When playing with family, we like games that have a good balance of both luck and strategy. We enjoy having to make interesting choices during a game but also like an element of luck to keep things interesting.

So when a game has “Lucky” in the very name, should we shun it?

Don’t be too quick to do so!

At least, you shouldn’t do so with Lucky Numbers by Tiki Editions.

That’s because Lucky Numbers has great choices throughout to keep players engaged and having fun.

Lucky Numbers board game review is an article from The Board Game Family

When I heard Stonemaier Games was publishing a sequel to Scythe, my interest jumped into overdrive.

After all, if you've seen my video review "17 Things I Love About Scythe" then you know how much I enjoy the original board game. And even while I write this, I realize my original review was over 7 years ago in July 2016!

Wow, how time flies.

Anyway, earlier this year, Stonemaier Games released Expeditions to the delight of many.

I was fortunate enough to get a review copy and now I'm eager to share my thoughts after diving into the game wholeheartedly.

Expeditions board game review is an article from The Board Game Family

Over our 14 years of doing family board game reviews, we’ve played and reviewed a number of The Lord of the Rings games.

Today's review is on the lighter side of The Lord of the Rings board and card games, The Lord of the Rings: Adventure to Mount Doom, by Kosmos.

Like a number of LOTR games, this game is a cooperative board game. Players work together to help Frodo and Sam get the ring to Mount Doom. They do so by rolling dice, reacting to cards, fighting Uruk-hai, dodging Nazgul, and overall maneuvering the Fellowship along the treacherous route.

While it’s a simpler LOTR game, we’ve still lost more times than we’ve won. Just begging us to play again.

The Lord of the Rings: Adventure to Mount Doom game review is an article from The Board Game Family

Growing up in Utah, I often heard about the Four Corners. That’s because the Four Corners is the place where the corner borders of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico all meet. In fact, it’s the only location in the United States where four states meet.

Friends would talk about going to the Four Corners where they could be in all four states at the same time by placing their hands and feet in each state (or just laying on the crosshair mark).

So even though that image is firmly planted in my mind when I hear “Four Corners”, the latest game from Calliope Games, named Four Corners, has nothing to do with any of those states.

Instead, the Four Corners board game is a puzzle type game where players race to complete their dealt goals before their opponents complete theirs. They do so by adding and twisting tiles to create different patterns in the play area.

Four Corners board game review is an article from The Board Game Family

Happy Star Wars Day!

To celebrate, we’re diving into a review of another Star Wars family board game – Star Wars: Unlock!

That’s right, the very cool Unlock! escape-room series of games now has a Star Wars themed game – with 3 distinct game adventures. As far as escape-room games go, the Unlock! series have been our favorite. So I was super excited when Asmodee published a Star Wars version.

After having played through all 3 adventures, I’m happy to report that all of them are super fun to play.

Star Wars: Unlock! game review is an article from The Board Game Family

We've played a lot of "escape room" board games and card games over the years. They're full of riddles and puzzles to solve as you cooperatively try to get out of whatever predicament the story has you caught up in.

But rarely do these types of games include actual puzzles to put together!

However, that's exactly the case with Exit: The Game + Puzzle – The Sacred Temple.

In this EXIT game by Kosmos, in addition to the riddles and challenges along the way, you'll put together 4 actual puzzles!

Then you'll look for more riddles/puzzles within those puzzles to progress further on your journey.

If you like puzzles within your puzzles, then read on...

Exit: The Game + Puzzle – The Sacred Temple game review is an article from The Board Game Family

The original Libertalia board game was published 10 years ago (2012) and now there's a new ship on the seas (or in the sky – as is the case with the new theme).

Stonemaier Games recently released this revised and expanded edition of Libertalia with new artwork, 40 characters per player, a reputation system, deluxe loot tokens, and a solo mode.

We owned the original Libertalia and sold it a few years ago in one of our game purges. Now that we've played the new Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest, will it meet the fate of the original and find another home? Or will it find a permanent spot in our game closet?

Let's dive in and see...

Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest board game review is an article from The Board Game Family

Perhaps the first question you'll have when you see our review of Founders of Teotihuacan is "How should I pronounce Teotihuacan?"

Our answer to that is, "However you'd like."

That way you can move right on to the next question, "Is it fun to play?"

And for that we respond, "It depends on what type of fun you like in your board games."

Take a deeper look and see if it's a fit for you and your family.

Founders of Teotihuacan board game review is an article from The Board Game Family