How we rate games
Every rating on this site is an editorial judgement. We make it from the official rulebook, not from a formula and not from other people's reviews.
The publisher prints an age on the box. We show it beside ours, so you can see where we agree and where we don't. Only games with a family note were actually played for this site. Without a note, a rating comes from reading the rules, and each game page says which rulebook we used.
None of our 39 games has a family note yet, so every rating here comes from the rulebook, not from play.
Our two ages
Each game gets two ages. The first is for a child playing with an adult helping: reading cards aloud, planning moves, keeping track of the rules. The second is for a child playing on their own against other players, with no one at their shoulder.
Carcassonne is a good example. The box says 7+. We say 6+ with an adult helping and 8+ on their own, because a turn is only draw a tile and place it, but farmer scoring takes a few games to understand.
Rules to learn
How much you need to know before the first turn feels fair. We score it from 1 to 5.
- 1 (low): Dragomino, Happy Bunny and Little Dinosaurs. You could explain it in a minute and start playing.
- 3 (middle): Azul, Catan Junior, Codenames, Colt Express and 6 more. A few ideas that depend on each other.
- 5 (high): None of our 39 games is a 5 yet. A pile of terms, costs and exceptions.
Scores of 2 and 4 sit between those anchors. For example, Carcassonne is a 2: draw a tile and place it. Catan is a 4: it has resources, building costs, trading and the robber.
Reading needed
How much a player has to read during the game, from none to a lot.
- 0 (none): Animal Upon Animal, Azul, Bandido, Carcassonne and 17 more. Pictures and short names carry the game.
- 1 or 2 (some): 7 Wonders Duel, Castle Panic, Catan, Colt Express and 11 more. You read building costs, a few numbers or short card text.
- 3 (a lot): Abandon All Artichokes, Codenames and Pokémon TCG. There is a lot to read, such as long card text or a whole board of words, and a child has to read it to play. That is why these games get a higher age on their own.
Strategy depth
How much thinking ahead the game rewards, scored from 1 to 5. It isn't a measure of quality. A shallow game can be a great one for young kids.
- 1 (low): Dragomino, Happy Bunny, Little Dinosaurs and Rhino Hero. A turn is mostly obvious.
- 3 (middle): Abandon All Artichokes, Azul, Bandido, Carcassonne and 11 more. You have a real choice most turns, but a new player can do fine on instinct.
- 5 (high): None of our 39 games is a 5 yet. Plans, trades and timing all matter, and experienced players win often.
Fun for adults
How much a grown-up is likely to enjoy playing, scored from 1 to 5. This matters because most family games are played with a parent at the table.
- 1 (low): Little Dinosaurs. You play it for the child's sake.
- 3 (middle): Abandon All Artichokes, Animal Upon Animal, Bandido, Castle Panic and 14 more. You will enjoy it for a game or two.
- 5 (high): 7 Wonders Duel and Catan. Adults ask to play it again.
Setup time
How long it takes to get the game ready to play, in minutes. It's our estimate for a first-timer with the box open.
Low is about five minutes, as with Carcassonne. Middle is about ten, as with Ticket to Ride and the Pokémon TCG. High is fifteen or more. Catan takes about fifteen because you build the island and place the starting pieces.
Conflict
How much players can get in each other's way. We say plainly which kinds are in the game: players blocking each other, stealing from each other, hurting each other's plans directly, or being knocked out before the end.
- Carcassonne: players can block each other, because another player can take the spot you wanted.
- Ticket to Ride: players can block each other, because another player can take the route you wanted.
- Catan: players can steal from each other and block each other. The robber takes cards from other players, which can sting for a child who dislikes losing things.
- Pokémon TCG: players can hurt each other's plans directly, because every turn is a battle against the other player's Pokémon.
Co-operative games, such as Bandido, Castle Panic and Forbidden Desert, have no conflict between players: everyone wins or loses together.
Content notes
Anything a parent may want to know about the theme or pictures. If there is nothing to flag, we write None. When there is something, we say it in a few words. For example, the Pokémon TCG has cartoon creatures that battle, with no gore.
Difficulty
The Easy, Medium and Hard label on each game combines rules to learn, reading needed and strategy depth into one word. It answers a simple question: how hard is this to learn?
Easy means a child can play after a short explanation. Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride are Easy. Medium means a first game needs a patient teacher and some mistakes along the way. Catan is Medium. Hard means a lot to learn and a lot to read. The Pokémon TCG is Hard.
The label is a guide for choosing a game. For a child's age, trust the two ages above.