The Family Gamers Podcast
The Family Gamers Podcast

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.

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Episode 413 – Five(ish) Games That Are Just Plain Fun
DEC 29, 2025
Episode 413 – Five(ish) Games That Are Just Plain Fun
<figure class="aligncenter wp-block-post-featured-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="800" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep413-FiveFunGames.jpg?resize=800%2C519&#038;ssl=1" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Episode 413 - Five Just Plain Fun Games" style="object-fit:cover;" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep413-FiveFunGames.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep413-FiveFunGames.jpg?resize=300%2C195&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep413-FiveFunGames.jpg?resize=768%2C498&amp;ssl=1 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure> <p>We&#8217;re going to talk about games that are just plain fun, no matter the group.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:00:00 Fact for 413</h2> <p><em>La Roue</em> &#8211; a silent movie, with a full run time of 413 minutes. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Roue">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Roue</a></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sponsor Message</h2> <p>For expert help applying some of the same principles that help you take down your friends in <em>Agricola</em>, head over to <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers">firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers</a> today to schedule a call.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:04:45 What We&#8217;ve Been Playing</h2> <p>Update &#8211; from the really cool Asmodee demo room at <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/episode-411-pax-unplugged-2025/">PAX Unplugged</a> this year:<br><em>First Giants</em> &#8211; looks heavier than it is. Great for families! (coming in May)<br><em>Carnuta</em> &#8211; coming February<br><em>dnup</em> &#8211; like <em>Scout</em> or <em>Jungo</em>, with card-flipping as you pick up cards you beat. coming May/June<br><em>Splendor Kids</em> &#8211; uses a board instead of cards to buy. Already out!</p> <p><em>Spring</em> &#8211; similar to <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/winter/">Winter</a></em><br><em>Tag Team</em> &#8211; deck-programming duel with the <em>SmashUp</em> approach to the source deck<br><em>Shadow Ninjas</em><br><em>Leaders</em> &#8211; there are a few errata to deal with. But this is a fun duel full of asymmetric powers.<br><em>Enthrone</em> &#8211; more on this one soon.<br><em>Floristry</em><br><em>Unmatched</em> &#8211; we used Moon Knight &amp; Shakespeare<br><em>Dice Throne: X-Men</em> &#8211; we used Cyclops &amp; Rogue<br><em>Lands of Amazement</em></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:38:30 The Family Gamers Community</h2> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4253457714943686" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Welcome to our newest community members!</a> You can join the community on Facebook.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#Backtalk</h3> <p>We asked about your favorite kind(s) of video games.</p> <p>You responded <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4243434232612701/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the Facebook group</a> and on the <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">#backtalk channel</a> of the Discord.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:45:45 Just Plain Fun</h2> <p>In no particular order, we picked five different kinds of games that <strong>always</strong> bring the fun.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Trio</em> (from Happy Camper)</h3> <p>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&#8217;s our family&#8217;s favorite game.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/trio/">Check out our review of <em>Trio</em>.</a></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="300" height="203" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Trio_box_and_cards.jpg?resize=300%2C203&#038;ssl=1" alt="Trio game with cards" class="wp-image-40864" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Trio_box_and_cards.jpg?resize=300%2C203&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Trio_box_and_cards.jpg?resize=768%2C519&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Trio_box_and_cards.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Cabanga!</em> (from Amigo / Hasbro)</h3> <p>Now available as <em>Snailed It!</em> from Hasbro, this game always gets our table yelling as we cause players to take penalty cards.</p> <p>Play a card into a color area, and try to minimize the gap between that number and the other number in that color&#8230; or other players could throw out cards that fit in that gap and cause you to take penalties!</p> <p><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/cabanga/">Read our review of <em>Cabanga!</em></a></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="300" height="225" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/cabanga-box-shot2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&#038;ssl=1" alt="Cabanga!" class="wp-image-57551" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/cabanga-box-shot2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/cabanga-box-shot2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/cabanga-box-shot2.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Super Mega Lucky Box </em>(from Gamewright)</h3> <p>This is the &#8220;most complicated&#8221; game on the list&#8230; but it&#8217;s basically bingo plus bonus combos that add some strategy.</p> <p>Fits well in either high-energy or low-energy situations. But always fun, and works at any player count, including solo.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/super-mega-lucky-box/">Check out our review of <em>Super Mega Lucky Box</em>.</a></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="221" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/SuperMegaLuckyBox.jpg?resize=300%2C221&#038;ssl=1" alt="Super Mega Lucky Box" class="wp-image-20705" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/SuperMegaLuckyBox.jpg?resize=300%2C221&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/SuperMegaLuckyBox.jpg?resize=768%2C565&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/SuperMegaLuckyBox.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Green Team Wins</em> (25th Century Games)</h3> <p>Even people who don&#8217;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.</p> <p><em>Green Team Wins</em> is unusual among party games. It works great among friends &amp; family, but just as well with strangers as an icebreaker &#8211; or even combined groups where some people know each other well and others do not. It is our<strong> favorite </strong>party game.