{"id":12807,"date":"2014-11-28T09:00:46","date_gmt":"2014-11-28T09:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/?p=12807"},"modified":"2014-12-02T16:45:56","modified_gmt":"2014-12-02T16:45:56","slug":"unplugged-holiday-guide-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/2014\/11\/28\/unplugged-holiday-guide-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"Unplugged: Holiday Guide 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"unplugged_title\"<\/a>Give the gift of face to face time with a boardgame. \u00a0It\u2019s time once again for me to preach to the masses on the greatness of boardgaming. \u00a0Nothing beats the social aspect of in-person gaming with friends. \u00a0Last year\u2019s run-down<\/a>\u00a0of recommended boardgames was a great success. \u00a0Here again are some great examples of boardgames to get you and your family gaming. \u00a0You might not find all these titles at your local mega-mart but many can be found online or in a friendly local game store. \u00a0Those new to the world of boardgaming may find a bit of a sticker shock as some games are pricier than new release video games, but good boardgames will provide many more hours of entertainment than most video games. \u00a0Boardgames are also relatively timeless so they can be pulled out years from now and provide the same level of enjoyment. \u00a0In that vein, feel free to delve into some past year\u2019s guides for\u00a0\u00a02012<\/a>, 2010<\/a>, or 2009<\/a>. \u00a0For each game I\u2019ve provided the number of players, retail price, and expected time for one game. \u00a0Note that often these games can be found for 20-40% less than the MSRP.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Kids<\/h2>\n

Games suitable for kids old enough to sit still and play, but contain enough interesting activity to entertain adults.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"coconuts\"<\/a>Coconuts \u00a0<\/strong>(2-4p, $36, 20 min)
\nPossibly my favorite game of the year, this crazy dexterity game has players taking turns to use catapult monkeys to launch Milk-dud sized plastic coconuts into cups in the center of the board. \u00a0Success allows one to claim a cup for their own stack. \u00a0First to six cups wins, but watch out for players gunning for your own cups rather than the center ones.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"catan<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Catan: Junior<\/strong> (2-4p, $30, 50 min)
\nPerhaps the best-known modern boardgame is Settlers of Catan. \u00a0This edition slims down the game play with kinder, gentler rules and fewer \u201cfiddly bits\u201d. \u00a0Players try to build pirate bases linked by ships (instead of roads.) \u00a0A great game for kids as young as 4, it serves as a great stepping stone to the full Settlers of Catan game.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"pirates<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pirate’s Blast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(2p, $20, 10 min)<\/p>\n

You haven\u2019t experienced all that kid games have to offer until you\u2019ve spent a few minutes trying to fight off your opponent using basting bulb powered cannons. \u00a0Each player has rubber \u201cbasting\u201d bulb used to \u201cpuff\u201d their pirate ship around the game area. \u00a0After each turn, the opponent gets to try to shoot the enemy ship via a small wooden cube loaded into a cannon and \u201claunched\u201d via a puff of air from their bulb. \u00a0If the enemy ship avoids contact, they get another turn. \u00a0Play proceeds until one player manages to tag their opponents island enough times to steal all their treasure.<\/p>\n

Party<\/h2>\n

The more, the merrier! \u00a0Here are a few games that can accommodate at least 6 players and, unlike some games, tend to be more fun with more players.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"dixit<\/a>Dixit<\/strong> (3-6p <or 3-6 teams>, $35, 30 min)
\nA great twist on the classic Apples to Apples. \u00a0One player (the story-teller) draws a beautifully illustrated card from a deck and then makes up a phrase to describe a single it. \u00a0\u00a0Players then select one of their cards they think best matches the phrase. \u00a0All the cards are placed in the center and players try to guess which card is the storyteller\u2019s. \u00a0The cards are beautiful and have an amazing variety of evocative images.<\/p>\n

\"ultimate<\/a>One Night Ultimate Werewolf<\/strong> (3-10p, $25, 10-30 min)
\nYou may be familiar with the popular group game Werewolf or Mafia. \u00a0A few players in a group are selected as the werewolves\/mafia and then several rounds occur where the wolves eliminate people at \u201cnight\u201d and then all the people vote a new person out of the group. \u00a0The wolves win if they reach a majority of the group, the rest win if all the wolves are eliminated. \u00a0The game is so popular that many variations have been created where each person may be given one of many special villager or werewolf roles. \u00a0One Night Ultimate Werewolf is a spin on the old game, including the special roles, but it doesn\u2019t need a moderator and it plays in one single round. \u00a0A handy, free companion app exists both on iOS<\/a>\u00a0 and Android <\/a>.<\/p>\n

