solo Archives - The Board Game Family

Star Wars: Unlock! game review

Happy Star Wars Day!

To celebrate, we’re diving into a review of another Star Wars family board game – Star Wars: Unlock!

That’s right, the very cool Unlock! escape-room series of games now has a Star Wars themed game – with 3 distinct game adventures. As far as escape-room games go, the Unlock! series have been our favorite. So I was super excited when Asmodee published a Star Wars version.

After having played through all 3 adventures, I’m happy to report that all of them are super fun to play.

May 3, 2023 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, 6-player, Asmodee, cooperative, escape room, puzzle, solo, Star Wars, strategy, theme

Board Games Cooperative Games Family Games Game Reviews

Exit: The Game + Puzzle – The Sacred Temple game review

We’ve played a lot of “escape room” board games and card games over the years. They’re full of riddles and puzzles to solve as you cooperatively try to get out of whatever predicament the story has you caught up in.

But rarely do these types of games include actual puzzles to put together!

However, that’s exactly the case with Exit: The Game + Puzzle – The Sacred Temple.

In this EXIT game by Kosmos, in addition to the riddles and challenges along the way, you’ll put together 4 actual puzzles!

Then you’ll look for more riddles/puzzles within those puzzles to progress further on your journey.

If you like puzzles within your puzzles, then read on…

December 15, 2022 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, cooperative, escape room, Kosmos, puzzle, solo

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest board game review

The original Libertalia board game was published 10 years ago (2012) and now there’s a new ship on the seas (or in the sky – as is the case with the new theme).

Stonemaier Games recently released this revised and expanded edition of Libertalia with new artwork, 40 characters per player, a reputation system, deluxe loot tokens, and a solo mode.

We owned the original Libertalia and sold it a few years ago in one of our game purges. Now that we’ve played the new Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest, will it meet the fate of the original and find another home? Or will it find a permanent spot in our game closet?

Let’s dive in and see…

July 26, 2022September 22, 2022 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, 6-player, luck, pirate, simultaneous, solo, Stonemaier Games, strategy, theme

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Founders of Teotihuacan board game review

Perhaps the first question you’ll have when you see our review of Founders of Teotihuacan is “How should I pronounce Teotihuacan?”

Our answer to that is, “However you’d like.”

That way you can move right on to the next question, “Is it fun to play?”

And for that we respond, “It depends on what type of fun you like in your board games.”

Take a deeper look and see if it’s a fit for you and your family.

June 19, 2022 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, Board&Dice, solo, strategy, tile-laying, tiles

Family Games Game Reviews

EscapeWelt Puzzle Boxes review

With Spring in the air and the many shutdowns of the last couple of pandemic years coming to an end, so many of us are looking for an escape. Although we may have settled into new routines, there’s often still an urge to break free.

And our review today is all about setting things free from their confined boxes.

In particular, these are “escape room” style puzzle boxes from EscapeWelt in Germany. Taking a look at their website, you’ll see they have a nice assortment to choose from.

The two we dove into are House of the Dragon and Space Box.

May 31, 2022June 1, 2022 Trent 0 Comments EscapeWelt, puzzle, solo

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Everdell Board Game Review

“Within the charming valley of Everdell, beneath the boughs of towering trees, among meandering streams and mossy hollows, a civilization of forest critters is thriving and expanding. There are buildings to construct, lively characters to meet, events to host—you have a busy year ahead of yourself. Will the sun shine brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?

Prepare to be enchanted by the wondrous world of Everdell. Once you are here, you might never, ever, want to leave.”

Such is the intro text to the board game Everdell by Starling Games.

The big question is, is it true – Once you enter and play, will you ever want to leave?

April 24, 2022 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, card, luck, solo, Starling Games, strategy, theme

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews Kid Games

PicTwist: National Parks board game review

Whenever we visit a US National Park, we take a lot of photos!

How can you not take photos when you’re wandering around, taking in nature’s beauty?

These are also the types of photos I use for my phone and desktop backgrounds. Looking at the scenic photos can bring a sense of peace.

However, when such pictures are all broken up, mixed around, and players are racing against the clock to be the first to arrange their picture, that peace can evaporate quickly!

That’s a bit what it’s like playing PicTwist: National Parks – a new board game from The Op.

April 6, 2022April 6, 2022 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5-player, puzzle, solo, The OP

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Magnate: The First City board game review

“Welcome to Humbleburg, a sleepy commuter community that has resisted development for years. That is until one fateful city council meeting where everything changed in the blink of an eye. Developers from all over raced to Humbleburg to make their fortunes in this small town. Will you be one of them?”

In Magnate: The First City players take on the role of developers who buy land, develop it, and lease space to tenants. But nothing lasts forever and sooner or later the bubble will burst.

The player who can manage their properties the best and sells at the right time will be victorious.

January 31, 2022 Dane Trimble 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, 5 players, action selection, area-control, auction, city building, dice, Naylor Games, resource management, solo

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Cape May, the “Queen of the Seaside Resorts”

Cape May, the “Queen of the Seaside Resorts”, is located on the Southeastern tip of New Jersey and is one of the oldest seaside resorts in America.

Founded in 1692 it boasts a beautiful collection of Victorian homes, churches and quaint shops.

In Cape May the board game, players travel the streets of this historic town, developing properties, avoiding catastrophes and spotting birds all the while earning prestige.

The player with the most prestige at the end of the game wins.

December 18, 2021 Dane Trimble 2 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, city buidling, solo, strategy, Thunderworks Games

Board Games Family Games Game Reviews

Plague Inc.: The Board Game Review

Way back in 2009, our then 6-year old son, Caleb got us rolling in reviewing board games with his video review of Pandemic.

He shared how to play the game and what he enjoyed about working together to save the world from deadly viruses.

Fast-forward 12 years and the tides have turned.

Now we’re infecting the world with viruses and competing to be the most lethal in Plague Inc.: The Board Game!

That’s right, the popular mobile app game, Plague Inc., first released in 2012 by Ndemic Creations, is now available as a board game available from Asmodee.

I know it sounds odd while we’re struggling around the world facing a real global pandemic, but to be honest, we’ve had a very fun time playing Plague Inc.: the Board Game. And we’re happy to share why.

October 30, 2021October 30, 2021 Trent 0 Comments 2-player, 3-player, 4-player, Asmodee, luck, solo, strategy, them

← Previous