What board game are you playing - chat thread

Smallworld sounds good for my DSCs too then, thanks. Might do that as a present next year (although definitely getting them Exploding Kittens NSFW as well - had a look at my friend's copy, they will love it!).

Oo thanks French yes a definitive end would be good!

Looks like I'll be buying lords of deepwater then

Our current favourites are super cluedo, Scotland yard, family triv we got for Xmas, Labyrinth and a type of monopoly game ds2 made himself its actually really good

Ds2 also likes Risk but we have conveniently misplaced it

We had a quick go at Dixit. I just don't get it! I hope my friend (who I'd bought it for) likes it though. I don't think we quite did the scoring right, and also DS (6) was very literal in his description of the card ("there's a cat painting a picture" etc) so that didn't really work. Once the rest of us started only using one word it got a bit more interesting but I think it would be better with more than 4 players.

I'm intrigued about the Ludwig game! That's on my wishlist.

I've been given two games as presents from friends recently, both perfect for us... so perfect in fact that we already had them! Didn't want to say so though so we are going to see if we can exchange them somewhere. I'm thinking of asking at the local game shop, what do you think? Seeing if we can give them the games (both new and sealed, and both definitely sold in their shop - in fact I think we bought our copies there in the first place!) and use that as like a trade against a more expensive game, so we pay the excess? I've no idea if that would be acceptable to them.

I've also been given some money from a dear friend (in her words "well, I don't have a daughter so..." :) ) with the strict instruction to spend it on myself only! Am not allowed to get anything necessary, or anything for the DCs. Needless to say some of it will be spent in said game shop! :o

Dixit was the hit this year.

Difficult to pitch a game for 2 fiendishly bright PhD students ( one not of uk origin) 2 uni students, 2 middle aged parents and a 16yr old that doesn't give someone an unfair advantage but this seems to be it. I cannot hold my one in word or general knowledge but here I can, as can 16yr old - though she wins cut throat games of ankh morpork !

Favourite game: ticket to ride (or settlers of Catan, or Dominion)

Favourite card game: Love Letter

Most recently learned: Ghost blitz, v fun, and v v fast (DD is a whizz at it)

Lords of Waterdeep

DS (9) - like Monopoly in that there are houses and you build up properties but better because you can plan ahead

DD (13) - It's more "strategical". You have to prioritise. It is less luck based. You build up an army only for it to disappear. Should you spend money now or save it? It's far more rewarding.

DD (16) - great. Quite cutthroat. You play for 8 rounds so you can see how long to go and it isn't endless like Monopoly.
Loved the background to each Lord and the illustrations in the instruction book. In a Dungeans and Dragons game you normally play the part of an adventurer so it was fun to be the Lord.

I used to like playing Magic the Gathering but the game has changed over the years and our out of date.

We played Cards against humanity - which can tell you a lot about your friends!

Had my first game of Jaipur yesterday with DS, he beat me but by only 4 points! :)
This weekend we are visiting my in-laws, going to take Love Letter and maybe a few other things but they have bought "Castles of Mad King Ludwig" so I'm looking forward to trying that out.
A couple of months ago DS and I were persuaded to back a card game called "Wizard School" on kickstarter so we will be getting that in 2016 - probably not until late summer though. I'm really hoping I will get Mysterium for my birthday in March - they should have the new print run available by then right??

I haven't played Waterdeep in too long. Most Jealous

Lords of Waterdeep first run through underway. I have left DS playing with his older sisters without my help. I'm off to take dogs out and suspect he will have a pile of mandatory quests given to him by his competitive sisters while I'm gone...

We most commonly play Pandemic and Lords of Waterdeep. I've got Netrunner, but my husband's reluctant to play it, so I'll have to play it with some of my colleagues at work. Got the Game of Thrones card game for Xmas, not given it a go yet though.

Scotland Yard is the last game we have to try. New games this year are 7 wonders, Pandemic, King of Tokyo and Game of Life (which I swear is simpler than the version I used to play when I was younger!)

