Favorite board games?

[rubybeth]

My DH loves board games. I think he was a deprived only child and didn't have anyone to play games with, so now he can't get enough. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for games we might not have tried, esp. for 2 players. We like competitive games, but really love games that are more 'German' in style (i.e. all players have a chance to win right up until the end of the game; game is over for everyone at the same time). Also, games for the XBox that are based on board games are good--I've starred* the ones that we already have on the XBox.

Group games we love:
Buzz Word
Trivial Pursuit
Settlers of Catan*
Clue
Careers
Dealer's Choice

Games for 2 or more players:
Monopoly Deal
Ticket to Ride*
Lost Cities
Forbidden Island (just got for him for Christmas--really fun!)

 

[MichelleCarmen]

We play a lot of board games. Do you guys play chess? My kids are really into that so we play it... Also blokus is fun.
Quirkle
Scrabble
Monopoly city

 

[vc10um]

Have you heard of a game called "Killer Bunnies"? DH and I LOVE that game. We found it by chance in a boutique toy store and it's hilarious. It's fun with 2 people but ridiculous with 3 or more. It's a card game, not a board game, but still quite enjoyable!

We also have a super fun time playing nostalgic kids games like Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Guess Who.

 

[rubybeth]

Have you heard of a game called "Killer Bunnies"? DH and I LOVE that game. We found it by chance in a boutique toy store and it's hilarious. It's fun with 2 people but ridiculous with 3 or more. It's a card game, not a board game, but still quite enjoyable!

We also have a super fun time playing nostalgic kids games like Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Guess Who.

Killer Bunnies sounds fun, will have to check it out.

And ohhh, Guess Who brings back so many memories. My little sister LIED all the time when we played. It would get to the end and she'd have a red-haired character, and I'd say, "But I asked if they had red hair and you said no!" and she would insist that she hadn't!

 

[rubybeth]

We play a lot of board games. Do you guys play chess? My kids are really into that so we play it... Also blokus is fun.
Quirkle
Scrabble
Monopoly city

Nope, no chess, but that reminds me that I loved playing Chinese Checkers as a kid. We should get a set. What is Quirkle like?

 

[ladypirate]

I am a HUGE board game addict, so we play a lot of them. Besides the one you've mentioned (I've starred the ones that can be played with 2 people):

Dominion* (more of a strategy card game but has a board game feel to it)
RoboRally*
Smallworld*
Carcassone*
Starfarers of Catan
Puerto Rico*
Alhambra*
Steam (Another railroad game, but different from Ticket to Ride)
Agricola*

If you haven't checked it out, http://boardgamegeek.com/ has a ton of info on board games, along with rule sheets and whatnot. Another thing to consider is expansions like Ticket to Ride Europe, which introduces new twists on the original game.

 

[AGBF]

My extended family plays board games after dinner at all holiday get togethers. I never remember the names of any of the games; nor do I remember the rules. Since we play on teams, I always just follow along and supply whatever answers I am capable of providing! I remember one game that is played is called, "Apples to Apples", however. (Of course some of the games mentioned above, like Trivial Pursuit, have also been played!)

Deb/AGBF

 

[MichelleCarmen]

We play a lot of board games. Do you guys play chess? My kids are really into that so we play it... Also blokus is fun.
Quirkle
Scrabble
Monopoly city

Nope, no chess, but that reminds me that I loved playing Chinese Checkers as a kid. We should get a set. What is Quirkle like?

Quirkle is kinda like dominos but has black tiles with different designs in various colors printed on them and you match them up. It's all ages. We try to find games that my older son can play, but still are fun for adults. He got some new games for christmas that are for his age and older. One is too easy, two are all ages/luck, not skill, and one is too difficult. Hit and miss, I guess.

I was trying to focus on Mensa approved games, for all ages, as a couple we have are really good, but now we recently got a dud. A game for ages 10+, but my 11 year old finished it in less than 10 min.

Oh, there is battle ship and statego, if you want wage war on your opponent! Lol

Eta - scattegories is a fun group game.

