Best Board Games (1 Viewer)

[fasteddie_21]

We've gone pretty heavy into this hobby of ours the last quarter of the year. We went from 6 to 132 games in our collection (thanks mostly to BGG auctions...if you include expansions, we're at 239).

For Christmas, we got for each other (as well as from our 2 secret santas):

[*]Red Dragon Inn 2 (and all 4 current expansions)

[*]Commands & Colors: Ancients

[*]D-Day Dice (and a few expansions from the Kickstarter)

[*]Dominant Species (soooo awesome of a game, but definitely a heavy game, complexity-wise)

[*]Eclipse

[*]Quite a few expansions for our ever growing Heroscape collection

[*]Hive

[*]Hornet Leader: Carrier Air Operations

[*]Puerto Rico : Limited Anniversary Edition!

[*]Risk Legacy (this is unlike any other game in existence, since you permanently alter the game each time you play it!)

[*]Roll Through the Ages

[*]SPQR (Deluxe edition)

[*]Frankenstahl (the final piece to complete our Tannhauser collection)

[*]And finally, a couple of Victory Point Games (Zulus on the Ramparts, We must tell the Emperor, etc).

It rocks having a wife that's big into boardgames

 

[BroadwayG]

Very cool. Much like my computer games I have acquired many more than it would be possible to realistically play, yet I keep getting more.

 

[kentric]

Classics:

Risk

Stratego

Monopoly

Chess

Sorry

Also big on the Avalon Hill type games.

 

[tdoss]

Just got "Wits & Wagers"...fantastic party game that everyone can play and enjoy.

 

[texasheat]

Acquire anyone?

 

[FootballDummy]

Acquire anyone?

Fun game.

 

[dancer]

Ticket to Ride has turned out to be a good one for my family. The visual aspect of the game is one thing that I think works well for us, as is the ability fo finish a game in 45 minutes or so.

What other games can you recommend that would be similarly visual, appealing to whole family, and can finish in under an hour?

 

[VA703]

stratego

 

[BroadwayG]

Ticket to Ride has turned out to be a good one for my family. The visual aspect of the game is one thing that I think works well for us, as is the ability fo finish a game in 45 minutes or so.

What other games can you recommend that would be similarly visual, appealing to whole family, and can finish in under an hour?

I would take a look at 7 Wonders, Survive Escape from Atlantis, Lost Cities the Board Game, Pandemic, or Adventurers: Temple of Chac

You could also look into the other games/expansion maps in the ticket to ride series.

 

[collective]

Zombicide

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Zombicide

Been wanting this. Good, I take it?

 

[B-Deep]

Talisman

and Feudal

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Ticket to Ride has turned out to be a good one for my family. The visual aspect of the game is one thing that I think works well for us, as is the ability fo finish a game in 45 minutes or so. What other games can you recommend that would be similarly visual, appealing to whole family, and can finish in under an hour?

Not an answer to your question, but I note that the TtR ipad app is very good for car trips, camping etc. I would only recommend it for those who know the game by playing the board version. The bots are decent opponents, the app is very well laid out and the automated scoring is nice.

 

[Fiddles]

Been digging gubs card game lately

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Ticket to Ride has turned out to be a good one for my family. The visual aspect of the game is one thing that I think works well for us, as is the ability fo finish a game in 45 minutes or so. What other games can you recommend that would be similarly visual, appealing to whole family, and can finish in under an hour?

Not an answer to your question, but I note that the TtR ipad app is very good for car trips, camping etc. I would only recommend it for those who know the game by playing the board version. The bots are decent opponents, the app is very well laid out and the automated scoring is nice.

I've only played it on the iPad. Why do you think you would need to know the board game? I think the gameplay is explained really well. Obviously it helps that its a lot simpler game than something like Carcasonne, which I still haven't been able to teach myself.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Ticket to Ride has turned out to be a good one for my family. The visual aspect of the game is one thing that I think works well for us, as is the ability fo finish a game in 45 minutes or so. What other games can you recommend that would be similarly visual, appealing to whole family, and can finish in under an hour?

Not an answer to your question, but I note that the TtR ipad app is very good for car trips, camping etc. I would only recommend it for those who know the game by playing the board version. The bots are decent opponents, the app is very well laid out and the automated scoring is nice.

