Just the Three of Us

March 29, 2020March 29, 2020

Azul Crystal Mosaic Expansion – Review

The Crystal Mosaic Expansion for Azul requires the base game. In the box you will find two new components. The expansion includes four new, two-sided boards with different placement or scoring rules. Also included is a plastic overlay for the boards to help keep the tiles and scoring marker in place.

You can also check out our review of the base game, Azul here!

The Mom Review

I liked the new boards and scoring. To be honest, during the first game play, I got a little bit stuck with my tile placement. I wanted everything to be perfect and just like the placement in the base game. However, once I got over that feeling, the game went more smoothly for me. I wouldn’t recommend the new scoring boards for young or inexperienced players. It is definitely important to establish a foundation of understanding of the basic rules before moving on to them.

The plastic overlays were SO NICE! When we play games, there can be a tendency for the table to be bumped, or for a player to be careless about a sleeve. The plastic overlays help to solve this problem. The tiles fit very nicely within the indentations made for them, yet still can be moved and removed easily. However, the spots for the scoring cube are less impressive. The cube does not lay flat, and each slot encompasses two scoring spots. As a result, the cube can get bumped around a little still.

Scoring Cube Track — You can get a good close up at the scoring track sections here.

While the scoring portion isn’t perfect, it is significantly better than having no tray at all. I give this expansion an 9/10.

The Dad Review

Crystal Mosaic offers something I wish the original did in the first place. It includes an acrylic piece that fits over your original boards. So, you now have recessed spots to put your scoring cubes along with your tiles. I will be honest, this is why I wanted the expansion. So I was all excited, the piece fit perfect over the board, the colors still pop through, they are not dulled. Perfect, right? This is where I get a little nit picky.

While the cover does a good job fitting, and the tiles fit perfectly, the scoring cubes sit weird and are not individually squared. What I mean by that is the recessed area for the scoring cubes are recessed every two points. So you can slide a cube from point one to point two, pick it up and put it back down for point 3. This isn’t the biggest deal, but the cube does not fit properly and sits at a weird angle instead of sitting flush. I know I know, what a jerk, to find the littlest thing and complain about it. Well yeah, I’m complaining because if you’re going to make a board cover make it proper. I’m sure there’s something I’m missing where they couldn’t make individual slots for points, and I’m okay with that; it just bugs me.

On to the actual new expansion boards. One side gives you x2 bonus for certain tiles, and the other side offers bigger bonuses for completing rows, columns, and having all of a certain tile out. I really like the x2 bonus side more than the other side, but both sides add complexity to this game. So if you like the more simple, tell me what tiles can go where type of experience, you’re not going to like the new boards. This is because you have a lot more freedom to put your pieces anywhere you want while still following the basic rules of no repeating colors in the same row or column. This can lead to some major down time as players think through their tile placements. The basic board takes some of the thinking out of it.

After playing with the expansion, I have to say I’m OK with the new boards, but I actually like the basic board a lot more. In closing, I wish the original game just came with a double cardboard recessed board but I get it, games aren’t cheap to make and the game still plays fine without them. Luckily, we have a really good gaming store here in town and The Gaming Goat had this expansion for a very affordable price so it is nice having the acrylic cover, but If I had to pay more than 10 dollars for this expansion I wouldn’t be super happy about it.

For a family ranking it’s an 8/10 definitely good if you are playing with children or klutzy players who knock things off the board.

The Kid Review

I like the Azul Crystal Mosaic Expansion. I really like both sides of the new boards. First, I like the negative track because in the original game, it would be a total of -14 when it got filled. Now, the spaces go -1, then 0 and the total only goes up to -10 if it gets completely filled. I don’t have to worry about the second tile on the negative track. On the front side, I like the times 2 spaces.

Front Side of Crystal Mosaic Board with x2 spaces — You can see the x2 scoring spaces on the front side of the board here.

Next, on the back side there is another board. There are no times two spots but the columns, rows, and five of a color bonus are worth more points. Then I like both sides because I can kind of create the board. Also, I like the plastic thing where you put the tiles in it so they won’t slip or fall. In conclusion, I will give this expansion 10 out of 10.

Overall Thoughts

We all agree that we like the new board overlays, even though they aren’t perfect. We do have mixed reviews about the new boards. Our family agrees that this expansion is worth it if you can find it for a reasonable price.