</p> <p>Watch our <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/green-team-wins/">review of <em>Green Team Wins</em></a> &#8211; and the <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/green-team-wins-holiday/"><em>Green Team Wins: Holiday Party</em> expansion</a>.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="187" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/GreenTeamWins.jpg?resize=300%2C187&#038;ssl=1" alt="Green Team Wins" class="wp-image-27811" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/GreenTeamWins.jpg?resize=300%2C187&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/GreenTeamWins.jpg?resize=768%2C478&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/GreenTeamWins.jpg?resize=320%2C200&amp;ssl=1 320w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/GreenTeamWins.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Spaceteam</em> (from Stellar Factory)</h3> <p>A high-energy &#8220;yell-y&#8221; game. We don&#8217;t play often, but it&#8217;s great if you&#8217;re ready for stress, a timer, and yelling. Cooperate to &#8220;fix your spaceship&#8221; 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!</p> <p>Find out more at <a href="https://playspaceteam.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PlaySpaceteam.com</a>.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="225" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/spaceteam.jpg?resize=300%2C225&#038;ssl=1" alt="Spaceteam" class="wp-image-14824" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/spaceteam.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/spaceteam.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bonus: <em>Red Letter, Yellow Letter</em> (also from 25th Century Games)</h3> <p>Another great party game, but a little lower energy than <em>Green Team Wins</em>. And since this is a game of &#8220;be the first to shout out an answer&#8221;, 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 &#8220;things&#8221;. And it always leaves us appreciating other players&#8217; cool answers.</p> <p><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/red-letter-yellow-letter/">Read our review of <em>Red Letter, Yellow Letter</em>.</a></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="206" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/RedLetterYellowLetter.jpg?resize=300%2C206&#038;ssl=1" alt="Red Letter Yellow Letter game" class="wp-image-60491" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/RedLetterYellowLetter.jpg?resize=300%2C206&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/RedLetterYellowLetter.jpg?resize=768%2C527&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/RedLetterYellowLetter.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></figure> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:58:30 New Backtalk Question</h2> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="350" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_GameOfWeek.jpg?resize=700%2C350&#038;ssl=1" alt="Backtalk: Boardgame of the Week" class="wp-image-60996" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_GameOfWeek.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_GameOfWeek.jpg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure> <p>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?</p> <p>Our son&#8217;s highlights are <em>Hercules and The 12 Labors</em>, and <em>Slay the Spire</em> (the boardgame).</p> <p>Anitra hopes that <em>Paleo</em> can finally get off the shelf of opportunity.</p> <p>Tell us <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on our Discord, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find Us Online:</h3> <p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thefamilygamers.com/community</a><br>Twitter (X): <a href="https://twitter.com/familygamersAA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/familygamersaa/">@familygamersaa</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Bluesky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/familygamersaa.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Threads: <a href="https://www.threads.com/@familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/TheFamilyGamers">TheFamilyGamers</a></p> <p>or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! <a href="https://thefamilygamers.com/discord">thefamilygamers.com/discord</a></p> <p>Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].</p> <p>PLEASE don&#8217;t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-family-gamers-podcast/id1031290391">Apple Podcast</a> or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We&#8217;re also on Amazon Music, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Kids--Family-Podcasts/The-Family-Gamers-Podcast-p1151589/">TuneIn</a>, and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5T4hCWTyqdY2Io4fslCbOl">Spotify</a>.</p> <p>You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you&#8217;re toiling away at work :)</p> <p>The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers</a> to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="214" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=682%2C214&#038;ssl=1" alt="First Move Financial - Financial planning for all stages of life. What's your first move?" class="wp-image-8840" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?w=682&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=300%2C94&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /></a></figure></div> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/episode-413-five-fun-games/">Episode 413 &#8211; Five(ish) Games That Are Just Plain Fun</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com">The Family Gamers</a>.</p>
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64 MIN
Episode 412 – Video Game Gift Guide
DEC 15, 2025
Episode 412 – Video Game Gift Guide
