We’ve been very fortunate in 2014 to be able to bring you a wide variety of “offline games” to consider for your holiday and birthday purchases. We firmly believe that a good board game is essential in the development of all children, both from an intelligence aspect, to learning social cues and just pure entertainment. This list is the culmination of 100’s of hours of game play and contains games that our family continues to pull out whenever time allows, usually at the kids’ request.

Some of them were originally provided by the publisher, others we have been fortunate to find at our local thrift stores. Either way, this is a list that no one can pay to be on – it is truly our favorite games that were new (to us) in 2014. Leading off the pack at #10 is:

#10 – Korner’D

Endless Games 

Original article

This game is a proud partner of Autism Speaks and a great challenge for everyone, including those with special needs. Korner’D is a puzzle that’s also a game! The rules are simple, just match the colors on the tile to the pattern on the board. Play all of your tiles, and you win! Korner’D is so basic-yet so compelling. It’s the mind-bending, abstract strategy game of perception that brings excitement with each new discovery.

#9 – Alpha Bandits

Wiggity Bang 

Original article

In this exciting and cutthroat word game, players race to score the most points by spelling words. But watch out for the ALPHA BANDITS! They let players grab, swap and banish letters to win the game!

#8 – Qwirkle

Mindware 

Original article

Qwirkle is as simple as matching colors and shapes, but this game also requires tactical maneuvers and well-planned strategy. Earn points by building rows and columns of blocks that share a common shape or color. Look for opportunities to score big by placing a tile that touches multiple pieces with matching attributes. The player with the most points wins!

#7 – Gravity Maze

ThinkFun 

Original article

This gravity powered logic maze is sure to put your visual perception and reasoning skills to the test. The colorful, translucent towers can be arranged in a plethora of visually stimulating structures. For each challenge you’ll have to think carefully to build a path that will successfully carry your marble to its target. 60 challenges, ranging in difficulty, will give you plenty of creative building time while you maneuver the maze in your mind!

#6 – Squashed

PlaSmart 

Original article

Squashed changes the paradigm of board games by forcing players to think in three dimensions. The very nature of the Squashed results in the cube being flipped multiple times, causing dramatic shifts in power in the omnipresent race to the top of the cube. Would you risk squashing one of your own pawns to take out many others? And should you align with players to take out a major threat? It all comes down to you. Play the game, think in three dimensions, and squash your competition out of the game.

#5 – Sharp Shooters

Milton Bradley

Original article

A fistful of dice to roll. Challenging cards to build them on. Fast-moving play and shifting strategies. It’s a good bet Sharp Shooters will be your favorite dice game ever.

Players roll dice to build rows on a common card. Win chips by placing the last die in a row. Score for straights, full houses, 4 of a kind, and more.

#4 – Tapple

USAopoly 

Original article

Tapple is the award-winning, fast-paced word game that gives families & friends a rush of excitement as they compete to beat the timer! No need to spell just say your word, tap the timer, and pass the Tapple Wheel. The last person standing wins the round!

#3 – Doodle Dice

Jax Games

Original article

Create a ‘doodle’ with a few rolls of the Doodle Dice. There’s a different doodle pictured on each card in the deck. When you build a doodle that matches one of the cards , you take that card. Block an opponent’s turn or take one of their cards away. Collect one card of each color and you win! It’s the fun challenging way for everyone in your family to a be a ‘doodle artist’!

#2 – Boxcars

Rio Grande Games 

Original article

Build your own rail empire by acquiring existing railroad companies. Fund your acquisitions by delivering freight across the country. The player who builds the most effective empire and accumulates the most wealth will win the game.

#1 – Rivet Wars

Cool Mini or Not 

Original article

This is it – the game that still continues to entertain us today. And just wait until you see all their expansions on the way!

Rivet Wars: Eastern Front is a fast-paced tactical miniatures board game that brings Real Time Strategy-inspired game play to your tabletop. As commander of your forces you spend resources each turn to deploy fresh troops to the front.

We hope you found many great games to add to your personal collection in 2014, and knowing what we have lined up for 2015, you’d better start saving your pennies now!