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

Ha I bet, I don't think I could play it with my parents even now!

Thanks - Labyrinth is in the basket, Hanabi does look too difficult. I may get her Love Letters too, it looks quite doable.

stokey have you got, do you know, sleeping queens?its a lovely card game and very attractive cards.

I'm really tempted by sleeping queens. And sushi go. And rat a tat cat. SIGH

Sleeping queens is very good. Lasts longer than rat a tat cat, which is also good but over very quickly. Too many monkeys is another good gamewright one.
We also have pirate vs pirate but it's only a three player, very good though and scallywags which is another gamewright game but with coins not cards.

We have castle panic (ds is coming up to 6 and a half) and he remembers the rules better than me. The rule book is about 30 pages long. Once you play it's less complicated than it sounds but initially reading the rules I was slightly daunted.

I'm not sure which ds would say is his favourite. He goes through fads I suppose. We like shave a sheep which is a Lego game and also Battle of Hoth. Ds loves cluedo but needs a bit of help to play still.

He does like lost valley of the dinosaurs, which has lovely components, but you can only pick it up second hand on eBay. I got a set that was complete and in pretty good condition but it wasn't cheap. However it is awesome, pterodactyls carrying army men off, lava erupting down the volcano, swamp monster devouring you, collecting bullets to shoot the dinosaurs. It appeals to ds because it's all the things he loves: soldiers, dinosaurs, treasure and shooting things. Yeah that's a pretty brilliant game actually.

drasticaction
For an 8yo I would definitely go with Jaipur rather than Rat a Tat Cat.

Jaipur is tactical set collection, do I take/sell this now or save for a more valuable bigger set while risking that my opponent gets there before me. Luck-driven in that different cards are available at different times, so no need for strategic thinking/planning=fine for most 8yos I would say. Simple rules and VERY aesthetically pleasing, the prettiest game we own!

We are getting Race to Madrid and dh wants to get them Risk. Also picked up a Harry Potter trivia game in a charity shop as new.

Hanabi is great! 7yo DD is actually quite good at it and really enjoys it, but I admit I was surprised by that.

Yggdrasil is a gorgeous game, some of my favourite artwork but quite difficult to get hold of.

what is love letters? I can find lots of different ones which is the best and are they too young for 11 year olds.

Ill just drop this link for Wil Wheatons Tabletop series. It has a lot of the games mentioned in this thread if anyone wants to see them being played/ wants to get a look at what they`d be buying! geekandsundry.com/shows/tabletop/

Gubs, by the same guys that do sleeping queens, is a perennial favourite and our 5yr old ds also loves Loot and Dobble

Really enjoy Carcassonne, with lots of expansion opportunities. Small world ditto.

And for whoever likes Ankh Morpork, we also love The Witches, but play it co-op to save Lancre.....

Looking at sushi go, sussed, five tribes and possibly munchkin deluxe (for us and older ds)

Oh, woe, shouldn't have gone to look.... Now also thinking about Hanabi, Welcome to the Dungeon and Port royal. Step away from "customers also bought"!

Munchkin is a great favourite around here and the deluxe version comes with a board so makes it much easier to keep track of everyone's level. There are so many different versions, we have original (plus about 4 expansions), star munchkin and munchkin legends. All good fun :)

Thanks Grouching Tigger (awesome name btw ) - recommendations always good!

Ticket to ride is fab for grown ups! I love board games in general and have board game days with my friends.
I'm definitely going to try Bananagrams and Labarynth for the kids. Thanks for the recommendations.

Fuzzing you are missing nothing by not buying the Thunderbirds game - it does not live up to hype.

Blackfleet is a great game suitable for seven and up and I second all recommendations for ticket to ride Europe, Camel Up, Carcassonne and Forbidden Desert.

Also worth a cheeky spend are Survive, Fleet, Guns, Mr Jack and Lords of Vegas.

We played Specter Ops for the first time at weekend and I can definitely recommend that.

gubs not guns although cash and guns is great fun with three or more

As they say on Mumsnet "I have found my people"!

We love board games, and as the DC's are 16, 13 and 6, it has to appeal to all. Carcasonne is one favourite (DC3 loves it), we also play Bananagrams, Dobble, Qwirkle, Apples to Apples, Linkee, Rapidough and various card games. Have bought Labyrinth and Scotland Yard, but now have plenty of ideas for more!

I'm after a word game for a bright just turned 8 year old. He likes those wordsearch books.

Is this too simple/boring? Anyone know it?

www.johnlewis.com/paul-lamond-pathwords-jr-game/p2081530?sku=234542473&kpid=234542473&s_kenid=84a497ee-fbc9-46f1-a4cd-4f47141e4377&s_kwcid=403x1373490&tmad=c&tmcampid=73

Or maybe something like this?

www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/games-puzzles-books/c-565/family-board-games/p-7394/think-words/?gclid=CJmw8cf0qckCFSr3wgodDmwGEg

Any other suggestions?

We've bought draughts, cluedo and scrabble so far.

I may also have purchased Pie Face...

We have loads of games! We collect them. Loonacy by loony labs is a great one - it's glorified snap and gets very silly. Fluxx is a lid brilliant with older children and adults. Hands up - you just have to copy the cards - great for all ages and surprisingly tricky to play drunk....

Also love ticket to ride, settlers, Castle panic,

I have bought DP the Doctor Who version of Cluedo for Xmas along with top trumps - only fools and horses and Big Bang theory. Risk is a brilliant game although it can go on for hours from what I remember!

Ds has just had monopoly for his 10th birthday and is loving it. Logo billionaire was the big hit last Christmas, plus boggle and Its a chicken (a bit like pictionary but easier).

Rummikub of course

King of Tokyo on Amazon Lightning Deal now! Just got it for £17. I had birthday money from my DGM so that's mine and I don't need to wait til Christmas to play it :)

Rummikub obviously :o