Many of these games won't be found at your big box stores. Target and Barnes and Noble do offer a good selection. If you can't find the game try Amazon or another online game store. Of course your friendly local game store is a great place to look, shop local!
I am also not including the same games I has on last years list. I didn't want repeats. Those games are still great and some of my first recommendations. So look back at last year's list if you want.
Family Games
Games in this category are family friendly in rules, length, and theme. Children below 7 may need a partner to help them. The Themes have a wide appeal and the rules are easy to learn.
1. 10 Days in Series
The 10 Days in Series is a wonderfully fun and educational games. This five game series includes: 10 Days in the USA, Africa, Europe, Asia, and in the Americas. Each game in the series has similar rules and components. Choose the theme that interests you the most, or try the whole series. I love them all, but my favorite is Europe.
During the game players are trying to connect a 10-Day journey. Either by walking (when a country borders another country) or by a special mode of travel (boat, plane, car) players must complete a connected journey. The first player to do so wins the game.
I love this series for both the educational value and the ease of play. I have used it with great success in both my classroom and in my home. The components are amazing and will stand up to many years of wear and tear. It is a great addition to any collection.
2. Animal Upon Animal
Carcassonne is also one of the first games I played when I got into the hobby. And, like Ticket to Ride has many, many versions and expansions. Again more seem to come out every year! I also suggesting starting out with the original version and adding from there. Many expansions are very small and only add a few tiles.
Animal Upon Animal is a lot like the classic dexterity game Jenga. The difference? Well besides from the cute animal shapes in Animal Upon Animal you are building instead of taking down. But you still are trying to avoid having everything come crashing down.
Players try to stack their different wooden animals to top of each other. They roll a die to determine if they have to place one or two animals. If any fall, the player has to take them into their pile. The first person to get rid of all their animals wins.
This fun stacking game works with even young children and can be an equalizer between young and old. The amazing components, easy rules, and dexterity element make it a fun family game that everyone can enjoy.
3. Tokenoko
I admit, the cuteness factor is a big sell for Tokenoko The cute panda and the colorful components completely won me over when I first saw this game. Still they aren't enough to earn a spot on this list. That and the great game play make this a great, although a bit deeper family game.
In the game players are trying to cultivate bamboo in three different colors, move the panda around so he can eat the bamboo, and build patterns with the plot tiles. Players have hidden objective cards they need to achieve in order to score victory points. For example they may want to have the Panda eat three different or build three yellow plots in a row. There is a lot of strategy involved but the game plays at a relaxing pace. At games end, players have created a beautiful garden worthy of the Giant Panda.
4. Augustus
As with Tokenoko, Augustus is a bit more complicated than the first two family games. The rules for Augustus are simple and easy to learn. The difficulty of the game comes in the strategy. The basics of Augustus are very similar Bingo. Players are trying to complete "objective" cards that need by covering up the different symbols on the card. These symbols are randomly drawn from a bag and called by a player. Whenever a symbol on the player's card is called they can cover that symbol. Some of the symbols are rarer than the others. When the card is completed the player will either get victory points or a special power.
The heavier part of the game comes in the choices you can make. Players only start with seven legionaries to cover symbols with. They need to choose which cards to finish first, may need to choose to move legionaries, and when they finish an objective they choose which new objectives they want. Completed objective cards work together to give players more points, extra legionaries, or even take away the other players progress.
Augustus offers a nice balance of easy rules and game play with a deeper strategy to keep any level of gamer interested.
5. Formula D
Formula D takes roll and move games to a whole new level. Players are racing their cars around the track by rolling dice. Everyone want to be the first to the finish to win the race. Sounds easy right? It is, but it wouldn't be on this list if that was all.
Formula D requires lucky die rolls, and a bit of planning. The cars are not automatic, so players need to switch gears during the race. This is done through different size dice. Players may stay in the same gear, or switch gears up or down. They need to roll the best die for the situation. Be extra careful on the corners. Depending on the sharpness of the corner, you will need to stop once, twice, or even three times. If a player, is not careful they will damage their car and possibly even leave debris on the track. A car can become so damaged it cannot complete the race.
Adding the different dice and the need to stop on corners takes the classic mechanic of roll and move and revives it in an incredibly fun game. Add the vast amount of different tracks available and the illegal street racing from the base game and you will have hours of Formula D excitement.
Card Games
Most of these games involve a deck of cards and maybe a few other components. They aren't your traditional card games like UNO or solitaire, but they can all be enjoyed by the family and are easy to learn. They are also very portable making them easy to take to a holiday gathering.
1. Spot It
Spot It! makes a great stocking stuffer for young and old alike. If you like speed or pattern recognition, this is the game for you. The circular Spot It! cards has eight different size symbols in varying sizes. It is pretty amazing when you think about it, but any two Spot It! cards have exactly one symbol in common.
