There are so many great board games that we did not have room in our 2025 Christmas catalog to show you, but I would love to recommend four that I personally own and enjoy for various reasons. I have chosen them from the age groups beginning from 8-12 years. Three of these are quick, pick up and go games that play in 35 minutes or less and there is another that has a warm place in my heart that takes 60-80 minutes to play and was one of the first games of a medium complexity level that I first learned when I came into the board game hobby. All of them are great for game nights, espeically during the holiday season when families spend time together. If you have any questions about gameplay rules for these or other games that we sell, I would be glad to help. I also have so many more game recommendations! Merry Christmas and happy gaming New Year! ~Marsha (marsha@rainbowresource.com)
Pixies Game
Ages 8+
Pixies are small mischievous mythical beings that grace this lighthearted and easy to teach 30-minute card game. The goal of Pixies is to gain the most points over 3 rounds by strategically placing cards numbered 1-9 in a 3x3 grid to optimize these points following 5 different scoring criteria. Players take turns selecting and playing cards while trying to optimize and synchronize available cards with goals. Each round ends after someone has at least one card in each spot on their grid. Score after each round, reset the game for the next round and add all scores after the final round. The player with the most points wins the game! For 2-5 players with a 30-minute play time. I like this game because it is unique and has some strategy with card placement choices, some goal variety and an element of luck with cards that are available to choose from.
Knarr Game
Ages 10+
During the 8th-11th centuries, Vikings sailed to distant lands looking for treasures. They often plundered and traded these goods for silver, which was the currency in Scandinavia during the Viking Era. Knarr is is an engaging card-driven game where you build Viking card sets to gain resources and score points. Discard your cards to purchase and stack Destination cards that enable you to earn points and resources. Next, activate the stacked Destination cards to generate even more points and resources. When a player gains 40 points and the round is completed, whoever has the most points is the winner! For 2-4 players with a 30-minute game time. This is one of my “new” favorites because of its cascading card rewards and activation mechanisms.
Looot Game
Ages 10+
With three “o’s” in its name, how can you resist checking out this game? I am glad that I did, as it is one of my favorite “new to me” games this year. In Looot, your 12-member Viking clan stakes a claim to a Fjord and sets out to build huts, watchtowers, and castles there. As they visit the mainland board, they send these structures to their Fjord along with trees, sheep, gold, and axes (resources). The goal of the game is to compete with other Viking clans to create the most strategically planned tile puzzle and earn the most points to win the game! After players have used their 12 Vikings to gather resources and place the tiles they obtain on their Fjords, the game ends and they tally their scores. The player with the most points wins! For 2-4 players with a 30-minute playtime. I really like the competition for prime Viking placements on the resource board while gathering resources and buildings to bring back to individual Fjord boards. The strategy in transforming everything to points by reaching different goals keeps my interest in coming back to this game.
Architects of the West Kingdom
Ages 12+
The first of the 3-game West Kingdom series, Architects of the West Kingdom takes place in 850 AD during the time of building at the end of the Carolingian Empire. Players take the role of royal architects competing to construct landmarks while they work on the construction of the Cathedral. Place workers on the main board to collect resources necessary for almost all actions in the game including playing building cards, hiring apprentices to help in different ways, and working on cathedral construction, with the goal of having the most victory points at game end. This is the least complex of the three games in this series. I recommend this game because it introduces the West Kingdom theme and environment and is the first on the historical timeline used. Architects of the West Kingdom is one of my favorite worker placement, resource management, and card building games. Other games in this series which I also love include Viscounts of the West Kingdom and Paladins of the West Kingdom. I think that experienced board gamers can successfully play this game at age 10, even though the recommended age for play is 12+. For 1-5 players with 60–80-minute game time.
