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So, I’m looking for a really fun, all in one miniatures board game that’s good for my nephews, in the 6-12 age range. I think a dungeon crawler would be the best choice, but Descent and similar games have too many rules. They're smart kids, but I’m looking for something easy to learn and play, but not boring. I think something that looks like Super Dungeon Explore or Arcadia Quest might work, as they like Anime kinda things.. but I never played either so I don’t know if they’re easy or not? I thought about Zombicide but I think that might be too grown up for them for now. They might also like the theme for Mice & Mystics, but also don’t know how that plays either..

And probably most important, is it needs to be no assembly required, so the minis gotta be ready to go right out of the box.

Any ideas?

Get retro!
Maybe Darkworld, Space Crusade, Space Hulk or Heroquest.
They still stand up today.

Zombies!!! is nice and easy to pick up and play.

my understanding about those is they're indeed fairly kid friendly to learn etc but I've not played them.

I think Frostgrave is also a good choice as it's quite open for multiple minis and if you don't want to paint etc you can really make do with toy figures quite easily.

Also I just wanted to say I really recommend Mice and Mystics, it's really really fun, not too hard to get used to. It's very story based, the models can be painted but it also comes with tokens that you can just use.

Alternatively have you thought about just letting them make some stuff up? You could throw some tiles together, add some dice, some minis - steal some from hero clix or heroscape, they're perfect. Dice for movement, learning simple numbers, come across a marker - roll on a random table: monster, treasure, trash, trap, etc. Could be a lot of fun although bit more RP'ing maybe. Kids are really good at this and helps their imagination quite a lot.

Mine are all quite a bit older now, so I can't unfortunately recommend anything else off hand, though we did have a rocking conversion game based loosely on chutes and ladders, at one point.

For kids who aren't already avid gamers, I HIGHLY recommend going simple at first. Mice and Mystics, Dungeon Explore, Frostgrave etc would be good second or third games, but I'd highly recommend staying simple at first.

Right now at Target, you can get "Magic the Gathering Arena of the Planeswalkers" for $15! Even less on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Gathering-Arena-Planeswalkers-Game/dp/B00SDJGCRA/ref=pd_bxgy_21_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=X3ACBWW9YB22P2JT223Z
35 figs in the box, fairly straitforward combat and a simple magic card system to spice it up a bit. and it is slowly being grown with solid expansions (one last year and one just out last week) that seem to be $20-30 and you can also expand by doubling up on any of the series. The 6-8 year olds might need a bit of hand holding at first, but everything they need to know is right on the big unit cards and the game is simpler than just about anything else that's been mentioned on this thread so far. Also, the board is the same interlocking-hex system as the now-defunct "Heroscape" so if you find some resale or can get some hand-me-downs you can grow the terrain rather dramatically that way. I just bought a copy last week and I'll probably give it a try with my 5 year old sometime this year or next.

If you're willing to buy your minis and rules separately and go boardless , here's a couple of other suggestions.
I'd highly recommend "Song of Blades and Heroes".
http://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?cPath=1_6&products_id=7
The best $8 you'll spend on a game. It doesn't include any figures, but a quick trip to any game store and you can pick up some cheap prepainted Dungeons and Dragons figs and you'll be ready to go. The game allows you to quickly stat up any miniature you have. In fact, the kids might appreciate a trip to the game store and being allowed to pick up a few characters of their own choice.

It's a very simple system that can be kept even simpler by not adding many of the optional special rules. Characters only have two stats, Quality (for activation) and Combat and all measuring is handled by 3 sticks. I've run the game at conventions and had folks from 7 to 77 pick it up quickly and it's been almost universally enjoyed. What makes it even better is that if they enjoy it, there's 4 supplements and an advanced version of the rules that you can bring in to grow the experience. SBH is my favorite game ever.

Also, I highly recommend the free games from Sean Patten. He's made a number of games for his family and many are even made to be played with toys you already have.
http://www.ironhands.com Don't let the description fool you though, they're clever rulesets, most of which share the same dice mechanic..

-Starcrashers is a space exploration game. You can use micro machine star wars ships or use the cheap bags of spaceships from. Here's what I did with the rules.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/691684.page

-Galactic Heroes is a neat Star Wars game you can play with Galactic Heroes figures, Lego figs, Action figs or the 54mm "Star Wars Command" figures. Just cut a movement stick and print up some counters and you're set.

There's several other games including a goblin hunt and a mecha game, but those are the two that I'd start with. My 5 year old son and I have been loving Starcrashers and I'll probably try Galactic Heroes with him soon.