 

[rubybeth]

Thanks for all of the suggestions/tips! I have used boardgamegeek.com and actually added some info. on one of my favorites, the old car buying/selling game Dealer's Choice, c. 1972, which has errors (easily corrected) and is awesome. I bought a mint copy of the game via the site since my parents' version was missing cards.

MC, one game that is great for all ages that I think is a Mensa game is Set. If you haven't seen it before, it's just cards that you lay out, and there are computer versions if you just Google around. It is one of my all-time favorite games, simple to explain but challenging for all ages.

 

[vc10um]

rubybeth, I LOVE Set! LOVE.

Perhaps try searching at ThinkFun's website? They have a ton of interesting games!

 

[JillyC]

I am a HUGE board game addict, so we play a lot of them. Besides the one you've mentioned (I've starred the ones that can be played with 2 people):

Dominion* (more of a strategy card game but has a board game feel to it)
RoboRally*
Smallworld*
Carcassone*
Starfarers of Catan
Puerto Rico*
Alhambra*
Steam (Another railroad game, but different from Ticket to Ride)
Agricola*

If you haven't checked it out, http://boardgamegeek.com/ has a ton of info on board games, along with rule sheets and whatnot. Another thing to consider is expansions like Ticket to Ride Europe, which introduces new twists on the original game.

I haven't played everything on this list, but we love Dominion, Carcassone, and any of the Catan series. We just got Agricola and have been playing it for the last several days, great game. We also are playing Power Grid, which is also fun.

If you can scrounge up an old version of Accquire, I highly recommend it as well!

 

[Enerchi]

We just had a great couple of family nights playing some games - such great fun!
Scattergories,
Balderdash,
Catch Phrase
Taboo
Apples to Apples

And - I know its not a board game - but we always love euchre!!

 

[kenny]

Chess
Scrabble

 

[zoebartlett]

These aren't board games but I like Rumikub (http://www.rummikub.com/), Boggle, and a few card games.

When I was younger, I loved playing Clue, Mastermind, Parcheesi, Othello, and Life.

 

[packrat]

My brother and I played a lot of games w/mom when we were little until we figured them out and played on our own. Mastermind and Battleship, Candyland, Hi Ho Cherry O, Monopoly, Life and Sorry...Sorry was a huge favorite..kinda cuthroat when we got a little older. I love to play board games.

 

[vc10um]

And - I know its not a board game - but we always love euchre!!

Enerchi...are you from Ohio? Or Michigan? Because those are the only two places I've EVER encountered ANYONE ELSE who knew how to play Euchre!

 

[iugurl]

I love trivia/thinking type games. We play Trivial Pursuit, Battle of The Sexes, Bezzerwizzer (I really like this one) ,and Cranium whenever we get together with friends. We also play Catch Phrase, which is not really a board game though.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I am a HUGE board game addict, so we play a lot of them. Besides the one you've mentioned (I've starred the ones that can be played with 2 people):

Dominion* (more of a strategy card game but has a board game feel to it)
RoboRally*
Smallworld*
Carcassone*
Starfarers of Catan
Puerto Rico*
Alhambra*
Steam (Another railroad game, but different from Ticket to Ride)
Agricola*

If you haven't checked it out, http://boardgamegeek.com/ has a ton of info on board games, along with rule sheets and whatnot. Another thing to consider is expansions like Ticket to Ride Europe, which introduces new twists on the original game.

I haven't played everything on this list, but we love Dominion, Carcassone, and any of the Catan series. We just got Agricola and have been playing it for the last several days, great game. We also are playing Power Grid, which is also fun.

If you can scrounge up an old version of Accquire, I highly recommend it as well!

Catan, Puerto Rico and Agricola are probably my favourites!

 

[monarch64]

And - I know its not a board game - but we always love euchre!!

Enerchi...are you from Ohio? Or Michigan? Because those are the only two places I've EVER encountered ANYONE ELSE who knew how to play Euchre!

