Each year I write a Father’s Day Gift Guide and this year (2024) I decided to change it up and make it a board game edition. Board games and card games are making a massive comeback with people aiming to spend time off their screens and more time interacting with family and friends. These games were kindly gifted to us to try and these are our favourites with links for you to purchase if interested.
Subbuteo Game [ad]
Subbuteo is a perfect game for Father’s Day. The game comes complete with 20 players, 10 in blue shirts and 10 in red. The idea is that you pick your team and decide your game plan and then you just have to hope that victory will be at your fingertips. Subbuteo is suitable for 8+ and it works as the perfect family game if you can convince them to play!
In addition, this September (2024), the Subbuteo World Cup will take place in Tunbridge Wells which will be a celebration of this iconic game.
Both the Subbuteo Main Game and The England Main Game are available from Amazon, Argos, John Lewis and many independent retailers.
Shuffle Card Games [ad]
I hadn’t heard of “Shuffle” before but I soon realised I had played their card games before. Their games contain themes and they are aimed at many different styles of players. They have a range full of classic games such as ‘Go Fish!’ but just with a twist such as minions or frozen. This allows it to appeal to a whole new generation of players as well as the original market. For Father’s Day I have chosen some of the more classic themes such as Knight Rider and Back to the Future, whilst also loving E.T., Batman and Jaws. I feel their collections and ranges could appeal to most Father’s as there is something for everyone. You can check out their website here.
Outsmarted Board Game [ad]
I originally showcased the “Outsmarted” board game on my TikTok account but I wanted to carry it across to the guide as I truly believe this is a family game that is ideal for everyone. Outsmarted is different to a lot of board games as it uses the power of technology to create such an immersive board game and effectively it turns into hosting your own ‘Live TV Quiz Show’.
In our house we have such a mix of ages so I love that Outsmarted automatically adjusts question difficulty & context to create a level playing field. Ethan is also a fan of this feature as he is a huge sore loser.
Outsmarted’s six ‘core’ question categories are updated constantly and it even includes a Breaking News category which has been designed to have new questions every single week. It allows for the gameto be constantly different and no two weeks of playing it could be the same. I also really like the character pieces and I think they are so quirky and brilliant.
I haven’t ever played a game like it and it just keeps impressing us. It comes already with 6,500 questions across six ‘core’ categories, and you don’t have to be a book lover to know all the answers as it covers everything from TV, movies, and music to sports, and more. It even comes with photos, videos, and song clips!
If you want to give Outsmarted a go for Father’s Day this year you can purchase it via my TikTok Showcase or via Amazon and other retailers.
Lord of The Rings – Race To Mount Doom Board Game [ad]
I have to admit I don’t know much about Lord of The Rings even though I have seen the films. I do know though that this is a popular board game within certain board game circles.
The idea of the game is to Battle foes and evade Sauron’s gaze to save Middle-Earth and take control of a member of the Fellowship and guide them through treacherous terrain. Sail down the Anduin river, witness the fall of Isengard and traverse the very slopes of Mount Doom. It is a game of skill and planning as you need to manage your resources carefully as you make your way across Middle-Earth. Planning out your moves will help you as you prepare for the battles ahead all while avoiding the eye of Sauron. The first player who makes it to Mount Doom wins and you have to make sure that Sauron doesn’t get there first, because otherwise all the players will lose.
For fans of the Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy, Race to Mount Doom makes a great introduction to more strategic focused board games for those who are looking to explore the genre.
To purchase this game it is available in most good toy stores or on Amazon.
Game of Thrones – Sky of Fire [ad]
I have to admit I have never watched GOT as by the time I got around to it, it was too far in and way too complicated. I am assured it is a good series and that this game is one of the best board games there is on the market.
In essence it is a strategy game where dragons mean power so the goal is to get as many dragons as possible to win. To get dragons you must first acquire gold and then use this to buy eggs. These can then be exchanged for dragons! It sounds pretty simple but I am sure there are twists and turns within the game.
If Games of Throne is your dad’s ideal board game then I found it on IWOOT (I Want One Of Those).