Just what do I get the Kids for Christmas this year??!!

[HanoiBoi]

...I also hear Puerto Rico is a sweet game, but haven't played it yet.

I have Puerto Rico, and it is a great game. I used to play Settlers of Catan a lot, but I honestly find Puerto Rico even more fun.

You guys keep raving about these games but I have never seen them anywhere. Whats are they like? Rules gameplay, etc?

Mikezilla, I've never heard of these games either.  You can wikipedia them.  Still, this seems a bit off topic to me.

Anyone have ideas for currently released toys/games that you or your kids have had experience with?  At least that's how I thought Ond was looking for this thread to continue.

[shmokes]

 At least that's how I thought Ond was looking for this thread to continue.

Oh, to remain master of your own thread.  Tis too much to ask for, I think.   

[Vigo]

...I also hear Puerto Rico is a sweet game, but haven't played it yet.

I have Puerto Rico, and it is a great game. I used to play Settlers of Catan a lot, but I honestly find Puerto Rico even more fun.

You guys keep raving about these games but I have never seen them anywhere. Whats are they like? Rules gameplay, etc?

Hey Mike, the board game industry has really exploded in the US in the last few years, and European style board games have really been becoming popular in the US. You won't find many of these games yet in placed like Walmart, you you can find tons in specialty shops and books stores (and online as well). The games are usually not roll and move, but are very open-ended. I would compare Catan to something like Civilization for the PC. You build cities and roads, trade resources, and win by having the most prosperous civilization. Unlike Civilization though, it's not very conflict orientated, but still very strategy driven.

Here is pretty much the biggest repository site for everything board game - BGG: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/

I hope the board game talk isn't too much of a threadjack, but these kind of board games really make an A+ gift for kids, if you find a good board game that you all can enjoy, it can really be quality time spent with your kids. Here is the BGG list of top rated family games: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/familygames/browse/boardgame  

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

One of my favorites was always the Dune board game by Avalon Hill.
http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/121/dune

It's risk meets monopoly, in hell, on steroids. (:

[shmokes]

Monopoly is awful.  The winner is generally determined within the first 20-30 minutes.  Everyone else just spends the next 2 hours slowly losing with absolutely no chance of making a comeback.  Tedium.  Risk is actually the same to a slightly lesser degree.  Combining the two sounds like torture.

[Mikezilla]

...I also hear Puerto Rico is a sweet game, but haven't played it yet.

I have Puerto Rico, and it is a great game. I used to play Settlers of Catan a lot, but I honestly find Puerto Rico even more fun.

You guys keep raving about these games but I have never seen them anywhere. Whats are they like? Rules gameplay, etc?

Hey Mike, the board game industry has really exploded in the US in the last few years, and European style board games have really been becoming popular in the US. You won't find many of these games yet in placed like Walmart, you you can find tons in specialty shops and books stores (and online as well). The games are usually not roll and move, but are very open-ended. I would compare Catan to something like Civilization for the PC. You build cities and roads, trade resources, and win by having the most prosperous civilization. Unlike Civilization though, it's not very conflict orientated, but still very strategy driven.

Here is pretty much the biggest repository site for everything board game - BGG: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/

I hope the board game talk isn't too much of a threadjack, but these kind of board games really make an A+ gift for kids, if you find a good board game that you all can enjoy, it can really be quality time spent with your kids. Here is the BGG list of top rated family games: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/familygames/browse/boardgame  

Thank you Vigo! See, thats the type of response I was looking for HB. Cool, Ill have to check those out. Only problem with that, once I get them, I might not be able to play them cause I dont think I have any friends that would be willing to try them. I know for DAMN sure my GF wouldnt try it. 

Dont mean to thread jack or anything, I dont have kids, let alone girls, so I dont really have anything to contribute. My last attempt to be funny failed, all I would say is dont get em gift cards cause that sucks on Christmas.

