NS Oakey

This is a great game for a large group! (up to 12 people)

It is the lovechild of Clue, Werewolf and Mysterium.

The group must discover who amongst them is the Murder (as well as their weapon and the evidence left behind) but the person who knows the truth can not speak, they can only provide information through randomized cards (like the ghost in Mysterium)
Game play is quite short (15-20 minutes) so we always end up playing 5 or 6 rounds.

The expansion adds some fun roles, but it most valuable for the added clue cards.

Best for groups that are vocal, and enjoying bluffing!

This casual game is a cottage hit! It is very easy to learn, has a high replay options and will appeal to serious gamers as well as their non-gaming friends. We have found it a great addition to our pregame night, a warm up while we wait for everyone else to arrive, but also a gentle “just one more” after the big games are done.

Praise overheard while playing “I love a game where we can chat while we play”, “it’s like doodling with purpose”, “can we play again?”

I recommend adding some coloured pencils into the box, since a lot of people will find the Tetris fit easier when blocks are different colours.

One of the reasons I bought this is that regular graph paper will work when you run out of the cute pad provided, and small games with big impact are important when travelling!

Recommended for fans of Patchwork, Tetris, and drawing

Sushi Go is a fun fast card game that is a pick pass and play style so strategy is based on collecting what you need, but also paying attention to stopping your neighbour from completing a set. I enjoyed playing it, until I was invited to the Sushi Go Party! This expansion improves the game 8 fold! Not only can more players join the feast, but the ability to mix up the cards you use means the expansion has much more replay value.

The game suggests several combinations that work well, but we’ve found randomly selection is also a treat.

A fun game for adults and children (fair warning some of the mechanics for points might be confusing to the littlest in your group) Some of the ‘special’ cards can be confusing to first time players, regardless of age, but most everyone catches on quickly in the first round.

The art is delightful, and the style of the board and components are sturdy. My only complaints are the scoring track is narrow if you’ve got more than four players and the vacu-form insert for card storage does not allow you to keep cards sorted, we all wish it was more like the dominion inserts.

Really the only downside is that playing makes me hungry!

This is a fun game for families since you can play with a little or a lot of strategy. It relies more on luck than tactics but it is possible to play smart. Each player is a wizard that needs spell stones (domino like tiles) in order to cast a spell. The trick is that you can’t see your own spells, so must deduce what is available to you based on what the other players have. There are 3 spells #3, 5 spells #5 etc, each with specific actions unique to that spell. Any spell you DO cast will case damage to another player, and the round ends when one player has lost their ‘life points’. The good news is everyone is restored to full health for the next round, and you can play again. With young ones you might only want to play a few rounds, but the game is quite fun for longer attention spans and can be used as a spring board for storytelling element (role playing optional!)

Well made plastic components with good card stock boards.
Easy to learn.

Beautiful wooden pieces make this game a joy to play!

You and your partner for this round must build a structure together, the twist? You’re each looking at different ground plans!

Find ways to talk about your building options and USE ALL THE PIECES (not just the ones on your plan) within a certain amount of time and you get paid. The faster you are as a team, the more money you earn.

This game works well with 3, but is probably more fun with more players as you will be challenged to work in different pairings.

There are lots of challenge cards, and two levels of difficulty so the replay value is high. House rules could be adjusted for playing with younger builders (ie change the pay rate for times that are more suitable to your age range) Bonus for young players, no reading required!

A great game for 3D thinkers and for those who are looking for something other than worker placement or word based party games.

Full disclosure: Pandemic is currently my favourite game, and to be honest I think the “On the Brink” expansion is the best part. I always include at least one component whenever I play. I hesitated to buy the “In the Lab” because my old school original cards did not match (and I’m not a fan of the new graphics) But curiosity won me over! I purchased some card sleeves and added the Lab into the mix.

While on the Brink is an expansion, The Lab variant is really a different game. Same mechanics but a totally different strategy and play style is required. After a few plays (and no wins) we have discovered that it is best to keep one player in a research station focusing on the lab components of the game.

Although you still need five city/player cards of the disease in question, multiple players can contribute to their 1+1+3 acquisition. In addition there are now several phases to the cure that must also happen while someone is at a research station. Several turns of Lab work are required after treated cubes have been to the new Lab board. It does shift the pressure from treating to curing and the new strategy is to to shift focus into the lab.

If you are new to playing this version of the game, I suggest using only the roles that come with the Lab (and not those from “On the Brink”) The rules suggest that you can include the Virulent Disease and Mutation Strains with the Lab, but I haven’t been that brave yet. Maybe once I win a few from the Lab…

Our family loves this game!

We play often, with all ages, and enjoy the gorgeous art work as well as the built in geography lessons.

On your turn you can collect OR spend, but not both. This is a great action structure to teach strategy to the younger travellers. For very young players (who can’t read yet) we use tokens from another game to flay their target cities (and ask older players to not play too offensively!)

This game is very rewarding for those familiar with the series, but that knowledge is not essential to enjoy the game.
It does require time to set up, even for those who have played before, and a large table surface is essential as each player will need a storage area in addition to the space required for the draw piles.
The board is gorgeous and so are the heavy card stock components.

Randomized quests make replay interesting!

It does take a while to become familiar with the map, which helps strategy.

For shorter games, house rules could opt for one of three quests instead of trying to complete all three quests on a given challenge.

First time players will require extra to set up this game, but it is worth it, especially since play becomes more apparent as the game continues.

The wooden components and hefty cardstock guarantee a long-lasting game as well as one that is enjoyable to play with.

D & D fans will appreciate the storytelling elements, but as they are not crucial to the game play, this is a good game even if you’ve never heard of Waterdeep.

Worker placement is made more exciting by the randomized quest cards that help you earn points. Intrigue cards can help you and foil your opponents.

This game requires a medium to large surface area to accommodate the supply of adventurers and money. Each player also requires an area for card storage.