This week, the GeekMom holiday gift guide covers games! Check out a few of our recent favorite tabletop games, and one amazing video game.
Image: Asmodee Games
StoryLine: Fairy Tales
Suggested By: Jenny Bristol
Mfg: Asmodee Games
Price: $19.95
Purchase: StoryLine: Fairy Tales
This group storytelling game has everyone contributing to building one of two fairy tales. Each person takes turns being the narrator and flipping over the next of 15 narration cards. The other players “fill in the blanks” of that card by playing cards from their hand that match the type needed. The narrator chooses which one(s) should be used to carry the story forward. The way the rules are set up, there is technically a winner at the end, but the fun is in crafting the story as a group, and making it as traditional or ridiculous as you’d like. Read my full review.
Powerpuff Girls Saving Townsville Before Bedtime Image courtesy of Milton Bradley
Powerpuff Girls Saving Townsville Before Bedtime
Suggested By: Dakster Sullivan
Mfg: Milton Bradley
Price: $19.99
Purchase: Powerpuff Girls Saving Townsville Before Bedtime
Help the Powerpuff Girls save Townsville before bedtime. Your mission is to defeat all nine villains before Professor Utonium calls you home to jump into your pajamas. Work as a team to defeat popular villains including Mojo Jojo.
Image: AEG
Smash Up
Suggested By: Rory Bristol
Mfg: AEG
Price: $18.99
Purchase: Smash Up
When choosing the perfect game to gift, remember that replayability is an enormous portion of your value. With Smash Up, players start with eight factions. Each player chooses two, and epic gameplay ensues. With dozens of pairings, each combination has its own style. Combine Wizards and Tricksters to draw lots of cards, and force other players to discard their own. To counter, a player might choose Zombies and Aliens to play cards from the discard pile and gain victory points instantly. The strategies between each pairing are unique, meaning players can always explore a new style. Grab it on Amazon today, for almost 40% off.
Image credit: Activision
Skylanders Imaginators
Suggested By: Ruth Suehle
Mfg: Activision Publishing, Inc.
Price: $74.99
Purchase: Skylanders Imaginators
Skylanders Imaginators, this year’s release in the popular Skylanders game series, introduces the ability to create your own Skylanders called Imaginators. It’s the most engaging Skylanders since SWAP Force let you combine two Skylanders into a new one. You can randomize your creation or spend time choosing appearance, abilities, and catchphrases. They’re stores in the new toy type, Creation Crystals, which let you take your Imaginator creation anywhere to any console.
The starter pack includes two Senseis, one Creation Crystal, Portal of Power, and the full game. For $20 more, you can get the Dark Edition Starter Pack or the starter pack that includes Crash Bandicoot–yes, that Crash Bandicoot, who has his own level in the Thumpin’ Wumpa Islands with TNT boxes and Wumpa fruit. All 300+ characters from all five previous Skylanders games are also playable in the new game.
Image: Asmodee Games
Concept
Suggested By: Jenny Bristol
Mfg: Admodee Games
Price: $37.99
Purchase: Concept
Concept is a logic/train of thought/guessing game that requires some strategy and a lot of creative thinking. Work to craft a path of abstract clues to get the other players to guess your word or phrase. It’s harder than it sounds, but the more you play, the better everyone gets. A bonus is that you can play it with from 4 to 12 players. Not too many games have that range. Read my full review.
Image: Cards Against Humanity
Cards Against Humanity
Suggested By: Rory Bristol
Mfg: Cards Against Humanity
Price: $25
Purchase: Cards Against Humanity
Cards Against Humanity is a party game for folks willing to embrace all of the horrible aspects of being human. With cards ranging from rude to risque, hilarious to hurtful, and fun to fantastic, CAH is a great game for moms, dads, and adults of all stripes. CAH has been Amazon’s #1 Most Wished For game for years, and it’s no wonder: few have played this side-splitting game and walked away without a lighter heart. Fair warning, though: Cards Against Humanity is an adult game, not at all appropriate for kids.
