YOU’VE BEEN WARNED
Many of us will be spending a lot of time with our families over the holidays. The more time you spend with them the greater the chance that you will end up playing a few games. Family Gaming can be absolutely great. Beware of making the classic mistakes that can turn a fun night into a warzone.
PROPER GAME SELECTION
Picking the right game to play with your family is key to having a successful day. There are an endless amount of choices so choosing the right game might not be as easy as you think. You can’t just open a pack of cards, and be done with it. Or can you? Card Games are a classic favourite with many families. A single deck of cards can provide hours of entertainment. So many different games can be played requiring minimal set up, and a rereading of the rules generally isn’t necessary. Everyone remembers how to play, and quite a few of the games require a fair amount of luck to win. The luck factor is very important. It means that one family member is unlikely to win every game. Well there you have it then. Cards are the perfect family game. Well hold on for a second. Not every card game is appropriate for a family get together.
Card Game Dos & Don’ts
As popular as Poker has become over the last decade. Suggesting that the family play Poker together over the holidays is a seriously bad idea. Everyone has a different amount of expendable income. Some people can afford to play Poker and lose. There are those that winning is really the only option. By suggesting a game of Poker you are essentially saying that you have money to burn, or you are arrogantly confident in winning. You also effectively exclude anyone who is feeling the holiday pinch in the wallet. Christmas is an expensive time for many. Don’t be a tool, and ask your family to gamble. If your family is familiar with four handed Euchre I would suggest that as maybe the perfect substitute. Four handed Euchre is played as two teams of two so you win or lose together. That also allows you to occasionally switch up the teams so stronger players can be paired up with weaker players creating balance. There is a bit of bluffing in Euchre. If you play to ten points like most people then you can put something trivial as a prize on the outcome. Winner gets a larger slice of pie, or the losers have to give a candy cane to the winners for each point they lost by. Whatever you decide Euchre provides the right combination of competition and friendly fun.
Board Game Dos & Don’ts
If your family prefers to play Board games. Choosing the right Board game is absolutely critical. Unlike Card games which are easy to pack up, or simply switch to another game if the current game your playing isn’t enjoyable. Board Games can require a lot of set up, a fair amount of time to play, and in some cases additional time to relearn the rules. I’m sure that most of you have started at least one game of Monopoly that never got finished. The same can probably be said about Risk. A quick note about Risk, don’t ever play Risk with an odd number of people. Doing so practically guarantees that an alliance will be created at some point in order to crush the individual that got off to a good start. This usually results in a lot of swearing, and in extreme cases a trip to the medicine cabinet. Keep a fair amount of Advil, and possibly some Band-Aids if you intend to play Risk. I’ve finished a few games of Monopoly in my lifetime, and I consider that to be one hell of an achievement. It takes an incredible amount of dedication, and patience from all involved to actually finish a game of Monopoly. Instead of Board games that require a lot of patience, strategy, and who knows how long to play. Choose games that are much shorter, and contain a random element like Snakes and Ladders, or Sorry. If you are from a family full of dedicated gamers then I would suggest bringing a cooperative Board game to play. That way you can all win or lose as a team. It also allows the most serious gamers to take on a greater role, and the occasional gamers to feel involved. Basically everybody wins. If you are unfamiliar with cooperative games I would suggest that you read my https://cobelife.com/competitive-or-cooperative-the-gamer-in-me-gl-20/
Video Game Dos & Don’ts
For many gamers it’s all about technology now. It doesn’t matter if you are a PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo fan. There are great games on all the different platforms that can be enjoyed by many. A favourite of mine that’s perfect for family occasions is the PlayStation Playlink game That’s You! Up to six people can play at once, and instead of using traditional game controllers each player uses an application on their cellphone. The game itself is very simple. The Players are presented with an example and each Player votes for which Player the example is most like. If you vote with the majority you earn points. For a more detailed review of That’s You check out my https://cobelife.com/the-gamer-in-me-gl-8-thats-you/ Now on the flipside there are many games you should avoid. Honestly there’s too many to list, but the majority fall in to two categories; First Person Shooters, or Competitive Fighting Games. Seriously avoid the Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, and Halos of the video gaming worlds. Unless you want your family get together to be filled with trash talk, and a potential fight. Certain Sports games like Madden or FIFA fall under the Don’ts column as well. Do yourself a favour and take turns playing classic side scrollers, or racing simulators. Those games can be as much fun to watch as they are to play.
VIRTUAL REALITY IS HERE!
I’ll tell you where it isn’t though. At your family get together. If you were hoping to see your sister trip over her gift basket then play VR. If you would prefer to pretend that you aren’t with your family at all then play VR. If you were were hoping to see someone get disoriented and vomit well then set up the Virtual Reality. I’m sure you see what I’m getting at. Virtual Reality with the family is a huge Don’t! Maybe in a few years as the technology improves things will change, but for right now just no.
Hopefully my warnings, and suggestions will help make your family occasion that much better. All the best!