[Ond]

 At least that's how I thought Ond was looking for this thread to continue.

Oh, to remain master of your own thread.  Tis too much to ask for, I think.  

Ahh no problem, the board game discussion is good!  We have a few of those already mentioned, the kids like playing Monoply but generally, I steer clear of it these days for the reasons already mentioned. One that is very popular in our house and gets used a fair bit is 'Guesstures'  - basically a question cards / charades type game - guess the charade before the card drops away into the slot. The timer ticks faster and faster as time runs out making the charade guess ever more frantic.  I remember a similar game at a friends house over quite a few wines, after a failed guess my buddy blurted out "---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- for brains!" at his then girlfriends (now wife??)who wrongly guessed the charade -    still laughing at that.  Board games are highly social, can be great value  and a good excuse to get people together.

I think I can a put a good shopping list together already and then start to pare it down and do the whole fair balancing thing between my 3 kids - no easy task!  The oldest one does appreciate that its not always size or number of presents that = value and that Ipods, Nintendo DSs, camera's etc are all expensive.  Truth is, other than requests for things like "a puppy"  my kids are pretty moderate in their wish lists.  It's their dad who is the real culprit here -the wide eyed kid in the candy store type.  

In terms of other threads on the 'Everything Else' board this thread is still well on the track  .  If if it goes careening off the road and charges into the fields, so be it.  Also, I am totally allowed to mix my metaphors at any time without warning or critical comeback.  Good.

 

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

Monopoly is awful.  The winner is generally determined within the first 20-30 minutes.  Everyone else just spends the next 2 hours slowly losing with absolutely no chance of making a comeback.  Tedium.  Risk is actually the same to a slightly lesser degree.  Combining the two sounds like torture.

Very true. I shall rephrase:

The money exchanging and banking of monopoly meets the strategy and warfare of risk, in hell, on steroids.

Each player represents a different political faction, each with there own variations of rules and criteria for winning the game. (:

[Flip_Willie]

Monopoly is awful.  The winner is generally determined within the first 20-30 minutes.  Everyone else just spends the next 2 hours slowly losing with absolutely no chance of making a comeback...

No, you are looking at it from the wrong perspective. Yes, if you lose, it sucks; but if you win, you get 2 hours to suck the other players dry! It is a great feeling! 

[shmokes]

Ugh . . . see, for me it even sucks the fun out of winning.  It like . . . introduces guilt after a while.  Like . . . it makes you a poor winner.  Just rubbing their faces in it for two hours, lol.  I just feel like a dick . . . for no reason . . . just cos I happened to land on Boardwalk and Park Place first.

[HanoiBoi]

I don't think there's many kids out there that want obscure board games from Europe that have too many rules.

+1

[Vigo]

I don't think there's many kids out there that want obscure board games from Europe that have too many rules.

+1

While I'm sure most kids would prefer an iPad or Xbox, I think there are plenty of parents who don't have that kind of money to shell out. I know as a kid, I wanted a Nintendo badly, but we didn't have any money. I loved every board game I got though, and I really wished I had some of these modern games as a kid. It's actually rather appropriate to talk about since board games are the only sector of the toy market to actually be on the rise in this economy.

There are other parents who might actually want to spend time doing something with their kids, this is just a constructive option, and a lot of non-mainstream boardgames are much more simple than monopoly, yet very, very fun.  If you would rather jump into a rousing game of "Life" with your kids, thats your prerogative. Me? I'll stick with games that do not make me want to jab a golf pencil into my skull.

[crashwg]

You guys keep raving about these games but I have never seen them anywhere. Whats are they like? Rules gameplay, etc?

Target has Settlers.  It's $45 though...

[shmokes]

I don't think there's many kids out there that want obscure board games from Europe that have too many rules... and I've suffered through Axis & Allies and Settlers of Catan.

