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New game?

Farrar

By Farrar,
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Farrar

Farrar

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I want to get a new board or card game for the kids' birthday. They're turning 12.

 

We play and have a lot of games. The ones that get the most use, especially for the two kids themselves, are definitely the quickie ones. So, a few in that vein we like include...

 

Loot Letter (this is like Love Letter, if you know that one)

Exploding Kittens

We Didn't Playtest This at All

Concept (because it's easy to just play a couple of rounds)

Rat-a-Tat-Cat (which I can't believe we still play so much, but we really do)

Spot It (ditto the above)

Brave Rats

Bananagrams

Timeline

 

We like longer strategy games too - Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Dominion, etc... I'd be open to shorter strategy game suggestions. I just find that even when we really like them, they only get pulled out so often.

 

Any ideas for us?

 

 

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BarbecueMom

BarbecueMom

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We are on a Machi Koro binge right now. We have the starter and the Harbor expansion, but have heard mixed reviews on the second expansion and are waiting on that. We sometimes mix up the rules or find variations others have used to keep it fresh.

 

It usually takes about 10-15 minutes per player for us.

Edited by BarbecueMom
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PrincessMommy

PrincessMommy

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We'll 2nd:  7 Wonders.  Very enjoyable game.

 

I *love* Castles of Mad King Ludwig.  My adult son brings that every time we have a get-together.  It's not too complicated once you learn it.

 

My other son brought a new game to our family vacation:  Sheriff of Nottingham.  This is  a good game for various age groups.  It can be very simple (and quicker) or a little more complicated by making deals, and thus, a little longer. 

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Farrar

Farrar

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We love Machi Koro and 7 Wonders (though 7 Wonders Duel is better, IMHO). King of Tokyo was a bust for us. Only Mushroom likes it. Carcassone was also not a hit when we played it elsewhere.

 

Maybe I'll get the Machi Koro expansions.

 

Off to look at others...

 

 

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Lori D.

Lori D.

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Not board games, but these all play out in 20 minutes or less:

Love Letters -- we have the Batman/Arkam Asylum version -- it's our new favorite game right now

Set

Sequence Dice

Zombie Dice

Fill or Bust (or Farkle) -- roll dice and accumulate points

Blink

Duo

Jenga

Mastermind

Badass Zombie Killers - card game of draw one/play one; what's fun is getting into the spirit of the game ;)

 

 

ETA:

 

Out of Print favorites that take about 20 minutes

Trumpet Game

Scan -- a little bit like Set

Advance to Boardwalk

 

Board games that take about 30 minutes

Forbidden Island

7 Wonders (note: so complicated -- at least for DH & I, lol -- that it took a number of times of playing before we got down to about 30-40 minutes)

 

No personal experience, but what about:

Zeus on the Loose

8-minute Empire

Space Alert (a cooperative game)

Dominion: Intrigue

Hanabi

Star Realms

For Sale

Marrakesh

Express Clue or Express Monopoly

 

NOT at all fast (it takes us 60-90 min to play), and it works best with 2 or 3 players rather than 4, BUT... we're also loving our our newest game of Five Tribes. :) That and Takenoko, as well as Castle Panic and Ticket to Ride, are the strategy board games seem to get pulled out the most this days...

Edited by Lori D.
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lovinmyboys

lovinmyboys

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Just looked at our game shelf again;

 

Splendor (maybe takes 30 minutes)

Castle panic

Forbidden desert

Labyrinth

Tsuro

Lost cities

Sushi go (like 7 wonders but quicker/simpler)

Mille Bornes

Hanabi

Bonanza (my 10yr old has been picking this one)

Tiki topple

Apples to apples big picture

Edited by lovinmyboys
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Farrar

Farrar

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We have a number of these... I don't know how any of y'all have gotten 7 Wonders down to half an hour. That's one of the reasons I like 7 Wonders Duel better.

 

Hanabi seems like a really good possibility. And Tsuro, which I had no idea was such a short game.

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Lori D.

Lori D.

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We have a number of these... I don't know how any of y'all have gotten 7 Wonders down to half an hour. That's one of the reasons I like 7 Wonders Duel better.

 

Hanabi seems like a really good possibility. And Tsuro, which I had no idea was such a short game.

 

Yes -- DH and I struggle with keeping up with all the potentials for points in 7 Wonders, and how differently that plays out each game. So I'd say it takes us an average of 40 minutes. Our sons are very used to deck-building games, so they are very patient with us, but I could see that without DH and I, DSs would easily knock out a game of 7 Wonders in 20 minutes. I'll have to look for the Duel version... :)

 

Yes, Tsuro takes less than 30 minutes, even with 4 players. BUT... Tsuro is pretty limited, IMO. It's a beautiful board, and the pieces feel nice, and the concept is different -- but ultimately it's a one-trick pony and the end result is that everyone loses -- the goal is to be the LAST loser (lol). You are placing tiles to create a sort of maze that makes everyone's boats move, with the goal of shooting everyone else's boats off the edge of the board before your boat would have to sail over the edge. It's a lovely game, but not high in re-playability -- we've only played it a grand total of 3-4 times right after we got it several years ago. It's been taking up cupboard space ever since. For building a board with tiles, I much prefer Takenoko, which has lots of other things to do. Or for the maze aspect, I prefer Amazing Labyrinth for the cool shifting maze aspect after each turn.

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Farrar

Farrar

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The Duel version of 7 Wonders is pretty new. It's got the same concept, but it plays really differently. It does only take about 30 minutes and is only for 2 players.

 

We have Labyrinth and we played it a lot at one point, but it's been shelved lately. We've played Takenoko, but the kids didn't love it.

