It’s the most wonderful time of the year – PAX Unplugged is when we get to catch up with friends in the boardgame industry, see new games, and meet some of YOU!

00:00 Fact for 411

If you’re a Millenial, you know that 411 was (is) a phone number to call for general information. Did you know there are other X11 codes?

https://www.networkworld.com/article/956606/beyond-911-other-n-1-1-codes-you-should-know.html

Sponsor Message

How do you know if you’re ready to retire? There’s the financial aspect, but don’t forget about the emotional and physical as well.

If you want help reviewing the financial part of preparing for retirement, set up a time to talk to First Move for free by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today.

0:05:10 What We’ve Been Playing

INK – review out today of this race to place all your ink bottles.
Odin – review coming next week. Best at 3-4 players.
Chit Chat – had our best game ever at 9 points! Check out the review.
Stroop – still breaks our brain, but fun.
Bouba/Kiki – a cooperative party game about matching shapes with nonsense words.
(We talk at length about Stroop and Bouba/Kiki in episode 370.)
Tropichaos – a fruit-selling push-your-luck game from Oink Games.
Person Do Thing – a simple word party game. Try it yourself at PersonDoThing.com
Leaders – we will talk a lot about this later.

0:18:00 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members on Facebook! Stop in and say hello.

#Backtalk

We asked what your favorite thing to do at a convention – if you’ve ever been to one.

A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord and in our Facebook community.

PAX Unplugged 2025 Interviews

0:25:35 SnapShips Tactics with Micah

“X-wing crossed with Galaxy Trucker, and you’re trying to kill each other.”

Make your ship look like you want, and make it play like you want.

Starter set for two players is about $65.

www.snapshipstactics.com

0:29:00 Kess with Court

A game based on OnePiece!

www.kessentertainment.co

0:32:30 Outset Media with David

Guildlands – “if Carcassonne met Root“

Karak – a favorite for kids, with lots of upgrades over the version we reviewed years ago. And Karak II for a more challenging game!

Shadow Ninjas – cats sneaking into the dojo to eat the koi, and one dog trying to eliminate them all.

outsetmedia.com

0:36:10 Fight in a Box with Seppy Yoon

Puppies or Poop – build a doggie land-mine field under the leaves. Try to survive without poop on your shoes! A cute and more memorable re-implementation of Squirrel or Die.

Kaiser Cucumber – evil geniuses trying to out-steal each other. A sort of sequel to Mouse Cheese Cat Cucumber.

www.fightinabox.com

0:40:15 SRG Universe with Steve

Supershow – a wrestling card game – and Super Lucha which is a crossover with luchadors.

Rummy Gummies – a set-playing card game. “Rummy with Uno-like effects”

supershowthegame.com

0:45:00 Envy Born Games with Matthew

Sirens – 1-2 player tiny game. Draft cards to make a song and lure sailors.

Hercules and the 12 Labors – solo game. Battle your way through Hercules’s famous 12 labors and choose rewards to help you with future labors.

envyborngames.com

0:48:20 Kids Table Board Gaming / Burnt Island Games with Sean

River Market – now available!
Sea Shells – set collection by Bruno Faiduitti, coming summer 2026
Pack & Paddle – Kickstarter in 2026
Treeline – recover the landscape. Also coming summer 2026.

Fans of Diced Veggies and Endeavor: Deep Sea.

www.kidstablebg.com and www.burntislandgames.com

0:52:50 Jason Anarchy Games

Trombone Champ – yes, like the video game. Full of hotdogs, baboons, and silly fake trombone facts.

0:55:00 Wonderful World Board Games with Ariel

Dragonarium – go check out the Kickstarter before December 11!

Last Lantern – coop polyomino game. Silently build a path across the board.

www.wonderfulworldbg.com

1:00:25 Bezier Games with Jay

Zombie Princess – a sequel to Rebel Princess. “Save” the zombies by chopping off their heads. Trick-taking game that’s best with partners.

Haunted Mouse – a ladder-climbing/shedding card game that lets you use your opponents’ cards.

Game Makers – heavier game with a rondel. You step into the role of a game publisher – very meta.

Recommendations for this holiday: Seers Catalog and Xylotar (we reviewed the expansion)

beziergames.com

Bonus: Jay is also @CardboardEast – he reviews games from Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, etc. Check out his Youtube channel!

1:04:50 Play to Z Games with Zev

Animal Rescue Team – with Matt Leacock

Twisted Trumpets – route-building, sort of. You’re building out very weird, twisty trumpet pipes.

Soothsayers – engine-building card game using traditional tarot.

www.playtozgames.com

1:09:55 Doomlings with Eric

Mokoko Village expansion

Nightflower Island Gold pack, and a 15-pack Gold Box (by popular demand!)

