Can we have a 'what board games are you getting' chat thread please?

[fuzzpig]

Choosing the board games is my favourite part of Christmas shopping! :o

Unfortunately it is DH's turn to choose the main family game this year so I've reluctantly relinquished control - he's chosen Castle Panic, although the new cooperative Thunderbirds game came a close second.

For the DCs I've got that Bounce Off one that is advertised on telly - looks a bit of a five minute wonder, but they both go gooey over it whenever it comes on, and I'm thinking that will be the Santa present (as they know mum would never buy it ).

DSCs (teens/young adult, all live together) are getting a couple as a joint gift - the Batman edition of Love Letter, and the London Game.

DCs always get Top Trumps in their stockings, so DD (8) has Monster High and DS (6) has the retro style Transformers.

Trying to resist the temptation to add more

[SummerNights1986]

For the DCs I've got that Bounce Off one that is advertised on telly

My two (aged 7 and 5) had bounce off last year. It's one of the games that has absolutely lasted, kept their interest, and that they still play often...they both love it.

So far I have:

Pictureka - the second edition board game - we had the big mat last year and that's another favourite.

Cluedo (maybe a bit old for my two? But I've bought it anyway)

Monopoly - our second set as the original has been played so much that the money and houses have been lost in increments and whittled down to nothing.

Have also added bananagrams to the list following this thread! I'd never heard of it before.

[fuzzpig]

I have had to insist on a one-in-one-out rule with table top games now. That's brought me out in a cold sweat :o

Summer thank you, good to know about the Bounce Off thing. Didn't realise it had been out that long!

Spike Bananagrams is very different from Scrabble, definitely different enough to justify having both :o in Bananagrams, all the letter tiles are in the middle, and you have to take a certain number and make your own individual crossword. There's no board, and no actual scoring because the tiles aren't worth points - it's a speed based game, one round might only take 5-10mins. You have to keep adding tiles until the pile runs out and then it's the quickest person to make a valid crossword who wins. HTH :)

[fuzzpig]

Bananagrams is going on Lightning Deals on Amazon, think it's tomorrow 5.20am (ridiculous time!)

Dobble is at 7.20am.

Looking at current prices, both should end up under £9. Both games are brilliant :o

[Helenluvsrob]

Bumping to ask again about games for grown ups...

[AlmaMartyr]

Helenluvsrob - what kind of thing do you normally like? DH and I play loads of cooperative games together, like Pandemic. These are often very strategic and can be played with quite a few people. I'm very very excited about Mysterium, which is similarish to Dixit in that it has pictures. Flash Point is a winner too.

If you're not into cooperative games then maybe Settlers of Catan? Or Qwirkle? Seven Wonders is a good game and I've heard loads about Agricola.

[Helenluvsrob]

Pandemic sounds good. Seven wonders would be amazing if it doesn't depend on actual knowledge as 2 of those who would be playing are PhD students in ancient history.... Off to google

Thanks

[vikjul]

Great thread! I have promised myself not to get too many new board games this Christmas to make sure that we play with the ones we already have, but this thread has me tempted again...

I do have Sushi Go and Braverats (like a cross between rock-paper-scissors and Love Letter) for the dc's stockings (they are 7 and almost 10).

I also have Dixit 2 (expansion) as well as the Gamewright game Toss your Cookies (DD7 has asked for the latter, probably not a great game but looks fun to her!)

Can attest to the popularity of the following previously mentioned games, we have and enjoy all of these:

Love Letter
Sleeping Queens (dd7 still loves this and the rest of us like it too)
Rat a Tat Cat (more played when the DC were around 5 and 8)
Ticket to Ride Europe
King of Tokyo (well, my almost 10yo and his friends love it, I find it ok)
Forbidden Island
Qwirkle
Labyrinth
Jaipur (brilliant and very pretty 2-player game)
Dixit (current family favourite)

And our most-played game ever:
Monopoly Deal (HIGHLY addictive and recommended 15 min card game, perfect stocking stuffer and much more fun than the original!)

Also recommend:

Cockroach Poker - very fun and simple bluffing game, works for all ages
For Sale (silly but fun auction game, works for up to 8 players, from around 6-7yo I would say)
Splendor (similar complexity to TTR Europe, perhaps a bit cerebral though, more silent thinking than talking/laughing/shouting)
Archaeology the Card Game - simple and fun set collection game (we prefer Monopoly Deal though)
Halli Galli is very fun!

Am contemplating Forbidden Desert or Machi Koro for ds 10th birthday next week... Does anyone know how Forbidden Desert compares to Forbidden Island? Is it worth having both?

Also, I have read mixed reviews on Machi Koro where some say that it has limited replayability (and poor production quality), would be interested in your thoughts on this since you got it last year Fuzzpig? DS loves all things Japanese, so I know he would love its aesthetics, just concerned about the actual game play?

[vvviola]

DH and I love board games (I caused scandal among my friends by beating him at scrabble the first time I visited his house. Apparently we shouldn't have been playing scrabble, and I should have let him win!)

