The following games were sent to us, per our request, for review. Neither Love Thy Nerd, nor any individual, has been paid for these reviews. None of the publishers or designers saw these reviews before they were published.

As you may or may not be aware, April 11th is National Board Game Day here in the US. As if we needed a specific day to celebrate all of the joy these experiences bring us, right? Nevertheless, we at Love Thy Nerd are happy to engage in this most festive of holidays. I have a metric ton of board games, with more coming daily, it seems, so it only seems fitting that I take some time to help introduce you to a few that might also find a home on your shelf.

Sneaky Scallywags

Publisher: Hootenanny Games

Product: https://a.co/d/0h2uw8OS

If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a pirate while also gaslighting your friends, then you should check out Hootenanny Games’ newest title. While party games are nothing new, and the pirate theme has all but walked the plank at this point, Sneaky Scallywags really swabs the ol’ poop deck and offers a fairly unique take on an old bar game. So you get all the fun and joy without any of the shame and regret the next day. That’s a win-win for me! And kids can play it, too!

How does it play?

In Sneaky Scallywags, you’ll split evenly into 2 teams. Each team’s goal is to hide a gold (color, not metal) coin among the crew in one of their hands. The whole crew will then simultaneously act out whatever hand gestures they drew at the beginning of the round while also holding the coin. The opposing crew has 30 seconds to watch and collectively decide where they think the coin is. The box says 4 or more crewmates, and I would like to place an emphasis on the word “more.” Hilarity ensues when you increase the number of players on each team because with every added player, there are 2 more places where the hidden coin can be. If the guessing crew is right, they get the coin. If not, the gesturing crew retains it. The first crew to 5 coins wins, but watch out for cursed coins denoted by the green on one side. Each crew has 2 tonics to cure the cursed coins, but if you gain or retain one that your crew cannot cure, the game immediately ends and that crew loses.

Who is it for?

This game is for any group that wants to have a silly time and not take themselves too seriously. If the theme isn’t enough to hook you, this publisher has a solid track record of family-weight games that offer approachability for younger players while boasting engaging enough gameplay for seasoned players as well. I also highly recommend playing this in a louder-than-normal environment or public space so that neither team can easily hear where the coin actually is. Being both 100% sure and unsure is one of the best mechanics this game has to offer. Play with your family or play with your adult friends. If either of them cares more about the journey of the game than the destination of winning, then this is a worthy addition to any shelf of opportunity.

Connect 4: Rolls

Publisher: FanRoll

Product: https://a.co/d/0ih262aj

You will have to go back several generations to meet someone from the Western world who hasn’t played a game of Connect 4. For almost 50 years, Connect 4 has been keeping families entertained by dropping colored discs into plastic grids. But in recent decades, Hasbro has experimented with the formula. We’ve seen Connect 4 Launchers defying the laws of gravity, Connect 4 Blast! sending discs flying across the room, and Connect 4 Shots transforming the game into a bounce-shot competition. Connect 4: Rolls joins this lineup by replacing the grid entirely with dice, making it one of the most portable versions yet.

How does it play?

Instead of dropping checkers, players roll dice and try to arrange them into four-in-a-row on a shared scorepad. The real twist here is that only the dice with a “4” showing count toward your Connect 4. Each turn involves rolling, re-rolling, and hoping for the color combination you need. It’s quick and unpredictable, trading the single-action planning of classic Connect 4 for dice-driven momentum. The randomness keeps things moving while still leaving room for strategy by flipping or removing a die. As an added piece of chaos, if you ever roll four “4”s, the game ends and you automatically win. The winner is the best of four games, or just play it like I do most of these games: play until you’re not having fun anymore.

Who is it for?

This version works well for families with younger kids who enjoy dice games but aren’t ready for heavier strategy. It will also hit home for anyone wanting a portable filler game that fits in a pocket. If you like games where a lucky roll can change everything instantly, and you’re comfortable with outcomes that depend more on chance than skill, Connect 4: Rolls delivers quick entertainment in about 10 minutes.

