13. Sheriff of Nottingham

We’re back with another family board game recommendation, this time with a game that will have you bluffing, bribing, and smuggling: Sheriff of Nottingham.

If you’ve ever wanted to play a bad guy, then Sheriff of Nottingham, a 2014 game from Arcane Wonders, is the game for you. In the game, designed by Sergio Halaban, Andre Zatz, and Bryan Pope, players are transported back to the world of Robin Hood. In the name of Prince John, the sheriff has set up checkpoints outside the city, examining any incoming merchant carts for what the sheriff calls contraband. Merchants are bringing their goods into the city… and maybe smuggling a little something among their wares.

Each round, one player gets to be the sheriff, while the other players are merchants. Each merchant has a hand full of cards. Some of them are legal goods, like apples and bread. Some of them are contraband, like pepper and mead. Each merchant selects some cards from their hand, places them in a little bag, and snaps the bag closed. Then they present their bag to the sheriff, announcing what they have to bring into the city. You might say, “4 chickens!” but secretly have two chickens and two crossbows in your bag. The sheriff then has to decide if you’re bluffing. At this point, negotiation between the merchant and the sheriff is encouraged, as is bribery!