The Family Gamers Podcast

The Family Gamers
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Enjoy playing board games with your family at any age, skill level, or player count.

  1. 6D AGO

    Episode 416 – Growing As a Family with Board Games

    We’re going to talk about what it’s like to grow up in a gaming family! 0:00:00 Fact for 416 The largest chocolate bar by area measured 416.34 square meters, achieved on 2 December 2024. Sponsor Message What do you do with your tax refund? Do you get a refund at all? If you want to talk to First Move about habits you can build to take the next step toward your goals, go to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers to schedule a call. 0:04:05 What We’ve Been Playing Floristry (our review) – looking forward to trying the update!Flip 7 (our review)Trio (our review)IliadFight 5Animal Rescue TeamDice Throne: Marvel X-men – review coming soon 0:25:00 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest members! You can join the community on Facebook. 0:25:30 #Backtalk We asked about more topics… and your silliest #boardgamevalentine (see our TFG valentines). You responded on the #backtalk channel of the Discord. 0:29:00 Growing as a Family with Board Games We started The Family Gamers Podcast when we had three kids, age 7 and under. Back then, we were really just playing with the oldest and trying to find ways to include the preschooler. We started playing very simple games with our oldest when she was probably 3 years old. We did play some CandyLand, but we mostly played simple “family” games rather than kids’ games. We were often trying to rule-shift or play games that were very simple (like Zombie Dice, which we mention back in episode 1!), in part because our oldest started reading at a very young age. So we didn’t need games that avoided reading. She also really enjoyed the adult attention she got from doing “adult” things. And then our middle child got old enough to want to join in the games. Unfortunately, we discovered many “family games” don’t work well with multiple children when at least one can’t read yet. That is when we first realized that when gaming with very young children, games need to be short, with very simple decisions, no reading, and limited symbols & counting. We were barely aware of HABA games and other games geared towards very young children, but we learned! (Episode 36) Teaming Up: Playing with Multiple Children We also would “team up” a parent with a kid. The job of the parent was to present and explain the available decisions, without forcing the kid into any specific option. We recommend using house rules or variants, as long as everyone agrees how to play! It’s OK if small children just want to use the game pieces to play “let’s pretend”. If that bothers other children playing (or you as the parent), you need to clarify this with the kid – it’s not right or wrong, just have a plan for how to handle it. Maybe it means finishing this game and coming back later to play with the kid-generated rules. “You want to say ‘yes’ as much as possible.” – Andrew As the kids got a little older, we noticed that our younger children were trying to emulate their older sibling(s). (This is still an issue with teenagers, by the way.) This made it even more important to emphasize being a gracious winner and avoid being a sore loser. But it also means that you have to find ways to include the younger sibling(s) even as the older children want to graduate away from “kids games”. We looked for ways to handicap games, but also looked for games that would play to our younger children’s strengths, so they would not ALWAYS lose. It’s Different Now In 2026, we would recommend BoardGamesForAllAges.com. Tom has created “B-mods” which are handicapping rules to allow players of different levels to really be able to play TOGETHER. The structure encourages kids to keep leveling up, with fewer and fewer handicaps. We are also now in a phase of life where board gaming as a family looks very different: our kids are all in middle & high school now. And their interactions with games are different. It’s no longer about leveling the playing field, it’s about honoring the ways that each of them want to interact with board gaming. Our oldest loves conventions, but it’s not about playing games; it’s about being with people. Our middle child loves playing and teaching games and will try almost anything, anytime. Our youngest needs a theme that really grabs him. Now that they are older, their gaming is no longer driven by their ability. Now it’s all about their interests and their free time. It’s OK if board gaming is not the best choice for your family activities right now! 1:00:10 New Backtalk Question People train their whole lives and put it all on display in their specific sport once every four years at the Olympics and we all marvel at it. So, what’s your superpower? What is the weird talent that you have? Just know that we’ll talk about it on the show if you share it. Andrew’s is maple syrup making. Anitra’s is singing. Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 416 – Growing As a Family with Board Games appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    1h 4m