EXIT: The Game – Kids: The Great Bee-scape

Publisher: Thames and Kosmos

Product: https://a.co/d/08r9KvUx

Since 2016, EXIT: The Game has been turning living rooms into escape rooms, one locked box at a time. The series has taken players through haunted mansions, ancient tombs, and even a sunken treasure hunt. They tapped into the understanding that locking you in a room with people you know is more effective than doing the same with a stranger’s bachelorette party. With EXIT: The Game – Kids, the franchise inches closer to making escape room puzzles accessible for younger adventurers. The Great Bee-scape is designed specifically for kids ages 5–7, proving that you’re never too young to experience the thrill of cracking codes and solving riddles.

How does it play?

In EXIT: The Game – Kids: The Great Bee-scape, players help a friendly bee escape from a jar by solving a series of kid-friendly puzzles. Instead of complex locks and cryptic symbols, the game uses colorful picture riddles, simple counting challenges, and hands-on activities that require matching, stacking, or arranging objects. There’s little to no reading required outside of the directions needed to solve the puzzle. This means pre-readers can jump right in alongside their siblings or parents. Each puzzle is linear, leading directly to the next. Doing so creates an easy-to-follow narrative flow that keeps little ones engaged without overwhelming them. Hopefully, anyways. The whole adventure takes about 20–30 minutes, which is just right for shorter attention spans regardless of your age.

Who is it for?

This one’s perfect for families with young children who are curious about puzzles but not quite ready for traditional escape room logic. If you’ve got a kindergartener who loves solving problems, enjoys hands-on activities, and gets excited about helping characters in stories, The Great Bee-scape will be a welcome addition to your family game night. It’s also great for parents looking for cooperative, screen-free entertainment that feels like an event rather than just another game night. Just know that once you solve it, it’s done. So, if your crew is good with a one-time adventure, then this may be the one for you. While it may be a single play for you, these games are non-destructive, so feel free to pass it on to another group that might enjoy the thrill of discovery as well.

EXIT: The Game – The Circus Mystery

Publisher: Thames and Kosmos

Product: https://a.co/d/0aroAqLm

As we’ve previously established, the EXIT: The Game series has been bringing the escape room experience home in an affordable and approachable way for the better part of 2 decades. The series has proven that you don’t need elaborate set pieces or a countdown timer on the wall to fill you with a feeling of impending doom. Instead, you get a box of cards, a decoder wheel, and the kind of collaborative problem-solving that either bonds your group together or tears it limb from relational limb. EXIT: The Circus Mystery continues this tradition by dropping players into a mysterious carnival where something has gone terribly wrong, and the only way you’ll get out of there is by working together.

How does it play?

In EXIT: The Game – The Circus Mystery, players work together to solve a series of interconnected puzzles using a combination of cards, objects, and the aforementioned decoder wheel. Each puzzle leads to a three-digit solution that unlocks the next challenge, creating a chain of discoveries that slowly unravels the circus’s secrets. The game encourages creative thinking. This means that sometimes you’ll fold cards, overlay images, or use components in unexpected ways. While some puzzles are straightforward logic challenges, others require outside-the-box thinking that might have you looking at everyday objects differently. The whole adventure typically takes 1–2 hours depending on your group’s puzzle-solving speed and willingness to ask for hints. Remember: anything can be a clue when everything is.

Who is it for?

This one’s ideal for families or friend groups who enjoy collaborative challenges and don’t mind a one-time experience. If you’ve got players who love solving mysteries, appreciate hands-on tactile puzzles, and can handle moderate difficulty without getting frustrated, then The Circus Mystery is a really good time. It can also work really well for game nights where you want something different to change up the usual rotation. The journey is, more often than not, memorable enough to be worth the price of admission, and you can always pass it along to another group ready for their own cirque du enquête.