04 Dec Family Board Games

From board gaming cafes to a new crowd-funded Jane Austen parlour game started by two Aussie sisters, family board gaming is the new black! So what will be the big game names at Christmas 2019 and treasured year after year?

Family Board Games for all ages

1) UNO card game

A great family favourite. You don’t need to all speak the same language just to follow the colours and the numbers! Players race to empty their hands and catch opposing players with cards left in theirs, which score points. Wild and special cards spice things up a bit. Always a great game to play with all ages. Even littlies who can grasp colours can play UNO with a bit of help. Good for taking on a holiday.

2) Trouble (Hasbro)

The classic family game from MB Games is still a winner and a whole lot of TROUBLE! The ‘popper dice’ is noisy and keeps the game and the interest just ‘popping along’! Ages 4 + (4 players only)

3) Zingo! Bingo with a Zing! (ThinkFun Games)

Nominated TOTY 2009 Best Toy of the Year! This innovative game encourages pre-readers and early readers alike to match the pictures and words on game tiles to the pictures and words on the challenge cards. Zingo- Word Builder. This word building version of Zingo! is the perfect confidence booster for early readers! Ideal for players who are just learning how to put letters together to form words. Also available in a numbers and a sight words version. Ages 5+ (2+ players)

4) Bananagrams

The anagram game that will drive you bananas. Players race against each other to build crossword grids and use all their letter tiles. There’s no turn-taking to be found here—it all happens at once and it’s a race to the finish. (A Junior version is available.) Ages 7+

5) Guess Who?

This Guess Who? game goes back to the original tabletop style boards, rather than handheld boards. Each player chooses a mystery character and then using yes or no questions, they try to figure out the other player’s mystery character.  Ages 6+ (2 players only)

6) Jenga

Want a game experience that combines friends, skill, suspense, laughter, and maybe a little luck? Classic Jenga is the perfect game for everyone, with edge-of-your-seat, gravity-defying action.  Ages 6+ (1+ players)

7) Battleships (Hasbro) and also Battle of the Pacific (Blue Opal games)

Battleship is a strategy type guessing game for two players. It is played on ruled grids on which each player’s fleet of ships (originally it was home made and played on graph paper) Battle of the Pacific is a version based on the original.  Find where the enemy ships are hiding! Includes double-sided Play Grid, two fleets of ships and carry-case. Ages 6+ (2 players only).

8) Trivial Pursuit-Family Edition 

The Family Edition of the classic TRIVIAL PURSUIT has question-and-answer cards for kids and adult so everyone can enjoy testing their memory. Ages 8+ (2+ players)

9) Cluedo Classic

Reclusive millionaire Samuel Black’s been murdered in his mansion! Who did it? Where? And with what weapon? Solve the murder first to win! also available other versions including Cluedo Junior (the Cake goes missing!). Ages 8+ (2-6 players)

10) 5 Second rule

It should be easy to name 3 things that you brush…or 3 famous Freddies…or even 3 things that you might find behind the settee cushions…but can you do it under the pressure of 5 seconds twisting down and with the other players staring, waiting for you to get flustered? Time is not on your side, so just say what comes to mind and risk ridiculous answers slipping out as time twirls down on the unique spiral timer. It’s all in good fun with this fast-paced family game Ages 8+ (3-6 players)

11) Fortnite Monopoly

This is the special Fortnite edition of the Monopoly game. Players claim locations, battle opponents, and avoid the Storm to survive. The gameplay, design, and components of the board game include elements inspired by the video game including Fortnite locations and loot chest cards. Instead of Monopoly money, players earn Health Points (HP). Like in the Fortnite video game, the last player standing wins! Ages 13+( 2 to 7 players)

12) Monopoly Game: Regional Edition Australia

Monopoly Australia gives Australia’s best-loved board game a fresh twist with the nation’s favourite destinations up for grabs. The Community Chest and Chance Cards have been customised, offering players the chance to sell their State-of-Origin tickets or sell their lamingtons at the school fete. Players can even collect a bundle if their horse wins the Melbourne Cup. There are many other Regional versions of Monopoly available now (such as Oceania). Ages 8+ ( 2 to 7 players)

13) Absolute Balderdash (Ventura Games)

A hilarious bluffing board game in which you try to con your opponents into believing your made up answers to a weird and wonderful collection of words, people, initials, films and laws. Each turn the made up answers are mixed with the real one, and players try to pick which one is correct. Ages 12+ (2+ players)

14) Codenames (Czech Games Edition)

Two rival spymasters know the secret identities of 25 agents. Their teammates know the agents only by their Codenames. Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the board. Their teammates try to guess words of the right colour while avoiding those that belong to the opposing team. And everyone wants to avoid the assassin. Ages 14+ (2-8 players)