5 Kid's Games Parents Will Want to Play Too!

When I was growing up I loved to play games with my younger sister.  I remember lazy afternoons filled with games of Sorry!, The Game of Life, and Uno.  Some days we would even make up our own version of a game and try to teach it to our parents.  Thinking back, we were definitely lucky to have each other because we always had someone to play with.

Besides playing with each other, we also enjoyed watching our parents played games of Trivial Pursuit, Rummy or Monopoly at our holiday gatherings.  Sometimes they would even let us join in as the special dice roller or question asker.  All of these past experiences have helped shaped my love for gaming, which I fully plan to pass down to my children.

Logan's first game night.

Wait!  Who am I kidding, it's in my kids' blood!  Since day 1, my oldest son has been fascinated with our game nights.  Whenever we pulled out a game, he'd sit and watch every move.  Now at age 4, he is a force to be reckoned with at the game table.  In fact, as soon as he gets up most mornings the first thing he'll ask to do is play a game.

Over the last year, his board game collection has grown tremendously.  It has gotten so big, that his collection now rivals ours!  Now let's face it, his (or any kid's) passion to play can sometimes get a little tiring.  Children's games tend to be lacking in the strategy department and rely heavily on a spinner or have a roll and move mechanic.  Not the most exciting games to play over, and over, and OVER again.  Luckily, board games, both adult and kids, have changed a lot since I was young and I wanted to share 5 great games for kids that you'll want to play too!

Hey, That's My Fish!
  This adorable little game features cute little penguin figures and lots of nice sturdy hexagonal tiles. You play as a determined penguin who is hungry for his next meal.  players compete for their next meal atop a shrinking Antarctic ice flow.  You see, each time a penguin moves, the tile they were on is collected.  Will you be the one to collect the most fish before the ice flow has you trapped?  Quick learning time, an ever changing game board, and simple mechanics make this a great game for any age, but the ability to make the game as casual or strategic as you need makes it the perfect game for a family of growing gamers.

Catan Junior
  If you are a true gamer, you have probably played Settler's of Catan.  Catan Junior is a new spin on the classic game with simplified building rules, child-oriented trading, and a more forgiving robber equivalent know as the "Ghost Captain."  Now I know that sounds like it might be too simplified, but trust me it's not.  There are still plenty of strategic moves to be made throughout the game and without the ability for the game to be bogged down by trade negotiations, I find it much more enjoyable.  Plus its themed out with pirates.  You just can't go wrong!

Castle Panic
   This one is great for a family that wants to play as a team.  While there is an option to have an ultimate winner, the game itself is completely cooperative.  Monsters are invading from the nearby forest and you must work together to protect your castle.  Through trading cards, rebuilding walls and working together to hit and slay monsters, you can keep your tower intact.  There is some reading needed for this game, but due to it's cooperative nature, other players can easily help younger ones who may not yet be able to read.

Enchanted Forest
  Who doesn't love story tales?  Enchanted forest is a game of hidden treasures.  During the game each player must search the forest for the treasures needed at the king's castle.  You might need to find the glass slipper, or maybe its a dwarves hat.  Each turn you search the forest by rolling 2 dice and moving that number of spaces.  There are many roads throughout the forest and a quick-thinking player will know the best paths to take to reach the trees.  Once you've discovered the treasure requested by the king you must make your way to the castle and announce it's secret location.  The first player to find three treasures for the kings is the victor!  I love to play this game with my son.  It has been wonderful to watch him learn different strategies and see how concentrated and focused he gets.  Memory is key in this game and the variable board keeps the game fresh play after play.

Whoowasit?
  This is another great cooperative game.  By taking turns and gathering clues found in various rooms in a castle players work as a group to solve the mystery of who stole the magical ring from the king. The ring protects the kingdom from the evil wizard. The castle animals witnessed the act of thievery in the night and can give the children clues (cause only children can understand animals). If all players together can solve the mystery before time runs out, everyone wins. If the players can't, everyone loses.  The game comes with an electronic treasure chest that gives you clues throughout the game.  The game also has a time limit which prevents it from dragging on and offers some suspense each time the fairy announces the time.  Several game level options add more variety to the game as well.  Of all the games listed here, this probably has the most difficult rules.  The first game may be a bit slow, but after your initial play the kids should be able to play on their own.

All of these games have had a dedicated spot on our game shelf and I can see them lasting there for several years to come.  What games do you not mind playing over and over with the kids?  I'd love to hear the games you find fun and challenging with your kids.

