Board game recs for 12yo ds please...

[kingfisherblue33]

Looking for new board game ideas, please! He loves wildlife and spying, and escape the room type things.

Have you tried a board game cafe? That way you can try them out. There are a few across the country - my local one has the rather fab name of Chance and Counters (say it out loud)

That's a good idea! There is one in my town.

Not a board game as such, but he might like Hive - it’s two player, you move tiles, and is almost like chess without a board (different bug tiles have different moves, the aim is to trap your opponents Queen bee).

Articulate (describing game)
Blokus (sounds a bit like Hive recommended above)
banagrams (a bit like scrabble, but without the board)

All regularly played in our house and DCs are now older teens. Also bearable for adults!

There is of course the dreaded Monopoly which the DCs still love, but us parents have to ration to save our sanity

I agree with above poster, try out your local board game cafe, we love ours, and it's how I've been converted to love boats games. (Before then, I thought board games were just monopoly and snakes and ladders etc) We've built up quite a collection thanks to trying some out in the cafe first. When reading your post, the first game that came to mind that he may like is 'Scotland Yard' it's a spy game, a bit like cluedo, but based around London, chasing the spy around. Quite a fun game, 'ticket to ride' is quite fun too.

Hive is good.
We did an escape room game recently but it was a one use only game. Stargazers mansion I think? Very good but expensive for everyday. We did it with friends at a party.

How many players are you looking for? Assuming just for the two of you I would recommend:

Hive
Tatsu
Codenames duet
Ticket to Ride nordic countries
Dobble
Khet
Exploding kittens

There are also loads of good card games for two.

Another option might be the one player games from Smart Games.

7 wonders is our favourite.

‘Exit - the abandoned cabin’ is an escape room board game. The downside is that it can only be played once, but the price reflects this, I think it was about £6 on Amazon. It was very good. I think it took us about 2 hours to complete.

221B Baker Street is a Sherlock Holmes detective board game. There are different scenarios and you have to move around the board gathering clues. I love this game and so does my DS (13yo).

Scotland Yard is also a firm favourite in our house. It’s like a cops and robber game.

Revolution
Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space (EFTAIOS) - can be played multiple times - a bit like Battleships but more complex
Agricola - farming
Caverna - mining
Settlers of Catan - resource management
Smash Up
King of Tokyo/King of New York

Boardgamegeek is a useful website for reviews and descriptions.

Pandemic - you all have to work together to beat the game. If you don’t you all lose.

Or Cheaters Monopoly - actually caused less arguments than the original.

Exploding kittens as mentioned before.

We still have Heroquest which is a bit like D & D.

If you want to tap in to his love of wildlife take a look at Wingspan or Takenoko.

Ticket to Ride

Boardgamegeek is a useful website for reviews and descriptions.

this - hours lost exploring new games - but you need to play them before buying so a cafe works well

Wingspan game is £64 on Amazon - perhaps not! Takenoko looks good - and different, thank you.

Have aready got Dobble on my list! Scotland Yard also good - thanks.

We have Exploding Kittens and didn't get on with it at all!

Can anyone recommend any general knowledge quiz games too?? Thanks.

Where in The World. Brilliant for learning where things are.

Ticket to Ride

We like Forbidden Island. It is cooperative so you all have to work together to win the game.
Also Skyjo which is a card game. And Flux where the rules change during the game.

Have you got a link to Where in the World, @Bloomburger? Can only see a card game.

Trivial Pursuit, you can get special packs on different interests eg Harry Potter.

Taboo (a word game)
Crystal Maze

@KingfisherBlue Wingspan available here: rulesofplay.co.uk/products/wingspan for £47.70?

For 'general knowledge' the game "Sort It Out" is a bit different and quite fun.

Always worth checking eBay for used boardgames once you know what you're after, too.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
(You do need a copy on the computer and print of some pages, but it is really worth it)

Roborally

I love Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes 😃

DS likes Abalone.

mysteriousmail.co.uk has a great detective game, the kids can feel they are real detectives to solve a mystery. Can be bought for 1 child or for more children to share, nice prezi for siblings.

Scotland Yard.
Ticket to Ride.
Settlers of Catan.

All really fun games!

We just played Clang (get into a dungeon, get the treasure, don't get got by the dragon on the way out - cards and board). I was expecting to endure it a bit, but actually it was a lot of fun for all of us (6-42!) - I'm actually looking forward to playing again!