As we count down the days to the summer holidays (not soon enough!), it seems only right to start to think about what fun – and more importantly, games – we can get up to over those long weeks ahead.

Luckily, with a little help from our chums Hachette Boardgames UK, we’ve got a great big stack of games for you to pick from, all very reasonably priced – and, of course, you can win the lot!

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FLOW

(RRP: £31.99)

Inspired by the gorgeous, Oscar-winning animation, FLOW is a co-operative tile placement game for 1-4 that can be played incredibly quickly by anyone 8+ (or probably even younger). You aim to get your four animals from the corners to the boat at the centre, laying tiles to makes paths (I was immediately reminded of Pipedreams!), constantly battling against the clock (the game comes with a 1 minute QR-code timer) as your efforts get swept away. It ends up making you ultra-focused, with plenty of scalable difficulty, from extra obstacles to having to play in silence. Whilst it’s a very rapid game, there’s plenty of replayability; it’s also ideal as a warm-up or cool down from a night’s gaming.

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MICRO-MACRO JIGSAW: THE FUNFAIR

(RRP: £20)

When asked what I wanted to do for Father’s Day, this was my choice: building a puzzle that challenges the whole family just enough without being too frustrating, and has a boardgame element as well. The “adult” Micro-Macros are murder mysteries, intricate pictures that are the Where’s Wally of crime. This is aimed much more as something for everyone, though they are some gloriously sly movie references in there (some less subtle than others!); and once you’ve built the puzzle itself, there’s 53 characters and secrets to find hiding within it. It means there’s something to do even after you’ve finished: perfect for stretching out over a few days in the summer on the table, or really occupying a rainy day in full.

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QUORIDOR: PACMAN EDITION

(RRP: £35.99)

Now if you’re not familiar with Quoridor, you’re missing out. Whilst it sits at the “traditional” end of modern boardgames – generally abstract with wooden board and pieces – it’s a hugely enjoyable puzzler where you race to move and block your opponent with walls whilst trying to escape yourself. Pacman is a natural fit for this which never feels forced as an IP; it lends itself so well to the concept and design aesthetic, whilst also digging deep into that retro arcade vibe. It’s another great choice for bridging the generations and bringing in the non-gamers, as it doesn’t really feel like a boardgame in the modern sense; that doesn’t mean it isn’t, it just helps it feel more accessible. A little bigger and heavier (physically, that is) than the others, it’s a perfect staycation option or just to add to your library generally.

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COURTISANS

(RRP: £19.99)

Now it can be a challenge to find something portable and satisfying for the more dedicated gamer. Whilst Courtisans isn’t heavy per se, it is utterly ruthless and cut-throat, as the different family suits vie for a seat at the Queen’s table. Each turn you must play 3 cards: 1 to yourself, 1 to an opponent, and 1 either above or below the table; at the end, the value of all the cards is either added (based on the number of a suit above) or subtracted (based on those below). However, different family members can do different things – Assassins strike to remove a card where they’re played, Spies are played facedown, Guards are safe from removal, and so on – and each player will also have objectives they are secretly working towards (for example, scoring for disgraced rather than honoured families). The trick, of course, is to do enough to win without revealing your strategy, making this a savage little game indeed. With its beautiful card art, elegant cloth table-runner board, and slick gameplay, this is an absolute winner!

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GIVEAWAY TIME!

So, we’re giving you the chance to win this summer stack! Huge thanks to our chums at Hachette UK. Head over to @big_geekingout on Instagram to enter, and as usual, you can get yourself FIVE bonus entries right here – just tell us in the comments below which one of these has caught your eye!

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The Writer of this piece was: Sam Graven
Article Archive: Geeking Out
You can follow Sam on Instagram at @big_geekingout

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