Qwirkle is as simple as matching colors and shapes, but this game also requires tactical maneuvers and well-planned strategy. Earn points by building rows and columns of blocks that share a common shape or color. Look for opportunities to score big by placing a tile that touches multiple pieces with matching attributes. The player with the most points wins! 108 wooden blocks. 2 to 4 players. Ages 6+

The Knight and Princess are locked in separate towers. Can you help the pricess build a rescue route or the knight build a bridge to get them back together? Challenges range from simple to complex in the beautifully crafted wooden 3-d puzzle. From the creator: “Camelot Junior” (Royal Rescue in the US) is without any doubt my favourite puzzle for kids I designed for Smart Games so far. Probably because it combines a lot of my interests: castles, knights, paths, bridges and objects made of wood. Ages 4+

Scour the living room for listening devices, fine tune those foreign accents, turn up the collar on the trench coat, and dig in to some international intrigue in the safety of the family game room with Spy Alley. If you are the first to arrive safely in the embassy of the country identified on your I.D. card, after having collected the password, your disguise, the code book and key, then you win the game. Includes game board, 6 scorecards, 6 spy identification cards, 40 free gift cards, 36 move cards, game money, 6 game markers, 144 pegs, and die. For 2 to 6 players ages 8 and up.