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I will always have fond memories of waking up on Christmas morning as a child, peeking at the end of my bed and seeing my Christmas stocking there, full of little gifts. I’d excitedly grab the stocking and run into my brother’s room and we’d sit there and unwrap all the little gifts and trinkets together. It was perhaps one of my favourite parts of Christmas, as it signalled the start of a day that would be filled with family and joy. I still insist on keeping this tradition alive in our family today and if you are wondering what to get for a board gamer’s stocking, then I am here to offer some suggestions! I have tried to keep everything on this list under £15, however, the majority of games here are under £10! Here are my top 5 stocking fillers for board game fans.
Muffin Time
The first of our stocking fillers is a brand new card game from the creator of the asdfmovies on YouTube, TomSka. It sees players battle it out in a chaotic card-playing frenzy where the aim is to end up with 10 cards in your hand. Sounds easy enough? Wrong! There are plenty of cards that will either help you out, thwart the efforts of others or may just mix things up in a crazy manner, just for the sheer hell of it!
All the cards are based on scenes and characters from the asdfmovies, so fans of these short videos will feel right at home. If you like fast-paced, competitive games with a humorous edge, then this will be ideal for you. Muffin Time is a great stocking filler, as long as you don't mind getting a little competitive on Christmas Day!
Nine Tiles Panic
Oink Games are famous for their tiny box creations, perfect for stocking fillers, and this is by far one of my favourites! In Nine Tiles Panic, each player will have nine double-sided tiles with various images on, as well as roads. Your job is to fulfil as many of the 3 objectives drawn that round as possible, while also creating a “legal” city in front of you. This means ensuring that all the roads connect up and no road goes into a tile without connecting to another road.
All of this has to be done while under the pressure of the other players and the timer. The first player to finish will be able to score maximum points and get priority on all the objectives, while the other players will all have a numbered tile dependent on their finishing position. This great little tile-laying game is fast-paced, ideal for burning off a few of those Christmas calories after your dinner!
Cockroach Poker
You will probably have heard of this card game already. If you haven't, it really is a classic. In this bluffing game, there are no winners, only one loser, and you really don’t want to be that person! You will have a hand of cards with various creatures on. If it’s your turn, you simply choose a card and pass it to a player face down, declaring what creature it is. Of course, you can be truthful, but you can also lie through your teeth if you want to.
The player you pass to then has two options. Agree with you and turn the card over, or pass it to another player, taking a brief look at the card and either declaring it the same as the other player or changing it up! If you accept a card or challenge a card and you are right, then you pass that card back to the player who gave it to you and they put it face up in front of you. If, however, your challenge fails, or you accept a card and it’s not what the person said it was, then you must put it face up in front of yourself. The aim is to avoid having one of each creature face up in front of you, four of the same creature or running out of cards! If that happens to you, you lose! This classic bluffing game is fun for all the family and incredibly easy to learn and play, making it an ideal stocking filler.
Santa Banter/Don’t Get Got Christmas Edition
I am a massive fan of Big Potato Games. Their classics, Obama Llama and Don’t Get Got, have each had a Christmas makeover. Santa Banter, as you might guess, is a Christmas themed Obama Llama, whereas Don’t Get Got - Christmas Edition gives you challenges that are built around Christmas Day. Both of these are ideal for the big day and would make great stocking fillers as you’ll have them out, playing them almost instantly. I have both of these and we had great fun last year, playing them throughout the day. Don’t Get Got was a particular highlight of mine.
Love Letter / Infinity Gauntlet: A Love Letter Game
Love Letter is another favourite of mine and again, another classic. With the new edition released this year, alongside a fantastic Marvel-themed version, you can’t go wrong with a card game that really has stood the test of time. The new Infinity Gauntlet edition sees one player take on the role of Thanos, with everyone else becoming their favourite superhero and trying their best to stop Thanos getting his hands on all the infinity stones.
The core mechanics from the original are still in place, but the addition of a “1 vs all” scenario as well as battles makes this a real hit for anyone who is a fan of Marvel! If this doesn’t take your fancy, then the original Love Letter is just as fantastic. You have to win the love interest of the princess by knocking other people out of the round using the two cards you have each turn. Each card has an ability and will aid you in getting that precious love letter from the princess. Love Letter is a favourite in our family. Both Love Letter and Infinity Gauntlet are small, inexpensive games, making them perfect stocking fillers.