  2. FEB 2

    Episode 415 – Room to Grow: Card Games

    Looking for some card games for your family to grow into? We’ve got you covered. 0:00:00 Fact for 415 The racing tall ship Amerigo Vespucci holds the record for the largest maximum crew complement: 415 sailors. Sponsor Message If you’d like to talk about other ideas to help pass on your financial values to your children, schedule a time to talk to First Move by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today. 0:04:25 What We’ve Been Playing Compile: Main 2 (very much like Compile: Main 1)Logic & Lore – review coming soon. Check out the Kickstarter!IchorIliadCarnutaDice Throne: Marvel X-menTidal Blades 2: Rise of the UnfoldersVerdant ArizonaDice ClashEmbersTag Team 0:29:00 January Monthly Report Anitra: 42 plays, 23 unique games. H-index: 3. Most played: Trio Andrew: 23 plays of 14 unique games. H-index: 2. Most played: Trio & Verdant Arizona 0:31:00 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest members! You can join the community on Facebook. We also cover some “for science” emails from listener Mallory. Would you be interested in hearing us try recipes “for science”? 0:35:15 #Backtalk We asked about your New Year resolutions: any that have to do with board games? You responded on the Facebook group and on the #backtalk channel of the Discord. 0:41:30 Room to Grow: Card Games Our goal with Room to Grow is to bring your kids – or your family – through a series of games that grow in complexity. Normally, we take a beginner game, an intermediate game, and an advanced game (and some honorable mentions). They offer a plan for growth for players to get comfortable with that mechanic, and all are family-friendly. What is a card game? For the purposes of this podcast, we’re defining it as: A game that uses only cards (plus maybe a few tokens or a scoresheet) Can be played with more than 2 players Rewards paying attention to what is going on around the table (not just your own hand/tableau) Beginner: Flip 7 There are several games we could pick as a really easy starting point. But this one is the most like conventional card games, so we think it feels the most approachable. Young kids can play this and enjoy it as long as they have basic numeracy. They might not get the statistics, but they can understand that there’s only one 1 and a lot of 12s, and they don’t want repeats. See our review of Flip 7. Intermediate: Fantasy Realms or Marvel Remix This is pretty much the same game with two themes: Fantasy Realms is medieval-ish fantasy, and Marvel Remix is obviously Marvel super-heroes and villains. Turns out, there’s a third one called Star Trek: Missions! Build a hand of cards that combo well together to get the most points. Each turn, you will add a card to your hand and discard a card from your hand, trying to get a little better each time. All cards get discarded to a central area, which also becomes the pool to draw cards from (in addition to the deck). The rules do get a little more complicated with two players, but it’s still do-able. Advanced: Res Arcana or Race for the Galaxy or San Juan Another set of three games with very similar mechanics – probably because the same guy (Tom Lehmann) designed two and had a heavy hand in the development of the third. Res Arcana is fantasy themed, Race for the Galaxy is sci-fi, and San Juan is loosely themed around colonizing the Americas. In San Juan, you build buildings from the cards in your hands, paying other cards from your hand as the cost. Each turn, the current player chooses a “role” – everyone gets to do an action based on that role, while the chooser gets a bonus. Race for the Galaxy is somewhat more complicated. Everyone secretly selects an action, then simultaneously reveals. All of the actions that were picked will be performed in a round. You’re still paying out cards to play other cards, which interact in all kinds of ways in the different phases. This one has victory point & power chips to help you track values as the game goes along. Res Arcana is along the same lines: collect “essences” to be able to claim abilities & cards. Work towards ten victory points to win the game. This was a Kennerspiel Recommended game in 2020: A hobby game, but not overly complicated. 0:54:30 New Backtalk Question What should we talk about next? Is there some board game topic you are curious about? Or… what boardgame would you write a valentine to? Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 415 – Room to Grow: Card Games appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    58 min