<figure class="aligncenter wp-block-post-featured-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep412-VideoGameGiftswEFG.jpg?resize=800%2C519&#038;ssl=1" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" style="object-fit:cover;" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep412-VideoGameGiftswEFG.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep412-VideoGameGiftswEFG.jpg?resize=300%2C195&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep412-VideoGameGiftswEFG.jpg?resize=768%2C498&amp;ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure> <p>Our yearly show with Engaged Family Gaming, where we talk about what video games might be on your kids&#8217; wishlists.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">00:00 Fact for 412</h2> <p>412 is the area code for Pittsburgh (and they seem really proud of it).</p> <p>The most people washing dishes simultaneously is 412 and was achieved by Henkel (Algeria) and Pril-Isis, in Algiers, Algeria, on 16 June 2017.</p> <p><a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/112306-most-people-washing-dishes-simultaneously">https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/112306-most-people-washing-dishes-simultaneously</a></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sponsor Message</h2> <p>If you want some help finding solid footing underneath you, or help finding the right step to leap to the next level, head to <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers</a> to schedule a quick phone call and see how First Move can help.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:04:30 What We&#8217;ve Been Playing &#8211; with November Monthly Report!</h2> <p>Anitra: 54 plays of 28 unique games. H-index: 4 (<em>Chit Chat</em>, <em>Trio</em>, <em>INK</em>, <em>Leaders</em>, <em>Odin</em>) &#8211; and Andrew is the most played-with person by a huge margin!</p> <p>Andrew: 40 plays of 18 unique games. H-index 4 (<em>Chit Chat</em>, <em>Leaders</em>, <em>Odin</em>, <em>Trio</em>). 35 games together with Anitra! Pretty much everything was 2 players or 5 players.</p> <p>Check out our recent reviews for <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/ink/">INK</a></em> and <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/odin/">Odin</a></em>.<br><em>Leaders</em><br><em>Jungo</em> (<a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/jungo/">check out our review!</a>)<br><em>Logic &amp; Lore</em><br><em>S&#8217;mores Galore Roast &amp; Write</em><br><em>For Sale</em></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:10:40 The Family Gamers Community</h2> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4241818386107619/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Welcome to our newest community members</a> on Facebook! In these darkest days of the year, let&#8217;s share some light with each other. Stop in and say hello.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#Backtalk</h3> <p>We asked what you like to do with your family that ISN&#8217;T boardgames.</p> <p>A few of you answered <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on the Discord and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4233763403579784/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:19:00 Video Games with Engaged Family Gaming</h2> <p>Stephen Duetzmann helps us with the best video games to give this year, via the <a href="https://engagedfamilygaming.com/parent-resources/holiday-gifts/the-official-engaged-family-gaming-holiday-gift-guide-video-games/">Engaged Family Gaming holiday list</a>.</p> <p>But first we talk about videogames we&#8217;ve been playing:</p> <p><em>Dogpile</em> (<a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3839300/Dogpile/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on Steam</a>)<br><em>Metroid Prime 4</em><br><em>Dredge</em> (<a href="https://www.dredge.game/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more info</a>)<br><em>Hollow Knight: Silksong</em> (which Andrew just finished &#8211; <a href="https://hollowknightsilksong.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more info</a>)</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:36:00 Consoles</h3> <p>PS5 or Xbox Series X &#8211; They are <em>very</em> expensive and not focused on family-friendly titles. Not recommended unless you really want it for games you can&#8217;t get elsewhere.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:37:15 Multi-platform Games</h3> <p><em>Civilization VII</em> &#8211; the rough edges have been sanded off. Pick a leader, but jump to different <em>civilizations</em> 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.</p> <p><em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown</em> &#8211; turn based tactical game that still forces you to move forward like a typical side-scrolling brawler.</p> <p><em>Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar</em> &#8211; cozy &#8220;farm and town&#8221; game with engine-building. Has a <strong>week</strong> cycle as well as a <strong>day</strong> cycle.</p> <p><em>Sonic Racing: Crossworlds</em> &#8211; good if you don&#8217;t have <em>Mario Kart</em>.</p> <p><em>Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted</em> </p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:45:00 Playstation Exclusives</h3> <p>&#8220;Playstation didn&#8217;t put out anything that didn&#8217;t involve mass-murder.&#8221;</p> <p><em>Ghost of Yotei</em> &#8211; only for grownups, but gorgeous.</p> <p>nothing else really new, but <em>Astro Bot</em>, <em>Final Fantasy VII</em>, and <em>Spider-man 2</em> are still great choices.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:46:50 Xbox Exclusives</h3> <p>Also not much new that isn&#8217;t &#8220;headshot-central&#8221;. But <em>Star Wars Outlaws</em> is updated and even better than it was last year.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:47:45 Nintendo Switch / Switch 2</h3> <p>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.</p> <p><em>Mario Kart World</em></p> <p><em>Donkey Kong Bananza</em></p> <p>Also recommended: <em>Metroid Prime 4</em> &#8211; if you liked Metroid Prime<br>and <em>Kirby Air Riders</em></p> <p>&#8220;If you get a Switch 2, don&#8217;t limit yourself to just Switch 2 games&#8221; &#8211; get older original Switch games, too. A lot of them have been updated for the better graphics of the Switch 2, and they&#8217;ll be great!</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:53:00 Online Play and Online Sales</h3> <p>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&#8217;t know what game your recipient would want.</p> <p>Nintendo Switch Online &#8211; $80 for up to 8 users (don&#8217;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.</p> <p>XBox Game Pass &#8211; probably not worth it JUST for kids. Worth it for Andrew &amp; Anitra, where we have many people all taking advantage.</p> <p>PS Plus &#8211; again, needed for online play. Minimum $80/year for the Essentials plan.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">As always: If you’re buying a console for a holiday present, do <em>NOT</em> leave it in the box!</h3> <p>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&nbsp;<strong>ready to play</strong>&nbsp;on Christmas morning.</p> <p>And don&#8217;t forget about free to play games like <em>Fortnite</em> or <em>Disney Speed Storm</em>! Those are good to add ahead of time so they can play right away.</p> <p>And don’t forget about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/holiday/">The Family Gamers holiday gift guide</a>, too!