Board games to play with kids (Update on page 2)

[Zarathud]

The awesome local Cat & Mouse Game store has several YouTube videos, including Beginning Games for (Very) Young Players. It covers games for 18+ mos and later skill-building.

[Blackhawk]

Arise, arise!

So, Christmas is upon us. Well, not exactly, but it is time start planning if I want to be able to get things for the kids before then.

Same two kids (although they'll be 9 and 11 by Christmas.) Caiden (9) is getting Wrath of Ashardolan. They're getting Battleship Galaxies addressed to both. For Ian (11), though, it is a little harder. He likes both Tannhauser and the Gears of War board games.

I've never played either, and am going on box descriptions and Amazon reviews. Can anyone compare and/or contrast the two and help me decide which to get?

[Blackhawk]

...aaaand nevermind. I finally found a review that addressed what I needed. Gears of War is off the list.

[silverjon]

May I ask why you were able to eliminate it so decisively? Content or gameplay or...?

[Boudreaux]

Yeah I'd be curious too. Gears of War is actually a pretty good board game.

[Blackhawk]

I've read several different reviews that described it as fun, but that it was often extremely frustrating. I've read the same thing about Arkham Horror - good games, but it can be frustrating.

Adults can ignore frustrating in favor of the fun. With kids it is a bigger issue.

[hentzau]

Does he like Tannhauser, as in he's played it, or does he like the look/idea/concept of Tannhauser?

Personally, I found Tannhauser a bewildering mess. We've tried to play it a couple of times, but never were able to even get a game started. Guesss maybe I'm just dense. Or maybe the rules are just horrible. I'm still hanging onto it, and I should most likely get the updated, clarified rules that they released, but I'm hesitant of throwing good money after bad.

[Chaz]

Mice & Mystics is about to come out. It's a fantasy dungeoncrawl/story telling game where the characters play as mice. Kind of a more narrative Descent, except the heroes have swords and whiskers. The previews have all been glowing. I haven't tried it yet, but I've got a copy on preorder.

[Isgrimnur]

Does he like Tannhauser, as in he's played it, or does he like the look/idea/concept of Tannhauser?

Personally, I found Tannhauser a bewildering mess. We've tried to play it a couple of times, but never were able to even get a game started. Guesss maybe I'm just dense. Or maybe the rules are just horrible. I'm still hanging onto it, and I should most likely get the updated, clarified rules that they released, but I'm hesitant of throwing good money after bad.

Is $5 outside your comfort zone?

[Smoove_B]

Whoa...that's like Wrath of Ashlargdaalong but for younger kids? Thanks for posting that -- looks like it might be great for a soon-to-be 7 year old...

[Blackhawk]

Does he like Tannhauser, as in he's played it, or does he like the look/idea/concept of Tannhauser?

Personally, I found Tannhauser a bewildering mess. We've tried to play it a couple of times, but never were able to even get a game started. Guesss maybe I'm just dense. Or maybe the rules are just horrible. I'm still hanging onto it, and I should most likely get the updated, clarified rules that they released, but I'm hesitant of throwing good money after bad.

Likes the concept. Playing it isn't an option - we don't own it, and the nearest game store is about 70 miles from here. I'm getting the revised version, and I've watched a bunch of gameplay videos. I don't think it will be an issue. Both kids did OK with Pathfinder when we were playing that, and the Tannhauser rules are a lot less complex than that.

[hentzau]

Does he like Tannhauser, as in he's played it, or does he like the look/idea/concept of Tannhauser?

Personally, I found Tannhauser a bewildering mess. We've tried to play it a couple of times, but never were able to even get a game started. Guesss maybe I'm just dense. Or maybe the rules are just horrible. I'm still hanging onto it, and I should most likely get the updated, clarified rules that they released, but I'm hesitant of throwing good money after bad.

