Yes, Christmas may now be dominated by the latest toys and the newest gadgets, but there is always room for some old-fashioned family fun.
Although they may be at the heart of family feuds and someone always cheats, playing board games over the festive season has become a timeless tradition. Whether you’re looking to occupy the kids for a few hours or a classic to entertain the whole family, there is something out there for everyone. So pack away your gadgets, turn off your phone for an evening and get involved in some classic gaming.
BANANAGRAMS
The anagram game that drives you bananas! Requiring no pencil, paper or board, Bananagrams comes in a small portable banana-shaped pouch and is perfect fun for all the family, at home or on the go. Created by a word game-obsessed family of three generations, Bananagrams is a labour of love that has quickly become an international phenomenon.
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
Fast-paced, highly competitive and a thrill for the whole family, Bananagrams will get your heart racing and your head thumping. This wordplay game is one of the easiest to pick up, as you compete against each other to create the best anagrams possible whilst attempting to dispose of your tiles as quick as possible. Think of it as an adaptable crossword, one that is always shifting and moving around. No need for pencils or boards, just simply place it on a table and you’re essentially set up. Ideal for both gaming at home or when travelling, its small-size and mobility make it a great option for all.
RRP £14.99 PRODUCT INFO WINNING WHERE TO BUY JOHN LEWIS TWITTER @Bananagrams_UK
WHO PUT THE MARMITE IN THE FRIDGE?
Who Put the Marmite in the Fridge? is a classic game of pairs with one odd card – match the grocery items, pop them in the fridge but don’t be the one left holding the jar of Marmite… because we all know Marmite should never go in the fridge.
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
Another quirky and original game with a great development backstory, Who Put The Marmite In The Fridge? is an incredible newcomer that’s sure to shake things up. As the name suggests, you need to avoid being the last to be in possession of the Marmite but watch out as everyone else will be doing their best not to lose. Ideal for those looking for something a bit different in the board game world, there really is nothing else like it.
RRP £6 PRODUCT INFO POF WHERE TO BUY AMAZON TWITTER @Pantsonfiregame
BOUNCE OFF
It’s the ultimate head-to-head competition game for young adults and families. Flip over a challenge card to determine the pattern. Then, race to recreate the pattern by bouncing balls into the grid. The first to complete the pattern wins the card and the first to earn three cards wins the game.
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
Offering a lot more than at first sight, Bounce Off will have you addicted in no time if you want to become an expert and ‘rule the table’. If you can rely on your hand-eye condition, then you’re a shoe-in to win, but just make sure you remain concentrated otherwise it can all turn against you in an instant. Competitive and engrossing, this is bound to capture the whole family’s attention, as you’ll want to get better and better. It also doesn’t take much time to explain the rules, meaning you can more or less jump straight in without any hassle.
RRP £14.99 PRODUCT INFO MATTEL WHERE TO BUY ARGOS TWITTER @Mattel
APPLETTERS
The core-skills word game that makes learning fun! Spelling, concentration and strategic thinking, parents and educators agree that playing Appletters develops all these core skills and more! Ideal for early readers, the game sees players work together to build a ‘word worm’, as you add new words to the head and tail, the word worm gets longer and the game gets harder! But stay on your toes: while the worm twists and turns, your aim stays the same: you want to be the first player to use all your tiles – and win!
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
A friendlier and less intense alternative than its older sibling, Appleletters is a great choice for kids who are still grasping the language. Another low-cost but quality game, you can get hours of satisfaction out of this game. Fun and subtly educational, kids will love it as they begin to expand their vocabulary without even noticing. With fewer tiles than Bananagrams, it’s definitely more of a toned-down version, perfect for kids who are still learning and parents looking for a relaxing and stress-free board game.
RRP £15.99 PRODUCT INFO WINNING WHERE TO BUY AMAZON TWITTER @Bananagrams_UK
ACCENTUATE
Accentuate is the awkward and embarrassing new adult party game which aims to mortify players into fits of giggles with its simple but humiliating premise: read a given quotation aloud in a randomly selected accent and see if teammates can guess what it is! The game includes 90 Accent Cards featuring 30 different accents from around the globe!
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
If you’re good with accents you’ll be fine, if not…Good luck! Accentuate is a terrific board game that will soon have you cringing as your friends and family attempt their best accents. With the incredibly vast range of accents and phrases to try out, the possibilities are almost endless, meaning it never gets boring. Whilst you may fancy yourself an accent expert, the combination with the quotations are sure to give you plenty of trouble. Embarrassing fun!
