by B Kunes
The large majority of my game plays are 2p games with my wife. Next I would say are those plays with my game group. On occasion my girls will want to play or join in on a game. I wouldn't call them "gamers" yet, but school, sports, friends, etc. don't leave an absorbent amount of free time right now. However, when they do have it games aren't their first choice for how to spend that time either. But, on rare occasion a game hits the spot.I got into the hobby because I was looking for something other than the mass marketed games I grew up on to spend some quality family time when being outdoors was not an option. When we first got into the hobby my oldest insisted she play test each new game we got, meaning she wanted to be the first person to play them with me to take it for a test ride through the rule book. My youngest on the other hand acts like she has no interest in games and has a knack for winning every game she plays for the first time and struggles to repeat the magic touch.
A few years ago I sat down with my youngest to pick out a game to get for the family for Christmas in hopes of finding a game she would be excited about by engaging her in the process. A nice family tradition, but I don't know that it is going to happen this year. Her and I have talked about it but have both been extremely busy and haven't been able to circle the wagons and make a choice.
Getting to this week's topic. I asked both of my girls what were the games in our collection that they enjoy playing. I also looked at what they've actually played to suppliment their memory. This week's list is the Top 10 Games My Kids Enjoy Playing with Me.
Bananagrams[/thing]
We took a family Alaskian cruise a few years back with the extended family and picked up this bag of tiles at a local bookstore during one of our port stops. We played it a lot during the cruise and have pulled it out on family vacations and on the occasional family night. It is more my older daughters choice as she is a huge reader and spelling bee finalist. My youngest dislikes reading and despising picking up a dictionary and therefore struggles with making words under pressure. My wife the former English major and my mathematical mind sit somewhere in the middle.
Citadels
I heard a lot about this small box game when I joined the hobby and picked it up for camping trips with friends and family vacations, like our trip to Yellowstone a couple summers back. I think my girls like the social interaction of the game trying to determine who is which character in an attempt to squash them. Both mentioned this as a game they like. It would probably see more plays if my wife liked it.
Agricola
This is the game that my oldest chooses whenever she gets the gaming itch and initiates with me to play a game. She enjoyes a good brain burn from time to time which I can appreciate it. She also likes to joke about "I'm going to have a baby!" when she takes the family expansion action or when the animals, um, multiply.
There is something about the hidden traitor mechanism that appeals to my kids. I listed both of these games as my oldest prefers BSG and my youngest prefers the shorter, less complex Avalon. Both have enjoyed cylon wins with me when we have played this which has formed some fun memories. Avalon has been a tough sell to just about everyone buy my youngest and one other in our group, unfortunately. I think both offer a fun gaming experience if you give it sometime to click and get out of the strick execution of the rules and immerse yourself more in the social aspect of the game.
Dixit
This was last Christmas' family tradition pick that my daughter and I chose. We've played it as a family, with my parents, and with the cousins. Our kids enthusiastically picked out expansion and promo cards to expand the game at Origins this past summer. We have fun with this although we know each others tastes and interests enough that our clues create some great code breaking sessions.
Kingsburg
This was the family tradition Christmas pick a couple of years ago. We played it as a family regularly during Christmas Break when we first got it, but once the girls went back to school it's seen rare family plays, but multiple 2p games. Both of my kids picked this as a game they enjoy... I wonder how they will feel about the expansion which we acquired last Christmas but they have yet to try.
Oz Fluxx
This was my youngest daugthers Origins pick this past summer. Our introduction to Fluxx and has proved to be fun when we just want to play something not too serious but spend time together. My oldest wants Monty Python Fluxx... and dad wants Star Fluxx.
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride has been a family favorite since getting into the hobby. If you combine all of our plays across all the maps it is probably our most played game. Our oldest refers to herself as the "Empress of Ticket to Ride" as she has put up some very high scores in this game. Our kids haven't played many of the Map Collection expansions, yet. But at the end of the day this is a great gateway game, a great family game.
King of Tokyo
My oldest and I tied this one at Origins two summers ago and she nearly won! I was knocked out early, but the fun we had stuck with me. So it was my very first purchase at GenCon 2012 and we played a handful of times in the hotel room with the kids that night. We played in the Origins tournament to get the Space Penguin Promo and our youngest ended up winning our game for the prize. This year we've also been playing with the Evolution Cards which is enhancing our games. This is the game all of us would like to play more but for some odd reason don't. We'll need to remedy that problem.
Killer Bunnies
The hands down favorite game my kids like to play with us is Killer Bunnies. This silly, gang-up-on-dad game got us into the hobby when the kids started asking to play a game as a family; and has been a kids favorite when their friends come over to spend the night. When we decide to have a family game night and we ask what they want to play this is the first game they both recommend. When we play, it's with only a dozen carrots and without the zodiac cards which are just confusing. We also play with the alternate scoring which makes it more interesting giving everyone a chance to influence or earn a win. My wife and I have since grown out of "like" with this game but for their sakes will entertain an occasional win if we just can't persuade them to play something else.
I hope you enjoyed this week's list. I really enjoy gaming with my kids. They both have great potential as gamers should they ever choose to take a greater interest in gaming. But during these active teen years I'm just glad they are pursuing a balanced and healthy lifestyle. With Christmas Break around the corner and some vacation time from work myself I look forward to the games we'll play and memories we'll make over the next couple of weeks.
Next week I will share the Top 5-10 Games I Like That My Wife Hates.
:meeple: Keep playing...