  3. JAN 19

    Episode 414 – Top Games of 2025

    This week, we examine our Amazon Affiliate statistics. What games are the most popular buys among our listeners? Then, we compare our own lists of favorite games of the year. 0:00:00 Fact for 414 The 414s – a group of teenage computer hackers from Milwaukee (the 414 area code) in the early 1980s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_414s Sponsor Message To schedule a time to talk to First Move about other ways to take control of your finances, head over to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers to set up a free initial 15 minute call. 0:05:30 What We’ve Been Playing Animal Rescue Team3 ChaptersShadow Ninjas (w/4 players)Cabanga! (our review – still great)GuildlandsThat’s Not a HatMetro X (our review – still great)Cozy Stickerville demoPaleoVerdant ArizonaLogic & Lore 0:32:00 Monthly and Yearly Reports In December, Andrew played 15 unique games 23 times. H-index: 2. Most played: Leaders, Jungo. In December, Anitra played 18 unique games 46 times. H-index: 4. Most played: Leaders, Tag Team, Lands of Amazement, Jungo. Nearly all of our games were played at home, and at just two players. In 2025, Andrew played 111 unique games, 299 times. H-index: 8.16 games played 5+ times, 4 games played 10+ times. Trio is his most played, followed by My City, Floristry, and Lorcana. In 2025, Anitra played 162 unique games, 507 times. H-index: 10.More and more of her games are played with Andrew – this year, she played with Andrew far more than with any other person. 0:38:00 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest members! You can join the community on Facebook. #Backtalk We asked about what game was the highlight of your holidays. You responded on the Facebook group and on the #backtalk channel of the Discord. 0:46:30 Our Top Ten Amazon Links These games were ordered the most through our affiliate links this year. Links are to reviews/recommendations we wrote for each game. My First Castle Panic Outfoxed Monza Dragon’s Breath Doomlings Green Team Wins Dragomino Zombie Kidz Evolution Happy Salmon (tied) Sushi Go (tied) 1:01:00 Our Top Five? Ten? Thirteen? of 2025 We each picked the seven games we enjoyed the most this year. We thought we would overlap to about ten games total. We were wrong. Our top game of 2025: Floristry Floristry (the only game we both chose!) Leaders Creature Comforts Chit Chat Duel for Cardia Odin Ink Person Do Thing Logic & Lore Obelus Flower Fields Lorcana Gateway Paint the Roses 1:20:20 New Backtalk Question Do you have a New Year’s Resolution that is board game related? Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 414 – Top Games of 2025 appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    1h 24m

