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2022 will be filled with new games! To give you a little preview, we’ve come up with a short list of the hottest games to be released between now and the summer.
Azul—Queen’s Garden
Age: 10+ / Players: 2–4 / Play time: 45–60 minutes
The newest addition to the Azul series! In this latest installment, the king wants to create the most stunning garden for his wife. As such, players are tasked with judiciously placing trees, flowers and architectural details in the most beautiful arrangement possible. Only the most beautiful gardens will flourish and win! Note that this title in the Azul collection has a slightly higher level of complexity than its predecessors; however, it is accessible to both fans and new players alike.
Betta
Age: 10+ / Players: 2–4 / Play time: 45–60 minutes
Have you ever seen a betta fish? You know, those little fish that swim by themselves in a jar? Well, you’ll soon be able to find these pretty fish in a simple (but not too easy!) card game, to be released by Quebec publisher, Synapses Games. In Betta, you are assigned a species (color) of fish, and you create arrangements of fish by making different designs. To score points that species must be the one that appears the most often in the various displays. With the three game modes included in the box, you’ll have no shortage of possibilities for creating your displays (personal note: we simplified the rules a bit to play with my 3-year-old son who LOVED it!)
Bureau of Investigation – A Sherlock Holmes Game
Age: 14+ / Players: 1–8 / Play time: 60–120 minutes
Are you familiar with the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective mystery games? Are you a fan of the murder mystery genre? Then this is for you! The game includes five scenarios where you (either alone, or with up to eight people) investigate sordid and mysterious cases from the world of Lovecraft; follow leads, collect clues and interrogate suspects. All this—and more—awaits! Will you be up to the task, or will the horrors of Arkham get the better of you and your team?
Camel Up—Off Season
Age: 14+ / Players: 1–8 / Play time: 60–120 minutes
In this game, which follows its predecessor, Camel Up, players take on the role of merchants who must transport their goods by camel. Simple, right? Not quite … because not all camels can carry the same quantity of goods (some have spent more time in the gym ? ) and all camels refuse to carry more than one type of goods at a time. So, you think, “OK, we’ll manage,” but then it gets harder! You won’t always know what goods you’ll win on your turn and your camels might decide to drop everything. Bidding, risk-taking and a little bit of luck are all part of this fun family game.
Draw the Line
Age: 14+ / Players: 1–8 / Play time: 60–120 minutes
Draw the Line is a party game where teams must simultaneously guess a mystery word. Simple, right? Not so fast! Teams are composed of two players: a sketcher and a “guesser.” The sketcher knows the mystery word and must connect icons on their sketch pad to represent the word via a drawing. They then mime the icons for their teammate, who must guess which icons to connect on their own sketch pad to recreate their partner’s drawing. In addition, all teams play at the same time! A hilarious scene and a game that will push your creativity!
MONKI
Age: 14+ / Players: 1–8 / Play time: 60–120 minutes
How about a monkey duel! In this fun two-player game, players (monkeys) vie to collect enough fruit to become king. The fruit is hidden in jars and, no monkey wants to eat the same fruit twice in the same meal! Each player decides how many fruits to reveal … your monkey might have access to four fruits, but do you dare reveal them all and risk finding two of the same fruit? It’s up to you! The first player to fill their game board with all eight regular fruits or all four golden fruits wins. A cute little game, perfect for a parent and child or for kids to play on their own. OK I admit it, this game is fun for grownups too!
Skull
Age: 14+ / Players: 1–8 / Play time: 60–120 minutes
Although Skull is not a brand-new game, it is new to us, so we couldn’t pass it up! Skull is a fast paced and tense bluffing game that subtly mixes risk-taking and tactical decisions. Reveal as many flower cards as possible, while trying to “pass” your Skull card without getting caught by opponents. A feat that’s a lot easier said than done! This game is simple to learn, but dangerously hard to win!
Unlock! — Game Adventures
Age: 14+ / Players: 1–8 / Play time: 60–120 minutes
Have you heard of the escape room-inspired game phenomenon? If not, you’re in for inescapable (see what I did there?) fun! Presenting the 10th (11th if you count Unlock! Star Wars) version of the Unlock! line. This Unlock! box contains three scenarios inspired by some of our most popular games: Mysterium, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic. These three new adventures are sure to pique your curiosity. And who knows, you might even discover that you want to try out the games they’re based on!
