Our Staff Picks – a Third Helping!

There are so many interesting games that come out every year it’s often hard to narrow our choices down to one! Whenever you stop into any Gnome Games store you can ask the staff what their favorite game is, and you’ll probably get a different answer every time. Sometimes even within the same day! All of our staff play different games, and we always talk to each other about what we saw that looks cool, so there is always something new to see when you come in.

Nate’s Staff Pick – Sword Crafters

30 minutes
2-5 players
Ages 8+

Have you ever wanted to make your very own 3-D magic sword? Now you can!

In Sword Crafters, each player starts with a hilt. Then take turns dividing and selecting materials. Combine them to forge the highest scoring blade. Blades are judged on length, quality and magic so make sure to select the best materials!

This game is a great quick game that brings all ages to the game table. Younger players will love matching gems and building their awesome swords and more experienced players will enjoy the strategy of dividing and selecting crafting materials! Pick up this Gem and Forge some holiday memories!
– Nate

Colby’s Staff Pick – Concept and Concept for Kids

Take Pictionary and Charades, smash them together and what do you have? Concept! Concept is a fantastic party game that can either be played cooperatively or competitively. The objective is to grab a card, decide on a topic and then get everyone to guess what it is. Sounds a bit like charades huh? The only difference, you are using pictures instead of words! Use tokens to help get the point across. There are tons of different pictures to use including pictures of colors, objects, shapes, etc.

Perhaps you are looking for a game you can play with the young ones too. After all, who doesn’t love a good family game night? Concept for Kids takes the… concept… of Concept and makes it easier for kids to understand. It removes all other topics and focuses exclusively on animals. Instead of reading a word, you have a picture of the animal. Beyond that, the game plays relatively similar! Get the table to guess what animal you have a picture of!

This is the best game you will play with your family and your friends!
– Colby

Jocelyn’s Staff Pick – Sailor Moon Crystal Dice Challenge

Based on the game Button Men the Sailor Moon Crystal Dice Challenge offers new ways to play with lots of fun dice in a quick battle game. Choose a character (there are over 20 in the box!), battle another character, capture their dice or use power ups wisely to win the challenge, and move on to the next challenger! Most matches are quick and last only around 5 minutes. There are optional rules for team play and even rules for larger social play at conventions or parties (even includes a couple lanyards for social play). Lots of cards with beautiful character art from the new series and colorful dice make it a pretty game as well.

Sailor Moon was one of mine and my friends favorite shows. She’s recognized around the world and every fan has their favorite character. In Sailor Moon Crystal Dice Challenge you can battle as your favorite character, or team up with your friends! I think one of the most interesting parts is the way it can be played with large groups at events. I can’t wait to try that out! There haven’t been many Sailor Moon themed games released outside Japan, so if you are a Sailor Moon fan, or like quick play dice games, this is the one – the one named Sailor Moon!
– jocelyn

Adam’s Staff Pick – Star Wars Role Playing Game

For over four decades, the Star Wars Cinematic Universe has captured the imagination of Average Joes and Sci-Fi Nerds alike. Play your own role in shaping that universe with the Fantasy Flight Games: Star Wars RPG! Using FFG’s Narrative Dice System you and your friends can play through scenes and create a dynamic story that puts a personal twist on the adventures you grew up with! Help destroy the original Death Star, lead an imperial strike force to capture the Rebel’s base on Hoth, or lead a band of smugglers through endless shenanigans in the Outer Rim. With three different core books to choose from, you can start with the style that best suits your group. Give it a shot, roll some dice, and may the force be with you!
– Adam

Beckie’s Staff Pick- Dixit

Once we got word from the military that my husband would be stationed in California, we made it a priority to explore and find a good local gaming store. Through luck, some other Wisconsin friends also happened to live in the area, and they showed us a spot to go and relax and meet new people to enjoy our time with.  Dixit was the first game we played with new people that really broke the ice and opened conversation about other games the players enjoyed. It was a gateway game to get to know our new group better and also explore the titles that caught our attention. It was great getting to hear favorite times playing other games. Dixit to me was so much more than just the game, it opens people up to happy memories.
– Beckie