"What true cooperative games for my kids?" Topic

I'm trying to get my kids more into gaming. I'm a big gamer, and they love the idea of gaming, but they simply won't enjoy a game where one gets to attack the other. Too much real life? They hate playing games against each other. So I'm looking for good cooperative games for a 10 and 12 year old and their gamer Dad. I'm looking at Castle Panic and the new expansion. Any others?

It's not a wargame but Forbidden Island is a great co-operative game. Rules lite but lots of strategy and replayability and works with just two players (or more, of course). Probably the best value £17.00 GBP I ever spent gaming wise.

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My brother bought the hobbit board game for Christmas, its a co-op game for I think 2-6 people ,there is also a King Arthur one as well but cant remember what its called at the moment

Many miniatures rules from Two Hour Wargames can be played side-by-side (i.e. against a programmed opponent). "All Things Zombie" is probably the best known and I can attest that it gives a very good game when an adult knows the rules and can direct the younger ones.

Pandemic (boardgame, but you can substitute in zombies for outbreak markers) is a lot of fun, but it can be fairly challenging. The age of your kids makes it a judgement call whether they could enjoy it or not.

Settlers of Catan is semi-cooperative.

The new Dungeons and Dragons boardgames (Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon and Legend of Drizzt) are entirely cooperative. A bit tough to play (just in getting all the steps down correctly), and the "dungeon" has a distinct advantage (due to constant Encounter cards slapping the heroes with trap after trap after trap, in addition to waves of monsters), but easily learnable with limited guidance from you.

You could always play Star Wars: X-wing with them, and have them team up to gang up on you. Kids love ganging up on Dad.

Also, if you like them "teaming up on you", most of the other dungeon crawl games become workable, like Descent, etc.. You become the "DM"/Overlord and they play the heroes. I would advise you to examine the contents carefully. I found the original edition of Descent to be needlessly grotesque in some of the artwork (not to mention sexist, if that sort of thing bothers you). The newer edition (second) appears to have moved away from the grotesquery, from what I have seen, but if that sort of thing concerns you, you might want to ask others who have it. Also, be aware that the first and second editions of Descent have different rules and components, so aren't directly compatible. (First edition was also rather complex, too.)

Another light approach, if you want to do tabletop gaming, would be to try GW's Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit Strategy Battle Game (like the Mines of Moria set or the new Escape from Goblin Town set), with you controlling the orcs/goblins and the two kids sharing the Fellowship/Thorin & Co. between them. The Introductory scenario booklet for the Mines of Moria set is excellent at gradually teaching the game's concepts through progressive scenarios, and it wouldn't be too hard to allow each kid to decide what actions "their" group of heroes will do (consulting with the other, of course).

If they like superhero comics even a bit, I'd say give Sentinels of the Multiverse (fixed-deck card game from Greater Than Games) a try. Some of the stuff from the expansion sets might be a bit too much math & memory for a 10 year old, but the core set is within the range with some adult help. Pretty good at improving basic math skills too.

Pandemic (boardgame, but you can substitute in zombies for outbreak markers) is a lot of fun, but it can be fairly challenging. The age of your kids makes it a judgement call whether they could enjoy it or not.

You might also look at Defenders of the Realm, which is pretty much the Pandemic game engine reskinned to a cooperative fantasy quest game, with a fair amount of added chrome. Might be a better choice if your kids don't like abstract games but do like fantasy settings. Be aware that both Pandemic and DotR can be pretty hard to beat. The default difficulty is fairly high, which might be frustrating for young 'uns – and many adults, IME. :)

Forbidden Island is great – the players really have to work together.

Castle Panic is good – whilst mainly co-operative there is a small competitive element.

Best co-op game is Battlestations from gorilla games.
Every player men a battlestation in a spaceship and have to solve problems together or fight other ships together as Kirk and Spock etc…

Flashpoint Fire Rescue is a fun family co-op.

Best co-op game is Battlestations from gorilla games.
Every player men a battlestation in a spaceship and have to solve problems together or fight other ships together as Kirk and Spock etc…

Not really a pure co-op, closer to an RPG. It requires a gamemaster to run the opposition forces, make decisions about scenarios, etc. That might be fine if the OP is looking to do Dad vs the kids, otherwise not so much.

the d and d board games are co-op, castle ravenloft etc, but i will say that the decks need realy good shuffeling to start with, and my groups win loss rate is hevaly tilted to loss.

a second for Flashpoint Fire Rescue

-no ref needed
-the fire (and by extension the clock) is the only thing you're fighting
-there are both basic and advanced rules

Zombicide is another great one. Fairly simple rules, fun theme and great visuals.

