Episode 352 – Top 5 Simultaneous Play Games The Family Gamers podcast

53:38

We’re currently having false spring here in New England. But after a cold dreary winter, we are ready for green, growing things. Let’s talk about games with flowers and plants – games that make us think spring. 0:00 Fact for 392 It’s been a while since we’ve done a car fact: The SRT 392 is a high-performance version of the Dodge Charger and Challenger models. Sponsor Message Check the FTC’s website for information about credit counseling and debt management plans for anyone wanting to learn more. Remember, you can always schedule a short phone call by going to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers – and even if they aren’t the right fit to help you, they can point you in the right direction. 04:00 What We’ve Been Playing Horrified: World of Monsters – this time using Cthulu and the Krampus expansion monster. Nidavellir Shovel Knight: Dungeon Duels Little Alchemists (review coming soon) Strato (review coming Friday) Floristry (review coming soon – this game will be out later in March!) 13:25 Feb Monthly Report Andrew: 14 plays, 10 unique games, H-index: 2 ( Floristry , Little Alchemists ) 86% at home, 56% at two players. Anitra: 43 plays, 22 unique games, H-index 3 ( Strato , Floristry , Octo Grabbo ) 14:30 The Family Gamers Community We’re so glad for new members who joined us on Facebook. Hope you like pizza! 15:00 Backtalk Getting to know you! Listeners tell us about their favorite snack or candy. See responses on Discord and Facebook . 19:30 FOR SCIENCE! We try pink lemonade KitKats. 22:00 SNAP Review – Hundred Acre Wood Fluxx Elliot helps Anitra review this adorable version of Fluxx , crafted with a love for A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories. And kids can include stuffies as players. Who doesn’t love that? Watch the video or read the transcript of our Hundred Acre Wood Fluxx review . 26:00 Ten Games that Make Us Think Spring Ten games with flowers and plants and growing things. Not a top ten! Just ten spring-like games we recommend. Floristry (review coming soon!) – A very fast, very compelling game for two players. Flower Fields ( our review ) – Celebrates the whole ecosystem of growing flowers. A little more complicated than Patchwork or Kingdomino . Playable solo or two players, but best at three or four players. Gift of Tulips ( our review ) – A game that rewards you for giving flowers away. Best for 3-6 players. Bonsai ( our review ) – Create bonsai trees bit by bit, using hex tiles to create surprisingly organic looking plants/trees. Tea Dragon Society Card Game ( our review ) – A super cute kids game, “my first deckbuilder” with no conflict. Power Plants – Area-majority tile game. Grow crazy magical plants. Not a friendly game, but rarely intentionally mean. Grove ( our review ) – Create a grove of citrus trees. Stack cards to get better fruit (tracked with dice). Quick and compact solo game that you can bring almost anywhere. Gnome Hollow (review coming soon) – Friendly gnomes make rings of mushrooms, collecting mushrooms and flowers for points. A Gentle Rain ( our review ) – Another solo game. This one should be completely stress-free: match tile edges and place flowers. Enjoy the art and the calming illustrations. Tussie Mussie – A fantastic split-and-choose game that is best at two players. Easy to learn, lots of layers of strategy, with bluffing and several kinds of set collection. 49:30 New Backtalk Question Do you have a favorite flower? Andrew’s favorite are dahlias, and Anitra’s are pansies. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 392 – Springtime Games appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 391 – Room to Grow: Cooperative Games 1:10:15

