Things to Do - Board Game Reviews!! (YAY for Board Games!)

Due to the blizzard, the kids had almost two extra weeks off school (12 days including weekends); basically a second Christmas break (as if we needed another). I love my kids, but I missed my own routine (oh, how I've missed it). Anyways, it seems that all the energy we previously invested in craft projects (remember those days?) we now use on board games.

And I have to say, I'm SO EXCITED that the kids are old enough to play real games (no more Sorry! or Chutes and Ladders!). I went a little crazy this winter and purchased quite a few new games - here are our reviews (and to read about last year's favorites, click here).



"EASIER GAMES" (i.e. T, age 6, can play)

1. Monopoly Here & Now Game - When I purchased this, I assumed it would be almost identical to "real" Monopoly, but with an updated board. Yet it's actually quite different - game play moves much faster (games only last about 30 minutes) and you can't trade properties. Still, the kids love it and it's perfect for before bedtime.

2. Lost Cities - The Board Game - We played this almost obsessively during the blizzard and for a few days F proclaimed this her favorite board game ever. Dan and I really like it too, so it seemed like Lost Cities was here to stay. But then the following problem emerged - although gameplay itself is relatively simple (so all three kids caught on easily), the strategy needed to win as a little bit more complex, so the kids never beat the adults and after awhile they became sick of losing all the time.

3. Tokaido Board Game - This is one of those games that seems complicated, but once you begin you realize that game play is relatively simple. I love it because the game centers around a journey, so you receive extra points for stopping at scenic vistas, buying souvenirs, meeting new people, etc. Thus, even if you lose you still have an interesting "gamer" vacation (plus the board and cards are gorgeous to look at). Although after awhile the game seems a little overly simple. Luckily, there's an expansion pack that is supposed to make it more complex (we haven't bought it yet).

4. Lanterns The Harvest Festival Board Game - This was probably the least successful of our new board game purchases. It's a pretty game and the play is simple, yet requires some degree of strategy (you place various lantern tiles in order to receive color cards, which you can then trade in for point tiles). But something about it never really "clicked" with the kids.


"OLDER" GAMES (i.e. best for kids 8 and over)

5. Coup (The Dystopian Universe) - This game is a little tricky (even for an adult) to learn at first. There are five different types of "characters" all of who serve different functions and it's important to know exactly what each character can do and how the characters interact. Each player draws two characters and then competes to kill off his/her opponents. Games last 10 minutes at most (so you can play multiple rounds).

Once the kids and their friends got the hang of Coup, they played CONSTANTLY. For a few weeks, it seemed like that's all they ever did. So on the upside, Coup is addictive and fun (and, unlike most games, up to 8 people can play). On the downside, it's a cruel game - you need to kill your friends, gameplay often involves lying about the cards you have, and it's easy for two players to gang up on another player. All that being said, my kids love it because, "wouldn't you rather us fight through a board game then fight in real life?"

6. Splendor Board Game - This by far is my favorite of our new games. You use coins to buy cards and then the cards act like money to help you buys more expensive cards. Whoever gets to 15 points first wins and most games only take about 30 minutes to play. While all three of my kids understand the basic strategy, T has a hard time with the "ultimate" strategy of buying the right cards to win; the girls, however, often beat Dan and me.

Things to Do - Family Boardgames

I love boardgames. Dan wooed me with Scrabble. He won my father over by winning at Trivial Pursuit. Basically, I grew up in a boardgame family.

Finally after way too much Candyland, the kids are all ready for bigger and better forms of sedentary competition (no more gumdrop mountains for me). Our favorite family boardgames are best broken into two categories (1) those that T can play with us (kindergartner; can't read yet); and (2) those for which second grade is a requirement.

GAMES FOR 5 (4?) and UP:

* Uno - Okay, not exactly rocket science. Also it doesn't include a board. But still so so much better than Candyland.

* Jenga - All that's required is some (small?) degree of fine motor skills.

* ThinkFun Zingo - Bingo with words and pictures. This can be rather boring. Well until your whole family fights like crazy over the winning tile. And by "fights" I mean someone becomes physically injured.

* HedBanz - Dan hates attaching an unknown word to his forehead. He's also shockingly good at figuring out what that word is. I like games that make us all look silly and this one wins. But of all the games listed, we rarely play this one. (Also, Hedbanz seems a little redundant since we often play the Heads Up app at restaurants)

* Sorry! - This can be painfully boring unless you buy the version with Fire and Ice power ups (highly recommended). Then it's sort of fun. Sort of.

* Monopoly - T still can't quite figure out the money situation, but with a little adult/sibling "help" he can play along.

* Qwirkle - Now we're actually getting somewhere. This is like Scrabble except with colors and symbols instead of words (so reading isn't a requirement). It involves some luck and some strategy and can actually be really fun.

* Catan: Junior- If you want a gamer kid this is a good place to start. Catan Jr. gameplay is similar to its adult counterpart, Settlers of Catan (now made famous by the Greenbay Packers and Ben from Parks and Recreation), but the the rules and strategy are more basic. Junior is also relatively enjoyable for adults (well, until you play the adult version, then it is hard to go back).

GAMES FOR 7 AND UP:

* Apples to Apples Junior - This is F's favorite game. It requires at least three people and we play it a lot. But if you've ever played Cards Against Humanity, Apples to Apples becomes crazy boring by comparison.

* Telestrations - F also loves this game. Unfortunately, there is no "winner", but everyone laughs. The lack of a winner somewhat confuses me.

* Mastermind- Two person code-breaking game that I played obsessively as a child. I'm not sure why my children aren't more obsessed with this one, though they play it often enough. Their apathy confuses me.

* Cubu - Cubu involves recognizing patterns. There's also a speed version we haven't played yet. Each round moves rather quickly. But after awhile it hurts your eyes.

* Ticket To Ride - This is where things start getting good. Unlike previously mentioned games, Ticket to Ride necessitates a decent amount of strategy (it also takes about an hour to play). Plus kids learn geography.

* The Settlers of Catan - SO SO FUN!! Though games can be somewhat long and if F isn't winning, she complains continually of boredom (though when winning she starts asking if we can play all the time). Still so. much. awesomeness.

* Forbidden Island- Game play for this one is cooperative, so the family either wins or loses together. I found the set up a little tricky at first, but once we got the hang of it everyone really liked working together. We almost always beat the island, thus causing Dan to complain that the game isn't hard enough (but who cares? I like being a winner).

What about everyone else? Any board game suggestions?