I've only played it on the iPad. Why do you think you would need to know the board game? I think the gameplay is explained really well. Obviously it helps that its a lot simpler game than something like Carcasonne, which I still haven't been able to teach myself.

I should have been more specific that I was referring to kids. It was easier teaching my son the game using the board version so we could point things out on the board, look at each others cards, take back moves, etc. I think it would have been more difficult for me to teach and him to learn if we'd started from scratch using the iPad.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Ticket to Ride has turned out to be a good one for my family. The visual aspect of the game is one thing that I think works well for us, as is the ability fo finish a game in 45 minutes or so. What other games can you recommend that would be similarly visual, appealing to whole family, and can finish in under an hour?

Not an answer to your question, but I note that the TtR ipad app is very good for car trips, camping etc. I would only recommend it for those who know the game by playing the board version. The bots are decent opponents, the app is very well laid out and the automated scoring is nice.

I've only played it on the iPad. Why do you think you would need to know the board game? I think the gameplay is explained really well. Obviously it helps that its a lot simpler game than something like Carcasonne, which I still haven't been able to teach myself.

I should have been more specific that I was referring to kids. It was easier teaching my son the game using the board version so we could point things out on the board, look at each others cards, take back moves, etc. I think it would have been more difficult for me to teach and him to learn if we'd started from scratch using the iPad.

Ah, this makes sense. I have no kids. Yet I still play this game, because I have the attention span of a four year old.

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Pretty excited right now. Have been wanting a good working copy of the game Dark Tower to replace the one that I had as a kid for some time now. On eBay, they typically start about $300, as people gouge the prices since it's out of print, and working copies have become hard to find. There is a "eBayish" site that is for my local community where people put their stuff up, kinda like a big online yard sale. Just bought 20 games for $40, including a copy of Dark Tower. The box is beat to hell, and there is no guarantee that it works, but even non-working copies are on eBay for over $100. I figured it was worth a shot, and I might get real lucky. Now, I just have to wait for the work day to end.

 

[grateful zed]

Pretty excited right now. Have been wanting a good working copy of the game Dark Tower to replace the one that I had as a kid for some time now. On eBay, they typically start about $300, as people gouge the prices since it's out of print, and working copies have become hard to find. There is a "eBayish" site that is for my local community where people put their stuff up, kinda like a big online yard sale. Just bought 20 games for $40, including a copy of Dark Tower. The box is beat to hell, and there is no guarantee that it works, but even non-working copies are on eBay for over $100. I figured it was worth a shot, and I might get real lucky. Now, I just have to wait for the work day to end.

Dark Tower was the subject of trade secret litigation in 1985. Two independent game developers named Robert Burton and Allen Coleman submitted a game to Milton Bradley entitled "Triumph" that involved an electronic tower as the centerpiece. Milton Bradley rejected the game, but proceeded to release "Dark Tower" some time later. The inventors sued for misappropriation of trade secrets and won a jury verdict for over $700,000. The trial judge, however, vacated the jury's judgement. Despite finding that Milton Bradley had likely "plagiarized the plaintiffs' idea without so much as a by-your-leave" the judge proceeded to issue a directed verdict for the defendant because Burton and Coleman had signed a contract waiving any contractual relationship (which arguably included any duty of confidentiality). The First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, finding evidence that Milton Bradley entered an implied agreement to keep the game confidential and reinstated the damage award

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Tower_(game)

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Pretty excited right now. Have been wanting a good working copy of the game Dark Tower to replace the one that I had as a kid for some time now. On eBay, they typically start about $300, as people gouge the prices since it's out of print, and working copies have become hard to find. There is a "eBayish" site that is for my local community where people put their stuff up, kinda like a big online yard sale. Just bought 20 games for $40, including a copy of Dark Tower. The box is beat to hell, and there is no guarantee that it works, but even non-working copies are on eBay for over $100. I figured it was worth a shot, and I might get real lucky. Now, I just have to wait for the work day to end.

