Day 7 of our Christmas Giveaway!!

We finally made it to the Top 5!
Hopefully there are some good ones :-P
Let us know which ones you love (or hate!) in the comments for your entry to tomorrows giveaway.

Top 12 Favorite Board Games
Number 5

Jordan Bird

5 - Skull King

Trick taking games are in my blood - we've been playing Hearts & The Great Dalmuti since before I was old enough to stay up with the adults.
And Skull King is a fantastic addition to the genre.
In Skull King you play a series of trick taking rounds, starting with only 1 card in hand and going until you play a round where everyone starts with 10 cards.
At the beginning of each round, you bid how many times you'll win the trick - and if you're right it pays off handsomely, but if someone throws a wrench in your plans you'll end up with negative points instead!!

Jordan's favorite memory of this game:

The best, and worst, part of playing Skull King with my family is that once they know they'll lose the round - either because they've won too many hands or too few - everyone will do their best to make sure that you also end up on the wrong side of your bid! It ends up taking a very skilled player to navigate these waters, and so far there is no one more skilled than Grandpa Rick who, so far, is the undisputed King of Skull King.

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Card Games - (Scum, Dalmuti, Uno, etc...)
Party Games - (Telestrations, Code Names, Apples to Apples, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night
Holiday Get Togethers

Watch it played with Jeff Beck - son of Grandpa Beck himself!
 

Zach Bird

5. Love Letter

Zach's favorite memory of this game:

This game has caused so many upsets/lucky calls that I can't even remember a specific one.

Recommended for anyone who loves:
Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Card Games - (Scum, Dalmuti, Uno, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers
Couples / Game Night with your BFF

Skyler Hanks -

Hopefully we'll have a catch-up article that is just Skyler's Top 10!

Will Sawyer

I'm a sucker for games that allow you to create your own story in your head, but Call to Adventure is on another level. You are forced to create an entire story arc for a unique character, while also building a strong enough engine to keep the snowball rolling. The game acts like a Mad Lib for a character, and it's always fun to think up the stories for each new one.

Will's favorite memory of this game:

My brother, my girlfriend, and myself were playing a non-cooperative game, in which my girlfriend took up the mantle of the Anti-hero for the game. Throughout, my brother and I were forced to help each other out as the Hero cards are weaker than the Anti-hero cards, so in order to just keep up with the villain we had to join forces in battle. We still lost, obviously, but we gave it a good fight!

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Family Games - (Catan, Ticket to Ride, etc...)
Co-Op Games - (Pandemic, Unlock, etc...)
Deck Building Games - (Dominion, Legendary, Mystic Vale, etc...)

This game is great for:

Family Game Night
Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Couples / Game Night with your BFF

Joey Wheeler

5 - Hail Hydra

Being able to manipulate people into thinking that someone else is a Hydra agent when I am actually the Hydra agent is so great. Hidden identity games are always fun but this one adds just enough extra mechanics to give it a little more staying power at my table than other games like Werewolf or games like that. I love that each character has a unique power they can use and that if a player gets voted out for a mission that they don't have to be out for the rest of the game if you find out they are good later.

Joey's favorite memory of this game:

My wife, Becca, was playing as Black Widow and I was playing as Captain America. She used her special power to look at my identity and see that I was a Hydra agent. When she proceeded to tell everyone this, however, I turned it around on her and convinced everyone that she was the Hydra agent trying to turn us Shield agents against each other. After all, who is more likely Hydra? Black Widow or Captain America? Obviously Black Widow, right?

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Card Games - (Scum, Dalmuti, Uno, etc...)
Party Games - (Telestrations, Code Names, Apples to Apples, etc...)

This game is great for:

Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers

Chris Fajardo

5 - Captain Sonar

Dive! Dive! Dive! Essentially battleship in real time. You are a part of a submarine crew hunting another submarine. Each player has a specific role to play and must do so as quickly as possible. 8 people are recommended to play, although I have played with 6 before. The game is relatively easy to learn. But it becomes chaotic as the game progresses and everyone is yelling to be heard. A blast for the group who can immerse themselves into a game.

Chris' favorite memory of this game:

I particularly enjoy playing the role of communications officer. It is a real challenge to listen to the opposing captain and trying to figure out where on the map they are moving. But when it clicks into place you make or break it for your team. Just don't confuse your East from your West!

Recommended for anyone who loves:

Party Games - (Telestrations, Code Names, Apples to Apples, etc...)
Strategy Games - (Stone Age, Agricola, Terra Mystica, Scythe, etc...)

This game is great for:

Board Game Night (Friends/Other Gamers)
Holiday Get Togethers

Spencer Martin

#5 Quacks of Quedlinburg

Quacks of Quedlinburg is the ultimate risk vs reward game. You work to create the most potent potion while being careful to not have it explode by adding too many risky ingredients. You can play it safe, but you might not get as high of value out of your ingredients.

Spencer's favorite memory of this game: