Trent, Author at The Board Game Family

World’s Fair 1893 board game review

One of my favorite memories as a teenager was when our family went to Canada for Expo 86. It was a World’s Fair held in Vancouver, British Columbia, and I thought it was so cool.

The theme of Expo 86 was “Transportation and Communication: World in Motion – World in Touch” and it was a spectacle.

Perhaps it was because of my experience going to a World’s Fair that I was drawn to the board game World’s Fair 1893 when it was published a few years ago.

I first played the game at SaltCon a while back and enjoyed playing it. Then earlier this year, Renegade Game Studios announced a new version of the game. They sent us a copy and we’re excited to tell you all about it.

July 25, 2021 Trent 2 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, area-control, family, luck, Renegade Game Studios, set collection, strategy, theme

Articles Board Games Card Games Cooperative Games Dice Games Family Games Game Reviews Kid Games Party Games Top 10 Lists

Best Games of 2020! – The Dice Tower Awards

The best board games, card games, dice games, family games, and party games of 2020 have been awarded!

The Dice Tower recently announced the winners of The Dice Tower Awards — the annual crowing of the best board games published last year.

With thousands of new games published every year, there’s never a shortage of great new board games to play.

Top board game reviewers, podcasters, and industry contributors from around the world participated in the nomination and voting process.

Now, let’s see The Dice Tower Award Winners for 2020:

July 18, 2021 Trent 0 Comments Best Board Games, card, cooperative, dice, family game, kid, luck, party, strategy, The Dice Tower, Top 10 lists

Board Games Dice Games Family Games Game Reviews Party Games

King of Tokyo: Dark Edition game review

In 2012 we reviewed one of the hot new board games that year, King of Tokyo.

King of Tokyo is a push-your-luck board game where you get to play “king of the hill” using dice, special ability power cards, and cool monsters.

It’s no wonder why it jumped to “hot game” status because it’s easy to play and a lot of fun for up to 6 players.

iello quickly published an expansion for the game, King of Tokyo: Power Up. And a couple of year later released King of New York.

Last year, they published a collector’s edition of the game called King of Tokyo: Dark Edition and we’re excited to share our thoughts about it.

July 4, 2021 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, 6-player, dice, iello, luck

Board Games Cooperative Games Family Games Game Reviews

Break In: Area 51 – Game Review

Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed your mission.

Unfortunately, you left your spaceship behind and the humans have captured it and are taking it apart in a place they call “Area 51”.

You better break in and get it back before it’s too late. Otherwise, you’ll never be able to return home.

What are you waiting for? Get going!

June 24, 2021 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, 6-player, cooperative, escape, PlayMonster, solo, thinking

Articles

Theme Every Game Night with Medieval Collectibles

Cosplay has exploded over the past two decades and the resources available to fans to make or buy costumes and accessories of all sorts has kept pace.

One such resource is Medieval Collectibles — a one-stop-shop for collectors of medieval weapons, renaissance clothing, and many other such items.

To get a first hand look at the high quality and range of their items, they sent us a Black Hilt Rapier and a Norman Crusader Guarding Door Bookend.

To cut to the chase, we’re extremely impressed with both items.

June 15, 2021June 15, 2021 Trent 0 Comments theme

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews Kid Games

Bananagrams Duel Word Game Review

I’m not a big fan of word games in general.

However, there are a few that buck the trend and end up being word games I enjoy playing.

For example, though millions of people love playing Scrabble, I steer clear of it. Yet I quite enjoy playing Boggle. And the team word game, Word on the Street, is one of my favorite party games.

So when we got a copy of Bananagrams Duel from Bananagrams, the big question was, will this 2-player, dice-rolling, word-building, race-game buck that trend as well?

Let’s find out!

June 11, 2021 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, Bananagrams, family, spelling, word

Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig Secrets and Soirees board game

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets & Soirees – expansion game review

The king is at it again!

More crazy castles to build with your neighbors plus options to go it alone!

Last year we reviewed a fun game from Stonemaier Games called Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig. It was a mash up of two games we really enjoy — Between Two Cities and Castles of Mad King Ludwig. And they did a fantastic job bringing those two games together in yet another enjoyable game.

So of course we were excited to get a chance to review this new expansion, Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Secrets & Soirees.

And it’s time to share our thoughts about the expansion game!

May 23, 2021 Trent 1 Comment 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, 6-player, 7-player, 8-player, castles, cooperative, solo, Stonemaier Games, strategy, theme, tile-laying

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Disney: The Haunted Mansion – Call of the Spirits board game review

When was the last time your family spent some time in The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or Disney World?

It’s a classic ride that Disney fans flock to the world over. And now you can live it up on your own kitchen table!

Last year, while all the Disney parks were shut down, Funko Games published Disney: The Haunted Mansion – Call of the Spirits Game.

Players explore all the classic rooms of the ghost-infested manor, from the festivities-filled Ballroom to the Attic and out to the Graveyard and beyond in search of ghosts.

Are you ready for those grim grinning ghosts to socialize?

May 18, 2021 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, Disney, Funko, luck, strategy, theme

Articles

UnboxBoardom – A subscription service for board games!

When we first started reviewing family board games almost 12 years ago, there was a local board game store that had a rental service. They would rent board games for 10 days 10% of the cost of the game. It was a unique service that we enjoyed using for trying new games.

It gave us a way to experience something fresh on a regular basis.

Well, since then we’ve seen a number of different board game services offered by companies to tap into the joy people find with discovering new and fun games to play.

Recently we heard about a board game subscription service called UnboxBoardom.

May 10, 2021May 10, 2021 Trent 0 Comments

Card Games Family Games Game Reviews Kid Games

Abandon All Artichokes Card Game Review

When you give your kids vegetables for dinner, do they just push them around and try to make it look like they ate some?

Or do you have to tell them to stop playing with their food?

Well, now there’s a new way to play with vegetables — Abandon All Artichokes!

Gamewright is known for making fantastic board games and card games for families and we’re happy to say that tradition continues with this light, fun family card game.

April 27, 2021 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, card, Gamewright, luck