Dark Tower was the subject of trade secret litigation in 1985. Two independent game developers named Robert Burton and Allen Coleman submitted a game to Milton Bradley entitled "Triumph" that involved an electronic tower as the centerpiece. Milton Bradley rejected the game, but proceeded to release "Dark Tower" some time later. The inventors sued for misappropriation of trade secrets and won a jury verdict for over $700,000. The trial judge, however, vacated the jury's judgement. Despite finding that Milton Bradley had likely "plagiarized the plaintiffs' idea without so much as a by-your-leave" the judge proceeded to issue a directed verdict for the defendant because Burton and Coleman had signed a contract waiving any contractual relationship (which arguably included any duty of confidentiality). The First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, finding evidence that Milton Bradley entered an implied agreement to keep the game confidential and reinstated the damage award

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Tower_(game)

Yeah, probably reason #1A why working copies are so rare and hard to find these days.

 

[grateful zed]

Yeah, probably reason #1A why working copies are so rare and hard to find these days.

parts

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Yeah, probably reason #1A why working copies are so rare and hard to find these days.

parts

Ha. I found that already. (kinda excited)

Thanks though! Just praying the battery compartment isn't corroded.

 

[gianmarco]

I used to love that game. My cousin had one and we used to play it all the time.

 

[grateful zed]

i want to play.

 

[madshot31]

Has anyone played Eclipse? I am looking into it but it looks like my more casual group of bored game players wouldt like it. What casual games like would you guys suggest. Some that they like are clue, killer bunnies, life, and cards against humanity. We are open with more nerdy games because a few of tr people have played MTG before. Carcassone has been booted from the rotation due to too much thinking :( . I think the biggest thing is it has to be semi easy to pick up and some type of chance because a few of the people get butt hurt when losing all the time in games. Only thing they have a decent shot of winning is killer bunnies which is pure chance.

 

[B-Deep]

Games Workshop's Talisman game now has a 1 player version available on IOS and Android

 

[Sand]

Has anyone played Eclipse? I am looking into it but it looks like my more casual group of bored game players wouldt like it. What casual games like would you guys suggest. Some that they like are clue, killer bunnies, life, and cards against humanity. We are open with more nerdy games because a few of tr people have played MTG before. Carcassone has been booted from the rotation due to too much thinking :( . I think the biggest thing is it has to be semi easy to pick up and some type of chance because a few of the people get butt hurt when losing all the time in games. Only thing they have a decent shot of winning is killer bunnies which is pure chance.

Ticket to Ride is real easy to pickup

Tsuro is super easy to learn and lots of fun. Very quick - we play this a lot.

Pandemic - great coop game that isn't too deep

Galaxy Trucker - build spaceships then watch them get blown up. Can't get too worked up about it as watching your ship get taken apart is loads of fun.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Any decent board games to play with a few couples?

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Pretty excited right now. Have been wanting a good working copy of the game Dark Tower to replace the one that I had as a kid for some time now. On eBay, they typically start about $300, as people gouge the prices since it's out of print, and working copies have become hard to find. There is a "eBayish" site that is for my local community where people put their stuff up, kinda like a big online yard sale. Just bought 20 games for $40, including a copy of Dark Tower. The box is beat to hell, and there is no guarantee that it works, but even non-working copies are on eBay for over $100. I figured it was worth a shot, and I might get real lucky. Now, I just have to wait for the work day to end.

UPDATE

I got a steal. Had a few moments last night to look at the tower, and even though there were batteries left in it, there was no corrosion. Put new batteries in it, cut it on, and I got the flashing "0" followed by "--". Pressing any button caused it to shut down. Had a whole lot going on last night, so I didn't get a chance to investigate further. Picked it back up at lunch today, took the bottom off, adjusted some wires, and BAM! It starts spinning, and going through the opening. One out of the the three bulbs is out. That's it. It appears to work fine aside from that. Will doublecheck that I have all of the pieces later on when I get home, but having a working tower was the main concern for me.

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Any decent board games to play with a few couples?

You ever played Apples to Apples? Always a good one with couples.

