- 2 players
- Access+
- Draw the Line
- Education
- Family
- Friends
- Fun Facts
- Games
- Kids
- Klask
- Seasonal Favorites
- Skull
- Splendor
- Ticket to Ride
- Top Ten
- Unlock!
- Who's playing?
To wrap 2022, instead of your standard “best of … year in review,” we thought we’d feature something a little more personal and give you a glimpse into the team that brings you the great content on social, our websites, in our newsletters and on this blog. So, we’re sharing a bit about ourselves and highlighting the games from 2022 that we love.
Like you, some of us are die-hard board game fans; some of us don’t play much at all (yet ?), and many of us fall somewhere in between. With that said, read on to learn a little bit about who we are and what we play.
The Team
Arielle
Communication and Social Media Specialist, our digital platform expert! Mom to a sweet puppy and a koala cat.
Bruno
PR and Communications Coordinator, an avid sports fan and fan of local football team, Rouge et Or. Dad to a beautiful little pug!
Emily
PR and Communications Specialist, translator extraordinaire and grammar pro. Artist in her spare time and proud mom of two boys.
Eugénie
Superb Graphic Designer and multi-talented artist. Future mother of chickens (if she can change her neighbourhood zoning bylaws).
Isabelle
Marketing Director, tireless leader, avid skier, who would rather hit the slopes than hit the budgets.
Jordana
Trade Marketing & Communications Specialist, an information goldmine, woman of many talents. Mother of three.
Kalinda
Product Specialist, disseminator of information. Unconditionally loves Excel and Star Wars. Mom to a 4-year-old, a husky, and a fluffy cat.
Maxime
Head of the graphics team, quick as lightning. Proud papa of a little girl and looking forward to another little one on the way.
Mélanie P.
Direct from France, Mélanie P. is the team’s newest addition. Responsible for events and partnerships, Mélanie brings extensive knowledge of the global board game industry. She is also the mom of a puppy.
Melanie W.
Marketing Manager, and the one who unites the team, making sure everyone has what they need to thrive. Mom of two boys and two puppies.
Sonia
Webmaster who is constantly learning, meticulous information seeker. Mom of a teenager.
Tommy
E-commerce expert, talented singer, die-hard fan and collector of Pokémon Funko Pop and Harry Potter!
Games for Little Ones
Several team members have kids, but few of us have young children. However, two games for little kids managed to make it into our top ten!
Box Monster
Kalinda and Maxime’s Pick
The Game
A game that is played right inside the box! The monster has eaten everything in the house! You have to get things out of his mouth before he gets sick. A cooperative game where everyone plays together to achieve the objectives.
Why We Love It:
Kalinda: “My son had a huge smile when he got this game! ‘MOM! Let’s put our hands in the monster’s mouth! WOW!’ And, when the monster eats all sorts of things—including my son’s favorite: grandma—it makes for a hilarious game that not only develops his speed, but also his ability to identify objects, just by touching them.”
Maxime: “A cooperative game for the whole family. My nieces and nephews love to play this cute game. The level of difficulty is flexible, which is a plus with young children.”
Mysterium Kids—Captain Echo’s Treasure
Kalinda’s Pick
The Game
Can you identify an object by sound alone? That’s the premise of this game. Couldn’t be easier, right? A cat’s claws, a broom, a toothbrush…. It’s up to you to guess what is being played on the tambourine.
Why We Love It:
Kalinda: “The first time I played it with my son, he loved it right away! He is very good at making the sounds and very proud of himself when we guess the correct card!”
Ticket to Ride—Ghost Train
Jordana’s Pick
Why We Love It:
“We are a Ticket to Ride household. We love every version of the game, but the introduction of this super-fun spooky-themed edition was a highlight of our year! The artwork and the wagon pieces are so beautiful and perfectly themed to the game. The small adjustments to the gameplay are great additions and make the experience feel brand new. We love any game we can play together, as a family, but the TTR + spooky theme combo feel like they were made especially for us!”
Games for the Whole Family
Family games appeal to all age groups and all types of players. Whether you actually play with your family, or with friends, these games are accessible to all, even those that are classified as for “advanced players.”