Catan Junior i.e., Pirate Catan!

2014 Holiday Rundown: My Top 10 Family Games

Whether it is a battered copy of scrabble or a shiny new copy of Kings of New York, homes all over the country will be pulling out their favorite games to play this holiday season.  Here is a rundown of my family's top 10 holiday board and card games.

But before we start, I need to share the story of the mandatory Monopoly game.
 
Ever since I met my husband back in 1995 I have had a front row seat to this family tradition.  It all started when he and his siblings were younger.  Every Christmas his family would pull out monopoly and play after Christmas Eve dinner.  Now, this was not a simple game of Monopoly, this was a cutthroat, no mercy game of Monopoly.  We're talking no free parking, no quitting, and if the next person rolls the dice before you say pay me, you don't get paid.  It is quite the sight to see.  In fact, my husband's youngest sister was banned from playing for several years due to the no whining or quitting rule!  The first few years I played as a team with my husband, but before long I was right there in the mix with everyone else.
laughing, trying to pass the dice before I had to pay, and getting in arguments over properties.  While Monopoly is definitely not one of our families favorite games, this tradition has kept us bringing it out year after year.  It's not always the games you choose to play, but the memories they make that are important.  So, Every Thanksgiving and Christmas it continues to be MANDATORY to play a game of Monopoly.

And without further ado...Our top 10 family games of 2014!

We have many, many games we love to play, but this list is comprised of the games that make it year after year to our holiday table.  Enjoy!

10: Ticket to Ride
  Since its release in 2004, this board game has made it to our holiday table year after year.  In fact, we played it so much the first year, that we took a break from it the following year before bringing it back to the table :) Ticket to Ride is a great game for a wide range of ages.  It has simple rules that can be taught in about 15 minutes making it a fantastic game to teach the whole family.  Players compete to build routes and earn points.  The longer the route, the more points you'll earn!  There are a wide variety of versions to choose from including, Ticket to ride: Europe, Ticket to Ride: Marklin, Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries, and the Ticket to Ride Card Game.  Any would be a great addition to your collection.


9: Apples to Apples
   Who ever thought a box of cards with nouns and adjectives could be so much fun!  This game has kept us laughing over the years and it's an easy game to grab whenever we need a quick filler.  We usually don't even play to win, we'll just play until we're done laughing!  The game is super simple.  Everyone has a hand of nouns.  The judge flips an adjective and reads it to the group.  Then players rush to put down the card that best matches the adjective. Laughing ensues.  That's it!  If you are looking for something slightly different, or more grown up you might also want to try Cards Against Humanity or The Princess Bride: Prepare to Die!


8: Dixit
    This game has some of the most beautifully illustrated cards I have seen in a game.  In the game, the story-teller must come up with a phrase to describe one of the illustrated cards.  Then the other players chose a card from their hand that they think also matches this phrase.  To earn points, players must try to pick out the story-teller's card from the cards of the other players. This is a great game to get the creativity flowing and it is just so pretty to look at!



7: Quiddler
   This is one of my dad's favorites.  He loves gin rummy, so this hits the mark.  It is a card game that combines the set scoring of rummy with the word creation of scrabble.  Each round players compete to create words with an increasing number of cards.  Round 1, you have three cards, round 2, four, and so on and so forth.  Each round you score points based on the numbers each letter is worth.  If you love word games, then this is definitely one to try!

6: Cover Your A$$ets
   The goal of this game is to become the first millionaire! To do so, you must collect and hide your valuables.  Each player collects pairs of matching assets and places them in a pile in front of themselves. Each time they collect a new asset, it stacks on top protecting the ones below from the greedy hands of the other players.  If a player has a matching card to the top card of your stack, watch out!  That player can try to steal your valuables! Grandparents to kids, casual to competitive gamers will enjoy this fast past, hilarious game.  Oh, and it even comes with a recipe from Grandma Beck inside!!

5: Survive: Escape from Atlantis
   This modular board game is made up of variable height hexes that slowly disappear as the island begins to sink.  The lower areas of the board sink first causing your meeples to seek higher ground.  As the island sinks, sharks, whales, and sea monsters can attack causing all kinds of trouble.  The thick sturdy tiles, quality components and easy to learn rules make this a great family game.  My 4 year old even enjoys jumping in to play a game with us.  He may not get all of the strategy, but he definitely loves to topple boats with the whale or send the sea monster to gobble up an unsuspecting boat full of meeples.

