The Father Geek Seal of Approval is the highest ranking available to any game or product we review. It meets the requirements and approval of all three testing groups: Child, Parent, and Gamer Geeks (where applicable). The staff at Father Geek have zero say on what games are given the seal, leaving the final vote to the players. These games are true gems and are worth taking a look at, in our opinion. A game with the seal of approval means it can be played by different skill and age groups. Do give them a try with your family and friends.
Roll the dice and take a chance! Shake Out! is all about balancing risk vs. reward. Do it right and there is no stopping you, but don’t get too cocky. Even if you claim a card, another opponent can snatch it from you with just a few more points! To play this game right, you’ll have to push your own limits to ensure you get the cards you need, playing both defensively and offensively. Come up short, and you’ll be left far, far behind! Continue reading
At first, it looks to be a simple exercise in tedious hexagon placement again and again until a simple shape is created. A ho-hum affair with little to provide in the way of entertainment or challenge. A hexagon here, a hexagon there, and you are suddenly very aware that you are close to loosing! How did this happen? Without even a hint of change, the game turns into a battle of wits as you attempt to out maneuver and out play your opponent in an ever shifting game where you are ahead one moment and then greatly behind the next! Continue reading
Power comes in many forms, be it wealth, knowledge, or might. Throughout the land, brave heroes seek such power, being led by their own ambitions, as they explore the land full of adventure and danger. The players will lead their own adventuring group of heroes and brave the road between pockets of civilization, encountering both friend and foe along the way. Some would say it is the journey that matters most and not the destination, but when the final destination is fulfilling your wildest dreams, one cannot help but take even the most dangerous road, even if the journey could mean death! Continue reading
The game of soccer is celebrated, played, and followed just about everywhere in the world. It should then come as no surprise that a family of Penguins also enjoy playing the game! Instead of a field, they have a patch of ice, but that hardly makes any difference. The game is still the same and is just as challenging, if not more so. Now you can play the game with them and use all your strategic and tactical skills to score a goal! Careful! One wrong slip on the ice and you could find yourself losing the game! Continue reading
Test your wits and your knowledge of animals that fly, run, leap, swim, and burrow by guessing where they live. Don’t know exactly? No worries, because being “close” is still “good enough”. It’s a really, really big world full of amazing creatures and you are about to learn all about them! But this is not just any educational game! You must bid, bluff, outmaneuver, and out guess the other players before they do the same to you! Continue reading
In Nile DeLuxor, players take on the role of farmers whose prosperity and fate are tightly intertwined with the great river, the Nile. But the river is uncontrollable and wild as it never stops flooding and retreating from the land. A wise player will learn to speculate and anticipate the changes to come. By doing so, they can make important choices that will offer great rewards. Failure to guess correctly will bring ruin. Continue reading
In Grave Business, the player takes on the role of a necromancer (but not necessarily an evil one) and sends their zombie minions into the night to collect the necessary “components” to build their growing army of the undead and any discarded family heirlooms that might be left in the grave. Resources are limited as well as time. Work is made all the more complicated with outside competition from other necromancers who are digging in the same graveyard. There are only so many plots and zombie parts to go around so what is an enterprising young necromancer to do? Clearly, if you want to be on top, you have to take out the competition! Continue reading
In Wild Guns, the players take on the role of some of the most lethal and skilled gunslingers to ever walk the dusty ground of the Old West. There deadly aim and firearm mastery is only matched by their cunning to avoid being hit by their opponent’s bullets. This casual card game does a great job of getting the players down to business quickly and offering an entertaining and challenging game with light mechanics and fast play. Continue reading
A fatherly geek perspective on Bohnanza, a set collection card game about bean farming. Long touted as a “gateway game”, will this game plant the seed of gaming in your little geeks? Read on! Continue reading
In Gold Mine, players grab their mining tools and hard hats to venture forth into a dark gold mine to explore and discover riches. But beware! There are other miners in the tunnels who want the gold, too, and are not above taking it from you if the opportunity should present itself. Dig fast, collect the gold, and get out before anyone else to be declared the winner! Continue reading
Nerni Invents Clock is a simple children’s story with whimsical art that depicts a young gnome inventor named Nerni. Nerni loves to invent things and eventually focuses her attention on inventing a clock to help her keep track of time. Not being satisfied with just any old clock, Nerni’s inventive natures compels her to improve her creation. By doing so, Nerni invents a clock that is a bit too smart for its own good. Continue reading
Jump Gate is a wonderful game that plays light but provides a heavier game experience without feeling heavy or difficult. Few games can provide this level of play and experience without demanding a great deal from the player or falling short on the “fun scale”. I would highly recommend Jump Gate to friends, family, game elitists, and the occasional light gamer. Continue reading
