Card, board, dice and other

[Krisjohn]

Anyone want to discuss games that don't easily fall into the "video" and "RPG" categories that are popular on most games forums?

Token discussion boot strap: I was thinking of getting the current Roborally game earlier this week, but I've only played the original with original extra boards that a couple of friends have. Is the new one worth getting, or should I look to eBay for an older copy?

[Logic]

Axis and Allies remains my all time favorite board game.
Risk is second, but not close.

Monopoly, Stratego, Battleship are all great ones as well.

Card games I play are Star Trek CCG (1st Edition, which I am currently undefeated) The Star Wars CCG (by Deicpher)
Played pokemon and magic a few times. Wasn't great fun, nor was my skill.

[RoboticSheeple]

I really like the Fluxx card game. seriously.

[WampaX]

Anyone want to discuss games that don't easily fall into the "video" and "RPG" categories that are popular on most games forums?

Token discussion boot strap: I was thinking of getting the current Roborally game earlier this week, but I've only played the original with original extra boards that a couple of friends have. Is the new one worth getting, or should I look to eBay for an older copy?

There are a few threads floating around about other games. A few local friends get together every first Sat of the month and play (non-RPG, non-Video) games.

From what I've heard, the newer Robo Rally is a little more "player friendly" on the board layouts that come in the box. If you don't own a copy already and don't want to sell off a couple of children for an older one, its worth the price of admission.

Fluxx is a good time killer while we wait for people to show up (and Polarity). We usually run a game or two of Munchkin (various sets, sometimes combined) and then we have a
couple of long haul games (Settlers of Catan, Puerto Rico, Arkham Horror, Hacker, Illuminati, etc.)

[Krisjohn]

We usually run a game or two of Munchkin (various sets, sometimes combined)

Someone pulled out Munchkin at a party a little while back. It seemed phenominally slow and difficult -- so much so I passed on it the last time I was shopping at a place that had it. I was assured that games are usually faster than that one, but I'm not sure. Is it usually a quick and fun game?

[RoboticSheeple]

Someone pulled out Munchkin at a party a little while back. It seemed phenominally slow and difficult -- so much so I passed on it the last time I was shopping at a place that had it. I was assured that games are usually faster than that one, but I'm not sure. Is it usually a quick and fun game?

Depends on luck and skill. I've had games end in as little as 3 rounds to lasting 3 hours. It's a great game none the less. It becomes a lot easier after a few plays. One thing that should of came with it is clearly labeling the Race cards, class cards, and maybe even the items. Lots of beginners don't understand that part.
Hint: Items have a GP value (or "no value") on the bottom of the card.
Better Hint: Owners mark a R and C in the corner of your race and class cards so n00bs don't get confused.

Over all the games that I play are Scrabble (when I can find someone willing), Fluxx (as mentioned above), Munchkin, Poker, Chickenfeet (played with dominoes), Catan, Chess, and Go

[Ebonwoulfe]

I've played both and I think you're getting the same experience from both editions of Robo Rally. So, you know, it's up to you if that experience is worth $100+ or $40. That's just my opinion, of course.

[RyanJ]

I was recently introduced to one of the most exciting and fun (and quick!) games I've ever played- it's a card game called "Bang!" and was a total riot the other night at my LGS. Here's a link to it's entry on BoardGameGeek.com (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/3955)

[Amiria]

I recently got Carcassonne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne_(board_game)) and the Inns and Cathedrals expansion as a birthday present. It is a truly excellent board game. I don't know how available it is in the USA or other weird places far away from Germany but from reading the Wikipedia entry it shouldn't be too hard to find.

[Logic]

I recently got Carcassonne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne_(board_game)) and the Inns and Cathedrals expansion as a birthday present. It is a truly excellent board game. I don't know how available it is in the USA or other weird places far away from Germany but from reading the Wikipedia entry it shouldn't be too hard to find.
Reading the Wikipedia entry, that game sounds like hours of fun. Too bad most of my friends would rather we fire up a round of Halo. :smallfrown:

[McDeath]

Carcassonne is really good, and i got to try Hive today for the first time. Very strategic and very fun.

[Shikton]

Do drinking games with cards count? If so, I vouch for any and all of those.

[Timberwolf]

Fluxx is awesome.

Junta is fun, where you and your friends are the leaders of a small Caribbean republic and you have to decide how to spend the aid money given to you by those generous gringos in North America. You spend your time trying to get to the bank, dodging peoples assassins and plotting rebellion against El Presidente.

[MasterOfPsychic]

Personally, I like the old Avalon Hill games a lot.