19 днів тому1:10:15

1:10:15

Following on from last week’s topic, let’s talk about cooperative games that can you can play with your children as they grow! 0:00:00 Fact for 391 The deepest hand-dug well was 391m (1285 ft) deep. It took almost 6 years to hit water! Find out more: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/761162-deepest-hand-dug-well Sponsor Message If this primer on investments already has you overwhelmed, you may want to get help with managing your investments. First Move is here to help. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to set up a time FOR FREE to see if they can help you make your First Move with investing. 0:05:15 What We’ve Been Playing trio of Chip Theory Kids games: Bear in Mind , Octo Grabbo , Woodland Rush Flamecraft ( our review ) Hamster Roll ( our review ) Hundred Acre Wood Fluxx (review coming soon) Cabanga! ( our review ) Runemasters (review coming soon) Project L Let’s Go! To Japan Floristry (review coming soon) Splendor Duel 0:33:30 The Family Gamers Community We’re so glad for new members who joined us on Facebook. A sleepy puppy welcomes you! Backtalk Listeners tell us about their favorite cooperative games. See responses on Discord and Facebook . 0:43:40 SNAP Review – Landmarks Take a look at this unusual word game of clues and guesses, and navigate a path across the island! Read the transcript or watch the video of our review of Landmarks . 0:50:50 Room to Grow: Cooperative Games Our goal with Room to Grow is to bring your kids – or your family – through a series of games that grow in complexity. Normally, we take a beginner game, an intermediate game, and an advanced game (and some honorable mentions). They offer a plan for growth for players to get comfortable with that mechanic, and all are family-friendly (no Dead of Winter or Frosthaven , sorry). Why play cooperative games? We talked a lot about this last time in episode 390 . Cooperative games encourage players to work together. And when you’re playing with very young children, there will often be an element of cooperation even if that is not how the game is intended to work. Cooperative games are also a great way to get everyone on the same team, winning or losing TOGETHER. Even then, kids will have to wait their turn, and have opportunities to help each other! Beginner: My First Castle Panic This is a tower-defense game designed for 3-5 year old children. On your turn, you choose from one of two cards to try to match a monster spot on the path up to the castle. But you’re also allowed to ask other players for help! You have a chance to be the supporting character and help the hero. My First Castle Panic is the most popular game to be bought through our Amazon affiliate links – by FAR. Read our full review of My First Castle Panic . Intermediate: Zombie Kidz Evolution We talked about this when we talked about room to grow legacy games . Zombie Kidz Evolution forces players to think a few steps ahead. Try to help each other defeat the zombies and cooperate to lock the school gates. No matter how well you do, you always get at least one sticker to place in the rulebook (but if you win, you get more). While these legacy aspects keep kids interested, they also slowly ramp up the complexity. Unlock special powers – both for the player characters and for the zombies! Additional challenges will force kids to continue to improve their cooperation. Advanced: Disney Animated This game leans very hard into its theme: classic Disney animated movies. Each player has their own movie they’re working on, but there’s a group goal, which requires every player to meet their individual goal as well: finish all the movies and defeat all the villains. This means that sometimes you will use your whole turn to support other players in meeting their goals. Read our full review of Disney Animated . The game is still available on Amazon and in some big-box stores. Even More: The World of Cooperative Games From “big brother” Castle Panic to Pandemic , from Horrified to Unmatched Adventures , Marvel United , and Marvel Champions . Even The Loop and Endangered are wonderful cooperative games for your family to play. 1:07:00 New Backtalk Question We have asked a lot about cooperative games already. So it’s time to learn about you, our listener! What’s your favorite candy or snack? Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 391 – Room to Grow: Cooperative Games appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 390 – Cooperative Games 1:03:44