“We wanted to trick our moms into playing Magic: The Gathering with us”

TFG has really enjoyed Doomlings – easy to learn, with a lot of luck, but also some depth. Our review.

www.doomlings.com

1:14:45 Capstone Games with Chris

Sanctuary – an Ark Nova game, a bit lighter than Ark Nova.
Up or Down?
Rowdy Partners – trick taking for 1-4 players. Wrestling theme with characters, each who has their own powers
Wandering Towers – a TFG favorite.
Forestry – harvest a forest while replanting to manage it. Heavier game.
Galileo Galilei – heavier game
Aquaria
Stick ‘Em refresh
Wandering Towers expansion coming soon!

capstone-games.com

1:19:00 Moon Crab Games with Justin

Leviathan Wilds – cooperative boss-battling game that uses a spiral-bound book for the gameboard. “Climb together. Save Leviathans.”

leviathanwilds.com

1:24:30 PAX Unplugged takeaways

Andrew: PAX Enforcers (volunteers) and employees do an awesome job. And it’s really cool to see the same folks year after year. Love the culture of PAX Unplugged and its family friendliness.

Anitra: We waited in line as a family to get in and see Jacques Ze Whipper. Waiting in line, even for over an hour, was incredibly pleasant: mostly because the people around us were patient and friendly.

We hope to see you at PAX Unplugged 2026, December 4-6!

1:30:30 New Backtalk Question

We’ve been listening to records. What is your favorite thing to do with your family that is NOT playing board games?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 411 – PAX Unplugged 2025 appeared first on The Family Gamers.

It’s that time again – we recommend games for everyone on your gift list.

00:00 Fact for 410

10-4 is one of many ten-codes, used for clarity and brevity in Morse code & voice communications. 10-4 means “received” or “acknowledged”.

Sponsor Message

We talk about the sunk cost fallacy. Just because you’ve already invested resources into something doesn’t tell us if it’s worth that next bit of resources to see it through.

If you need a sounding board for your life’s financial decisions, go to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers and set up a time today to talk to First Move Financial – for free!

0:04:00 What We’ve Been Playing

INK – review coming soon of this race to place all your ink bottles.
Red Letter, Yellow Letter – our review
Odin – review coming soon. Best at 3-4 players.
Obelus – gorgeous. Our review. We are excited to see more from this publisher!
Chit Chat – review coming soon for this trivia party game.
Jekyll & Hyde vs. Scotland Yard – a really hard cooperative trick-taking game, but we’re getting better at it

0:18:15 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook.

Stop by and say hello!

#Backtalk

We asked what YOU think makes a good gift when you’re given a board game.

A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord and in our Facebook community.

… and yes, we did review Box of Rocks, a silly game.

Anyone interested in sharing some recipes for us to try out?

0:18:15 The Family Gamers Holiday Gift Guide

We race through all the games on our 2025 gift guide.

A friendly reminder to our listeners: many of the games on the list we received at no cost, and we do earn a (tiny) commission from the Amazon links. But every single game on that list, we have played, enjoyed, and would buy and give (or have already bought & given) to our friends and family.

1:18:20 New Backtalk Question

We’re heading to PAX Unplugged this week. We’ll be teaching Castle Panic on Sunday morning (11/23)!

What is your favorite thing to do at conventions?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 410 – Holiday Gift Guide appeared first on The Family Gamers.

Let’s talk about card games!

00:00 Fact for 409

A little about Formula 409®.

Sponsor Message

How do you maintain your budget during the holiday season, with gift giving, big family meals, decorations, increased travel, seasonal activities?

If you want to talk through other ideas to take some of the stress out of the holidays set up a time to talk to First Move by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today.

0:04:30 What We’ve Been Playing

Finished My City – ultimate winner: Anitra, but it was really close at the end!
HiFi – full review coming soon
Odin – with 6 players, it was less fun. Too easy to get stuck unable to play cards.
5 Towers
Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard

0:15:30 What We’ve Been Playing – October

Andrew: 14 unique games 25 times, H-index 2 (My City, Chit Chat, Ink, Duel for Cardia, Odin)

Anitra: 16 unique games 36 times, H-index 3 (My City, Duel for Cardia, Bomb Busters, Chit Chat)

Almost all of our games we played with each other, much more than usual.

0:18:30 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook.

Welcome Post!

#Backtalk

We asked about your seasonal gaming traditions. A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord, and that’s about it!

0:23:00 Our Top 5 Card Games… For Now

Sometimes you want something small, and fast (and cheap!). What you want is a card game. Here are five of our favorites:

Trick taking: Skull King

If you like trick-taking games but wish they were wackier, or you want to include more than four players, Skull King has you covered. Up to eight players can join in – make a bid for how many tricks you’ll win, but beware of cards like the pirates, mermaids, the pirate king, and the white whale.