The game does come with rules for a few different ways to play the game. In the base game each player is given one card and one central card is revealed. Players try to be the first to "spot" the symbol on their card with a revealed card. Whoever calls the common symbol first claims the card. A new card is revealed and play continues. When the last card is claimed whomever has the most cards wins the game.
Spot It! is a game that any age can play an age doesn't really matter. There are also so many different versions that you will likely find a theme to please anyone on your list. And yes, there is even a Frozen version!
2. Love Letter
Love Letter manages to take only sixteen cards and create a game that can be played over and over. The theme of the game is that the young men of the Kingdom of Tempest are vying for the hand of the princess. But she has locked herself in the place and the only way to reach her is by sending the romantic letter through the palace workers. But, at the same time you need to stoop the other suitors' letters from reaching her.
Each player starts with just one card, and of the sixteen one is removed. They must rely on their deduction skills and risk the win the hand of the princess. During the game players draw one card and must play one card. They want to expose the other players and remove them from the game. Powerful cards are handy, but make you the target of other players, weaker cards have their uses but they may not win the hand of the princess.
This beautiful game does include player elimination but each play is quick so no one will feel left out for long. Love Letter has been a hit with many groups and has even inspired different versions. So even Batman fans will soon enjoy their own version of Love Letter.
3. Famous Card Games Series
Another series of Games that come in a small package are the six games of the Famous Game Company Sports Games. There are the beginner games Famous Fastballs (Baseball) and Famous Forehands (Tennis). Next are the intermediate level games Famous Fairways (Golf) and Famous Flagships (Sailing). Finally, Famous 500 (Racing) and Famous First Downs (Football), the advanced games, complete the series. Each game is played with only few cards, minimal rules, and in less than thirty minutes. The Famous Games Company Series offers a lot of game play in six different sports and for a fantastic price. For less than the price of a quality board game your can get six different card games. You can also choose your favorites separately.
The Famous Games Company Series offers a lot of game play in six different sports and for a fantastic price. For less than the price of a quality board game your can get six different card games or choose your favorites separately. These card games are perfect for the sports fan of the family and you would be supporting an amazing company. For more information on all the Famous Games, How to Play tutorials, designer Rob’s blog and more check out the website at: http://www.famousgames.co/. Also check out some of the newer offerings at the website. I'm really intrigued by his Pocket sized sports dice games.
4. Diamonds
Trick-taking games like Bridge, Euchre and Hearts are a favorite of many a family member. Diamonds carries along that tradition, but adds a twist. The game plays like other trick taking games were player's lead with a card and others must follow suite if possible. The twist is that players may take "Suit Actions" based on what suit they play. Suit actions are taken when a player cannot follow a suit. The winner of the suit, the one who played the highest card, gets a suit action. Players are also collecting "diamond crystals" as they take suit actions. These will be placed in their vault or the showroom.
The winner leads a card to start the next trick. After a full Round of ten tricks, whoever has taken the most cards in each suit once again gets a Suit Action. If a player has taken no tricks, that player gets two Diamonds Suit Actions. Players then start a new round.
Different suit actions let players take Diamond Crystals from the Supply, moving them to their showroom or their vault. Diamonds in the showroom score 1 point and can be taken by other players. Diamonds in the vault score two points and cannot be taken by other players. Whoever has the most Diamond crystals at the end wins the game.
The suits of the game are the standard club, hearts, spades and diamonds. The artwork is a very nice art deco style. Admittedly I have never understood or really enjoyed trick-taking games but family members do enjoy the games. But Diamonds is different, makes sense. Diamonds is a quick, strategic, and understandable trick-taking game. It will have wide appeal to many players.
5. Battle Line
Battle Line was one of the first modern card games I learned to play. In this two-player game, players form two different battle lines on the table. They are trying to win flags, either by winning 5 of the 9 flags or by winning three flags in a row. They do this in a poker style game play. To win a flag players must place cards similar to 3 of a kind, flush, straight flush, etc. The highest formation wins and they take the flag to their side.
There are also tactics cards players may choose to take on their turn. These give players an advantage on the battlefield. The rules to Battle Line are simple and easy to teach. The depth of the game comes in the strategic game play. You need to survey the whole battlefield and be aware of what your opponent is doing. Battle Line is a modern classic and a great edition to any collection.
Party Games
Party games are great icebreakers, family bonding experiences, and ways to pass the time with friends and loved ones. These games may involve some loud noises, laughter, and memory making opportunities.
1. One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Werewolf has been a favorite game in my classroom for many years. Students enjoy the secret identity game, special power game where they try to discover who the big bad werewolves are. Or they want to stay hidden as they take out their opponents.
