October is a time for monsters, zombies, and all kinds of creepy creatures to get into the sprite of Halloween. There are many horror-themed games, but the themes can be too dark and intense for many kids (and maybe some adults). This collection of games have light themes and graphics that lend themselves to the Halloween season without being dark or too scary. While teens may be able to delve into the horror genre, the games below are more fitting for the younger members of the family preferring lighter Halloween themes.
Disney Hocus Pocus: The Game
The Movie Hocus Pocus has become synonymous with Halloween, and now it is also a game from Ravensburger. Disney Hocus Pocus the Game is a cooperative game for two to six players ages eight and up. Just as in the movie, players are working together to protect the children and stop the Sanderson sisters from completing their potion all before the sun rises. Players win if they can successfully ruin the Sanderson sister’s potion three times before the sun rises. In an interesting twist players can not share their hands, but may ask certain questions which can only be answered by a yes or no.
Zombie Dice
Zombie Dice is a very easy push your luck game and can be handled by children 6 and up, even though it is suggested for a slightly older audience. Our guess is that they labeled it for 10 and older because zombies are scary. But, if you have kids in your house, you know that zombies and gross things are fascinating to kids. The dice are simple icons, and not scary or overly creepy. The scariest part of the game is the art on the container for the game.
Shaky Manor
Shaky Manor is a fun dexterity game that gets everyone shaking! In Shaky Manor each player has a tray containing eight square rooms each connected by doorways. Players place an meeple, an ghost, and three treasure chest cubes into the tray. They then shake the tray to try and get the meeple and the cubes into an designated room without the ghost. The first player to do it five times is the winner. The game comes with an number of other interesting game bits. They ranged from eyeballs and snakes spiders.
Push a Monster
Push a Monster is an adorable a dexterity game which was nominated for the Kinderspiel des Jahres (Children’s Game of the Year) in 2015, and is for players ages five and up. The monsters are gathered in the Monster Arena and more monsters are trying to join, but if there is not enough room, and the monsters keep falling off the arena. The game play is very simple to learn for young player. Roll a die, place the monster you roll, and try not to let any other monsters fall. If you knock any off the rest of the players score points. Push a Monster is a great way to play with monsters that are cute and not scary for the younger players.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf
If you have a big family or can get a group of friends together, One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a great party game. The game is for three to ten players ages eight and up. While it can be for as little as three players, it works better with a larger group. Players are randomly given a secret roll at the beginning of the game. Some rolls include: Tanner, Villager, Seer, Troublemaker, and Werewolf. Different roles have different power, and depending on your roll you are Team Villager or Team Werewolf. The players go through “one night” which is the phase when players use their abilities. After the “one night” phase ends, then player ultimately have five minutes to talk, try determine, and vote on the players they think are the werewolves.
Broom Service
Broom Service was the Kennerspiel des Jahres (connoisseur/expert game of the year) winner for 2015. This is a trick taking game where players take on the role of witches and druids in a flying delivery services. The game is for two to five plays ages ten and up. Every round players must choose different roles, and they have a choose to be brave or cowardly. The Brave option holds more reward, but also more risk. Will the risks or the caution pay off as you make deliveries?
Cauldron Quest
Cauldron Quest is a cooperative game that will fit right at home in any house full of Harry Potter fans. It is for players 6 and up and plays two to four players. Players are working together in Cauldron Quest to brew a magic potion that their kingdom needs to break a magic spell cast by an evil wizard. They do this by trying to move special barrels of ingredients from the outside of the board into the cauldron in the center. This might SOUND easy, but the evil wizard is trying to stop them by putting magic barriers in the way. Players need to get the correct three ingredients to the center before the wizard blocks all six paths.
The Quacks of Quedlinburg: The Herb Witches
The Quacks of Quedlinburg is an award winning game. It was named the Kennerspiel De Jahares (connoisseur/expert game of the year) in 2018. The Quacks of Quedlinburg is a push you luck game for two to four players ages ten and up. You take on the roll of a miracle surgeon or perhaps “quack” doctor making special portions and brews for all kinds of ailments by drawing ingredients from a bag.
North Star games released an expansion to The Quacks of Quedlinburg : The Herb Witches. The expansion adds a fifth player to the game, additional ingredients, as well as three Herb Witches.
Last Defense
The city is under attach from various threats ranging from Spider Robots to Space Aliens. Players work together in this cooperative game to try and save the city, and they only have 20 minutes. The game has a companion app that is required for game play. One of the unique features is that one of the playable characters is Good Dog. It is so cool to be able to play a hero that is not a human.
Ghost Fightin Treasure Hunter
Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters is an amazing cooperative game for the whole family to enjoy. The game is for For 2-4 players, age 8 and up. Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters was the winner of the 2014 Kinderspiel des Jahres (Children’s Game of the Year) award. Players work together to collect and escape the house before too many rooms become haunted. Players may also need to fight ghosts or haunting.
King of Tokyo: Halloween
Attacking Aliens, Rampaging Lizards, Giant Robots, Mutant Bugs, and Ferocious Gorillas: this game has them all! King of Tokyo is a game for two to six players that combines a board game, a dice game and a card game. You play as one monster whose main goals are to destroy Tokyo and battle other monsters in order to become the one and only King of Tokyo! Each turn consists of 4 steps: rolling and re-rolling the dice, resolving the dice, buying cards and using their effects, and the end of turn decision.
King of Tokyo Halloween is an expansion, and remains for two to six players. The game plays in about 30 minutes and adds two new monsters Boogie Woogie & Pumpkin Jack. The game also includes their evolutions, and costume cards. The costumes can also be stolen!
Zombie Kidz Evolution
Your successes or failors affect the game in your future plays of the game, in Zombie Kidz Evolution. This is a perfect first step into Legacy games, that are played over a series of sessions and what occurrences in previous sessions affect the next events in the game. Zombie Kidz Evolution is for player ages seven and up and has fifteen minute play sessions. In this cooperative game you are trying to work together to protect yourselves and drive off the zombies. It is set in a school and has all the adults as the zombies.
Disney The Haunted Mansion Call of the Spirits
The Haunted Mansion is a new game from Funko Games. This is one of the games we got to get a sneak peek of at Toy Fair in New York. The Haunted Mansion is a set collection game for two to six players ages eight and up. Players can acquire two kinds of cards: Ghost Cards and Haunt Cards. The game has an “Endless Hallway” piece in the center of the board. This is a lazy Susan turntable. There are eight different areas to explore on the game board, and these are right from the Haunted Mansion ride at Disney. The hitchhiking ghosts from the ride are also featured in the game.
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