  4. 12/29/2025

    Episode 413 – Five(ish) Games That Are Just Plain Fun

    We’re going to talk about games that are just plain fun, no matter the group. 0:00:00 Fact for 413 La Roue – a silent movie, with a full run time of 413 minutes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Roue Sponsor Message For expert help applying some of the same principles that help you take down your friends in Agricola, head over to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today to schedule a call. 0:04:45 What We’ve Been Playing Update – from the really cool Asmodee demo room at PAX Unplugged this year:First Giants – looks heavier than it is. Great for families! (coming in May)Carnuta – coming Februarydnup – like Scout or Jungo, with card-flipping as you pick up cards you beat. coming May/JuneSplendor Kids – uses a board instead of cards to buy. Already out! Spring – similar to WinterTag Team – deck-programming duel with the SmashUp approach to the source deckShadow NinjasLeaders – there are a few errata to deal with. But this is a fun duel full of asymmetric powers.Enthrone – more on this one soon.FloristryUnmatched – we used Moon Knight & ShakespeareDice Throne: X-Men – we used Cyclops & RogueLands of Amazement 0:38:30 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook. #Backtalk We asked about your favorite kind(s) of video games. You responded on the Facebook group and on the #backtalk channel of the Discord. 0:45:45 Just Plain Fun In no particular order, we picked five different kinds of games that always bring the fun. Trio (from Happy Camper) You never thought a memory-and-deduction game could be so much fun! This hits the table super quickly, as long as you have at least three players. The set-collection element is part of what keeps everyone engaged, along with the revealing of information to deduce where certain sets of cards are. It’s our family’s favorite game. Check out our review of Trio. Cabanga! (from Amigo / Hasbro) Now available as Snailed It! from Hasbro, this game always gets our table yelling as we cause players to take penalty cards. Play a card into a color area, and try to minimize the gap between that number and the other number in that color… or other players could throw out cards that fit in that gap and cause you to take penalties! Read our review of Cabanga! Super Mega Lucky Box (from Gamewright) This is the “most complicated” game on the list… but it’s basically bingo plus bonus combos that add some strategy. Fits well in either high-energy or low-energy situations. But always fun, and works at any player count, including solo. Check out our review of Super Mega Lucky Box. Green Team Wins (25th Century Games) Even people who don’t normally play games will (usually) enjoy this game. Ask a question; everyone tries to pick an answer to match with the most people around the table. Green Team Wins is unusual among party games. It works great among friends & family, but just as well with strangers as an icebreaker – or even combined groups where some people know each other well and others do not. It is our favorite party game. Watch our review of Green Team Wins – and the Green Team Wins: Holiday Party expansion. Spaceteam (from Stellar Factory) A high-energy “yell-y” game. We don’t play often, but it’s great if you’re ready for stress, a timer, and yelling. Cooperate to “fix your spaceship” by passing tool cards around the table to each player that needs them for specific tasks. As you fulfill tasks, discard them and find the spaceship parts. There are more cards in the mix that break expectations. And it feels so great when you can win! Find out more at PlaySpaceteam.com. Bonus: Red Letter, Yellow Letter (also from 25th Century Games) Another great party game, but a little lower energy than Green Team Wins. And since this is a game of “be the first to shout out an answer”, you can join mid-game. We find that it starts slowly, but then slowly warms up as people get used to the slowly-changing letters and “things”. And it always leaves us appreciating other players’ cool answers. Read our review of Red Letter, Yellow Letter. 0:58:30 New Backtalk Question We had a lot of games we played in the holiday week: what was YOUR board game of the week? This could be a gift you received for Chanukah or Christmas or whatever you celebrate, or it could have been something you got off the shelf of opportunity because you had some downtime. When I ask what your board game of the week is, what is it and why? Our son’s highlights are Hercules and The 12 Labors, and Slay the Spire (the boardgame). Anitra hopes that Paleo can finally get off the shelf of opportunity. Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 413 – Five(ish) Games That Are Just Plain Fun appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    1h 5m