Traditional (ish) card game: Flip 7 (our review)

This is another game that supports a LOT of players (up to 18?!?) It feels a bit like Blackjack, but with a lot more flexibility. Try to get the most points you can each round, but if you ever flip a number you already have, you’ll get nothing.

Party game: Anomia

It’s sort of a trivia game, but it’s just about shouting out something in the given category. Everyone stays involved, because you always need to be looking for a symbol that matches your own. We’ve reviewed the Pop Culture set and Anomia Kids, but we love the original and its sibling Duple!

Start playing right away: Circus Flohcati (our review)

Flip cards out from the deck until you decide to stop and take one. You’ll spend more time explaining the scoring than how to play.

Just plain good: Trio (our review)

This game combines memory and deduction. While it’s very easy to learn, we find that people mess up the “only highest or lowest card” rule, which can be frustrating.

You could get all five of these games together for under $75 – another reason card games are great!

0:35:50 Runners-up: More Card Games We Love

Cabanga! – we absolutely love this tiny game, but it’s kind of hard to get, and going to get harder until Amigo can partner with a new US distributor.
Similo – another great party game. Remember to have guessers talk out their reasoning!
Combo – we love this semi-cooperative game, but it can be hard to teach.
Abandon All Artichokes – a wonderful early deck-building game. Cute and charming.
Tussie Mussie – a tiny split-and-choose game, at just 18 cards!
Get the MacGuffin – a goofy game about being the last player standing.
Sushi Go – an approachable set-collection “pick and pass” game. Even a very young kid could probably play this.

0:46:15 Follow Up

A few people asked for the Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese recipe. So, would you like to hear about more family recipes? Maybe in a little more detail?

We also asked last week about a BGG guild for The Family Gamers. If you’re avoiding social media, we’re happy to do a guild, but so far we’ve only heard from one person on this!

0:48:10 New Backtalk Question

What’s the perfect kind of game to receive as a holiday gift? Is it about the games you like to play, or the environment to play them in?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 409 – Five Favorite Card Games appeared first on The Family Gamers.

Weather’s getting colder, time for something cozy!

00:00 Fact for 408

The Haslam All-Sky Radio Continuum Survey used the 408 MHz radio spectrum to map the galactic sky around 1985. This map is still used today. It gets super technical, but if you’re interested in astronomy, check this out. Basically any time scientists want to measure anything outside the Milky Way, they use the Haslam survey to remove foreground distortion.

https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2009/22/aa12161-09/aa12161-09.html

Sponsor Message

First Move reminds us that we can think about our money like little workers in the worker placement game of life. If you need help figuring out where to place your dollar workers, reach out to First Move Financial. You can find them at firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers to schedule a time to talk today.

0:06:00 What We’ve Been Playing

INK (review coming soon) – makes us think of Framework and Donut Shop with how well it’s put together. Here it is on BGA!
Duel for Cardia (review next week)
Bomb Busters
Chit Chat (review coming soon)
Zitternix – out of print. so happy to have a copy again!
Unmatched (Houdini vs. Sherlock Holmes / Bruce Lee vs. The Genie) – inspired by this episode of the First Player Token podcast
Odin
60 Second City
Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard
My City (our review)
Creature Comforts

0:30:20 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook.

Welcome Post!

#Backtalk

We asked about your heaviest games. A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this post in the Facebook community.

What do YOU think about having a Family Gamers guild on BoardGameGeek?

0:44:30 Ten Favorite Cozy Games

The weather gets cooler, and it’s the perfect time to snuggle up with a hot beverage and a cozy game.

Calico (Flatout Games / AEG) – cozy, but challenging.
boop. (Smirk & Dagger) – mean but still cozy. Check our review – or boop the Halls !
Creature Comforts (Kids Table Board Gaming)
Arch Ravels (XYZ Game Labs)
Chai (Steeped Games) – our review
Flamecraft (Cardboard Alchemy / Lucky Duck Games) – our review
My Shelfie: The Dice Game (Cranio Creations / Lucky Duck Games) – our review
Leaf (Weird City Games) – our review
S’mores Galore (Mighty Acorn Games) – “exactly what I wanted in a smores-themed game”
Smug Owls (Runaway Parade) – a quiet and thoughtful party game. – our review

1:08:00 Cozy Food – Not Quite “For Science”

Butter chicken mac and cheese! We make this in the crockpot and pack it up for lunches.

Would you make this? Tell us what you think – and for the recipe, check out the Discord server.

1:10:00 New Backtalk Question

We started talking about cozy games because it’s getting to be that time of the year in New England that we traditionally play cozy games.

