Board games have long been a beloved pastime, bringing friends and families together for fun, friendly competition, and quality time. Whether you’re strategizing your next move, solving a puzzle, or just rolling the dice and hoping for the best, there’s something special about gathering around a game board.
Outset Media, a Canadian company founded in 1996, has made its mark by creating and distributing board games, card games, and puzzles that spark connection and creativity. While rooted in Canada, Outset Media has expanded its reach, partnering with U.S.-based companies to bring engaging, thoughtfully crafted games to an even wider audience.
10Different Themed Monopoly Games
Monopoly is a timeless board game centered around economics and strategy, where players navigate the board, buying, trading, and developing properties to amass wealth and bankrupt their opponents. Originally created in 1903, the game has not only endured for over a century but has also inspired countless house rules and personalized gameplay styles, making every household’s version unique.
Today, Outset Media offers a vast array of themed Monopoly games, catering to nearly every interest imaginable. From Dino-Opoly for dinosaur lovers to Canadian Wildlife-Opoly for nature enthusiasts, and even Wine-Opoly for oenophiles, there’s a version to suit any passion. Location-based editions like Hawaii-Opoly, and Ireland-Opoly celebrate regional pride, while countless sports and animal editions ensure that, no matter your interests, there’s likely a Monopoly game for you.
9Dinosaur Snakes And Ladders
Snakes and Ladders is a timeless childhood game with roots in ancient India, where it was known as Moksha Patam before making its way to the United Kingdom in the 1890s. The premise is simple: players race across the board, rolling dice to move their game pieces. Land on a ladder, and you’ll climb ahead. Land on a snake, and you’ll slide back. It’s all about luck, with no strategy required… just a roll of the dice and a bit of hope!
There are several versions of Snakes and Ladders available from Outset Media, with themes such as woodland creatures, farm animals, and Christmas. This is not to be confused with Hasbro’s version of the game, Chutes and Ladders.
Outset Media has given this classic a prehistoric twist with Dinosaur Snakes and Ladders! In this version, players take on the role of daring dinos racing to reach a hatching dinosaur egg. Ladders have been replaced with handy shortcuts, while the snakes are now treacherous lava flows.
8Canadian Trivia: Family Edition
This is the game that started it all. Back in 1996, David Manga had a dream to publish and distribute a board game called All Canadian Trivia, leading to the creation of Outset Media. According to Outset Media’s website, Canadian Trivia: Family Edition remains one of their top-selling games, with its popularity extending beyond Canadian borders and reaching international audiences.
Canadian Trivia: Family Edition invites players to journey across a game board featuring a map of Canada, answering trivia questions in categories like geography, history, arts, and general knowledge. It’s a fun and educational experience, perfect for players to test their knowledge and learn fascinating facts about the Great White North.
7Bugs ‘N’ Slugs
Love them or hate them, people are fascinated by creepy crawlies. Perfect for curious kids (and adults), this creepy-crawly trivia game is a fun and engaging way to learn all about insects. With 162 trivia cards packed with fascinating facts, you will discover the hidden wonders of the natural world, pick up impressive bug knowledge, and maybe even find these tiny critters a little less scary.
The goal is simple: be the first to cross the finish line. Advance across the board by answering trivia questions or completing fun in-game activities. Whether you’re a budding entomologist or just looking for a unique game night experience, this insect-inspired adventure promises laughter, learning, and a whole lot of buggy fun.
6Gobblet
Gobblet is a clever twist on Tic-Tac-Toe with a dash of strategy and a lot of surprises. Played on a 4x4 grid, each player gets twelve wooden pieces that nest into three stacks of four, ranging from small to large. The goal? Line up four of your pieces in a row to claim victory.
On your turn, you can place a new piece onto the board or move one of your existing pieces to a new space. The catch? Bigger pieces can “gobble up” smaller ones, covering them and taking control of that spot. But beware: if you uncover an opponent’s piece while moving, you might hand them the win. Every move counts in this deceptively simple game of cunning and skill.
5Zensu
Zensu is a fast-paced strategy game where stealth and cunning are key. Your mission: cross the border into your opponent’s territory before they infiltrate your own. Each player commands an army of 12 pieces, all capable of moving in four directions, giving you plenty of tactical options.
Victory demands a delicate balance of offense and defense: will you charge forward in a bold invasion, or lay traps to outwit your rival? Adapt your strategy on the fly, read your opponent’s moves, and stay one step ahead.
4Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a beautifully designed strategy game where your goal is to grow the most thriving forest. As you nurture your trees, they’ll soak up sunlight, which you can use to take actions like planting seeds or growing saplings into towering trees. Each tree you complete earns you points, and when the forest is fully grown, the player with the most points wins.
In 2018, Photosynthesis was one of five recipients of the Mensa Select award.
In 2020, the game got even more exciting with Photosynthesis: Under the Moonlight, an expansion that adds three new modules. You can play these on their own or mix them with the base game to create fresh challenges and strategies.
3Stratego Classic
Stratego Classic is a hyphenated version of the original Stratego game, where two players take command of their armies and fight to either capture your enemy’s flag or your enemies movable pieces so they cannot make any more moves. The original game gave each player 40 game pieces, though Stratego Classic scaled it back to 30 pieces, reducing playtime from 45 minutes to 30 minutes.
All the game pieces can only move one step to an adjacent square, save for Scouts, which can move to any number of squares in a straight line, similar to a Rook in chess. The pieces can attack other pieces by touching them, after which both players reveal the pieces' ranks. The weaker piece is removed from the game board.
2Ziggurat
Ziggurat is a unique, story-driven strategy game that blends cooperative problem-solving with the thrill of shaping your own adventure. Think of it like a tabletop Choose Your Own Adventure, where every choice you make influences the outcome of the story.
In the game, you and your fellow players take on the roles of brave volunteers from a village that has stood for generations in the shadow of an ancient ziggurat. Local legend whispers of a mighty dragon slumbering within… and lately, eerie signs suggest that the beast may be awakening.
Your mission? Venture into the depths of the ziggurat, unravel its mysteries, and uncover the truth behind the legend. The fate of the village, and perhaps the entire region, rests in your hands. Will you bring peace, or awaken something best left undisturbed?
1Shadow Ninjas
Take your place in the ultimate showdown: cats versus dogs. In Shadow Ninjas, samurai dogs stand guard, protecting the Shogun’s prized koi fish, while stealthy ninja cats plot to snatch them away.
This strategy game puts your critical thinking to the test as you battle for control of the board. Outsmart your opponent with clever moves, bold bluffs, and just the right amount of dice-fueled luck. Whether you’re a cunning cat or a determined dog, only the sharpest strategist will emerge victorious.