Likes the concept. Playing it isn't an option - we don't own it, and the nearest game store is about 70 miles from here. I'm getting the revised version, and I've watched a bunch of gameplay videos. I don't think it will be an issue. Both kids did OK with Pathfinder when we were playing that, and the Tannhauser rules are a lot less complex than that.

Like I said, I think I'm just dense. I have some credit over at my FLGS, maybe I'll wander over there and see if they have the revised rulebook in stock.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Arise, arise!

So, Christmas is upon us. Well, not exactly, but it is time start planning if I want to be able to get things for the kids before then.

Same two kids (although they'll be 9 and 11 by Christmas.) Caiden (9) is getting Wrath of Ashardolan. They're getting Battleship Galaxies addressed to both. For Ian (11), though, it is a little harder. He likes both Tannhauser and the Gears of War board games.

I've never played either, and am going on box descriptions and Amazon reviews. Can anyone compare and/or contrast the two and help me decide which to get?

You could always opt for something simpler, such as a Heroscape Master Set. As a simplified hex-based miniatures battle game that was designed with younger players in mind, it should be a surefire hit with an 11-yr old. The pre-painted miniatures definitely make the game much more appealing to younger players. If you're unfamiliar with the game, this BGG review makes for a pretty good primer on the game and how it plays.

[Boudreaux]

I've played Tannhauser with (I assume) the original rules and didn't find it too bad, but then again I had it taught to me by someone who knew the game. The line of sight rules were actually rather clever, rather than relying on measuring squares or "incorporating game art" or other nebulous methods.

But let me get this straight - FFG releases the original game, the consensus is that the rules are a confusing mess, so they revise the rules for clarity and then charge another $10 for it? Really FFG?

Also, I've been deliberately trying to avoid reading anything about Mice and Mystics, just because it sounds like such a fantastic idea and I really really do not need to buy another new game right now. Really don't.

[Blackhawk]

I looked at Heroscape, and it is on the big list (where Gears of War is right now.) It just isn't on the immediate list, partially because of the prices I've seen for the master sets ($80 - $200 depending on where you look. Most of the cheaper sets I've seen have 'fine print' about missing parts.)

[Zarathud]

I must also be dense. Tannhauser's original rules were also a problem for me. But it probably can be found cheap and the minis were cool.

Ashbardalon, I'll definitely recommend. I expect there are tons of DIY expansions on boardgamegeek. We'll get King of Tokyo.

This reminds me I owe the 5 year old a trip to FLGS Cat and Mouse.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I looked at Heroscape, and it is on the big list (where Gears of War is right now.) It just isn't on the immediate list, partially because of the prices I've seen for the master sets ($80 - $200 depending on where you look. Most of the cheaper sets I've seen have 'fine print' about missing parts.)

Wow, I hadn't realised the prices had risen that steeply. I know it used to be possible to buy the first two Heroscape Master Sets over at CoolStuffInc.com for ~$19.99 each. But it sounds like they've now passed into the territory of 'collector's item' pricing.

[coopasonic]

Mice & Mystics is about to come out. It's a fantasy dungeoncrawl/story telling game where the characters play as mice. Kind of a more narrative Descent, except the heroes have swords and whiskers. The previews have all been glowing. I haven't tried it yet, but I've got a copy on preorder.

This is the first time I have paid attention to this game. I watched the how to play video on the publishers site and I'm very interested. It looks like it might be a little over my 6 year olds head, but thematically, I think it might work pretty well for him. Kind of like Zombicide but less adult themed.

[Smoove_B]

I'm figuring since it supports solo play, it could still work with a 6 or 7 year old - obviously I'd be doing all the heavy lifting. But rolling dice and telling an interactive story? That sounds like a winner.

[Blackhawk]

I'm regretting Tannhauser.

We've been playing Ashardolan and Forbidden Island since the holidays, and I've only just started learning the rules for Tannhauser this week to play with them this weekend. I read the book, then sat down to run a couple of play-tests. I end up googling twice a round.

