Lately we (myself and my wife) are enjoying Karaoke Revolution and Singstar so I'm looking for new co-op playing ideas for us. I'm thinking about buying Mahjong set and some board games. Are there any board games I should look for?
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Favorite board games?
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Do The Mario
Unconfirmed Member
Trivial Pursuit,
Its great fun to play when drinking, were you have a drink when you get questions wrong a delegate drinks when you get it right.
Its great fun to play when drinking, were you have a drink when you get questions wrong a delegate drinks when you get it right.
For three plus players, there is no board game better than Puerto Rico. Other highlights include Settlers of Catan and Carcasonne. Personally I also like Robo Rally (though you need a logical mind to appreciate it). Formula De is an outstanding game as well, and also works well for two players, though obviously the more the merrier.
For two players, if you're both good at logical and slightly mathematical thinking, Girl Genius is one of the most beautiful card games you'll ever see, and can be a lot of fun. One to try before you buy, though, if you can. There's a two-player Caracasonne variant - Carcasonne The City, I think - which I've heard good things about. An extremely cheap choice would be The Very Clever Pipe Game from Cheapass Games - it's more a board game than a card game, even though the board is made up from cards to ensure the game's different each time.
For two players, if you're both good at logical and slightly mathematical thinking, Girl Genius is one of the most beautiful card games you'll ever see, and can be a lot of fun. One to try before you buy, though, if you can. There's a two-player Caracasonne variant - Carcasonne The City, I think - which I've heard good things about. An extremely cheap choice would be The Very Clever Pipe Game from Cheapass Games - it's more a board game than a card game, even though the board is made up from cards to ensure the game's different each time.
Are you people forgetting that he is playing with his ** WIFE ** who could probably care less about strategy or card games. I'm not saying that some women don't enjoy these games, but most don't.
I am also someone who plays alot of games with his wife, and the only board game I have found that we keep playing is Scrabble. But since that isn't an option (unless you can find Scrabble in your native language), I'm not sure if you can find a good 2 player board game, since most are geared for 4-8 ppl.
I am also someone who plays alot of games with his wife, and the only board game I have found that we keep playing is Scrabble. But since that isn't an option (unless you can find Scrabble in your native language), I'm not sure if you can find a good 2 player board game, since most are geared for 4-8 ppl.
DonasaurusRex
Online Ho Champ
candy land
Great news, Columbia Games just re-printed the great classic 2 player wargame Rommel in the Desert.
Rommel in the Desert web page
Rommel in the Desert web page
Basically, you should go with everything iapetus just said. My own comments:
Settlers of Catan - For something beyond your standard board game fare, this is your best bet. Almost everybody loves Catan, it's straightforward, and it's a lot of fun. The schtick is that you're all settling an island and are competing to build roads, towns, and cities; whoever develops their territory the most (i.e. reaches 10 victory points) wins. The heart of the game involves chosing the right territory to build in and then interacting with the other players to trade for the development cards needed to build with. The setup is simple but the execution (particularly the interaction between players) gives it a lot of longevity. The only drawback is that there is a fair amount of luck involved, but it's not a deal breaker. The basic game is for 3-4 players, with games lasting about 90 minutes. Expansions are available for up to 6 players, then there are other expansions available on top of that if you want a variation of the basic game.
Puerto Rico - Quite possibly the best strategy game currently available, period. The idea is that you're all developing your own version of Puerto Rico and fighting to gain the most victory points by a combination of shipping goods back to Spain and building up your city. The catch is that there's virtually no luck involved and there's no one way to win - Puerto Rico has several strategies, all of them as good as any other. And, while there's a fair amount going on in the game, it's not difficult to pick up; once the game gets going everyone should be just fine. PR is for 3-5 players and takes about 90-120 minutes; it's okay with three, but five is definately optimal.
Those would be my two big recommendations. I'm also a great fan of Illuminati, a somewhat cut-throat card/board game about secret societies trying to conquer the world, but that's a bit of an aquired taste, the games tend to take a long time to play, and you might not get as much out of the gags as a native English speaker.
iapetus, I picked up the Girl Genius card game on the strength of my love for the comic, but, alas, don't quite have the mindset to truly get into it. Still, I can second your recommendation of it and plug the comic while I'm at it.
