There's nothing like a great summer board game session for the whole family. Charles Raspin replaces the old standbys with fast, simple fun suitable for all ages...
Board games have come a long way since Lizzie Phillips first invented Monopoly back in 1903. Supposedly, she developed the game as a way of showing how awful it would be to live in a world where someone had achieved a monopoly – and I believe it. I have friends who claim to be fond of the game, but it looks more like Stockholm Syndrome to me.
No, if you’re going to have real fun with the family, Monopoly’s out – and Scrabble doesn’t work in a world where everyone’s got a dictionary in their phones. Fortunately there’s a world of dice-and-card fun out there, hidden by the old standbys. Some are hugely complicated, with rulebooks like car manuals (mostly written in German) and boxes you could use to brain a poor winner – but others are quick and simple, so I’ve rounded up a few for you to enjoy.
The prices below are all RRP, but there are always great offers and deals on traditional games, so it's easy to shop around for lower prices. There are dedicated gaming stores around Surrey if you're looking for recommendations and staff advice. Otherwise, try the online options, like Woking's own local The Board Game Shop, or seek out the board-gaming sections of stores like Forbidden Planet or Waterstones.
Werewolf – monster mash for 8-24 players
This classic game is also called “Mafia”, but I prefer the Hammer Horror style of Werewolf.
As the game starts, you’re dealt a card which tells you who you are. Villager? Werewolf? Constable? Town drunk? Each round you close your eyes and wait for the hidden werewolf to claim his victim, then open them and try to piece together who did what, and who the werewolf must be.
Some characters have special rules to help trip up the monster – the Troublemaker can swap players’ identities without them even knowing, for instance! There are loads of versions out there, but I like the art and variety of the One Night Ultimate Werewolf edition (pictured), even if it is a bit pricier and accommodates only 10 players.
£24.99; beziergames.com
Dixit – wonderful words for 3-6 players
A genuinely beautiful game from France, similar in style to charades or Who’s In The Bag, where players are dealt a hand of surreal art.
The Storyteller for that round tells a short story inspired by one of her cards, and lays it down – it’s then shuffled together with a card from each of the other players.
The aim of the game is to guess which card inspired the Storyteller’s tale – if everyone guesses right, she was too obvious and gets nothing. If no-one guesses right, she was too obscure!
Every round, the new Storyteller needs to strike the right balance to earn points and win the game.
£29.99; asmodee.com
Hanabi – co-operative fireworks fun for 2-5 players
Hanabi is the Japanese word for fireworks, and in this game you need to match the numbers and colours on your cards with those of your fellow players, working together to create the most spectacular “display” possible.
The catch? You can’t see your own cards, and the others can’t outright tell you what they are. It quickly becomes hilariously frustrating fun.
£12.99; rnrgames.com
Spyfall – party espionage for 3-8 players
You barely even need cards for Spyfall – you could put it together with scrap paper and a pen, but it’s great fun, and the art and extra rules of the box version make things easier and add that little something.
Everyone is dealt a card with the same location – except one player, whose card just says Spy. You all then make casual conversation, and if you work out who the Spy is, you win – unless the Spy works out where they are first!
“How did you get to work today?”
“Oh, I walked – it’s better for you.”
“We’re on a space station, Jenny – you’re the Spy!”
£19.99; cryptozoic.com
HIVE – insect chess for 2 players
This game from London-based Gen42 is just for two-players, but its 26 game pieces come in a small carry bag, with no need for a board, so it’s great for holidays or long journeys.
The goal is to surround your opponent’s Queen Bee with your own pieces, each of which can move in a different way – like the Beetle, which can crawl on top of the other pieces, or the Soldier Ant, which can scuttle all the way around the outside.
It’s the same combination of simple mechanics and hidden depth that mark out the best classic games.
£19.95 (£14.95 pocket version); gen42.com
Ticket to Ride – like Monopoly, but fun for 2-5 players
All these other games are quick and small – but if you’ve got the appetite for something simple-but-meaty, this is a solid choice.
You’re a railway baron, out to conquer the trainlines of America – but if you let your greed take over, you’ll be beaten to new routes by rival players!
There are loads of expansions, if this game sparks your fancy – with new maps for different countries (like our very own UK), optional rules for fresh twists, and so on.
£39.99; daysofwonder.com
Steam Donkey – the local option for 2-4 players
The Ragnar Brothers are three friends in Epsom who’ve been making board games since the 80s.
Their latest creation, Barking Up The Wrong Tree, was recently funded via Kickstarter, but I had fun with Steam Donkey, a game where players compete to create the most impressive Victorian seaside attraction.
Race to assemble amusements like a polar bear zoo, clockwork brass band, and the titular steam-powered donkey!
£11; ragnarbrothers.co.uk
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Comments (2)
Comment FeedGames different prices
Louise more than 10 years ago
re: Games different prices
William Gadsby Peet (Essential Surrey) more than 10 years ago