Hello! We’re a 2-mom board gaming family from Minneapolis. Long before we had kids, we loved playing modern board games as a couple and with our friends. A lot has changed after having kids, but our love of playing board games together has not. Since it’s not practical to get a babysitter multiple times a week so we can both play games, we’ve had to come up with strategies to fit games into our busy life.
In this board game review blog, we’ll review board games and focus on the questions we have – How do parents manage to play challenging board games together and with friends when there are little ones underfoot? Does a game that says 2-4 players actually play well at 2-player? Do we need to account for an extra hour just to set it up or three hours to learn it? How can we involve our three-year-old in our hobby when a lot of the fun family games are 5+?
We’re not only excited to share our experiences, we also want to hear from you! What did you think of a game? What are your solutions for gaming around a busy life? Read our reviews, drop a comment, follow us on social or send us a message!
5 Games We Loved While Taking a Break from Reviewing
You may have noticed it’s been a bit slow around here for the last few months. We took a break from reviewing board games to
Quests & Cannons: The Risen Islands Board Game Review
Players combine pick up and deliver with elements of combat and exploration to save their kingdom 20 min per player Designer: Eric Geller, Shannon Geller
Fort with Cats and Dogs Expansion: Board Game Review
A deck and hand management game for 2-4 players 40 minutes Designed by: Grant Rodiek Published by: Leder Games Gameplay Overview Cats & Dogs Expansion
Five Games to Reconnect with your Game Group
Sometimes long breaks between game nights are unavoidable. Maybe you had a busy summer, or it was the holidays, or a global pandemic struck and
First Ascent: A Board Game Review
A route building game where players are aspiring mountain climbers looking to make the best new climbing route up the mountain 60-90 minutes Designer: Kate
Florence: Board Game Review
A Euro-style area control game where you are a wealthy family in Renaissance-era Florence trying to gain favor with the nobility 1-5 Players 40-80 minutes
Venice: Board Game Review
A pick-up-and-deliver economy game where players act as wealthy merchants using gondolas to gain political power 90-120 minutes Designer: Andrei Novac, Dávid Turczi Artist: Bartlomiej
A Kid’s Board Game Review: Barnyard Bunch
A roll and move game for 2-4 farmers Playtime: 15-20 minutesDesigner:Justin Lee Publisher: HABA In Barnyard Bunch 2-4 players aged 4+ work together to help
Tidal Blades with Angler’s Cove Expansion: Board Game Review
A dice-rolling worker placement game where players compete to be Tidal Blades: elite guardians of the island realm 60-90 minutes Designer: Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner
Dawn on Titan: Board Game Review
A space-themed family weight game with combat and exploration 30-60 minutes Designer: Björn Ekenberg Artist: Madeleine Fjäll Publisher: Ion Game Design For those who have
Three Sisters: Board Game Review
A strategic roll & write where players try to create the best backyard garden 45 minutes Designer: Ben Pinchback, Matt Riddle Artist: Marlies Barends, Beth
Rome & Roll with Gladiators Expansion: Board Game Review
A dice selection Euro (roll & write?) where players rebuild Rome – now featuring gladiator battles! 60-90 minutes Designer: Nick Shaw, Dávid Turczi Artist: Andreas
Le Havre: Board Game Review
A resource management game where players create a supply chain and ship goods. 60-120 minutes Designer: Uwe Rosenberg Artist: Klemens Franz Publisher: Lookout Games It’s
On Mars: Board Game Review
An action selection, worker placement game where players colonize Mars 120 minutes Designer: Vital Lacerda Artist: Ian O’Toole Publisher: Eagle-Gryphon Games On Mars is a
Kid’s Board Game Review: Unicorn Glitterluck: Cloud Stacking
A cooperative roll and move stacking game Playtime: 15 minutes Designer: Kristin Mückel Artist: Stephanie Roehe Publisher: HABA Unicorn Glitterluck: Cloud Stacking is a dexterity
Board Game Review: Lost Ruins of Arnak
Discover what lies in waiting in this deck building worker placement exploration game. 20 minutes per person Designer: Mín & Elwen Artists: Jiří Kůs, Ondřej
Top Games of 2020
Raise your hand if you’re ready for 2020 to end? Hands up all around, yes? Really, 2020 was a bit of a down year for
A Board Game Review of Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun
A dice drafting and resource management game of building the Temple of Amun-Ra and Ipet-Isut 60-120 minutes Designer: Daniele Tascini, Dávid Turczi Artist(s): Jakub Fajtanowski,
A Board Game Review of Guild Master
A simultaneous action programming game with dice chucking and bidding to fulfill contracts and gain upgrades 90 minutes Designer: Chris Antony Artist: Publisher: Good Games
A Board Game Review of The Transcontinental
A mid-weight worker placement game with pick-up and deliver and auction elements wrapped up in a scenic train theme of building the Canadian Transcontinental Railroad