Top 5 Quebec games to treat yourself to for Christmas
Tired of Christmas parties punctuated by the jokes of mononcles and the screams of children in the middle of a sugar rush? Quick, get out the board games! To help and inspire you, Joël Gagnon, co-founder of Randolph, reveals his top 5 from Quebec.
Turing Machine
According to our expert, this is THE game that buzzesthese days in the world of board games! Inspired by the very first computer developed by mathematician Alan Turing during the Second World War, this creation by Quebec publisher Scorpion Masqué is a deduction game that uses the basic principles of computer programming.
“He is as entertaining as he is fascinating. The goal is to guess a secret code by interrogating a mechanical computer. At first, we are surprised to see how well it works and we quickly get into the game. It looks like a mix between Wordle and Sudoku, but much cooler. A must!”
Photo: Courtesy, Scorpion Masked
From 14 years old – 1 to 4 players – $49.99 – www.scorpionmasque.com
Mystery Beer
A game to taste beer, you dreamed of it? Randolph did it! Yes, as its name suggests, Bière Mystère invites you to guess blindly which beer meets your taste buds from a selection of more than 50 little local frets.
“The game provides three can covers that we take to the nearest microbrewery beer retailer. He is the one who will select them and then, thanks to the cards and by collaborating with the others, you will have to guess which beers they are based on the taste, the color, the bitterness, the rate of 'alcohol. It's a great way to travel in Quebec while staying at home.”
Photo: Courtesy , Randolph
Age 18+ – 2 to 24 players- $39.99 – www.randolph.ca
Miller Zoo
Inspired by the zoological rehabilitation center located in Beauce, Miller Zoo is also new to Randolph. The aim of the game? Ensure the proper management of the zoo by taking care of the animals it welcomes.
“We embody the zoo team and we must all work together to make it work despite the unexpected that complicates task. It's a great cooperative game that we thought to play as a family.”
Photos: Courtesy, Randolph
Ages 8+ – 1 to 6 players – $44.99 – www.randolph.ca
Zero to 100
Luck, strategy and a little general culture, that's what he it takes to win a Zero to 100 game. The principle is simple: a card indicating a number from 0 to 100 is placed in the center of the table. Teams take turns guessing which of the six question cards in front of them has the answer closest to the target. Whoever aims the most accurately wins the round and gets rid of a card. The first team to have used all their cards wins the game.
“What I like about this game is that the questions are really unusual so everyone has a chance. It can range from the size of the Eiffel Tower to the number of episodes in a TV series. But it's not too easy either, you have to have a strategy to play your cards at the right time.”
Photo: Courtesy, Scorpion Masked
From 12 years old – 2 to 12 players – $19.99 – www.scorpionmasque.com
Microbes
Finally, if you are looking for a game for children, it is on the side of La Weasel Moqueuse that you have to turn! The Quebec publisher specializes in small card games for toddlers and among all those it offers, Joël Gagnon recommends Microbes.
“The game is released two, three years ago and my children still play it a lot. At the start of the game, you receive a microbe card that goes from 1 to 10 and at the end, the goal is not to have the smallest microbe in your hand. For that, you can use the “atchoum” cards or exchange your card with the next player. It's great to play with the whole family and bring everywhere.”
Photo: Courtesy , The Mocking Weasel
From 4 years old – 2 to 8 players – $18.99