 

[BroadwayG]

Has anyone played Eclipse? I am looking into it but it looks like my more casual group of bored game players wouldt like it. What casual games like would you guys suggest. Some that they like are clue, killer bunnies, life, and cards against humanity. We are open with more nerdy games because a few of tr people have played MTG before. Carcassone has been booted from the rotation due to too much thinking :( . I think the biggest thing is it has to be semi easy to pick up and some type of chance because a few of the people get butt hurt when losing all the time in games. Only thing they have a decent shot of winning is killer bunnies which is pure chance.

King of Tokyo (designed by Richard Garfield)

Ascension (designed by MTG pros)

Wiz-War

Red Dragon Inn

 

[SmoovySmoov]

Has anyone played Eclipse? I am looking into it but it looks like my more casual group of bored game players wouldt like it. What casual games like would you guys suggest. Some that they like are clue, killer bunnies, life, and cards against humanity. We are open with more nerdy games because a few of tr people have played MTG before. Carcassone has been booted from the rotation due to too much thinking :( . I think the biggest thing is it has to be semi easy to pick up and some type of chance because a few of the people get butt hurt when losing all the time in games. Only thing they have a decent shot of winning is killer bunnies which is pure chance.

Are you on BGG? I might trade you for the Carcassone game, if you no longer want to play it.

 

[B-Deep]

Ya know what game i used to like that was very strange

Gamarauders

something about a giant hamster with lasers and rockets strapped to it bounding through a post-apocalyptic world was just fun

 

[gianmarco]

Check out 7 Wonders. It's somewhat of a thinking game but it's not terrible. Plays up to 7 people (min 3) and moves pretty quickly. Very fun game that is very easy to learn (one time through and most people should get it).

 

[B-Deep]

ok

not really a board game, but does anyone have any of the old lost worlds books?

it was a book game kind of like ace of aces but with fantasy characters. I have a lot of the books, but seem to have lost all of the cahracter sheets, trying to see if i can score some copies of them

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Any decent board games to play with a few couples?

You ever played Apples to Apples? Always a good one with couples.

Havent played board games in some time. The wife and another buddies wife have had talks about "game" nights. My nomination of Clue didnt get past the wife.

 

[Mad Cow]

2nd on King of Tokyo. Fun game for up to 6, I believe. We play it with our kids ages 9-17.

 

[E-Z Glider]

Any decent board games to play with a few couples?

You ever played Apples to Apples? Always a good one with couples.

Havent played board games in some time. The wife and another buddies wife have had talks about "game" nights. My nomination of Clue didnt get past the wife.

Blokus is a good 4 person game

 

[madshot31]

Has anyone played Eclipse? I am looking into it but it looks like my more casual group of bored game players wouldt like it. What casual games like would you guys suggest. Some that they like are clue, killer bunnies, life, and cards against humanity. We are open with more nerdy games because a few of tr people have played MTG before. Carcassone has been booted from the rotation due to too much thinking :( . I think the biggest thing is it has to be semi easy to pick up and some type of chance because a few of the people get butt hurt when losing all the time in games. Only thing they have a decent shot of winning is killer bunnies which is pure chance.

Are you on BGG? I might trade you for the Carcassone game, if you no longer want to play it.

No I'm not but I would like to keep the game since I really enjoy it and hope when a few of my friends come back from break I can introduce then to it and see if they have a interest in it.Thanks for the suggestions people, I'll check a couple out.

 

[Maelstrom]

A friend of mine made the game The Perfect Heist - we finally got a chance to play it, it was a lot of fun. Best for 4-6 people - the basic game play is you have to pull of heists (described on cards) to gain notoriety points, but other players can sabotage your heists. Harder heists are worth more points. You setup your kit, but for harder heists you can partner with other players. There is an element of bargaining (who gets what when partnering for a heist), you could partner with someone and then have them sabotage you next turn.

 

[rascal]

Settlers of Catan

 

[tdoss]

Pretty excited right now. Have been wanting a good working copy of the game Dark Tower to replace the one that I had as a kid for some time now. On eBay, they typically start about $300, as people gouge the prices since it's out of print, and working copies have become hard to find. There is a "eBayish" site that is for my local community where people put their stuff up, kinda like a big online yard sale. Just bought 20 games for $40, including a copy of Dark Tower. The box is beat to hell, and there is no guarantee that it works, but even non-working copies are on eBay for over $100. I figured it was worth a shot, and I might get real lucky. Now, I just have to wait for the work day to end.