Overall Average Rating – 9/10
Ease of Setup (Expansion) – 10/10
Ease of Understanding Additional Rules – 10/10

March 29, 2020April 4, 2020

Everdell – Board Game Review

Everdell is a game where players create a city made of whimsical woodland creatures and buildings over the course of 4 “seasons”. It is intended for 1-4 players and recommends players aged 14+, but Maci, age 9, has no problem playing this game. Average game time in our family is about an hour.

Everdell board game setup — Everdell setup complete

Everdell Basics

In Everdell, each player represents a certain creature. Players then take turns, each carrying out a single action. On your turn, you may:

Place a worker
Play a card
Prepare for the next season

When placing workers, players gather resources, acquire new cards, or take other specific actions. When playing a card, players can build a critter or construction in their city, gaining a variety of advantages from each card built. Preparing for the next season allows players to reclaim their placed workers, gain new workers from the Ever Tree, and gain the next season’s bonus.

Players work through the season at their own pace, and do not have to wait for one another to move on to the next season. The game ends after all players have completed all the seasons. At this points, players calculate their total victory points.

Everdell cards and resources closeup — Everdell closeup

The Mom Review

I really enjoy Everdell. When I play, I feel like I am building up a tiny city reminiscent of the Redwall books. Who doesn’t love the Redwall series by Brian Jaques?

The game setup is a little time consuming. The Ever Tree needs to be assembled for each game play, but I did not find this difficult. I just followed the instructions in the box. This assembly video can help if necessary. Additionally for setup, there are cards to be shuffled and placed, events to lay out, resources to place, and workers to distribute. I don’t feel it is overly complicated, but it does take a little bit of time.

Within the game, the basic actions are easy to grasp, and the cards are clear and descriptive in their meanings. I enjoy the engine building aspects of the game as well. Certain cards give resources throughout the game. There are other cards (constructions), which allow the player to build a critter for free one time. I find it to be a fun challenge to maximize these opportunities.

Maci is able to play this game, she enjoys playing, and understands the basics. However, she still gets stuck with one goal in mind (which you can see in her review), and at times will back herself into a corner as a result. I am sure this will improve with age and experience. This is likely one of the main reasons for the higher age suggestion listed on the box.

Overall, I give Everdell a 9/10 rating. It is a game I’d happily play on a regular basis!

The Dad Review

Everdell aesthetically looks great. The artwork on the cards is on point, and the tree that stands in the middle is awesome. It gives the game a cool storybook finish look. The workers are legit and look like woodland creatures. The resources aren’t cubes, the amber looks like amber, the twigs look like twigs, the snozzberries look like, sorry the regular berries look like berries. This is also fun for Maci, she enjoys games that look cool and different. Now back to the giant tree, some people don’t like the tree because it doesn’t serve a purpose other than holding some of the bonus cards but, if a family walked by and saw this game displayed, they’d want to come check it out. The thing is looks are only part of the reason we play games. The mechanics are the other.

This is where I’m on the fence. I love worker placement and deck building games, and this game integrates both. You’re placing workers to collect bonuses or materials to build your little forest city. You can build these buildings or creatures from your hand of cards you’re dealt or from a shared community main pool, which I think is a cool mechanic, and gives you more options than just what’s in your hand.

Pros and Cons

I don’t like putting down a worker, just to get one good or resource. Especially when you don’t begin with a lot of workers, so this is frustrating. Often, I don’t feel like I’m getting enough. I don’t think I should put down a worker and then get every item I need to build a card, but I do feel that the way it’s set up creates a limited, slow build. Additionally, I might have a problem with this game because I am not a huge fan of engine builders, and it has that quality. Another issue I have is this game can become a little luck based, if you don’t get the right card combos, it can become frustrating, especially if someone started with a hand of cards that work well together and you didn’t.

I will say Everdell does a decent job of negating that feeling by offering a selection of cards to choose from in the middle of the game board. However, someone could snag the card you need ,or you end up wasting a critter to perform a move that lets you select a certain amount of cards from the shared card pool or facedown deck.

For some positives, I do appreciate that there are bonuses you can aim for by building certain cards and it does balance the game and thematically, they work. There are some bonuses that team up certain characters to accomplish a goal, that I feel those characters would actually do. So the theme really works.

All in all, I think this is a good game and my family enjoys it. It’s not an everyday type game, but I don’t mind playing it. If I’m going to play a game like this, I would rather play Raiders of the North Sea, Architects of the West Kingdom, Wingspan, or Great Western Trail.