However, the game can take a lot of time to play, eliminated players cannot participate, and I always have to moderate. One Night Ultimate Werewolf solves all of these problems. The game is only one night, and lasts only 10 minutes. Only one person is eliminated but at the end of the game. There is no moderator, but you can download a free app to act as moderator. I highly recommend the app; it really makes the game that much better.
The game makes great changes, but the best parts remain. The classic deduction and trying to figure out what other players know or do not know. If you like deduction, games like mafia or werewolf you will love One Night.
2. Pitch Car
Whenever I set it up, PitchCar is a game that draws a crowd. Pitch Car is a dexterity game with a modular racetrack board. Players pitch their cars, by flicking them around the track. The first player to cross the finish line wins!
PitchCar is not the cheapest game to buy, or the easiest to find, the fun and lasting quality of the game are worth it. I love setting up different racetrack configurations. Adding expansions gives your even more options in creating your racetrack.
Young and old alike can get into the action with PitchCar. Just start setting it up and before you finish you'll have your crowd of players.
3. Dancing Eggs
Another dexterity game that gets both kids and adults moving is Dancing Eggs. The game comes with nine rubbery plastic eggs, one wooden egg, and two wooden dice. The components are great and they all come in an egg carton. Even after many plays, the components look brand new, even if the carton will not hold up very long.
*Note: the game comes with only two dice
Players roll the red die. The result of the die tells the player what to do. They can attempt to take an egg from the box, or from another player if there are none in the box. They may bounce the egg on the table and compete to catch it. Or they may run around the table and try to get back to their seat before everyone else.
When a player wins and egg, they then roll the white die to see where t the egg will go. They may put it under their chin, between their knees, in the crook of their arm, or even under their cheek. You have to hold your eggs, try not to drop them, because the game ends when someone drops, and egg. Players get points for their eggs; one point for the rubber eggs and two points for the wooden egg.
The game is harder than it looks, but every time it played, there is always laughter. Dancing Eggs is a great party game that anyone in the family can enjoy.
4. Tapple
Tapple is fun, all be it stressful party game I actually picked up at Target. A player is given ten seconds and a topic. Within those ten seconds, they come up with a word that matches the topic and press down on the letter key that matches the first letter of the word. For example, you may press down on the "S" key if you say sausage as a pizza topping. The next player restarts the timer, says a different word, for example "Cheese" and presses down their letter. If a player runs out of time before pressing a letter, they are out of the round. When only one player is left in the round the get the topic cad and start a new round. Whoever collects the most topic cards wins!
I was not sure about Tapple but it is a lot of fun. My mother-in-law really enjoyed it and made a good point that not only are players enjoying themselves but also they are exercising their brains (she is a retired teacher). Players are trying to come up with answers and be ready when their turn comes so they are always engaged in the game. Tapple is great party game for the whole family. As a bonus, it is completely self-contained as the device on a storage compartment for the cards.
5. Snake Oil
Do you have any salesperson in the family or anyone who is good at convincing others? Well, then Snake Oil is for them. In this party game players take on the role of snake oil salespersons from the old west and try to convince their customers to buy their wacky products.
One player, each round, becomes a customer. They choose a card and become that type of customer for example - a teacher, soldier, coach potato, or a dictator. The other players become inventors and use two of their six cards to create a product and then within thirty seconds pitch it to the customer. For example, they may sell a cannon map to the soldier or the glitter paint to the teacher. Whomever the customer decides to buy from gets the card.
Snake oil is all about fun and using your imagination. People who enjoy "Apples to Apples" will enjoy the added layer of "convincing" the customer to buy your invention. Players can really get into the game as they try to outdo each other and win the customers vote.
Teenager and Adult Games
My new category this year is Teenager and Adult Games. These games are a bit more complicated than my Family Games list and may include scarier or more historical themes. The games are more challenging and sometimes involve direct player conflict.
1. 1775: Rebellion
I am not usually a fan of war games, but something about 1775 really drew me in since the first time I saw it. The game comes from the incredible company Academy Games. Players are either the Continental Army and the Patriots or the British and the Loyalists. Both sides are trying to control the colonies, provinces, and territories of North America. With three or more players, the players form teams with one player controlling one of the main factions. The Native Americans, German Hessians and the French may come to the aid of the players.
Through the use of strategic card play and movement players gain or lose control of the colonies. Battles are quickly resolved through the use of custom dice and when a player controls and entire colony or territory they place a flag. The game ends when the Treaty of Paris is signed. Whichever side has managed to place the most flags wins.
1775: Rebellion has solid game play, amazing components, and the game length just right. It's a game that families can play together, school children can use as a fun way to learn about the beginning of the American Revolution, and couples can enjoy as a light war game. Luck and card draws may keep heavy war gamers away but even they can enjoy the blend of Euro and thematic game mechanics. It a game that I know will stay in my collection based on theme, fun factor, and ease of play.