</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find EFG Online:</h3> <p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EngagedFamilyGaming/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">@EngagedFamilyGaming</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@engagedfamilygaming" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">@EngagedFamilyGaming</a><br>Twitch: <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/engagedfamilygaming" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">@EngagedFamilyGaming</a><br>They also have a Facebook community: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/EngagedFamilyGamingCommunity/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">facebook.com/groups/EngagedFamilyGamingCommunity</a><br>And you can find Stephen on Facebook too: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sduetzmann" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">@sduetzmann</a></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1:10:00 New Backtalk Question</h2> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="350" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_VideoGameType.jpg?resize=700%2C350&#038;ssl=1" alt="Backtalk : Favorite Kind of Video Game?" class="wp-image-60908" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_VideoGameType.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_VideoGameType.jpg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure> <p>What <strong>kind</strong> of video game do you like best?</p> <p>Do you like multiplayer games because you&#8217;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?</p> <p>If you want to name a particular game that is your favorite, feel free!</p> <p>Tell us <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on our Discord, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find Us Online:</h3> <p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thefamilygamers.com/community</a><br>Twitter (X): <a href="https://twitter.com/familygamersAA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/familygamersaa/">@familygamersaa</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Bluesky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/familygamersaa.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Threads: <a href="https://www.threads.com/@familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/TheFamilyGamers">TheFamilyGamers</a></p> <p>or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! <a href="https://thefamilygamers.com/discord">thefamilygamers.com/discord</a></p> <p>Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].</p> <p>PLEASE don&#8217;t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-family-gamers-podcast/id1031290391">Apple Podcast</a> or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We&#8217;re also on Amazon Music, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Kids--Family-Podcasts/The-Family-Gamers-Podcast-p1151589/">TuneIn</a>, and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5T4hCWTyqdY2Io4fslCbOl">Spotify</a>.</p> <p>You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you&#8217;re toiling away at work :)</p> <p>The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers</a> to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="214" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=682%2C214&#038;ssl=1" alt="First Move Financial - Financial planning for all stages of life. What's your first move?" class="wp-image-8840" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?w=682&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=300%2C94&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /></a></figure></div> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/episode-412-video-game-gifts/">Episode 412 &#8211; Video Game Gift Guide</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com">The Family Gamers</a>.</p>
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74 MIN
Episode 411 – PAX Unplugged 2025
DEC 1, 2025
Episode 411 – PAX Unplugged 2025
<figure class="aligncenter wp-block-post-featured-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep411-PAXU2025.jpg?resize=800%2C519&#038;ssl=1" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="Episode 411 - PAX Unplugged 2025" style="object-fit:cover;" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep411-PAXU2025.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep411-PAXU2025.jpg?resize=300%2C195&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep411-PAXU2025.jpg?resize=768%2C498&amp;ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure> <p>It&#8217;s the most wonderful time of the year &#8211; PAX Unplugged is when we get to catch up with friends in the boardgame industry, see new games, and meet some of YOU!</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">00:00 Fact for 411</h2> <p>If you&#8217;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?</p> <p><a href="https://www.networkworld.com/article/956606/beyond-911-other-n-1-1-codes-you-should-know.html">https://www.networkworld.com/article/956606/beyond-911-other-n-1-1-codes-you-should-know.html</a></p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sponsor Message</h2> <p>How do you know if you&#8217;re ready to retire? There&#8217;s the financial aspect, but don&#8217;t forget about the emotional and physical as well.</p> <p>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 <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers</a> today.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:05:10 What We&#8217;ve Been Playing</h2> <p><em>INK</em> &#8211; <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/ink/">review out today</a> of this race to place all your ink bottles.<br><em>Odin</em> &#8211; review coming next week. Best at 3-4 players.<br><em>Chit Chat</em> &#8211; had our best game ever at 9 points! Check out <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/chit-chat/">the review</a>.<br><em>Stroop</em> &#8211; still breaks our brain, but fun.<br><em>Bouba/Kiki</em> &#8211; a cooperative party game about matching shapes with nonsense words.<br>(We talk at length about <em>Stroop</em> and <em>Bouba/Kiki</em> in <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/episode-370-bouba-kiki/">episode 370</a>.)<br><em>Tropichaos</em> &#8211; a fruit-selling push-your-luck game from Oink Games.<br><em>Person Do Thing</em> &#8211; a simple word party game. Try it yourself at <a href="https://persondothing.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PersonDoThing.com</a><br><em>Leaders</em> &#8211; we will talk a lot about this later.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:18:00 The Family Gamers Community</h2> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4228441160778675/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Welcome to our newest community members</a> on Facebook! Stop in and say hello.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#Backtalk</h3> <p>We asked what your favorite thing to do at a convention &#8211; if you&#8217;ve ever been to one.</p> <p>A few of you answered <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on the Discord and<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/"> in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">PAX Unplugged 2025 Interviews</h2> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:25:35 SnapShips Tactics with Micah</h3> <p>&#8220;X-wing crossed with Galaxy Trucker, and you&#8217;re trying to kill each other.