Challengers!
Bruno’s Pick
The Game
A fast-paced deck-building game, where the goal is to be the king of the mountain at the end of several epic battles. Good strategy and a little luck will lead you to victory!
Why We Love It:
Bruno: “It’s a fast-paced, super fun game! What’s great is that it can be played in a large group, and you don’t have to wait for your turn because everyone plays at the same time!”
Coatl — The Card Game
Maxime’s Pick
The Game
A fast paced, yet highly strategic card game without being too complex. Create combinations that match the objectives. You can even steal an opponent’s objectives if you want to!
Why We Love It:
Maxime:“A quick and extremely colorful game that combines strategy and flexibility. It is a game that allows you to have a new experience each time you play. We love fast games, because the routine doesn’t always allow for long games.”
Maui
Eugénie’s Pick
The Game
Relax on the beach, but make sure you place your towels correctly to score the most points. Be careful, some places are more popular than others.
Why We Love It:
Eugénie: “The game dynamics are excellent; I was counting the days until it came in! I love when a game is simple and still requires a bit of strategy. The game play of 30 to 45 minutes is perfect! You have time to become immersed in your game and you can still go about your business when it’s over.”
Splendor Duel
Emily, Isabelle, Mélanie P., Jordana, and Kalinda’s Pick!
The game: A version of the popular Splendor, specifically designed for two players. Strategic depth, agonizing choices, and the taste of revenge at the end of the game.
Why We Love It (we really love it!):
Emily: “Because I LOVE Splendor and I could not resist this version, which I’ve heard so many wonderful things about! Who wants to play with me?!”
Isabelle: “I love Splendor, and the 2-player version takes it to a whole new level!”
Mélanie P.: “I think that Splendor Duel is an excellent take on the base game, adding many new features, as well as a little extra strategy and aggression, which increases the sense of confrontation between two players. And the game components are high quality, the box is smaller, fitting easily in a suitcase or a bag. This game is great for two people looking to fill a half hour, to start the evening, or even right before bed!”
Jordana: “I discovered Splendor this year, and I fell instantly in love with the challenge of ‘cracking the code’ and experimenting with various strategies. When Splendor Duel was released, with the added layers and new game mechanics, I knew I had to grab it. It did NOT disappoint! While Splendor can be played as a game for two, Splendor Duel has been perfectly designed for two players. My husband and I cannot stop playing. Bonus: it’s perfectly sized for travel!”
Kalinda: “I love Splendor. I also love Splendor Marvel and how its mechanics are a little different from the original. I didn’t expect to see such a different style of play with Splendor Duel and I was pleasantly surprised! My partner and I are already over 20 games in and I can’t wait for the next one!”
Unlock! – Game Adventures
Sonia’s Pick
The Game
The latest addition to the Unlock! series of adventures, based on the Mysterium, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic games.
Why We Love It:
Sonia: “I love that 3 of my favourite games have been integrated into the Unlock! universe! It’s a new way to play the games, each with a great story, which makes the whole experience even better. My family really enjoys playing Unlock! and solving the puzzles together.”
Party Games
Games are synonymous with parties, right? That’s certainly the case for many of the games that have made it into the top of our lists!
Draw the Line
Eugénie’s Pick
The Game
A sketching game like no other! Draw your clue and try to have your teammate guess it before the other teams. Big laughs guaranteed!
Why We Love It:
Eugenie: “Draw the Line forces people to step out of their comfort zones by miming and trying to create as simple a drawing as possible. It’s funny to see my in-laws play this game! Simple and very effective for breaking the ice. I really love this game because it’s super simple and everyone can play.”
Fun Facts
Emily and Kalinda’s Pick
The Game
How well do you really know your friends and relatives? Do you know if Aunt June has more books than Uncle Bob? Or whether Chuck or Karen is the biggest car lover? With Fun Facts you’ll find out tons of things you didn’t know!
Why We Love It
Emily: “Fun Facts is an engaging way to find out more about our friends and family. It’s going to be one of the most popular games at my holiday parties this year!”