5 weeks тому1:03:44

1:03:44

This week, we’re talking about cooperative games – what they are, what makes them a good fit for families, and we explore the breadth of games that can be considered “cooperative”. 0:00:00 Fact for 390 While the exact number fluctuates, there are around 390 known species of sharks in the world, from tiny lantern sharks to massive whale sharks. The average weight of a full-grown jaguar can reach up to 390 pounds , making it the largest cat in the Americas. Sponsor Message If you want to talk through your specific situation and how to achieve your goals set up a time to talk FOR FREE at firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today. 0:04:15 What We’ve Been Playing Combo (review linked below) Flower Fields (review coming soon) Holiday Hijinks: The Marriage Mix-up – two thumbs up! In Vino Morte ( our review ) Rivages Landmarks Trio ( our review ) Strato MicroMacro Funfair Jigsaw (review coming, but you can find more from Hachette ) 0:20:45 Monthly Report – January Anitra: 29 plays of 19 unique games. H-index 2 ( A Nice Cuppa played 6 times) Andrew: 18 plays of 14 unique games. H-index 2 ( In Vino Morte , Video Game Champion , Flower Fields ) The Family Gamers Community We’re so glad for new members who joined us on Facebook. Cookie Monster says hi – and you should too!. 0:23:00 Backtalk Listeners tell us about what game(s) they’d play to de-stress. See responses on Discord and Facebook . 0:32:00 SNAP Review – Combo Do you combo? We review this semi-cooperative game of making the best card combo across all players. Watch the video or read the transcript, and check out Combo for yourself. 0:38:20 Cooperative Games The last time we talked specifically about cooperative games was all the way back in episode 108! (Top Cooperative Games With Kids) . We’ve played a lot of other cooperative games in the last 6 ½ years. Where are good places and times to play cooperative games? Coop games can be a great way to bring younger kids into gaming. Any perfect information game can work for this, but in a cooperative game, your littlest can easily be part of the team. Also good for preventing sore losers – or sore winners! Categories of Cooperative Games Anitra decides there are three basic categories: you either work together to solve a puzzle , work together to tell a story , or one person is giving clues to everyone else to guess. A lot of the puzzle-type cooperative games have players take turns and then “bad stuff happens”. But not all! Ultimatch charges players to solve a problem without a separate “bad stuff” turn. The Crew has a little more story and does something similar. The Adventures of Robin Hood is a “story” game. The best of these have multiple ways to “solve” the puzzles involved. Some escape room games do this really well; some just present puzzles you have to solve a specific way. Most clue-giving games are word-guessing games, but not all. Similo is a great example of one that is NOT a word game. All Kinds of Mechanics It seems like every game mechanic has had some kind of take on how to do it cooperatively: Trick-taking : The Crew Worker placement : Endangered Word games : Illiterati (NOT a guessing game!) Deck building : Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle Ladder climbing : The Mind Dungeon crawl : CoraQuest Set collection : Tesseract Press your luck : Mickey’s Christmas Carol Abstract : Ultimatch Heavily themed: Disney Animated Deduction : Purrrlock Holmes And don’t forget about the whole genre of timed cooperative games! This can be pure puzzle solving like Kites or Skyrockets , or a memory game like Panic Island . TFG Favorite Cooperative Games Similo Shadows over Camelot Illiterati The Grizzled SkyTeam 1:00:00 New Backtalk Question Question: What is your favorite cooperative game? Why is it your favorite? Would you like us to break this out more and dive into specific genres of cooperative games? Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 390 – Cooperative Games appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 389 – Games to Disconnect 47:41

