2018 – Year in Review

Happy New Year!

We’re not sure if 2018 flew by for you, but it sure seemed like it did for us. We passed a number of milestones as a family this year. And we ended 2018 with a bang by taking a family vacation over Christmas and into the New Year. It’s so great to all be together again.

But before we dive into the new year, let’s take a look back at 2018.

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Bridget feels like a timeless classic

Heading into the Christmas holidays, everyone seems to get a little bit nostalgic.

We watch old Christmas movies. We think about the fun of Christmas in our childhood. We reminisce about years gone by with family members. And we often think back to “simpler” times.

Well, for some reason, playing Bridget, by ET Games, is a lot like that.

Perhaps it’s the wooden blocks. Or perhaps it’s the simple rules.

Either way, playing Bridget feels like hearkening back to simpler times. And I love that respite.

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Forbidden Sky delivers cooperative science

You’ve rescued treasure from a sinking island and recovered a legendary flying machine from the desert — now it’s time to power up a rocket from a platform in the clouds 7,000 feet above the ground.

In order to do so, you’ll have to work together as a team to wire together capacitors and lightning rods in a true electrical circuit with the launch pad!

This third installment in the “Forbidden” series of cooperative games is more than just playing with tiles on a table. Players now must create an actual electrical circuit in order to win.

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Bevy of Kids Games Reviews and Game Giveaway!

Over the coming 7 days we’re reviewing 7 new board games and card games your kids may love.

Since kids games have very simple rules, each review will be a shorter than our typical reviews. As such, we’re also going to review a couple games at a time. And we’ll end with a game giveaway!

We’re starting off with 3 games that can help your kids with math:
* Monster Crunch: The Breakfast Battle Game
* This Game Goes to Eleven
* Make 7

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Azul board game review

It’s hard for an abstract strategy game to make its way in this world. The masses clamor for board games dripping with theme. Like with movies and books, players are drawn to games that help them escape into a new realm.

So when an abstract board game comes along and wins the coveted Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year) award, people take notice.

Such is the case with Azul by Plan B Games and Next Move Games.

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Sail into the Blue Lagoon for family fun

One look at the box art for Blue Lagoon and we know exactly what you’ll think.

That’s because we, and everyone else we’ve shown the game to has said the exact same thing, “Is this Moana, the Board Game?”

Nope, it’s not.

It’s Blue Lagoon – another Gen Con 2018 release from Blue Orange Games!

And while there’s no “Maui, shapeshifter, Demigod of the wind and sea, hero of men” to be found anywhere in Blue Lagoon, you will find lots of island settlers and colorful huts to dot the board.

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Mistborn: House War board game review

Brandon Sanderson’s books have a very prominent spot on our family bookshelves.

That’s because our boys absolutely LOVE his fantasy novels – especially his Stormlight Archive and Mistborn series.

They love them so much, I finally cracked the cover on the first book in the Stormlight Archive, The Way of Kings and am enjoying it as well. My plan is to dive into the Mistborn series once I get through the 3 thick Stormlight books.

And thanks to playing Mistborn: House War, I’ve already been introduced to characters and themes of the series.

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Century: Golem Edition card game review

Century: Golem Edition is a fantastic board game for the whole family!

It’s a game that both young and old players can all enjoy playing together. The game play is straightforward yet also offers enough choices due to the variety of cards and when they appear to keep players coming back for more.

Young players will love collecting crystals as well as exchanging them for more powerful combinations of crystals. And older players will realize there’s also depth of strategy involved in the choices they make.

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Best Games of the Year are pretty gloomy

The best board games, card games, dice games, family games, and party games of 2017 have now been awarded!

And as many might have expected, the results are pretty gloomy this year.

As in, Gloomhaven took the awards by storm winning in 5 categories!

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Ticket to Ride: New York board game review

What if you took a popular continental train game and compressed it into just one city?

Well, that’s what Days of Wonder has just done with their ever-popular, Ticket to Ride game!

It features similar game play to what you’re familiar with in Ticket to Ride games but in a compressed format – in size, scope, and game time.

If you think a game of Ticket to Ride takes too long to play. Or if you want a bit more of that bustling Manhattan pace in your games, Ticket to Ride New York may be the game for you!

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