Family games are such wonderful things, and playing them together is a truly unique way to connect with your family, whether through competition or through cooperation. Should you desire to influence the course of those games via the advantage of already knowing the game strategies, here are some board games you might enjoy. Following are some suggestions of games that I’ve found to be enjoyable enough for all to have fun, despite who wins or loses, and utilize enough cunning that having prior knowledge and experience with the game will bestow a distinct advantage upon the individual who is most familiar with the established stratagems of the game.

Wingspan: – $48

Wingspan is a board game centered around the real-life birds of the world. Throughout the game, you’re able to assemble different groups and collections of birds, based on their real life habitats, and then gain an advantage over other players as a result of the birds that you possess. This game is a wonderful combination of some strategy, a bit of luck, and a plethora of gorgeous illustrations.

Ticket to Ride – Nordic Edition: – $30

Ticket to Ride is a well-known game, wherein you build up a rail network across the US, and seek to cut off your competitors through well-placed railroad buildup. The Nordic edition, which introduces tunnels and ferries, maintains this and is equally good, enabling you to deal with unique situations and requirements for construction. One unique quality about this game, that’s both a limit and an advantage, is the player limit. This version of Ticket to Ride can be played by only 2-3 players. This limits its usefulness in a group, but makes this a perfect game to play on a quiet evening with a few people. This version of the standard game is a wonderful version of the standard game, and a great choice for a few people who want to play a slow-paced, quiet game. Notably this game isn’t officially available on large distribution platforms such as Amazon, but seems relatively easy to find through secondary sellers on platforms such as Ebay.

Dutch Blitz: – $15

To shift away from the calmer varieties of game, I give you: Dutch Blitz. If you’ve ever played War or Speed on a deck of cards, this is similar to that, just a bit more complex. This complexity doesn’t hinder the game however, and instead enunciates the frantic scramble to rid yourself of cards. This game can be continued throughout multiple rounds, keeping track of score, or you can just play a round, and be done. Dutch Blitz is played with 2-4 players, and is comprised of 4 small decks of cards, as a result this game is a wonderful quick pick to bring to a gathering, and while it can take a little bit to pick up, once you understand the game it’s off to the races, quite literally.

Dungeon Mayhem: – $15

This game is fantastic, and it should be, as it’s made by the same people who made Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), but unlike D&D it’s fast. This game is an all-out brawl, using cards, between anywhere from 2-4 (with some of the expansion packs up to 8) truly unique characters. Whether you rage as a barbarian, fireball EVERYONE as the wizard, or simply stab everyone and everything as the rogue, there’s a little something for everyone. This game takes full advantage of the D&D Universe, utilizing traditional D&D monsters and roles such as gelatinous good, beholders, and races such as tieflings, elves, or ogres, all of which have a unique playstyle, and moves that differentiates them from the rest of the roster. This game is a wonderful bash, and can be quickly played in under a half-hour with any group of people, who can be taught the game in just about 5 minutes and will undoubtedly enjoy it.

Now then, I hope you enjoy giving, then taking, the fun of these games from your families, and I wish you victory in your endeavors.