Board games have always played an important role in our family. They provide a focal point for us to have fun and are central to our New Years festivities!
This year we got a few new games for Christmas. The two games we received were Small World and Scotland Yard. Both games are slightly different than most people are used to playing so I thought some reviews would be appropriate!
Small World
Small World is a game made by the same folks who make Ticket to Ride (another excellent game!). The game is played like a very fast version of Risk where the goal is to dominate the map using your troops. When the game first starts out you pick a race and special power. The race determines many aspects including special abilities and troop counts.
With Small World you can play up to 5 players which is perfect and the entire game runs about 60-75 minutes. Unlike Risk, you can choose to abandon your race and play as another to make things super interesting.
The game is good for about 8-9 years on upwards but I'd recommend it for slightly older audiences to get the full strategy. You really have to know when to abandon a race and take on a new one if you want to win!
Rating: 4.65 / 5
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a very fun deception game that takes players around London on a chase. One player in the group is "Mister X" and his or her job is to evade you on the gameboard. Mister X keeps his/her location hidden until certain points in the game.
This game is very much a cooperative game with the goal being to work together to capture Mister X. The game can really be played by anyone 10 or over but it's best if Mister X is handled by an experienced player to keep the game going.
Scotland Yard is much quicker than Small World to play and there are much less moving parts making it a quick game. However, much of the strategy relies on a bit of good fortune for those chasing Mister X.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Which games are your favourites and which ones should we be on the lookout for?
