3 of the best: Game on

Keep TV at bay with these family-friendly crowd pleasers.

SCARY MONSTERS

Fans of BBC TV show Deadly 60 will love the Deadly 60 Tracker Board Game, €18.49, at Smyths Toys (smyths.com). Players must demonstrate the skills required to snare some of the world’s deadliest animals.

CHECKMATE

The most cerebral of board games is back in vogue with Prada putting models in 1970s suits to play the game in a Stephen Meisel-shot fashion film. Get the kids excited by the game’s clever moves with this House of Marbles chess set which features brightly coloured painted pieces, knights versus nobles, and looks far nicer in real life than the cover illustrates. The set costs €49.50 at Stock Design at 33 South King Street in Dublin 2. (Tel: 01 679 4317; or online at houseofmarbles.com).

If you would like something more grown-up in feel a bespoke chess table, one of the signature pieces made by Dunleavy Bespoke (087-2738814 dunleavybespoke.com) may be just the ticket. It is made to order in maple and walnut and costs approximately €2,000. The table is 60 cm square and 75 cm high. Expect to wait six to eight weeks for delivery.

WORTHY WORD GAME

Bananagrams is a word game whose rising popularity is set to shake scrabble from its lofty perch. The game can help kids develop their memory and cognitive skills with this fun alphabet game. Price €19.99 at nimblefingers.ie.