Board games and role-playing games to enjoy with your family
When winter drags on and the cold invites more home-based entertainment, board games are an ideal option. Here are five titles to play with your family.
There is no denying that there is something special about winter. Although we usually link joy and happy memories with the warmth of summer, the season of cold streets and short evenings also invites the pleasure of lying on the sofa with a book or sitting at the table with friends or family. Precisely because of this, winter is the perfect time to bond with your loved ones, setting aside gadgets and immersing yourself in an activity that invites you to share laughter, challenges and, above all, quality time with your family.
All this means that board and role-playing games are not just a wonderful way to spend some time, but also an opportunity to learn, grow and bond, especially for children and young people.
Classic and modern games
When we think of board games, many of us remember family afternoons playing classics such as Parcheesi, chess or Monopoly. The competitiveness (healthy, of course), tension and joy that these games offer never go out of fashion. However, board games have evolved, and the market offers products of all kinds and for all tastes.
Thanks to titles such as the very famous Catan, which not only entertain, but also encourage us to develop skills such as planning and strategy, the magic is still alive. Other classics, such as UNO, are still a must on a game night, even if they can potentially end friendships when the competition gets out of hand.
Even though there is never a bad time to bring back a classic, the wide range of affordable games on offer in the shops encourages you to try new things. Products that hold a well-established place in the market but continue to reinvent themselves with new updates, innovative formats, role-playing games that lead you to plunge into an exciting adventure that can last for hours, or quick card games that consume hours playing one game after another... The options are endless.
That's why we are recommending five board games for a wide range of tastes so you can enjoy those family evenings when the temperature outdoors invites you to stay at home and keep warm.
Five board games for the whole family
Catan: a classic among strategy games
1 of 5
We are probably not discovering anything new when we mention Catan, the strategy game par excellence. With this game, we become the colonisers of a fictional island, where we must gather and manage a range of natural resources while negotiating and competing with each other for the final ten points. The rules are simple, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a lot of strategic depth.
Ticket to Ride: a fun train journey
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Yet another strategy game is Ticket to Ride. Set in the Second Industrial Revolution, the players' goal is to collect railway routes on a map. Using different coloured cards, players must complete routes to link different cities and earn points. With simple rules and quick gameplay, Ticket to Ride is an easy game to learn but does not forgo the kind of complex strategic challenges that can keep players engaged.
Exploding Kittens: Fun and mayhem with every card
3 of 5
A best-selling phenomenon that has even had its own TV series. Exploding Kittens is a dynamic and fun card game based on a very simple, yet wild premise: a group of cats is about to explode (yes, you read that right) and players must defuse them in order to survive. Using strategies and special card skills, players must protect themselves and sabotage the others to win the game. The last survivor standing wins the game. Due to its sales success, the game has various formats and expansions suiting every group and type of player.
Azul: Creativity and beauty
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For the lovers of art and interior design, this will become their new favourite game. The main challenge in Azul is to decorate the walls of the Royal Palace by designing tile patterns. Players must complete an individual board and score points according to the placement of the tiles by completing patterns and rows. A game that combines elements of chance with strategy and is ideal for stimulating abstract thinking with an easily accessible, yet deep game.
Mansions of Madness: Dare to face fear
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For those who have teenagers at home and want to explore an adventure and role-playing game, Mansions of Madness is one of the best options. In this game of mystery and terror, we will become detectives who must complete missions involving monsters and paranormal experiences of all kinds. A best-selling game that has several expansions with which to complete many different missions and spend long afternoons of terrifying fun.