7 weeks тому47:41

47:41

Sometimes intentionally, sometimes by accident, we find games that disconnect us from the stresses and worries of every day life. Andrew and Anitra discover that they have different ideas of what helps them step away from the real world – but there’s some overlap, too. 0:00 Fact for 389 When diving (“stooping”), the peregrine falcon can reach speeds of 389kph. Sponsor Message Owning a home isn’t for everyone, but if you want help talking through whether it makes sense for you to buy or rent, set up a free phone call by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today. 03:18 What We’ve Been Playing Playing games is one of the ways we de-stress. A Nice Cuppa ( Anitra’s review ) Bite Your Tongue ( read the transcript or watch the video ) Azul Video Game Champion (again) Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard – this builds off the ideas in Jekyll vs. Hyde and makes it a cooperative game. (And check out the Kickstarter campaign for more games like this that 25th Century is bringing to the USA) Little Alchemists (review coming soon) Maul Peak (haven’t played it in a while but we still love it ) 11:30 Community Welcome and Backtalk We’re so glad you’ve joined us on Facebook! Say hello to our newest community members. Backtalk Listeners tell us about their favorite “new” game in 2024. See responses on Discord and Facebook . Check out Derek Bruff’s podcast episode about The Wolves . 21:40 SNAP Review – Bite Your Tongue A dumb game, but surprisingly fun, and very quick. Can you make yourself understood? Read the transcript or watch the video of this very short review. 24:45 Games to Disconnect Andrew and Anitra deal with stress differently. Andrew needs to “disconnect” and do different things when he has too much on his plate. Anitra needs an escape that has simple rules and not too many choices. We agree that word games are bad for this (although for different reasons). Andrew doesn’t mind a lot of rules, but needs it to be a familiar game because learning a new game is too connected to the real world. Really deeply thematic or narrative games are great for him. But strong competition is not. Anitra prefers gently competitive games (or solo) – the kind that leave her feeling accomplished, no matter how well she did compared to others. Andrew says deduction (figuring out what other players have) is also bad for this. No games with limited communication or any game that increases FRICTION. Little Alchemists (review coming soon) would be a great choice! It’s sort of co-operative, sort of competitive. Nothing grounded in “real life”, a limited set of decisions each turn, and you can’t plan very far ahead. Roll Player – Andrew (primarily as solo) A Gentle Rain – Anitra ( our review ) Escape room games that have continuity between puzzles ( Holiday Hijinks , maybe some Unlocks , the easier EXIT s ) Abstract games with a limited decision space – like Quarto , Quoridor , Cinco Linko . We discuss whether Shobu or Tether work in this category. Tasso Banana ( our review ) – and other games where you simply react to what is on the table. Button Shy solo games – obviously A Nice Cuppa , but Anitra also loves ROVE and Sprawlopolis . Other themes might work better for other people. 44:40 New Backtalk Question What game do you play to disconnect and de-stress? What’s the “number one game in your tool-belt to step away from the stresses and busy-ness of the world”? Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Send us more weird food FOR SCIENCE! : The Family Gamers 60 Auburn St. #528 Auburn, MA 01501 The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 389 – Games to Disconnect appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 388 – Top Ten Games of 2024 1:06:37

9 weeks тому1:06:37

1:06:37

It’s the first podcast of 2025, so we’re going to go back over our favorite games from 2024. 0:00:00 Fact for 388 The National Guard observed its 388th birthday on December 13th, continuing a tradition that began long before the nation’s founding in 1776. Sponsor Message First Move doesn’t sell insurance, but they can help point you in the right direction and help you interpret the policies you currently have. To schedule a call with First Move, go to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers . 0:05:06 What We’ve Been Playing Combo (review coming soon) Video Game Champion Landmarks Mezen River Valley Glassworks Run Run Run! A Nice Cuppa (review coming soon) Calico 0:25:00 Monthly Report and Year in Review December: Andrew: 18 unique games, 29 total plays. H-index: 3. Most played: Obelus , Combo , Landmarks Anitra: 62 plays of 29 unique games. A ton during PAX and on NYE, not much otherwise H-index: 5. Most played: Combo , Landmarks , A Nice Cuppa , Obelus , Ultimatch . 2024: Anitra: 529 plays of 178 unique games. Not as good as last year . But a better H-index: 10 ! Number one game: Trio . Andrew: 130 unique games, 302 plays. 87 “new” games. H-index: 6. Number one game: Trio . 0:31:00 Community Welcome and Backtalk We’re so glad you’ve joined us on Facebook! Stop in and say hi. Backtalk Listeners tell us about their favorite gifts. See responses on Discord and Facebook . 0:37:30 SNAP Review – Tasso Banana See how this banana-stacking game surprised us. Watch the video or read the transcript of our Tasso Banana review . 0:41:45 Top Ten Games of 2024 We used the same system as last year : we each had 10 points to spend on as many (or as few) games as we wanted. And somehow we still ended up with a combined top ten! One point each, numbers 6-10: Ultimatch ( our review ) Cosmoctopus ( our review ) Tir na Nog Smug Owls ( our review ) Flashback: Lucy ( our review ) At two points each, numbers 4 & 5: Santa’s Workshop Second Edition ( our review ) Captain Flip ( our review ) At a hefty three points, number 3: Compile ( our review ) Even better at four points: Hamster Roll ( our review ) Our Top Game of 2024: Trio ( our review ) I don’t think we’ve been this excited to show people a game since Drop It . We also have two honorable mentions: Harmonies from Andrew (even though we only played once!) and Circus Flohcati from Anitra. 1:01:50 New Backtalk Question What was your favorite game of 2024? Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Send us more weird food FOR SCIENCE! : The Family Gamers 60 Auburn St. #528 Auburn, MA 01501 The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 388 – Top Ten Games of 2024 appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 387 – PAX Unplugged 2024 1:32:01

