Every game in the house has been played dozens of times by now, and maybe some pieces are lost. While those games get a chance to collect dust, here are some new games to work into the rotation for your holiday break and beyond. Check Uncle's Games' locations or Figpickels in Coeur d'Alene.
BLUEY: SHADOWLANDS
We can't all live up to the dad standards set by Bandit, but we can spend some time re-creating an episode of the Australian cartoon. Like the show, this game is rated for 3 years old and up. Players attempt to stay out of the sun in order to reach the cupcake picnic. Setup includes a plastic palm tree that players spin to change the directions on the game board. Playing Shadowlands is a great excuse to watch the show with — or without — your kids. $15
DUNE: IMPERIUM
This deck-building game includes all the fun of the movie but with much less sand. Yes, there's a chance the movie wasn't your thing, but for those intrigued by asserting capitalism in a foreign territory by using a deck of cards and a game board, this is a hot-ticket game. Estimates for this one- to four-player game say it should take between one and two hours to play, which means you won't spend the last 35 minutes wondering when it will end and needing to use the restroom. The cards themselves are collectible quality, so if you get sick of the game, throw those cards into your Magic: The Gathering deck just to mess with other people. $45-$55, depending on where you find it.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Leave behind those Dune deserts, and go plant some trees! That's the theory behind Blue Orange's Photosynthesis. The age 8-and-up, two- to four-player game asks players to spend time with the life cycle of trees and engage in environmental awareness. It's not just about planting trees, though. Players gain more points for having more trees reach maturity and then giving way for younger trees to take over. Sounds like there's a good lesson to learn. $38
TACO VS BURRITO
If you've thrown burritos or avocados at your loved ones, or you can't decide which Americanized food item is better, this card game is for you. The card-based strategy game was a Kickstarter hit after being invented by a 7-year-old boy. Pour out some hot sauce and act quick: This two- to four-player game takes about 10 minutes to get through, and you should still be on good terms with your family afterward. $20
MONOPOLY: LONGEST GAME EVER
There are Monopoly games designed for every interest: film franchises, sports teams, cities, other games, and bacon. But what about a game for those players who think they are the best at it and are determined to see every game to its end, instead of just quitting before punches are thrown and you say something you can't take back? Monopoly: Longest Game Ever is designed to create that ultimate winner. You went bankrupt? Tough; you can't quit. The game doesn't end until one player owns everything: every property, every utility, every railroad. The good news is that if that person lands on the right space, they still have to pay taxes on all that equity. It's a game, after all, not real life. The game is recommended for players 8 and up, and if you lose to a preteen, you deserve it. $21 ♦