  5. 12/15/2025

    Episode 412 – Video Game Gift Guide

    Our yearly show with Engaged Family Gaming, where we talk about what video games might be on your kids’ wishlists. 00:00 Fact for 412 412 is the area code for Pittsburgh (and they seem really proud of it). The most people washing dishes simultaneously is 412 and was achieved by Henkel (Algeria) and Pril-Isis, in Algiers, Algeria, on 16 June 2017. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/112306-most-people-washing-dishes-simultaneously Sponsor Message If you want some help finding solid footing underneath you, or help finding the right step to leap to the next level, head to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers to schedule a quick phone call and see how First Move can help. 0:04:30 What We’ve Been Playing – with November Monthly Report! Anitra: 54 plays of 28 unique games. H-index: 4 (Chit Chat, Trio, INK, Leaders, Odin) – and Andrew is the most played-with person by a huge margin! Andrew: 40 plays of 18 unique games. H-index 4 (Chit Chat, Leaders, Odin, Trio). 35 games together with Anitra! Pretty much everything was 2 players or 5 players. Check out our recent reviews for INK and Odin.LeadersJungo (check out our review!)Logic & LoreS’mores Galore Roast & WriteFor Sale 0:10:40 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest community members on Facebook! In these darkest days of the year, let’s share some light with each other. Stop in and say hello. #Backtalk We asked what you like to do with your family that ISN’T boardgames. A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord and in our Facebook community. 0:19:00 Video Games with Engaged Family Gaming Stephen Duetzmann helps us with the best video games to give this year, via the Engaged Family Gaming holiday list. But first we talk about videogames we’ve been playing: Dogpile (on Steam)Metroid Prime 4Dredge (more info)Hollow Knight: Silksong (which Andrew just finished – more info) 0:36:00 Consoles PS5 or Xbox Series X – They are very expensive and not focused on family-friendly titles. Not recommended unless you really want it for games you can’t get elsewhere. 0:37:15 Multi-platform Games Civilization VII – the rough edges have been sanded off. Pick a leader, but jump to different civilizations in each age. Plays pretty well on any console and on PC, but if you have a Switch 2, buy it for that system, so you can use the mouse controller. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown – turn based tactical game that still forces you to move forward like a typical side-scrolling brawler. Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar – cozy “farm and town” game with engine-building. Has a week cycle as well as a day cycle. Sonic Racing: Crossworlds – good if you don’t have Mario Kart. Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted 0:45:00 Playstation Exclusives “Playstation didn’t put out anything that didn’t involve mass-murder.” Ghost of Yotei – only for grownups, but gorgeous. nothing else really new, but Astro Bot, Final Fantasy VII, and Spider-man 2 are still great choices. 0:46:50 Xbox Exclusives Also not much new that isn’t “headshot-central”. But Star Wars Outlaws is updated and even better than it was last year. 0:47:45 Nintendo Switch / Switch 2 Both consoles are good choices: Switch 2 is very cool. Original Switch is the value choice, and those games will still work if you decide to upgrade later to the Switch 2. Mario Kart World Donkey Kong Bananza Also recommended: Metroid Prime 4 – if you liked Metroid Primeand Kirby Air Riders “If you get a Switch 2, don’t limit yourself to just Switch 2 games” – get older original Switch games, too. A lot of them have been updated for the better graphics of the Switch 2, and they’ll be great! 0:53:00 Online Play and Online Sales You need to do the math and decide if these are worth it for your family. Good alternative to buying a single game if you don’t know what game your recipient would want. Nintendo Switch Online – $80 for up to 8 users (don’t all have to be in the same location), even cheaper if you only need one user. This is absolutely necessary to play online AND gives you access to a bunch of older games. XBox Game Pass – probably not worth it JUST for kids. Worth it for Andrew & Anitra, where we have many people all taking advantage. PS Plus – again, needed for online play. Minimum $80/year for the Essentials plan. As always: If you’re buying a console for a holiday present, do NOT leave it in the box! Don’t forget to set it up before Christmas! (Plug in, connect to the internet, download updates, install a game or two. You might need to update the firmware on the controller.) It’s a much more effective surprise if it’s ready to play on Christmas morning. And don’t forget about free to play games like Fortnite or Disney Speed Storm! Those are good to add ahead of time so they can play right away. And don’t forget about The Family Gamers holiday gift guide, too! Find EFG Online: Facebook: @EngagedFamilyGamingTikTok: @EngagedFamilyGamingTwitch: @EngagedFamilyGamingThey also have a Facebook community: facebook.com/groups/EngagedFamilyGamingCommunityAnd you can find Stephen on Facebook too: @sduetzmann 1:10:00 New Backtalk Question What kind of video game do you like best? Do you like multiplayer games because you’re a board gamer, and so you want to play with other people (locally or online)? Or do you have video games as your solo play and board games as your social play? Do you prefer puzzles, or action? If you want to name a particular game that is your favorite, feel free! Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 412 – Video Game Gift Guide appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    1h 15m