If you "suffered" through Settlers you were just being your usual deliberately bitchy self.  It ain't hard.  The box says 10 and up, and that's true.  The average 10 year old is perfectly capable of grokking Settlers and, more importantly, will have fun playing it.  Most 10 year olds aren't ---uvulas---.  I think we both probably agree that the same cannot be said about you since you do it on purpose.

[HanoiBoi]

I don't think there's many kids out there that want obscure board games from Europe that have too many rules... and I've suffered through Axis & Allies and Settlers of Catan.

If you "suffered" through Settlers you were just being your usual deliberately bitchy self.  It ain't hard.  The box says 10 and up, and that's true.  The average 10 year old is perfectly capable of grokking Settlers and, more importantly, will have fun playing it.  Most 10 year olds aren't ---uvulas---.  I think we both probably agree that the same cannot be said about you since you do it on purpose.

'Uvulas'?  If that's placed there by software, might need an update, 'cause I'm pretty sure that's not the right word.

[Hoopz]

I don't think there's many kids out there that want obscure board games from Europe that have too many rules... and I've suffered through Axis & Allies and Settlers of Catan.

If you "suffered" through Settlers you were just being your usual deliberately bitchy self.  It ain't hard.  The box says 10 and up, and that's true.  The average 10 year old is perfectly capable of grokking Settlers and, more importantly, will have fun playing it.  Most 10 year olds aren't ---uvulas---.  I think we both probably agree that the same cannot be said about you since you do it on purpose.

'Uvulas'?  If that's placed there by software, might need an update, 'cause I'm pretty sure that's not the right word.

It's just Saint's humor showing through the auto-censor.

[Vigo]

I don't think there's many kids out there that want obscure board games from Europe that have too many rules... and I've suffered through Axis & Allies and Settlers of Catan.

If you "suffered" through Settlers you were just being your usual deliberately bitchy self.  It ain't hard.  The box says 10 and up, and that's true.  The average 10 year old is perfectly capable of grokking Settlers and, more importantly, will have fun playing it.  Most 10 year olds aren't ---uvulas---.  I think we both probably agree that the same cannot be said about you since you do it on purpose.

'Uvulas'?  If that's placed there by software, might need an update, 'cause I'm pretty sure that's not the right word.

It's just Saint's humor showing through the auto-censor.

Not to say that the statement isn't true. Most 10 year olds are not Uvulas. I'm pretty sure thats medically proven.

[HanoiBoi]

I don't think there's many kids out there that want obscure board games from Europe that have too many rules... and I've suffered through Axis & Allies and Settlers of Catan.

If you "suffered" through Settlers you were just being your usual deliberately bitchy self.  It ain't hard.  The box says 10 and up, and that's true.  The average 10 year old is perfectly capable of grokking Settlers and, more importantly, will have fun playing it.  Most 10 year olds aren't ---uvulas---.  I think we both probably agree that the same cannot be said about you since you do it on purpose.

'Uvulas'?  If that's placed there by software, might need an update, 'cause I'm pretty sure that's not the right word.

It's just Saint's humor showing through the auto-censor.

I understand that it's the auto-censor, but the auto-censor is usually a little closer in it's descriptions.

The 'uvula' is the little guy near your throat....not the little guy in the boat.   

[Vigo]

Hey, for some people it might be accurate.... 

[Benevolance]

Ond, what your kids really want is an arcade cabinet. I recommend you check out this thread for some inspiration. It's genius.

Also, of the Rio Grande Games, I like the Dominion games best. It's a card-based game, where you use the coin cards in your initial hand to purchase additional cards and you build a deck on the fly. The ultimate purpose is to buy the 'land' cards that count for scoring. But the land cards also get shuffled into your deck, and they do nothing aside from count for points, so it dillutes what you can do each turn. You have to balance action-type cards with scoring cards. The strategy is building your deck as you go and your actions on a turn, and the randomness is the shuffle of the cards you've bought. It's a nice blend.

