Funko

Over the last few years, Funko and Disney have teamed up to bring us several games based on rides at the Disney theme parks. This one is based on the Haunted Mansion — one of my family’s favorite rides — and while it is a little light on mechanics, these simple games are excellent for family game night. If you love the parks like we do, it’s worth picking these games up for the nostalgia.

There are two versions here, the Disneyland version and the Magic Kingdom version, so make sure you pick the right one depending on which is your favorite park!

Z-Man Games

Now, this may be a little too on the nose, but as a game Pandemic is an excellent cooperative affair for the whole family. The real thing is quite terrible, but the game is a lot of fun. No need to buy a mask.

In this game, you play as the CDC as you strive to cure the world of multiple pandemics. It can be a frustratingly hard game sometimes, but because you are all working as a team, the sting of defeat is lessened by your comrades-in-arms suffering that same defeat along with you.

Gamewright

Happy City is a fun little resource-management game that is simple to play and a really fun way to start your game night. The goal is simple; to make your city the happiest in the game, using different amenities to generate happiness and wealth. 

Ravensburger

Sometimes movie/game tie-ins can be a little lackluster. This Jaws game really understood the assignment. There are two separate parts to the game, and both make sense in terms of the movie. The first part is about trying to stop the shark from eating swimmers, and the second part is on the boat at the end of the movie. It makes for a fun one-versus-all game with great movie references sprinkled throughout.

Iello

If you have a young family, King of Tokyo is an excellent infection vector. You get to play as a giant Kaiju out to destroy Tokyo and you must fight each other for supremacy. 

It’s a simple dice-rolling game where you “spend dice” to buy cards and use those cards to power up your Kaiju. It’s fast and, more importantly, it’s engaging enough for young kids.

Asmodee

Splendor is what I like to call an “amuse-bouche.” It’s one of the games I start a night of gaming with. It’s easy to grasp and leaves your thoughts clear to catch up with your friends before you get into the complex strategy games.

That’s not to say that Splendor doesn’t have its own tactics; it does. The game is just light and fun.

Looney Labs

Now I know this isn’t the biggest savings in the world, but Fluxx is just so good that any discount is reason enough to pick it up. The game is a simple card game with just a few rules: draw one card, play one card. The complexity occurs when you play rules that counteract those first rules, or change the goal of the game, or change seats with the person to your left. It all gets very jumbled, which is what makes it so great.

Libellud

Mysterium is a board game built around imagination and storytelling. One of you is a ghost trying to explain who killed you through the use of picture cards. The rest of the players are paranormal investigators trying to piece it together before you pass over to the “other side.”

It’s a lot of fun, but it plays best with a group of friends who know each other well enough to understand somewhat esoteric meanings behind random pictures.

Ravensburger

Ravensburger can be a hit-and-miss when it comes to board games, though Villainous is one of its better efforts. You play as one of the notorious villains from Disney’s animated movies, and you have to complete your story before those pesky heroes ruin everything.

It’s a lot of fun for anyone who loves Disney, as we do in our house, and there are a lot of expansions too, including Marvel villains.