We have compiled a list of games we are loving for June! These games are just a few of our favorites. What games have you been loving lately?
Nichole Davis – Tiny Towns
- Name of Game: Tiny Towns
- Rating: 5 Meeples
- Publisher: AEG
- Year Published: 2019
- Type of Game: Strategy, Planning
- Difficulty: Easy
- Number of Players: 1-5
Tiny Towns is a really fun strategy game where you have you own 4×4 grid with which to build your tiny town on. The way it works, you put resource blocks down in a specific pattern to build buildings and whatnot, you get points for various layouts that change up each game depending on what cards are drawn in the beginning. Each turn you get to pick a resource you need, the trick being that everyone has to pick up that same resource and find a place on their own boards for it. There are also special unique buildings that each person gets, so no one’s town will ever be exactly the same. It’s really cool to see how everyone goes about making their towns differently when everyone is given the same resources in the same order. The bits are really nice as well, wooden and colorfully painted, with adorable tiny buildings. This is honestly one of my favorite games. You can also rent Tiny Towns before you buy!
Boyce Asquith- Dungeon Mayhem
- Name of Game: Dungeon Mayhem
- Rating: 4.5 Meeples
- Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
- Year Published: 2018
- Type of Game: Card, Family
- Difficulty: Easy
- Number of Players: 2-4
Dungeon Mayhem is a light 2 to 4 player card game where the goal is to be the last one standing. Players choose a character from a D&D adventuring party and play that character’s deck to do their best to defeat their former allies and friends. A quick game with minimal set-up and space requirements perfect for a small desk or table. The expansions for Dungeon Mayhem also add a good amount to the base game!
Dani Kennedy- Everdell
- Name of Game: Everdell
- Rating: 4 Meeples
- Publisher: Starling Games
- Year Published: 2018
- Type of Game: Worker Placement, Drafting
- Difficulty: Medium
- Number of Players: 1-4
Everdell has become a hit amongst gamers of all levels. This game is a great introduction to the worker placement type game. Everdell is played in 4 seasons (rounds), earn points based on which cards you play into your tableau. Adding buildings to the busy woodland streets of Everdell gains you different points. The player with the most points at the end of Winter is the winner. Everdell is easy to learn, play and is so adorable! The only slight downfalls of the game is the resource tree that is in the middle of the table can be easily broken if not assembled carefully. And the footprint of the game is large, it can’t really be played on a small table. But the pros of the game defiantly outweigh the cons. We have a copy available to Rent before you buy!
Everyone loves hearing about the games we look forward to playing. So here’s another round of Staff Picks!
Wrestlenomicon -Boyce Asquith
- Name of Game: Wrestlenomicon
- Number of Players: 2-4
- Play Time: 20+ mins
- BGG Rating: 7
Wrestlenomicon is a new 2-4 player card game where players take the role of competing Old Ones, with the goal of being the last one standing. Each Old One has their own deck with a different strategy. Uniquely, this game uses part of the deck as the Old One’s Health and telegraphs the Old One’s Attacks, allowing both players to see what is coming. So choose your favorite eldritch horror and may the Great Old Ones overlook you.
Parks – Nichole Davis
- Name of Game: Parks
- Number of Players: 1-5
- Play Time: 40+ mins
- Publisher: Keymaster Games
- Year Published: 2019
- Difficulty: Medium
Parks is a really fun game about going on hikes through a bunch of different parks, represented by beautiful art cards. It’s played in a few round with the trail getting progressively longer as you collect different kinds of resources, take pictures, and activate special abilities by drinking from your canteen. The bits are really nice, wooden and nicely colored. One of the things I love most about this game is how cleverly everything fits into the box so the game is never scrambled when you open it up to play. It’s a lot of fun to play and just such a beautifully crafted one as well. Available as a Rental Game!!
