The Board Game Family

Minecraft Builders and Biomes board game

Minecraft Builders and Biomes – More Than Punching Trees

Back in early 2019, my four boys started asking me if we could get the hit game–Minecraft. I said “No” for a long time. Until after much research and finding out that you can play solo and in private servers, I finally relented and Minecraft entered our home.

Flash forward a year and a half and Minecraft has become a huge hit in our house, not only by my kids, but also by me!

Many hours have been spent creating worlds, adventuring to find treasure, and fighting the steady stream of monsters placed in our way.

When Ravensburger released the board game Minecraft Builders and Biomes, in late 2019 we were all very interested in how it would compare to its digital counterpart. I watch some play-throughs and sure enough, it looked like something we would enjoy very much. Once I got connected with The Board Game Family, I asked Trent to hook me up, and boy did he come through.

December 30, 2020December 30, 2020 Dane Trimble 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, children, expansion, family, luck, Ravensburger, strategy, toy

Family Games Game Reviews Kid Games

Laser Pegs toy review

In 1942 a man by the name of Ole Kirk Christiansen created a toy that would forever change the landscape of the industry. The name of that toy…LEGO, a plastic interlocking building toy that has grown into an empire worth billions.

With continued popularity and the expiration of patents, it’s not surprising that more and more companies are now manufacturing LEGO-like products.

The big question is — can they offer something new and unique?

Enter Laser Pegs, “the first lighted construction toys in the world that feed the next piece low voltage current to illuminate your creations with LED’s.”

That’s right, Laser Pegs light up!

December 22, 2020 Dane Trimble 0 Comments Laser Pegs, toys

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews Kid Games

Ticket to Ride: London board game review

Ticket to Ride is one of the most popular modern board games in the world. So it’s no surprise Days of Wonder keeps cranking out more iterations of the game.

Of course, we’re not complaining because we love playing Ticket to Ride in its many forms!

The first Ticket to Ride game was published in 2004 with a map of the United States. The next year Days of Wonder published Ticket to Ride: Europe and many more map versions followed. Then in 2018, they published a small version of the game focused on just one city – New York City. It plays in a fraction of the time and is essentially a bite-sized version of the original game.

Their latest iteration is the game we’re reviewing today — Ticket to Ride: London.

December 19, 2020 Trent 0 Comments 2 players, 3-players, 4 players, Days of Wonder, luck, map, strategy, Ticket to Ride

Card Games Family Games Game Reviews Kid Games

Gremlins: Holiday Havoc Card Game Review

As a child of the 80’s, I remember seeing Gremlins when it opened in movie theaters in 1984. And I loved it!

I also remember watching Gremlins with my kids when they were old enough for me to enrich their lives with classic 80’s culture. And that’s when I realized, Gremlins really isn’t a kids movie!

Those Gremlins are pretty nasty creatures. But the excruciating deaths by kitchen appliances is quite an eye-opening scene (when I’m now seeing it through the eyes of my kids).

How irresponsible of a parent could I be?

But I digress…let’s talk game instead!

With the Christmas holiday upon us, it’s time we slap some Gremlins around in this new game by Funko — Gremlins: Holiday Havoc.

December 14, 2020 Trent 0 Comments 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, card, Funko, luck

Board Games Cooperative Games Family Games Game Reviews

Break In: Alcatraz Game Review

It’s June 11, 1962, the day you’re going to break into Alcatraz.

Yes, you read that right. You’ll be breaking into the most secure prison in the world to break 4 inmates out. Months of planning has gone into this daring operation and now it’s time to act.

At least it will be if you’re playing Break In: Alcatraz!

From the publisher, Playmonster: “Throughout this collaborative experience, you must work together to follow a series of clues and solve puzzles to unfold multiple layers of the game and move deeper into the prison to help your friends escape! You’ll encounter many obstacles and characters along the way…this game provides the thrill and challenge of an escape room, combined with the experience and world-immersion of a movie”!

Do you have what it takes to break into Alcatraz?

December 12, 2020June 21, 2021 Dane Trimble 2 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, 6-player, cooperative, deduction, escape room, PlayMonster, solo, strategy

Articles

We’re on The Learning Life Podcast!

The board game hobby continues to smash through boundaries. And we’re excited to be a part of it!

Today we made another such breakthrough on a podcast targeted to business leaders — The Learning Life Podcast with Jon Tota.

As you might guess from the title, The Learning Life focuses on the learning industry. They have weekly guests sharing new insight, new stories, and best practices to help organizations take their learning to the next level.

But when Jon saw our 2020 Board Game Gift Guide, he thought it would be awesome to take a break from the weekly corporate learning talk and talk about something fun — board games!

December 8, 2020December 8, 2020 Trent 0 Comments card, cooperative, couples, dice, family, family board games, luck, party, podcast, strategy

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Hues and Cues Board Game Review

If I gave you the clue “Barney”, would you be able to pick it out of a grid of 480 colors?

What about “Mustard”, “Ocean Spray”, or “Slime”?

That’s the premise in a new game by The Op called Hues and Cues. And it’s much tougher than we first imagined.cBut that doesn’t mean it’s not a fun game to play. The real question is will your family and friends enjoy playing it?

After all, that’s why we do these reviews — to give you a feel for a game and help you decide if it’s right for your group.

So let’s see where Hues and Cues may fall for you.

December 6, 2020 Trent 0 Comments 10-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, 6-player, 7-player, 8-player, 9-player, color, guessing, party, The OP

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

We’d love to be Trekking the World!

I think we all wish we could be out traveling the world right now. Traveling is the thing I’ve missed the most in 2020.

We’ve had to cancel two big vacations we’d been looking forward to for a long time. One of those would have been this week. We’re totally bummed that we couldn’t be seeing new sights in Asia right now.

But in the meantime, we can jet all around the world in our imagination while we play Trekking the World!

Trekking the World is the latest board game published by Underdog Games. It delivers a lot of the familiar game play from Trekking the National Parks while adding a few new elements we really enjoy.

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020 Trent 2 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, set collection, strategy, theme, Underdog Games

Articles

Full of Thanksgiving

We’re celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States this week — so we’re thinking a bunch about what we’re thankful for.

And that revolves around family!

I’m extremely grateful for my family — both my immediate family and extended family. They bring joy to my life.

November 25, 2020December 1, 2020 Trent 4 Comments Thanksgiving

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Healthy Heart Hospital Board Game Review

In Healthy Heart Hospital players assume the roles of doctors and hospital administrators attempting to bring prestige back to Healthy Heart after the previous administration left it a mess.

Prestige is earned by curing patients and expanding your hospital. If players are able to make it through the ambulance card deck, they win the game. If players go broke or run out of places to put dead patients, they lose.

Do you have what it takes to bring Health Heart back?