4: Time's Up
   Time's up is similar to charades.  The difference is that in this game, you have three different rounds with varying amounts of speaking you can do.  Round 1: say anything you like accept the word on the the card.   Round 2: You may only say 1 word, and round 3: no words, just motions. This is one of our families all time favorites.  Its a very active game and involves a lot of participation, so if that is not your thing, then this might not be the game for you.  Whenever we pull this one out we are all rolling on the floor laughing before the end of the first round.  There are several versions of the game. Time's Up: Title Recall is by far our favorite version.  This version challenges players to guess the titles of books, films, songs, etc. rather that the famous people from the original version.

3: King of Tokyo (King of New York)
   This would be my 4 year old's top pick for favorite family game.  Who doesn't want to play a giant Kaiju taking over Tokyo? King of Tokyo is a simple dice and card game with a lot of luck.  With 6 different monsters to choose from, there is also a lot of variety. What makes this game so fun is the knock'em n' sock'em monster combat. There is a lot of ganging up on one another, but you never feel like you are being picked on for long.  One monster takes over the center of Tokyo and hurts all the others at once -- and every monster outside of Tokyo attacks only the monster inside. With the constant moving of players' monsters in and out of Tokyo it creates a fun and exciting King of the Hill experience for everyone.
   This year we will be adding a new addition to this little gem of a game.  King of New York is a brand new  stand alone version of the game that adds new elements and a new feel that we are sure to love too!

2: Kerflip!
   Kerflip! is another fantastic word building game and one that comes with a Mensa award too!  One of my favorite aspects of this game is the genius board design.  The board fits nicely inside the box creating little pockets to slide the letters into during the game.  At the end of the game, you simply flip the box up and all the letters end up neatly in the collection box inside. The game is quick to learn, easy to play for a wide range of ages and skill levels, and it's a blast!  I personally do not fair well in word games versus my husband, but I have been victorious many times with this one.  This game rewards quick thinking and you don't have to rely on knowing obscure words to be victorious.

1: Anomia
   If you look up the word anomia, you will find it means the loss of the ability to name objects or recognize names.  The game of anomia plays off the fact that our minds are filled with all sorts of random information.  From things to eat and what to watch, to places to visit, our minds are always working.  It's easy to give examples of a breakfast cereals or a types of tree under normal circumstances, but how will you fare under pressure?  The first time I tried this game I was 6 months pregnant with my now 4 year old.  I had such mommy brain at the time, that I crashed and burned marvelously. I had anomia! 
   The game is simple.  Draw a card and place it face up in front of you.  Does it match any symbols on another player's card? If so, you must quickly come up with an example of the noun on your opponent's card before they can say one for yours.  The quickest person earns the card and play continues to the next player.  That is, unless another symbol matches another player's after the losing players card has been claimed.  This can cause quite the cascade and a raucously good time.  

So that's it.  My family's top 10 games for holiday gatherings.  I'd love to here what some of your favorite family games are.  What games make it to your table during the holidays?

Geeky Destination Files: Essen Spiel

Essen Spiel

Well it's been about a month since I hopped on a plane for what would be my first vacation away from the kids in 5 years!  Aside from getting a heck of a lot of sleep, my husband and I planned out a 2 week trip that combined both business and pleasure.

   The first leg of the trip was to Essen, Germany for the annual Internationale Spieltage.  While this was a working vacation for us, it would be a great destination for anyone who loves board games.  There is nothing quite like walking into the Messe Essen and seeing the sea of people playing board games.  The best part, a lot of them are families!  SPIEL is the largest convention for board games and it attracts a multitude of exhibitors, publishers, authors, illustrators and distributors who flock to the event to showcase their newest games, toys and comics.  This year an overwhelming 786 exhibitors traveled to ‘SPIEL’ in order to launch new products, meet with press and to meet the people who love playing their games.

I'm Back!

    Yep, that's right.  I know it's been a while, but it's time for me to jump back into the blogosphere.
When baby number 2 came, life became a whirlwind of appointments, play dates, and sleepless nights.  I couldn't even begin to think about setting aside time for writing.  I instead I continued to keep up with the world through Twitter and Facebook.  For all my random thoughts and ramblings be sure to follow me @AmericanGeekMom.

    Well, life has finally started to slow down (a little) and I think its time to start sharing my thoughts and experiences again.  This time around I want to share what it has been like to raise two little boys in a game filled household.  And let me tell you, my four year old is getting to be quite the little board gamer.  I will be sharing stories, strategies, and freezer meals (You can never have enough of those!) to help keep you sane and free to enjoy the occasional game night yourself!  So, join me as I jump back into sharing my life as a mom, gamer, wife, blogger, and recently inducted MOMS Club President.

