Board Game help!
Board Game help!
My birthday and x-mas are coming up and I'm about guaranteed to get a gift certificate to my FLGS. Last year I bought Pirate's Cove and it was a hit with both my daughter and wife.
Can lightning strike twice? What board game can I buy this year that a 9 year old girl and my wife will play?
I'm thinking Ticket To Ride, but I'm not a board game expert so there are probably lots of good games I'm not aware of.
http://www.amazon.com/Days-of-Wonder-DOW-7101/dp/B0002TV2O2
My birthday and x-mas are coming up and I'm about guaranteed to get a gift certificate to my FLGS. Last year I bought Pirate's Cove and it was a hit with both my daughter and wife.
Can lightning strike twice? What board game can I buy this year that a 9 year old girl and my wife will play?
I'm thinking Ticket To Ride, but I'm not a board game expert so there are probably lots of good games I'm not aware of.
http://www.amazon.com/Days-of-Wonder-DOW-7101/dp/B0002TV2O2
Ticket To Ride is a no-brainer.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of ticket to ride myself. My suggestion would be Small World. Both were featured on TableTop if you want to compare.
ReplyDeleteSmall World was the other game on my short list. I did watch the Tabletop episode with it featured. Is it too heavy for kids? The whole "go into decline" mechanic made me wonder if it would be too complicated.
ReplyDeleteThe declined races are not as complicated as they sound... you decide you want to change races and flip your old race over... then you keep getting points from the flipped over armies but otherwise can't do anything with them... (if you can understand the "getting points from occupied territories" part in the first place, that is)
ReplyDeleteI think Small World is too complicated for kids (from my vast experience of watching the TableTop video).
ReplyDeletemost of small world is less complicated than settlers of catan... except for the race powers... but each player only has to understand a few of those at any given time.
ReplyDeleteShe's a sharp kid, so Small World is still on the list I think. A point against it is the fantasy theme that might not spark much (any) interest from the wife.
ReplyDeleteAny other games?
Fluxx? I'd suggest you start with the base version, I have had poor luck playing anything but that with my wife... speaking of wives, mine enjoys a good game of Munchkin now and then... and you have a variety of options when it comes to theme. I mean, they aren't "serious games" but they are fun.
ReplyDeleteMy wife's favorite game, far and away, is Dominion. She also likes 10 Days in (Wherever).
ReplyDeleteDominion is a solid game. Hey that's my Fish! is great but is done in about 10 minutes. Carcasonne is a solid game, more fun for kids if you add in expansions like the Princess and the Dragon. I can't stand Fluxx. Munchkin can be fun, though I prefer the variants to the originals (Super Munchkin and Space Munchkin are the ones I like best) Others recommended I don't know well enough to comment on.
ReplyDeleteCatan is a great game if you don't have it yet as are the expansions. I found Catan a great gift game as you can give the expansions for other events. Say the core game for Xmas, Seafarers for a Birthday, etc.
7 Wonders is a lot of fun, as is Citadels.
ReplyDeleteI thought of 7 Wonders but wasn't sure about complexity for a 9 year old.
ReplyDeleteI have 7 wonders and haven't had a chance to play it yet... my wife took one look at the rules and decided we would be playing Munchkin instead that night...
ReplyDeleteWe've played 7 Wonders with a 9-year old (I think he came in 2nd). It's much easier to understand from play than reading the rules. The same is probably true of Dominion.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'll have to give it a try with her again sometime then...
ReplyDeleteThis explains how to play in goodly detail: http://youtu.be/z_Wfdn5Es8U
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys. Forbidden Island looks promising. Co-op would be good. And it's cheap, which means I can still look at big, expensive boxes too.
ReplyDeleteZooloretto is another good one.
ReplyDeleteMoe Tousignant Good one! Although I think Coloretto (the card game) is a better game overall - Zooloretto probably has more "kid appeal".
ReplyDeleteSo now I'm watching Tabletop again. Anyone play Castle Panic?
ReplyDeleteI have. It's good, although if you're concerned about the missus not liking Small World due to the fantasy theme, then it might not be the best choice.
ReplyDeleteMy thought is that killing orcs is better than playing orcs. Although, she's really only willing to watch orcs if Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortenson are killing them.
ReplyDeleteZooleretto and Ticket to Ride are no miss for kids and adults.
ReplyDeleteI just ordered king of Tokyo to play with my kids. Their current favorites are zooloretto and Carcassonne
ReplyDeleteSurvive escape from Atlantis is another one they like.
ReplyDeleteSurvive is a good one, I had forgotten about it. Dixit is another one kids can really get into plus it makes for a great party game for adults. My last suggestion (for today at least) Tellestrations. Another one kids will love that's also a great party game.
ReplyDeleteTellestrations is great! Does it play well with three, though? I've only played it in larger groups.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit the smallest group I've played it with is 5. I just checked and it looks like it needs at least 4 players. :( I still recommend it though for whenever you have a 4th. We've played it with up to 12 and it's a ton of fun and laughs.
ReplyDeleteMy list of games to look at is getting longer. Thanks, guys.
ReplyDeleteEventually, if you stay on this path long enough, you wind up just going to the 'geek and reading every single entry. It's a slippery slope.
ReplyDeleteI love Ticket to Ride.
ReplyDeleteTicket to Ride is the best non-gamer game. My mom has been an addict for a few years now, ever since I introduced her to the game. She has all the versions. Kids can enjoy too.
ReplyDelete