Game ideas!

[Booksforchristmastime]

We're going to be away for Christmas, so presents need to be small and ideally usable immediately.

Any recommendations for games that don't come in a big box? We have Exploding Kittens, The Mind, Uno, Hanabi - all popular. What else is really good? I don't want to buy for the sake of buying, but a good game is such a pleasure, and I'm sure we're missing out on some classics!

We'll be 3 adults, and kids 16, 14, 11.

Mexican Train Dominoes is good. Played it for the first time yesterday and easy to pick up ,no complicated rules but I'm sure the more you play it the more strategies could come in to play!

Pit is an old game, but very good. Also I've enjoyed Mexican train, mentioned above.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pit(game)

Dobble and yes this is a card game who's bum hole is this!

Scout
Fluxx (several different versions available)
Love Letter

All compact card games.

Kluster is good fun and comes in a pretty small box

@pinkgown used to love Pit at family Christmas get-togethers in the 70's . We were very loud!😂

Big Potato Games do quite a few travel size versions of their bigger games like ColourBrain, Obama Llama, Dino Dump etc

bigpotato.co.uk/collections/all

Also:
Skulls
Dice Splice
May Contain Butts
Cards Against Humanity (various interactions now)

6 second scribbles

Bonanza is by far our favourite card game, against much competition.

Brilliant ideas! Thank you. More always welcome!

I've never heard of Pit, it looks amazing! @pinkgown Do you have a new version you'd recommend? The Wikipedia link seems to suggest it's been turned into all sorts of new modern versions.

@IThinkIMadeItWorse - Scout - is that Oink Scout? And which version of Fluxx do you recommend?

@StarGuitar I think (a version of) Kluster is soemthing that has been endlessly advertised on my FB feed, from shops that are clearly dubious, and I've been thinking how fun it looks. It's the one where you have to put all the magnets down, right?

I wish I was better at understanding instructions though... I can't work out for eg how similar Bohnanza and Pit are. Is also a problem with learning new games!

Yes Scout is published by Oink games, they do a whole range of small box games. I think shutupandsitdown did a video reviewing ten of them!

I like Fantasy Fluxx but mainly because I really like the theme (references things like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Princess Bride.) There are loads to choose from, Pirates, Zombie, Monty Python, Star Trek etc! Star Fluxx (general sci-fi theme I think) is the highest rated on boardgamegeek but I haven't tried that one.

Bohnanza is good fun. I think I played Pit as a child and didn't like it because it was very shouty.

@Booksforchristmastime yes, thats the one. Comes in a black and orange box. I think you can get it from Waterstones.

Rhino Hero is great.

I don't actually own a copy of Pit, I've played it at a friend's house several times - she'd had her copy of the game for years, @Booksforchristmastime
I should think the best set to get would be made by Hasbro, sounds like they took over the game from the original makers, Parker. eg. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hasbro-E0890102-Gaming-Pit-Game/dp/B07929GWKC/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/260-2088496-0736301?pd_rd_w=IeNSF&content-id=amzn1.sym.efc89c20-c5a9-4620-b6cd-2f4e51bac956&pf_rd_p=efc89c20-c5a9-4620-b6cd-2f4e51bac956&pf_rd_r=6JWX1F14KPEJ7WMVW644&pd_rd_wg=g8lEM&pd_rd_r=43d5fc3c-a446-48aa-bcf5-3258127d09b8&pd_rd_i=B07929GWKC&psc=1

Dungeon Mayhem + Baldur's Gate Expansion (to get you to six players)
Deep sea adventure game
Flux
Love letter
Gubs
Sushi Go

Taco cat goat cheese pizza - absolutely brilliant, very simple and incredibly silly. Genuinely appeals to all ages

@IThinkIMadeItWorse that video by shut up sit down is great! And those are exactly the sort of games I was looking for - thank you!

What about printing out the rules for some games that can be played with a regular pack of cards - some ideas here

You could choose those you like the sound of most and give one to each person to work it out and run the game?

Thank you for directing my attention to Sit Down And Shut Up, I've just spent 90 minutes watching game reviews 😂

I am now convinced Fluxx is definitely not for my family but that Scout or Start-Ups or Cascadia may well be.

Herd Mentality was a big hit here last year.

Gubs- the most popular game we own. It does involve taking cards from other people, if that might lead to big rows...
Shot in the dark

Kluster seems to be out of stock everywhere I look, though some sites are saying back in stock on 18th December - I can't tell if that is a new edition though or the same thing.

I am travelling from 18th Dec so can't order for delivery after that, though I could pick it up in a shop if it's in stock that day (London?)

There are lots of fake copycat versions on Amazon, but a) Many of them won't arrive in time and the ones that do are almost the same price as the real thing, and b) some of the reviews say the magnets aren't nearly as good in the fake versions.

Is it the sort of game you can keep playing or does it get boring after a while? I'm thinking of it for young adults (e.g, 19-24 year olds)