Tis The Season for Games

Tis the season for family visits. With Thanksgiving this weekend and Christmas fast approaching, you are frantically trying to get things organized.  This year you are hosting and your in-laws are arriving tonight! Grab some games and liven things up a bit.

You start by perusing your game shelves. You may be very tempted to pull out your new copy of Firefly or Nothing Personal, two games you have been itching to play. Then it dawns on you that, while your in-laws are open to trying new things, they have had very little gaming experience. Most of their game play has been limited to the traditional games of your childhood.  The sum of their gaming experience consists of many games of chess, rummy, monopoly and the occasional game of Settlers of Catan. You envision their eyes glazing over as you try desperately to explain the complexities of Malcolm Reynolds and his crew. No, you need to find something you can all enjoy.

Choosing the right game is a very important task, particularly when you are playing with a group that isn't experienced, or has had a poor gaming experience in the past.  Those poor experiences can be very tricky to overcome.

So how do you ensure that this does not happen?

First, choose games that will provide a fun, light experience, and that suit the personalities of the group. If your family and friends find the experience enjoyable, they will be far more likely to want to play again the next time.  If you know that your in-laws prefer mental challenges (you always see them completing the crossword or Sudoku puzzle in the paper), then consider games that stimulate thought like Carcassonne or Ticket to Ride.  If they love word puzzles, try Quiddler, Kerflip!, or Word on the Street. And If they enjoy a more lighthearted type of game with lots of interaction and laughter consider party games such as Time's Up, Cover Your A$$ets, The Princess Bride: Prepare to Die, or (for those families with a more twisted sense of humor) Cards Against Humanity.
Second, look for games with simple, easy to follow rules that still challenge and offer interesting choices and strategies.  This will allow experienced gamers to feel challenged without overwhelming those with less experience.
Third, choose a forgiving game. One that will allow a few mistakes without costing a new player the game. This will help ensure that the experience is enjoyable.  Nothing is worse than losing a game due to a simple mistake that happened at the beginning of the game.  Especially when it is your first time playing.
And finally, Start Slow.  Only introduce one or two new games at your gathering.  By mixing them with games they know and love, you will help ease them into the new game.  Start with a game they love, get them laughing, then introduce the new game.

Even when you make an effort to choose games that fit your group, you may still run into objections.  Some people simply want to stick to tradition.  So when all else fails, grab that copy of Monopoly or Yahtzee.  You'll still be playing a game and at least it's themed out with Star Wars or Dr. Who, right??

Hands On Impressions: Goblin's Drool, Fairies Rule!

I recently had the pleasure of playing this fantastic new children's game from Game-o-gami.  Goblin's Drool, Fairies Rule! is a quick little rhyming card game that takes between 15 and 20 minutes to play.  The suggested ages are 7 and up, but any child who is fluent with rhymes and can read (or has a sibling or parent to help) will pick it up rather quickly.  The game is comprised of 20 super-sized cards with double side illustrations.  One side features a cute little fairy and the other a mischievous goblin!  Each character has their own unique name which rhymes with seven other fairies and goblins.  On your turn, you play a card to the Fairy Circle and flip any cards that rhyme.  You then retrieve any cards that match the symbol of the card you played and place them in front of yourself.  There are 4 different symbols in the game: Suns, moons, frogs, and mushrooms.  The suns and moons are opposite each other and, like wise, the frogs and mushrooms.  Some Fairies and Goblins are extra special and are surrounded by stars.  These cards will flip all cards in the center when played.  You win the game if you get rid of all your goblins or obtain at least 6 fairies.

One of my favorite aspects of this game is the beautiful artwork which appeals to both boys and girls.  The fanciful names add even more to the fun.  Just listen to one of the rhyming sets.  Gooble T. Goop, Dastardly Droop, Salamander Snoop, Goblin Soup, Lemon Loop, Rainbow Swoop, Hula Hoop, and Vanilla Scoop.  Each illustration magnificently depicts the name in fairy or goblin form.  Just take a look!

So if you are looking for that next great family or kids game, or are a teacher looking for something new and educational for rainy classroom days, look no further.  Goblins Drool, Fairies Rule! has just launched on Kickstarter and you can pledge your support today.  Not only do you have the opportunity to get this great game, but depending on your pledge, you also can receive a book of the beautiful artwork and a double sided puzzle featuring a fairy and a goblin.  I personally have secured my pledge at the educator level (aka Dusty Dour) and can't wait to use it in the classroom.  Go Check it out!