One other game catagory that I'd throw out there that isn't a wargame exactly. If the kids stick with this kind of thing and want to try a deckbuilding game without the money sink of a CCG, the Lord of the Rings Deckbuilding games by Cryptozoic are about $20 each and all 3 are quite fun. Also, the Warmachine and Hordes "High Command" Deckbuilders are surprisingly strait-forward (only slightly more complex than LoTR) and right now the starter boxes for each are only $12 and $10 respectively at Miniatures Market. The two starter boxes would get you a total of 8 factions and you never need buy any of the smaller expansions.

My final suggestion for easiet possible buy-in would be to buy MTG Arena of the Planeswalkers and the rules for Song of Blades and Heroes. Then you've got a solid set of figures that can be used in two very different styles of games.

Hmm.. Well I was looking into Mice & Mystics some more, but maybe that MTG game will work as a good "intro to plasticrack", since it's cheap.. and if they like it and want something new later on I can try M&M or another game. I don't think a skirmish game with a book & minis would work though, it really has to be an all in 1 board game. I don't think they have the attention span to build their own board and terrain and stuff without me to do it for them and I'm 100 miles away. But eventually I hope to move them up to something like that, I'm slowly warping their fragile little minds.

 Necros wrote:
Hmm.. Well I was looking into Mice & Mystics some more, but maybe that MTG game will work as a good "intro to plasticrack", since it's cheap.. and if they like it and want something new later on I can try M&M or another game. I don't think a skirmish game with a book & minis would work though, it really has to be an all in 1 board game. I don't think they have the attention span to build their own board and terrain and stuff without me to do it for them and I'm 100 miles away. But eventually I hope to move them up to something like that, I'm slowly warping their fragile little minds.

That seems like a good plan.
I just had a look at boardgamegeek, and they're suggesting that Mice and Mystics is just fine for kids 8 and over, so I may have been off base in my initial opinion. I'm a sucker for anthropomorphic animal minis, but the game looks to be temporarily out of stock and the going price of the game (over $100!!) has kept me back for now. If you've got the scratch, and want to dive in, than M&M might be fine, but the thrifty gamer in me says maybe $15 for MTG Planeswalkers is a good place to start until M&M comes back.

I'm hoping that the initial popularity of M&M will see a wider re-release (coming soon according to the manufacturer) near the original $50 price.

Best of luck whatever you choose. I've just started gaming with my kid and it's alot of fun.

GW were also about to release their stripped down version of 40k. I think it was Aobr models so pretty much plug and play.
Perhaps you could knock those models out and spray them 2 different colours with a bit of scenery and let them have at it.
Not sure of the date but it seemed pretty kid friendly from what has been leaked

I'd love to get them into 40K, but I think it's too complex.. even AoS would be too much.. and I know I'm the one who will end up having to paint (and also buy) all of their models But I'll see how the stripped down version will be I guess, maybe that will be a good starting point too later on.

Also, I could have sworn I just saw Mice & Mystics on Miniature Market for like $43... unless that was an expansion or something

Check out the new "Battle for Vedros" box? It seems like it's not a whole lot more than the move, shoot, assault phase of Warhammer, without a ton of special rules.

One other suggestion. It ranges widely in price (Lowest price one ebay seems to be around $60 shipped) , but someone you know might have a copy in their attic....

Battlemasters!

The GW/MB game of fantasy battles is a really fun fantasy wargame that includes A HUGE number of figures and plays on an 5x5 giant hex map. Simple enough for even for little kids and a heck of alot of fun.
I've pillaged a few of these over the years to build my Chaos army, but I've kept the bases and other supplies and hope to substitute some figs and play it with my kids someday.

 Necros wrote:

Also, I could have sworn I just saw Mice & Mystics on Miniature Market for like $43... unless that was an expansion or something

The core box was around that at MM, but it's sold out now. It's probably still in stock at some stores that haven't gouged the price, so if you can find one $40-50 I'd snap it up.

...or let me know where it is...

I just signed up for an alert from MM if/when it comes in stock.

Dungeon Saga by Mantic games is very kid friendly. I went to their various live playtested and they had a group of young children doing it each time, and the results were very positive.
It also has parts of a very cool story to read out as you progress.

Not sure if it classifies as a children friendly game, but how about Munckin? Been a few years since I last played it, so take the recomendation with a pinch of salt

If you're seriously interested in Mice and Mystics, let me know, I'm almost 100% sure I saw a copy locally - for close to the original price. Anyway just PM me.

 Buttery Commissar wrote:
Dungeon Saga by Mantic games is very kid friendly. I went to their various live playtested and they had a group of young children doing it each time, and the results were very positive.
It also has parts of a very cool story to read out as you progress.

