in which I buy some games to play with my family

So after I got the kids from school, I took a list and went to my friendly local game shop (Game Zone, in Pasadena, close enough to walk to Comics Factory, and Gold Line friendly, if you're local and the goddamn wind hasn't blown you into Orange County¹)

Game Empire is about 2/3 open gaming area, with pretty much whatever game you want to demo ready to go, and is filled with guys (gamers and normals and in-betweens) playing different things all the time.

I walked in with my list, and started picking up and looking at different games. A few minutes passed and the owner of the store, Chuck, came over to see if he could answer any questions.

We talked for a few minutes (it turns out that he started going to The Last Grenadier in 1979, eight years before I started going in 1987, has a non-gamer wife, and two teenage boys) and Chuck quickly figured out what I liked, but when I described what my family liked to play, and what the dynamic was between the kids, he directed me toward different games that my family would enjoy.

"You may find these a little too simple," he said, "but it sounds like your family is going to enjoy them, and if your goal is to have some fun with your family --"

"It is," I said. "My goal is to have an evening of bonding together, and if I can help shape them into future gamers, that will be a great bonus."

"I know exactly what you mean," he said, and he showed me a ton of games with that in mind.

We spent the next hour looking at all the different games that I would like, my kids would like, my wife would like, and figured out what would be best -- according to the parameters I gave him -- for all of us to play together.

This is why I love my Friendly Locals so much, and why the Friendly Local Game Shop is so important, so worth supporting, and so awesome. I can't imagine getting the same time and level of knowledge in any of the big chain stores (and I'm pretty confident that the average toy store won't have a lot of German games, or even know what they are. Snort. Ponytail. Gulp Dr. Pepper.) At Game Empire, they encourage open gaming all the time, and have scheduled events almost every night of the week, including family-friendly gaming starting soon on a few nights of each week; I think he said Sunday, but I can't recall for certain.

He was sold out of Descent (I'm going to go back and get it next week, I think, based on everyone's advice) and Memoir '44 (which I really wanted and looks like a ton of fun) but I ended up getting Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride: Europe, which seemed like games that I could play with my family. Carcassone apparently works very well as a two-player game, which will be great for me and Nolan.

I very seriously considered BattleLore (I think I'll get it before too long, but Memoir seems a little less complex, which will be better for my family) and Bang! (which I understand plays best with five players, and that's not going to happen for me with any regularity) but exhibited great restraint . . . I don't know if I'll be able to walk past Pieces of Eight another time and not buy it.

If you're a gamer in the Pasadena area, I highly recommend Game Empire. I haven't been to a place that captures the spirit and friendliness of the Grenadier in 1988 anyplace else.

¹Oh man, blown into The OC! That's just cruel. Especially if you're a Kings fan or a Liberal. Or, like me, both.

Comments

[starshine_diva]

Hey, at least it's not snowing like in Montreal. Again. The winter that never ends.

And the Habs got blown into the St-Lawrence River!!

[kilroi]

I guess today is the day for "local news", but man, I live some 4 blocks from that store, but I never noticed it before their redesign! Then a friend of mine pointed it out while we were grabbing something from the supermarket, and I went in, chatted with them for a while, and also bought Carcassonne (which I've enjoyed for quite a while now). They also have some really neat chess sets handmade from random gear parts. Anyway, amen, that store is great.

[Demariana]

I love bang and it can be played with 4 people. There is even a shoot out version for 2 people. The first time I played I was an outlaw and sitting right next to the sheriff. The sheriff went first and I went second. I had a revolver and a fist full of cards. I shot the sheriff and he was able to heal himself. I shot again and he was out of beer. I then went 'bang' 'bang' 'bang' got more cards 'bang' bang' and the sheriff was dead. Guess I figured out how to play the game really quickly. Hope you have lots of fun. I need to check out the other games you mentioned.

[Rev Danger]

Will, man I know what you mean about representing the local, and I always shop local for books and music, but there aren't any local game shops close by me. Makes me sad.