Playing with the Goblins Drool, Fairies Rule! prototype at our weekly game night!

Hands On Impressions: The Adventurers: The Pyramid of Horus

Deep in the desert lies a newly discovered pyramid.  You are one of eight skilled adventurers daring enough to explore its secrets within.  The question is, will you make it out alive???

 

Filled with mummies, snakes, scorpions, and Egyptian Gods, The Adventurers: The Pyramid of Horus takes you on a new adventure into perilous conditions.  This is the second in the Adventrurers series with eight new characters and a new set of dangers to avoid.

If you recall, The Adventurers: The Temple of Chac presented players with a rushing river, lava pit, and a Giant Boulder!  So naturally, I was excited to try this new standalone version.  Like The Temple of Chac, you control an adventurer attempting to gather valuable treasure before becoming trapped within.  In this scenario, the Pyramid is crumbling and the ceiling is caving in.  You never know which ceiling block will fall, and if you are not careful, you may become trapped inside forever.  The further you explore, the more valuable the treasure becomes.  As you gather more and more artifacts, your backpack gets heavier and heavier, making it harder to move.  Also, with dangers lurk around every corner, the sting from a nasty scorpion or the strike of a venomous snake could slow you down even more!  Gather what you can and get out alive!!

The Good
  *The game feels very much like the first Adventurers and makes learning the rules a cinch.  We read the rules, set the game up, and were playing within 10 minutes.  (There were a few times we needed to check the rule book during play, but not many)
  *The components are a nice quality and the board draws you in visually.  I especially like the feeling the blocks give to the game as they begin to fill up the space and you realize that time is running out!
  *The game plays in about 45 minutes making it a great choice for family game nights or gatherings. And bonus! You can talk to your kids about the Egyptian Gods, pyramids, etc and get a history lesson in as well ;0)

The Not So Good
   *The game doesn't draw you in the same as The Temple of Chac.  There is a distinct path in the first game.  In this one, you go out the way you came in.  Something about that made the game feel less exciting. 
   *All of the cards do not fit on the board.  I understand that a board can only be so big, but when all the gods cards have nice spots accept one, that seems a little odd and sloppy to me.  It doesn't really affect anything though.
   *Once you've played the game, you know the strategy and where to go.  There seems to be less mystery in this version.  There are no puzzles to solve and I think if I was given a choice to play on or the other, the Temple of Chac would win every time simply because it has more replay value.

All in all it is a good game that was worth a try, but perhaps not worth a permanent spot on my game shelf.

 

 

Holidays, Moving, and Plenty of Games

Welcome to 2012!  I know, I know...It's been a while.  Life's been a bit of a whirl wind and I am just now getting back into the swing of things.  December marked the rental of our first home, purchase of our second, Christmas (and with it all the travel), and the move into our NEW HOUSE!  Now that my family has finally settled in and Logan has his brand new room complete with big boy bed, I can get back to sharing my excitement of all things geeky :O)  Let me tell you, having a toddler out of his element and typical schedule for a month can be quite trying!!!

To start off this new year, I thought I would share the games I enjoyed with my family over the holidays. It was not as exciting as past years, but this year seemed to focus more on Family games that our WHOLE family could play.

The number one biggest hit of this Christmas was Tok Tok Woodman.  Similar to Jenga, but ohhh so much more fun!! Instead of sliding pieces and stacking them up, players use an ax to chop at the bark of the tree, taking care to leave the trunk intact.  My niece found this game particularly exciting and it was great that she could share a gaming experience with the adults (not always an easy thing to accomplish).






Hey That's My Fish was another hit this year.  Though it was nothing new for me or my husband, our family enjoyed it's light strategy.   In the game, each player moves their penguins across the ice in straight lines to gather fish.  Each time they leave an iceberg it disappears and creates a gap that cannot be crossed later.  The winner is the one who gathers the most fish before becoming trapped.  I couldn't believe we hadn't ever brought it.  I was such a perfect fit for our family.  I guess it's easy to miss games when you are engrossed in them all year long :0)

Logan was introduced to his first game this year too: Lucky Ducks: Sesame Street Edition.  When I saw it I could think of nothing more perfect for his first game.  There's nothing special about the game, but for Logan it had everything he could hope for...Duckies (his favorite animal) and Ernie (his favorite Sesame Street character)!  What more could we ask for!