  6. 12/01/2025

    Episode 411 – PAX Unplugged 2025

    It’s the most wonderful time of the year – PAX Unplugged is when we get to catch up with friends in the boardgame industry, see new games, and meet some of YOU! 00:00 Fact for 411 If you’re a Millenial, you know that 411 was (is) a phone number to call for general information. Did you know there are other X11 codes? https://www.networkworld.com/article/956606/beyond-911-other-n-1-1-codes-you-should-know.html Sponsor Message How do you know if you’re ready to retire? There’s the financial aspect, but don’t forget about the emotional and physical as well. If you want help reviewing the financial part of preparing for retirement, set up a time to talk to First Move for free by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today. 0:05:10 What We’ve Been Playing INK – review out today of this race to place all your ink bottles.Odin – review coming next week. Best at 3-4 players.Chit Chat – had our best game ever at 9 points! Check out the review.Stroop – still breaks our brain, but fun.Bouba/Kiki – a cooperative party game about matching shapes with nonsense words.(We talk at length about Stroop and Bouba/Kiki in episode 370.)Tropichaos – a fruit-selling push-your-luck game from Oink Games.Person Do Thing – a simple word party game. Try it yourself at PersonDoThing.comLeaders – we will talk a lot about this later. 0:18:00 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest community members on Facebook! Stop in and say hello. #Backtalk We asked what your favorite thing to do at a convention – if you’ve ever been to one. A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord and in our Facebook community. PAX Unplugged 2025 Interviews 0:25:35 SnapShips Tactics with Micah “X-wing crossed with Galaxy Trucker, and you’re trying to kill each other.” Make your ship look like you want, and make it play like you want. Starter set for two players is about $65. www.snapshipstactics.com 0:29:00 Kess with Court A game based on OnePiece! www.kessentertainment.co 0:32:30 Outset Media with David Guildlands – “if Carcassonne met Root“ Karak – a favorite for kids, with lots of upgrades over the version we reviewed years ago. And Karak II for a more challenging game! Shadow Ninjas – cats sneaking into the dojo to eat the koi, and one dog trying to eliminate them all. outsetmedia.com 0:36:10 Fight in a Box with Seppy Yoon Puppies or Poop – build a doggie land-mine field under the leaves. Try to survive without poop on your shoes! A cute and more memorable re-implementation of Squirrel or Die. Kaiser Cucumber – evil geniuses trying to out-steal each other. A sort of sequel to Mouse Cheese Cat Cucumber. www.fightinabox.com 0:40:15 SRG Universe with Steve Supershow – a wrestling card game – and Super Lucha which is a crossover with luchadors. Rummy Gummies – a set-playing card game. “Rummy with Uno-like effects” supershowthegame.com 0:45:00 Envy Born Games with Matthew Sirens – 1-2 player tiny game. Draft cards to make a song and lure sailors. Hercules and the 12 Labors – solo game. Battle your way through Hercules’s famous 12 labors and choose rewards to help you with future labors. envyborngames.com 0:48:20 Kids Table Board Gaming / Burnt Island Games with Sean River Market – now available!Sea Shells – set collection by Bruno Faiduitti, coming summer 2026Pack & Paddle – Kickstarter in 2026Treeline – recover the landscape. Also coming summer 2026. Fans of Diced Veggies and Endeavor: Deep Sea. www.kidstablebg.com and www.burntislandgames.com 0:52:50 Jason Anarchy Games Trombone Champ – yes, like the video game. Full of hotdogs, baboons, and silly fake trombone facts. 0:55:00 Wonderful World Board Games with Ariel Dragonarium – go check out the Kickstarter before December 11! Last Lantern – coop polyomino game. Silently build a path across the board. www.wonderfulworldbg.com 1:00:25 Bezier Games with Jay Zombie Princess – a sequel to Rebel Princess. “Save” the zombies by chopping off their heads. Trick-taking game that’s best with partners. Haunted Mouse – a ladder-climbing/shedding card game that lets you use your opponents’ cards. Game Makers – heavier game with a rondel. You step into the role of a game publisher – very meta. Recommendations for this holiday: Seers Catalog and Xylotar (we reviewed the expansion) beziergames.com Bonus: Jay is also @CardboardEast – he reviews games from Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, etc. Check out his Youtube channel! 1:04:50 Play to Z Games with Zev Animal Rescue Team – with Matt Leacock Twisted Trumpets – route-building, sort of. You’re building out very weird, twisty trumpet pipes. Soothsayers – engine-building card game using traditional tarot. www.playtozgames.com 1:09:55 Doomlings with Eric Mokoko Village expansion Nightflower Island Gold pack, and a 15-pack Gold Box (by popular demand!) “We wanted to trick our moms into playing Magic: The Gathering with us” TFG has really enjoyed Doomlings – easy to learn, with a lot of luck, but also some depth. Our review. www.doomlings.com 1:14:45 Capstone Games with Chris Sanctuary – an Ark Nova game, a bit lighter than Ark Nova.Up or Down?Rowdy Partners – trick taking for 1-4 players. Wrestling theme with characters, each who has their own powersWandering Towers – a TFG favorite.Forestry – harvest a forest while replanting to manage it. Heavier game.Galileo Galilei – heavier gameAquariaStick ‘Em refreshWandering Towers expansion coming soon! capstone-games.com 1:19:00 Moon Crab Games with Justin Leviathan Wilds – cooperative boss-battling game that uses a spiral-bound book for the gameboard. “Climb together. Save Leviathans.” leviathanwilds.com 1:24:30 PAX Unplugged takeaways Andrew: PAX Enforcers (volunteers) and employees do an awesome job. And it’s really cool to see the same folks year after year. Love the culture of PAX Unplugged and its family friendliness. Anitra: We waited in line as a family to get in and see Jacques Ze Whipper. Waiting in line, even for over an hour, was incredibly pleasant: mostly because the people around us were patient and friendly. We hope to see you at PAX Unplugged 2026, December 4-6! 1:30:30 New Backtalk Question We’ve been listening to records. What is your favorite thing to do with your family that is NOT playing board games? Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 411 – PAX Unplugged 2025 appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    1h 35m