Family<\/h2>\n

As your family gets older, they\u2019ll have more fun with games with a bit more \u201cpunch\u201d. \u00a0Games in this category are playable by most any age level (so even the young ones can participate) but have enough strategy so that the older players have a chance to use strategy to increase their chances of winning.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"king<\/a>King of New York<\/strong> (2-6p, $52, 40 min)
\nKing of Tokyo is my sons\u2019 favorite game. \u00a0Players take on a role of a monster with some minor special powers and then roll dice, somewhat Yahtzee style, in order to score points, earn energy to buy more powers, attack other players, or heal up. \u00a0The game lasts until all but one player is eliminated (usually) or one player scores 20 points (less often.) \u00a0King of New York is the sequel, providing much of the same dice-rolling gameplay, but adds in a bit more strategy through the presence of multiple game locations as well as buildings to smash and armies to defeat. \u00a0Players earn points for bumping off buildings and armies, but need to stay weary of both other monsters and of army attacks. \u00a0The series are dice rolling games that are family fun, approachable by younger players, and are quick to play. \u00a0Fans of the first game as well as parents of pre-teens or older will appreciate the slightly more strategic sequel, King of New York.<\/p>\n

\"tortuga<\/a>Tortuga<\/strong> (2-4p, $50, 30 min)
\nA favorite of my two young boys, Tortuga is a pirate themed game with a dice placement mechanic. \u00a0Players roll their dice (each face has a symbol and numerical rating), setting aside at least one each turn by placing them on the appropriate spot on the game board. \u00a0Once all players\u2019 dice have been rolled, the board spaces are evaluated. \u00a0The player with the highest total at each space gets to perform that action, while the second place player gets a minor bonus. \u00a0The goal of the game is to draft treasures off one\u2019s island, push them through their pirate loading crew, and then carry them via ship to their stash. \u00a0Game spaces add new treasures at one\u2019s island, allow invasions of other player\u2019s pirates or ships, or replenish one\u2019s supplies of ships and pirates. \u00a0The whole game works well as a family game. \u00a0There is a bit of strategy, but between the random die rolls and the ability of players to \u201cgang up\u201d on others the game allows everyone at least a chance to come out a winner. \u00a0Due to the \u201cpick-on-the-leader\u201d nature of the end game, I don\u2019t recommended it for older or experienced gamers, but even young school aged kids can play (and it is far and above better than anything you\u2019d find for that age group at Mega-Mart.)<\/p>\n

\"mad<\/a>Mad City<\/strong> (1-6p, $35, 20-30 min)
\nA very fast-playing tile placement game. \u00a0Each player is dealt a stack of 9 tiles and must make a 3×3 square within the time limit. \u00a0After the time limit ends, players evaluate their scores. \u00a0Tiles display symbols of several colors and points are scored for each separate colored area, based on the number of connected symbols present. \u00a0The first player to complete their grid scores bonus points for parks and lakes, but the rest of the players get to use the rest of the time to continue to optimize their layout. \u00a0The game is simple to explain, plays fast, and its semi-solo competition prevents hard feelings that might occur in games where one child attacks another.<\/p>\n

