COVID 19 - The Coronavirus: Some Gaming

We played a lot of video games over the weekend. I was a little fried on Friday and I just let the electronic times roll. I tried Invisble Inc and then started a Battletech career and spent way too much time on it. Turn-based RPG/strategies sucker me in with "Just one more..."

Shane played a lot of Minecraft....and he was really excited when I installed the educational edition on my computer, too. Shane built a "parkour" course on a space station level that he had me jumping through. He would stay in "create mode" and be all-powerful with the ability to fly. Then he'd have me in "survival mode" where things he spawned could (and would) kill me.

He really liked it, but I had Battletech on in the background and would switch back and forth while he "made something for me" and was consumed by whatever he was up to.

Tuesday, I decided the family needed a video game detox. It's Holy Week and I'd rather we did things as a family in the really, real world.

I have declared it a "family fun week." The goal will be to do some card and board games all week with each other!

We've done some gaming already (just not as much as I may have dreamed). Shane really liked my X-wing minis.

He's been watching Star Wars Rebels, so he's got Star Wars on the brain! We only played once, but he spent a couple of days flying my ships around. He even built his own ships like the "Starburst Shooter" out of k'nex.

Zombie Kids has seem some playtime, too.

It's a legacy style game with progression. We've almost opened all of the envelopes!

Max enjoys laying on any paper products we offer to her.

Carrie likes cards. She'll play solitaire on her own enough that Shane knows what it is. The main games Carrie plays with me are Rummy and Four Corners. Shane knows how to play Rummy some. He actually beat Carrie once!

He's getting better about not showing off his whole hand whenever he leans forward, but the kid is no savant.

My new detective game got a quick play since I mentioned it last (I could play it once a day, but I'd rather not do it solo!).

We played a few games on Monday after I declared game week. We had a game to select the games, too.

We've played some Love Letter Batman Edition, Rummy, and Exploding Kittens so far. Shane really wants to play King of Tokyo and Sheriff of Nottingham.

When Carrie fell asleep Monday afternoon, Shane and I played a game of Blokus. He's good for a 9 year old.

"Let's leave it out so Mom can see it," Shane said.

I knew it wouldn't last!

As I write this, I told Shane we'd play a game after he put his clean clothes away. It couldn't have been more than 10 minutes of work, but he's been in his room humming for at least 40 minutes.

I'd complain, but I wrote a whole post while he's been busy!

UPDATE: We played some Pokemon. Shane got his engine running collected 5 out of 6 trophy cards the second game. Not bad kid!

I don't go easy on him. He gets some takebacks if he forgets something or makes an obvious mistake, but I make the best moves I can when it's my turn. I tell Shane that he's really good for his age, but he's got to keep practicing to beat adults.

UPDATE 2: We played Sheriff of Nottingham next. Shane loves when Carrie does all the voices and acting bits. "Papers, please! Keep the line moving! It doesn't sound like chickens in your bag. Why would you bag chicken anyway!?" He tries to imitate her and do his own voices, but it normally doesn't work out as well!

Also, Carrie's really good at the game in general. She smoked us.