FnordChan
Settlers of Catan - For something beyond your standard board game fare, this is your best bet. Almost everybody loves Catan, it's straightforward, and it's a lot of fun. The schtick is that you're all settling an island and are competing to build roads, towns, and cities; whoever develops their territory the most (i.e. reaches 10 victory points) wins. The heart of the game involves chosing the right territory to build in and then interacting with the other players to trade for the development cards needed to build with. The setup is simple but the execution (particularly the interaction between players) gives it a lot of longevity. The only drawback is that there is a fair amount of luck involved, but it's not a deal breaker. The basic game is for 3-4 players, with games lasting about 90 minutes. Expansions are available for up to 6 players, then there are other expansions available on top of that if you want a variation of the basic game.
Puerto Rico - Quite possibly the best strategy game currently available, period. The idea is that you're all developing your own version of Puerto Rico and fighting to gain the most victory points by a combination of shipping goods back to Spain and building up your city. The catch is that there's virtually no luck involved and there's no one way to win - Puerto Rico has several strategies, all of them as good as any other. And, while there's a fair amount going on in the game, it's not difficult to pick up; once the game gets going everyone should be just fine. PR is for 3-5 players and takes about 90-120 minutes; it's okay with three, but five is definately optimal.
Those would be my two big recommendations. I'm also a great fan of Illuminati, a somewhat cut-throat card/board game about secret societies trying to conquer the world, but that's a bit of an aquired taste, the games tend to take a long time to play, and you might not get as much out of the gags as a native English speaker.
iapetus, I picked up the Girl Genius card game on the strength of my love for the comic, but, alas, don't quite have the mindset to truly get into it. Still, I can second your recommendation of it and plug the comic while I'm at it.
FnordChan
Duck of Death
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Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Another vore for Illuminati. It's the best (available) boardgame I can think of, in terms of being fun, extremely variable and interesting.
If it were still in print, I'd say Cosmic Encounter.
Peurto Rico was cool the one time I played (I won!).
Another couple:
Carcassonne (sp?) is a city-building game that's really fun. It's a strange competitive puzzle game, practically. Can make you head hurt.
Bonanza! Is a card-trading game (not collecatble, but like monopoly) where the personality-mix of the players is the biggest factor. Great for wheedling and wheeling-dealing, also very simple to learn and play.
If it were still in print, I'd say Cosmic Encounter.
Peurto Rico was cool the one time I played (I won!).
Another couple:
Carcassonne (sp?) is a city-building game that's really fun. It's a strange competitive puzzle game, practically. Can make you head hurt.
Bonanza! Is a card-trading game (not collecatble, but like monopoly) where the personality-mix of the players is the biggest factor. Great for wheedling and wheeling-dealing, also very simple to learn and play.
StrikerObi
Member
Cranium and Risk are my two favorites.
Ignatz Mouse said:
Have you played the cut-down version, Simply Cosmic? I've tried playing it a couple of times, and it just didn't seem to work well at all - seemed horribly unbalanced, impenetrable and dull. I'd consider giving the full game a chance if someone who's played both could say that they felt the same about Simply Cosmic but enjoyed Cosmic Encounter...
Edit: And, of course, check out http://www.boardgamegeek.com/
Fxp said:
Diplomacy is absolutely awesome as long as you have 7 players who don't take backstabbings seriously and you have six hours to play. That said, it's an excellent game.
I love the old Mayfair edition of Cosmic Encounter, but Simply Cosmic just doesn't cut it. Anyone know how the current Avalon Hill/Hasbro edition is?
FnordChan
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
iapetus said:
I have never played Simply Cosmic, but the edition of CE that was published alongside was a modified later version than the classic I know, and was certainly ragged on by fans.
As far as the original, it was *wildly* unbalanced. But that was half the fun. Some player would have a huge advantage over the others, and they'd conspire to keep him down while backstabbing each other if they could get away with it. Or else there would be two powerhouse players battling and the others would sneak a victory.
CE is certainly *not* a game to play if you're going to be upset if you don't win. It's too unpredicatable for that. A good game of CE (like Illuminati) involves alliances that come and go, huge swings of fortune for players, and dramatic endgames.