DC are only just getting into them.

I've bought Sorry for DD1 who is 8 (mainly because I have very fond memories of playing it with my grandad at a similar age). I bought Pandemic for DH, and a game for 4yo DD2 that I can't remember at all!!

I think bananagrams might end up being added to DD1's stocking too.

[vikjul]

Oh yes, another recommendation is Camel Up (Spiel der Jahres winner, betting on camels). Colourful board and fun theme. A bit more interesting for the more strategically inclined I would say, my dh and ds10 love to calculate changing probabilities as the game progresses, while dd7 and I rely more on luck :-). Works well for both types though.

[CocktailQueen]

Ooh, some great ideas on this thread!

Have asked for Quirkle. HAve bought Monopoly, Scattergories and Don't say it (like Taboo) as gifts.

Love Labyrinth!

[fuzzpig]

I have promised myself not to get too many new board games this Christmas

Good luck with that. :o

Machi Koro - I thought the quality was decent, not the most amazing or one of those "ooooh it's so beautiful" games (yes I do have that reaction to some... ) but certainly no problems! We've not played it very often as we tend to only play more grown up games when we get all my DSCs together for a proper game night, but I really liked it and I don't think it would be too repetitive - but we haven't played it enough to tell IYSWIM sorry.

One game I really want to get is Nefarious, apparently the game itself is good but I've read reviews of the new edition and apparently it's really awful quality. So I'm hoping to find a second hand set of the original at some point.

[vikjul]

one of those "ooooh it's so beautiful" games

Always on the lookout for these, recommendations please!

Jamaica looks stunning but I've heard that the actual game is only so-so.

[NatashaRomanov]

Fuzzpig we have one cupboard and one double cupboard stuffed full, games piled on top on the display unit above the cupboards, and some stacked outside the cupboards. And that doesn't include the child-targeted ones that are next to the unit. Oh. And the lego ones that I have just noticed in front of the TV unit!

[AlmaMartyr]

Vikjul - we have Forbidden Desert and Forbidden Island. Personally, I'd definitely pick Desert. Island is great but Desert has slightly more complexity that makes it more fun and interesting, for us anyway.

I heard that the replayability of Machi Koro was aided by the expansion so I bought the Deluxe version that comes with both expansions and some extra cards - it was only about £10 extra so I thought it was worth it.

Escape, The Curse of the Temple is a fantastic family game. Pricey, but the components are superb.

[fuzzpig]

Unfortunately I don't actually own many truly gorgeous games. Indigo is really pretty and visually pleasing so that's a good budget option for a simple game, I got it for £17. I love Steam Park and Takenoko to look at, they aren't super super amazing but they're very nice to look at and I love the concepts. A matter of opinion though I guess!

Flash Point and Pandemic are very nice - I seem to have a weakness for little cubes as both games have them the FP ones are so shiny...

[fuzzpig]

Natasha your mass of games sounds similar to ours :o

[fuzzpig]

Oops, just checked the Amazon deals again and it now says both Bananagrams and Dobble are on at 7.20am. If that helps anyone. :)

[GrouchingTiggerHiddenSomething]

Forgot to mention HANABI earlier - great co-operative card game, seriously if you haven't got it and you like games then you should get it!

[DrasticAction]

vikjul


We have some of your games I was thinking of Rat a Tat cat this year...

We really like sleeping Queens too, and Love letter /qwirle.

Can you tell me more about Jaipur please? can an 8 year old play?

[DrasticAction]

Vikjul

If I was to get rat a tat or Jaipur which one would you say...

[fuzzpig]

Yes! Hanabi is brilliant :o :o such a bizarre idea, to see everyone's cards but your own, but it really works.

[fuzzpig]

We really like Qwirkle Cubes, as you get the probability element from rolling the dice. There is also a game called Doodle Dice which is fab, but hard to find at a good price.

[GingerIvy]

My dcs are still quite young. They're asking for Bugs in the Kitchen. It looks silly and fun, so I think it'll be a good bet for us.

[Stokey]

Great thread.

I'm getting 3d snakes and ladders from the Happy Puzzle company for DD2 age 3.7, but need something for dd1 who is just 6. We have Forbidden Island, Dobble and Uno all of which she enjoys. I was thinking of Labyrinth - would that be good for her age? Lots I haven't heard of on here - would the Sushi one or Hannabi work for younger children?

Cards Against Humanity is a very funny adult game. but can be quite offensive - more for friends than family.

[fuzzpig]

Stokey I can't look at my teenage DSDs in quite the same way since we started playing CAH with them :o

I would definitely agree with Labyrinth (the normal one, no need for the kids one IMO) for her age.

Hanabi I would say not as you really have to think about what the other people are thinking IYSWIM, and remember that they don't know what you know. I think that'd be hard for a 6yo (but then I have AS anyway so not sure if I'm 'normal' in that respect... :o)