169 – Dances with Dragons – The Family Gamers Podcast

This week, our special guest is our oldest child, Claire! We’re going to talk about a theme that is near and dear to her heart: DRAGONS! We recommend dragon games for all ages and abilities.

First, Claire tells us about some of her favorite dragon books, especially the Wings of Fire series.

If you want to talk dragons, you can send an email directly to Claire: claire@thefamilygamers.com, or come see us at PAX Unplugged in just a few weeks.

Find all these games for $25 or less on Amazon (an affiliate link that contributes a small amount to The Family Gamers).

Dragon Games for Young Children

Let’s start with the youngest audience for dragon games.

Incubation – a game where you’re collecting dragon eggs in your “incubator” and the elements needed to hatch them. (Review coming soon.)

Dragon’s Breath – which we reviewed last week. We love the sparkly gems! And this one is a better game for many different ages or skill levels.

Don’t forget the Tea Dragon Society – probably the cutest dragons. Best for early readers as an introduction to deck-building. No conflict in this game, it’s all about raising your cute little dragons and taking care of them.

SNAP Review – Bermuda Pirates

Nick, Izzy, and Jace tell us about Bermuda Pirates, a game of memory and dexterity. Navigate your boat through the Bermuda Triangle and don’t let “whirlpools” (magnets) stop your ship and dump your gems!

See our SNAP review for the full transcript and more pictures.

Dragon Games for Older Kids and Adults

Let’s talk about some dragon games that are better for older kids.

We’ve mentioned Dragonwood before (like last week) and we’ve also reviewed it in the past. Fight monsters and gather items to beat the final boss – a dragon!

Claire thinks that Dragonwood is easier to learn, but Dragonrealm is easier to play a full game. The art in both games is fantastic, and the mechanics are similar. Collect cards in different sets, then roll dice. Dragonwood is more about defeating monsters, while Dragonrealm lets you split points and work towards finishing an area. Dragonrealm also introduces “goblin” cards, which gradually take over various areas. If the goblins have a majority in an area when it scores, no one will get those points. We like that Dragonrealm is not an all-or-nothing battle. Every time you succeed in your die rolls, you are just putting one more pawn on a given area, rather than immediately taking points.

Lastly, we talk about Tsuro, a game with eastern-style dragons. Lay down paths on the board and avoid running your own dragon off the board or into another dragon. It’s not necessarily *easy* but it’s simple and quick to pick up. We love that it plays up to eight players, and is accessible for all ages. Claire recommends it for older kids and adults; she thinks young kids would get bored waiting for their turn.

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