Via Starwars.com:
WHEN GAME NIGHT INCLUDES STAR WARS STORYTELLING FROM FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES OR GAMORREAN GUARD MINIATURES, IT’S GOING TO BE GOOD.
To say there have been a lot of Star Wars games over the years is almost a laughable understatement. There have been dozens of tabletop games since the original movie came out. Some of them are basic roll-and-move games; some are incredibly complicated and take hours to play. Some are truly excellent games; others, not so much.
Over the years, especially during the ’80s and early ’90s, there was a glut of games with the Star Wars name attached that didn’t exactly inspire a lot of love among gamers. Many were either simple kids games or more familiar games that licensed the Star Wars brand and just slapped an image of Darth Vader on the packaging.
Recently, though, there have been a lot of incredible games hitting the market. It could even be called a golden age of Star Wars tabletop games. However, many of the most popular games — though amazing gaming experiences — aren’t exactly “kid friendly.”
Game night is pretty important in my house. I know I’m not alone when I say that board games have become one of our standard, go-to family activities. And as a family of die-hard Star Wars fans, we’re always on the lookout for great new games to play.
As a parent of two elementary-aged kids (4 and 7), the complex, “heavy” games currently on the market don’t make it to the table much. We play a lot of games that are appropriate for younger players. My guess is that one or two of you might relate.
With that in mind, here’s a roundup of some Star Wars-themed games that are excellent for younger Padawans. In an effort to narrow down the field, I’ve used the following criteria:
• It’s appropriate for young players (i.e., elementary school age) who might not necessarily be experienced gamers
• There’s not a huge barrier to entry — the rules aren’t incredibly complex, it’s playable in under an hour, and it doesn’t cost a fortune
• Piggybacking on the above, it’s relatively easy to acquire. (In other words, even if it is out of print, it can still be found online at an affordable price. This unfortunately disqualified a few great older games.)
• It’s not a licensed game with a Star Wars reskin
Without further ado, here are five games that rose to the top of the pack. Most of these are lesser-known games that may have escaped your radar. Nevertheless, they each deserve a spot on your game shelf and a play (or two or three) during your next Star Wars family game night!
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