[vincentsmommy]

Great game picks! You definitely won't go wrong with either Carcassone or Ticket to Ride. We have the original version of TtR set in the United States, and we introduced it to our non-gamer friends a while ago with much success. So, the next time we saw them, they brought out the European version for us to try. It was a lot of fun, and it worked well with a group of 3 regular gamers and 2 "sometimes" gamers. The latest version of TtR, called Marklin, is set specifically in Germany, and apparently, my "sometimes" gamer friends have it at their house to give to my husband for his birthday, next week. Yay! Hope you have lots of fun with your new games and your family!

[Dan Blum]

Those are both good games and certainly ones you can play with the family (my son, almost 8, can play Carcassonne and the original Ticket to Ride).

Some notes:

If you like Carcassonne and want more, I'd recommend the first two expansions but not the third (I haven't tried the fourth). If you like playing it 2-player I'd also definitely recommend the standalone game Carcassonne: The Castle, which is only 2-player.

Some people don't like TtR: Europe as much as the other two games, so if your family doesn't take to it I'd try either the original or Märklin. Märklin is my favorite, but the original may appeal more to non-hardcore gamers.

[Carrie]

I've only played Carcassonne once, but it was very enjoyable. And I've seen Bang! played, although I've not played it myself. Ticket to Ride: Europe is absolutely marvelous (as is the original, and my board-game-obsessed friend Jason says the Marklin edition is the best of the three), and I think you'll really enjoy it.

I've been reading regularly for a few years now, but I rarely comment. This time I couldn't resist!

[Rev Danger]

Will, man I know what you mean about representing the local, and I always shop local for books and music, but there aren't any local game shops close by me. Makes me sad.

[rmd]

transamerica is a pretty good game, too. you can play a full game in an hour or less, and it's got a good mix of luck and competition and scheming and cooperation.

[rowdykatie]

Have you ever played Blood Bowl? I play at our local game store every other week in a large league and it's a really fun game for two people. Yeah, there are teams to buy and stuff but the basic set includes two of them. It's nerdy and sportsy at once. Muchkin is the best, btw.

[Princess Maigrey]

Wil:

I like transamerica better than ticket to ride, but ymmv.

Bang is a big favorite with our gaming gang.

Games that I also play a lot and like, that your family might like to play:
Allhambra
Ra
The Great Dalmuti (better with bigger groups though)
Chez Geek!!
Perudo / Liar's Dice
Poison
Puerto Rico (one of my favorites ever)
Parlay (Poker + scrabble = fun!)
Guillotine
M (yes that's the name of the game)

A good 2 player game is "lost cites" - one of my favorites.

I assume you're familiar with www.boardgamegeek.com, right? :)

-H

[AmyKay]

I am a fairly recent bbg so to speak and I too LOVE Lost Cities for two player. I am also a fan of Odin's Ravens for two players...but I am the only one in my house who likes that one.

Carcassone Hunters and Gathers...rocks and is my favorite of all the Carcassone's that I have played.

I have only played BattleLore once but had a blast. It plays very much like Memoir...which I have played too.

Wings of War is another great came.

As is Arkham Horror...I haven't played it much but I LOVED it!

But I have to say that one of my all time favorites that can be play just as well with 2 as with four is Blue Moon City (NOT the card game but the board game).

I am also a big fan of San Juan. It is based on Puerto Rico only plays with cards...plays much faster with little set up. Plays well with two people as well as more.

[Dave Honsinger]

Wil,
If you're looking for a family game that's not gamerish, and can stand a card game, run (don't walk!) and get Fluxx. It's very simple, and every card played can change the rules or winning conditions. Kind of a card-based nomic. My gamer-geek friends introduced me to it, and my non-gamer wife saw us having such fun that she became hooked. Now my 8-year-old son is getting into it. It's from a company called Looney Labs (and you can find their website at the URL you would expect, which I won't post here to avoid triggering bots and spamcatchers and stuff). If your shop doesn't carry it, convince them to. If you and your family don't love it, I'll buy your deck from you. (Just you, Wil, the rest of you lot can find your own backers...)

