As we approach the holiday season, there’s no question families are looking for fun and festive ways to spend time together. For a fun, interactive experience for kids and adults alike, The Christmas Express could be just the ticket. This delightful cooperative board game whisks players on a merry ride through a winter wonderland to deliver gifts by train. In the following review, we’ll dive into what the game has to offer, its components, mechanics, educational benefits, and why it’s such a great holiday tradition.
The Christmas Express Summary
The Christmas Express is a cooperative family board game from the acclaimed game publisher HABA, known for producing exceptionally child-friendly, high-quality games. With its holiday theme and simple mechanics, it’s also a great game for younger children and family members who would rather play cooperatively.
Key Game Information:
Publisher: HABA
Recommended Age: 6 and up
Player Count: 2-4 players
Known as Filler: About 30 minutes
Type of game: Cooperative, family board game
Goal: Cooperate to gather the presents, load them onto a train, and transport them through a snowy environment to the end of the path.
Game Components
The box itself contains a gorgeous set of components that elevate you into the holiday spirit as soon as you open the box. Here’s a look at what you’ll find in the 10 pages of this newsletter:
1 Game Board: A colorful map of a snowy landscape with a train track running through it.
4 Train Pawns Players progress by moving themselves around the board on their journey to deliver gifts.
12 — Gift Cards: The 13 represent the different gifts players must collect and load up onto the train
1 Spinning Board: Used to determine how many spaces a player can move or whether an element needs to be overcome.
1 Rulebook: Simple lay instructions to learn and provide a smooth experience even for younger players.
Key Fact:
The components are beautifully illustrated with the game art that is quintessentially the kind of imagery you would want to surround you durng the holiday season and in a whimsical and child-friendly aesthetic.
Instructions to Play The Christmas Express
The underlying theme in The Christmas Express is teamwork. Unlike most competitive board games, where you’re just trying to outmaneuver everyone around you, in this game players have to work together and help each other load and deliver presents. It’s easy to learn and takes about 30 minutes to play, and is perfect for fast family fun.
Gameplay Overview:
block: Title: Set Up the Board: Place the game board on a flat surface; give each player a train pawn.
Spin the Spinner: Players will spin the spinner on their turn and the resolution of that spin is a distance they can move up to and if they will encounter any challenges.
Collect Gifts: Players must find gift cards and add them to their train. Just make sure those presents get delivered by the end of the game!
Overcoming Obstacles: Along the way players will encounter obstacles like snowstorms, reindeer to cross the road, and train delays that must be tackled together.
Game Mechanics:
Cooperative Gameplay: The players work together to defeat their common enemy — the gifts. The game promotes communication, collaboration, and strategic thinking.
Spinner Action: The spinner determines the distance that players are able to move but also activates events that can either assist the train’s work (like overcoming obstacles) or hinder it.
Holiday Challenges: Reindeer crossings, snowstorms and other obstacles will slow players down, and clever ways to avoid costly delays will be essential to delivering all gifts by the time the clock runs out.
Age Range & Suitability
Though The Christmas Express is formally recommended for kids ages 6 and older, younger kids can still play along as long as they have a little help from an adult. The game’s simple mechanics allow kids to easily follow and play along. Its cooperative nature also makes it so that adults stand by to help younger players, making it a wonderful multi-generational game.
Best Age Group:
6+: Kids 6+ will quickly understand the mechanics of gameplay, while adults will appreciate the light, festive challenge.
Family Play: A great option for families with kids age 6 and older, though younger kids can enjoy it too with a little help.
Educational Benefits
As is common in the best board games, The Christmas Express isn’t just about having fun — it’s about learning as well. There’s quite a few educational benefits to the game, which makes it quite good for parents and educators.
Teamwork and Cooperation — Working together is one of the building blocks of the game. Players have to rely on each other to load up gifts, overcome obstacles and work together to finish their task. This encourages teamwork which is very important for our social development.
Fine Motor Skills: Younger players develop their fine motor skills as they manipulate the spinner, move pieces and handle the gift cards.
Counting and Coordination: With players moving around the board and interacting with the various pieces of the game, it’s a great way to practice counting, coordination, and spatial awareness.
Problem Solving: Through the various challenges the game presents (snowstorms, reindeer crossings), kids must think critically about how to reach their goal, and work together as a team to come up with solutions.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
Collaborative Play: Promotes teamwork over competition, great for families and young kids.
Holiday-Themed Fun: The Christmas-themed art and game components make the addition of holiday enthusiasts to any festive game collection.
Enjoy storing empty Love and Hate tokens. Once the game starts, you can see the rules very easily and enter into the game soon.
Fun for All Ages: Designed for kids, but super fun for adults, especially when played with a small child.
Stunning Components: The artwork and design of the game are simply stellar; the game showcases vibrant colors and fascinating details that give it a great level of immersion.
Cons:
The simple mechanics, combined with the short 15-30 minute playtime, means some of the novelty associated with the game may wear off after a few plays, especially for older children or adults who may be looking for a more complex challenge.
Yeah Not Ideally Suited for Solo Play: The co-op nature of the game means that its best experienced with others. It doesn’t have a solo mode.
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics — Comparison with Other Holiday-Themed Games
You may find many Christmas-related games on the market, but The Christmas Express is unique for its cooperative side. Whereas competitive games like Ticket to Ride: Holiday Edition are about building routes and collecting cards in order to score points against other players, The Christmas Express is a collaborative effort. The game’s basic mechanics also make it more palatable for younger players, while leaving room for challenge in family gameplay.
Customer Reviews & Reception
The Christmas Express has received an especially positive reception from families. Why reviewers love this game: The co-op elements and how it bonds family members together. Here are excerpts from some prominent reviews:
Dancing in My Wellies — This blog shows how the game is perfect for younger children and how much families enjoy playing it together. The cooperative aspect is well loved because it encourages communication and teamwork.
The Brick Castle: Lavishes praise on the game’s straightforwardness which makes it, for young players, an excellent entry-level board game. The seasonal theme is also well received.
Customer Rating:
Based on several review sites, The Christmas Express has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
The Christmas Express Review: Final Verdict
Overall, The Christmas Express is a cute, wholesome game with a feel good theme to reflect this time of year. It’s easy to play, informative and full of festive charm. Whether you want to spend time with your kids, or introduce them to the world of board games, this is a lovely choice.
Rating: 4.5/5
Christmas Express | $20 | Amazon The Christmas Express A holiday classic in the making, this game is a must-have for the holidays.
FAQs
How long does it take to play the game?
Games generally take around 30 minutes, so it’s ideal for quick family gaming sessions.
Can the game be played solo?
No, The Christmas Express is a coop game, meaning that the game works best with at least two players.
What age group is The Christmas Express suitable for?
It is best for age 6 and up, but younger children can play with adults.
Is it hard to learn?
Not at all! It’s easy to learn, and the rulebook is straightforward and easy to understand.
Where to Buy & Pricing
The Christmas Express is available on multiple online retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and HABA’s website. For between $25-$30, this game is a solid, inexpensive, yet fun gift for the holiday season.