11 weeks тому1:32:01

1:32:01

0:0:00 This week: our PAX Unplugged 2024 highlights and interviews. Fact for 387 The 387 Houses of Peter Fritz – so many tiny model houses! https://www.amusingplanet.com/2019/04/the-387-houses-of-peter-fritz.html Sponsor Message If you want to ask First Move your questions, schedule a free meeting with them by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers . 0:06:20 What We’ve Been Playing Obelus from Phase Shift Games Circus Flohcati – check the SNAP review ! 0:08:20 PAX Unplugged Highlights Butterfly Garden – Capstone Tightrope & Ziggurat – Mindware Chip Theory games for kids! card game coming from Thunderworks Games A Place for All My Books – Smirk & Dagger The Gang and more – KOSMOS Played games with the Slaiby family! ( Downforce mostly) Backstories: Alone Under the Ice PAX Unplugged 2024 Interviews 0:20:30 Ryan Laukat, Red Raven Games 0:24:50 Risa, Lucky Duck Games 0:32:10 Steve Finn, Dr. Finn’s Games 0:42:35 Whitney, Hachette Games 0:50:40 Katzer’s Creations 0:52:25 Chris, Asmadi Games 0:55:30 Jason Miceli, Phase Shift Games 1:00:15 Anthony, Slay the Spire board game 1:01:30 Jay, Bezier Games 1:06:10 Quinn Washburn, designer of Valiant Wars 1:10:00 Tim Eisner, Weird City Games 1:14:05 Mike, 3WS 1:20:55 Backtalk! We asked: what’s your favorite memory of gaming on vacation? Facebook and Discord responded. 1:24:30 New Backtalk Question What’s the best board gaming gift you’ve ever received, and why? Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 387 – PAX Unplugged 2024 appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 386 – The Tabletop Inn! 1:05:36

13 weeks тому1:05:36

1:05:36

0:00 Hello and welcome! This week we’re going to spend the second half of the show with some wonderful people running a wonderfully magical place over in North Carolina. It is, of course, The Tabletop Inn, run by Grace Kendall and Mike Belsole. Fact for 386 Moana 2 pulled in 386 million dollars on its opening weekend – the new record for the top opening weekend for an animated film. (It beats out Super Mario Brothers at $377m and Frozen II at $358m.) Sponsor Message If you need to talk about other ideas to get started budgeting, set up a call with First Move by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today. 0:03:15 What We’ve Been Playing Little Alchemists Santa’s Workshop (simple side and complicated side are BOTH great) Circus Flohcati Green Team Wins: Holiday Party Flower Fields Bottle Imp (review soon!) 0:20:00 November Monthly Report! Andrew: 23 plays of 15 unique games. Interesting: 52% were with 4 players! H-index: 3. Most played: Little Alchemists, Cabanga!, Circus Flohcati Anitra: 35 plays of 22 games. Far more with Andrew than anyone else. H-index: 3. Most played: boop the Halls, Tasso Banana, Little Alchemists, Cabanga!, Circus Flohcati We talk a bit more about Tasso Banana and how it surprised us. 0:26:40 Welcome Facebook Community Members Welcome, newbies! We’re glad you’re here! Feel free to share some numbers if you’re statistics nerds like us. 0:27:40 Backtalk Listeners tell us about their favorite video games. See responses on Discord and Facebook . 0:36:00 SNAP Review – boop the Halls Mischievous kittens are dressed for the holiday, and now they’re not only booping each other, but knocking ornaments off the tree, too! We love this holiday sequel to boop . Read the transcript or watch the video of our review. 0:41:00 The Tabletop Inn! The Tabletop Inn is a full bed and breakfast with a board game theme and an awesome view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. What is a traditional bed and breakfast? (It’s not the same as AirBNB.) Mike & Grace have opened their home to offer travelers a warm bed and a hot breakfast; it’s a place you spend some time, not just in-and-out. “There are pockets of fun hidden throughout the B&B that we hope guests can find and be delighted by.” “Every room has games in it”… even the hall bathroom. But if Mike and Grace sound familiar, it’s because they are also the creators of Smug Owls , a party card game we love. They tell us about the four different themed rooms, each of which has a recommended game pairing. Board games as wallpaper Yes, real game boards on the wall. Board games in the dining room Tic Tac Toe in the bathroom The Creativity Closet – for all guests Full of crafting supplies Game room Game room Need help finding the right game? A gorgeous view “The ideal guest is someone who appreciates the mountain-escape aspect of the place as much as the games…” without being terribly far from civilization. It’s just a mile from downtown Marion, NC – a cute little city. Find out more at www.tabletopinn.com 0:57:00 New Backtalk Question What’s is your best vacation board gaming memory? Andrew: when we took a 48 hour tiny-house getaway to just be alone together and play board games in 2021. Anitra: learning Tzolk’in on a company trip with Andrew and his coworkers. 1:01:30 Holiday Contest Winners! ArcheOLogic – Annette Patrician: Towers of Influence – Nick Avant Carde – Mikhail There are two more winners ( Mutton Bustin , Holiday Hijinks bundle) we haven’t been able to confirm as of recording time – check your email! Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 386 – The Tabletop Inn! appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 385 – Video Game Holiday Gift List 1:20:06