  7. 11/17/2025

    Episode 410 – Holiday Gift Guide

    It’s that time again – we recommend games for everyone on your gift list. 00:00 Fact for 410 10-4 is one of many ten-codes, used for clarity and brevity in Morse code & voice communications. 10-4 means “received” or “acknowledged”. Sponsor Message We talk about the sunk cost fallacy. Just because you’ve already invested resources into something doesn’t tell us if it’s worth that next bit of resources to see it through. If you need a sounding board for your life’s financial decisions, go to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers and set up a time today to talk to First Move Financial – for free! 0:04:00 What We’ve Been Playing INK – review coming soon of this race to place all your ink bottles.Red Letter, Yellow Letter – our reviewOdin – review coming soon. Best at 3-4 players.Obelus – gorgeous. Our review. We are excited to see more from this publisher!Chit Chat – review coming soon for this trivia party game.Jekyll & Hyde vs. Scotland Yard – a really hard cooperative trick-taking game, but we’re getting better at it 0:18:15 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook. Stop by and say hello! #Backtalk We asked what YOU think makes a good gift when you’re given a board game. A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord and in our Facebook community. … and yes, we did review Box of Rocks, a silly game. Anyone interested in sharing some recipes for us to try out? 0:18:15 The Family Gamers Holiday Gift Guide We race through all the games on our 2025 gift guide. A friendly reminder to our listeners: many of the games on the list we received at no cost, and we do earn a (tiny) commission from the Amazon links. But every single game on that list, we have played, enjoyed, and would buy and give (or have already bought & given) to our friends and family. 1:18:20 New Backtalk Question We’re heading to PAX Unplugged this week. We’ll be teaching Castle Panic on Sunday morning (11/23)! What is your favorite thing to do at conventions? Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 410 – Holiday Gift Guide appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    1h 25m