Yeah, Dungeon Saga is like Descent but a lot more cut down.

I know someone that did a game variant if it that was even more kid friendly called...

Pony saga. I'll leave the details up to your imagination.

Takenoko board game is fun for kids

The Adventurers has miniatures and is fun

Betrayal at House on the Hill is excellent, creepy and fun.

Find an old copy of Heroquest.

Super Dungeon Explore was one of my favorites, under the original rules. It was a good tactical game, and surprisingly well-balanced.

Then, they redid the "Classic" game with Forgotten King, and changed a ton of stuff for no obvious reason with basically zero playtesting. I find it a total disaster to play.

If your intent is to play a strict by the (current) rules, it's way too fiddly for kids (or most adults), and I recommend that you avoid it.

OTOH, if your intent is to treat it as a very cute (and preassembled) toolbox, using the basic game mechanic, ignoring the special rules, and fudging difficulty, then it'll be fine.

Supposedly, new rules are coming for Legends, and it's been very slow progress to date. Check back in 6 months. Sorry.


I find the Arcadia Quest minis to be grotesque, so I won't get it.

I really like the look and design of Mice & Mystics, and kinda wish I had gotten that instead of SDE.

I have Zombicide Season 3: Rue Morgue, and that's not bad, despite being Monsters.

Why not Silver tower? It's very easy to play

Out of all the games mentioned, the only one I've had experience with myself is Zombicide in it's various versions. Often when we get new people at our gaming club, they'll join in and it just takes a quick 5 mins to explain the basic rules, and we jump straight in. Generally though, people will be mid-teens/twenties.

From a rules perspective, I'd say Zombicide was definitely a good un, the main thing I don't know is how the setting would fit for younger kids as while it is all a bit cartoony, it is still zombies, gore, guns, knives etc.

I recently wanted to get something for my 7yo daughter and me to play.

I managed to get Heroquest for 30 quid and had a ball.

 Alex Kolodotschko wrote:
GW were also about to release their stripped down version of 40k. I think it was Aobr models so pretty much plug and play.
Perhaps you could knock those models out and spray them 2 different colours with a bit of scenery and let them have at it.
Not sure of the date but it seemed pretty kid friendly from what has been leaked

Battle for Vedros is what I think you're talking about.
GW is selling that boxed starter/contained game at toy stores and, now apparently, at some FLGSs.
I bought a couple of sets and sold them to an ork player.

The rules cover everything in the box, a SM and an ork force.
Both sides are considered 'legal' since it's stripped down 40k.
Looked like a very decent intro to 40k with much of the complication pulled out.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Necros wrote:
I'd love to get them into 40K, but I think it's too complex.. even AoS would be too much.. and I know I'm the one who will end up having to paint (and also buy) all of their models But I'll see how the stripped down version will be I guess, maybe that will be a good starting point too later on.

Also, I could have sworn I just saw Mice & Mystics on Miniature Market for like $43... unless that was an expansion or something

M&M at MM is around $48 but it's currently out of stock.

I think I'll start with the MTG game first since it's readily available and cheap, and if they like that I'll try Mice and Mystics later. It's probably just all sold out and they have to wait for a restock. I'll keep an eye out for when it's back in stock.

Maybe if they come for a visit we can try and play my copy of Silver Tower. I didn't want to get them that because I thought all of the model building would be too much. I could give them my copy with the minis already built, but I don't know if I wanna part with it yet

Is battle for verdos snap fit stuff? or will they still need glue and xacto knives and stuff?

AFAIK, the Battle for Vedros is snap fit, but there still will be cutting and possibly filing.

Unfortunately it all comes in the same color grey but maybe a quick spray could differentiate it?

I just ordered a second copy of the MTG game. At less than $13 shipped it's a fun way to get:
-some more maps and tiles
-some extra figs for my son to practice paint on
-a set of the rhino-men to paint up myself.

Also supposedly the expansions introduce multicolor casters who would benefit from having access to the original box units.

Battlemasters can be found for a decent price on eBay, and is a hugely fun simplification of Warhammer Fantasy. It's played on a big mat you spread out on the floor, and it's full of great early 90s miniatures and has some excellent art in it. I played it all the time as a kid, both with my dad and with my friends. My dad and I actually busted it out this Father's Day and played three of the scenarios in the box, and every one came down to the last dieroll! It's really fun and fairly fast paced to boot.

IMO, BattleLore 1E is a good Fantasy Battles game. Especially if you hunt down the Dragon expansion.