Deckscape Pocket Escape Rooms- Dani Kennedy
- Name of Game: Deckscape (Behind the Curtain)
- Number of Players: 1-6
- Play Time: 1 hour
- Publisher: dV Giochi
- Year Published: 2017-present
- Difficulty: Medium- Hard
I love a good escape room, and recently have picked up the games. If you have enjoyed Exit or Unlock! and need a new puzzle try out Deckscape. I played the Behind the Curtain one, where you have been invited to a magic show, then something unexpected happens and you find yourself trapped in the magician’s dressing room! Nichole and I played this while the store was slow one night and we couldn’t stop until we had figured out the puzzle (staying 5 mins after closing just to finish the game). What I love about Deckscape vs. Exit or Unlock! is that I don’t need an app to play the game and you can pass it on to someone once you’ve finished the puzzle. There are a ton of different ones to pick from, Behind the Curtain is available as a Rental Game!!
The holidays have come and gone, but we are still here to give you a few of our favorite games and expansions! All of these games/expansions can be picked up in store or via our online store.
Nichole Davis-Charms and Potions Expansion for Hogwarts Battle
- Name of Game/Expansion: Charms and Potions Expansion for Hogwarts Battle
- Publisher: The OP
- Year Published: 2020
- Type of Game: Co-op Deckbuilder
- Difficulty: Easy-Medium depending on how many people are playing
- Play Time: 30-45 min
- Number of Players: 2-5
- Bits: Great!
- Overall Rating: 5 Meeples
I really like this expansion to my favorite game of all time. It adds in two new components: Charms and a Potions Cupboard. Each player gets a new ability (a Charm) that they slot to the top of their player board that gives them a new ability that changes depending on their current health, there are a lot of them included in the box so there is lots of variety to mix up play throughs. The Potions Cupboard gets placed next to the main board and you need to meet certain conditions (play 3 spells, heal another player, ect.) to get ingredients for it to brew potions that can be added to your deck or discarded from the game for an additional effect. There are also new events added to up the difficulty that act somewhat like the Horcruxes from the main game. I’ve been having a lot of fun with this expansion, it’s really nifty when you manage to brew a potion and the element of trying to keep your health in a certain range to use a specific Charm ability add a lot to the already fun gameplay of the original. It also meshes very well with the Monster Box of Monsters expansion and I can’t wait to see what they come up with for the next one!
Boyce Asquith- Catch the Moon
- Name of Game/Expansion: Catch the Moon
- Publisher: Asmodee
- Year Published: 2017
- Type of Game: Kids/Family Dexterity Game
- Difficulty: Easy
- Play Time: 20 mins
- Number of Players: 2-6
- Bits: Wooden ladders and stylistic plastic base
- Overall Rating: 4.5 Meeples
Catch the Moon is a manual dexterity game where the players take on the role of dreamers reaching for the moon. Each player rolls a die that dictates how they will place their ladder on the growing tower of ladders. But beware, failing to place your ladder as the die dictates will cost you a tear. Three tears and you are out. The last player standing wins. An easy and light-hearted game, Catch the Moon can be played by all audiences ages 5 and up.
Dani Kennedy- Letter Tycoon
- Name of Game/Expansion: Letter Tycoon
- Publisher: Breaking Games
- Year Published: 2015
- Type of Game: Economic/Word Game
- Difficulty: Medium
- Play Time: 30 mins
- Number of Players: 2-5
- Bits: Cool steampunk styled cards and an aeroship first player token
- Overall Rating: 4 Meeples
Letter Tycoon is Scrabble meets the best parts of Monopoly! Each player starts with 7 letter cards in their hand and on their turn using those cards plus 3 public letters they spell a word. Players score money and stock options based on their word. Players can use their money to patent letters, if patented every time that letter is used the patent holder earns money from the bank!
I am usually terrible at word spelling games. But this one is super fast and easy to play. I love the steampunk styled cards and the overall play style. Will you earn enough to make yourself the Letter Tycoon?
Everyone’s favorite blog is out! We have compiled another list of our Staff Picks! We play all of these games and have such a great time introducing people to new games. All of these games and many more can be purchased in store or online here.
