January Gaming Recap
In January, we played 21 different games from new releases to old classics. Here are our picks for the best games we played in January!
Monthly recaps are to help you know about all the games we played in the past month and share our favorite games as well as some end-of-month awards. Not all of the games we play make it onto social media or the blog so this is a fun way to show you what we have played behind the scenes and which games left an impression.
Kelsey’s Favorite Game: Tapestry with Arts and Architecture
A beautiful expansion to an already lovely game. Arts and Architecture has been living large in my mind since it first hit our table. I keep thinking about different strategies I want to pursue and how I might be able to squeak out even more points next time. If you are a fan of Tapestry, this is a must! And if you haven’t played Tapestry yet, what are you waiting for??
Read our full review of the base game, and the first and second expansions.
Adam’s Favorite Game: Space Invaders
This impulse purchase at Target as a birthday gift ended up being my favorite game this month because it is pure fun. Space Invaders manages to find the right balance between the fun of launching discs and the strategic planning to be successful. If you don’t have a plan when attacking the aliens you will lose. The special rules help make up for difficulty to make skilled shots and are easy enough that players young and old can remember them. No game this month has been more fun to play as a family or made me feel as good as hitting that perfect shot on our last turn to win the game.
Read our full review of Space Invaders.
Kid’s Favorite Game: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle
Our kids are in the midst of Harry Potter fever, as you can tell by the number of Harry Potter-themed games we played this month. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle is by far their favorite and the best of the bunch. This deck-building game published by The OP is an excellent design for anyone new to deck-building games.
The game gives players a player board and tokens to help organize their resources gained during their turn instead of having to hold all that information in your head. The game also progresses through each of the seven Harry Potter books. Each new book will unlock new gameplay elements and cards for events/characters associated with each story. This clever design decision is both thematic and keeps the game from being overwhelming for new players.
Thanks to clear card symbols, our six-year-old could play by himself! As it is a cooperative game, we can help reread any text on the cards he needed help interpreting. Hogwarts Battle would have seen even more table time but the kids are currently on book four and had to take a break till they finish!
We also have the card sleeves for this game. As a traditional non-card-sleeve player, I think sleeving this game is the way to go. The cards get shuffled extensively and these help add that extra protection if playing with younger players. You need just two packs of these sleeves and one pack of these to sleeve the entire base game and both expansions.
End of Month Awards
Tabletop Family’s Surprise Hit: Bellum Magica
This might be the best implementation of the “I roll-everyone-gets-stuff” mechanic for the family! Every member of the family was delighted by this game. Bellum Magica improves upon many of the holes found in Machi Koro to make it an even better family gaming experience. Watch an overview here!
Best Expansion: Tapestry: Arts & Architecture
Best Game played on Board Game Arena: Trek 12
This addicting roll and write is so smooth to play on BGA!
Most Played Game: Hero Hockey – 8 times
Hero Hockey continues to see a lot of play time after the holidays as the kids love challenging each other to a friendly hockey match!
In case you missed it:
January’s popular Videos:
Things in a Board Gamers House
January Games Played
Make sure to let us know on our social accounts which of these games you want to hear more about.
- Bellum Magica
- Carcassonne:20th Anniversary Edition
- Codenames: Harry Potter
- Crokinole
- Happy Salmon
- Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone Mystery at Hogwarts
- Harry Potter Wizard Chess
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle
- Hero Hockey
- Horrified: American Monsters
- Llamaland
- Marvel Fluxx
- MonsDRAWsity
- NMBR 9
- Sheepy Time
- Space Invaders
- Spot It!
- Stella: Dixit Universe
- Tapestry
- Trek 12: Himalaya
- Zoom in Barcelona
If you liked this post you may also like:
8 Games We Played Over the Holidays
Great Board Games for Date Night vol 4
6 of our Favorite Social Deduction Games
