The Family Gamers

Encore! Roll and Write, Again and Again

May 11, 2020 Updated: August 7th, 2023 Nick Martinelli Reviews

In Encore, players roll dice, pick a number and color, then fill in those spaces on their sheet. Everyone races to complete columns to score bigger points.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, dice, Dice Rolling, Encore, Inka Brand, Marcus Brand, Nick, roll and write, Simultaneous Play, solo, Stronghold Games

SNAP Review – Adventure Games: The Dungeon

February 14, 2020 Updated: March 27th, 2022 Anitra Smith SNAP Reviews

Escape the dungeon in a new interactive story from KOSMOS. Best for ages 12+, it’s approachable for younger kids with a little bit of help.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, adventure, cooperative games, fantasy, KOSMOS, older children, Phil Walker-Harding, solo, Storytelling

Criss Cross: Will Make You Roll, Roll

January 27, 2020 Updated: August 7th, 2023 Nick Martinelli Reviews

In Criss Cross, you’ll roll two dice and write the pair of symbols anywhere on your player sheet. Make groups of matching symbols in rows and columns to get the best score.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, abstract, Criss Cross, dice, Dice Rolling, Grail Games, Nick, Reiner Knizia, roll and write, Simultaneous Play, solitaire, solo

Dizzle: Dice Drafting with a Bang

January 13, 2020 Updated: November 12th, 2020 Nick Martinelli Reviews

Dizzle box with player sheets, markers, and dice

Dizzle can be played over and over again without feeling the same, due to the randomness of die rolls and the various layouts of the score sheets. Each level has a different layout that plays to the special fields included.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, dice, Dice Rolling, Dizzle, multi-level play, Nick, pen and paper games, Ralf zur Linde, roll and write, solitaire, solo, Stronghold Games

Welcome To Your Perfect Home

January 6, 2020 Updated: May 4th, 2023 Anitra Smith Reviews

We would recommend Welcome To… if you regularly find yourself wanting a game that can play six or more players simultaneously without a lot of time pressure or player interaction. For smaller groups, there are so many more games available, that we wouldn’t reach for this one.

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10 players, 11 players, 12 players, 2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, 7 players, 8 players, 9 players, Anitra, Corey, Deep Water Games, Family Games, flip and write, Nick, pen and paper games, solo

Dreams of Tomorrow

December 2, 2019 Updated: November 12th, 2020 Anitra Smith Reviews

Dreams of Tomorrow is a gorgeous game with mechanics that are not too difficult, but our family’s experience clearly shows that it’s not a great game for everyone. And that’s OK! We hope this review can help you make a decision whether Dreams of Tomorrow would be a good choice for your family.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, Action Selection, art, dreams, rondel, set collection, solo, Weird Giraffe

Brainwaves: Stretch Your Memory Muscles

November 25, 2019 Updated: March 27th, 2022 Anitra Smith Reviews

Brainwaves games challenge you to remember details about previously-revealed cards. But each stretches your working memory in a different way.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, all ages, animals, Anitra, card games, KOSMOS, memory game, Reiner Knizia, solo

2019 Holiday Gift Guide for Games

November 25, 2019 Updated: July 5th, 2022 Anitra Smith Resources for Parents

Board games bring families together around the table. So why not give games to your loved ones this holiday season? Here are our suggestions for every age and ability level.

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2 players, 5 players, 6 players, 7 players, 8 players, adults, AEG, all ages, animals, Ankama, Anomia, Anomia Kids, Best of 2019, Blue Orange Games, Brain Games, Breaking Games, card games, deduction, Deep Water Games, dexterity games, dinosaur, dragons, Educational Insights, EXIT, Family Games, Family Gaming, Fireside Games, FoxMind, Gamewright, gifts, HABA, Happy Planet, KOSMOS, Looney Labs, Luma Games, North Star Games, Oink Games, party game, Peaceable Kingdom, Presents, Renegade, Restoration Games, Roxley Game Laboratory, Skybound Games, Smirk & Dagger Games, solo, Stonemaier Games, Tabletop, Tabletop Games, word games, young children

Family-Friendly EXIT Boxes

October 16, 2019 Updated: June 25th, 2022 Anitra Smith Reviews

EXIT: The Haunted Roller Coaster, EXIT: The House of Riddles

Are EXIT: The House of Riddles and EXIT: The Haunted Rollercoaster good for families? We tried them both with our kids (ages 8 & 11). The following review will have pictures of some of the interior content, but should not spoil any of the puzzles.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, Anitra, cooperative games, escape room, EXIT, KOSMOS, puzzles, solo

SNAP Review – Hex Roller

August 2, 2019 Updated: August 7th, 2023 Anitra Smith SNAP Reviews

Hex Roller stands out from a lot of other roll-and-write games because it dispenses with theme, to focus on making this puzzle the best it can be.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, 7 players, 8 players, Andrew, Anitra, audio, dice, Dice Rolling, math, pen and paper games, puzzles, Renegade, roll and write, Simultaneous Play, solitaire, solo

SNAP Review – Slide Quest

July 26, 2019 Updated: January 2nd, 2023 Anitra Smith SNAP Reviews

We love Slide Quest, a cooperative dexterity puzzle game. Work together to slide the rolling knight through 5 levels, knocking enemies over on the way.

