The holidays are almost upon us and it is time to start looking for gifts. Thankfully EFG is here to help! Take a look below for some great ideas for board game gifts!
Gubs
GUBS is a quirky and clever card game where your objective is to build the mightiest Gub colony. This is a terrific beginner intro to card game mechanics (think Magic the Gathering and Pokemon) because you can boost or protect your colony with myriad cards consisting of traps, lures, and other surprising events. The artwork is cute, the tin to hold the cards is well designed, and the MSRP of $11.99 makes this a great little gift for a 7-12 year old.
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is considered the new family classic board game. It is often heralded as the game that started the board game renaissance that we are living in. This game is very accessible to all players, especially those who don’t consider themselves gamers. The mechanics are easy to learn understand and gameplay is exciting and fun. This game also plays quickly, and gets players being downright competitive. Replay value is high, and while the MSRP of $50.00 is high, this game can usually be found on sale for significantly less. Also, this WILL become a go to game for your family, so we feel that the added bonus of tons of family time makes it well worth the price.
Colt Express
Colt Express is a “programmed movement” game where players take on the role of a train robber in the quest to get the most loot by the end of the game. The biggest highlight to the game is that the board is an actual 3 dimensional train made of cardboard that adds a true sense of verticality to a type of game that is usually pretty flat. This game is great for people who enjoyed Robot Turtles as kids and are looking for a bigger challenge.
Tenzi
Tenzi is a super simple dice game that is very fast-paced. This is a great icebreaker, boredom buster, or introduction to kick off a bigger game night. The game is noisy, quick, and simple. While at an MSRP of $14.95 it is a bit pricey for what it contains, the the packaging and the variations within the rules make it something that has a high replay value. It’s also nice the game does a tiny bit of teaching while still being fun. We found that it’s been playable by children as young as five while still being entertaining to adults.
Sleeping Queens
All of the Queens have fallen under a magical sleeping spell and you must find the Kings to wake them! Beware, sleeping spells and dragons and wayward knights will make the journey difficult! Fun fantasy in an easy to learn (and pack) card game that even the youngest players will enjoy.
Sentinels of the Multiverse
The Multiverse is riddled with villains with their own agendas, the only ones who can stop them are your team of 2-5 heroes working together to defeat them. Combine tons of teams of heroes against villains and fight them in places that both help and hinder you in this cooperative pre-constructed deck-based game.
Hanabi
Have you ever been on a quest for perfection? Love to watch elaborate firework displays but have no idea how to construct them? Then Hanabi is the game for you! A cooperative card game (with variations included in the box) where your team of pyrotechnic experts must put on the best firework display the world has ever witnessed — without ever seeing your own hand. Cryptic communication, decisions based on incomplete information – all this and more for just $10!
Sushi Go!
Wasabi, tempura, dumplings, oh my! Sushi Go is a introductory drafting card game that packs a lot into a small tin!
Players collect cards as they are passed to try to score the most points for their tasty meals of Japanese cuisine. With little to read even smaller gamers can get into the groove of being a master sushi chef, without that pesky fishy smell!
Splendor
Blending a balance of easy to learn rules and deeper strategy, Splendor is a fantastic game for older children and grown-ups alike. Players acquire gems in order to buy mines, which in turn provide more gems (and ultimately points). While the gem-dealer theme may feel thin at times, the card drafting mechanic and “engine-building” feel to the gameplay will quickly make this a family game night staple.
Labyrinth
Experience an aMAZEing treasure hunt through an ever shifting board with Ravensburger’s Labyrinth. Players attempt to acquire each of the treasures in their hand of cards by moving around the board. Each turn, players will alter the board by sliding in a new Labyrinth tile, shifting an entire row or column of the board, and changing the available pathways. Labyrinth has rules for play for younger children as well as more advanced players, and it’s simple yet tactical gameplay make it a favorite for all ages.
