198 – Summertime Games – The Family Gamers Podcast

Our kids are out of school (or “school”), so that means (for most intents and purposes) it’s summer! We’re hoping this means a lot more gaming.

First, we learn about the radioactive gold isotope AU198.

Then, thanks to our sponsor, First Move Financial, for sponsoring this episode of the podcast.

What We’ve Been Playing

Unmatched: Cobble & Fog (Restoration Games). Andrew is in love with this game for many reasons.

Draftosaurus (Ankama / Luma Games)

Sparkle Kitty (Breaking Games) – the fun here is from saying the silly word combinations.

Abandon All Artichokes (Gamewright)

Super Kitty Bug Slap (Steve Jackson Games)

Super Cats (from The OP) – we talked about this two weeks ago. We compare it to Go Nuts for Donuts – you’re “bidding” to get your desired result, but with your fingers instead of cards. Very quick, even with the whole family.

Scooby Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion (The OP) – similar to an Unlock! or EXIT, or the Adventure Games that we enjoyed earlier this year. Full review coming soon.

We supported our FLGS with Throw Throw Burrito (Exploding Kittens) for the kids. A silly real-time set collection game that also involves hitting each other with foam burritos.

News

My City – now available for pre-order from KOSMOS (pre-order from Barnes & Noble or your local game store). Polyominoes, Reiner Knizia, legacy game? Sounds awesome.

SNAP Review – Metro X

We tell you about this flip-and-write game, an abstract game that’s got just enough theme to keep everyone in our family excited. See the SNAP review page for a full transcript.

Summer Games

Andrew is thinking particularly of games that are quick to play, easy to pick up / put down. Also games with chunky components (generally won’t get blown around by a stray breeze).

Anitra is thinking of games our family typically plays in the summer, often outside, many of which happen to be heavy-duty. Also games that don’t have complex rules and can be played even with distractions (or paused to take care of some perceived emergency).

Toasted or Roasted (Education Outdoors) – comes camping with us every year. Really appealing to kids because of the components and high luck factor. [Edit: Oops! We originally listed this as being from Gamewright. It’s actually from Education Outdoors and friend of the show Jeff Johnston.]

Drop It (KOSMOS) – chunky and easy to play outside, as long as you have a flat-ish area.

Draftosaurus (Ankama / Luma, mentioned above) – we played this a ton last summer, and likely will again this summer. It also accommodates five players, which is particularly perfect for our family of five.

Abandon All Artichokes (Gamewright, mentioned above) – so easy to pick up and get playing! This deck-wrecking game looks like it will have staying power with our family.

Funky Chicken or Happy Salmon (Happy Planet / North Star Games) – perfect to get a little movement in. Five minutes of silliness and one of the easiest games to explain.

HEIST (University Games) – maybe set the “gold bars” and money aside if you’re going to play this outside.

Battle Sheep (Blue Orange Games) – nice chunky pieces, and you could even play it on Board Game Arena (take a look at the Family Gamers Community group there). Easy to learn, the simplest kind of area-control game.

Squire for Hire (Letiman Games) – a great game to carry with you and play “spontaneously”, with either one or two players.

Kingdomino (Blue Orange Games) – “You’re not going to forget how to play.”

Similo (Horrible Guild / Luma) – one of the few cooperative games on our list, this is very simple to get started. And like a party game, people can enter or drop out as needed. (Similo: Myths should be coming out soon. And don’t forget: these games are definitely educational!)

SHOBU (Smirk & Dagger Games) Very easy rules, deep strategy, and beautiful while being well-suited to playing outside.

Nick has written reviews of a few games that make him think of summer: Slide Blast (pictured in this post), Road Trip Dice Game.

What games make you think of summer?

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