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Any recs for cooperative games suitable for kids? Have just started playing Forbidden Island with the kids, and they love it, but Burgle Bros is a bit too compl

Any recs for cooperative games suitable for kids? Have just started playing Forbidden Island with the kids, and they love it, but Burgle Bros is a bit too complicated for them.

sams99 9y ago
really depends on age, my 5/8 year olds love 5 minute dungeon, very simple and quite fun. hanabi is a bit too tricky for them. codenames pictures 2 players is cooperative cause you play against "the computer" and is quite fun.
- StavrosK 9y ago
  What's this codenames variant you mention? The two player mode described in the booklet?
  - germinalphrase 9y ago
    We recently picked up Codenames Duet - which has some small but effective mechanic changes for two people. There is also a 'campaign' mode for repeatability. That said, to play with kids - we found Codenames Pictures to be much more acceasible. Kids didn't have the vocabulary to play the word-based version without slowing down/needing help regularly. The pictures versions solved that.
    - StavrosK 9y ago
      Thanks for the Codenames Duet tip, that looks great for two people! I do prefer Pictures myself too, as I think it lets you be more imaginative.
GlennS 9y ago
How about Hanabi? Quite easy to learn, but tricky to be good at. https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/98778/hanabi https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/98778/hanabi
fujiters 9y ago
Forbidden Desert has similar game mechanics but is sufficiently different from Forbidden Island to be worth getting as well.
- wiredfool 9y ago
  My family has found that Forbidden Island is far more fun than Forbidden Desert. (Obv, ymmv). We just don't feel the need to have both of them, so one has been relocated to the grandparents house.
  - throwaway7645 9y ago
    I found the opposite to be true.
  - gmiller123456 9y ago
    I have both, I liked Forbidden Island more, and my GF and her son both like Forbidden Desert more. I think the main difference is Desert involves a lot more luck, you can't really plan ahead much because the game could change considerably on one play. So Island would appeal to people that like to plan ahead, and Desert would appeal more to people who like chaos and drama.
EtienneK 9y ago
Have a look at Stuffed Fables [1] being released really soon (February 1st, I think). [1]: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233312/stuffed-fables https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233312/stuffed-fables
wiredfool 9y ago
Castle Panic is pretty fun for a kids cooperative game. All of you are defending the castle from an onslaught of baddies coming in from the forest. Everyone gets cards each round to spend/trade that can damage/kill/repair with various restrictions. As with a lot of cooperative games, it starts easyish, and then things get harder.
- wiredfool 9y ago
  And for a non-cooperative game, Munchkin. It's all fun and games till someone tries to win, and then everyone gangs up on them. The monsters are really silly, some of them are internet jokes, e.g. the one of the monsters is a Dread Gazebo.
mattcwilson 9y ago
Mysterium is great for a family with 8+ year olds. Varying the difficulty or length I bet you could enjoy it with 5-7 year olds too. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181304/mysterium https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181304/mysterium
SamPatt 9y ago
I second the Castle Panic recommendation.

Any recs for cooperative games suitable for kids? Have just started playing Forbidden Island with the kids, and they love it, but Burgle Bros is a bit too complicated for them.

sams99 9y ago

really depends on age, my 5/8 year olds love 5 minute dungeon, very simple and quite fun. hanabi is a bit too tricky for them. codenames pictures 2 players is cooperative cause you play against "the computer" and is quite fun.

StavrosK 9y ago
What's this codenames variant you mention? The two player mode described in the booklet?
- germinalphrase 9y ago
  We recently picked up Codenames Duet - which has some small but effective mechanic changes for two people. There is also a 'campaign' mode for repeatability. That said, to play with kids - we found Codenames Pictures to be much more acceasible. Kids didn't have the vocabulary to play the word-based version without slowing down/needing help regularly. The pictures versions solved that.
  - StavrosK 9y ago
    Thanks for the Codenames Duet tip, that looks great for two people! I do prefer Pictures myself too, as I think it lets you be more imaginative.

GlennS 9y ago

How about Hanabi? Quite easy to learn, but tricky to be good at. https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/98778/hanabi https://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/98778/hanabi

fujiters 9y ago

Forbidden Desert has similar game mechanics but is sufficiently different from Forbidden Island to be worth getting as well.

wiredfool 9y ago
My family has found that Forbidden Island is far more fun than Forbidden Desert. (Obv, ymmv). We just don't feel the need to have both of them, so one has been relocated to the grandparents house.
- throwaway7645 9y ago
  I found the opposite to be true.
- gmiller123456 9y ago
  I have both, I liked Forbidden Island more, and my GF and her son both like Forbidden Desert more. I think the main difference is Desert involves a lot more luck, you can't really plan ahead much because the game could change considerably on one play. So Island would appeal to people that like to plan ahead, and Desert would appeal more to people who like chaos and drama.

EtienneK 9y ago

Have a look at Stuffed Fables [1] being released really soon (February 1st, I think). [1]: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233312/stuffed-fables https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233312/stuffed-fables

wiredfool 9y ago

Castle Panic is pretty fun for a kids cooperative game. All of you are defending the castle from an onslaught of baddies coming in from the forest. Everyone gets cards each round to spend/trade that can damage/kill/repair with various restrictions. As with a lot of cooperative games, it starts easyish, and then things get harder.

wiredfool 9y ago
And for a non-cooperative game, Munchkin. It's all fun and games till someone tries to win, and then everyone gangs up on them. The monsters are really silly, some of them are internet jokes, e.g. the one of the monsters is a Dread Gazebo.

mattcwilson 9y ago

Mysterium is great for a family with 8+ year olds. Varying the difficulty or length I bet you could enjoy it with 5-7 year olds too. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181304/mysterium https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181304/mysterium

SamPatt 9y ago

I second the Castle Panic recommendation.