[RayB]

If all you do is get your kids what they think they want, you're gonna raise just another sheep who's bad at math and graduates high school with a huge sense of entitlement.  It's your job as parents to steer your kids and sometimes that means balancing their "pop culture" interests with things that are a little more cerebral. This is especially true for girls who are bombarded with absolutely nonsense. A 9 year old should be perfectly capable of learning to play chess, but most parents underestimate what kids are capable of.

There won't be too many factory jobs left in 10-20 years. Might as well stack the odds in your kids' favor by developing their intellectual side early.

[Gray_Area]

Go real old school. Give 'em coal and switches. Except make them dig for the coal and select their own switches. They'll keep - or get - fit, earn their keep bringing fuel to burn for the winter, and stay honest.

[shmokes]

Agreed.  You have all year to encourage your kids to be smart and disciplined and talented.  If what they want happens to coincide with what's good for them, great.  But Christmas is a party.  Don't spoil the party.  You don't need an excuse like Christmas to get you kid something practical.  You can do that anytime. 

[Ond]

Ond, what your kids really want is an arcade cabinet. I recommend you check out this thread for some inspiration. It's genius.

Yeah it’s a nice cab and all, but that guy is producing some self indulgent show off piece which he seems to take forever to get done.  

…You have all year to encourage your kids to be smart and disciplined and talented.  If what they want happens to coincide with what's good for them, great.  But Christmas is a party.  Don't spoil the party.  You don't need an excuse like Christmas to get you kid something practical.  You can do that anytime.

 
Christmas IS a party, well said.  I usually try for gifts which represent 'good value' which does not necessarily always equate to either practical or educational.  I figure Christmas is the one time when you can ask for something that during the rest of the year might be seen as not very practical.  

I never did very well in school and couldn’t wait to leave, I was too rebellious, lazy, hung out with the wrong types (in Game Arcades *smirk*) and went to schools which still believed that sarcasm, heavy physical punishment and humiliation in front of one’s peers was the way to get the job of teaching done.  I’m so profoundly grateful to have kids that are happy, thriving and doing well at school,  granting a few of their wishes is a way to celebrate and reward their whole year.  Without the heart and the celebration (Christian or otherwise) behind the gifts, pbjim is right, it is just a kind of pointless consumerist holiday.
  
That said, I still want to avoid acquiring a whole lot of stuff that looks great on the shelf in its glossy packaging but gets left untouched after one or two uses at home.  ‘Landfill’ my wife calls it.  Thus my topic post and where you all came in.
  
BTW I found a local games shop (name escapes me for the moment) which stocks just about ALL the board games mentioned.  I ran around excitedly in there pointing them out to my wife “this one is very good, this one won all these awards in Europe”…you get the idea.  My wife was impressed, ehhh but I couldn’t take the credit – she knows where I got “the knowledge”.  

[RayB]

You all make great points Jim, Shmokes and Ond.

[Vigo]

BTW I found a local games shop (name escapes me for the moment) which stocks just about ALL the board games mentioned.  I ran around excitedly in there pointing them out to my wife “this one is very good, this one won all these awards in Europe”…you get the idea.  My wife was impressed, ehhh but I couldn’t take the credit – she knows where I got “the knowledge”.  

Ha, I'm glad that wasn't too much of a threadjack then! 

…You have all year to encourage your kids to be smart and disciplined and talented.  If what they want happens to coincide with what's good for them, great.  But Christmas is a party.  Don't spoil the party.  You don't need an excuse like Christmas to get you kid something practical.  You can do that anytime.

 
Christmas IS a party, well said.  I usually try for gifts which represent 'good value' which does not necessarily always equate to either practical or educational.  I figure Christmas is the one time when you can ask for something that during the rest of the year might be seen as not very practical. 