&#8221;</p> <p>Make your ship look like you want, and make it play like you want.</p> <p>Starter set for two players is about $65.</p> <p><a href="https://www.snapshipstactics.com">www.snapshipstactics.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:29:00 Kess with Court</h3> <p>A game based on OnePiece!</p> <p><a href="https://www.kessentertainment.co">www.kessentertainment.co</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:32:30 Outset Media with David</h3> <p><em>Guildlands</em> &#8211; &#8220;if <em>Carcassonne</em> met <em>Root</em>&#8220;</p> <p><em>Karak</em> &#8211; a favorite for kids, with lots of upgrades over the version <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/catacombs-of-karak/">we reviewed years ago</a>. And <em>Karak II</em> for a more challenging game!</p> <p><em>Shadow Ninjas</em> &#8211; cats sneaking into the dojo to eat the koi, and one dog trying to eliminate them all.</p> <p><a href="https://outsetmedia.com">outsetmedia.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:36:10 Fight in a Box with Seppy Yoon</h3> <p><em>Puppies or Poop</em> &#8211; 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 <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/triple-threat-fight-box/">Squirrel or Die</a></em>.</p> <p><em>Kaiser Cucumber</em> &#8211; evil geniuses trying to out-steal each other. A sort of sequel to <em>Mouse Cheese Cat Cucumber</em>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.fightinabox.com/games">www.fightinabox.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:40:15 SRG Universe with Steve</h3> <p><em>Supershow</em> &#8211; a wrestling card game &#8211; and <em>Super Lucha</em> which is a crossover with luchadors.</p> <p><em>Rummy Gummies</em> &#8211; a set-playing card game. &#8220;<em>Rummy</em> with <em>Uno</em>-like effects&#8221;</p> <p><a href="https://supershowthegame.com/">supershowthegame.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:45:00 Envy Born Games with Matthew</h3> <p><em>Sirens</em> &#8211; 1-2 player tiny game. Draft cards to make a song and lure sailors.</p> <p><em>Hercules and the 12 Labors</em> &#8211; solo game. Battle your way through Hercules&#8217;s famous 12 labors and choose rewards to help you with future labors.</p> <p><a href="https://envyborngames.com">envyborngames.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:48:20 Kids Table Board Gaming / Burnt Island Games with Sean</h3> <p><em>River Market</em> &#8211; now available!<br><em>Sea Shells</em> &#8211; set collection by Bruno Faiduitti, coming summer 2026<br><em>Pack &amp; Paddle</em> &#8211; Kickstarter in 2026<br><em>Treeline</em> &#8211; recover the landscape. Also coming summer 2026.</p> <p>Fans of <em>Diced Veggies</em> and <em>Endeavor: Deep Sea</em>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.kidstablebg.com">www.kidstablebg.com</a> and <a href="https://www.burntislandgames.com">www.burntislandgames.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:52:50 Jason Anarchy Games</h3> <p><em>Trombone Champ</em> &#8211; yes, like the video game. Full of hotdogs, baboons, and silly fake trombone facts.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:55:00 Wonderful World Board Games with Ariel</h3> <p><em>Dragonarium</em> &#8211; go <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wwbg/dragonarium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">check out the Kickstarter</a> before December 11!</p> <p><em>Last Lantern</em> &#8211; coop polyomino game. Silently build a path across the board.</p> <p><a href="https://www.wonderfulworldbg.com/">www.wonderfulworldbg.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1:00:25 Bezier Games with Jay</h3> <p><em>Zombie Princess</em> &#8211; a sequel to <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/rebel-princess/">Rebel Princess</a></em>. &#8220;Save&#8221; the zombies by chopping off their heads. Trick-taking game that&#8217;s best with partners.</p> <p><em>Haunted Mouse</em> &#8211; a ladder-climbing/shedding card game that lets you use your opponents&#8217; cards.</p> <p><em>Game Makers</em> &#8211; heavier game with a rondel. You step into the role of a game publisher &#8211; very meta.</p> <p>Recommendations for this holiday: <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/seers-catalog/">Seers Catalog</a></em> and <em>Xylotar</em> (we <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/xylotar-unhinged-expansion/">reviewed</a> the expansion)</p> <p><a href="https://beziergames.com">beziergames.com</a></p> <p>Bonus: Jay is also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/cardboardeast">@CardboardEast</a> &#8211; he reviews games from Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, etc. Check out his Youtube channel!</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1:04:50 Play to Z Games with Zev</h3> <p><em>Animal Rescue Team</em> &#8211; with Matt Leacock</p> <p><em>Twisted Trumpets</em> &#8211; route-building, sort of. You&#8217;re building out very weird, twisty trumpet pipes.</p> <p>Soothsayers &#8211; engine-building card game using traditional tarot.</p> <p><a href="https://www.playtozgames.com/">www.playtozgames.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1:09:55 Doomlings with Eric</h3> <p>Mokoko Village expansion</p> <p>Nightflower Island Gold pack, and a 15-pack Gold Box (by popular demand!)</p> <p>&#8220;We wanted to trick our moms into playing <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> with us&#8221;</p> <p>TFG has really enjoyed <em>Doomlings</em> &#8211; easy to learn, with a lot of luck, but also some depth. <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/doomlings/">Our review</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.doomlings.com">www.doomlings.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1:14:45 Capstone Games with Chris</h3> <p><em>Sanctuary</em> &#8211; an <em>Ark Nova</em> game, a bit lighter than <em>Ark Nova</em>.<br><em>Up or Down?</em><br><em>Rowdy Partners</em> &#8211; trick taking for 1-4 players. Wrestling theme with characters, each who has their own powers<br><em>Wandering Towers</em> &#8211; a <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/wandering-towers/">TFG favorite</a>.<br><em>Forestry</em> &#8211; harvest a forest while replanting to manage it. Heavier game.<br><em>Galileo Galilei</em> &#8211; heavier game<br><em>Aquaria</em><br><em>Stick &#8216;Em</em> refresh<br><em>Wandering Towers </em>expansion coming soon!</p> <p><a href="https://capstone-games.com">capstone-games.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1:19:00 Moon Crab Games with Justin</h3> <p><em>Leviathan Wilds</em> &#8211; cooperative boss-battling game that uses a spiral-bound book for the gameboard. &#8220;Climb together. Save Leviathans.