Do you have a board game tradition related to a certain time of the year?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 408 – Top 10 Cozy Games appeared first on The Family Gamers.

We’ve been looking forward to making this episode for a little while. Sometimes you don’t have a lot of time to play games – so let’s talk about our family favorites that play in 15 minutes or less.

00:00 Fact for 407

This one is for Zach. on 15 November 2012 a new world record was set. The most people flapping simultaneously is 407, achieved by Saint Joseph’s University (USA), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Sponsor Message

A successful financial life isn’t complex, but it does require discipline. The basics: create a budget; build an emergency fund; pay off high-interest debt; invest wisely; and educate yourself.

Remember, small steps today lead to big financial gains tomorrow. If you want to talk about the finer points of any of these, or if you need help getting unstuck in your situation, go to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers to set up a time to talk today.

03:45 What We’ve Been Playing

My City (our review)
Hamster Roll (our review)
Drop It (our review)
Trio (our review)
Red Letter Yellow Letter (review next week!)
Spaceteam
Quacks of Quedlinburg
INK (review coming soon)
Duel for Cardia
Bomb Busters
Jekyll v. Hyde (our review)
Ham Helsing

15:40 September Monthly Report

Andrew: 13 unique games, played 32 times. Most played: My City (9 times!) and H-index of 3. Didn’t record anything he played at CuseCon though.

Anitra: 21 unique games, played 43 times. H-index: 4 (My City, Mr. Postmouse’s Picnic, Duel for Cardia, Trio). Over half played at 2 players (unusually high for Anitra).

18:30 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community too, on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4172992196323572/

#Backtalk

We asked about your favorite game(s) in 2025. You answered on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this post in the Facebook community.

And check out Nick’s review of My Shelfie: The Dice Game!

26:15 Our Top Ten(ish) 15 Minute Games

Sometimes you just don’t have a lot of time to play. But if you have a little bit of time, you can still play!

Our top choices to end a game night or get the kids together quickly to play.

Great with 3-5 players, or even more:

Trio
Circus Flohcati
Get the MacGuffin
Strike (recommended in our “Top 10 Games for Teens”)
Similo – literally anyone can play.
Just One (if you play just a few rounds)

Only for 2 players:

Duel for Cardia (review coming soon – in the meantime, try it on BGA)
Jekyll vs. Hyde
Floristry
Quarto

Solo: A Gentle Rain

39:00 New Backtalk Question

I’d love to learn a little more about our community. What is the heaviest game you own? If you went on Board Game Geek and looked at the game weight, what do you think your heaviest game is?

We found our heaviest is Keyflower, a 3.34 weight according to BGG.

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 407 – Our Favorite 15-Minute Games appeared first on The Family Gamers.

Andrew just had a birthday! Let’s talk about his favorite games from this year.

0:00:00 Fact for 406

Ted Williams had the best season batting average of anyone in the MLB: .406 in the 1941 season. Listen for the story of how he got there.

Sponsor Message

If you want to see if working with a financial advisor can help your situation set up a time to talk to First Move by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today.

0:05:00 What We’ve Been Playing

Mr. Postmouse’s Picnic (so much losing!)
My City (our review) – and a lesson on studying your kids’ preferences.
Tesla vs. Edison: Duel
Duel for Cardia (review coming soon) – try it on BGA
Run Run Run! (more losing!)
HiFi – we are divided on this one.

0:37:45 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community too, on Facebook.

#Backtalk

We asked about themes that resonate with your family. You answered on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this post in the Facebook community.

Sounds like for most people and most games, theme is a general push towards or away from a game.

0:46:00 FOR SCIENCE! – Reese’s / Oreo collaboration

We tried both. The Reeses-flavored Oreos were fine, but nothing special. Get peanut butter Oreos instead.

Oreo-flavored Reeses cups, however… really good. Although we disagree about how much “Oreo” is present.

0:50:30 Andrew’s Favorites in 2025

This past week was Andrew’s birthday week. He did two crazy things for it. He drove to and from Syracuse for just ONE DAY of friends and gaming at CuseCon. And he also went to see Eric Clapton live in concert!

Let’s talk about what games Andrew liked the most this year from what he played.

Small/Medium Group Game: Trio (our review)
Two Player Game: Floristry (our review)
Party Game: Caution Signs (our review)
Co-operative Game: Paint the Roses (we talked about this in episodes 402 & 403)
Heavier Game: Tesla vs. Edison (see our old Valentine pun)

Most Looking Forward to: Compile: Main 2 (check out our review of Compile: Main 1)

1:08:55 New Backtalk Question

What’s your favorite game that you played this year? The cream of the cardboard crop, whether it’s new or not?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 406 – Andrew’s Favorites in 2025! appeared first on The Family Gamers.

