Favorite Family Board Games

Our family goes in spurts playing board games. There are times when we play so often that no one bothers to put the games away, instead we leave one or two games stacked in the spare seat at our kitchen table. Then there are the weeks or even months where a single game isn't played.

As Amber has grown, so has the popularity of various games. Instead of the easy, early childhood version we now play the full on, regular versions of everything. Amber has even reached the age where most of the difficult strategy games are now possible. 

There are a few games that will always hold a special place in our hearts, even if they are no longer part of our regular rotation (like The Ladybug Game), not to mention the old favorites from way back when Fred and I were children (Bonkers!). This list is our family's current set of favorite games. 

Our Favorite Boardgames:

• Clue- Amber loved Clue Junior when she was younger and can't get enough of the modern Clue either. It still seems so new fangled compared to my childhood version, but we have fun and Amber has started winning regularly!
   
• Mystery Mansion - My sister had this game when we were growing up, but it required the cardboard treasure to be manually placed in the plastic chests each game. Eventually we just stopped switching the inserts and memorized where the different treasures were located. Then, around the year 2000 my sister gave Fred and me the electronic version of Mystery Mansion as a semi-joke gift. Little did she know Amber would be born a couple years later and grow to love it. We still play Mystery Mansion!
   
• Ticket to Ride - I bought this as a gift for Amber based only on Amazon reviews. It did not disappoint us at all and has provided hours of fun regularly. Amber was a little young when we got it and there was a strategy learning curve for her.  Despite all the other tactics, we still have a blast competing for the longest track.
  
  
• Life - We probably have 3 or 4 versions of this including the standard one. Currently, Amber's favorite is My Little Pony Life, which isn't nearly as irritating as you might think.
  

• Monopoly - Another one of the games where we have multiple branded versions on top of the original game. Again, Amber likes the My Little Pony version. My favorite might just be the Narnia one.
  
  
• Castle Panic - Another game I purchased as a gift for Amber solely on Amazon reviews. It has been a huge hit with the whole family. We've even upgraded it to include the Wizard's tower.
   
• Sorry - Amber LOVES this game and isn't the least bit sorry when she knocks you back to start. However, I'm not terribly fond of this game and it takes a lot to convince me to play Sorry.

• Star Wars Escape from Death Star - This is one of my childhood games from the late 1970's that's still going strong and not at all showing its age. I retrieved the game from my parents' house when Amber was five years old and watching Star Wars for the first time. It's another family favorite.
  
  
• Yahtzee - I taught Amber to play when she was seven years old because she was getting bored during a hot summer.  It's still a family favorite.
   
• Bingo - Amber and I both loved Bingo as young children. Our current set with wooden numbers and a rolling cage is so much more sophisticated than my old late 70's plastic pop-up set.
   

Honorable Mention:

• 221b Baker Street
• Minotaurus
• Eurorails & British Rails

Have any favorite family games? Let us know!