We love games! Surprised? No, we didn’t think so. Our staff doesn’t just love playing games in their spare time, they also love making recommendations for new gamers and veteran gamers looking for something new to try.
We asked a couple of our staff members to give their top recommendation for which game in our library they think you should play on your next visit to The Malted Meeple. Here are their choices:
Wyatt, Assistant Manager: Catan for ages 10+, Monster Match for younger kids
These games are great for families looking to spend time together. With the rise in technology we need social interaction, among families especially. Games are a great way to accomplish this and these games do not require a high skill level, just a willingness to learn.
Catan’s resource management mechanic is a wonderful way to teach life skills and create an awareness of economy. It is easy to learn and keeps your mind engaged.
Monster Match is a great way to engage younger kids with a shared activity that is fast-paced and uses colorful, attractive art. The rules are very simple and you can reinforce counting skills and pattern recognition.
Ellie, Team Member: Telestrations
Telestrations is a game that is fun for people of all ages. It’s perfect for larger groups who don’t necessarily have a ton of experience with board games. Telestrations is a combination of the classic schoolyard game Telephone and the familiar party game Pictionary. It is a fun, creative game for anyone and everyone. Easy to learn and easy to play.
Ellie’s favorite part of Telestrations is that you don’t have to be an accomplished artist to play. In fact, the worse you are at art, the funnier the game is!
Greg, Team Member: Dominion (especially with the Intrigue Expansion)
Dominion is a deck-building game that is great for groups of around 4 players (ages 10+) looking for a slight challenge. It is especially good for people who come from a card game background such as Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh, or other TCG (trading card game). However, it is not difficult to learn if you don’t have any prior experience.
What does Greg love about Dominion? He likes the ever-changing, flowing style of the deck-building mechanic. The game slowly ramps up from choosing one small card for your own advantage and transitions into drafting cards to attack or defend against your opponents to keep them from achieving victory. This game never plays the same way twice and it is fun to try out different strategies each time you play.
Next time you stop in to see us, ask your server to show you one of these games or to recommend their favorite from our shelves. We have over 350 games in our library in various themes, play styles, and group sizes and we are confident we can help you find something you will enjoy!
Maureen McCardel is a game industry veteran and has worked with publishers, designers, and retailers. She loves the logistical side of marketing and events and digging into a good spreadsheet. She is obsessed with circuses and survives on sugar and tea. Her favorite games include Citadels, Lost in R’lyeh, and Here, Kitty, Kitty!