The HFoG Buyer's Guide

Games for Teens

I am often asked to help pick out a game for a teen.  I'm not exactly sure why this demographic seems to be so frequently singled out.  Perhaps it's because parents are looking for something to lure them away from the computer.  Perhaps it's because teens are in that sweet spot of life where they're old enough to play a deep game and yet young enough to have enough leisure time to actually do it!

Teens are hard to pin down, their tastes vary so much, but here are some games that I think would be appreciated by a teen.  (My apologies for being so "boy heavy" but I have lots of them and that's what I identify with the most.)

Formula D (Asmodée - 2008) Formula D is an excellent auto racing game. Players race their lovely miniature cars around a large race track board. Cars are moved by rolling special dice, each representing a gear. The larger the gear, the larger the die and the farther the car will travel. But be careful! If you go too fast in the curves you could wipe out!

Pitchcar Mini (Ferti - 2009) Speaking of racing games, you'll have a blast with Pitchcar Mini! Pitchcar is a very unique racing game. The game is played by flicking small wooden disks around a wooden track. It's a great combination of dexterity and strategy that your teens will want to play over and over again.

Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Fantasy Flight Games - 2005) Descent: Journeys in the Dark is a lavish 3-D dungeon delving game that is sure to get your teen's blood pumping. The lavish pieces and monster figures are enough to send any self-respecting fantasy lover into shock. Add to it some of the expansions and you may find that you've won your teen over for life.

Runebound: Second Edition (Fantasy Flight - 2005) Runebound is a fantasy role playing board game.  It manages to capture the feel of a dungeon crawl and condense it into a two and a half hour game for up to six.  Players choose an adventurer and then move from location to location on the board attempting to vanquish evil while improving their abilities and filling their coffers.

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