No, not “Chubby Bunny”! Marshmallow Test is a trick-taking game of delayed gratification, loosely themed on the Stanford marshmallow experiment.
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In Criss Cross, you’ll roll two dice and write the pair of symbols anywhere on your player sheet. Make groups of matching symbols in rows and columns to get the best score.
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Brainwaves games challenge you to remember details about previously-revealed cards. But each stretches your working memory in a different way.
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Ingenious is a game with great accessibility for new players and depth of strategy for experienced players. Lay down a tile, making straight lines in each color.
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Mmm! is a favorite game to play with children. Reiner Knizia has created a puzzle that is neither too easy for adults nor too hard for preschoolers.
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POW! is a press-your luck game of comic book character drafting, from Reiner Knizia and Gigamic. Your goal: build a cast of characters for your comic book. Collect both superheroes and supervillians, to create a balanced comic. Listen to our SNAP review of POW! in 5 minutes, or read on below. Gameplay Setup by randomizing the superheroes (blue/teal) and supervillians
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Arr, mateys! We be pirates, sailing the high seas in search of Loot. We play cards to capture or defend merchant ships. Loot is one of the earliest games from designer Reiner Knizia. It’s been available in the United States since 2005 from publisher GameWright, but the newest version has updated artwork and comes in a metal tin.
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