Slamwich-Maddie Schenck
- Name of Game: Slamwich
- Publisher: Gamewright
- Year Published: 2001
- Type of Game: pattern recognition and hand-eye coordination card game
- Play Time: 20 Mins
- Rule Complexity: Easy
- Number of Players: 2-6
- Bits: 55 super cute cards that look like bread slices with toppings, thieves, and munchers
- Rating: 4 Meeples
I loved Slamwich when I was little. Its rules are VERY similar to the standard card game, Egyptian Ratscrew, which is also a great game. In Slamwich, the deck of bread slices are evenly dealt to all the players face down, and then the players take turns flipping their top bread slices into a communal sandwich. Players slap the communal sandwich when they see two of the same toppings in a row (a double decker) or two of the same toppings separated by a different topping (a slamwich). Whoever slaps first takes the communal sandwich. The goal is to end up with all the bread slices in your own hand. If you see a thief card, you have to slap the bread slice and yell, “Stop thief!” If you draw a muncher card, you get the whole pile, unless the person to your left draws a double decker, slamwich, thief, or another muncher. Overall Slamwich is a silly family friendly game that takes its design to the next level. You can’t go wrong with delicious looking cards and slapping. –Maddie Schenck
5-Minute Dungeon – Reena Asquith
- Name of Game: 5-Minute Dungeon
- Publisher: Spin Master
- Year Published: 2017
- Type of Game: timed cooperative
- Play Time: 5-30 mins
- Rule Complexity: easy
- Number of Players: 2-5
- Bits: Average
- Rating: 5 Meeples
5-Minute Dungeon is a fast paced family game all about working together to defeat five dungeon bosses of increasing difficulty. Each player picks a hero that uses a unique deck and a special ability. You draw a hand and do your best to get through the minions and defeat each boss within 5 minutes! If you win, you move to the next boss and reset the 5 minute timer. It’s easy to learn and plays with most ages, since you are mostly matching symbols on your cards to the creatures you’re fighting. It’s super quick and fun, the increasing challenge with each boss and five completely different decks leads to a lot of replay. I would recommend it for any group that likes timed games! –Reena Asquith
Memoir ’44 – Boyce Asquith
- Name of Game: Memoir ’44
- Publisher: Days of Wonder
- Year Published: 2004
- Type of Game: Strategy
- Play Time: 30-60 mins
- Rule Complexity: Medium
- Number of Players: 2-6
- Bits: Nice Pieces, Dice, Cards
- Rating: 4 Meeples
Memoir ’44 is a World War II strategy game where you take the side of either the Allies or the Axis fighting some of the famous battles or skirmishes of the D-Day Invasion. The game uses cards to generate special tactics or abilities that you use on your turn and dice that you use to simulate combat. Most battles revolve around some kind of objective, i.e. holding the bridge, capturing the city, holding the line, so you’ll need to keep that in mind as you plan your tactics. Of course, some unfortunate die-rolling and poorly timed cards may have you changing your strategy mid-battle, so you need to stay flexible. Overall, it is a good war-strategy game that can be played by people ages 8 and up. –Boyce Asquith
Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle – Nichole Davis
- Name of Game: Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle
- Publisher: The OP
- Year Published: 2016
- Type of Game: CO-OP Deck builder
- Play Time: About an hour
- Rule Complexity: Medium
- Number of Players: 2-4
- Bits: Good, some nice quality cards and a few metal pieces along with cardboard counters
- Rating: 5 Meeples
Hogwarts Battle is a cooperative deck builder that is insanely fun to play. It is a really great starting point if you have never played a deck builder before, the rules are simple and easy to pick up and the cooperative nature of the game makes it a good environment to learn in. You get to go through all the years at Hogwarts, working together to defeat the thematic villains of that year and learning new spells and skills the more years you play through. Each player gets a unique ability, item, and pet that corresponds to the character you’re playing. Another thing I love about this game is the care that went into the details of creating the cards that form your decks and the various villain behaviors, it really shows that the creators went in depth with the source material to make as immersive a game as possible. It has so much replayability that I have never gotten bored of it in all the years I’ve owned this game and played it over and over. This may actually be my favorite tabletop game of all time. –Nichole Davis
We have picked some of our favorite games for you! All of these games can be purchased in store or via our online store here.
