Best co-op Talisman-like board game to play with my kindergartener?
August 17, 2017 6:18 PM   Subscribe

My kindergartener really enjoys playing cooperative second edition Talisman with me. What board game should we try next?

Talisman seems to work because:

1. Turns are very fast, usually just rolling one or two d6 and making a simple left or right movement decision. My turns are over in 20 seconds; my kiddo gets almost all the spotlight.
2. Variability. Every turn is random fun, some fighting, some getting stuff, etc. We have an expansion or two with 100+ cards. It’s quite replayable.
3. Characters get cool stuff and grow more powerful throughout the game.
4. Failure is mitigated by having multiple lives yet there is a real chance of eventual game ending loss.
5. Good level of complexity. Enough to keep me from being bored out of my mind but simple enough for my youngster who still works to add two single digit numbers together.
6. My child really enjoys the large number of playable characters and relishes the choice at the start of each game.
7. A setting with dangerous supernatural creatures, magic, weapons, etc.
8. Not competitive. I know Talisman isn’t designed this way but simply ignoring all PvP spells and handing off objects to each other makes for a fun co-op hour. If any player dies the game ends.

TSR's Dungeon isn't quite what I'm looking for; turns are too similar and characters don't power up much.

Games I have considered but rejected due to complexity: Legends of Andor, Runebound, Descent, Prophecy.

Thanks for any ideas!
posted by JamesD to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (2 answers total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: My kids love Mice and Mystics. It's designed for co-op (the game has a decent AI for the other side); there's not nearly the number of characters you get in Talisman, but more than enough range to be interesting (so magic user characters, fighters, rogues, clerics etc with very different abilities and equipment; failure means you're captured until a buddy can rescue you; there's lots of loot and getting stronger; it's a high fantasy setting with swords and magic and castles; it has great minis; every turn you're solving a puzzle, making choices about which way to go, getting more gear, and yes, fighting.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 6:45 PM on August 17, 2017 [5 favorites]


I was just about to suggest Mice and Mystics. Tremendous fun.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 7:20 AM on August 18, 2017


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