Family Strategy<\/h2>\n

These are great games for most families – or a group of adults looking for a medium-weight game to play casually around the table to end an evening. These are a notch up in complexity kid\u2019s or party games, but are simple enough for teens or preteens to enjoy.<\/em>
\n
\n\"kemble's\"<\/a>The Battle at Kemble\u2019s Cascade<\/strong> \u00a0(1-5p, $50, 45+ min)
\nMy favorite game of the year is pure nostalgia. \u00a0Remember those old shoot-em-up arcade games? \u00a0This boardgame is a faithful recreation of that experience. \u00a0Players take on the role of a space ship, slowly equipping it with more and better weapons and equipment. \u00a0Meanwhile they are piloting their ships through a board made of 4 rows of cards. \u00a0Each round, the bottom row is removed and a new one is created at the top. \u00a0In this way, the board \u201cscrolls\u201d past the players. \u00a0Players can shoot up ships and items on the board to earn points and money. \u00a0Shooting other players is allowed, of course, and the biggest source of points is when other players die – everyone still on the board scores 2 points. \u00a0Dieing is no big deal, as no upgrades are lost, and the player returns to the field on their very next turn. \u00a0Just like the old arcade games, there is a giant \u201cboss\u201d ship in the last few lines of the board which needs to be fought before the end of the game. \u00a0While it might not appeal to every boardgaming fan, it is a worthy boardgame for anyone who has the slightest nostalgia for arcade shooters. \u00a0(Although my young boys demonstrate that any fan of spaceships will also appreciate the game.)<\/p>\n

\"roll<\/a>Roll Through the Ages: Iron Age<\/strong> (1-4p, $45, 30-45 min)
\nOne Holy Grail of boardgaming is to create that sort of civilization-building experienced seen in Advanced Civilization (the boardgame inspiration for PC Civ games) but in a much more reasonable time frame. \u00a0Roll Through the Ages: Iron Age does a fairly good job of capturing the fun of developing a nation in a short 30 minutes of dice rolling. \u00a0Players can pursue one of two routes – growing ports or creating provinces – both of which increase the number of dice one can roll. \u00a0Ports provide goods which can be used to buy new developments (special abilities) while provinces provide armies which can go to war for points. \u00a0However, provinces must be fed food each round. \u00a0Players have three tries to reroll their basic dice which provide food, goods, instant \u201ccash\u201d, and people. \u00a0One special die provides and \u201cevent\u201d and it can be rerolled as well. If a skull is ever rolled on a die, it must be saved and a disaster occurs that cost points. \u00a0At the end of the game points are scored for developments, monuments (built with rolled workers), armies, and conquests. \u00a0It doesn\u2019t have the depth of a long civilization game, but it packs an impressive amount of civ-building in a short period of time.<\/p>\n

\"splendor<\/a>Splendor<\/strong> (2-4p, $40, 30 min)
\nPlayers purchase gems (displayed in three rows) to create the best collection. \u00a0On a turn, a player may take 3 different color chips, two of the same color, or use one\u2019s chips to buy a gem card. \u00a0Each gem card has a different listed price (ex: 1 blue, 1 green, and 2 red) but when purchased provides a \u201cbonus\u201d gem value, reducing all further purchases including that color. \u00a0Players continue purchasing cards, with cards in more expensive rows worth more points. \u00a0The first player to reach 15 points wins. \u00a0The game is somewhat abstract (the theme is not a strong one), and I\u2019m not yet positive of the depth of strategy available. \u00a0However, I am impressed at how much of a gem-buying engine I can construct in such a short game.<\/p>\n

Serious Gamer<\/h2>\n

These are games for the more serious boardgamer. \u00a0These have a few more rules and take a bit longer to play. \u00a0However, they can be the most satisfying games to play for those willing to spend the time sitting at the table.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"nations<\/a>Nations \u00a0<\/strong>(1-5p, $100, 120 min)
\nThe longest of this guide\u2019s recommended games, Nations is an involved Civilization building game, but also provides a satisfying Civilization-type experience. \u00a0Players start with some basic abilities but then can buy cards from a central tableau to adjust and upgrade their abilities. \u00a0These abilities must then be activated by spending ore to place a worker (a limited resource) on the card. These cards improve a player\u2019s income of resources and points. \u00a0The game plays over 8 rounds, with some scoring and more powerful cards appearing every other round. \u00a0In addition to improvements, cards can be purchased that provide an advisor or colonies (which provide ongoing bonuses), wars, and monument cards. \u00a0Monuments are the most powerful cards, typically with ongoing effects. \u00a0However, monuments need to be built over time with significant amounts of ore. \u00a0One aspect I appreciate about Nations is the use of armies and warfare. \u00a0Rather than direct aggression, a player who sacrifices production for a large army gains indirect benefits. \u00a0This avoids the problem of constant attacks on the weakest player. \u00a0Not all the cards are used in any one game, giving each game an individual feel. \u00a0The game also comes with basic, advanced, and expert cards with more advanced cards providing more complex interactions. \u00a0The game also has a fun solo mode where one plays against a set of randomized tiles that represent a \u201cprogrammed\u201d opponent. \u00a0While the game has pieces for up to five players, I highly recommend capping it at 4 due to its increased length with more players. \u00a0While I have not fully explored the varied strategies and experiences found within the game, I look forward to continued plays.<\/p>\n

