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Board Games
Choosing a board game
New Board Games
The most recent news in board games, as many have noticed, is the Here and Now Edition of Monopoly
One of the newest things to take the market by storm are board games on DVD
Seen at the Toy Fair
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This is a crazy, yet creative game for teams of teens and adults who enjoy pop culture. For those who have played Cranium, it is the same idea of drawing, molding, acting, or humming to get your teammates to figure out the secret phrase or word. The first to reach 20 points wins! Hilarious fun that everyone can enjoy together. |
Can you unravel the mystery of Mona Lisa? Who has the real Mona Lisa? Through wheeling, dealing, and manipulating the market, you, as an art dealer, need to do what it takes to drive up the price of your piece and lower the price of your opponent's Mona Lisa. He (or she) with the highest valued painting in the end is the victor. For teens and adults. |
Buy! Sell! Build! Borrow! Rent! Sounds like Monopoly? Sure it is very similar. However, this game originally launched in the 1930s, roughly around the same time as Monopoly, and it has now undergone a makeover. If you don't already own a banking game, this could be the right one for your board game collection. |
Pick a card, any card, and try to draw it! Whether your specialty is drawing stick figures, or if you're a regular artiste, everyone can enjoy this family board game reminiscent of the classic Pictionary |
Award Winning
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Battle it out on a crazy ride down white water rapids. The first to the finish line wins |
Play a looting dragon in Medieval times, dodging deadly wizards, kings and knights. |
An easy game for all family members about miners and mayors in the wild west. |
A puzzle game modeled after the bestselling book, players have to use abstract strategy to uncover designs and patterns. |
An economics-based card game involving selling wares from market stands to make the most money. |
Party Games
Party games are great because you can get a lot of people involved at the same time. They often require skills such as drawing, molding clay, acting/charades, word play and trivia. Other games not shown here, but also worth mentioning are Times Up
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Conquest and Strategy Games
The strategy genre falls both under family games and what's sometimes called designer, German-games or Euro-games. Others that are included in this category but not pictured below are Carcassone
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Risk |
Tikal |
Taj Mahal |
Tigris and Euphrates |
Settlers of Catan |
Classic Board Games
These aren't the only supposed "classics" out there. Other noteworthy games include Twister
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Choosing Board Games for Kids
A great gift for children, board games are instant boredom medication.
As with most toys, choosing board games for kids is mostly a matter of finding something suitable to their age. The recommendations on board games, such as 3+, 12+, etc., are a good guideline to follow. However, keep in mind that some parts can cause a choking risk and that every child develops at a different rate. Some four year olds may be perfectly happy sitting down to play a game, whereas others may not have the patience yet. When in doubt, go for the more advanced game so that the child can grow into it, otherwise the game will be too basic and bore the child. Be especially wary when it comes to board games with a limited age range, say 5 to 8. An eight year old and a child who just turned five are very different.
When choosing for preschoolers, look for board games that help enhance a child's learning experience and promote the use of color and shapes. Numbers and basic math skills should start to come into play once a child enters school. Simplicity is key at this young age. Once a child has moved on from grade school you will want something challenging that requires logic and problem-solving, even word and number games. Yahtzee
Take note of what particular interests a child may have. Some board games are based on a particular show, movie or character. Think Star Wars
Price may be a matter when it comes to board game selection. The most important price matters have to do with quality and playability. Games that will be played repeatedly for years to come will be well worth the extra money, while a game that has a very limited spectrum for game play will become tiresome and not get used as much. Often, games that are geared towards children less than 10 years old are not going to live on into the future for long. Don't spend more than $20 on one of these short-lived board games. If it's a collector's edition of something, expect to spend more than $50. These might be appropriate options for teenagers.
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| New Games | ||||
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It's a race to the finish that all family members can enjoy (ages 5 and up). Based on the popular "I Spy" game, learning to play is easy. Simply draw a card and match the item to your game board so you can ring the bell first and win the round! |
This is a fast-paced game for preschoolers and kindergarteners to help them learn their colors. Players start on opposite ends of the board, give the spinner a whirl and move to the next space with the right color on it. The first to the other side of the board wins! |
The concept is simple, just like bingo. However, this game has an educational twist designed to teach kids about vocabulary, matching and concentration. It comes in a variety of styles including the popular "Heroes" version that uses Marvel comic book characters. |
This is a great game for kids and parents to play together since it is a trivia game easily adaptable for all ages. All the questions can be answered by using what you already know, and often, the questions just use a little creative thinking to come to the right answer. |
Love Twister? Love to dance? Then you'll love Twister Dance DVD. It combines the classic element of Twister with dance lessons to upbeat music. Ideal for slumber parties and girls between the ages of 8 and 12. |