Dad’s Overall Impressions

With all of this said, Everdell has some expansions coming out that might change my mind on this game and I may rank it higher but we will see. I think Spirecrest may get me on board to rank this higher.

For my own personal and as a family ranking, I rank it a 7/10.

The Kid Review

I think Everdell is a great game. I love buying people and buildings. My favorite creatures are the wife and the husband. The farm is fun to build, plus there is a combo if you also have the wife and husband. I love buying berries so I can add more people to my city. If I build a specific building I can get a specific creature for free, and I really like that as well. In conclusion I will give Everdell 10 out of 10. Peace out!

The berries of Everdell – Maci’s favorite resource

Overall Impressions

As a family, we don’t completely agree on this game. We all like it, but clearly to varying degrees.

Overall Average Rating: 8.5/10
Ease of Instructions: 8/10
Ease of Setup: 7/10
Playing with younger players: 7/10

March 28, 2020March 28, 2020

7 Wonders – Board Game Review

7 Wonders is a card drafting game. It is intended for 2-7 players and takes about 30 minutes to play. The box claims it is for people age 10+ to play, but Maci has been playing since she was 6.

Basics of 7 Wonders Game Play

7 Wonders is played over a series of 3 rounds. In each round, players are dealt a hand of cards. Each player simultaneously chooses and reveals a card from their hand and then passes the remaining cards to the next player. The cards for each round have a little symbol to show in which direction the cards should be passed.

Chosen cards are kept in an active play area in front of each player. There are multiple types of cards that can be acquired.

7 Wonders hand of cards for round 1 — Play hand at the beginning of a 7 Wonders Round

Resources (brown and grey) give players certain resources to be able to purchase future cards.
Civilian Structures (blue) provide victory points.
Scientific Structures (green) score victory points based on the sets you accumulate.
Commercial Structures (yellow) earn coins, produce resources, provide discounts, and sometimes score victory points
Military Structures (red) help during conflict
Guilds (purple) score extra victory points.

As the game progresses, each player’s collection of cards grows, gathering more resources, military strength, scientific collections and victory points to be scored at the end of the game. In addition to building up a collection of cards, players also work to build levels of their “Wonder”, a board they have in front of them. Each level of a wonder provides different benefits.

Board Game Geek Rankings for 7 Wonders

These are the rankings for 7 Wonders on Board Game Geek at the time we wrote this Review.

Family- 4
Strategy-51
Overall-49

The Dad Review

7 Wonders is a very popular card drafting game and it deserves a high family ranking in my opinion. This game is easy to teach and takes a couple of times playing to figure out strategies. Maci is very good at this game. In our last two sessions playing, she beat us. I hate losing, but not as much as when Maci beats me. She understands this game and loves to play.

The base game took less than half an hour to play, which is great for short attention spans. The war phase is pretty easy. It’s basically playing the card game war, whoever has the strongest army wins. So if I have three war symbols and you have two, I win. The only thing I will say that may be difficult to understand is the science scoring at the end, but once you have that figured out you’re good to go.

When it comes to replay-ability, this game is solid because the cards you receive will be a different combination each time. ‘Take that’ effects are not too bad, because if you do take a card someone needs, half the time they don’t realize it or you can use that card face down to build your wonder, which means no one sees it. This game is only 9 years old right now, which doesn’t seem like a classic but for modern board games I would say that it does fill the niche.

Overall, for a family ranking, I give it a 10/10. It is good to get new gamers into card drafting games. For my own ranking I rank the base game a 8/10.

The Kid Review – Age 9

7 Wonders is one of my favorite games. One reason is, I like the fighting and the blue victory points. I also like getting the things [resources] I need to build the buildings. Here are some of the resources: brick, cloth, stone, and glass. There are other resources too.

7 Wonders Player Area — End of game layout of 7 Wonders for a single player

I also like the yellow cards because they give you victory points, money, and you can borrow resources from your opponents (like my mom and my dad) for less money.

In conclusion, I will give 7 Wonders a 10 out of 10. I just love 7 Wonders.

The Mom Review

I really enjoy playing 7 Wonders. I like that it is a quick and easy playthrough, and after mastering the rules once, I have never struggled to remember them again. When I can’t remember what an icon means, I just refer to the quick reference on the back of the rulebook, and that is super helpful.