[Darth Paradox]

Carcassone is awesome. It's up there with Settlers of Catan on the list of great European hobby games. I'm also quite fond of TtR (though I have the USA version), and I heartily second the recommendations for Fluxx, Ra, the Great Dalmuti, and add in my own recommendations for Apples to Apples (another great large-group/party game), Cleopatra, Aladdin's Dragons, Oasis, Traders of Genoa, Vegas Showdown, and Puerto Rico, pretty much all of which are careful balance/bidding type games.

[Clay]

Memoir '44... AWESOME GAME!

Carcasonne... AWESOME GAME!

If you get a chance to pick up any of the B-Movie Games (from Z-Man Games), check them out. They're easy to learn, creative, and funny as hell. I'm actually directing an Improv show based around them next February.

[SonWorshipper]

...or, "In which I value my family and thumb my nose at the conservatives in one fell swoop."

Yup. I see what you did there. :)

/Still likes the first title better.

[Jason D]

Hey Wil, been reading your blog for a while but this is the first time I've commented.

Memoir '44 and Battlelore are basically the same game, just different genres. The manual for Battlelore is much better written, whereas the Memoir rules leave a lot open to interpretation (until you read through the several page FAQ.

Oh and if you usually have a group of 4 players Tichu is one of our groups favourite time killers, it's a partnership trick taking card game and should be available for under $15.

[Vaughn]

Wil, BattleLore and Memoir'44 are fantastic. I have Descent but it hasn't hit the table yet. I highly recommend a Dice Tower for all these games. Check this site out http://www.vixentorgames.com/dicetowers.html
A few of my favorites that haven't been mentioned yet are Ra, Tumblin' Dice and Lord of the Rings by Reiner Knizia. My family loves to play Diamant which has been reprinted as Incan Gold. Try to get Diamant if you can though, it has nicer bits.
BTW, Princess sent me.

[Kari]

This comment has nothing to do with this blog, but were you aware that the ad on your page is for Bill O'Reilly's "Culture Warrior". So...I'm very, very frightened. Just thought you would like to be scared along with the rest of us.

[Jason Spears]

Wil, I think you and the boys will have a lot of fun. Ticket to Ride Europe and Carcassonne are excellent games. As others mentioned, they are both good for pulling the non-gamers into a game. My wife isn't really a gamer, but enjoys both TtR and Carcassonne. One thing I will suggest is eventually picking up the "Traders and Builders" and "Inns & Cathedrals" expansions. They both add quite a bit to the game.

[Cole Brodine]

Wil,

I have never posted a comment on your blog, although I have read it for about 4 years now.

I noticed how much you enjoy your local shops, and I think it is great that you can go shop there and get some good advice. I would like to point out though, that the internet shops have some really great things about them also.

I live in Nebraska (not Omaha or Lincoln, but western Nebraska). It is at least a 3 hour drive at 75 mph on the interstate to get to what you would call a "local game shop". I never used to be a gamer or enjoy those kinds of games, simply because they are nowhere to be found in my small town. Thanks to the internet and blogs like yours, I'm made aware of great games like these. I can even get online and order them straight to my door. I'm 25, and my wife and I just started playing D&D, thanks to the internet.

I agree with you completely that people need to support their local businesses. (We have a Wal-mart here) I just wanted to make sure that everybody knows how important the ability to get games like those over the internet is to some of us people outside of civilization.

Thanks for having such a good blog and for updating it all these years!

Regards,

Cole (or Zook Beren, level 1 Gnome Wizard!)

[mferrell]

Wil, you'll have a lot of fun with Carcassonne. The game mechanics are so simple, but there's enough depth to keep a more seasoned gamer interested. The Hunters and Gatherers expansion is also a good addition. Have fun!

[mferrell]

Wil, you'll have a lot of fun with Carcassonne. The game mechanics are so simple, but there's enough depth to keep a more seasoned gamer interested. The Hunters and Gatherers expansion is also a good addition. Have fun!

[geekgrl64]

BANG! rocks. This has become a favorite with my gaming group and it does play well with 4 - 5 players. have fun with it Wil!!

[erin12]

It looks like you called the store "Game Zone" in the first paragraph - I was confused by that. Does it have two names, or was that a typo?