Family | Five games to discover

In time for the holiday season, here are some suggestions for games to play with family or friends

Awakening of the Dragonbloods

Young fans of fantastic stories, rejoice: Quebec publisher Gladius has thought of you with a game combining witchcraft, goblins and fire-breathing reptiles! Quebecer Thomas Wilson had the idea of ​​a magical universe where dragons are on the verge of extinction. To ensure the survival of the species, the player-heroes must carry a dragon egg across four kingdoms filled with evil creatures…

The heroes must fight these villains with dice, advance on a course strewn with pitfalls, but also collect treasures and magical objects that will help them in their mission. The winner ? He will become the first of the BloodDragons line…

The fantastic theme is superbly deployed in this very well thought-out game, perfect for introducing young people to the mechanics of dice battles. Please note: two children’s novels set in this same universe have already been published. Others will follow, the publisher promises us.

Number of players: 2 to 4 Age: 8 years and over
Duration: between 30 and 60 minutes
Price: $50

Stéphanie Morin, The Press

Zero to 1000

The Masked Scorpion revisits the successful Zero to 100 formula, but by multiplying the scale by 10 and adding a few variations. This involves once again estimating the value of the question written on one of our cards in hand so as to get as close as possible to the target value placed in the center of the table. When all players have chosen their card, the results are revealed and the player with the lowest estimate must draw a new card. When a player ends up with only one card in hand, he wins.

However, the power cards are different from those of Zero to 100, in particular the one which allows you to play two question cards by choosing to add or subtract their value.

“It’s really fun, and the questions aren’t easy,” emphasizes our tester-cook during an autumn hunting trip. It’s quick, simple, effective, the kind of aperitif game that you can play before taking on a big game.” We also learn a lot by playing Zero at 1000, which is certainly more difficult than its little brother Zero to 100. “The challenge is greater because we don’t know large numbers very well,” our photographer colleague rightly points out. We quickly lose the scale of big numbers. » It is indeed easy to miss the target!

Number of players: 2 to 12 Age: 12 years and over
Duration: 15 minutes
Price: $20

Pierre-Marc Durivage, The Press

In the footsteps of Darwin

Charles Darwin needs help writing his famous work The origin of species. How can I give him a helping hand? By collecting information on less frequented continents during his trip aboard the Beagle. Each player must collect species, classify them cleverly in their naturalist notebook and publish various theories to hope to be crowned winner.

A game with a very (very) successful visual and easy to assimilate rules, where it is possible to learn while having fun. An appendix provided in the box offers some anecdotes on the various animals in the game and on Darwin’s mythical journey around the globe. A feast for the eyes and neurons of naturalists of all ages.

Number of players: 2 to 5 Age: 8 years and over
Duration: 30 minutes
Price: $50

Stéphanie Morin, The Press

Dixit Disney

Many people know the mechanics of the Dixit game, where you have to associate an often impressionistic image with a word thrown by an opponent. Which card evokes fear the most? The trip ? Old age ? The game has proven itself: more than 12 million copies have been sold since its creation in 2008.

What’s special about this version? She is set in the wonderful world of Disney. Here, the images feature well-known characters, not just children. Think Peter Pan, Snow White, Pocahontas or Belle. For the occasion, the pawns have taken on funny and colorful shapes, and the game board is to match.

In short, we are not reinventing the concept (why change a winning formula?), but by opting for characters known to children, their discovery of the game is undoubtedly facilitated. A great introduction to a game that still deserves to be known.

Number of players: 3 to 6 Age: 8 years and over
Duration: 30 minutes
Price: $55

Stéphanie Morin, The Press

The pro’s choice

Obscurio

Although specializing in Magic and Pokémon collectible card games, the two L’Expédition stores also stand out for the fact that they offer vast libraries of board games available to customers who can play for free on place. “We also organize Dungeons and Dragons evenings, we have card tournaments every evening, the complete activity schedules are on the web pages of our Montreal and Greenfield Park stores,” owner Guillaume Garant tells us. Rousseau, who opened his first store eight years ago on Plaza Saint-Hubert.

In time for the holiday season, he suggests we play Obscurio, a collaborative game where players must escape a cursed library, despite the machinations of a traitor within their ranks. “It’s not always easy to find games where you can play without compromise with people of different profiles,” he rightly points out. With Obscurio, there is no need to reduce the level of play even if you play with children or grandparents. It’s really a communication game, everyone can play without restraint. »

Obscurio is an image communication game that integrates the mechanics of the popular Loup-Garou by Thiercellieux. Players play characters who have different abilities, there is a game master who reveals clues and who supervises the traitor’s turn. In each round, players must find at least one exit door to progress; the fewer correct answers they have, the more opportunities the traitor has to set traps. “As long as there is a player who knows the game well and who can take care of the setup, it is very easy to play,” explains Guillaume Garant-Rousseau. And you can easily play several games. »

Number of players: 2 to 8 Age: 10 years and over
Duration: 45 minutes
Price: $70

Pierre-Marc Durivage, The Press