Setting up 7 Wonders is not difficult at all. You simply sort the cards for each age by the number of players in your game, set out coins and scoring tokens, and pass out the wonder boards to each player. I like to “deal” out the cards for each age before we start and set the stacks aside. When I do that, we can move from one age to the next with minimal wait time.

Another great aspect of 7 wonders is that if you have a very young player in your group, or someone who struggles in understanding strategy in games, they can totally still play just fine. The game is based on pick a card, place it in front of you, pass the cards. You might need to keep an eye on these players to make sure they don’t break the few card choice rules, but they still get to participate and eventually will pick up on the strategies that can be used to do well.

Overall, I give 7 Wonders a 10/10.

Overall Impressions of 7 Wonders

Family Game: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Ease of Understanding the Rules: 9/10
Ease of Setup: 9/10

Other Games to Try

Other family card drafting type games to try – Ticket To Ride, Sushi Go, and Everdell.

Wanting to increase the difficulty level in card drafting? We recommendTerraforming Mars, Architects of the West Kingdom and Raiders of The North Sea.

March 20, 2020March 29, 2020

Quacks of Quedlinburg – Board Game Review

Quacks of Quedlinburg, or ‘Quacks’ for short, is a bag building game for 2-4 players. The estimated play time is about 45 minutes. The box recommends players 10 and up, but Maci has been playing this game since she was 7. She understood the game, but did face some difficulties at that age which Jake explains in his review.

In Quacks, players mix up a pot of ingredients each round to make a potion. The goal is to gain the most victory points while trying to not let your pot explode. At the end of each round, players can purchase new ingredients to add to their bags. These new ingredients are available in all future rounds. After 9 rounds, the game ends and the player with the most victory points wins!

The Mom Review

I really enjoy playing Quacks, even though I usually don’t win. It’s fun purchasing different ingredients and seeing what comes out of the bag. Sometimes it can be frustrating when your pot explodes early in the round, simply due to the luck of the draw.

Quacks is easier to teach to people who have played games before. It is not the best game to teach to people who are new to gaming. The concepts in the game are not difficult, but since there are different abilities that come with each potion and all players play simultaneously, it can feel overwhelming to someone who is new. If you would like to play this with a younger player, it might be helpful to let them have an adult buddy the first play through until they are comfortable.

I really appreciate the replay ability of Quacks. With all the different books that come for each potion, no two games are identical.

A few of the books in Quacks. This is the first set, recommended for a beginner game.

Overall, I give Quacks a 9/10. I am glad it’s a game we own, and I will never turn a game down.

The Dad Review

This game evokes a lot of emotions. We bought this game when it first came out and we love it. It’s easy to teach and easy to learn. Here’s what’s not easy: dealing with kids that can’t handle the ‘push your luck’ elements in games.

Maci is usually calm and collected, but when we first bought this game she was like a 21 year old with $1000 in their pocket landing in Vegas, dreams of making millions, banking an unlimited amount of free buffet coupons, and eating pizza with gold-flaked pepperoni in the penthouse suite of Caesars Palace. She would let it ride on almost every turn. She went from the high of winning to the low of losing the house. It was a roller coaster of emotions.

So with that said, this is a good game for learning when to hold them and when to fold them. This is not easy for younger kids and will possibly bring the fun factor of this game to a screeching halt. Now with that said, she has learned how to deal with her emotions in this game and now approaches with a more balanced attitude. No longer are we betting the house on every turn, and she is learning some of the tricks. Don’t get me wrong there are times when it’s all or nothing, but we no longer need to bolt the table to the ground to prevent table flips.

If you or your kids have a gambling problem and can’t hold in their rage, I do not recommend this game. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a fun, go with the flow, hopefully I’ll pick out the right chip, push your luck game, then this is for you.

Herb Witches Expansion

This expansion is awesome and adds a lot to the game without a lot of rules. You now can invest in witches that will give you a one-time bonus. These bonuses will enhance your chances of doing well and navigate some of the luck factor. The expansion also comes with new powers for the ingredients from the base game. Additionally, it adds a runoff bowl so if you do reach the end of your pot, you can continue to get those sweet sweet victory points. I would definitely get this expansion.

On it’s own, I rank this game a 9/10, with the expansion I rank it a 10/10.

The Kid Review

I really like Quacks. First, I love the expansion because of the witches. They give you super helpful things when you need them. Next, I like that you get chips to play so you can get to do special things and you get to reach higher spaces in your pot. Then I really like the yellow and blue tokens because they have my favorite powers. Also, I like pulling chips out of a bag and not busting and winning.