15 weeks тому1:20:06

1:20:06

0:0:00 Hello and welcome! This week we’ve invited video game hype man Stephen Duetzmann (from Engaged Family Gaming) to go over his video game holiday gift guide. Fact for 385 The largest gathering of people dressed as elephants is 385, achieved by 2 Wish Upon A Star (UK), in Cardiff, UK, on 13 August 2016. Sponsor Message If you want to talk through financial ideas to take some of the stress out of the holidays, set up a time to talk to First Move by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today. 0:04:30 What We’ve Been Playing Stephen – Empire of the Ants (PS5) and Mario and Luigi: Brothership (Nintendo Switch) Anitra – boop the Halls (review coming soon), and Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Nintendo Switch) Andrew – Paris, City of Lights and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (on Steam/Xbox/PS) 0:17:45 Backtalk OK, so what’s your favorite beverage for board game night? See responses on Discord and Facebook . Stephen says mostly water, maybe a diet energy drink. Anitra’s is hot coffee in the morning, or herbal tea in the evening. 0:25:20 SNAP Review – Hamster Roll Elliot helps us explain this rolling dexterity game. We highly recommend Hamster Roll and have put it on our Hall of Fame . Watch the video or read the transcript of our Hamster Roll review . 0:30:50 Video Game Gift Guide for the Holidays Stephen Duetzmann helps us with the best video games to give this year, via the Engaged Family Gaming holiday list . “Should we buy a Switch this year?” Still yes. Even if a new Nintendo console comes out, Switch games are not going away any time soon, and the new console will be backwards-compatible. What kind of Switch to buy? Depends on how it’s going to be used. If you only want a handheld, not to use the TV (like an old-style Gameboy), get the cheaper Switch Lite . Andrew asks about controllers. Playstation or Xbox? It doesn’t matter – for KIDS – unless you need Spiderman (only available PS5) 0:39:10 Playstation Recommendations Astro Bot – “must play, for just about everybody” EA Sports College Football ’25 (available on Xbox too) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (rated T) Spider-man 2 (rated T) – very very good! Cat Quest III (available on Switch and Xbox too) 0:43:40 Xbox Recommendations Metaphor: Refantazio (rated T – available on Windows and PS5 too) Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (rated T – also on PS5 and Switch) Balatro (on literally everything , including Apple Arcade) Star Wars: Outlaws (rated T – also on PS5) 0:50:00 Nintendo Switch Recommendations Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Mario and Luigi: Brothership Super Mario Party Jamboree “the GOAT” – including a mode that eliminates some of the randomness that most Mario Party games have had! Princess Peach Showtime – Anitra agrees. “Very definitively NOT a Mario game.” Perfect if your kids loved the Mario movie. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (remake of Gamecube game) – “the funniest game I’ve ever played” Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition – show your kids your OG Nintendo skills. 1:02:00 Miscellaneous Andrew complains there’s no Spyro on Xbox Gamepass… but there is! Look for the Spyro Reignited Trilogy. More kid-friendly stuff should be coming next year. Don’t forget, the subscription services also make a great gift (Xbox Game Pass, Playstation Plus) especially if they’re going to be playing games against others online. Playstation Plus has multiple levels and they can get expensive . But it’s necessary to play online games. If you’re buying a console for a holiday present, do not leave it in the box! Don’t forget to set it up before Christmas! (Plug in, connect to the internet, download updates, install a game or two. You might need to update the firmware on the controller.) It’s a much more effective surprise if it’s ready to play on Christmas morning. And don’t forget about The Family Gamers holiday gift guide , too! 1:09:00 Holiday Contests Reminder: We have five giveaways – enter the ones you’re interested in, because there are a few days left! ArcheOLogic Patrician: Towers of Influence Mutton Bustin Avant Carde Holiday Hijinks ! (Kickstarter is done) 1:11:15 New Backtalk Question What’s your favorite video game of the year ? What’s your favorite of all time? Stephen: Astro Bot for 2024, and World of Warcraft / Final Fantasy X for all time. Andrew: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for the year – and Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for all time. Anitra: Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom , and Katamari Damacy (or any variation) is her favorite to play any time. Find Stephen Online: EngagedFamilyGaming.com Facebook: @EngagedFamilyGaming or the Engaged Family Gaming Community (You can find Stephen in The Family Gamers community as well.) Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 385 – Video Game Holiday Gift List appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 384 – Board Game Holiday Gift List 1:24:49