2. Arcadia Quest
Arcadia Quest is the newest game in my collection, but quickly becoming a favorite. This dungeon crawl adventure is a campaign style board game where each player controls three unique heroes trying to reclaim the city of Arcadia. They face not only the monsters that have taken over the city but the other players as well. Each quest players accomplish levels up their characters with better equipment and abilities. Beware; the monsters get better as well.
The components and artwork are outstanding and the game play is solid. Arcadia Quest takes the basic game play of other dungeon crawls and streamlines them. The monsters only react to what players do; they don't have their own turn. Players’ unique abilities are straightforward and easy to understand. There is also a fun "exploding dice" mechanic, which allows players to gain more hits per turn. All of this makes for a quicker; more start forward dungeon crawl distilled down into the most fun elements. There are also many great "how to play videos" that make it easy to learn the game.
3. Quantum
Space themes are popular and it is not always easy to tell which will be good or even great games. The beautiful components, artwork, and dice manipulation of Quantum really drew me to the game.
Each die represents a starship in the players fleet. The number of the die, determines the ship type. Sixes are quick, but won't hold up in battle. Ones are great in battles, but very slow. Each ship also has a special power that can be used once per turn.
Quantum reminds me of chess as players maneuver their ships into the exactly the right position. When they do they may place their Quantum cubes on the board. At the same time they must balance movement and placing with the need to research. Research allows players to gain valuable skills, such as free movement abilities or better abilities in battle. Of course players must watch out for, and battle the opponents. The first player to place all their quantum cubes wins.
The rules are simple, but the strategy is deep in Quantum. This actually surprised me when I first played. I think I was expecting to have a much harder time learning how to play the game. Instead I found learning to play easy, but understanding the strategy will develop with more plays. This is what makes Quantum fantastic.
4. Splendor
Okay, I admit, I was a little turned off by Splendor when I first heard of it. I was thinking it was another Eurogame, so much like the others. I really did not understand the hype.... but then I played it, and know I understand.
Splendor is an absolutely beautiful game. The artwork on the cards is beautiful. I really like looking at the cards during the game. The gem tokens and so nice to hold and look at. These are really amazing poker chips, that aren't needed but add a fun factor to the game. The rules for Splendor are easy to learn and teach. As with many great games, the difficulty comes from the strategy.
Splendor is a joy to play. The Theme of Splendor is that players are Renaissance merchants buying gem mines, means of transportation, and gem shops. I really enjoy the engine building aspect of Splendor as you obtain gem chips and cards that help you get even higher value cards or help you catch the eye of nobles who may stop by your shop.
Splendor is a game that you can quickly teach, but each new play will be rewarding as you learn more and more about the games strategy.
5. Star Realms
Earlier I said that while the space theme is popular so you should not be surprised I have another space-themed game on the list. Star Realms is a two player, space combat, deck-building game that is both affordable and portable. If you want to add more players, just add a second deck!
In Star Realms, player has a personal deck of cards to represent their space armada. Each turn they try to gain trade, combat, authority, and other important powerful effects with their cards. Players are trying to build up their armada in order to reduce their opponent’s score (Authority) to zero.
Star Realms offers simple rules, stunning graphics, gorgeous artwork, faction specific card synergies, and a fun player versus player combat system. There is even a free app you can download that teaches you the game and lets you try before you buy.
Happy Gaming and Happy Holidays!
Picture Credits: W. Eric Martin (W. Eric Martin), Marc Gilutin (apecage), Paul Paterson (kaylex), Michelle Zentis (caesarmom), Justin Case (Gambiteer), Jon Enns (jayboy), Bob Rob (Najak), Henk Rolleman (henk.rolleman), Andres Rueff (Rixxar), François + Daphné (Camdin), Tiffany Bahnsen (tibahn), W. Eric Martin (W. Eric Martin)(2), Edward Bolme (edbolme), Henk Rolleman (henk.rolleman), Rob Bartel (RobBartel)(2), Stephen Buonocore (evilone)(2), Neven Rihtar (nrihtar2), Tim Mossman (IronMoss), Mikko Saari (msaari), W. Eric Martin (W. Eric Martin), Ernie Lai (laiernie), Christian Rehm (christianrehm), Alexandre Carvalho (aleacarv), Brian Mayer (bmayer), W. Eric Martin (W. Eric Martin), Dan Edelen (edelen), Max Winter Osterhaus (mmaaaxx)(2), Jeph Stahl (jstahl), Chris Norwood (kilroy_locke), Thiago Aranha (Loophole Master), Jonathan (JJWonderboy), Philippe Nouhra (Funforge) (2), W. Eric Martin (W. Eric Martin), Henk Rolleman (henk.rolleman), Henry Allen (KlydeFrog), Vito Gesualdi (VitoGesualdi)
Thanks for sharing your great pictures!