In conclusion I will give it a rating of 9 out of 10.

March 19, 2020March 19, 2020

Flamme Rouge – Family Board Game Review

This is a review of the board game Flamme Rouge. We think it is a great game for families!

Flamme Rouge is a racing game for 2-4 players (up to 6 with the Peloton expansion). It takes about 30 minutes to play. In Flamme Rouge, players choose cards to make bicycle riders move around the game board. The object is to have your racers make it around the board and cross the finish line first. Players need to balance speed with strategy so their riders do not become exhausted too quickly.

The Mom Review

I really enjoy playing Flamme Rouge. It is very easy to teach. Players get two separate decks of cards. One for their Rouleur and one for the Sprinteur. The cards in each deck vary slightly, and the game comes with a reminder card. The contents of each deck is on one side, and the game play steps is on the other. Players draw four cards from one deck and choose one of the four to play. Next, they repeat this with the other deck. This simple play is easy for even the youngest kids to handle.

Once everyone has chosen their cards, all cards are flipped simultaneously. Next, it is time for the pieces to move along the board. Maci really likes being the one to move the pieces, and it keeps her engaged in the game. After all pieces move, slipstreaming happens and then it is time for the next round. The quick pace in the rounds also helps younger kids to stay interested.

Overall, I am impressed with the quality of the components in this game. I appreciate that they included a little case to protect the cyclists. (See photo – Jake has started painting some of the minis to have skin tone, and I love how they turned out!)

I give Flamme Rouge a 9 out of 10. I am very glad we have it in our collection now.

The Dad Review

Ok, this game has been on my radar for a couple of years now. Every time I would go into the gaming store, I’d always check it out, but would pass on it. I finally broke down and got it after we went on a family bike ride and my daughter loved going out and riding. Now, I have a work out buddy that won’t let me slack. Anyways back to the review. I got the game because she now likes bikes, so it’s relatable. At first, we screwed up the rules. We didn’t give out as many exhaustion cards as we should have. We also had a miscommunication problem about the rules when entering a hill. At that time, I really didn’t like the game and was bummed because it stinks when you buy a game and dislike it.

Fast forward to the next play. After we fixed that simple rule and clarifying the hill rules, I really liked the game. It was a lot more balanced and strategic. We figured out how to slip stream, which is so awesome in this game. I felt like I was way behind, but then I popped down a card that got me one square away from the cyclist in front of me. With slipstreaming, riders that are just one square behind the player ahead of them slide forward to fill the gap. I like how after slipstreaming, you catch up to the leader and you didn’t have to get exhausted doing it. The person up front basically did all of the work.

Also, I feel that thematically this game works. I’ve seen bike racing and this feels pretty darn close to actually racing. In closing, this quickly climbed the ranks in our family collection to a game everyone is down to play if mentioned. It is currently our family’s number one racing game.

My final ranking is a 10/10 – definitely staying in the collection.

The Kid Review

I like Flamme Rouge. First,I like it because I love riding my own bike and I love the slip stream in the game. Next, I like that the exhaust cards are given to not just the person in the front, but to any piece with an empty square in front of it. The cards help you move and I like that. The only thing I don’t like is that sometimes I can get bored of playing it over and over again.

Here are some tips:

Go slow when you start, but not too slow.
When you get half way through, go as fast as you can but be aware of the red.
When you’re in the blue if you have an exhaustion card in hand, you should play it.

In conclusion, I will give it 9 out of 10. I like to play, but not over and over again.

March 18, 2020March 29, 2020

Azul – Family Board Game Review

In this family board game review, we will be covering the game Azul.

Azul is an abstract game for 2-4 players. It usually takes about 30 minutes to play. The box recommends it for players ages 8+, but Maci started playing this when she was 6 with no problem.

In Azul, you place tiles on a mat to make either a pre-determined design or create your own, depending on the side of the player board you choose. In our family, we always use the pre-set design. You add to your score at the end of each round. The game ends when someone completes an entire row on their own board.

Azul layout after we had finished playing.

The Dad Review

Azul is a great family game and I believe it earns its number two spot on BGG’s family ranking at the time of this review. Players definitely have to plan ahead while also being diligent of what others are doing, to come out on top. As far as player interaction, you do have to pay attention every turn to see what others are doing, because you are shaping your game on what tiles are available. Players go down at some points, player interaction can stop and players can go into solitaire mode, forgetting to pay attention to their opponents moves. This something you should be aware of if you like constant interaction between players.

