Gift Guide - Games for the Family

In the Christmas gift-giving tradition, we must not forget about our closest ones - the family. If you want a gift that will bring you closer and create pleasant evenings together, then we recommend buying a board game. We offer a list of various board games that can be an excellent gift for your family and others.

Why give board games? First, board games are more than just prettily packaged boxes. By giving board games as a gift, you give countless hours of joy and positive emotions together with your loved ones. Also, perhaps you yourself will enjoy this game together with the recipient of the gift, thus you will give joy not only to others, but also to yourself.

A board game is not a seasonal gift that can be pulled off the shelf just a few times when the weather is right. If you have chosen the right game, it will be brought to the table regularly and will provide unforgettable moments of joy for countless hours. In addition, the best games will be remembered long after the game is over.

Not everyone navigated the board game world like a fish in water. If a person is not familiar with this hobby, then it is worth sticking to simple and proven values ​​when choosing one of the so-called "introductory games". Namely, games that are simple enough for anyone to learn without difficulty and that are fun to play over and over again.

• Catan
• Carcassonne
• Splendor
• Bohnanza
• Ticket to Ride: Europe
• Ticket to Ride: London
• Blisters of Quedlingburg
• The Crew
• Clever
• The winged ones
• Living Forest
• 7 wonders
• Azul: Queen's garden
• Tiny Towns
• Dominion

Catan

For 25 years, families around the world have been enjoying the board game "Catan" . This is a game for three to four players where players take on the role of colonists rushing to populate the island of Catan. Build villages and pleats, get resources and try to outrun other islanders! Various expansions are also available for the game, which will make the game even more exciting.

It's not for nothing that Catan is one of the best-selling board games of all time in the world.

Carcassonne

The game "Carcassonne" is also an excellent alternative . In this game, players build a map of Carcassonne by putting together the playing fields. At the same time, players can place their minions, scoring points; at the end of the game, the player with the most points wins. The rules of the game are very simple, and each move consists of four simple actions - take a square, place a square if you want, place a person of your color and add points, if any. Carcassonne is an excellent game for two or five players!

Splendor

This category also includes the game "Splendor" , in which players collect chips of various gems, exchange them for development cards and attract nobles. Simple and elegant gameplay, with nice gem chips.

It is not for nothing that this game has been translated into countless languages ​​(including Latvian) and has sold more than a million copies worldwide.

Bohnanza

The card game "Bohnanza" can also be considered a classic because it was released already in 1997. Even after 25 years, it is loved and popular all over the world. In this game, players grow beans. It might sound a bit funny, but its a fun strategy game with a lot of player interaction. Players plant beans, harvest and trade with each other. Swapping is especially important because you have to play the cards in the order they are taken, so being able to trade beans to other players that you don't want to keep, so you can plant the beans that suit you, is often a lifesaver.

Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride: Europe has become one of the most popular family games in recent years . Collect cards, build your railway network and try to connect the cities your passengers need. But be careful! If other players build the road sections you want first, you will have to plan a detour. There are several basic versions of the game - with European, US, German, Scandinavian and world maps. In addition, the game also has several expansions with new maps and routes.

If you're looking for something like Ticket to Ride, but smaller and faster, then the developers have answered your prayers themselves by developing city versions of the game. They retain the essence of the classic game, but focus it on a smaller map that can be played in 15 minutes.

Currently, the producers have released four small versions of "Ticket to Ride" - London , New York , Amsterdam and San Francisco. We expect that these cities will be joined by others in the future. Which ones will they be? For now, we can only speculate.

Blisters of Quedlinburg

Do you and your family members like tension and risk? Then the "Blisters of Quedlingburg" is just for you!

Players put themselves in the shoes of charlatans as they try to brew the best medicinal potion. However, being charlatans, they are not completely sure of their skills, so it is important to know when to stop. As the game progresses, everyone draws ingredients from their bags, trying to get as many points as possible before too many explosive ingredients are drawn - otherwise the potion will go airborne and we won't get all the bonuses. The game lasts for nine rounds and after each round players add more and more ingredients to their bag to achieve the best results.

The Crew

A small box and a reasonable price often offers more than expected. The award-winning co-op game The Crew is a good example of how a good game doesn't always have to be expensive. Even a small card house can offer a game that makes the evening unforgettable. As astronauts, your adventurous journey through space takes place in 50 exciting missions. And with each mission, the game becomes more and more challenging!

Clever

"Clever " games of the "toss and coast" type are also available in this box size . In it, players roll the dice, choose the most advantageous for themselves and try to collect as many points as possible. Although it sounds easy, there are so many options when you enter gambling, but you never manage to get everything, so players have to make really smart choices.

The classic German game design may not seem the most attractive at first, but the most important thing is, of course, the inner beauty.

If "Catan" or "Carcassonne" was your gift of choice last Christmas, then this year it is worth considering one of the "next level" games that are a little more complex and rich in strategy.

The winged ones

One of the best variants is the game "Wingspan " . A game with stunning visuals and a wonderful bird theme. Collect different bird cards, attract them to your nature reserve and create powerful combos.

On the biggest board game channel, Dice Tower, it won first place in the audience vote as the favorite game of all time. This was accomplished despite Wingspan only seeing the light of day in 2019.

Living Forest

One of the hottest novelties of the year is "Living Forest" , which this year was recognized as the best expert game of the year, but is already available on the shelves of our store in Latvian.

"Living Forest" players build their camp with forest defenders, which allows you to get new helpers, build your forest, stop the spread of fire and move through the Long Circle. Each turn, players can reveal as many cards from their pile as they want, but beware of dark symbols (loners), which players don't want to reveal more than two. Players are often faced with the dilemma of whether to stop or continue to reveal cards with the hope of getting something good for a stronger move, but with the risk of losing one of the two moves.

The game is like a race where participants rush to reach the finish line first. Only, unlike the classic race with one checkered flag, here there are three different finish lines, each of which wins the game. The winner will be the player who first plants 12 different protective trees, extinguishes 12 flames or collects 12 sacred flowers.

The game not only allows for different strategies, but also has fantastic illustrations that make the gameplay especially enjoyable.

7 wonders

One of the most titled board games ever, "7 Wonders", was also translated into Latvian last year . In it, players draft cards, build one of the seven wonders of the world, and accumulate points in various ways. This game is a great option for larger companies as it can be played by three to seven players. In addition, the number of players does not greatly affect the length of the game, since all players make their moves at the same time.

If English is not an obstacle for you, then the range of possibilities becomes even wider!

Azul

"Azul" , which is an abstract game for the whole family, regularly occupies a place in the "introductory game" charts . Players take on the role of tile artists and try to create the most beautiful, or most point-wise, patterns.

The game already has four versions, the latest of which is "Azul: Queen's Garden" . Instead of the usual tiles, players this time create a queen's garden. Each of the versions has its own charm, so it is impossible to say unequivocally which of the parts is the best. However, it is clear that this part will appeal to those who like to puzzle their heads to find the best solutions.

Tiny Towns

"Tiny Towns" is a similar type of game, where you try to build the biggest city for the little forest animals. A game with simple events but rich strategy. On top of all this, there are also beautiful wooden houses and cards with attractive illustrations. The different cards allow for new combinations of houses for each pair, so no two games will ever be the same.

Today, one of the most common board game mechanics is deck building . This genre was started in 2008 by the game "Dominion" , which has remained popular until today. Also, this game uses only a fraction of all cards at a time, giving you countless combinations. Over 3 million different combinations are possible with the base game alone.