That game is huge in the Midwest, I think. Everyone I know in Indiana knows how to play and loves it. I knew people in Illinois (Chicagoland specifically) who played, and my relatives in WI and MN all play.

 

[Gypsy]

We've been playing Sequence and it's great fun, highly recommend.

 

[iheartscience]

I love Taboo, Pictionary and Scattergories!

 

[Enerchi]

hi Vc10um!

Enerchi...are you from Ohio? Or Michigan? Because those are the only two places I've EVER encountered ANYONE ELSE who knew how to play Euchre!

Nope, I'm from Ontario... all my life. Learned euchre in highschool, at lunch or when I had a spare. Was never really good at it until I met my husband and then we would play every weekend with friends of his. Now - almost 30 years later - we are teaching our kids how to play it and they are slowly catching on!

I love cards! Canasta is another game we play - 4 decks and 4 rounds and takes about 2 hours to play because of all the talking we get into!

 

[that_someone_special]

If you love to make an ass out of yourself and others... QUELF is your game. It's random, annoying, funny, and awkward.

 

[monarch64]

We've been playing Sequence and it's great fun, highly recommend.

OMG we love that game!!!

 

[TristanC]

I am a HUGE board game addict, so we play a lot of them. Besides the one you've mentioned (I've starred the ones that can be played with 2 people):

Dominion* (more of a strategy card game but has a board game feel to it)
RoboRally*
Smallworld*
Carcassone*
Starfarers of Catan
Puerto Rico*
Alhambra*
Steam (Another railroad game, but different from Ticket to Ride)
Agricola*

If you haven't checked it out, http://boardgamegeek.com/ has a ton of info on board games, along with rule sheets and whatnot. Another thing to consider is expansions like Ticket to Ride Europe, which introduces new twists on the original game.

I really second starfarers (especially if you like Settlers).
Settlers of Catan is fantastic on a board especially if you get the Cities and Knights Expansion to go with. Don't bother with seafarers. That's crud. We play Catan only with Cities and Knights. We also use the 5-6 player expansion when 4 or more players are involved.

Carcassone is pretty good for 2 players.

I would really recommend other pure fun strategy games (much less random luck - thinking games):
Aladdin's Dragons (great for 3-4)
Tikal is great for 3-4 as well
El Grande is a fantastic game, I can't recommend it enough.

I think if you have to hit any game first, El Grade and then Catan would be a good way to play.

 

[TristanC]

Forgot to add a new Favorite.

Dixit! It is a totally brilliant game. Can be explained in 3 mins. A game takes 30mins, you can play with 3 to 12 people, and it is fun regardless of the number. Being drunk doesn't make the game less or more fun, but it works well with the game too! Truly one of the great board games around.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I forgot about Dixit! It is one of those few games that can really be played by people of all ages. We had a blast when a friend's 8 year old niece played with us, since she looked at everything from a different angle.

The cards are beautiful, too.

 

[audball]

We've been playing Sequence and it's great fun, highly recommend.

OMG we love that game!!!

I was going to mention this one! LOVE it.

We also play Scrabble, Rummikub, Phase 10 (card game), and Skip Bo (card game).

Group games we love include Mad Gab, Guesstures, Catch Phrase, Things (!!!, awesome, especially when drinking).

 

[soocool]

We bought DD these 2 games a few years ago and whenever we have company, people go crazy playing them and end up buying it for themselves.

Blockus http://blokus.com/en/decouvrir.html?pays=us ( I guess there is an online version now, but if you look to the right there are the various board ones you can get. We have the Blockus Classic

The other one i called Gobblet http://www.blueorangegames.com/gobblet.php

Both are strategy games and ton of fun

 

[missy]

I used to love playing board games with my family but my dh isn't as much of a fan though occasionally we play. Used to love Risk, Scrabble and Password. And though it is not a board game our all time favorite is "May I" (aka Contract Rummy) which is a card game I used to play with my family and now occasionally with my dh. I also like Truth or Dare.