With all the technology present in our daily lives, it can be challenging to spend time together as a family. Even when you try to, every member has their specific interest and idea of fun. Dad likes video games, while your daughter likes reality television and your son loves movies. And what about mom? Well, she just wants to see everyone getting along and enjoying each other’s company for once.
Turn off the TV, put your phones down, give your virtual reality animal one last feeding, and take a seat around the kitchen table for an ancient ritual. That’s right, it’s family night, and we’re playing board games. Sure, there are the traditional ones like Monopoly and Yahtzee, but what are the hottest ones on the market in 2018? Here’s a look at what’s trending now in the category of family board games.
Sequence
This game is relatively new, so if you haven’t heard of it, that’s why. Sequence is a strategy game that is challenging for adults and easy for children. Another perk of the card-based game is that you can play it individually or in teams. Sequence is not recommended for ages six and below, but some reviews claim that younger children enjoyed playing with an adult.
Each player receives a hand of playing cards. During their turn, every player puts down one card and covers the corresponding place on the game board with a chip. To win the game, get five chips in a row before anyone else does. A round of Sequence usually lasts 10-30 minutes.
This board game incorporates all ages and is easy to learn how to play. The competition and excitement will increase one round at a time with its combination of strategy and luck. Purchase Sequence on Amazon for $13.99 and gather your family for some fun with this strategy card game.
Codenames
Codenames is a game that will require your family to divide into teams of at least 2 or more. This game is fast-paced and will keep your family entertained and challenged with its wordplay. The objective of the game is to guess the identity of “secret agents” with the assistance of the spymaster for your team.
Play the game with four or more people. On the table, place 25 cards. Each card represents the two team’s secret agent. But, only the spymaster from each team knows the difference between the cards. Throughout the game, each team’s spymaster will give them clues, helping their teammates pick the correct agent’s card, so they don’t choose the other team’s cards. For example, if a secret agent’s card reads “cat,” the spymaster will give a clue “animal.”
The fast nature of the game usually promotes a competitive atmosphere and allows for teams to move around. You can buy this game on Amazon for $24.99.
Busytown
If you are searching for a game oriented for younger children, Richard Scarry’s Busytown, Eye Found It is the one for you. Children ages three and up can play. The game board is six-feet long and requires children to work their way to Picnic Island while looking for items in a sort of I-Spy challenge.
The game allows up to four players for each round. Eye Found It is designed to promote collaboration between players. On each child’s turn, they will spin the dial and move ahead however many spaces it tells them to or they must solve a “Goldbug Mystery.” If they must solve a mystery, all the players will work together to find specific objects on the game board. The goal is to locate five before the timer runs out so that they can move up five spaces.
Richard Scarry’s Busytown, I Found It is on Amazon for $19. It is guaranteed to be a blast for you and your children as they search for objects in this I-Spy board game.
Catan 5th Edition
Catan is a must have for your family game night. This adventure game is ideal for three to four players above age eight. During the game, players will battle to build settlements and collect resources on the Island of Catan. This game sounds almost as good as those video games.
The game comes equipped with 15 tiles shapes like hexagons that are put together to make up the board you play on. At the beginning of the game, you shuffle the tiles, so each game is different every time. At the beginning of every round, give each player a settlement that’s color-coded along with a city and road pieces. The point of the game is to collect resource cards to construct buildings around the island. Players will earn victory points for every structure they build, and when they have 10 points, they win the game.
The rules and obstacles of the game are what makes it such a hit with families. Players can sabotage each other with the “robber” game piece and trade resource cards. Purchase Catan from Amazon for $40.
Pandemic
This a newer, favorite game for the cooperative play that requires players to work together to reach their goal instead of competing against each other. Pandemic is a board game modeled by the apocalypse. The game demands players to stop the spread of diseases before the entire population is wiped out.
Work together as a family to stop the spread of disease and find a cure that will save humanity from extinction. Each player will be assigned a character equipped with specific skill sets that contribute to the group. Buy this exciting game on Amazon for $32 and bring your family together to end the apocalypse one turn at a time.
These board games are sure to be anything except boring. They provide opportunities for the whole family to have fun. Even the little ones. These games are newer trends that will captivate your family’s attention and get their heads out of technology for a while.
Does your family have a favorite game for game nights? If so, please share what your family enjoys below.