Played Scotland Yard - loved it and Exploding Kittens - great to take when out and about. Got Star Wars Monopoly, Bugs in the Kitchen and King of Tokoyo to play yet.

Hello fellow gamers! Thanks very much frenchfancy for the shiny new thread.

Very interested to read about the Thunderbirds game. I've heard mixed things, so we are waiting until we've played my friend's copy (could be tomorrow as we are visiting) - I know they got it for Christmas! Cheeky I know :o but it's quite expensive to take a risk on IYSWIM. My DS absolutely adores Thunderbirds so it would be brilliant (I'm thinking of getting him the chess set too, as we only have a really cheap set and he's really getting into chess). He's only 6, but I don't think it matters so much when it's a cooperative game.

We are only recently getting into cooperative gaming but I'm loving it. We've got Forbidden Island and Hanabi, and the two I'd really love to buy are Pandemic and Flashpoint - my friend has both and they are brilliant. We've got Castle Panic for Christmas but not had a chance to play yet.

Thunderbirds has two 'tracks' running simultaneously - the hood track & the disaster track. On the his track you get 'scenes' and 'events' you have to solve before the hood character reaches a certain points on the track. Attention same time you have to avert disasters happening around the world and also in space. You each pick a character to play (Virgil, Alan, Scott, John, Gordon and Lady P) but can move other vehicles & characters with other players permission. You win you defeating all the Hoods schemes before the disaster track reaches the end (and before the Hood reaches any of the end points on his track).

The rule book is over 11 pages, but it is worth persevering! DS (8) loves it, he is Thunderbird mad.

Love forbidden island and also exploding kittens

Oooo Thunderbirds!

I saw that the other day and DS was interested. I am wondering fiddly how? Forbidden island is a bit fiddly but ok for DS to get to grips with because we kind of guided his turn until his got to grips with it. Or is it just a proper fiddly game?

Ooh great idea for a thread. We've been playing DS's new Christmas acquisitions which are Destination Hogwarts (fab, really like it), Exploding Kittens (good fun, quite quick & easy) and Thunderbirds (DS loves it, co- operative play so a good family fame, very complicated to get to grips with, but good now we're getting the hang of it).

Thank you for the thread OP. will be great to keep up with recommendations when shopping for birthdays.

DS following me around with Love Letter. He also likes the Blokus To Go I picked up in Lidl. I'm sure there must be a winning strategy for Blokus but if I try to block DS I end up sabotaging my game too. Hmm I could google it but much more fun for DS and I to find out the best moves together

Yes it is the astronauts wildcards game. Great fun. Really good for learning the planets too. Fantastic mumsnet suggestion but I can't remember who to thank! Maybe they will join this thread...

I am finding forbidden island a bit samey, however DD(10) and DS(8) can both play with enthusiasm and I don't have any worries about not "pulling punches".

Actually us playing together is a big deal DS as he has SN and forbidden island was the first more grown up game he was able to get to grips with. Sitting down and reading out the rules doesn't really work so you need games you can play and learn at the same time. He can do Chess (learnt on the computer using the undo button lots ), sushi go, forbidden island, Astronauts (yea!) And the minecraft card game (which is also awesome). Always open to new suggestions....

Lords of Waterdeep is about 45 mins to an hour 2 player more like to 2 hours 3 players plus. That is just and estimate though, I haven't been able to play it in a while.

I think I have found my spiritual home with this thread!

Mil got games for the DC (6-14) for Christmas - Mastermind (still in box), Battleships (dc2 playing at midnight with his sleepover buddy ), Connect 4 (dc3 and dh battling it out) and Monkey Business (dc4 loves it!).

Today I picked up Family Triv and we played it 3 times after tea tonight - a big hit with all of us. Much faster to play than normal Triv and excellent children's questions for the 6 and 9 year olds and challenging adult questions for the 12 and 14yo. Would really recommend it for a 'wide' age range.

My favourite games with the older 2 are Cluedo and Rummikub. Uno and Deadly Ruckus were the previous family faves.