Introducing games to my parents - Success or FAIL
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Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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When my wife and I visit my parents, I often try to sneak in a game or two. Once my baby boy is put to bed and dishes cleared, it's more often than not time to bring out games.
My Mom is usually the one to suggest we "try one of Mark's games, although I'm sure I won't understand it." My Dad NEVER suggests it's time to try a game, but he always plays regardless. Of the two, it's my Dad who picks up the nuances of the game quicker than my Mom.
Since my parents are not your typical gamers, I've only introduced games with quick to pick up rules.
Let me also say, most of the time the games played will either be Euchre or Cribbage, which I grew up on, but then it's time to try out something new. I've listed games below I've tried with my parents as either a SUCCESS or a FAIL.
Go ahead and list games if you like of successes or failures you've had in introducing games to your parents.
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1.
Board Game: Wizard
[Average Rating:6.85 Overall Rank:454]
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Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
If it's a card game, it is bound to be a hit with my parents. My Dad is absolutely ruthless at this one. I haven't played Wizard with them for a while in favor of newer games, but this one is probably the biggest success.
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
Or could this one be the biggest success story with my parents? Again, have not played for some time, but partially my fault as I lumped the expansions together in a single box, making an unwieldy game too long for my parents (and for me!)
My parents easily picked up the rules, with the exception of the farmers, and they enjoy building the cities up.
I've recently separated out the tiles into their original boxes, so maybe Carcassone will make a reappearance soon!
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
Recently introduced to my parents. Big hit. My Mom plays very conservatively, while my Dad rolls the dice like no tomorrow. (His strategy failed - my Mom won, hmmm)
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4.
Board Game: Blokus
[Average Rating:7.15 Overall Rank:200]
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Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
Probably the easiest ruleset I've ever had to explain. My parents understood Blokus well enough, but my wife and I would ruthlessly crush them coming in first and second every game. ( I rarely play my wife one-on-one as she is really good at this one.)
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5.
Board Game: Loot
[Average Rating:6.34 Overall Rank:1042]
How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
Only played one evening with my parents as a rare 5 player game - my brother joined us. Was a huge hit with all involved, and I'm sure my parents would try Loot again - it's a card game afterall.
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
Again, a card game, so my parents naturally like it. I basically told them to ignore the pics, and look at the numbers instead. They picked up on the game straight-away and would play again.
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
My Mom and Dad used to play Skip-Bo. This game IS Skip-Bo with the addition of the Spite cards. They liked it although my Mom thought the cat pictures were "rather nasty".
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
Only played once, but was a moderate success. I think the game may just look too 'kiddy' for their liking, although the rules explanation and play strategy was super easy to explain.
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9.
Board Game: Tsuro
[Average Rating:6.47 Overall Rank:818]
How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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SUCCESS
Well, mostly success. THEY liked the game well enough, I hated it. Easy rules, short game length, my parents were in. For me, I was bored playing it. Since then, I've actually traded it away so OH NOES!
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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FAIL
Close, but no go. It's a great looking game on the table which my Mom appreciated, but for some reason, Alhambra just didn't 'click' with them. This may or may not hit the table with my parents again.
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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FAIL
OK, it's a card game so my parents will like it, right? Not so, I think even my parents were a bit disappointed with the ease of rules with "That's all there is to it? Oh..."
I'm sure the theme didn't go over so well either, although this opinion was not voiced.
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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FAIL
Was a bit sad to see this one as a Fail here, as it was only played once with just the boys - my Dad, my brother, and myself.
I don't think the game 'clicked' with my Dad. The trading aspect threw him off, and he did not make a single trade the entire game, despite my brother's and my urging. Thus, he was caught by the robber many times, despite our suggesting he make a trade or build.
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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FAIL
I think perhaps the interaction between the characters threw my Mom off. To be fair, the first games are rather difficult as you have to ask repeatedly "and what does this character do again?"
