Obviously, we've got some good nerds in here, and I need your advice.
I'm trying to turn my sons into nerds, and I think I'm making some good headway with the oldest (alas, I think the youngest will be a jock, like his father 😛 ).
At any rate, his best friend is always telling him about the games he plays with his parents (WoW, Minecraft? etc).
Now, we don't have a gaming console, and I'm not a huge fan of computer-based gaming, simply because I never get online unless I'm working. He occasionally plays an iPad game called Arcane Empires, but, he's getting a bit bored with that (plus he's got to share the iPad with the rest of the family and his iTouch is probably too old to install any new apps on).
So, I'm thinking a nice board or card game or something (well, whatever the nerdy equivalent is).
He's about 10 (but with near college-level reading comprehension). I'd play with him sometimes, and if it's a good game, I'm sure he'd invite his best bud over for it, too.
So... suggestions?
Don't know if I qualify as a nerd, but I say go with chess. I don't go for any of these new fangled fantasy games. You can't beat the absolute classic board game. It is hours and years of fun.
If you want to get a little fancy, you can find three-player chess. My parents picked one up for me in Poland.
Mark Green
Working on Civil 3D in Canada
We as a family have always gone in for anything in the Mario family... Mario Kart is one of our favorites. But we also play Gauntlet Legacy (Gamecube). Super Smash Brothers. I guess these aren't your clasically "nerdy" games, those tend to be the epic shooter games. But they are good family fun.
Chris Benner
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There's a nerdier version of the standard chess: Khet or "Laser Chess"
Edit: Perhaps my contribution here should be stricken from the record, as I'm not a "parent" as cited in the title of the thread.
Not a parent, but I am a gamer so YMMV...
That depends on level/span of attention and how good he is with numbers. Find a FLGS (friendly local gaming store) with a gaming area, stop by on a Saturday and see whats on the go.
There's tactical games (think "chess on crack. with lasers."), which span everything from Napoleon to WWII and endless sci-fi variations. Requires a certain level of patience, many of them require several hours for a decent game. Some require specific pieces to play, but there's usually a player or two who can loan pretty much everything and anything.
And of course the endless variations of collectibles games (most of them card-based). Can be extremely fun, requires less time, but it can be difficult to progress without significant investment in the collectibles part.
Traditional games (Risk, Monopoly, etc.) seem to be making a comeback, but mostly among the older coffeehouse crowd.
Roleplaying is about as geeky as it gets. There's a whole host of options there but the gamers are usually older.
SETTLERS OF CATAN!
Board and online game. 🙂 My older brother is a huge gamer and introduced this to our family. It's a fun game -- strategy, all that good stuff, but not too difficult. I think your sons would enjoy it.
http://www.amazon.com/Think-Fun-5000-ThinkFun-Rush/dp/B00000DMER
There are some other like this from ThinkFun.
It gets complicated.
And crosswords with the college level reading comprehension.
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Any chance you can have him write some games? Simple/basic ones to begin. Then the more complex stuff later on.
Later in a few years there are some circuit stuff and cool microcontroller kits for him too:)
@TBasich wrote:
SETTLERS OF CATAN!
Board and online game. 🙂 My older brother is a huge gamer and introduced this to our family. It's a fun game -- strategy, all that good stuff, but not too difficult. I think your sons would enjoy it.
I agree on Settlers of Catan. Simple game most can understand and is kind of the "game for non gamers".
My house plays games quite a bit so i will suggest a few which are played regularly at our house.
Settlers of Catan - resource management, trading, building game for 3-4 players (can be expanded to 6). Does not work well with 2
Dominon - Card strategy deck building game. Magic, knights, Castles, etc... is the theme of the game. This one is NOT a collectible card game so a one time investment keep you playing for a long time. Works fine for 2 but can work up to 6 players. Lots of expansion packs if you get bored with the cards you have. My house has played with the basci game for over a year now and there is still play left in it.
7 Wonders - Card based civilization building game. This game plays really fast experienced players can finish a game in about 40 minutes. Works best from 3 to 7 players. This is good if you have big crowds to play.
Ticket to Ride - Train based building game. You try and connect routes across the board. Multiple maps can be bought for expansions. game is dead simple but very fun and quite strategic when you have 3 or 4 playing. It will still work with 2. Plays up to 6.
The next 4 are cooperative games. this can be good if someone keeps getting beat and want a change of pace. the cooperative games pit the players against the "game system".
Pandemic - Players work to stop global disease from spreading and destroying the world. gold standard of cooperative games. PLays 4 in the base game, and up to 6 with an expansion.
Atlantis Rising - Players work together to stop Atlantis from sinking. Resource management game in a cooperative wrapper.
Flashpoint Fire Rescue - players are firefighters working together to save a burning building. You have to rescue victems before the building collapses. Expansions with different maps/building to keep it exciting.
Forbidden Island - Another rescuse the sinking island game. Is a lot like Pandemic (made by the same designer) but it is a bit easier to understadn and plays quicker and works better for 2 people.
I think with that list I may have revealed to much of my "nerdy" life.
He might be a little young for D&D, not necessarily for the content but for the gaming groups. Most of the players are significantly older than he is. Might want to look into the D&D skirmish game, relatively fast-playing and average age will be MUCH closer to his.
@dgorsman wrote:
Might want to look into the D&D skirmish game, relatively fast-playing and average age will be MUCH closer to his.
Are those games any good? I have seen them (there are 3 or 4 different ones right?) but not gotten an opportunity to play. My son and I used to play Heroscape which I think is similiar.
There's a number of different games, everything from D&D, to BattleTech, to Star Wars (the stats on the AT-AT make it pretty useless, but the "mini" is pretty). D&D figures are also popular for role playing GMs and players to keep track of characters in combat.
Heroes of Might and Magic III
With a slight risk he might become obsessed with the game.
This game never gets old.