November is here and chances are that you’re starting to think about the dreaded festive gift shopping excursion. Well at Unplug Yourself we think the best gift is one that brings families and friends together during this special time of the year… and what better way to bring people together than with board games!
So in no particular order we would love to present to you our 2019 board game gifting guide. Whether you are looking for something to play with the extended family after Christmas lunch, a gift for the youngsters, or even a new addition to that avid board gaming friend’s collection, there is something for everyone!
No. 1
5 Second Rule South Africa
First up is the global phenomenon, as seen on The Ellen Show, 5 Second Rule. This party / family game has been given some South African flare. Play it with friends after a braai, or with the kids on school holiday. Hilarity and fun is guaranteed to ensue!
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Love 5 Second Rule? Then check out these!
No. 2
Exploding Kittens
“This is a card game for people who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats.” Exploding Kittens has sold millions of copies worldwide and shows no sign of slowing down! A fun frantic card game suitable for the entire family.
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Love Exploding Kittens? Then check out these expansions!
No. 3
Codenames
Codenames, the Number One Social Deduction/Party Game in the world today, lets you enter the world of spies. Quick to learn and with every game being different, clues will depend on the personality of the spymaster.
In Codenames, two teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their agents first. Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the board. Their teammates try to guess words of the right colour while avoiding those that belong to the opposing team. And everyone wants to avoid the assassin.
Codenames has won multiple awards including the 2016 Spiel des Jahres (Game of the year), the most prestigious game award worldwide.
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Love Codenames? Then check out these alternative versions!
No. 4
Catan
This multi Award-Winning game - which launched the modern boardgame movement - has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
Your adventurous settlers seek to tame the remote but rich isle of Catan. Start by revealing Catan's many harbours and regions: pastures, fields, mountains, hills, forests, and desert. The random mix creates a different board virtually every game. No two games are the same. Embark on a quest to settle the isle of Catan. Guide your settlers to victory by clever trading and cunning development. Use resource combinations- grain, wool, ore, brick, and lumber-to buy handy development cards and build roads, settlements, and cities. Acquire your resources through trades, cards, or lucky dice (even outside your turn). But beware. Someone might cut off your road or buy a monopoly. And you never know when the wily robber might steal some of your precious gains.
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Love Catan? Then check out these alternative versions and expansions!
No. 5
Dixit
Dixit is the lovingly illustrated game of creative guesswork, where your imagination unlocks the tale. In this award-winning board game, players will use the beautiful imagery on their cards to bluff their opponents and guess which image matches the story. Dixit is a wonderfully simple game, playable by nearly anyone with whom you share a common language. With a fantastic range of beautiful illustrations and rules that can be understood by children and adults alike, Dixit will appeal to anyone with an imagination.
Dixit contains both English and Afrikaans instructions.
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Love Dixit? Then check out these expansions!
No. 6
Qwirkle
Qwirkle is a must-have game and it is easy to see why! With millions sold worldwide, this addictive game has won several awards including Spiel des Jahres (Game of the Year), Mensa Select Award, and the Parent's Choice Gold Award.
There's no reading required, just shape and colour recognition. This compelling strategy game is perfect to hone the player's tactical maneuvers, forward-thinking and planning.
How do you play? Simply build lines by matching tiles based on either colour or shape and score points for doing so. Mix, match and win!
Love Qwirkle? Then check out these alternative versions!
No. 7
Cobra Paw
From the makers of the global hit Bananagrams… Ninja know-how steals the game!
Ninja-like reflexes, sharp recognition skills, and mental fortitude steal the game in our new tile-snatching challenge known as Cobra Paw! Players take turns rolling the dice (featuring 6 unique symbols), spotting the tile with the matching pattern and then grabbing it before their opponents. The first player to snatch up 6 tiles wins the game and bestows great honour to the Grand Shidoshi, Master Meow!
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Love Cobra Paw? Then check out these!
No. 8
Ticket to Ride
With dozens of international awards and over 6 Million games sold, the Ticket to Ride series is one of the most popular modern board game series to date.
With elegantly simple gameplay, Ticket to Ride can be learned in under 15 minutes. Players collect cards of various types of train cars they then use to claim railway routes in North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfil Destination Tickets - goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.
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Love Ticket to Ride? Then check out these alternative versions and expansions!
No. 9
Spot It!
Over 12 millions copies sold worldwide!
Spot it! - a.k.a. Dobble - is an addictive, feverishly fun matching game for all ages. The first thing to know about Spot it! is that there is always one, and only one, matching symbol between any two cards. Make sense? Now all you need is a sharp eye and a quick hand to play all five different party games packed into the grab 'n' go tin. Including up to eight players, Spot it! is a cinch to learn, plays fast, and is irresistibly fun for all ages. Once you "spot", the fun don't stop. Simple to learn, a challenge to win.
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Love Spot It? Then check out these!
No. 10
Bananagrams
Kids and adults go bananas for Bananagrams, the anagram game that drives you bananas. You'll have a bunch of fun as you make crossword grids in a race to the finish. And with everything you need to play included in the banana, its go-anywhere fun for everyone.
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Love Bananagrams? Then check out these alternative versions!
Head to your local retailer today and get your hands on these titles. We hope our gifting guide will ease your festive shopping blues and above all bring friends and family together sharing awesome board gaming moments!