[Gaming] Board Game Praise

Went to Gen Con this past weekend and got to play the western theme edition of Zombicide, the most important update imho is that the Abomination now sports a trendy bowler hat. Also got a bonus character pack as a gift for playing!
 

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Went to Gen Con this past weekend and got to play the western theme edition of Zombicide, the most important update imho is that the Abomination now sports a trendy bowler hat. Also got a bonus character pack as a gift for playing!
I got the Kickstarter on this one. Haven’t played it yet. It’s due for some time at the table though.
 
Played a bunch of games over the holidays. My girls are 8 and 10. For coop, we only have Forbidden Island, Horrified, and Castle Panic. FI gets played a lot because it's quick to set up and play. I let my kids strategize for better or worse.

I would like to get one or two more but don't want similar mechanics. I have played Pandemic and Ticket to Ride but don't own them. I was thinking about getting Iberia and Ticket to Ride Europe. Do you all have other suggestions? I am trying to keep our collection on the smaller side. Already have 15ish games. I would love to fill up a closet but I am trying to only get games that are not going to collect dust.
 
Depending on playstyle etc of course, but I'm not a huge fan of the Europe board for TTR. America, Germany, India are far more balanced boards. Europe is just built wonkily because of history and geography.

As for good coop - Paleo is really good, though also relatively hard and takes a while to set up. It's neat and very replayable though.
 
Depending on playstyle etc of course, but I'm not a huge fan of the Europe board for TTR. America, Germany, India are far more balanced boards. Europe is just built wonkily because of history and geography.

As for good coop - Paleo is really good, though also relatively hard and takes a while to set up. It's neat and very replayable though.
That's interesting that you don't like the Euro map, I have read it's one of the better ones.

I will take a look at Paleo, thanks!
 
Hmm... for co-op for you and 8-10 year olds? Flash Point: Fire Rescue - You're a team of fire fighters, working together to get people out of a fire. Great theme, not too difficult to actually play. Forbidden Island also has Forbidden Desert, which is much the same thing but with some new stuff.
Thanks I have looked at Flashpoint but I will give it another look. I have heard desert is better than Island but I can't justify another similar game. I may swap them out someday.
 
Does it have to be co-op?

I hate to be basic as shit, but every time I play Dominion with people they have a good time. Aged 14-70 (My best friend's nephews being the youngest and my mom being the oldest person I've ever played it with now at 70).
 
Does it have to be co-op?

I hate to be basic as shit, but every time I play Dominion with people they have a good time. Aged 14-70 (My best friend's nephews being the youngest and my mom being the oldest person I've ever played it with now at 70).
No it doesn't. Dominion is definitely on my short list.

My kids like Munchkin, Catan, Uno, Sushi Go, Sleeping Queens, Forbidden Island.

I think the 10 yr old could handle Dominion. I like to have a coop like a palate cleanser. Especially after someone got clobbered in Catan.
 
I'd recommend Clank Catacombs over the base game, because OG Clank gets repetitive and min/max'y kind of fast, but with younger kids that might not matter.

I'd also recommend Stella as a fun family game. Another game I love is Sagrada, which might be a little complicated but can probably be managed if the kids aren't the ones keeping score.

Code Names is fun and has a lot of different versions, though you might have to be lax with kids who will want to give hints or get over eager in facial expressions. :D

King of Tokyo is also great, my kids could play this around 8 years old without too much problem.
 
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For a coop that hasn't already been named, The Loop is pretty cool. Very comic-booky (though our go-to coop is Pandemic).

For non-coop at the level you're looking for, we're quite fond of Bärenpark.
 
Clank! Has been one of our go to games lately
We own this but haven't played it. I've watched a how's it played episode. We will eventually bring it out.
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I'd recommend Clank Catacombs over the base game, because OG Clank gets repetitive and min/max'y kind of fast, but with younger kids that might not matter.

I'd also recommend Stella as a fun family game. Another game I love is Sagrada, which might be a little complicated but can probably be managed if the kids aren't the ones keeping score.

Code Names is fun and has a lot of different versions, though you might have to be lax with kids who will want to give hints or get over eager in facial expressions. :D

King of Tokyo is also great, my kids could play this around 8 years old without too much problem.
Codenames and KoT are on my shortlist.
 
For a coop that hasn't already been named, The Loop is pretty cool. Very comic-booky (though our go-to coop is Pandemic).

For non-coop at the level you're looking for, we're quite fond of Bärenpark.
Barenpark has been looked at for sure. It is on my long term eventually list.

Haven't heard of The Loop! Thanks!
 
My spouse got us Reef for Christmas, it is quite good. A small, light strategy game where you stack coral to score points. You can find some videos online that quickly explain how to play. I will say it has a great way of determining who goes first. One of the player boards has a shell in the corner that the others don't. Mix up the boards and deal them out and whoever has the shell goes first. We played several rounds and the first couple I won, but my spouse had a few misconceptions about the rules. Once those were cleared up, They won a game by just 2 points. We've only played with 2 players so far, so don't know how it stacks up with more, but we really enjoyed it.

We also got Smash Up, which I think is a known quantity by now. It's been around long enough to be considered a modern classic and to have been featured on an episode of Wil Wheaton's Tabletop.
 
If you are looking for a good little co-op, try Marvel United (or X-men United). It is easy enough for young players and plays pretty quickly. The multiple heroes and villains offer good re-playability.
 
My spouse got us Reef for Christmas, it is quite good. A small, light strategy game where you stack coral to score points. You can find some videos online that quickly explain how to play. I will say it has a great way of determining who goes first. One of the player boards has a shell in the corner that the others don't. Mix up the boards and deal them out and whoever has the shell goes first. We played several rounds and the first couple I won, but my spouse had a few misconceptions about the rules. Once those were cleared up, They won a game by just 2 points. We've only played with 2 players so far, so don't know how it stacks up with more, but we really enjoyed it.

We also got Smash Up, which I think is a known quantity by now. It's been around long enough to be considered a modern classic and to have been featured on an episode of Wil Wheaton's Tabletop.
Those both sound interesting. Thanks for the suggestions!!
 
The LEGO Group and Asmodee announces their first jointly-crafted board game, Monkey Palace. The game will be officially unveiled to retailers and industry partners at the Nuremberg Toy Fair and will be available for purchase from October 3 at Spiel Essen, the world’s largest board game convention, and from select leading retailers around the world.

Monkey Palace was created by game designers, David Gordon and Tin Aung Myaing, and provides family fun for all ages. It is a jungle-themed game of light strategy tailored for two to four players, that incorporates both collaborative and competitive elements. (Brickset)
 
The LEGO Group and Asmodee announces their first jointly-crafted board game, Monkey Palace. The game will be officially unveiled to retailers and industry partners at the Nuremberg Toy Fair and will be available for purchase from October 3 at Spiel Essen, the world’s largest board game convention, and from select leading retailers around the world.

Monkey Palace was created by game designers, David Gordon and Tin Aung Myaing, and provides family fun for all ages. It is a jungle-themed game of light strategy tailored for two to four players, that incorporates both collaborative and competitive elements. (Brickset)
I am intrigued.
 
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