Here's a list of some of the other games we enjoyed over the break.
Quarriors
Sorry Sliders
Time Line
Bears!
Scrabble Flash Cubes
Flash Point
and of course Time's Up (one of our families most anticipated Christmas games!)

What games did you get to enjoy this year???

 

Hands On Impressions: Castle Panic: The Wizard's Tower

When you think of Castle Panic by Fireside Games, you probably think of a fun cooperative game for the whole family.  With the addition of the new Wizard's Tower Expansion, the game transforms from a straight forward family game to a more challenging gamer game.  Don't get me wrong, it still plays very much the same as the original, but the expansion adds new layers that provide more depth and excitement for the typical gamer.

The Wizard's Tower Expansion adds several New Monsters (including 6 Bosses), Powerful Wizard cards, nifty little Flame tokens (for when monsters and the tower catch fire - Totally Cool!), a nice token bag to hold all the monster tokens, and of course the Wizard's Tower.

 

The 6 new Boss tokens include a Chimera, Dragon, Necromancer, Baslisk, Hydra, and Warlock, all with interesting new abilities. For example, on our first play,  we encountered the Necromancer who puts 2 monsters from the discard pile back into the draw, but who dies on contact with the wall.  He also adds monsters back to the draw for each life he has left. We also ran into the Warlock and the Hydra.

Our first game was quite fun.  We had several moments where we thought all hope was lost, but we battled back and ended up victorious (even if it was by the skin of our teeth).  In the end we only had the Wizard's Tower and the wall in front of it left!  Imps are so annoying, and its best not to catch the tower on fire!!!

I have to say that this version of the game requires a lot more discussion and team work to succeed, and it seems to run a little longer than the original.  Also, due to all the new monsters, your first few games will require more visits to the rule book.  It's not a bad thing, just something to be aware of when you pick it up for the first time.  One thing's for sure, you definitely want to protect that Wizard's Tower.  We lost it at one point and we thought we were done for.  Luckily we were able to build it again and regain our ground with an epic play that took out two bosses and a climbing troll in one fell swoop!

So, if you are a fan of the base game, but were hoping for a little more substance or just a little more variety, definitely give the expansion a try.  You won't regret it!

Martians and Zombies and Bears, Oh My!

If your looking for a fun and fast way to pass the time between the Turkey and Pumpkin Pie this Thanksgiving, then look no further.  Dan, Brian and I took a look at three quick and easy dice games that are sure to make you giggle with delight.  Whether you are a fan of the Wild Outdoors, Martians, or Zombies, all three of these compact dice games offer simple game play, easy set up, and great flavor.  Just open one up and your ready to play!

Each of these three games offers slightly different game play.  Zombies and Martian dice both offer a turn based game that is risk and reward.  These games are great for engaging in conversations while playing the game.


In Zombie Dice you play as the zombie trying to eat as many brains as possible without getting shot.  The game offers three colors of dice, Green, Yellow, and Red, that represent the risk involved when rolling.  If on your turn you grab a yellow and two green dice, then you have a good chance of surviving the roll and getting brains.  If you grabbed a yellow and two red dice then you may not be so luck.  Each die has footsteps, brains, and gun blasts.  Brains are good, Blasts are bad, and footsteps mean you have to roll it again.


In Martian Dice you play as the Martians trying to collect data from Earth.  You are particularly interested in the Human, Chicken, and Cow species.  On your turn you roll the dice to try and collect each of the three species and avoid being destroyed by tanks.  Unlike Zombie Dice, each of the dice in this game is equal and you roll all dice at the same time.



Bears! is a very different experience.  Though it is packaged very much the same way as the other two, this dice game is much more a group affair.  In Bears! everyone rolls simultaneously and tries to collect sets of dice from the center of the table.  Each player has a set of 5 white dice, and the center of the table has 5 black dice for each player in the game.  Once person roles the black dice (which contain images of bears and tents), then everyone rolls their white dice and races to make sets of black and white dice.  As soon as all the bears or tents have been taken from the middle of the table someone yells BEARS! and you score your sets.  Its fast and fun, and it gets everyone involved!

Personally, I'm a huge fan of having everyone involved and think that Bears! has a slight edge over the others, but that's just me.  Still, all three have a place in our game closet, and I would never say no if someone asked me to play.  So, take your pick, toss it in your bag, and get rolling this Thanksgiving!

Hear which dice game Brian and Dan enjoyed most here...Martians and Zombies and Bears, Oh My!

Revamping Your Family Game Night

The days are getting shorter and the air is getting cooler.  Now is the perfect time to start thinking about revamping your family game night!