The number of rules that are contradictory or utterly vague is astounding, and searching through the BGG and Fantasy Flight forums has resulted in nothing but finding a bunch of other people just as confused. FFG has declined to even comment on them.

For instance:

1 - you can get reinforcements for three Command Points.

2 - You can do this only before you activate characters.

3 - Before you activate characters, Command Points are set to two.

4 - The rulebook mentions this, and says that it means you can only do it if you've received bonus points from crates/items.

5 - Getting bonus points from crates or items can only be done by activating a character. See #2.

The best I've found is that nobody else knows what to do with it, either. There are so many stop-gap house rules for this game that my head is spinning.

I think I'm going to shelve this and hope the kids don't ask why they never get to use their Christmas present. It's a shame, as the setting is cool as hell.

[hentzau]

I'm regretting Tannhauser.

We've been playing Ashardolan and Forbidden Island since the holidays, and I've only just started learning the rules for Tannhauser this week to play with them this weekend. I read the book, then sat down to run a couple of play-tests. I end up googling twice a round.

The number of rules that are contradictory or utterly vague is astounding, and searching through the BGG and Fantasy Flight forums has resulted in nothing but finding a bunch of other people just as confused. FFG has declined to even comment on them.

For instance:

1 - you can get reinforcements for three Command Points.

2 - You can do this only before you activate characters.

3 - Before you activate characters, Command Points are set to two.

4 - The rulebook mentions this, and says that it means you can only do it if you've received bonus points from crates/items.

5 - Getting bonus points from crates or items can only be done by activating a character. See #2.

The best I've found is that nobody else knows what to do with it, either. There are so many stop-gap house rules for this game that my head is spinning.

I think I'm going to shelve this and hope the kids don't ask why they never get to use their Christmas present. It's a shame, as the setting is cool as hell.

I had this exact same problem with Tannhauser. I sat down to try and explain the rules to my buddies, and I realized that even though I had read through them twice, I had no idea how the hell to explain them.

Hepcat says the second edition rules are a lot better, but I've never made the effort to pick them up. Any clue which rules you have?

[Edit: Oops. I'm repeating myself. Said pretty much the same thing earlier in the thread. But don't say I didn't tell you so! ]

[Blackhawk]

I have the latest revision.

[El Guapo]

I had a similar experience when I sat down and tried to read the rules to Blackbeard. Not that they were necessarily contradictory like that, but...so many rules, and charts...

[Anonymous Bosch]

Perhaps Universal Head's Tannhäuser Rules Summary & Reference would help make the game slightly less confusing? I've never played Tannhäuser myself, but I've always found Universal Head's guides for other board games to be absolutely top notch.

[Blackhawk]

Perhaps Universal Head's Tannhäuser Rules Summary & Reference would help make the game slightly less confusing? I've never played Tannhäuser myself, but I've always found Universal Head's guides for other board games to be absolutely top notch.

Had a copy printed out and sitting beside me.

I ended up ending the play-test early after four characters sat there and shot at each other for five rounds straight without landing a single wound. I think I'll give the rules another read now that I've seen them in action, but I'm not particularly hopeful right now.

[Blackhawk]

Two years later, and what a great two years it has been.

We've spent extensive time with Castle Ravenloft, Legend of Drizzt, Wrath of Ashardalon, Munchkin, Castle Panic, Forbidden Island, Tsuro, Battleship Galaxies and Zombie Dice. The kids have been fine with the rules on all of them, although they don't really grasp the strategies on Tsuro, where you have to plan your moves several steps in advance.

I've got a wish list packed full of great boardgames, including Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, The Adventurers, Last Night on Earth, Space Alert, BSG, King of Tokyo, Zombicide, and Small World.

Tannhauser has been shelved. I should have listened to hentzau on that one.

Now I'm thinking it might be time to branch out a little.

