Euphoria: Ignorance is Bliss Expansion Review

Intro

Ignorance is Bliss is a solid expansion which integrates seamlessly into the original. It is right in my sweet spot of not so overwhelming that it takes over the original, but not so light that it feels valueless. Having played a bunch of times, I would guess I choose to play Euphoria with the expansion about half the time which is my definition of a perfect expansion. Now, I would highly recommend having played the base Euphoria game or having read my original Euphoria review before continuing (it won’t make a ton of sense if you don’t!).

Domino Rally Review: An exciting, nostalgic family activity!

Best Moment

My three young kids and I had spent hours putting together three sets into an elaborate set-up across the kitchen floor. After several stray knees and elbows destroyed our progress, we built in some fail safe breakpoints. Finally, we neared the final segment when dad knocked over two entire sections. Ugh! After some massive rebuilding, we finally pulled it all off and cheered as the two cars jumped through the flaming hoop and knocked over the brick wall.

Wingspan Game Review: My first 10 out of 10…ever

Best Moment

Lady Luck was not on my side this game when I was forced to sacrifice birds with valuable actions (normally my favorite) for birds with one-time actions and lower point values. Everyone thought I would be blown out of the water based on what they could see on my board, but I had managed to collect and complete four secret bonus cards for a huge amount of points. The player adding up the scores laughed several times as she calculated scores before announcing me as the winner…by one point!

Googly Eyes Game Review: A creative and silly game perfect for families with young kids

Best Moment

Our adorable daughter who is way into drawing right now took this game so seriously! I could not keep myself from laughing when she’d put on the vision-distorting glasses, chew her tongue, and cock her head from side to side as she tried to draw the picture. When the time was up, she’d take the glasses off, look down at her drawing with curiosity tinged with disgust, then smile, proud of what she had accomplished. Proud parent moment right there. =-)

My Little Scythe Game Review: A captivating strategy game for the whole family

Best Moment

We were nearing the end of the game, and my young daughter had collected the four apples she needed for her last trophy. She was frantically lugging them back to the castle portal to return them for the victory while her big brother raced to collect enough pies for his last trophy. She finally made it first with a loud, “Woohoo!” double fist pump followed by a not-so-sportsmanlike, “Hahahaha!” pointing her finger right at her brother. Mom and dad couldn’t help but chuckle while trying to teach good sportsmanship. =-)

Blue Lagoon Board Game Review: A colorful island adventure for the whole family

Intro

You’re out on the open ocean in the hot sun with crystal clear water lapping the sides of your wooden canoe. The bottom of your canoe crunches against the sand as you discover a new island rich with coconuts, fresh water, bamboo, precious stones, and mysterious tiki statues. The vibrant color and sun-soaked artwork of this game will immediately suck you into its island-exploring adventure setting! This one is perfect for children and families to play together or as a light-weight, warm-up game for heavy game nights.

The Bears and the Bees Card Game Review: A colorful, matching buzz for the whole family!

Intro

I was surprised at how quickly I dove into this game from the very first time we played. It’s so simple on the surface, but there is a good amount of spacial strategy at play. Throw in the special action tiles, and you’ll soon find you can’t get enough! The Bears and the Bees is perfect for families with young kids, grandparents to play with their grandchildren, or as a fun warm-up or filler game for your heavier game nights.

Brix Game Review: A clever game of simple strategy for the whole family

Intro

As a child, were you strangely obsessed with the classic Connect 4 game? I sure was! I wanted to play multiple times a day. I couldn’t form the concept then, but I loved the underlying strategic nature behind the simplicity of connecting four colored pieces in a row. I loved trying to predict what the other player would do, setting her up to do what I wanted her to do, and then delivering the final blow for the win. You will love the simple way that Brix ramps up and amplifies that strategy by adding a dimension to aligning color.