17 weeks тому1:24:49

1:24:49

0:0:00 Hello and welcome! This week we’ll be going over our holiday gift list of board games. Fact for 384 384 is the sum of six consecutive primes (53 + 59 + 61 + 67 + 71 + 73) Sponsor Message If you need help figuring out how to get your engine started, First Move Financial might be able to help. Head over to FirstMoveFinancial.com/FamilyGamers to see how First Move Financial can kick start your financial engine today. 0:02:15 What We’ve Been Playing Just two this week, that we’ll be reviewing soon. Santa’s Workshop Super Snipers 0:13:00 SNAP Review – Nekojima Why are we building such a shoddy electrical grid, and why are cats hanging all over it? We don’t know, but it makes for a fun game! Watch or read our review of Nekojima – the cat island full of power poles! 0:18:40 Board Game Gift Guide for the Holidays Let’s walk through our whole list – these are games we recommend giving as gifts. 0:21:20 Very Young Children 0:27:10 Early Elementary (Age 6-9) 0:34:30 Older Kids (Age 10+) 0:41:40 Teens & Adults 0:48:15 Games for the Whole Family 0:58:00 Games for Two Players 1:03:55 Solo Games & Puzzles 1:07:30 Cooperative Games 1:11:00 Stocking Stuffers 1:20:00 Holiday Contests Reminder: We have five giveaways – enter the ones you’re interested in: ArcheOLogic Patrician: Towers of Influence Mutton Bustin Avant Carde Holiday Hijinks ! (Kickstarter is done) New (Old) Backtalk Question Inspired by an up and coming SPONSORED For Science, we’re going to restate last week’s backtalk question to encourage you to keep weighing in: What’s your favorite beverage to have with a board game? Or do you forbid drinks from being anywhere near your games? Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 384 – Board Game Holiday Gift List appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 383 – Smorgasbord and Holiday Contests 53:34

