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Egg My Goods! Hard-working bunny people and Easter charm
Photo: Hendrik Breuer
Large board games are becoming more and more expensive. Die-hard players can tell you a thing or two about it. A whopping 70 euros for a normal strategy game and even more than 100 euros for the latest variant of the railway board game “Ticket to Ride” have long been common prices. But do you want to give games like this as a gift for Easter? Or would you rather just have a little something?
Luckily, there are also really good games for little money, from modernized “Don't be angry” variants to the dice hit “Qwixx”, games about bouquets of flowers and whale-watching tours. We present eight games that don't cost much and are just as enjoyable and fun as the expensive clunkers.
hit
Despite all the prophecies of doom, the more than one hundred year old “Don’t Be Annoyed” is still a bestseller. It's likely to be on the gaming table for many families at Easter, even if many players have long since become bored with it. The dice dictate pretty much every move; you feel like you're playing rather than making active decisions.
Ralf zur Linde probably saw it similarly. His game “Hit” is obviously a “MäDn” variant, albeit published by a different publisher. Unlike the original, the game pieces are moved forward using cards. Because you always have several cards to choose from, you can finally decide what to do next. This is a successful further development of the outdated classic.
Who is this for?
"Hit" is the perfect gift for friends and relatives who always want to play "Don't bother me." It looks almost exactly like the classic, but offers a much more modern gaming experience.
“Hit” by Ralf zur Linde, Ravensburger Spieleverlag, for 2-4 people aged 8 and over, approx. 20 euros. Getting started: easy to medium.
Sixto
"Qwixx" is considered one of the first modern "Roll 'n' Write" games, in which you use dice to collect numbers or symbols and write down or cross the results on a pad. In contrast to »Kniffel« you have more freedom of choice here and can also tick things off when others roll the dice. So it's more interactive. Now the “Qwixx” makers have founded their own publishing house and released a similar game, “Sixto”. What is new is that not only are ticks and scoring from left to right, but also from top to bottom. In addition, there are more frequent negative points. "Sixto" is a very successful dice game and only a little more complicated than "Qwixx".
Who is this for?
"Sixto" is a fast, catchy and addictive dice game, a good choice for anyone who likes to "just play something".
Sixto by Steffen and Florian Benndorf, Kendi Games, for 1-6 people aged 8 and over, approx. 14 euros. Getting started: easy.
LLAMA Kadabra
»LAMA Kadabra« is now the fourth in a series of small card games. As usual, “LAMA” stands for “Remove All Minus Points”. In the new variant there are always magic shows in which you can get rid of negative point chips if the cards fit. If this is not the case, the magic spectacle can result in a lot of negative points. In addition, you can sometimes pass chips on to other players and force them to pick up face-down cards. Overall, a game of »LAMA Kadabra« ends quicker than in the basic version of the game. The gameplay is still fun.
Who is this for?
»LAMA Kadabra« offers supplies for fans of the crazy llama! Given the low price, you can buy it without hesitation, the game offers enough new things. Newcomers can also get the basic game “LAMA” first.
LAMA Kadabra by Reiner Knizia, Amigo Games, for 2-6 people ages 8 and up, approx. 9 euros. Getting started: easy.
Wave
Of course, cooperative games should not be missing at a family celebration. There are definitely groups in which things can get heated while playing. Not everyone likes that on Easter Sunday. »Wave« is a cooperative card game in the tradition of »The Game« and »Hanabi«. Everyone plays together and tries to place the cards in ascending order of color or number. You ride the perfect wave, as the instructions say. The special trick here is that all players only see half of their own cards; they keep the other half out. So you need tips from your fellow players. As usual in such games, there are rules about what can and cannot be said. Anyone who doesn't yet know this game principle will have an aha experience with "Wave".
Who is this for?
With its clever basic idea, “Wave” is a great introduction to the world of cooperative card games. A nice opportunity to play with children aged eight and over.
Wave by Thomas Weber, Kosmos, for 2-4 people aged 10 and over, approx. 9 euros. Getting started: easy.
Order Overload Cafe
Groups of adults who want to play cooperatively should choose Order Overload Cafe. The café always receives a lot of orders: “Moccacino”, “Iced Café Latte”, “Apple Pie”, “Banana Shake”. Has anyone noticed that? It would be better, because that's what it's all about. If the group as a café staff manages to list all the orders together, they will make progress. What starts out simple quickly becomes tricky memory training.
Who is this for?
“Order Overload Cafe” is a fun memory game for adults and goes well with the caffè latte group. Let them see what they can do to the staff with their special requests.
Order Overload Cafe by Jun Sasaki, Oink Games, for 2-6 people aged 10 and over, approx. 15 euros. Getting started: easy to medium.
Cleverly placed
“Skillfully stuck” is an inconspicuous card game with a spring-like theme: the careful tying of bouquets of flowers. It takes up the Victorian custom of attributing certain meanings to certain flowers. A cleverly put together bouquet can convey messages of love or vows of friendship. For the players, this means that their arrangements must be well coordinated. If that works, you get the most points. It gets exciting because you have to decide when you pick up a new flower card: Do I take the one that is face up or the one that is face down? "Skillfully Put" is a fine game with a lot of interaction by Elizabeth Hargrave, who is known for her bestseller "Wings."
Who is this for?
“Skillfully put together” is a peaceful game for couples that you can also play on the side. It's not strenuous, but it's not banal and has a nice bluff element.
Cleverly put together by Elizabeth Hargrave, Frosted Games, for 1-2 people aged 8 and over, approx. 12 euros. Getting started: easy to medium
Look whale
“Look, there's a whale!” would be a suitable long title for this little game. It's about whale watching. A whale and an orca were spotted. Where do they appear again? The whale where there are the most fish and the orca where there is the least food. So we have to take a closer look at the locations of possible sightings, find out how many fish are around, use the radar. Everyone has three tourist boats at their disposal and their passengers naturally want to see whales. The more people in the boat, the better. When the anchor is dropped, things really take off. This sounds more complicated than it is. This deduction and bluff game is not just a visual eye-catcher.
Who is this for?
“Look Whale” is a game for those who like to experiment and whale watching fans. It's unusual, interesting and looks damn good on the gaming table.
Look Whale by Bruno Faidutti and Jun Sasaki, Oink Games, for 2-5 people ages 9 and up, approx. 18 euros. Entry level: medium.
Egg My Goods! – Royal Eggs!
The name of this game is so bizarre that it cannot be explained further here. Just this much: »Ei My Goods« is the Easter version of the extremely popular strategic card game »Oh My Goods!«. In the original, you collect raw materials in order to produce ever better goods, build machines and production buildings and create perfectly interconnected production chains. We do exactly the same thing in “Ei My Goods!”, only with the hard-working bunny people and Easter charm. There are chicken farms, egg decorators, chocolate factories, liquor factories and much more. The game comes from successful author Alexander Pfister, who has made a name for himself worldwide as an expert in strategy games. With this small and inexpensive game it lives up to its reputation.
Who is this for?
Despite the silly name, "Ei My Goods" is the most demanding game on this list and a nice souvenir for experienced players who might find the games presented so far too shallow.
Egg My Goods! – Royal Eggs! By Alexander Pfister, Lookout Games, for 2-4 people aged 10 and over, approx. 12 euros. Entry level: medium to demanding.