Never dull. Perhaps inpenetrable.
Mister Zimbu
Member
Do The Mario said:
Everyone in the room would be dead after 6 minutes.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
Apples to Apples is fantastic. I also like Taboo, for that sort of game.
How did this thread get to twenty-seven replies with no mention of Go? Easy to learn the intial ruleset (ten minutes max), but you could easily spend the rest of your life working out the implications of those rules. God, I love that game.
Equipment can get a little pricey (for a wooden board, wooden bowls, and glass stones, I paid about $100), but you can probably get a ghetto version (vinyl board, plastic bowls, plastic stones) for less than $40. I got my gear from Samarkand.
Equipment can get a little pricey (for a wooden board, wooden bowls, and glass stones, I paid about $100), but you can probably get a ghetto version (vinyl board, plastic bowls, plastic stones) for less than $40. I got my gear from Samarkand.
Ignatz Mouse
Banned
I'm sure you can get a working Go set for $10.
You can build a working Go set almost for free. Colored "stones" from a dollar store - $2. Then a print out of a board... or spend a few cents and a couple minutes turning a square softwood plank end into a board.
That said, I find most people don't enjoy Go precisely because it takes so long to appreciate what they're doing (or is being done to them).
That said, I find most people don't enjoy Go precisely because it takes so long to appreciate what they're doing (or is being done to them).
ArcadeStickMonk
Member
Damn right. Candyland is crazy! It is utter chaos. You could be four spaces from the end and then get slapped all the way back to Mr Mint, then get saved by that sweet ass white queen. Hellz yeah.DonasaurusRex said:
Mr. Lemming
Member
Ticket to Ride seems to be the new "gateway" game into the boardgaming hobby. Toys R' Us is even carrying it now so it should be easy to find. Blokus is highly recommended if you like puzzle games like Tetris. Both Blokus and Ticket to Ride have online playable versions of their games to try out. If you do like them the actual board games are worth getting, as the bits are beautiful. Pirate's Cove is also a game I've had a ton of fun with, but there is a lot of direct conflict and "screw your neighbor" gameplay.
As far as card games, Coloretto would be my first pick. It is a set collection game, with neat art on the cards, simple rules, but some tricky tactical decisions to make. Bang is an excellent attack your opponents card game with some bluffing elements... and of course the humor in Banging everyone the whole game. Colossal Arena is a cool bidding game where you wager on monsters fighting in a big battle. Only certain monsters will payoff at the end of the fight and you need to play your cards to direct the outcome. Some may be turned off by the fantasy artwork, but the game itself is really good.
Cosmic Encounter does rock. I have the new AH version, and the bits are awesome. There aren't as many alien races as in the older versions + expansions, but it is simple enough to add your own. Some may complain about the lack of lucre and moons and such but I personally think they just make the game more complex without really adding too much. Moons would be easy enough to add though. One thing that really does suck is the lack of support for a 5th and 6th player.
I'm trying to decide what I want to order just now from Fairplay. Have a list of about 10 items and its just a little too pricey for me, but I don't want to take anything off the list!
As far as card games, Coloretto would be my first pick. It is a set collection game, with neat art on the cards, simple rules, but some tricky tactical decisions to make. Bang is an excellent attack your opponents card game with some bluffing elements... and of course the humor in Banging everyone the whole game. Colossal Arena is a cool bidding game where you wager on monsters fighting in a big battle. Only certain monsters will payoff at the end of the fight and you need to play your cards to direct the outcome. Some may be turned off by the fantasy artwork, but the game itself is really good.
Cosmic Encounter does rock. I have the new AH version, and the bits are awesome. There aren't as many alien races as in the older versions + expansions, but it is simple enough to add your own. Some may complain about the lack of lucre and moons and such but I personally think they just make the game more complex without really adding too much. Moons would be easy enough to add though. One thing that really does suck is the lack of support for a 5th and 6th player.
I'm trying to decide what I want to order just now from Fairplay. Have a list of about 10 items and its just a little too pricey for me, but I don't want to take anything off the list!
cloudwalking
300chf ain't shit to me
I could play this game for hours! (And I always win)
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