Is game theme important? Is theme more than just the art?

0:00:00 Fact for 405

I-405 in California, heavily traveled by both commuters and freight haulers along its entire length, is the busiest and most congested freeway in the United States.

Sponsor Message

We learn about “spear phishing”. If you’d like to talk to someone about how you can protect your financial assets, remember you can book a free meeting with First Move at firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers.

0:04:20 What We’ve Been Playing

Spots [Editor’s note: “The Hundred and One Dalmatians” book was published in 1956. Still within copyright.]
Red Letter Yellow Letter
Cabanga! (our review)
Floristry (our review)
Duel for Cardia
Merchants of Magick (our review) – a lesson on what to do when pieces are missing.
Get Bit! (our review)
Oasis
Circus Flohcati (our review)
INK
Trio (our review)
Junk Drawer solo (our review)
Mr Postmouse’s Picnic
Endangered (our review)

Check out the Kickstarter for Endangered: Australia!

0:33:30 August Monthly Report

Anitra: 52 plays of 31 unique games. H-index 3: Trio, Unmatched, Cabanga! (plus Backstories, Flip 7, Duel for Cardia, A Gentle Rain)

Andrew: 31 plays of 18 unique games. H-index 3: also Trio, Unmatched, Cabanga!

0:35:10 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community too, on Facebook.

#Backtalk

We asked about video games you like to play together. You answered on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this post in the Facebook community.

0:45:45 Is Theme Important?

Theme vs. Mechanics – why not both? Is theme important? Sometimes! For lovers of abstract games, theme can get in the way of a clean, enjoyable game.

Anitra has changed her opinion. Because a well-done theme can shape the mechanics of a game in a way that helps players join the “magic circle” and really get into the game.

This is especially true for “adult” games that can be approachable for kids. (Flashpoint, Mountains).

But not all themes are created equal!

We mentioned playing Endangered. It’s great to save endangered animals… but this game does it in the way people do it in the real world: a lot of interaction with government bureaucracy and fundraising! Not super interesting for our kids.

Know what themes your kids like! Talk to them and be aware that their tastes change.

We’ve mentioned HiFi, a game about mixing musical tracks and uses a record player as a way to choose actions. We have another kid who loves D&D and can’t wait to sink into Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons.

There’s a reason we have done episodes focusing on just a specific theme (food, dragons, etc.) and why our lists for older kids and teens are organized around theme.

The right theme is not a cure-all, but it has the power to make a game feel EASIER as well as more immersive. (Maybe *because* it’s more immersive, and the game progression feels like it makes sense.) Example: Lacrimosa really works for Anitra, even though it’s a harder game than she’d usually choose to play.

We mention Megaland (yes, it’s still in print) as a great way to pull in a videogame feel to a kid-appropriate board game, or more complex game themes, like Worms, Halo: Flashpoint, or Call of Duty: The Boardgame. And check out our review of Shovel Knight: Dungeon Duels!

1:02:00 New Backtalk Question

Where are you on the theme bandwagon? Do you care more about theme or mechanics? What is YOUR favorite theme?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 405 – Theme appeared first on The Family Gamers.

We talk a lot about playing games with your kids. But boardgames aren’t the only way to connect – and they aren’t always the BEST way, either.

0:00:00 Fact for 404

404 BC: Sparta finally defeated Athens, ending the second Peloponnesian War.
404 AD: The last gladiatorial games are held in Rome.

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0:05:15 What We’ve Been Playing

A Gentle Rain (our review)
HiFi
Unmatched: Battle of Legends volume 3 (our review)
Fruition
Red Letter, Yellow Letter – we played it in the car!
Backstories: Emerald Wedding Anniversary (review coming soon)
Tesla vs. Edison: War of Currents
Juicy Fruits
Dinosaur Tea Party (our review)
Prisma Arena (our review)
Obelus (our review)
Quarto (our review)

0:32:00 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community too, on Facebook.

#Backtalk

We asked about “low-key” games. You answered on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this post in the Facebook community. Shout out to The Joyful Jedi for his humorous answer for Loki games instead.

0:37:45 Connecting through Gaming

Inspired by Kendra’s comments on Facebook.

We’ve talked before about WHY to play games with your kids. But a reason that’s easy to skip over is connection: spending time working together on something – or lightly competing – can build memories and emphasize commonalities between people. And the important part is the CONNECTION, not the method you use.

Forcing your kids to the table does not really foster connection. (Bartering could work, though.)

Instead of always bringing them into the things you enjoy, bring yourself to something they enjoy.