Maci had a great time because she beat her personal score and I can see that as she is aging up she is grasping some of the more advanced strategies. As your family grows with games, this is fun to watch from a parent perspective. I will say there will be times that you are presented with a chance to just ruin someone’s turn and I guess it comes down to how your family plays. I’m a jerk, so yes I did take a tile Angela needed and yes I’m okay with that, but only because she’s laid back most of the time. On the other hand, if your family is super competitive this could present some negative play. Then again, this game does offer a chance to plan ahead. So in closing, yes I’m super competitive, and yes Azul is a great family game, even when someone takes a tile you need.

I rank this 10/10 – definitely worth owning and having in a family collection.

The Kid Review

I think Azul is a great game. I mean I love it. It is fun because I like placing the tiles on my board. The two main things I try to do are get all of the same type of color and complete as many columns as I can. This way I can win at Azul. But one thing all kids should work on is paying attention to the other person’s board or boards. Sometimes my dad takes tiles I need or I could take his, but I forget about that. In conclusion, I really rank it 10 out of 10.

The Mom Review

Azul is one of my favorite games to play. I love abstract games, so it is right up my alley. I’m all about logical games with spatial reasoning, and this hits those points too.

One thing I do struggle with Azul is that there is a little bit of a “take that” component that some players take advantage of. (Hint: see Jake’s review). I just don’t play like that, although I know it’s good competition.

Azul is easy set up, to teach, and to grasp. Players choose one color off of the little mats, and push the other tiles into the center. After choosing a color, they then fill one row on the right of the player board as much as they can. If they overfill the row, extras go into the negatives row at the bottom. At the end of the round, each full row will move a single tile onto the design board. Then points are scored. It is nice that players have a sense of their scores throughout the game.

Overall, I give Azul a 10/10. It’s definitely worth adding to your gaming collection, and great for new gamers too!

Overall Thoughts

We all agree that we like Azul a great deal! We have also reviewed the Azul Crystal Mosaic Expansion, so be sure to check that post out too!

Overall Rating – 10/10
Ease of Setup – 10/10
Ease of Understanding the Rules – 10/10

March 17, 2020March 28, 2020

Santorini – Family Board Game Review

About the Game

Santorini is an abstract game for 2-4 players. It takes about 20 minutes to play. The box suggests it is for children ages 8+, but Maci has been able to play since she was 6 (using just the basic god powers). The mechanics of the game are simple, but it does take strategy and thought to be successful.

The Mom Review

I like Santorini. I’m always willing to play, but in my opinion, the selected god powers can make it or break it. It can be frustrating at times to keep track of everyone else’s powers and make sure you are not accidentally setting someone else to win on top of trying to win for yourself. I really like that it is short and very simple to teach to others. Also, when playing with younger children or people who are new to gaming, the game works well even without the god powers. Simply move, build. Setup is also quick and simple, which I appreciate since I usually set up most of our games. Overall, I give Santorini an 8 out of 10. I’m always willing to play, but it’s not usually one of the first games I will suggest.

The Kid Review

I think Santorini is a great game! I love the special powers to help you win. The two powers that I really like are Atlas and Pan. Atlas lets you build a dome wherever you want on the board. Atlas also helps you block other players from winning and makes it so they can’t move. Pan lets you win easier because when you get to the second level and go down, you win. But I don’t like Bia because she removes people. The funnest part of all is building, winning, and having fun with my family! I love this game and I would rank it 10 out of 10. The difficulty rating for kids age 8 and up would be easy.

The Dad Review

Santorini is definitely an abstract game, and a good one at that. I warn families that it can suffer from a ‘take that’ quality if you are using the god powers, especially the advanced powers. What I mean by that is, each person gets to select a god power that can block or sometimes even remove a player’s piece from the board. I had such a power and it did not make my daughter happy at all. Now, she could have offset this power by playing differently, but it’s not easy when the kiddos are younger. At the time of this review my daughter is 9. My wife also doesn’t love ‘take that’ types of abilities and I could tell, when the game was over. Even though she won, it wasn’t a great time had by all. In closing, I would definitely recommend this game for families, but knowing that when adding god powers it may be wise to sort out the cards that could create negative moments. As far as a family game ranking my score would be a 7 out of 10.

Overall Thoughts

8/10 as a family game
9/10 for easy setup
Easy to learn and teach to others