Hello to all,
So I want to go off list for a gift for my son (14 years old) this holiday season. I want to diversify from the video/electronic stuff. I've already gotten him socks (Hanukkah socks are a tradition in our home) and a couple of books.
We enjoy playing strategy board and or card games as a family. There are three of us so anything players 2 - 4 works. What is your favorite board and/or card game? We have the basics but have become bored with scrabble and monopoly and such.
I'm ordering for delivery for both Hanukkah and Christmas. Your input is always appreciated. How the holidays got here so fast is a mystery to me....wasn't it just back to school? :-) S.
Hello All,
He's been playing Cataan and munchkins for years and has pretty much exhausted them. he got forbidden dessert last year and liked it too. We've had risk and clue and monopoly and Othello for years. He's not much into regular card games like rummy or gin. He's dungeon master at the Dungeons and Dragons group at school so that's covered. I finally settled on a board game called Ravensburger Labyrinth. It's for 2 - 4 players and seems like a nice neutral game we can all play together....Unlike my DS, I don't enjoy munchkins.
I want to say thanks for all the great input. happy Chanukah!!! :-) S.
The card game Set is a fun game. You lay out 9 cards and have to build sets following specific rules. It takes a lit of thought.
We played Skipbo a lot. Kind of like Uno, but it involves more strategy.
My sister is getting us the game Catan - I am not familiar with it but apparently very popular and about strategy. Looked it up and had lots of good reviews. She has older kids so gives us what was popular in her house around same age.
Risk is a great strategy game but know that if your family is calculating and competitive it can get ugly.
Oh what am I saying, at Thanksgiving my 25 and 27 year old got out chutes and ladders and it got ugly! I may not have a normal family.
blokus. Anyone can play and its different every time
We love Parcheesi and backgammon.
:)
A friend of my son gave him a game called Forbidden Island. It's really cool--a collaborative game, so all the players work together to try to get a set of items and then leave the island together before it sinks. There's a followup called Forbidden Desert, also quite fun.
In the Jewish category, there's a game called Matzahkoman (Passover theme, as should be apparent from the name). It's somewhat complicated, however I think your family would enjoy it. Halma is a nice fun one too, and pretty simply.
I know this is late, but ticket to ride is a fun game!
Well, I LOVE Settlers of Catan. My brother and his wife introduced it to us about 2 years ago, and we enjoy it tremendously. However, much like a game of monopoly, it can take a few hours to play. The more people, the longer it takes. The game is designed for 2-4 players, but you can buy an additional box of goodies that enables you to play up to 6 players. I forget the name, but it's a specific name to add additional players.
My 17 year old son isn't a big fan, but he doesn't like long board games. He likes Clue (the original) or Yahtzee or other more fast moving games like Catchphrase. Our daughter (14) loves Catan. She also just asked me to get her Stratego, because "Mom, do you know how much I love any game that lets you attempt world domination??!"
Good luck choosing one (or more). I loved board games as a kid. But must confess that our household doesn't play as many as I would like. Our schedule never seems to allow much game time. There are also only 4 of us, so if any one of us isn't here it makes for a less enjoyable game. Usually, the more the merrier for such past times. Lucky you that your kids enjoy them with you!
Is your son into fantasy? Are you? What about Dungeons and Dragons? My brother and his friends loved that game (and it's variations), and I hear it's still popular.
Do u have a good game store near you? I have a few, GameStop and Uncle's Games. Whenever I want to get a new game, I go to a game store and ask the employees for suggestions. They are great at coming up with suggestions for me, and age appropriate ones too. That might work for you too.
Good luck. I hope you find a good new game!
Our family LOVES Settlers of Catan. We hear Pandemic is great fun also, so I am getting it as a family gift for everyone this year. There are many great board games out there!
My sons like Stratego and my husband says he had fun playing it as a kid.
Good luck!
acquire is a great game, we used to play it at my grandmas and just recently i played it with my brother and it brought back wonderful memories and was a great fun game
Board games:
Othello
Pente
Mancala
Don't forget dominoes!
For card games:
Uno is a great favorite
There are so many other card games.
Get 2 decks - plastic playing cards are durable and washable - and a book of card games/rules.
You can even find sites with rules online.
My teens like Stratego & Settlers of Catan.
For card games, Munchkin and Fluxx. Both of those come in various themes.
If you've never played Zombie Dice, that's a fun and portable game. More luck than strategy though.
Some favorites in our house:
Ticket to Ride
Settlers of Catan
Carcassonne
King of Tokyo
San Juan ( a simpler version of Puerto Rico, which I hear is also excellent)
I just bought my husband Pandemic for Christmas and I'm hoping we like it. It had tons of great reviews on Amazon.
I like Rummikube. And I've heard Stratego is fun but haven't played it.
We enjoyed Clue for many years with our kids, from age 8 up through teens. I know a lot of people play Risk too - although I haven't in a zillion years.
Do you play cards? Games like Hearts are good strategy games, and a deck of cards takes up very little space. Great for travel or long waiting periods! It can be played with more than 4 people with 2 decks.