UPDATE

I got a steal. Had a few moments last night to look at the tower, and even though there were batteries left in it, there was no corrosion. Put new batteries in it, cut it on, and I got the flashing "0" followed by "--". Pressing any button caused it to shut down. Had a whole lot going on last night, so I didn't get a chance to investigate further. Picked it back up at lunch today, took the bottom off, adjusted some wires, and BAM! It starts spinning, and going through the opening. One out of the the three bulbs is out. That's it. It appears to work fine aside from that. Will doublecheck that I have all of the pieces later on when I get home, but having a working tower was the main concern for me.

I remember that Orsen Welles commercial...wanted that game so bad.

 

[tdoss]

Any decent board games to play with a few couples?

You ever played Apples to Apples? Always a good one with couples.

Quick, easy and fun party game is "Wits and Wagers"

If it's couples...I think a must play is "Compatibility"

 

[tdoss]

I really enjoy "Resistance" when there's 7 or more people...it's simple and has some werewolf/mafia type of mechanics but with some other cooler elements.

 

[madshot31]

I went through and evaluated the many games people talked about and got kill doctor lucky, resistance, and king of Tokyo. Thanks for the info on the games guys!

 

[SmoovySmoov]

I went through and evaluated the many games people talked about and got kill doctor lucky, resistance, and king of Tokyo. Thanks for the info on the games guys!

Let me know how Kill Doctor Lucky and King of Tokyo are. Those are both on my list of games that I'm trying to trade for.

 

[gianmarco]

I went through and evaluated the many games people talked about and got kill doctor lucky, resistance, and king of Tokyo. Thanks for the info on the games guys!

Let me know how Kill Doctor Lucky and King of Tokyo are. Those are both on my list of games that I'm trying to trade for.

Kill Doctor Lucky is a fun game. It's like a reverse version of Clue and plays much better. That said, it's not a high-end strategy game and more of a casual gaming type deal. You can play it with people who don't play lots of games and they would enjoy it but if you like higher end strategy games it will get old.

 

[WampusCat43]

Any decent board games to play with a few couples?

You ever played Apples to Apples? Always a good one with couples.

Havent played board games in some time. The wife and another buddies wife have had talks about "game" nights. My nomination of Clue didnt get past the wife.

Blokus is a good 4 person game

First time I tried this game I thought it was right up my alley - finding the best spatial solutions for certain shapes, planning ahead, etc. I got annihilated by a 6-year-old.

 

[Godsbrother]

Pretty excited right now. Have been wanting a good working copy of the game Dark Tower to replace the one that I had as a kid for some time now. On eBay, they typically start about $300, as people gouge the prices since it's out of print, and working copies have become hard to find. There is a "eBayish" site that is for my local community where people put their stuff up, kinda like a big online yard sale. Just bought 20 games for $40, including a copy of Dark Tower. The box is beat to hell, and there is no guarantee that it works, but even non-working copies are on eBay for over $100. I figured it was worth a shot, and I might get real lucky. Now, I just have to wait for the work day to end.

UPDATE

I got a steal. Had a few moments last night to look at the tower, and even though there were batteries left in it, there was no corrosion. Put new batteries in it, cut it on, and I got the flashing "0" followed by "--". Pressing any button caused it to shut down. Had a whole lot going on last night, so I didn't get a chance to investigate further. Picked it back up at lunch today, took the bottom off, adjusted some wires, and BAM! It starts spinning, and going through the opening. One out of the the three bulbs is out. That's it. It appears to work fine aside from that. Will doublecheck that I have all of the pieces later on when I get home, but having a working tower was the main concern for me.

I remember that Orsen Welles commercial...wanted that game so bad.

I remember that commercial too. Pretty cool.

I still have my original Dark Tower that still works. I haven't played it in about 6 or 7 years though.

 

[Ray Karpis]

Headed to Thanksgiving with the extended family. We usually play several hours of Settlers of Catan and/or Ticket to Ride.

I know there are a lot of recommendations in this thread, but can anyone throw at a few suggestions for adults that are along these lines in terms of level of thinking/strategy and enjoyment?

Would love to pick up something new on the way out of town.