I would say the argument goes both ways on this one. Many gifts are really both just plain enjoyable and intellectually stimulating at the same time. My parents always wanted me to read more as a kid, so they bought me a ton of comics each Christmas. No complaints here! (I got a couple valuable issues from the parents as well.) I would say that practically meets both ends. Just like a number of gift items mentioned before, though. I think that this is part of the argument that Ray was making. If your kid can enjoy a strong strategic game, why get them Monopoly, that is a 5 hour brain drain? Kids can have intellectual fun too. When I was 7, one of my favorite things to do was program little games for myself in BASIC. Yeah, they were dumb, sucky text games that made no sense, but thats still a quite a feat for a little kid.

I guess that leads to my other point is that I think it is probably a good idea to get some gifts that fuel passion in a kid. The Helicopter, guitar or electrical work station kit are all great examples of this. Most kids have some sort of passion that could carry on throughout their life, you might as well fuel that instead of loading them up with things that have no value. Not saying all gifts have to meet this criteria, but I'm sure if the passion is already there, the toy will get used. Here are a couple Ideas I can think of:

Kids set of woodworking tools/power tools (if they are old enough, get real working ones, then step them up to the real thing when they are old enough to help you remodel the basement  )



Karaoke \ music toys - this is one my niece just got. You can record music on an mp3 player at take it with you listen to. Amazing stuff for even little kids these days.



lego robotics stuff  (If you can shell out the money)

[Mikezilla]

Agreed.  You have all year to encourage your kids to be smart and disciplined and talented.  If what they want happens to coincide with what's good for them, great.  But Christmas is a party.  Don't spoil the party.  You don't need an excuse like Christmas to get you kid something practical.  You can do that anytime. 

Couldnt have said it better myself. Besides, Christmas is for kids anyway. You know damn well when you grow up, you see something, you buy it. You dont have to wait(usually) you just go and get it. Its fun for them in hoping they get what they want, and how elated they are when they actually do. I love Christmas. I cant wait to have kids just so I can share that with them. Kids now a days grow up too damn fast. Let em be kids while they can.

[mpm32]

Santa's getting my boy a Carrera 143 digital slot car track.  I can't wait until x-mas just to play it with him.

[massive88]

http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-5511160-Betrayal-House/dp/B003HC9734/ref=pd_sbs_t_1

Says its for 12 and up, I think that may be a low ball.  But its a great board game.  Different every time you play it.

Not hardcore strategy or anything, but my group of friends love getting together and playing (30ish).  If the kids can pick it up, Im sure it would be great fun with them.

[Vigo]

So you're saying its a good game to buy for the kids, and you can turn around and play it with your friends?  Thats exactly the kind of present to buy! 

What? I don't see a problem with doing that. 

[Mikezilla]

http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-5511160-Betrayal-House/dp/B003HC9734/ref=pd_sbs_t_1

Says its for 12 and up, I think that may be a low ball.  But its a great board game.  Different every time you play it.

Not hardcore strategy or anything, but my group of friends love getting together and playing (30ish).  If the kids can pick it up, Im sure it would be great fun with them.

I checked out that link, that looks like an awesome game. I might have to pick that up for Xmas myself. Sounds like clue on steroids. With monsters.

[Vigo]

http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-5511160-Betrayal-House/dp/B003HC9734/ref=pd_sbs_t_1

Says its for 12 and up, I think that may be a low ball.  But its a great board game.  Different every time you play it.

Not hardcore strategy or anything, but my group of friends love getting together and playing (30ish).  If the kids can pick it up, Im sure it would be great fun with them.

I checked out that link, that looks like an awesome game. I might have to pick that up for Xmas myself. Sounds like clue on steroids. With monsters.

To think, there was a day when I thought Clue was the coolest game around. I also like how this game says it will be different each time you play.

I also have been eying over this game that was on the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought..." section. The box art looks cheesy, maybe intentionally, but I heard the game is amazingly fun. It's suppose to really create a zombie survival feeling. This one is also 12 and up, 2-6 players.

http://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-Earth-Zombie-Game/dp/0979658500/ref=pd_sim_t_1