Terraforming Mars- Laura Schneider
- Name of Game: Terraforming Mars
- Publisher: Stronghold Games
- Year Published: 2016
- Type of Game: Hand Management, Tile Placement
- Play Time: 120 mins
- Rule Complexity: Medium
- Number of Players: 1-5
- Bits: Nice bits
- Rating: 5 Meeples
I love Terraforming Mars! It’s one of my favorite games from the past few years and it hits the table at our house often. We’re evenly matched in the game which has a bit of randomness, but really a lot of strategy. I win about half the time, but I always love to play. I like that it’s different every time, that the strategy is interesting and deep, that there’s a bit of player interaction, but no fighting, and I love the theme. In Terraforming Mars, you are a corporation participating in the terraforming of Mars. You start out with a skill or advantage and then play cards as you do things that both get you points at the end of the game and move the three indicators of successful terraforming up. When all three indicators are maxed out, the game ends and the corporation with the highest points wins. The game is played over a series of rounds with phases that include the Research Phase – this is how you get project cards; the Action Phase – do projects (play cards), place oceans, doing standard actions; and the Production Phase – you get resources – MegaCredits, Steel, Titanium, Plants, Energy and Heat. One of my favorite things about the game is that it is different every time. Depending on your corporation and your starting hand, you can choose your direction. Are you going to focus on plants and start with lichen and plants or are you going to focus on heat production and do projects that raise your production level. Oh, and there’s only one copy of each card and the stack is big. It guarantees that the game play is different every time. –Laura Schneider
Sheriff of Nottingham- Maddie Schenck
- Name of Game: Sheriff of Nottingham 2nd Edition
- Publisher: CoolMiniOrNot (CMON Limited)
- Year Published: 2020
- Type of Game: Bluffing Card Game
- Play Time: 60 mins
- Rule Complexity: Easy to Medium
- Number of Players: 3-6
- Bits: 1 Rulebook, 110 Gold Coins, 1 Booty Tile, 216 Goods cards, 6 Deputy cards, 6 Black Market cards, 1 Sheriff standee, 2 Deputy standees, 6 Merchant stands, 6 Merchant Bags
- Rating: 4.5 Meeples
In the game Sheriff of Nottingham, players take the role of merchants trying to make a profit during Prince John’s visit to Nottingham. Merchants have the option to hedge their bets and only sell legal goods to make profit, or take a gamble and try to get past the sheriff with high price black market goods by bluffing. Players take turns playing the role of the sheriff. The sheriff’s job is to stop merchants from smuggling black market items into the city, by trying to decide if merchants are telling the truth about the goods that they have on hand. The sheriff can confiscate goods and take bribes to make profit. Whoever makes the biggest profit wins. Sheriff of Nottingham gets extremely competitive. Whenever I play this game with my roommates there is a lot of lively banter, yelling, and laughing. The 2nd Edition loses half a Meeple for not having as good of a design as the first edition. –Maddie Schenck
Ticket to Ride: London- Dani Kennedy
- Name of Game: Ticket to Ride London
- Publisher: Days of Wonder
- Year Published: 2019
- Type of Game: Set Collecting
- Play Time: 15 mins
- Rule Complexity: Easy
- Number of Players: 2-4
- Bits: Similar to Ticket to Ride. The pieces look like little buses!
- Rating: 4 Meeples
I love Ticket to Ride, so when I saw Ticket to Ride London (and New York) I was so excited! This small box game has all the fun of Ticket to Ride but in 15 minutes. Ticket to Ride is a fun and easy family game perfect for kiddos ages 8+. You collect sets of cards that are the same color in order to place track from one area of London to the next. Player with the most points at the end of the game wins. It really is that simple. The small box of London and New York allows you to easily take this game camping, to a friend’s house, or anywhere for that matter. –Dani Kennedy