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2 players, Andrew, Anitra, Asher, audio, Blue Orange Games, cooperative games, dexterity games, monster, solo

SNAP Review – Filler: Bite-Size Baking

July 14, 2019 Updated: September 19th, 2022 Anitra Smith Hall of Fame Reviews, SNAP Reviews

I love eating baked goods, but my daughter loves making them. In Filler, 1-6 players are pastry chefs, reporting to work at the bakery. Use your supplies to fill recipes; may the best baker win!

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, Anitra, audio, card games, food, Green Couch Games, multi-use cards, solo

SNAP Review – Tokyo Jutaku

June 14, 2019 Updated: February 14th, 2021 Anitra Smith SNAP Reviews

Have you always wanted to be an architect? Try your hand at creating towers to fit in tight spaces in Tokyo Jutaku, a speed building game from Jordan Draper Games.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, 7 players, 8 players, adults, Andrew, Anitra, audio, build, city building, Jordan Draper Games, solo

Tiny Towns: A Miniature Masterpiece!

May 6, 2019 Updated: November 12th, 2020 Andrew Smith Reviews

We have loved Tiny Towns since the moment we laid eyes on it. The simple mechanics of the game left us to wonder how it was possible a game like this hadn’t already existed. Place wooden cubes in configurations to collapse into a building – so simple, our 4-year-old can play, but a surprising amount of depth and strategy as well.

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, 6 players, AEG, Andrew, city building, Kids, solo, Tabletop Games, tiny towns

My First Castle Panic: So Easy a Child Can Do It!

April 2, 2019 Updated: November 29th, 2020 Andrew Smith Reviews

Playing Castle Panic (a fantastic game) with my 4-year-old felt more like giving instructions to an unwilling robot. He wasn’t enjoying himself, and I wasn’t enjoying him not enjoying himself. Would My First Castle Panic be different?

My First Castle Panic is a cooperative tower (castle) defense game for 1-4 players ages 4+ that plays in just 20 minutes. Team up and protect the castle from monsters coming to knock it down! Throw the monsters in jail and save the castle!

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2 players, 3 players, 4 players, Andrew, Castle Panic, cooperative games, Fireside Games, monster, solo, Tabletop Games, young children

Palm Island: A Game in Hand is Worth Two on the Table

March 18, 2019 Updated: March 4th, 2023 Anitra Smith Reviews

Palm Island is a 17-card game designed and illustrated by Jon Mietling, published by Portal Dragon Games. It needs no flat surface at all; the entire game is played in one hand.

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2 players, Anitra, Card Game, card games, city building, Jon Mietling, outdoor games, Portal Dragon Games, solitaire, solo, travel

Spell Smashers: Crushing Expectations

March 11, 2019 Updated: November 13th, 2020 Andrew Smith Reviews

You’re the most capable heroes in the land. Squash terrifying creatures, disintegrate their wills, and splinter their ranks. But how do you do it? With words, of course. Words like Bravery! Like Righteous! Like… Hamster? Spell Smashers, from Renegade Game Studios, supports 1-5 players, ages 12+, for 60 minutes of word-building (and world-building) fun.

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5 players, Andrew, fantasy, monster, Renegade, solo, word games

Caverna: Cave vs. Cave – Hidden Treasure

February 25, 2019 Updated: November 13th, 2020 Andrew Smith Reviews

The constant push and pull to acquire the right resources and rooms to ratchet up your victory point and gold total is a fascinating puzzle for me. If you enjoy the careful balance of tight resource management games you will enjoy Cave vs Cave.

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2 players, Action Selection, Andrew, Asmodee, Lookout Spiele, Mayfair Games, resource management, solo

Scarabya: Excavations that Missed the Beet(le)

February 5, 2019 Updated: April 6th, 2021 Andrew Smith Reviews

It is up to you to find the most Scarab relics! From the desert to the rain forest, from the Bermuda Triangle to Antarctica, these golden beetles are scattered across the world. Set up camps and mark Excavation Areas. Can you find the most Scarabs and uncover the mystery of Scarabya?

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