Kalinda: “A SUPER simple party game where you see how well you know the people around the table (while remaining politically correct, of course). It’s always surprising to see people’s responses.”
Extra Challenging
If you enjoy more challenging games that require a little extra thought or strategy, and you have the time to sit down for a couple hours to play, then the following choices are for you!
Bureau of Investigation
Arielle and Tommy’s Pick
The Game
In this cooperative game, solve mysterious cases as you roam the neighborhoods of Boston in search of clues throughout five investigations based on the universe of HP Lovecraft.
Why We Love It
Arielle: “I was already a HUGE fan of the Sherlock Holmes—Consulting Detective series and the Arkham universe before I tried this game. In fact, I’m quite biased. That said, this game brings together the investigative feel of Sherlock Holmes and the Lovecraftian horror theme of Arkham and it works so well. Investigating the paranormal is a bit scary, but very exhilarating!”
Tommy: “I love the Sherlock Holmes games in general. Throw in a Cthulhu theme, and I’m definitely all in!”
Great Western Trail—2e Edition
Sonia’s Pick
The Game
You’re cattle ranchers in 19th century America. It’s not enough to simply raise your cattle, but you must also run the best business along the way. Work hard because the competition on the road to victory will be fierce!
Why We Love It
Sonia: “As a cowgirl at heart, I really enjoy the different kinds of cows on the cards. They’re SO cute! The mechanics of hiring workers, constructing buildings, and traveling to maximize points? Yee-haw! I’ll get my cowboy hat and let’s play!”
The Initiative
Bruno’s Pick
The Game
The Initiative is a cooperative game that combines strategy, reasoning, puzzles, and visual storytelling, all in a 42-page comic book. After each game, players receive encrypted messages they must decode to unlock new content and continue their adventure.
Why We Love It
Bruno: “A mix of mystery and escape game, with a 90s theme, and story that looks like a movie synopsis makes it very engaging. It keeps you on your toes during the whole game!”
Most Loved
The Access+ Line
Team Pick
The whole team absolutely fell in love with this product line, that strives to make games more accessible and inclusive. The idea, the research and preparation, the attention to detail, the execution, we love everything about it.
Melanie W.: “Having worked on the development team for these games, it’s clear that this is my very favourite! This is a series of games made with love by passionate people who really took the time to do their research and bring something tangible and accessible to an entire community.”
Jordana: “Accessibility and inclusivity are pillars of how I live my life and raise my family. I am so proud to be a small part of bringing this line of intentionally curated games to players of all abilities.”
Kalinda: “Timeline is definitely my favourite. The addition of the personal timeline, where you can discuss past, present or future events in your own life is really fantastic for opening up discussions.”
Not New but Newly Discovered
Here are some games that are not new but newly discovered—and loved—by some of our team members this year.
Just Desserts
Sonia’s Pick
The Game
A quick card game where you must try to recreate your guests’ favourite desserts. The more you satisfy their palates, the more chances you have to win.
Why We Love It
Sonia: “A card game full of your favourite desserts! Either make the perfect dessert using a special card or gather all the ingredients to recreate it. Why not serve yourself a treat and have fun at the same time!”
Klask
Melanie W.’s Pick
The Game
Forget foosball and mini-hockey tables and make way for Klask, the game that combines skill, strategy, and speed! With your magnetized game piece, try to score goals on your opponent’s side!
Why We Love It
Melanie W.: “THE. BEST. GAME. PERIOD. Loved by kids and adults alike, Klask is the perfect gift for anyone, regardless of age. Made of wood, the quality of the product makes it not only durable, but also beautiful to display at home.”
Skull
Melanie W.’s Pick
The Game
Skull is a fast-paced, tense bluffing game that subtly blends risk taking and strategy. Can you reveal the maximum number of flower cards without running into a deadly Skull?
Why We Love It
Melanie W.: “The game mechanics and rules are simple. And you can play it anywhere! Straightforward to explain, easy to play, but hours of fun with family and friends.”
And there you have it! These are our favourites for 2022! Thanks for reading and we hope we’ve introduced you to a few titles along the way. If any of these titles catches your eye, click here to find it at a retailer near you.