&#8221;</p> <p><a href="https://leviathanwilds.com">leviathanwilds.com</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">1:24:30 PAX Unplugged takeaways</h3> <p>Andrew: PAX Enforcers (volunteers) and employees do an awesome job. And it&#8217;s really cool to see the same folks year after year. Love the culture of PAX Unplugged and its family friendliness.</p> <p>Anitra: We waited in line as a family to get in and see <a href="https://www.jackthewhipper.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jacques Ze Whipper</a>. Waiting in line, even for over an hour, was incredibly pleasant: mostly because the people around us were patient and friendly.</p> <p>We hope to see you at <a href="https://unplugged.paxsite.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PAX Unplugged</a> 2026, December 4-6!</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1:30:30 New Backtalk Question</h2> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="350" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk-NonBoardgame.jpg?resize=700%2C350&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-60811" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk-NonBoardgame.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk-NonBoardgame.jpg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure> <p>We&#8217;ve been listening to records. What is your favorite thing to do with your family that is NOT playing board games?</p> <p>Tell us <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on our Discord, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find Us Online:</h3> <p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thefamilygamers.com/community</a><br>Twitter (X): <a href="https://twitter.com/familygamersAA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/familygamersaa/">@familygamersaa</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Bluesky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/familygamersaa.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Threads: <a href="https://www.threads.com/@familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/TheFamilyGamers">TheFamilyGamers</a></p> <p>or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! <a href="https://thefamilygamers.com/discord">thefamilygamers.com/discord</a></p> <p>Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].</p> <p>PLEASE don&#8217;t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-family-gamers-podcast/id1031290391">Apple Podcast</a> or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We&#8217;re also on Amazon Music, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Kids--Family-Podcasts/The-Family-Gamers-Podcast-p1151589/">TuneIn</a>, and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5T4hCWTyqdY2Io4fslCbOl">Spotify</a>.</p> <p>You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you&#8217;re toiling away at work :)</p> <p>The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers</a> to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="214" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=682%2C214&#038;ssl=1" alt="First Move Financial - Financial planning for all stages of life. What's your first move?" class="wp-image-8840" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?w=682&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=300%2C94&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /></a></figure></div> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/episode-411-pax-unplugged-2025/">Episode 411 &#8211; PAX Unplugged 2025</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com">The Family Gamers</a>.</p>
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94 MIN
Episode 410 – Holiday Gift Guide
NOV 17, 2025
Episode 410 – Holiday Gift Guide
<figure class="aligncenter wp-block-post-featured-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="369" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025GiftGuide.png?resize=800%2C369&#038;ssl=1" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="2025 Board Game Gifts for EVERYONE" style="object-fit:cover;" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025GiftGuide.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025GiftGuide.png?resize=300%2C138&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025GiftGuide.png?resize=768%2C354&amp;ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure> <p>It&#8217;s that time again &#8211; we recommend games for everyone on your gift list.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">00:00 Fact for 410</h2> <p>10-4 is one of many <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten-code">ten-codes</a>, used for clarity and brevity in Morse code &amp; voice communications. 10-4 means &#8220;received&#8221; or &#8220;acknowledged&#8221;.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sponsor Message</h2> <p>We talk about the sunk cost fallacy. Just because you&#8217;ve already invested resources into something doesn&#8217;t tell us if it&#8217;s worth that next bit of resources to see it through.</p> <p>If you need a sounding board for your life&#8217;s financial decisions, go to <a href="https://www.firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers</a> and set up a time today to talk to First Move Financial &#8211; for free!</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:04:00 What We&#8217;ve Been Playing</h2> <p><em>INK</em> &#8211; review coming soon of this race to place all your ink bottles.<br><em>Red Letter, Yellow Letter</em> &#8211; <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/red-letter-yellow-letter/">our review</a><br><em>Odin</em> &#8211; review coming soon. Best at 3-4 players.<br><em>Obelus</em> &#8211; gorgeous. <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/obelus/">Our review.</a> We are excited to see more from this publisher!<br><em>Chit Chat</em> &#8211; review coming soon for this trivia party game.<br><em>Jekyll &amp; Hyde vs. Scotland Yard</em> &#8211; a really hard cooperative trick-taking game, but we&#8217;re getting better at it</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:18:15 The Family Gamers Community</h2> <p>Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4215567058732752/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stop by and say hello!</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#Backtalk</h3> <p>We asked what YOU think makes a good gift when you&#8217;re given a board game.</p> <p>A few of you answered <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on the Discord and<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/"> in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <p>&#8230; and yes, we did review <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/family-trivia-boxofrocks-parentquiz/">Box of Rocks</a></em>, a silly game.</p> <p>Anyone interested in sharing some recipes for us to try out?