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A complete look at the 2014 ASTRA Marketplace & Academy for casual gamers. We have weeded through all of the toys and dolls to find the casual gaming gems — so you don't have to.

Both established game companies and first time designers are bringing their gaming ideas to Kickstarter this month. Several games have great themes, aimed at attracting children with rules that are engaging for the whole family.

As a kid, I remember doing an activity with Magna Doodle boards where a sibling would draw a random shape or squiggle and I would have to incorporate it into a coherent drawing. It required a lot of creativity and I always had a fun time with it. Noodle Speedoodle by Peaceable Kingdom turns this concept into a cooperative party game for 3 to 6 players. Instead of always drawing a squiggle, however, the game includes a handful of rubber noodles that are ready to use in your artistic creations.

If you enjoy auctions in games, take a look at the Kickstarter campaign for The Game of 49 by Mark Corsey. I had the pleasure to meet Mark and play his game at Unpub 4 early this year. The board is a 7x7 matrix with spaces numbered 1-49. You start with $49 in cash. Spaces are auctioned. Outbid your opponents, and you get to put your chip on that space. Get 4 chips in a row and you win. A deck of cards is used to determine which space is next on the auction block.

The Spring 2014 Parents' Choice Award winners have been announced, with lots of great games winning awards. Check out a selection of several of the best casual games that the entire family can enjoy.

Maha Yodha is a 2-player card game currently making a splash on Kickstarter. Published by upstart company Leprechaun Games, Maha Yodha attempts to capture ancient Indian mythology in a relatively simple, yet strategic card game. We have had the opportunity to play a prototype of the game and have much to say about it. But first, the gameplay.

Stronghold Games announces their 2014 release schedule, sneak peak of King of New York, and How to Train Your Dragon games.

Golf is a sport that involves avoiding hazards and earning the lowest score possible. Grandpa Beck's Golf is a simple card game that is no different in this regard: avoid the high-valued cards (hazards and bogeys) and keep the lower-valued cards wherever possible. Earn the lowest score, and you win.

Z-Man Games set to release English version of Camel Up, a new game from Game Salute, and Dungeons and Dragons Dice Masters announced.

How well can you remember a story? How about a story that is made up by a whole group of people? Say the Word by Peaceable Kingdom is a new, cooperative storytelling game for 3 to 6 players that sharpens creativity and memory skills, particularly for younger players.