THE quirky Board Beans Cafe in Northwich has provided shoppers with a helpful Christmas gift buying guide.

Based on Witton Street, the cafe offers customers the chance to play their favourite games while enjoying their favourite drink and snacks.

With hundreds of games to choose from, owners Betsy and Frazer Eden know a thing or two, and their guide is split into different categories to help make the choice that little bit easier.

Here are some from each category that Betsy recommends this Christmas:

Family Games

Betsy explains: "A super fun selection for all the family, enough strategy to keep you coming back for more and brilliant for getting every one around the table for games night."

Flyin' Goblins - A brand new game in which players launch goblins into a castle to steal the kings treasure.

Ticket to Ride - The best selling modern boardgame, which revolves around collecting cards and laying track in a bid to connect locations all over the map, with many different maps available including US, Europe, London and New York.

Northwich Guardian:

Young Family Games

"These games are all suitable from 4 years old, with simple rules and tactile pieces they are great to get children into games," Betsy advises.

Jurassic Snack - A 2 player game for younger gamers - who’s diplodocus’s can eat the most leaves before the T-Rex chases them away.

Kawaii - Collect cards matching your favourite ice cream and make sure you don’t go to closed shop to collect the most points.

Northwich Guardian:

Strategy Games

Betsy said: "Games for those of you looking for something a little more difficult that might melt your face a little bit."

Mariposas - Every spring, millions of monarch butterflies leave Mexico to spread out across eastern North America. Every fall, millions fly back to Mexico. Manage your generations of butterflies to score the most points.

Northwich Guardian:

Battle Line - Compete with your opponent over nine mini battlefields to come out on top. Each battlefield is comprised of a 3 card poker hand with the best hand winning the flag. This is Frazer, Conor and Betsy’s favourite small card game

Christmas Party Games

Betsy said: "These games are great for a group of people who would like a easy to learn fun game, great for everyone from the youngest at the table right up to grandma who's had a bit too much sherry.

"For those of you who might be spending Christmas virtually this year, these games can be played over Zoom using only one copy."

Just One - A cooperative party game in which you play together to discover as many mystery words as possible. Find the best clue to help your teammate.

Northwich Guardian:

Colour Brain - In this game we give you all the answers before you start. All you have to do is work out which of the eleven colour cards in your hand correctly answers one of Colourbrain’s crafty questions.

Stocking Fillers

"Big fun in a small package, games that would feel comfortable snuggled up in anyone's stocking this year," Betsy suggests.

Omerta - To avoid jail, be the fastest to get rid of your stock of alcohol and call ‘Omertà’ be careful not to end up with the most points than you need to win.

Bandido - A small co-operative game of strategy and observation for the entire family. Stop the robber from escaping through the tunnel system by closing off all the exits.

P for Pizza - A quick thinking category game with the aim of being first to build your slice of pizza. If the letter available is B and the category is Tv shows you could shout ‘Baywatch’ the first to answer wins a piece of their slice.

Northwich Guardian:

For a full list of all the games available this Christmas, head to https://www.boardbeans.co.uk/christmas-gift-guide/category/christmas-gift-guide-2020#/.