Why have a family game night?
 

Game nights are the perfect opportunity to reconnect as a family and create fun memories.  In the whirlwind of life, sports, play dates, school, and work can make families feel like strangers.  Many families strive to have dinner together in an effort to stay connected, but why not extend that time to include a game?  When you play games, you are creating experiences.  There's nothing better than spending quality face-to-face time together and games provide the perfect atmosphere to get better acquainted with one another.

Games provide a great platform for adults to illustrate some great life skills, too.  Team work, sharing, and winning/losing with grace are just a few of those skills.  Not only are your children learning from you, but they are also practicing math and reading without even knowing it.  Games provide a great way to reinforce all those new skills they are learning at school.

Each game offers its own unique FUN.  Some games offer opportunities to giggle and share humorous stories, while others provide nail biting adventures where everyone must cooperate to succeed.  With a creative plan, you too can start a family game night tradition that can last for generations. Whatever mood your family is in, there are great choices to fill them all!  The following is a list of some of our families favorite games to help you start building your own game library. 

Games, Short and Sweet! (great for those evenings when time is, well, Short!)

• Blink by Mattel
• Eleminis by Smiley Pop
• Dweebies by Gamewright
• Super Circles by Out of the Box
• Feed the Kitty by Gamewright
• Zombie Dice by Steve Jackson Games
• Bears! by Fireside Games
• Martian Dice by Tasty Minstrel Games

Team Work Challenges (these are great for families with multiple ages since everyone is working together and information is shared - Cooperation anyone?)

• Forbidden Island by Gamewright Games
• Castle Panic by Fireside Games
• Cranium by Hasbro

Games to Get the Wiggles Out: (especially effective during those weekends when the sun is not shining and it is too wet to play...)

• Ring-o Flamingo by Gamewright Games
• Boochie by Gamewright Games
• Reverse Charades by Gryphon Games
• Step to it by Gamewright Games
• Space Race by Gamewright Games

Brain Busting Games (for those who like puzzles and strategy)

• Got 'Em by Calliope Games
• Pirate vs Pirate (or Ninja vs Ninja) by Out of the Box
• Word on the Street by Out of the Box
• Gobblet by Blue Orange Games
• Qwirkle by Mindware

 

• Tsuro by Calliope Games
• Carcassonne by Rio Grande Games
• Hey That's My Fish! by Fantasy Flight Games
• Survive: Escape from Atlantis by 
• Stronghold Games

Games On the Silly Side (when everyone just needs a laugh)

• Befuzzled by Fun Q Games
• Shake n Take by Out of the Box
• Faux-Cabulary by Out of the Box
• Who Would Win by Gamewright Games
• Joe Name It by Gamewright  Games
• Anomia by Anomia Press
• Crappy Birthday by North Star Games
• Say Anything Family by North Star Games

Just Plain Fun! (Pirates, Monsters, the Wild West and more...great themes for the whole family)

• Abandon Ship by AEG
• King of Tokyo by Iello
• Jamaica by Asmodee
• Dice Town by Asmodee

These are only a small sampling of the wide variety of games you can find today.  Pick one up, try it out, and see all the great laughs and memories you can build with your family!

Oh and one more thing...
There's no denying that great games pair well with tasty treats.  The following are some great "Game Friendly" recipes to make your family game night even more special.

Pizza is always a big hit at our house.  In an effort to try to contain the mess I make pizza rolls. Even though they take a little bit of time, they are delicious, self contained, and freeze very well.


Pizza Rolls

• 4  cups shredded pizza cheese blend or mozzarella

• 8  ounces mini pepperoni

• 1  medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1  medium onion, finely chopped

• Two 14-ounce jars pizza sauce

• 32  egg roll wrappers

• Vegetable oil for frying  

1. Combine cheese, pepperoni, bell pepper, onion, and pizza sauce in a large bowl; mix well. 
2. Arrange the egg roll wrappers on a work surface 
3. Spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture in the center of each egg roll wrapper. Fold the bottom edge toward the center over the filling. Moisten the top edge with a small amount of water and fold over, sealing tightly.
4. Heat 1 inch of oil to 375 degrees F in an electric skillet. Fry the rolls in batches until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Another easy to grab favorite of ours is pigs in a blanket.  They are super simple and can be made with mini dogs, sausage or regular hotdogs for variety.