 

A lot of people mentioned Set, which we like and have already. We also like Iota, which is like if Set and Dominoes had a little baby.

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Lori D.

Lori D.

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A lot of people mentioned Set, which we like and have already. We also like Iota, which is like if Set and Dominoes had a little baby.

 

Iota is another recent game for us. That one is fun, but not short and takes a ton of brain power (at least for us!). We were calling Iota a cross between Set and Scrabble. ;)

 

Iota reminds me of another game that DH received as a b-day gift this spring -- King's Cribbage. It's like combining Cribbage with Scrabble. We all love Cribbage, and you really DO have to know Cribbage and feel comfortable with it to make the step over to King's Cribbage -- another one that is not short and you have to think really hard, and even though I always come in last, I really enjoy it.

 

I was going to suggest Cribbage if your family likes cards and trick-taking card games. You not only try to keep the best 4 cards for making points (via things that add up to 15, runs, pairs, etc.), but also score by taking turns laying down one card, and trying to make those same scoring things based on the cards laid down before you by your opponents/partners. It's kind of complicated, but 12yos can learn it. But it's not "flashy" like some of the board games or specialty card deck games. 

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highspirits

highspirits

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You may already have some of these, but off the top of my head:

 

Hanabi

Deep sea adventure

No thanks

Saboteur

Red 7

Sushi go

Guillotine

Coup

Flip city

 

These are all small card games like love letter that play 3 players in less than 30 minutes.

 

Machi koro is definitely a winner here, and eight minute empire is a really short (less than 15 minute) empire building game that's really fun and simple

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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vonfirmath

vonfirmath

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Yes -- DH and I struggle with keeping up with all the potentials for points in 7 Wonders, and how differently that plays out each game. So I'd say it takes us an average of 40 minutes. Our sons are very used to deck-building games, so they are very patient with us, but I could see that without DH and I, DSs would easily knock out a game of 7 Wonders in 20 minutes. I'll have to look for the Duel version... :)

 

Yes, Tsuro takes less than 30 minutes, even with 4 players. BUT... Tsuro is pretty limited, IMO. It's a beautiful board, and the pieces feel nice, and the concept is different -- but ultimately it's a one-trick pony and the end result is that everyone loses -- the goal is to be the LAST loser (lol). You are placing tiles to create a sort of maze that makes everyone's boats move, with the goal of shooting everyone else's boats off the edge of the board before your boat would have to sail over the edge. It's a lovely game, but not high in re-playability -- we've only played it a grand total of 3-4 times right after we got it several years ago. It's been taking up cupboard space ever since. For building a board with tiles, I much prefer Takenoko, which has lots of other things to do. Or for the maze aspect, I prefer Amazing Labyrinth for the cool shifting maze aspect after each turn.

That... Is an odd explanation of Tsuro. We play to try to keep everyone on the board as long as possible. It's a great game if we all stay on throughout the game! No shooting anyone. Sometimes the cards mean we force someone else off, but it is not at all intentional when it happens

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Lori D.

Lori D.

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That... Is an odd explanation of Tsuro. We play to try to keep everyone on the board as long as possible. It's a great game if we all stay on throughout the game! No shooting anyone. Sometimes the cards mean we force someone else off, but it is not at all intentional when it happens

 

We played it that way too -- not mean, and intentionally trying to keep everyone on the board as long as possible.

 

I think it's because we are all adults (DSs are grown), and after all of the strategy games with lots of pieces and options that we've been enjoying, this just felt... like not much, other than creating maze paths. Just our different experience of the game. :)

 

Glad it is enjoyable for all of you! :) That's why there are so many different games out there -- different people enjoy different types of game mechanics and themes.

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Lady Marmalade

Lady Marmalade

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We were introduced this weekend to Tiny Epic Defenders.  It was great!  Quick set up, easy to understand, and a round of play lasted about 30 minutes.  It is cooperative too- we lost all three times we played, but we had fun doing it.  My 5 year old nephew had no trouble playing along too, so I'm not entirely sure why the recommendation for 13+ on the box.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Gamelyn-Games-NA-Tiny-Defenders/dp/B00SPH7OCM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473205101&sr=8-1&keywords=Tiny+Epic+Defenders

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raptor_dad

raptor_dad

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DS9 and DS7 have been *really* in to Magic:The Gathering this year. I hate the "buying booster packs to level up" mentality of playing the current release. So instead, we have bought bulk lots of 1000 cards on amazon for <$13 and  300 lands for <$9. So for the cost of a typical $25 game you would have enough cards to build a few decks and have lots of fun.

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Farrar

Farrar

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So many good ideas. :) Thanks, guys. I ordered a couple and I think I have enough ideas for Christmas now too.

 

Some people mentioned Telestrations, which we have and love, though it only gets pulled out with friends or extra family. It's not really playable when it's just me and the kids. But we do play Dix It with three people. We have an expansion for it too. And several people mentioned Splendor, which I adore, but the kids aren't that into. Alas. I wish it got more play here, honestly. We have both the Forbidden games. And Pandemic. 

 

One of mine is super into Magic, the other is firmly against it. I'm not that into it so poor ds is always frustrated. I probably just need to be willing to haul him down to the game store to play sometimes.

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vonfirmath

vonfirmath

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I didn't see anyone recommend Dominion. My son (20 yo) got it for a bday gift. We played it all summer. It is great fun. We also love Settlers of Catan but you can play Dominion in a lot shorter time span.

 

We love Dominion! ANd I can play it with my now 9-year old son too.  It plays much quicker with 2 players than with more, as I recall. But The setup can take some time.  He pretty much set aside Sushi Go when we started playing Dominion.

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