Hallowe’en, whose origins lie in Samhain and the “Eve of All Hallows” – or the night before All Saints Day – is an opportunity to honour the dead or to mock the evil spirits by dressing up in funny, macabre costumes.

To this celebration of darkness has now been added pumpkins, decorations and candy. And while the tour of houses and stores had to be delayed in 2019 because of a storm, it will probably not be recommended this year because an evil virus is abroad.

To put a little lightness and gaiety back into your Hallowe’en, we asked the fun-gamesspecialist Manuela Erba Brassard, founding member of the Carpe Diem cooperative bookstore in Mont-Tremblant, to suggest some board games that would be perfect for a costumed evening with friends or family. Carve your pumpkin jack-o-lanterns, light the candles, put on your costume and…play on!

For the younger ones

The first game suggested is for children aged five and over. The board game Frog Soup from TIKI Editions is a game of skill which stimulates cooperation among players.

Agile frog jumps make the magic objects fall so the player doesn’t end up in the soup, which is being made by the evil witch. The French-language version is “Soupe à la grenouille”.

To stimulate quickness, consider the image association game “Spot it”, which is good for children over six.

The version with the Harry Potter theme will create a Hallowe’en atmosphere complete with images of witches, owls and magic wands.

For the big kids

For the eight-and-over gang, “Crime Hotel” is a trick-taking game in which the value of the cards helps the detectives find out in which room the crime was committed. It’s a good way to get new players started on using strategy and deduction.

Our fun-games-specialist’s favourite is an original game called “Villainous” which flips roles. Each player takes on the role of a villain out of Disney. To win, you have to confront the “do-gooders” and foil the plans of your opponents to become the “most evil person ever”.

It’s fun and addictive, and the basic game can be completed with extensions to add new villains. It suits children from 10 to 100, in groups of from two to six players.

For groups

Still for those aged ten and older, the image interpretation game “Obscurio” is played by up to eight players in cooperative mode. The magicians try to escape an abandoned library by interpreting the clues revealed by the book of spells, while avoiding the subtle traps of the traitor.

Let’s wind this up with a legendary roleplaying game evocative of gatherings under the full moon: “Les Loups-Garous de Thiercelieux” (the werewolves of Thiercelieux) from Éditions Lui-Même. If you can pull together a team of from eight to 18 players, your group can play the characters in this village where, every night, the werewolves claim a victim.

Start with a Game Master who masters the art of suspense, and keep your own role secret as long as possible while making your team the winner, whether you’re a simple villager, a witch, a clairvoyant or a famished werewolf….

Happy Hallowe’en!

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