</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:18:15 The Family Gamers Holiday Gift Guide</h2> <p>We race through all the games on <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/holiday2025/">our 2025 gift guide</a>.</p> <p>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. <strong>But</strong> every single game on that list, we have played, enjoyed, and would buy and give (or have already bought &amp; given) to our friends and family.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1:18:20 New Backtalk Question</h2> <p>We&#8217;re heading to <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/tag/pax-unplugged/">PAX Unplugged</a> this week. We&#8217;ll be teaching <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/a-love-letter-to-castle-panic/">Castle Panic</a></em> <a href="https://unplugged.paxsite.com/en-us/schedule/schedule-item.html?gtID=915036&amp;panel-name=Learn-and-Play-Castle-Panic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on Sunday morning (11/23)</a>!</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="350" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_ConventionFavorites.jpg?resize=700%2C350&#038;ssl=1" alt="Backtalk: Favorite Thing(s) at a Convention" class="wp-image-60717" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_ConventionFavorites.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_ConventionFavorites.jpg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure> <p>What is your favorite thing to do at conventions?</p> <p>Tell us <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on our Discord, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find Us Online:</h3> <p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thefamilygamers.com/community</a><br>Twitter (X): <a href="https://twitter.com/familygamersAA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/familygamersaa/">@familygamersaa</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Bluesky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/familygamersaa.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Threads: <a href="https://www.threads.com/@familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/TheFamilyGamers">TheFamilyGamers</a></p> <p>or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! <a href="https://thefamilygamers.com/discord">thefamilygamers.com/discord</a></p> <p>Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].</p> <p>PLEASE don&#8217;t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-family-gamers-podcast/id1031290391">Apple Podcast</a> or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We&#8217;re also on Amazon Music, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Kids--Family-Podcasts/The-Family-Gamers-Podcast-p1151589/">TuneIn</a>, and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5T4hCWTyqdY2Io4fslCbOl">Spotify</a>.</p> <p>You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you&#8217;re toiling away at work :)</p> <p>The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers</a> to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="214" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=682%2C214&#038;ssl=1" alt="First Move Financial - Financial planning for all stages of life. What's your first move?" class="wp-image-8840" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?w=682&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=300%2C94&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /></a></figure></div> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/episode-410-holiday-gift-guide/">Episode 410 &#8211; Holiday Gift Guide</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com">The Family Gamers</a>.</p>
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84 MIN
Episode 409 – Five Favorite Card Games
NOV 3, 2025
Episode 409 – Five Favorite Card Games
<figure class="aligncenter wp-block-post-featured-image"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="519" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep409-FiveCardGames.jpg?resize=800%2C519&#038;ssl=1" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" style="object-fit:cover;" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep409-FiveCardGames.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep409-FiveCardGames.jpg?resize=300%2C195&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Ep409-FiveCardGames.jpg?resize=768%2C498&amp;ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure> <p>Let&#8217;s talk about card games!</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">00:00 Fact for 409</h2> <p>A little about <a href="https://www.formula409.com/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Formula 409<sup>®</sup></a>.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sponsor Message</h2> <p>How do you maintain your budget during the holiday season, with gift giving, big family meals, decorations, increased travel, seasonal activities?</p> <p>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.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:04:30 What We&#8217;ve Been Playing</h2> <p>Finished<em> My City</em> &#8211; ultimate winner: Anitra, but it was really close at the end!<br><em>HiFi</em> &#8211; full review coming soon<br><em>Odin</em> &#8211; with 6 players, it was less fun. Too easy to get stuck unable to play cards.<br><em>5 Towers</em><br><em>Jekyll &amp; Hyde vs Scotland Yard</em></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:15:30 What We&#8217;ve Been Playing &#8211; October</h3> <p>Andrew: 14 unique games 25 times, H-index 2 (<em>My City</em>, <em>Chit Chat</em>, <em>Ink</em>, <em>Duel for Cardia</em>, <em>Odin</em>)</p> <p>Anitra: 16 unique games 36 times, H-index 3 (<em>My City</em>, <em>Duel for Cardia</em>, <em>Bomb Busters</em>, <em>Chit Chat</em>)</p> <p>Almost all of our games we played with each other, much more than usual.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:18:30 The Family Gamers Community</h2> <p>Welcome to our newest community members! You can join the community on Facebook.</p> <p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/posts/4201175366838588/">Welcome Post!</a></p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">#Backtalk</h3> <p>We asked about your seasonal gaming traditions. A few of you answered <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on the Discord, and that&#8217;s about it!</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:23:00 Our Top 5 Card Games&#8230; For Now</h2> <p>Sometimes you want something small, and fast (and cheap!). What you want is a <strong>card game</strong>. Here are five of our favorites:</p> <p><strong>Trick taking: <em>Skull King</em></strong></p> <p>If you like trick-taking games but wish they were wackier, or you want to include more than four players, <em>Skull King</em> has you covered. Up to eight players can join in &#8211; make a bid for how many tricks you&#8217;ll win, but beware of cards like the pirates, mermaids, the pirate king, and the white whale.