\"five<\/a>Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala<\/strong> \u00a0(2-4p, $60, 60 min)
\nUsing an innovative Mancala-type mechanism, Five Tribes is a beautifully produced strategy game of collecting and placing little workers. \u00a0The board consists of a randomized grid of tiles on which are placed three workers (commonly called Meeples). \u00a0During their turn, a player picks up all the meeples on a tile and then deposits them one worker per space (Mancala-style) as they move around the board. \u00a0Players must deposit their last worker on a space containing one or more matching meeples. \u00a0Depending on the color of the last meeple placed, an action is performed. \u00a0The more same-colored meeples on the final spot, the more powerful the action. \u00a0If the removal of the meeples leave the tile empty, additional points or advantages are scored. \u00a0The game is interesting due to the variety of actions that can occur – depending on the color of meeples removed. \u00a0Some provide instant points, some give points later, and some provide resources of another type. \u00a0One color allows the purchase of a Djinn tile, which gives a player new ways to bend the rules in specific ways. \u00a0The various types of Djinns (only a small fraction are seen each game) give the game its style and keeps it interesting. \u00a0The game\u2019s primary drawback lies in the large number of options on a player\u2019s turn. \u00a0Some players may find it initially overwhelming and it can quickly bog the game down in slow decisions. \u00a0If played quickly, it remains an entertaining game full of fun options.<\/p>\n

\"villany<\/a>Villainy<\/b> (3-4p, $50, 60 min)
\nVillainy would normally miss my top suggestion list, but it\u2019s theme requires a mention. \u00a0Players take on the role of a villain and try to amass henchmen and other improvements in order to carry out their grand villainous plan. \u00a0The theme is quite strong, players are given a nifty little board full of dials with which to keep track of their people. \u00a0This board is appropriately decorated with switches and lights that fit in with the dials to make a great looking villain lair. \u00a0It falls square in the gamer-game category due to its length, however the mechanics may fail to be sufficiently strategic for a more seasoned gamer. \u00a0This results in a fun game for those who are going to enjoy the theme as they play, but a milder recommendation to those who are not already predisposed to the theme.<\/p>\n

\"castles<\/a>Castles of Mad King Ludwig<\/strong> (1-4p, $60, 90 min)
\nIn Castles of Mad King Ludwig, players attempt to create the ultimate castle (by scoring points.) \u00a0Players acquire rooms which must then be assembled in such a way as to maximize their scoring. \u00a0The trick in this game lies in how new rooms are acquired. \u00a0Each round, the active player sets a price for each available piece and players then either purchase a piece (giving the cash to the active player) or pass and receive more cash from the bank. \u00a0The game continues until the pile of rooms is exhausted, and players score what they built. \u00a0It is a fun game that requires a bit of spatial planning. \u00a0However, many of the rooms give special bonuses so the active player needs to keep track of many details when trying to set their prices. \u00a0To me, it has the feel of a family strategy game, but I place it in the gamer-game category due to the need to keep track of the many interactions of rooms on the board.<\/p>\n

Stocking<\/h2>\n

Got a bit of space left in the toe of your sock over the fireplace? \u00a0Here\u2019s a couple of great small games that come with a small price to boot.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"animal<\/a>Animal upon Animal: Small and Yet Great<\/a><\/strong> (2p, $7, 15 min)
\nThis kid\u2019s dexterity game is also fun for adults. \u00a0Players take turns stacking small animals upon a central crocodile figure. \u00a0Knock some over and you have to pick them up. \u00a0The first person to run out of pieces wins. \u00a0This is a nice, tiny implementation of the popular Animal upon Animal line of games. \u00a0The box is small, but you could put the pieces in a bag and carry them easily in your pocket.<\/p>\n