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How can you read this? There aren't any pictures!
Canada
Caledon
Ontario
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FAIL
Kill Doctor Lucky was a big failure. My Mom asked if this was like Clue (which she hates). I told her "sort of, but WE are trying to kill the Doctor". "Oh dear....," was the reply.
It went downhill from there. Perhaps I explained it badly? Getting multiple turns by getting the doctor to 'follow you' really threw my parents for a loop. Oh well.
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Michael Hellyer
United States
Aurora
Illinois
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SUCCESS
Can't go wrong with this one. Quick to learn, fast to play, visually attractive, some interaction, different routes every game. My Dad (85) is addicted, and when I'm not there to play the board game, he plays the pc version solo every day.
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Michael Hellyer
United States
Aurora
Illinois
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SUCCESS
Fast, fun game with the easiest rules (takes 15 seconds to explain them) yet every game is a little different and interesting. One round can be played in 10 minutes -- sometimes that's all we play -- or several rounds that comprise a game can be done in 30 minutes. Definitely a winner.
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Michael Hellyer
United States
Aurora
Illinois
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FAILURE
Dad has a great sense of humor (50 years on radio), and I thought he'd go for this game but for some reason dropping lava on other players and tossing them into the volcano struck him as too violent.
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Rob Treasure
United Kingdom
Unspecified
Hampshire
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SUCCESS
Dad's a big fan anyway and likes PC strategy games so this was a easy in and a good and very rare! father/son bonding session.
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Nicolas Guay
Canada
Memramcook
New Brunswick
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SUCCESS
I successfully introduced this one to my folks a few years back and my dad acted like he had no idea what was going on the whole game and he actually won!
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Nicolas Guay
Canada
Memramcook
New Brunswick
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I plan on introducing the following games to my folks in a couple weeks when I go visiting, I'll post the results later:
Pandemic
Ra
For Sale
TransEuropa
Gift Trap
Bohnanza
Zooloretto
No Thanks
Animal upon Animal
Diamant
10 days in Europe
Landlord
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Twinge
United States
Berthoud
Colorado
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FAILURE
Fairly simple rules, perfect for 4, one I was borrowing and liked pretty well, should play in about an hour - good to go right? Not so much; we've probably played at least 2 dozens games as a family since I've gotten into board gaming, and this is probably the only one my mom would refuse to play again.
I'm not sure exactly what it was about this one, but my parents (especially my mom) simply could not "get" it. We ended up running about 2 hours and she was still annoyed and confused by the end.
(I've also since realized that playing with my family is like playing with 4 of me, in the sense that they all play as slow as I do, so I have to estimate times higher than normal  )
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Twinge
United States
Berthoud
Colorado
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SUCCESS
This was actually the first game we played when we decided to start trying some games as a family (we used to occasionally play stuff like Spades years and years ago, but it's been a looonng time.) Everyone enjoyed it and we instantly played a 2nd game afterwards. This is my 2nd default recommendation for people new to board gaming (along with TtR).
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Twinge
United States
Berthoud
Colorado
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SUCCESS
This one also went over very well. Nothing really further to say on that one - everyone enjoyed themselves and we've played it again since then (they like trying new ones, so this actually hasn't happened with many games yet.)
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Twinge
United States
Berthoud
Colorado
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SUCCESS
My older brother picked this one to try out. At first I wasn't sure how well it'd go over with my mom, but as soon as I'd passed out the guns she picked it up and started pointing it at the rest of us, and I knew I was okay =) Another one everyone enjoyed that has also gone over very well with some other casual gamer friends.
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SUCCESS
Following the success of Alhambra, I bought this game because it had similar elements - building, collecting money, etc. It was a good hunch - my mom and wife love this game and mom seems to be concentrating on a "Diamonds" strategy.
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he can be a mean old b*****d at times and eats like a horse so would need a considerable rider... edit: no pun intended 
... maybe your parents love it too! 