Pigs in a Blanket

• 1 package pre-cooked  breakfast sausage, hotdogs, or mini hotdogs
• 1 package refrigerated crescent rolls
• Honey mustard, Ketchup, or Maple Syrup for dipping

1. unwrap crescent rolls and preheat oven to package directions
2. cut each crescent dough section  in half.  (cut in quarters if making the minis)
3. place a link on the wide side of the crescent dough and roll
4. bake until golden brown (about 6 minutes)

If you are looking for a quick and healthier option, try making fruit kabobs.  The kids will have a blast helping you put them together and you can whip up a little yogurt or chocolate dip to make it extra special! 

Simple Yogurt Fruit Dip

• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (8 ounce) container of your favorite flavored yogurt 

 1. In a medium bowl, blend the whipped topping and yogurt. Chill in the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.  



So decide on a night, put it on the calendar, and have fun playing!

Calliope Games: Not Your Average Game Company

Like my motto states, I'm a Mommy by Day...Gamer by Night! (Well, at least when my son goes to bed on time.  We have been struggling with bedtime lately, but that's a subject for another post.)

So, what does that mean for my game closet?  What it means is that I have a new view of the games we buy.  When I look over a new game, I am not only looking for a fun game that's innovative and elegant, but a game that is also easy to set up, quick to play (around 30 minutes), and plays well with 2 players.  As my son grows, I am also beginning to look for games that he can play along with us.

As all parents know, there is a precious amount of time for families to spend together and even less for mommy and daddy to be alone and relax.  Usually it is that tiny little window between the kids' bedtime and mom and dad collapsing on the couch.  I have found that this is anywhere between 2-3 hours, and it still includes tidying up after the kids are asleep.  That is not a very large window to pull out a game and play. But hope is not lost!

A new company has surfaced with parents and families in mind.  At Gen Con this year I had the opportunity to talk with Ray Wehrs, president of Calliope Games.  Their mission is to provide games that get kids and parents together for face-to-face entertainment.  To do this, their games play in under 60 minutes, support 2 or more players, are easy to learn, and work well with a wide range of ages.  And here's the best part.  They make games that are fun for both adults and kids to play together!  It's not a case of parents needing to dumb down the rules or for kids to feel frustrated that they can't play and win.  These games are designed for both kids and adult to feel challenged and motivated to improve their strategies.

A great example of this philosophy can be seen in their first game, Tsuro: The Game of the Path.  Some of you may be familiar with this fun tile laying game.  The rules are simple: Place a tile and follow the path.  The last person left on the board wins!  The challenge is to keep your stone away from danger and to send the other stones on a path to the edge.  It sounds easier than it is, and for those who like puzzles and mazes, this is a great game.

Ray showed me three other games that are hitting your local game store shelves with the same great mission: Fun for Everyone!

Double Double Dominoes is a new approach to traditional dominoes.  More like a combination of dominoes and scrabble.  Players score points by matching their dominoes to spaces on the board.  Probably the most challenging of Calliope's games, this is a great one for older kids and for mom and dad to play together over dessert.  A 5-6 player expansion is in the works as well and can be expected to hit stores in 2012. 

Got 'Em! turned out to be an addictively fun game for me.  Again the rules are simple.  You try to wall in your opponent while keeping your own pawn out of harms way.  There are two modes to the game offering slightly different levels of luck vs. strategy.







In Brainy Got 'Em, players are forced to use what? Their brains of course! And corner their opponents by outsmarting them.  On your turn you place a wall and move your pawn 1 plus the number of walls that surround you.  Simple, right!

 

Your other option is to play Bright Got 'Em.  In this version, cards are used to determine your movement and wall placement.  Each card tells you what color square you may place a wall on and the number of spaces you may move.  There are even some cards that allow you to remove walls and improve your escape.  This version is slightly more luck based since you will be relying on the cards to determine where you may place walls and move.  Both modes are great fun and don't be surprised if you get beat by your kids!

The final game that Ray showed me was the most animated of them all.  For those of you who love Munchkin and the art of John Kovalic, this game will make you giggle with delight.  Ugh! is a push your luck card game set in the Stone Age.  You each play as a cavemen collecting cards that represent your jobs, pets, and homes, but be careful for the dreaded Ugh! cards (which is exactly what you will say when you draw one!)  Everyone takes turns drawing up to 3 cards and scoring sets.  The player with the most points when the deck runs out wins!

To here our interview with Ray from Gen Con

Click Here!

So as you begin thinking about family gatherings this fall, consider picking up some of these great titles from Calliope Games at your Friendly Professional Games Store.  Give them a try!  You won't be disappointed.