If your family is an avid game night fan, or you want to get started for the first time, trying a new style of board game can make your game night even more enjoyable. While not every style of game will make sense for every family, here are a few styles to test out on your next family game night.
Party
A fabulous option for family game nights, party games are likely already in your repertoire, but still should be mentioned. This style of game is easy to understand and boasts a simple rule structure. Classic games like charades and most popular board games at your local retail store fall under this category. These kinds of games are ideal for families first dipping their toes in game nights.
Cooperative
If the idea of game night sounds appealing but you are worried about creating an atmosphere of competition, cooperative games can be an ideal way to get everyone on the same team—literally. Whether you simply want to encourage team building among siblings, or your household has young children, cooperative games allow players to beat the board game and work together.
Area Control
If cooperative games don’t pique your family’s interest, area control games can offer a real challenge and invite stiff competition. Area control games are all about controlling an area of a board or map; often through gathering map resources to build bases or through moving armies or workers. These games involve strategy and long-term thinking, making them ideal for families with older players. However, this genre of games tends to require a large time investment and they can be difficult for new players to understand at first.
Deck Building or Trading Card
This style of game is all about building a strategic deck; players use cards with given stats and face their deck of cards against their opponents. Trading card games encourage the player to acquire new cards to ensure a competitive edge. These games often face 2 players against each other, families may enjoy a tournament-style match to guarantee everyone can play.