RRP £23.50 PRODUCT INFO ACCENT WHERE TO BUY FIREBOX TWITTER @AccentuateGame
LOVE IT OR HATE IT
Marmite Love It or Hate It challenges players to explore how much they really know about each other. A fun board game for kids and adults alike, this is all about knowing and discovering your family and friends’ loves and hates. Choosing from categories as diverse as TV programs and vegetables, players guess what their opponents love or hate, in a race to win enough Marmite puzzle pieces to complete the puzzle.
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
You can understand why the developers of Love It Or Hate It managed to win £50,000 from Dragon’s Den with this terrific game. A unique and clever concept, the idea is simple but incredibly addictive. Certain to provoke strong reactions from participants, make sure you brush up on what your family and friends like and dislike if you don’t want things to get uber-awkward. A game that’ll reveal new truths to your friends and family, you won’t be able to get enough.
RRP £14.50 PRODUCT INFO POF WHERE TO BUY POF TWITTER @Pantsonfiregame
SCRABBLE SPEED
Scrabble Speed is the heart pounding, word making game everyone plays at the same time! The Tile Tower gives you just the right amount of letters to spell as many words as possible within one minute. After the electronic timer buzzes, easy scoring keeps the pace going as players put their tiles back into the dispenser, redraw 12 new tiles, and start fresh each round. The player with the highest score after seven rounds wins the game!
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
Taking the classic Scrabble game to the next level, Scrabble Speed is a lot more competitive as you race each other to get the best words. While lengthy words don’t necessarily mean you receive more points and blank tiles can only be used once, games are a lot closer fought and can be decided in the last minute. The electronic timer is great as it allows you to focus on your pieces without having to worry about the time, plus the final countdown makes everything much more exciting.
RRP £19.99 PRODUCT INFO AMAZON WHERE TO BUY JOHN LEWIS TWITTER @Mattel
LIAR LIAR
Liar Liar is the wickedly twisted trivia game, which lets you outwit even the smartest Christmas dinner guests. Fib, falsify and fabricate your way to victory by teasing your opponents with truth and lies as you travel around the board to victory. Will they challenge your tall tales, or take your ‘facts’ at face value? An ideal festive family game where who lies wins!
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
Get your best poker face on for this thrilling test of minds, as you attempt to decipher people’s expressions whilst doing your best not to giveaway yours. Another unbelievably revealing game, Liar Liar challenges how good of a liar you are as you attempt to beat the competition and deceive your way to victory. Involvement is key here, meaning your kids won’t get bored waiting for their turn as they’ll always be part of the game, whether directly or not. Fun, tantalising and slightly twisted, if anything, it may make you want to become a better liar.
RRP £20 PRODUCT INFO POF WHERE TO BUY TESCO TWITTER @Pantsonfiregame
LINKEE
Linkee is a super-simple, anti-genius quiz game with a twist: the twist being you don’t win by answering the questions, but by working out what the answers have in common. For example, if the answers were John, Paul, George and Ringo, the Linkee would be…The Beatles. Simple, huh? Open the box and Linkee is ready to play; no complicated set-up or instructions.
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
Entertaining and easy to play, Linkee is a fantastic game that turns the conventional trivia board game format on its head. Covering a broad spectrum of topics, the whole family can join in so no-one is left out. The questions are quite unusual, requiring plenty of random knowledge and a bit of lateral thinking to get stuck in. One of the quirkiest board games out there, it’s perfect for families this Christmas.
RRP £19.99 PRODUCT INFO LINKEE WHERE TO BUY ARGOS TWITTER @playlinkee
UNO EXTREME
Brace yourself for an updated, modern version of the UNO Extreme game you know and love! The sleek UNO Extreme game’s random card shooter offers an exciting, frenzied and unpredictable way to play UNO that’s fast fun for everyone! Push the launcher button on the shooter, and if you’re lucky, nothing will happen. If you’re not, the shooter will fire a stream of UNO Extreme cards to add to your hand!
THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT THIS GAME
Another version of classic but taken up a gear, UNO Extreme is just as intense as the name suggests. Much of it down to luck, when it’s your turn to hit the button you can either get a handful of cards, nothing or if you’re really unlucky, most of the pack in one go. This unpredictability makes the game of lot more fun, turning a standard card game into an eventful panic. The same old UNO with added excitement, this is sure to get your pulses racing.
RRP £24.99 PRODUCT INFO MATTEL WHERE TO BUY ARGOS TWITTER @Mattel