First, can anyone recommend a fun CCG that is fun for adults, yet playable by 9-11 year old kids (with above average ability with rules?) I'm not looking for Bob the Builder here - I'm looking for a real game that just doesn't have dozens of pages of obscure rules. Low initial investment (no buying three $30 'starter packs'), and a good variety of gameplay without having to spends wads on packs would be good (especially since I don't have a local game store.)

Second (and this one is a bit of a long shot), can anyone recommend a set of fun tabletop skirmish rules that are light enough to play in an hour or two? I've got lots of miniatures, and Bones on the way. I am avoiding GW, and play Warlord myself, but the games tend to be a bit longer than what I'd want to subject the kids to.

[Boudreaux]

First, can anyone recommend a fun CCG that is fun for adults, yet playable by 9-11 year old kids (with above average ability with rules?) I'm not looking for Bob the Builder here - I'm looking for a real game that just doesn't have dozens of pages of obscure rules. Low initial investment (no buying three $30 'starter packs'), and a good variety of gameplay without having to spends wads on packs would be good (especially since I don't have a local game store.)

I'd be quick to throw out suggestions for some of Fantasy Flight's Living Card Game lines, but there's an important question to ask first - do you want something that works with more than 2 players?

Secondly, are you REALLY looking for a CCG with boosters and randomness and whatnot? FFG has pumped plenty of boosters into their LCG lines, but at least you know exactly what you're getting and you can expand or not as you choose.

For 2 player card games, the new Star Wars card game is actually supposed to be pretty good.

For 3+ players, Warhammer Invasion is pretty good, I remember playing that with three and being impressed. War of Honor is a CCG turned into a multiplayer board game that is excellent, I have really enjoyed this. Finally, the Game of Thrones: The Card Game is probably at the top end complexity-wise, but is an EXCELLENT card game. Really, really well done with some deep strategy and a lot of gameplay. It's a game that really rewards familiarity and is good right out of the box.

Finally, while not a CCG/LCG the new Lord of the Rings Deck-Building Game, despite looking like a cheap movie cash-in, is really good. My 8 and 11-year-old sons really enjoy it.

[Ænima]

I would recommend going with one of Fantasy Flight's LCGs instead of a traditional CCG. Most of them are very playable out of the base set and you can pick and choose your expansions based on the factions you like and you know exactly what you are getting. They are both potential money pits, but CCGs are way, way worse IMO because of the random element.

My favorite is Android:Netrunner. I love the asymmetry and there are seven factions, all in the base set. It's a cyberpunk hackers vs. corporations theme. There are many others including Warhammer, LOTR, Game of Thrones, Cthulu and Star Wars.

[Blackhawk]

I'd be quick to throw out suggestions for some of Fantasy Flight's Living Card Game lines, but there's an important question to ask first - do you want something that works with more than 2 players?

Secondly, are you REALLY looking for a CCG with boosters and randomness and whatnot? FFG has pumped plenty of boosters into their LCG lines, but at least you know exactly what you're getting and you can expand or not as you choose.

More than two players, absolutely.

I'm wanting to avoid buying tons of boosters. I want a game where I can get a set of cards (one time expenditure) and not have to play the same exact game over and over, with the same few cards fighting the same few cards (if that makes sense.) I don't mind a pack here and there, but I don't want to have to do so in order to play - again, the nearest game store is a 100-mile round trip, or I get to pay shipping.

I really don't know the genre. I picked up a deck of Magic cards in '93 or so, and have a few WoW cards, but I've never been around people who play that type of game. I have yet to put card to table. As to LCGs - I'm look the term up now.

[Smoove_B]

Finally, while not a CCG/LCG the new Lord of the Rings Deck-Building Game, despite looking like a cheap movie cash-in, is really good. My 8 and 11-year-old sons really enjoy it.