\"hanabi<\/a>Hanabi<\/strong> (2-5p, $11, 20-30 min)
\nA cooperative card game for those who love games like Clue or Mastermind. \u00a0The deck consists of cards displaying numbers 1 to 5 in five different colors. \u00a0The game\u2019s unique gimmick lies in how player hold their cards – visible only to the other players. \u00a0The players must help each other out in order to place the cards in five central piles in the correct sequence. \u00a0On a turn, a player may play a card, provide another player a hint about their card(s), or discard. \u00a0A hint must either indicate all cards of the same color or of the same number in another player\u2019s hand. For example, if I tell you that you have one 4 and there is only one pile showing a 3, you might surmise that I want you to play the card on the exposed 3. \u00a0Hints are initially limited, but discarding a card grants the team back another hint. \u00a0There are duplicates of some, but not all cards so players must be careful about what they discard. \u00a0The game is \u201clost\u201d after the third incorrect play (a card placed on the wrong stack or in the wrong order.) \u00a0It is very hard to \u201cwin\u201d the game, but it is fun to try. \u00a0Not a game for players who hate to think, but an easy hit for those who like logic or deduction games.<\/p>\n

Role Playing Games<\/h2>\n

Role Playing Games have surged in popularity in the past couple of years. If someone in your life shows a leaning towards imagination, creativity, or storytelling, an introduction to the world of role playing games might be in order. Here are a few examples spanning a wide variety of types and recommended ages.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"D&D<\/a>Dungeons and Dragons: 5th edition
\n<\/strong>The big news from Wizards of the Coast is the newest edition of Dungeons and Dragons. \u00a0This 5th edition takes a few of the innovations of the 4th edition but attempts to capture the simplicity and faster game play of earlier editions. \u00a0The easiest way to get to know the system is through the Starter Set ($20) – a box set containing a basic manual of rules, an adventure, and a set of premade characters (even set up so they can \u201clevel up\u201d during the adventure.) \u00a0The rules book in the starter set also serves as a great rules reference for gamers who end up buying the entire 3 rule book set. \u00a0The Player\u2019s Handbook, the Monster Manual, and the Dungeon Master\u2019s Guide ($50 MSRP for each book) form the complete set of source books for the new system. \u00a0Along with the new rules release, two linked adventure modules (Hoard of the Dragon Queen, The Rise of Tiamat – $30 MSRP each) form a \u201cfirst adventure\u201d taking characters all the way up to level 14 or 15. \u00a0While all these books seem pricey (they can be found cheaper) what should catch peoples\u2019 eyes is the entirely FREE PDFs of the basic rules http:\/\/dnd.wizards.com\/articles\/features\/basicrules. \u00a0Yes, anyone can download all the rules for creating characters and running games for absolutely nothing. \u00a0Only four core character classes are provided, with one \u201cflavor\u201d of each one. \u00a0However, there is information on the classes and spells all the way to 20th level. \u00a0The one omission is in any example \u201cmonsters\u201d – although information is provided on how to design your own. \u00a0The free rules can easily be used with published adventures, at least until your group gets into the game enough to want to spring for the books.<\/p>\n


\n\"emerald<\/a>Pathfinder
\n<\/strong>The currently, the most popular RPG is Pathfinder – a rules set with its initial beginnings in the 3.5 edition of Dungeons and Dragons. \u00a0While several supplements have been released this year, my favorite is the huge adventure, The Emerald Spire Superdungeon<\/a>. \u00a0This adventure takes characters from 1st to 13th level through 16 different large levels of a dungeon – each level was written by a different luminary from the RPG game world. \u00a0The entire 160 page adventure is $25 in PDF form, but in Paizo tradition there are additional things on offer for those with more money than time. \u00a0For $80 ($56 for PDF) one can get eight double-sided Paizo Flip-Mats covering all 16 dungeon levels. \u00a0These mats are excellent quality, laminated to repel wet and dry erase markers. \u00a0If that isn\u2019t enough, Campaign Cards ($11) are available which have pictures of NPCs, write-ups of important magic items, and cards that summarize important quests in the adventure. \u00a0While dungeon crawls aren\u2019t for everyone, fans of the genre will have plenty to push through with this mega-adventure.<\/p>\n

