Reviewed for 2009, Family Games, Fifth Grade

This beautifully constructed game, made entirely of stained wood, is like a cross between an interlocking puzzle and a game of chess, with a medieval storyline running between them. Players imagine themselves in the Middle Ages, when people lived and worked within stone walls, the borders of which were dictated by powerful landlords. Each player places as many pieces within the medieval walls as she can, while surrounding her opponents' buildings to force them off the board. Great for practicing strategy and spacial reasoning, Cathedral is a family night must! (Family Games, $34.83)

Where to buy Cathedral