One form of entertainment that has survived the test of time is board games! Every single one brings a different experience that can’t be replicated. Each game has an inventor or team behind it all who took the time to develop all the rules. Its know wonder why board games is still a popular activity. However most people just end up playing the same old copy of Monopoly because its the most popular and everyone knows how to play it. But why not adventure into the unknown and purchase a board game that isn’t as mainstream? So here are 10 hidden gems to try for those who are looking for something different. So the next time its family game night, try one of these games instead!
Please note that some of the games pictured and described below may have newer versions available on store shelves with different artstyles and pieces.
1. Survive: Escape from Alantis!
The island is sinking! Save as many people as possible before its too late. Your only hope is the surrounding islands. Get on a boat and ride the ocean waves. On your way, you’ll encounter dangerous sea monsters and whales. Watch out for both of them, or they just end up eating your people or destroying your boats. Over the course of the game, the island will be slowely disappearing with surprise events underneath. This game can be played with two to four players.
2. Funny Bunny
Its a race to the giant carrot! Games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders are meant for a young demographic and are incredibly simple. This game takes those games into a whole new level that is ten times more interesting. Rabbits have to climb the hill with the card you get determining how far you go. However their is a high change you’ll get a carrot card. When you do, turn the giant carrot in the center and watch mayhem unfold. The bridge may go up and prevent the rabbits from going further. A mole might push you off the board and you’ll have to start from the beginning. Each time a carrot card is drawn, who knows what will happen? For anyone looking to entertain a toddler, this game is for you! This game can be played with two to four players.
3. Can’t Stop
Push your luck with this game! Roll the dice and place cones on the stop signs. You can keep rolling and gaining more points, but if you get a number combination that work on the board, you’ll lose the points. Get your colored cones to the end of the board to win. Its a game thats a little difficult to explain, but really is quite simple. This game can be played with two to four players.
4. Robo Rally
The story goes that the robots in a factory go against each other in one exciting race. Players will pick their favorite Robot with names such as Twonky, Hulk x90, Hammer Bot, Smash Bot, Zoom Bot, and Spin Bot. Head through converyor belts and watch out for lasers. The goal is to get your robot to the checkpoints. This wacky game is full of surprises and mayhem! Anyone who like robotics or coding is sure to love this game. This game can be played with two to six players.
5. Tzaar
This game is part of the GIPF Project. Creator Kris Burm wanted to create a bunch of games that were taylored to two players. He opted to go for an abstract theme. The final result was several simple yet entertaining games! One of these was Tzaar where players must either attack or stack their pieces. Their are three types of pieces, Tzaars, Tzarras, and Totts. Make sure to check out the other games in this series! This game can be played with two players.
6. Karuba
Visit an ancient ruins on the island of Karuba! This game is made by a German company known as HABA that are known for creating some of the most popular board games. Each player recives their own board. Its a race to hunt for treasure by routing a path through a jungle. Test your thinking skills about which temple you want to go to. The player with the most treasure at the end wins the game. This game won the Spiel Des Jahres in 2016 which is the German award for family board games. This game can be played with two to four players.
7. Whitehall Mystery
We have a mystery to solve! Three players take the role as detectives as they try and track down a murderer. Another player takes on the role as the murderer and has a separate secret map of the board and makes hidden movements that unknown to the other players. Detectives will follow the trail left behind by the murderer and guess what his or her next move will be. However the detectives only have so many chances before time runs out. If that happens, the murderer will win the game. This mystery will leave player on the edge of their seats! This game can be played with two to four players.
8. Ticket to Ride: London
Welcome to London! The regular version of Ticket to Ride is already quite a popular board game, so instead I’ll highlight a lesser known varient of the game. The pieces double decker buses and you must lay out your routes. Connect different districts together in order to gain the most points. At the beginning of the game, you’ll receive specfic routs that will earn you points if completed by the end of the game. Unlike most games on this list, this is a simple, as most 30 minute game that goes by quickly! With a 70s inspired art style, this is a more portable version compared to the original Ticket to Ride board game. This game can be played with two to four players.
9. Say Anything
The name says it all! This is party game where each player is given their own white board. During each round, one of the players picks up a card and chooses a question. Everyone else has to guess what that persons answer would be. That player secretly chooses the answer they agree with the most and people vote what answer they think they chose. This is the perfect game to test who knows each other the best with a great deal of questions. Answers can be serious, crazy, or untrue! It’s just the nature of the game. This game can be played with four to eight players.
10. Carcassonne
Your building the board in this game! Each player picks up a tile piece and must connect them to the other pieces. You’ll encounter pathways, castles, churchs, and rivers. However you can’t just place them anywhere you want, it has to be logical. Pathways have to connect to other paths. The goal of the game is to claim the most territory in the world. Place your color figure on the path or castle you want to own. However you have to complete each one before the game ends if you want to earn the points. For example, pathways have to end in towns and castles must have walls on all sides. Its a mediveal theme game named after the French city of Carcassonne! This game can be played with two to five players.
Sources:
Game Information – Instructions and boxes of each board game
Photos – Taken by Matthew Chu
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