\"FateCoreBookCover\"<\/a>Fate Core
\n<\/strong>Lately, there has been a movement for role-playing games to emphasize the storytelling aspects and lower the importance of rolling dice. \u00a0The Fate Core rules (available as PDF<\/a> – name your own price, $5 suggested) emphasize storytelling with a few lightweight rules for adding in dice rolls for additional tension. \u00a0I love the system\u2019s primary goal for players and game masters: \u201cMake everyone look awesome!\u201d \u00a0Other than storytelling the two main mechanics rely on \u201cFudge Dice\u201d (six sided dice with +, -, and blank faces) and on Fate Tokens. \u00a0To perform an action, players roll four dice and add up the plusses, subtract the minuses, and add in bonuses they have for any appropriate skill. \u00a0The more total plus signs rolled, the more impressive their success. \u00a0(Lots of minuses result in spectacular failures.) \u00a0The Fate Tokens are tied to players\u2019 chosen aspects (like \u201ctempted by shiny things\u201d). \u00a0\u00a0Players gain a Fate Token whenever their aspect requires them to perform a detrimental action. \u00a0Players can use Fate Tokens whenever they can use their aspect to accomplish something useful. \u00a0If you want a pleasant evening based around storytelling and don\u2019t want to be bogged down by details of combat, \u00a0Fate Core (and the many available settings and supplement books) just might be the thing for which you\u2019re looking.<\/p>\n

\"realm<\/a>Lone Wolf Development
\n<\/strong>Technically not an \u201cunplugged\u201d element, but gamers looking to use the magic of the computer to help run their role playing games should check out Lone Wolf Development<\/a>.\u00a0 They make the Realm Works ($50) software which has a plethora of tools for a game master to create a world and manage stories and adventures. \u00a0Hero Lab is their program for players looking to manage their character creation and progression. \u00a0For $30, gamers are given access to one game system, as well as several free-to-use systems. \u00a0Systems include Pathfinder, Savage Worlds, Mutants and Masterminds, 4th Edition D&D (one of the free ones), as well as the ability to make a custom system. I found the program to be easy to use, but the ongoing costs of continuing to purchase digital rights to newly published Pathfinder material prohibitive. \u00a0The other systems were not as pricey. \u00a0The best feature of the system is the freely downloadable iOS program (currently only Pathfinder rules.) \u00a0While anyone can use the app for free, its best features kick in when one also owns the Hero Lab program.<\/p>\n

Other<\/h2>\n

Finally we come to the \u201cother\u201d category, typically a catch-all of things amusing to me that aren\u2019t quite boardgames. \u00a0This year my favorite non-game item <\/a>was our family\u2019s interest in toppling dominoes.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"haba<\/a>Two good candidates are the HABA Domino Race Set<\/a> ($75 for 240 dominoes) or Domino Rally ($22 for 150 dominoes). \u00a0While the HABA set is a bit pricier, it\u2019s made of wonderful wooden pieces that are great for building or knocking down, the type of toy that will survive for grandchildren to use. \u00a0The Domino Rally set is much less expensive, the pieces are smaller and lighter, and made of plastic. However, the Domino Rally set has several \u201cset\u201d pieces like loops and other tricks that make it easy to set up some cool effects. \u00a0Both options are good choices. It depends on your situation.<\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/h2>\n

No matter what toys and presents the holidays bring, be sure to keep time in your schedule for playing with friends and family. While the games here come highly recommended to provide fun for a wide range of players, there are plenty other choices available. \u00a0Ask your local game store, check some of our past recommendations, or swing by the BoardGameGeek Gift Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Matt Carlson writes about boardgames for GamerDad.com<\/a> and OpinionatedGamers.com<\/a>. \u00a0He has one of the first YouTube channels on science at www.YouTube.com\/ScienceTheater<\/a>\u00a0and can be followed on Twitter<\/a> under the username: ScienceTheater<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Give the gift of face to face time with a boardgame. \u00a0It\u2019s time once again for me to preach to the masses on the greatness of boardgaming. \u00a0Nothing beats the social aspect of in-person gaming with friends. \u00a0Last year\u2019s run-down\u00a0of recommended boardgames was a great success. \u00a0Here again are some great examples of boardgames to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-unplugged-miscellaneous"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12807"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12807\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12866,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12807\/revisions\/12866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}