Five Games, All Unboxed, None Played YetSPIEL Essen 2026: our haul
Our SPIEL Essen 2026 haul: Drillers, -60°, Night at the Zoo, Karak: Labyrinth and Take Time. What they are, and how each one ended up in our bag.
Board games for families of all kinds.
We're a pretty regular Berlin family: two designers, two daughters (6 and 10), one kitchen table. We test games for families of every shape: rainbow families, single parents, blended families, couples, roommates, grandparents, chosen family.
- And for two.
- Honest
- Board game reviews
Fresh off the table
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Eight Halls, One Day, Zero Time to Discover Anything NewSPIEL Essen 2026
SPIEL Essen 2026, just the two of us: big, loud, packed. Which halls are worth it, the best moment of the day and what we'd do differently next year.
Family Game NightYes. Sometimes. When, and Why Not?Letting kids win at board games
Should you let kids win at board games? No study has ever tested it. What research knows anyway, why secretly losing is tricky and what we do at bedtime.
Date Night9 Card Games That Actually Work With TwoThe best 2 player card games
The best 2 player card games from our own shelf: true duels, quick pocket games and a co-op adventure, plus an honest word on what falls flat with two.
Family Game NightThe Ferret First. Kängusaurus Rex Never.Mindbug through the eyes of our 10-year-old
Our 10-year-old explains her favorite and least favorite Mindbug cards: why she loves sneaky creatures and can't stand the big wipe-out cards.
- Card gameTwo-player
One Card Face Up, One Face Down. Which Do You Take?Agent Avenue
Agent Avenue is a quick bluffing duel from the makers of Mindbug. Why it works so well for two, plays from age 6, and still doesn't quite match Mindbug.
On our radar
SPIEL Essen runs October 22–25. These are the new releases on our radar for a table with a 6-year-old and a 10-year-old, plus three for the grown-ups.
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On our radar
Our Watch List for a 6-Year-Old and a 10-Year-OldSPIEL Essen 2026
SPIEL Essen runs October 22–25. These are the new releases on our radar for a table with a 6-year-old and a 10-year-old, plus three for the grown-ups.
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One email, now and then: what hit our table, what flopped, and what the kids actually wanted to play again.