  8. 11/03/2025

    Episode 409 – Five Favorite Card Games

    Let’s talk about card games! 00:00 Fact for 409 A little about Formula 409®. Sponsor Message How do you maintain your budget during the holiday season, with gift giving, big family meals, decorations, increased travel, seasonal activities? If you want to talk through other ideas to take some of the stress out of the holidays set up a time to talk to First Move by going to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers today. 0:04:30 What We’ve Been Playing Finished My City – ultimate winner: Anitra, but it was really close at the end!HiFi – full review coming soonOdin – with 6 players, it was less fun. Too easy to get stuck unable to play cards.5 TowersJekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard 0:15:30 What We’ve Been Playing – October Andrew: 14 unique games 25 times, H-index 2 (My City, Chit Chat, Ink, Duel for Cardia, Odin) Anitra: 16 unique games 36 times, H-index 3 (My City, Duel for Cardia, Bomb Busters, Chit Chat) Almost all of our games we played with each other, much more than usual. 0:18:30 The Family Gamers Community Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook. Welcome Post! #Backtalk We asked about your seasonal gaming traditions. A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord, and that’s about it! 0:23:00 Our Top 5 Card Games… For Now Sometimes you want something small, and fast (and cheap!). What you want is a card game. Here are five of our favorites: Trick taking: Skull King If you like trick-taking games but wish they were wackier, or you want to include more than four players, Skull King has you covered. Up to eight players can join in – make a bid for how many tricks you’ll win, but beware of cards like the pirates, mermaids, the pirate king, and the white whale. Traditional (ish) card game: Flip 7 (our review) This is another game that supports a LOT of players (up to 18?!?) It feels a bit like Blackjack, but with a lot more flexibility. Try to get the most points you can each round, but if you ever flip a number you already have, you’ll get nothing. Party game: Anomia It’s sort of a trivia game, but it’s just about shouting out something in the given category. Everyone stays involved, because you always need to be looking for a symbol that matches your own. We’ve reviewed the Pop Culture set and Anomia Kids, but we love the original and its sibling Duple! Start playing right away: Circus Flohcati (our review) Flip cards out from the deck until you decide to stop and take one. You’ll spend more time explaining the scoring than how to play. Just plain good: Trio (our review) This game combines memory and deduction. While it’s very easy to learn, we find that people mess up the “only highest or lowest card” rule, which can be frustrating. You could get all five of these games together for under $75 – another reason card games are great! 0:35:50 Runners-up: More Card Games We Love Cabanga! – we absolutely love this tiny game, but it’s kind of hard to get, and going to get harder until Amigo can partner with a new US distributor.Similo – another great party game. Remember to have guessers talk out their reasoning!Combo – we love this semi-cooperative game, but it can be hard to teach.Abandon All Artichokes – a wonderful early deck-building game. Cute and charming.Tussie Mussie – a tiny split-and-choose game, at just 18 cards!Get the MacGuffin – a goofy game about being the last player standing.Sushi Go – an approachable set-collection “pick and pass” game. Even a very young kid could probably play this. 0:46:15 Follow Up A few people asked for the Butter Chicken Mac & Cheese recipe. So, would you like to hear about more family recipes? Maybe in a little more detail? We also asked last week about a BGG guild for The Family Gamers. If you’re avoiding social media, we’re happy to do a guild, but so far we’ve only heard from one person on this! 0:48:10 New Backtalk Question What’s the perfect kind of game to receive as a holiday gift? Is it about the games you like to play, or the environment to play them in? Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community. Find Us Online: Facebook: @familygamersaa and thefamilygamers.com/communityTwitter (X): @familygamersaaInstagram: @familygamersaaTikTok: @familygamersaaBluesky: @familygamersaaThreads: @familygamersaaYoutube: TheFamilyGamers or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! thefamilygamers.com/discord Or, for the most direct method, email us! andrew@thefamilygamers.com and anitra@thefamilygamers.com. PLEASE don’t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at Apple Podcast or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We’re also on Amazon Music, TuneIn, and Spotify. You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you’re toiling away at work :) Music for The Family Gamers Podcast is provided with permission from You Bred Raptors? The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points. The post Episode 409 – Five Favorite Card Games appeared first on The Family Gamers.

    55 min
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4.7
out of 5
60 Ratings

About

Enjoy playing board games with your family at any age, skill level, or player count.

Information

  • Creator
    The Family Gamers
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © This podcast copyright The Family Gamers. Music used by permission from You Bred Raptors?
  • Show Website
    The Family Gamers Podcast

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