18 weeks тому53:34

53:34

0:00 Hello and welcome! Our holiday list is not ready, so we will be doing another podcast NEXT WEEK! Today’s podcast is just a smorgasbord of stuff. Fact for 383 https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/75367-most-strikeouts-in-a-major-league-baseball-season Sponsor Message Have you ever heard the term “it takes money to make money”? Well, it’s not the only way to make money, but it is a true statement. Income, however it looks, is like an engine. It can start slow, but as you build your resource pool, it often becomes easier to make more. If this sounds a little like the last time you played Wingspan or Terraforming Mars, it’s because there’s a lot of similarities between engine building in board gams and financial engine building in real life. If you need help figuring out how to get that engine started, First Move Financial might be able to help. Head over to FirstMoveFinancial.com/FamilyGamers to see how First Move Financial can kick start your financial engine today. 04:00 What We’ve Been Playing Bottle Imp (review coming soon) Donut Shop (review coming soon) Cabanga! – we will be teaching this at PAX Unplugged Dodo – a great kids’ memory game with a cool slow-rolling ball as the timer. (review coming soon) Runemasters (review coming soon) Turns out beautiful games Deblockle ( our review ) and Quarto ( our review ) are also great for calm times or “sick” days. Dirty Pig ( our review – no longer in print) Campaign Trail (one of the very first games featured on TheFamilyGamers.com) 26:00 October Monthly Report! Andrew: 26 plays of 17 games. Primarily at 3 players! H-index: 2. Most played: Hamster Roll , Football Feud Anitra: 44 plays of 24 games. H-index: 3. Most played: Hamster Roll , Circus Flohcati , Football Feud , Dodo 28:20 Welcome Facebook Community Members Welcome, newbies! We’re thankful you’re here! Feel free to share some numbers if you’re statistics nerds like us. 29:00 Backtalk Listeners tell us about their spookiest games. See responses on Discord and Facebook . 34:00 SNAP Review – Railroad Ink: Archipelago Anitra reviews this expansion board that works with any version of Railroad Ink . If you’re unsatisfied with how short a normal game of Railroad Ink is – this is the expansion for you. Watch the video to see the Archipelago boards in action! 40:30 For Science! We try Coca-Cola flavored Oreos, and Oreo flavored Coke Zero. We’re not big fans. But Andrew dislikes this two-for-one taste experiment MORE than Anitra does! Which one would you rather try? 45:00 Holiday Contests We have five giveaways – enter the ones you’re interested in: ArcheOLogic Patrician: Towers of Influence Mutton Bustin Avant Carde Holiday Hijinks ! ( check out the Kickstarter or check out one of our old reviews ) Enter the giveaways! 50:00 New Backtalk Question What’s your favorite beverage to have with a board game? Or do you forbid drinks from being anywhere near your games? Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/community Twitter (X): @familygamersaa Instagram: @familygamersaa TikTok: @familygamersaa Youtube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. Check out our new Family Gamers and Play Games with Your Kids merchandise – T-shirts, hoodies, and mugs – at thefamilygamers.com/merch . PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn , and Spotify . You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 383 – Smorgasbord and Holiday Contests appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 382 – Top 5 Spooky Games for Halloween 50:49

20 weeks тому50:49

50:49

It's the end of October, which means it's time for a Halloween episode! We discuss our top five games for this season. The post Episode 382 – Top 5 Spooky Games for Halloween appeared first on The Family Gamers .

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Episode 381 – Top 5(ish) Beautiful Family Games 53:12

22 weeks тому53:12

53:12

0:00 Hello and welcome! This week, we’re talking about beautiful games – ones you would leave out on a coffee table – that are great for families to play. Fact for 381 We’re back to the Guinness Book of World Records, friends. The largest hand-held video game console party was on 12 October 2007, at the Parramatta mall in Sydney The post Episode 381 – Top 5(ish) Beautiful Family Games appeared first on The Family Gamers .…

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Episode 380 – Top Ten Games for Teens 1:02:07

24 weeks тому1:02:07

1:02:07

We usually talk about kids on this show. But our children aren't little children anymore - so what about games for teens? The post Episode 380 – Top Ten Games for Teens appeared first on The Family Gamers .

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Episode 379 – 5 Board Game Arena Favorites 59:36

26 weeks тому59:36

59:36

Let's talk about Board Game Arena. It's not the only way to play board games online, but for us, it's probably the most valuable. Why? The post Episode 379 – 5 Board Game Arena Favorites appeared first on The Family Gamers .

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Episode 378 – Top 6 Date Games 1:08:22

28 weeks тому1:08:22