Family Gaming Night

 

I know, I know, this always comes off as a degrading terminology to me too. Let me do some explaining though. I love playing games. I love playing good quality board games. I love playing computer games (though I normally avoid them, as they suck my life away) I love wargames, I love roleplaying games. I think everyone should. But unfortunately, the only companies who have ever supported “Family game nights” are the big vanilla names such as Milton Bradley, Parker Bros. and their ilk. 

So, what can family game night really mean? Well, there is the stigmata I feel sits on the family game night: Pulling out games that the kids will go wild about, such as games in which you randomly move Ginger Bread children past the clutches of Lord Liqorice, but the fact is, the parents will only get one thing out of it, and that is seeing their kids having fun. Why do we prefer to watch TV over playing those crappy games? Because we genuinely enjoy spending the time enjoying a good TV show. So, on the bad end of the spectrum, we have

1. Playing a crappy game and guffawing like Mike Meyers and acting like we’re actually having fun, even though you’re thinking about watching Dan Blather or Monday Night Football.

2. Going and watching Lost and having to cover you’re children’s eyes half the time.  

On the other side though, I am in full support of a good QUALITY game night with family and friends. But this requires good games. The advantage of  a good game if you not only learn something about each other (maybe little Jimmy hates losing, and so playing a co-op game is better. Maybe dad is strategic genius who will only play Axis and Allies with his buddies: Get Carcassonne.

You also learn. You really, truly LEARN in a good game. A good game is replayable. Why stop watching TV? For the same reason I avoid Video games. You have nothing to show for them. Sure, you can say such things as “Oh! you remember the time when Frasier embarrassed himself?” or “Remember the time when Hurley finally figured it out and was in the looney bin?” Yeah, that’s nice, and you never forget those deep moments. But how much better to have your kids saying someday, “Hey, remember the time when Dad had a good one hundred points over us in Carcassonne, and I farmed the land and got 200 points, beating him?” Or, “Remember in Shadow over Camelot, when I single handedly defeated the Dragon? No one has ever beat the Dragon!” And sister says “Nuh-uh! I helped you. If I hadn’t given you the Grail and brought you back to life, you would never, ever have beaten him!”

Those are the times you really cherish, moments that your family actually have with one another. 

Now, I can rant and rave about how much you need to play quality games, but what’s the point if I don’t inform you which game you should or should not be playing? Thus, I am now going to give you some “Lists of five,” for you to consider. 

Games for families with younger Kids (no particular order):

1. Apples to Apple. A good game to help teach kids Adjectives along with Nouns. Can be fun, and challenging, and you get to see your kid’s sense of humor come out.

2. Zooloretto. Won major awards this year, very fun and easy game. Suggested for 8+. I think a 5 year old who has played other game can play this great game. Must have.

3. Carcassonne. A wonderful game for all ages. With help form an adult a 4 year old can play, but adults and competitive types will love it too. Helps teach matching and strategy.

4. Sorry! I know, it’s a Parker Bros. game, and it’s completely random, but it is fun hitting one another and sending each other back. Can help teach disappointment, and they have just as much of a chance at beating the adults too. 

5. Last Word. A good game for increasing vocabulary. Person flips over subject, and you must all start shouting out words that start with the hot letter, that match the verb. Timer has a variable ending, so you never know who will be last.

Games for older kids and family.

1. Cosmic Encounters. This is a remake of an old classic from the seventies and eighties. It has ironed out all the problems form last editions. And a definite must. There are fifty different aliens, each with their own game altering abilities, so the game will never be the same.

2. Settlers of Catan. A must for everyone to have played by the time they leave the house. God for teaching trading, and haggling. Can be competitive, or private.

3. Shadows Over Camelot. Every family should play a co-op game, and this is co-op at its finest. Everyone wins, or everyone loses. (Or you can play with the Traitor, and he might beat you all.)

4. Cranium. Too bad this was bought by Hasbro. It is a great family game, and unlike Trivial Pursuit, in which a kid who could care less about facts might not enjoy, here there is something for everyone. Art, acting, trivia, spelling, its all here. 

5. Blokus. Mensa game or 1-4 players. A great game indeed. There are two editions, on is squares, and the other Trigon, or if you want 3-D, get Rumis, which has just been renamed, it would appear, Blokus 3-D. A”think outside the lines,” game. Very good for developing cranial stimulation.

Simple Games:

1. Phase-10. Good game in which you put down different sequences of cards. Can help develop crd identification. 

2. Yahtzee. Good game of math and decisions. You’ve never played it? I’m sorry.

3. Nerts. Wow. This game will blow you mind. Go to the link I’ve provided, and buy a completely separate deck of cards for each player (I believe 6 is best to have on hand.)

4. Pit. Wild, loud, and headache creating. Totally worth it! 

5. Shut the Box. Another Yahtzee type game in which you must make mathematical decisions. Good for solitaire, or for multiples. Only problem is, you need a box for each person if you play multiple.

Of course there are plenty of other game. My wife and I love to play Phase 10, Stratego, Infernal Contraption. Each of these are great. This post will actually be appearing on my new Blog at Monday’s Hero, in three weeks. But you get to see it first, and hear about my new blog. I’ll be working on two blogs in order to Polarize my writings more. Here will be only games, and there will be a weekly rant. Hope you enjoy both of them.

 I ask you basically to consider each of those 15 games, 15 games to have in the house or having friends over, playing with your kids, or giving them when they move out. All of these games are worth having handy.

My suggestion? Finish your break by looking up the closest board game store in your area and on your way home, go by and get one of these game. Show up at home with a surprise. Go over and unplug the TV (Wives appreciate the football game being turned off every once and a while,or basketball, depending on the game season.) And inform them after dinner (you did pick up KFC on your way home too?) you’re going to play a game, or two, or three. The kids will hurry to finish their homework and you’ll have a good time. Heck, maybe it’ll become what you do every Monday.

-Game Gorilla Out