The Dark Imp Blog
Video: Playing board games solo
Ellie talks about the benefits of playing board games solo as a parent. Immerse yourself in the game and your children will become intrigued. https://youtu.be/qUqZ0D1N-d4 She recommends games like Welcome To..., Pandemic and Nautilion to play solo. But avoid games...
Update: Tweets, Tricks and Aliens
Tweets from Suzanne Sheldon The Board Game Family book has had some great comments this week from top industry expert, Suzanne Sheldon. Suzanne is one of the presenters on The Dice Tower podcast and reviews hundreds of games each year. When I saw her at the Spiel...
Five Dice Pig
Pig is a ‘push your luck’ game for two or more people, usually played with a single die. In the standard version, on her turn, a player throws the dice as many times as she wishes. She totals the score on the die each time she throws. If she throws a 1, she busts, her...
Video: 3 dexterity games
Ellie shares 3 dexterity games: Q-Bitz, Tokyo Highway and Meeple Circus. Dexterity games require a steady hand and quick decisions. Build beautiful constructions, spot patterns quickly and balance horses on upside-down elephants. What's not to like?...
Update: Crackers and mobsters
Dark Imp Christmas crackers: A blind playtest The Dark Imp’s Christmas crackers will be available later this year. But these eco-crackers aren’t just for Christmas. A box of six crackers contains the components to play six different games. Each cracker holds an imp...
Alfie reviews… NMBR 9
Alfie Dix, 17, reviews board games that he plays with the family and subsequently with groups of friends. Here’s his review of NMBR 9. Simplicity is a great thing in a game, it allows the game to be easily understood and reduces the need for long explanations and set...
Video: Getting started in board game design
In this video, Ellie Dix shares some ideas for engaging members of the family who show an interest in board game design. Find out how to get started in a gentle and easy way by setting challenges to expand and adapt games you currently have. What is in your board game...
Update: Spreading infection and pulling crackers
Spreading infection I’ve been working on a new game in which players control an infection, which they are aiming to spread across the world. No prizes for guessing where the inspiration came from. On her turn a player either places 3 discs in a row on her turn, or...
Trent Howell’s Eight Games
In Eight Games different board gamers share the eight games they’d select in eight different situations. The links are given to Board Game Geek listings for you to find out more. This month Trent Howell, chooses his eight games. Trent leads The Board Game...
Video: How to teach new board games to your family
In this video, Ellie Dix helps parents to navigate an activity that is loaded with potential problems. Learning how to teach new board games to your family smoothly and calmly will help parents to succeed in the metagame. https://youtu.be/dHixs1eDi_Q Watch Ellie's...
Books on the underground and games at the bar
Books on the Underground This week was half term and to mark the occasion, Books on the Underground put lots of copies of The Board Game Family on tube trains and in stations around the capital. The idea is that if you find a book while you are travelling about, you...
Why board games help us to develop new friendships
It can be hard to navigate the social world. But board games can help us to develop new friendships. Part of the reason that meeting new people can be difficult is the fear of not knowing what to say. Making light and pleasant conversation with people you’ve never met...