</p> <p><strong>Traditional (ish) card game: <em>Flip 7</em></strong> (<a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/flip-7/">our review</a>)</p> <p>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&#8217;ll get nothing. </p> <p><strong>Party game: <em>Anomia</em></strong></p> <p>It&#8217;s sort of a trivia game, but it&#8217;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&#8217;ve reviewed the <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/anomia-pop-culture/">Pop Culture set</a> and <em><a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/anomia-kids/">Anomia Kids</a></em>, but we love the original and its sibling <em>Duple</em>!</p> <p><strong>Start playing right away: <em>Circus Flohcati</em></strong> (<a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/circus-flohcati/">our review</a>)</p> <p>Flip cards out from the deck until you decide to stop and take one. You&#8217;ll spend more time explaining the scoring than how to play.</p> <p><strong>Just plain good: <em>Trio</em></strong> (<a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/trio/">our review</a>)</p> <p>This game combines memory and deduction. While it&#8217;s very easy to learn, we find that people mess up the &#8220;only highest or lowest card&#8221; rule, which can be frustrating.</p> <p>You could get <strong>all five of these games together</strong> for under $75 &#8211; another reason card games are great!</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">0:35:50 Runners-up: More Card Games We Love</h3> <p><em>Cabanga!</em> &#8211; we <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/cabanga/">absolutely love this tiny game</a>, but it&#8217;s kind of hard to get, and going to get harder until Amigo can partner with a new US distributor.<br><em>Similo</em> &#8211; another <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/similo-card-game/">great party game</a>. Remember to have guessers talk out their reasoning!<br><em>Combo</em> &#8211; we <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/combo/">love this semi-cooperative game</a>, but it can be hard to teach.<br><em>Abandon All Artichokes</em> &#8211; a wonderful early deck-building game. <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/abandon-all-artichokes/">Cute and charming.</a><br><em>Tussie Mussie </em>&#8211; a tiny split-and-choose game, at just 18 cards!<br><em>Get the MacGuffin</em> &#8211; <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/get-the-macguffin/">a goofy game</a> about being the last player standing.<br><em>Sushi Go</em> &#8211; an approachable set-collection &#8220;pick and pass&#8221; game. Even a very young kid could probably play this.</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:46:15 Follow Up</h2> <p>A few people asked for the Butter Chicken Mac &amp; Cheese recipe. So, would you like to hear about more family recipes? Maybe in a little more detail?</p> <p>We also asked last week about a <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/">BGG</a> guild for The Family Gamers. If you&#8217;re avoiding social media, we&#8217;re happy to do a guild, but so far we&#8217;ve only heard from one person on this!</p> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">0:48:10 New Backtalk Question</h2> <p>What&#8217;s the perfect kind of game <strong>to receive</strong> as a holiday gift? Is it about the games you like to play, or the environment to play them in?</p> <p>Tell us <a href="https://discord.com/channels/1157003438425653379/1239323617368604672" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the #backtalk channel</a> on our Discord, or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in our Facebook community</a>.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="350" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_GoofGift.jpg?resize=700%2C350&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-60624" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_GoofGift.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/Backtalk_GoofGift.jpg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find Us Online:</h3> <p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thefamilygamers.com/community</a><br>Twitter (X): <a href="https://twitter.com/familygamersAA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/familygamersaa/">@familygamersaa</a><br>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@familygamersaa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Bluesky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/familygamersaa.bsky.social" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Threads: <a href="https://www.threads.com/@familygamersaa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@familygamersaa</a><br>Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/TheFamilyGamers">TheFamilyGamers</a></p> <p>or join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord! <a href="https://thefamilygamers.com/discord">thefamilygamers.com/discord</a></p> <p>Or, for the most direct method, email us! [email protected] and [email protected].</p> <p>PLEASE don&#8217;t forget to subscribe to the show, tell your friends about the show, and leave us a review at <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-family-gamers-podcast/id1031290391">Apple Podcast</a> or whatever your podcast subscription source is. We&#8217;re also on Amazon Music, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Kids--Family-Podcasts/The-Family-Gamers-Podcast-p1151589/">TuneIn</a>, and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5T4hCWTyqdY2Io4fslCbOl">Spotify</a>.</p> <p>You can also now find us on YouTube Music! So pull it up and give us a listen while you&#8217;re toiling away at work :)</p> <p>The Family Gamers is sponsored by First Move Financial. Go to <a href="https://firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers</a> to learn how the team at First Move Financial can help you pile up the victory points.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><a href="https://FirstMoveFinancial.com/familygamers"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="682" height="214" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=682%2C214&#038;ssl=1" alt="First Move Financial - Financial planning for all stages of life. What's your first move?" class="wp-image-8840" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?w=682&amp;ssl=1 682w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thefamilygamers.com/wp-content/uploads/firstmovefinancial_horiz_banner.png?resize=300%2C94&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px" /></a></figure></div> <p></p> <p>The post <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com/episode-409-card-games/">Episode 409 &#8211; Five Favorite Card Games</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.thefamilygamers.com">The Family Gamers</a>.</p>
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54 MIN