Videogame recommendations:

Free-for-all fighting games like
Super Smash Bros (any version)
Ultimate Chicken Horse
Gang Beasts

Objective-based games:
Overcooked
Moving Out
Totally Reliable Delivery Service

Minecraft, of course. “Like playing with LEGO ‘together’.”

Two-player cooperative games that have a plot:
It Takes Two (content warning: divorce, language – best for teens)
Split Fiction (we haven’t played this yet)
Unravel Two

Death Squared (abstract strategy puzzles for 2-4 players)
Jackbox (get teens using their phones to play TOGETHER)
Rock Band (or Guitar Hero, etc.) “It simulates the experience of making music together, while removing barriers”

Takeaway: Meet your kid on their terms to better connect with them!

1:05:45 New Backtalk Question

What video games are you playing with other people LOCALLY? We’re talking couch co-op and local multiplayer.

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 404 – Connecting Through Gaming appeared first on The Family Gamers.

We love the board game community, but it can lead to pressure to play MORE or HARDER games, to keep up with the newest games. What can we do to dial it back down and make games FUN again?

0:00:00 Fact for 403

403 is the code on the internet for NO. If you want to go to a website, but you don’t have access, 403. Technically the word is “FORBIDDEN”, but really it means no.

Here’s actual standards document. But it’s really, really boring. https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7235

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First Move would like to make us all more aware of some of the newer scams out there. Be very careful clicking links, even ones that look legitimate!

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0:04:45 What We’ve Been Playing

more Paint the Roses, with 4 players this time. Much harder!
Charcuterie (our review)
HUTAN (our review)
Stew
Horrified: World of Monsters / Greek Monsters mashup (review coming soon)
Goblin Vaults (off the shelf of opportunity!)
Sagrada
The Magnificent

While camping:
Flip 7 (our review)
Cabanga! (our review)
Trio (our review)
Sushi Go Party!
Order Overload: Cafe
Sabobatage
Altiplano – a big miss for us.

0:24:30 July Monthly Report

Anitra: 49 plays of 27 unique games. H-index 3, with a lot of plays of Trio & HUTAN, but also at least 3 times with: Paint the Roses, Fight for Olympus, Canvas Critters, Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard, Quarto.

Andrew: 29 plays of 17 unique games. H-index 3. Lots of The Crew: Mission Deep Sea, Paint the Roses, Trio, plus Jekyll & Hyde v. Scotland Yard, HUTAN.

0:26:35 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members!

#Backtalk

We asked about board game mechanics you dislike, and what you do about them. You answered on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this Backtalk post in the Facebook community.

0:36:00 Too Much Pressure?

This hobby of board gaming lends itself to always chasing the hot new thing or trying to do MORE. Probably true of a lot of hobbies, since it’s so easy to find a community online where people brag on the cool things they’re doing.

Do you feel pressure to go to every convention, or keep up with the latest hot new thing? Pressure to get your kids to play “real” games with you? Pressure to finish a game you don’t like, or pull games off your “shelf of shame”?

First: when you feel that pressure, realize that YOU are the one putting pressure on yourself; no one else can do that to you without your consent.

0:38:40 The Shelf of Shame

We prefer to call this the “shelf of opportunity”, but it still means games that are sitting unplayed. What are some strategies to deal with this without feeling guilty?

• Set limits on bringing in new games – YOU set this limit, not someone else.
• Set a deadline on PLAYING a specific game that’s been sitting on your shelf. If you can’t manage to play it, purge it without feeling guilty. (More on purging)
• Recognize that you can move on from a game – that doesn’t mean it’s a “bad” game. Instead, it means someone else will get to try it and enjoy it!
• Getting rid of a game doesn’t get rid of the good memories you have associated with it.
• “Why do I want to keep this game so much?” If a game needs JUST the right set of circumstances to play it – be honest with yourself. Will that exact set of circumstances actually happen? And even if they do, is there another game that will be easier to get to the table?

0:48:00 Getting Your Kids to Play Games

If you’re listening to this podcast, you want your kids to play games with you. You may also be feeling pressure from your friends (or other parent gamers) if your kids don’t want to play games!

• The point of games with our kids is to have fun – with your kids. If they’re not having fun, it’s not serving that purpose.
• Forcing someone to do something they don’t want to do is likely to breed resentment instead of fun.
• But it is okay to apply a little bit of pressure, without it being overwhelming. Examples:
  • “Please play one round, then you can walk away if you don’t like it.”
  • Gentle bribery with a special snack (“I’m trying to meet you halfway, and we’re doing this as a family”)
• Recognize that kids often don’t have the words to explain WHY they don’t like a game or an experience. Have a conversation with them to try to understand!
• Meet kids where they are: letting them walk away, or playing pretend instead of following the rules.

0:53:30 To Finish? Or Not to Finish?

