Star Trek Panic

So we had looked at this game...then we walked into Recess Games in Cleveland...and they showed it to us...yep, we bought it that day! Although we did buy it online as we didn't want to have to fit it in our suitcase (plus they didn't have it in stock).

 

This is a great co-op and actually pretty hard (but not too hard) and the theme is great.  You really get the flavor of Star Trek.

Thrifting Find

Our best thrifting find so far - Zooloretto for $5!

Travel Gaming

We worked on our "travel" games this summer!  The best one of the summer - Zombie Dice. We played it everywhere...including the park!

This is our travel pack!

This is our plane pack!

Mad King Ludwig

I love the fun of making my castle in Mad King Ludwig.  This is the castle from our last game!

 

This is a really fun little game and the way the master builder works is really cool.  The only issue we have with this game is that it doesn't play well at two players even though it has rules for it. 

My summer souvenirs....

So we went to Fairbanks and Homer this summer.  So what did I come home with?  Ticket to Ride!! I found all the versions I didn't have that you can't easily buy anymore!!

 

Fairbanks

Kenai (on the way to Homer)

Playing Emma

Ellie was helping me play Emma. 

 

This is the new version of Marrying Mr. Darcy. Such a fun girls' game!  If you like Jane Austen, you totally need this game.  This is a really simple card game, but the theme really comes out with the card text. 

Adam Gaming

Adam started learning 40K this summer!

We all learned Minecraft card game

Adam got to go to the game store to play 40K

Baby Shower Gifts

What to bring to a baby shower?  Games, of course!  We gave games this summer - with handmade baby blankets and usually diapers.  But the baby is eventually sleeping and it is time to games with your spouse!  We gave all two player games that can be played by tired parents!

 

Game Night Food

I'm always look for new game night foods!  This is my most recent success!  If you were to make these for game night, what I'd recommend (what I plan to do in the future) is make up a few batches and have in fridge, ready to bake, as needed. 

Calzone Pinwheels

Modified from Taste of Home

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup diced filling (so they had pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers and onions listed individually here... you can use whatever you have on hand and like on your pizza...I combined all their stuff into one entry)

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

1 pkg (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce (I didn't end up putting this out...less to spill...and no one seemed to miss it!)

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix first six ingredients (everything but rolls and pizza sauce).  Unroll crescent dough and separate into four rectangles; press perforations to seal.  Spread each rectangle with cheese mixture to within 1/4 in. Roll up jelly roll style, starting with short end.  Pinch seam to seal.

Using a serrated knife, cut each roll into four slices.  Place on greased baking sheet, cut side down. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with pizza sauces.

Makes 16 appetizers. 

Voltron Game

 

We found this Voltron game used...the boys love Voltron. This game...not so much...first says 14+ and that's pretty true. And it just isn't that great of game. But the figures are great as the boys love playing with those! So really we got our money out of those....

Painting with Daddy

Ray is teaching our boys to paint miniatures already!

Star Wars Risk

So if you haven't played Star Wars Risk yet, you should. This isn't Risk...it is the Queen's Gambit, I guess (haven't played that one).  What I call it is Return in the Jedi in a box.  Our 8 year old LOVES LOVES LOVES it.

Zeus on the Loose

Ray has decided that we should go thrifting for games.  So far we've picked up a few, the best being a very nice copy of Stratego ,but this little card game was a fun choice for $1.  Zeus on the Loose is a very quick and easy hard game (we are playing here at a restaurant) and was a great deal at a buck.

 

Powerplay

We talking about theme, one of the best (in our opinion) for theme in deck builders is Powerplay by Cryptozoic.  Now, first, Cryptozoic has one of the easiest deck builders to teach.  There is no actions and buys like in Dominion so you can almost always use your entire hand. 

 

What makes Powerplay so thematic is that you aren't adding villains to your deck to "help" you later like you are in the DC or Lord of the Rings versions, but rather you have defenders and attackers.  The defenders have the added benefit of allowing you to try to stop your opponent when s/he takes a shot on goal.  You are trying to win goalies (make goals) and have to be able to beat them.  Since you have make a decision to buy cards or take a shot on the goal, it adds a nice decision point.  If you want a simple DBG, but want some theme, this is a great game to take out. 

Dominion

So when we moved we actually sold our base game of Dominion, thinking we could just our in-laws copy.  Yep, that wasn't smart.  So we rebought it.  We don't have all the expansions as there were a few that we didn't like and so culled them when we moved.  But we have the majority of them.  Dominion gets a bad rap for having no theme (and really it doesn't), but the deck builder king and still is a great game. 

Magic

Jennie has finally been forced to learn Magic.  She doesn't play much, just enough so Ray can test his decks. 

 

Game Night

 

Game nights are going well - we are getting a great core group!

Teaching Adam 40K

Ray has begun to teach Adam (8) 40K.  Adam has his own orc army. 

 

Painting with Daddy!

Recent Gaming

Our recent gaming has been focus on getting games off our "wall of shame," but here are a few from awhile abck.

Firefly - this is a pick up and deliver game and surprisingly good for a "name" game.

We told ourselves we'd play Monopoly - by the REAL rules - over Christmas.  We did...still not great, but hey, we finally followed the rules!

Puerto Rick - we had to proxy this to get a play in to test it. It is a good game....we just play San Juan so much more. 

Star Wars Risk

 

First, don't let this trick you...this is NOT Risk. It is Queen's Gambit.  For those of you who that doesn't mean anything (and it didn't to me), it is Return of the Jedi in the box. Seriously, it is AWESOME. And not that hard either...our 8 year old LOVES it. 

Star Wars Sorry

We got the kids Star Wars Sorry for Christmas. This is actually a really nice improvement on regular Sorry with just a few little tweaks that make a big difference. Of course, the kids love the Star Wars theme. We actually replaced our regular Sorry with this one. 

2016 Resolutions

So last year we planned to get through 200 games - which we did!!  This year our goal is to have NO wall of shame!

Evo

This is a game I don't hear much about - Evo. It is a cool little game about the evolution of dinosaurs. You are trying to get yours to survive by getting better genes as each turn the climate kills off any dinosaur in the wrong area!  Playing 2 player, this wasn't so great, but at 4 or 5, it sings as the bidding really comes out and you get to see all the cool genes and try to protect your dinosaurs as you compete for area.