3-5 Players, 45 Minutes, High Complexity, Medium Strategy, Ages 10+
Avast, me hearties! Come close and let this salty old seadog tell you the treacherous tale of one Long John Silver. Mutinied he was, and taken prisoner by a crew hungry for treasure, but that rascally old pirate wouldn’t give up the location of his riches that easily. The crew bickered amongst themselves, eager to betray each other and take the treasure for themselves, and ol’ Long John fed into their paranoia, giving them each different clues, some of which weren’t even true, to distract the crew long enough that he could escape and take the cursed gold for himself… In Treasure Island, you get to play as a pirate scrambling across a Caribbean island, trying to claim Silver’s treasure for yourself, or you can play as Silver, handing out the vaguest clues you can, and occasionally even lying through your teeth to throw the crew off the trail long enough for you to escape the brig!
2-4 Players, 30 Minutes, Medium Complexity, Medium Strategy, Ages 8+
There’s nothing quite like a good brainteaser. That pleasant tickle at the back of your skull when you’re onto something big, or when those pieces are about to slide into place... there’s something magical about that “eureka” moment where everything falls into place, and it gets so, so much better when you’re the first to figure it out and you get to smugly explain it to family and friends. A lot of board games work on this basic premise, but Q-bitz Extreme is the only one I’ve seen that takes it completely literally, offering players a unique spatial puzzle that’s challenging for kids and highly competitive for adults!
2+ Players, 10 Minutes, Low Complexity, Medium Strategy, Ages 6+
What do shampoo and corn have in common? What’s the difference between a bell pepper and a crossword? It’s not a joke, but it is the sort of hilarious parallels you’ll be drawing in one of our favourite party games ever- we’re reviewing Pickles to Penguins, the quick-thinking, picture-linking party game with fans from Albuquerque to Zanzibar!
2-4 Players, ~30 Minutes, Medium Complexity, High Strategy, Ages 8+
Congratulations! It’s your first day working at the World Health Organization, where you’ll be studying illness, researching cures, and SAVING THE WORLD! Let’s start with that last one, actually. Four new virulent diseases are ravaging the planet, and it’s up to your team of super scientists and doctors to stop them before it turns into a global PANDEMIC! That’s right, we’re reviewing the modern classic, the granddaddy of co-op games, the sickness-smashing, disease-dueling, illness-eradicating game of strategy and stress!
Some games never go out of fashion. Monopoly has been kicking for over a century, Charades has been around since the early 1800’s and Checkers was played 5000 years ago in Ancient Mesopotamia. They’re great games, and they’ve withstood the test of time for a reason, but sometimes a small tweak can make them feel new and fresh again, providing a game that’s immediately accessible for new players due to its familiarity, yet fresh and engaging for people who have played for years. Fat Brain Toy’s newest game, Pencil Nose, is one such tweak, and I think it’s my all-time favourite variation on Pictionary.
Parka Pete balances delicately atop his lovingly made igloo, frozen in horror as his home is slowly surrounded by Antarctica's most fearsome predators- penguins with ice picks. With a silly premise, silly pieces, silly gameplay, and (with luck) a few silly players, Igloo Mania will have you and your friends laughing faster than you can say “get the igloo glue”!
What is the perfect game for your next social gathering? What goes perfectly with drinks and friends? What is the best party game put out by Outset Media, and What should be the next game on your shopping list? You’ll learn the answers to these questions (plus a whole bunch of answers you never knew you wanted)- in the preeminent party game that raises more answers than questions- this is What? and it is an absolute joy to play.
You’ve got the freshest veggies, the specialty spices, and a handful of recipes, but you also have hungry customers, desperate for an avocado-based dip. It’s time to prove yourself as the best (or at least, the most efficient) chef in town, because Guacamole brings a whole new meaning to fast food.
2-4 Players, 20 Minutes, Medium Complexity, Medium Strategy, Ages 8+
Loosely inspired by the work of legendary director Akira Kurosawa, Sixteen Samurai is a game of epic combat played out across a series of rapid-fire rounds. Blades will ring, heroes will fall, dice will roll, and at the end, the winner will be the last samurai clan left standing!
2-4 Players, 30 Minutes, Low Complexity, High Strategy, Ages 6+
Abstract games tend to get overlooked compared to their flashier, more thematic cousins, but Qwirkle’s simple tile-laying gameplay is like slipping into a warm bath after a long day. It’s a classic, and rightfully so: Qwirkle draws upon games like Rummy and dominos for inspiration, and the result is charming, unique, and deeply strategic despite its simplicity.