Even when we aren’t enjoying a game we often feel like “we started it, we have to finish it!”

But we don’t need to finish. Yes, we want to teach our kids not to be quitters, but we also don’t want to frustrate them unnecessarily.

How do you know if everyone is frustrated, or if you should push through to the end? ASK QUESTIONS!

There is no merit badge for finishing a game that nobody liked.

– Andrew Smith

We tell our kids “it’s just a game” when we talk about being good winners and good losers. So we need to demonstrate that in our own playing, too! It’s just a game. Being willing to set the game aside shows your kids that they’re more important than the cardboard.

0:56:12 More on Forcing Kids to Play

Sometimes, it’s not that your kids don’t want to play games, it’s that they don’t want to play with you. This is especially common around ages 11-15, in our experience. This is a normal part of growing up and finding their independence!

Hopefully, you can still get kids to do some things with you, but they’ll be more interested in their friends. If you had a good relationship when they were younger, be patient! Keep offering games and fun activities, don’t be offended when they say “no”, and they’ll (probably) come back in a while.

If you can, try to set up space to make it easier for your kid to host their friends. (Be “the fun house”.) This makes it easier to stay involved and know what they’re doing, as well as making it easier to take a break with Mom or Dad when the friends go home again.

Big takeaway: games are supposed to be FUN. If they’re not fun anymore, examine why not, and try to take a break from that.

0:59:00 New Backtalk Question

Our kids say “low key” all the time. But let’s use it the way we used to. What’s your favorite low key game? When you just want to relax, what do you play?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in this Backtalk post in the Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 403 – Taking the Pressure Off appeared first on The Family Gamers.

00:00 Fact for 402

“The Kids from Room 402” – a kids’ TV show from 1999-2001.

So our fact this week is a direct callout to basically anybody in their mid to late thirties who grew up in the US or Canada. In the late 90’s and early aughts, there was a kids’ TV show that came out called “The Kids from Room 402”. Do you remember that Anitra?
This was an animated show based on the book “Gracie Graves and the Kids from Room 402”. It was basically a sitcom with all sorts of goofy school-based adventures the kids were going through. Animation wise it reminds me of Doug, but less polished. Do you remember Doug?
Anyway, you can find full episodes of The Kids from Room 402 on YouTube and remember what it was like being 14 years old and having plenty of time to waste watching TV. And that’s my fact!

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04:00 What We’ve Been Playing

Paint the Roses – after 5+ years. First saw at PAX Unplugged 2019.
Jekyll & Hyde vs. Scotland Yard – great, but we don’t like it as much as Jekyll vs. Hyde.
Toriki – new review!
HUTAN – review coming soon. Try it on BGA!
Stew
Skulls of Sedlec
Cake Stack – a homemade game.
Trio – our review.

22:00 The Family Gamers Community

Welcome to our newest community members! https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4104499843172808

#Backtalk

We asked for your family’s evergreen game(s). You answered on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this Backtalk post in the Facebook community.

27:10 Grow into Deck Building Games

What is deck building? We defined it this way all the way back in episode 64: “play cards, to accumulate currency, to buy better cards that will allow you to do more things.”

Room to Grow

Our goal with Room to Grow is to bring your kids – or your family – through a series of games that grow in complexity. Normally, we take a beginner game, an intermediate game, and an advanced game (and some honorable mentions). They offer a plan for growth for players to get comfortable with that mechanic, and all are family-friendly.

Deck building was a little challenging because even among “pure” deck-building games, some of their foundational mechanics are different – how you add new cards to your hand, how many cards you can add, how you get rid of cards you don’t want (if you can get rid of them at all!), and even what the PURPOSE of the deck building is.

Nevertheless, we came up with three we’d recommend to learn this style of game more thoroughly.

Beginner: Star Realms Academy

The subtitle to Star Realms Academy (our review) is “my first deck building game” and that seems about right!

Compared to other deckbuilding games, you have a very small hand size (3 cards).
There is very minimal reading, and only a few icons.
Like many deckbuilding games, you gain coins to use to buy better cards – but in this game, you can SAVE some of your coins from turn to turn.

And the purpose of the game is easy for kids to understand: attack your opponent and protect your own health.

You can, of course, move on to Star Realms from here, but we’d recommend…

Intermediate: Dominion

This is the game that started it all – the very first deck building game, and sets a foundation to learn this mechanic.

Play card(s) from your hand, then use currency from what you played to buy ONE new card. Then everything goes into your discard pile and you draw a new hand.

As you build your deck, you get opportunities to buy more cards, set cards aside, or trash cards (aka “culling”). When enough piles run out, count victory points on the cards in your deck & in your hand.

