Here’s some great dexterity games to try for the finger-athlete in you. Do you have good coordination and steady hands?
Crokinole
Cafe Library Location On the Wall, Ask for Play
A Canadian classic game dating back to the mid-1800s, some games are just timeless. The board is separated into 4 rings, the middle being just a hole. Players flick buttons towards the middle and must make contact with at least one of their opponent’s button, if any are on the board. Landing in the hole will score an instant 20 points. Otherwise, buttons score when they’ve all been shot with the other rings scoring 5, then 10 and 15. Play a game at a time or keep score and have a match.
Bandu
Cafe Library Location C3
Like Jenga? Then try this extreme stacking game. Win by having the last tower standing. Each player will build their own tower from a collection of oddly shaped blocks. You’ll start with the same base block and 5 beads each. You will use your beads to bid on blocks you want and avoid blocks you do not want. You’ll never get more beads, so bid wisely.
On your turn, choose a block from the middle but don’t add it to your tower yet. Your opponent might get it first. You have two options, if it’s a good block, force your opponent to bid a bead for it. If they don’t, you get it for free. If they do, you have to outbid them to get it and then they can outbid you, etc… until one of you buys it.
If it’s a bad block, you can force your opponent to pay a bead to refuse it but if they do, you’ll have to use it unless you pay a bid to avoid it. Eventually, one player will get stuck with the unwanted block.
If you win a block whether you want it or not, add it to your tower and make sure it doesn’t fall.
Rhino Hero Super Battle
Who doesn’t love creating a house of cards? Mix in dice, heroes and monkeys and you’ve go the greatest house of cards game ever! Be on top when the building collapses and win. The game play is simple, on your town place of three cards, that card will tell you what you need to add to the building that turn and finally you have to place that card, as the newest floor, on top of what you added. After that, roll the movement die (light blue) and move you hero up or down, if you’re on the same floor as another, FIGHT! Roll the red die as the attacker and the blue as the defender. Loser must move down one level and the winner stays. If you now on top take the special token to show that you’re the current king of the castle.
Chain reaction fights ca happen when playing with more players, this one plays up to 4 but still great as a two for sure.
Klask!
Cafe Library Location – Shelf By The Door
This relatively new game is reminiscent of other table sports games like air hockey or foosball. This game requires some hand eye coordination and finesse. Each player receives a magnet and a magnetic stick. The magnet handle you will hold under the table, controlling the stick above. With a goal on both sides of the field of play, you want to be the first to score 6 points. But watch out, other than scoring goals, there are 3 other ways to score points: if your opponent’s stick falls into the net, if 2 mid-field magnets get attached to their stick or if they lose control of their stick. Balance is key, as much as you’d like to score goals, you need to maintain good control of your stick or risk giving up points.
Sling Puck
Cafe Library Location – Shelf by the door
A quick game of slingshot accuracy. Be the first to clear your side of pucks by slinging them to your opponent’s side through a narrow hole. It’s fast, fun and over quick. Good for a couple of games.
Hamerstrolle
Cafe Library Location C4
A game on the move – literally. You’ll probably have to slide this game back a few times to avoid it tumbling off the table. All players start with the same assortment of shapes. Load up the wheel and place the black cone on it to weigh it down. To win, get rid of all your pieces first. On your turn you’ll place a piece on the wheel in the forward direction (the first player can decide the initial direction). Any piece you place must be further along the wheel than any other. If any pieces fall, the player that causes the fall will collect them all. Continue until one player is out of pieces.
Chickyboom
Cafe Library Location B5
This game requires understanding balance and a steady hand. Remove the most points from a teeter totter before it tumbles to win. Start by placing the platform flat on the table and load it up randomly with all the pieces. Then carefully balance the platform on the base. On your turn remove a piece, larger pieces are worth more points but pose a higher risk of collapse. if the platform falls, it’s game over. If you topple the beam you’ll lose 5 points. The player with the most points wins. Lots of adults overlook this game because of the young kids on the box, but give it a try, you just might love it.
Jenga
Cafe Library Location C5
Classic, simple, fun and no explanation needed. Topple the tower and you lose. One rule many are unaware of (if you are a stickler for rules) is that you can only use one hand at a time. Also, as you start moving one block, if you decide to switch to another you have to first move the block back to its original position before you do so.
Catch a Falling Star
Cafe Library Location A2
Light fun – I like to describe this game like reverse pick up sticks, but with some magnets. The sticks will be divided up evenly before play. You want to get rid of all your sticks first to win. With a magnetic star hanging from a beam, on your turn you’ll add a stick to the star. If any of the sticks fall on your turn, collect up to 3 back into your supply. You’ll obviously want to start with your magnetic sticks building a base to hold the non-magnetic one.
Special Note: As you set up this game, make sure you use the bottom part of the box with the insert still in it. This will provide the support for the polls.
Ghost Blitz
Cafe Library Location A1
Fast thinking and fast reflexes for the win with this game. In the box you’ll find a deck of cards and 5 tokens. The tokens are represented in the cards by shape and colour. Be the player to collect the most cards to win. To play a round, flip a card. If you see one of the objects in the card and the colour also matches, grab that token first from the table to win the card. Be sure before you take it, if you grab the wrong one, your opponent will get one of your previously collected cards as a penalty when they pick the correct one.
The catch, most cards won’t show an exact match. In this case, one and only one token will have zero representation reflected in the card, neither shape, nor colour. This omitted token is the one you want.
Penguin Pile-Up
Cafe Library Location A1
Another game of first to get rid of the tokens wins. In this game the tokens are penguins and you’re placing them on a teetery iceberg. The first to get rid of all their penguins wins. On your turn, place a penguin on the iceberg. If any fall, collect them all back into your supply.