Do you have a weekly or monthly game night with your family? If you do, we would love to hear about it.
I can’t express enough what playing games together as a family can do for the family dynamic. Sure, things can get competitive, sometimes feelings get hurt and so and so says so and so cheated (am I JUST describing my family?). Where better to learn how to lose or win gracefully than in your own home? 
Playing games together can be fun, a learning experience and a family bonding time.
Julie and Aaron setting up the Launch Pad game
We were recently sent two games from Stratus Games to review: Launch Pad and Gold Mine. Stratus Games publishes family-friendly board games and card games that are easy to learn and interactive, yet challenging and thought-provoking. Optional rules are available with each game and on our website, which make our games highly replayable and configurable for all kinds of audiences.
Their board game Gold Mine has received quite the praise for its high-quality production and a tremendous fun factor. We would have to agree! Also, the Greater Games Industry Catalog hailed it as “a hit” and continues to speak highly of it as a very fun light-strategy game.
I personally thought this game was so well thought out and just down-right fun. With a little luck and a little strategy – I’m thinking this might be a favorite game with a permanent place in our game stash.
Game description: Strike it rich with this exciting mining-themed board game! Best for ages 8 and up.
Gold Mine is a unique tile-laying game in which players build a maze of mine tunnels and control miners that traverse the mine collecting gold nuggets. Players race to be the first to collect enough gold to exit the mine and stake a claim. It may sound easy, but the greedy miners have several tricks up their sleeves in order to gain an advantage—including sneaking through secret passages, fighting for gold, and scaring away other miners with bats.
With a different game board every time, a great balance of luck and strategy, and the addition of optional rules, this game is bound to be a family favorite for years to come!
Here’s me and Aaron with our little miners from Gold Mine. Find out more details about the game here.
The other game, Launch Pad, took me a little while to fully grasp the concept and learn what all of the cards meant. But after I nailed down the concept, object of the game and general game play – it was fun and definitely challenging.
Description: The space race is on! Best for ages 10 and up.
You are battling to build the biggest, baddest rockets possible and send them soaring into space. Each rocket requires metal, fuel, and the expertise needed for liftoff. As you build your rockets, beware of your opponents, who are eager to steal your goods and sabotage your work—you may even have some tricks of your own to thwart their progress.
All the while, the launch pad is being constructed—as soon as it’s ready, the rockets that are “go” for launch will blast off into space, leaving all others behind.
Do you have what it takes to make your rockets soar before it’s too late?
Find out more about Launch Pad here.
Stratus Games will be releasing new products, so stay tuned for some news on that. I am definitely looking forward to what they come up with next!
Disclaimer: ToyXplosion was sent Stratus Games to review by the company. No other compensation was received. Opinions are our own.
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