Some of the features we don’t love in Dominon (card market is static, little player interaction) also make it easier to learn. And Dominion can have its own “room to grow” moment by adding expansions.

Advanced: Co-op deckbuilding games from The Op

A trio of games:

• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle [we mistakenly called this “Hogwarts Legacy”]
• Toy Story: Obstacles & Adventures (our review)
• Avatar The Last Airbender: Aang’s Destiny (our review)

What makes any of these games special:

• The starting decks are not identical! You’re playing a specific character in the story
• It’s a cooperative game. You’re all trying to help each other meet the group’s goals.
• They’re hard to win/advance, but put you in the story you already know.

42:40 Other Recommended Deck Building Games

We recommend these games to explore other aspects of deck building:

Tea Dragon Society Card Game (our review) – simple and cute, but more reading than Star Realms Academy.
Abandon All Artichokes (our review) (episode 345 interview with Emma Larkins) – deck “wrecking”
Clank! – build a deck to get further into the dungeon and find more treasure
Avant Carde (our review) – build your deck to play more cards on your turn.
Quarriors or Marvel/DC Dice Masters – a “deck-builder” with dice instead of cards!

51:45 New Backtalk Question

What board game mechanic do you struggle with – or you really don’t like?
Do you want to get better, or do you avoid those games?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in this Backtalk post in the Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 402 – Room to Grow: Deck Building appeared first on The Family Gamers.

Family evergreen games? Evergreen family games? Let’s discuss.

00:00 Fact for 401

The term “401(k)” comes from the section of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code that established this retirement savings plan.

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05:10 What We’ve Been Playing

Santa’s Workshop (our review)
Trio (our review)
Smug Owls (our review)
Canvas Critters (check out the Kickstarter)
Sabobatage
The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
Caution Signs (our review)
Donald Duck in Happy Camper (next written review)
Unmatched: Battle of Legends vol 3 (review coming soon)
Marvel X-Men Dice Throne
Fight for Olympus (old school! our review)
Quarto (our review) – great when you’ve only got a few minutes
Suspend – just fun.
For Sale
Doomlings (our review)
Floristry (our review)
Food Chain Island – great to play with just one hand

22:35 June Monthly Report!

We both have ALREADY (as of July 12) played more games in July than we did in June.

Andrew: 11 plays, 10 unique games, H-index: 1. Most played: Ultimatch (2x)

Anitra: 20 plays, 16 unique games. H-index: 2 (Dice Throne, Micro Macro Kids, Ultimatch, Grove)

24:24 The Family Gamers Community

https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4090537511235708

#Backtalk

We asked for your feedback on the podcast in general. You answered, with a lot of encouraging comments on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, and in this Backtalk post in the Facebook community.

We discuss Happy Camper’s next release: Jungo (here’s the trailer video)

29:35 Evergreen Games… for Families

What’s an evergreen game? Just like an evergreen plant that doesn’t die, this is a game that stays popular in stores year after year. The games that get pulled out and played over and over again. (Games like Wingspan that have staying power.)

We thought it would be easy to find a list on BGG of “evergreen” games… but it’s a lot harder to determine than we thought! Much thanks to BGG user Daniel_M, who compiled a list using data analysis to find the top 100 games that have stayed popular over time, back in 2023.

Here are the top ten from his list:

10 Race for the Galaxy
09 Agricola
08 Power Grid
07 Puerto Rico
06 Ticket to Ride
05 Pandemic
04 Dominion
03 7 Wonders
02 CATAN
01 Carcassonne

Maybe three of these we’d consider “family” games: Carcassonne, Ticket to Ride, and Catan (although you could argue for others).

“Family Evergreen” Games?

A “family” evergreen game might be a little different – something that works at all – or most – stages for your family. By definition these are going to be simpler games, because

#1 – Not everyone in the family is a board game nerd!
#2 – The game has to support multiple age ranges: not too many rules, not a lot of reading required.

So without further ado, here are our 10 games, in no particular order.

Ticket to Ride
CATAN
Carcassonne
Can’t Stop
Just One
Kingdomino
Drop It!
Azul
Strike (also available as Impact: Battle of Elements)
Trio (also available outside the US as nana)`

50:30 New Backtalk Question

What’s the game that, these days, your family is going back to over and over again? This doesn’t have to be your favorite game – but what’s spending the most time on your table?

Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in this Backtalk post in the Facebook community.

Find Us Online:

Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community
Twitter (X): @familygamersaa
Instagram: @familygamersaa
TikTok: @familygamersaa
Bluesky: @familygamersaa
Threads: @familygamersaa
Youtube: TheFamilyGamers

or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord

Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].

PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.

You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :)

The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.

The post Episode 401 – Ten Top Evergreen Family Games appeared first on The Family Gamers.