I don't know about that one, but I had read that The Lord of the Rings Card Game was really good. Not a CCG though - it's one of those LCG thingies. The rub is that I think it's only 1 or 2 player, however I'd imagine as a parent you'd be helping out for a bit. It might be possible to play with 3 (or more) but you'd have to check the forums or look at some of the scenarios they provide. I had considered it simply for the solo play, but I'm not really a hardcore Lord of the Rings guy so most of theme would probably be lost on me.

[Boudreaux]

Finally, while not a CCG/LCG the new Lord of the Rings Deck-Building Game, despite looking like a cheap movie cash-in, is really good. My 8 and 11-year-old sons really enjoy it.

I don't know about that one, but I had read that The Lord of the Rings Card Game was really good. Not a CCG though - it's one of those LCG thingies. The rub is that I think it's only 1 or 2 player, however I'd imagine as a parent you'd be helping out for a bit. It might be possible to play with 3 (or more) but you'd have to check the forums or look at some of the scenarios they provide. I had considered it simply for the solo play, but I'm not really a hardcore Lord of the Rings guy so most of theme would probably be lost on me.

The LOTR LCG is also good, and it's cooperative instead of competitive: you play against the game. It's intended to be 1-2 players, but you can play with 3 or 4 by altering the basic game decks each player uses.

The problem I have with that is that the two harder scenarios included in the base game are next to impossible to beat without buying expansions and new cards. It's a game I've heard regarded as incomplete with just the base game.

[Boudreaux]

More than two players, absolutely.

I'm wanting to avoid buying tons of boosters. I want a game where I can get a set of cards (one time expenditure) and not have to play the same exact game over and over, with the same few cards fighting the same few cards (if that makes sense.) I don't mind a pack here and there, but I don't want to have to do so in order to play - again, the nearest game store is a 100-mile round trip, or I get to pay shipping.

I really don't know the genre. I picked up a deck of Magic cards in '93 or so, and have a few WoW cards, but I've never been around people who play that type of game. I have yet to put card to table. As to LCGs - I'm look the term up now.

Living Card Games are a Fantasy Flight invention (I think). They are CCG games where you can buy a base game with pre-built decks and "booster" or "chapter" packs which add the deck-building aspect. The difference is that instead of getting random cards, the boosters have a specific set of cards that can be mixed into your base decks to customize them to your play style and desires. It's all the strategy and tactics of regular CCGs without sinking money into boosters where you don't know what you're going to get.

For more than two players you're looking at Warhammer: Invasion (set in Warhammer universe), Game of Thrones, War of Honor (set in Legend of the Five Rings, sort of a pseudo-feudal-Japan setting with samurai, etc.), something like that. With any of these you get a base game that includes several decks that can be played against each other right out of the box without worrying about boosters or anything.

[hentzau]

Based on what you are asking for, I would recommend Legendary for your deck building needs. This is my 10 year old's favorite game, and I like it a lot too.

Or Sentinels of the Multiverse (that one didn't do much for me, but lots of folks on here like it.)

Both of these are solid offerings with a lot of play in the base game, and some expansions that add onto the base play. They are both co-op, though...if you're looking for competitive, they won't work for you.

[Blackhawk]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will start doing some research.

[RMC]

Based on what you are asking for, I would recommend Legendary for your deck building needs. This is my 10 year old's favorite game, and I like it a lot too.

Or Sentinels of the Multiverse (that one didn't do much for me, but lots of folks on here like it.)

Both of these are solid offerings with a lot of play in the base game, and some expansions that add onto the base play. They are both co-op, though...if you're looking for competitive, they won't work for you.

Legendary is the current crack for my group. My oldest (9 years old daughter) loves the concept of the cards and likes to see how it all works. She can play it, but is not a super big comic book junkie. My second oldest, (6 year old Daughter) loves comics and loves the game. But sometimes it is beyond her in terms of what each card can do, and the icons can get confusing, as well as at least one power is based on the background color of cards. (Thanks, I'm color blind and that mechanic sucks) But all in all, my girls like the game.