Hi

If you can find a copy 'Pony Wars or B troop's ain't coming back' has everybody playing against the Indians. If the genre doesn't suit you can modify it, I'm presently doing it for BoB China.

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan

Shadows of Camelot

House on Haunted Hill is co op until the end when one of the players is the traitor.

Vanish Planet link is another one.

The Little Prince quite likes Settlers of Catan – although that is to wargames what Salsbury Steak is to steak

He also really like WWI Wings of Glory – and the good thing is that if you have a few planes your boys can have one plane each and dear old Dad can command the other side

My two and now some of their friends like old skool games like Heroquest and Space crusade .Anything new and similar to those two and you are on a winner.
Dont forget to check out boardgamegeek they have lists and a good forum of knowledge for you.
boardgamegeek.com

THW games, as mentioned before, do work well for one side vs a pre-programmed side. The good news is that you can try them out for free with Chain Reaction. I use a modified version for running a shipcrawl game with all players against the denizens of a wrecked space ship (and the players are middle school kids, so about the right age).

Rob

Zombicide is quite difficult to win.

Also, there is a tendency to make committee decisions since having each player do his own thing will invariably get everyone killed.

If you're looking for kids-against-dad, Super Dungeon Explore is not a bad one. I wouldn't bother with the expansions because they don't really increase the replayability, and once it becomes an issue, the kids will want to move onto better games anyway.

Defenders of the Realm is an EXCELLENT co-op game that should be suitable for a couple of 10-12 year olds.

-Will

I've heard a few people say Mouse Guard is ideal for this, but it is an RPG (I'm sure you could use miniatures on the dingin table, but that'd be more purcahses) and it is a bit pricey. I've had a look through it and there is a lot of co-operation encouraged. And it may be getting a bit too young in feel for them, but that's for you to know!

I'd go for something from the Ganesha stable. Let theme chhose & paint, then design their own little heroes.

There's quite a few mentions on the yahoo site of patent & sibling, even spouse (!) games.

Pandemic
Shadows Over Camelot.

DM

Zombicide CAN be difficult to win, I agree, but that depends on which missions you play. The first one in the book for instance is a real bear. Take a look at a few of the others and you will find some easier missions.

My 9- and 6-y.o.s love Settlers also. The 9-y.o has won a few games over mom and I. The 6-y.o. just likes to build a road in a circle and buy pick-a-cards, but he has fun and has actually racked up 6 or 7 points with his Musashi-esque 'strategy of no strategy'.

They might also like WoW/WoG. My 9-y.o. liked it, though it takes some training for kids to measure the moves without too much 'play' and the 6-y.o. just got too silly playing a game like that (randomly draws movement cards, etc.).

D-Day dice is an excellent co-operative board wargame. 1-4 players with no umpire required.

Shadows Over Camelot.

That would be my shout too. Dad gets to play 1 side and the kids gang up against you. What could go wrong?

Ok, Warwick I'll bite….

How do you have more than one child and they all would rather cooperate? Any time two or more of my Children are together it busts out in into a melee.

Perhaps I misspoke. My kids will NOT get along in a game where they attack or thwart each other. They take it far too personal. They don't quit, but they lose all the fun out of the game, and then try to bring the other one down no matter the cost. I win every game because they are fighting each other. Every game. Not exaggerating. So I need co-op games.

We've played Castle Panic twice, have lost twice, and it seems like co-op games are the way to go. They still hate trading cards with each other, even if it means surviving or getting rid of useless cards. I hope they will adjust and see the joys of co-op gaming.

I hope they will adjust and see the joys of co-op gaming.

Probably. Just not in your lifetime.

I have 15yr and 13yr old boys. I can't even get them to lay the table in co-op mode and they each have a different set of tasks for that.

Bump. Shove. Mutter. Push. Swear. Punch. Shout. Kick. Tears

and that's just me ;-)

I have one daughter. Enough said.

DM

Red November.
Completely co-op, and one of the most fun things I've played in a while.

You're gnomes on a sub, and things go wrong. A lot.
You need to work together to survive until the sub is rescued.

It is excellent.