Empires in Arms, Republic of Rome, ASL, all great games. Too bad they are pretty advanced and time consuming, so you would need to be dedicated to play.

Also,

Axis & Allies, Pax Britanica, Attack! and Sid Meier's Civilization

are great games, even if not Avalon Hill.

Of the more 'classical' games, I enjoy Monopoly, Chess etc., of course.

[Varen_Tai]

I was recently introduced to one of the most exciting and fun (and quick!) games I've ever played- it's a card game called "Bang!" and was a total riot the other night at my LGS. Here's a link to it's entry on BoardGameGeek.com (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/3955)

Seconded. Every single person I've introduced Bang! to has absolutely loved it and gone off to introduce it to their own families. :) Go play it. And the expansions are also really fun!

[Saithis Bladewing]

Axis & Allies and Avalon Hill's Civilization.

'Nuff said.

[Varen_Tai]

I'll add the sequel to Avalon Hill's Civilization, called Age of Renaissance. Great game. Seriously. Like 12 hours per game kind of great game. My wife hates it, but I try and play with my group once every few months on a Saturday.

[Krisjohn]

I recently got Carcassonne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcassonne_(board_game)) and the Inns and Cathedrals expansion as a birthday present. It is a truly excellent board game. I don't know how available it is in the USA or other weird places far away from Germany but from reading the Wikipedia entry it shouldn't be too hard to find.

I have a sneaky suspicion that I gave that game, rebranded with a different name in Australia, to a friend for her birthday. But I can't remember what it was called. Box art certainly looks familiar.

Some friends recently got Killer Bunnies, which I've had one (2-player) game of. I *really* don't like that if you lose your last bunny just as the game ends it doesn't matter how many carrots you've got, you lose. (But it's still a friendlier party game that the Tony Hawk skateboarding thing for the Wii. Yikes.)

[invisiblejon]

What I'm really pulling from the responses to this thread is that what you're going to like and advocate as a great game has a lot to do with what style of game and what genre of game you like. Several games that previous posters have recommended are ones that I wouldn't have, but I can understand why they like them. Other ones are games that I really enjoy playing, but it's so rare that you have a day and 6 friends around to play the game (Civilization or Diplomacy, for example). That said, here's a few of my current and all-time favorites, what kind of game they are, and why I like 'em:

Blokus Trigon (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/21550): An abstract strategy game with high-quality translucent plastic pieces. I like it because it's quick to learn (or teach), plays well with 2 to 4 players (and has a solitaire puzzle challenge), plays quickly, and tickles that part of the brain that Tetris touches.

Carcassonne: I'll just say I prefer the basic game without too many expansions added on to it.

Bohnanza (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/11): A card game where you trade for beans of different rarity, with rarer beans worth more points. I like it 'cause it's easy to learn, quick to play, an interesting economic simulation, and has lots if inter-player barter and exchange.

Diplomacy (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/483): A military simulation of WW1; notable because there are no dice. Really requires 7 players and a few hours to play to be satisfying. I like it specifically because it has no dice. To win, you have to be compelling, persuasive, and diplomatic. Truly my favorite wargame, but difficult to get a face-to-face game organized and played.

RoboRally: Enough has already been said about RoboRally on this thread. I played in a live-action RoboRally game at a gaming convention recently. It was a really fun time.

Icehouse pieces: Okay, this isn't a game so much as a game piece set that you can play many games with. My two favorite Icehouse games are Gnostica (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9629) and Blam! (http://www.invisible-city.com/play/29/blam). Gnostica is a territory-claiming game where the territories you claim give you certain powers. Blam! is a game played on a chessboard where pieces you place on the board push other pieces off and into your score pile. I like Gnostica because it's a very dynamic strategy game with lots of negotiation and player interaction (although it takes a long time to play). I like Blam! because it's a quick-playing abstract game with rules that are easy to learn. It also keeps you engaged throughout the game.

RYB (http://www.invisible-city.com/play/32/ryb): (Full disclosure: I made this game) RYB is a card-and-dice game where you accumulate dice and roll them to accomplish goals that match their colors. I like RYB because it's quick to learn and play, plays well with 2 to 4 players, plays well with a wide range of ages, and has a pleasant blend of strategy and chance.

Chrononauts (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/815): A very cleverly designed card game that uses cards to create a dynamic, ever-changing "timeline" that you manipulate in an attempt to get home to your timestream. I like it because it's cleverly-designed; has really clear, well edited cards; plays in about 40 minutes; has a good sense of humor; and has significant player interaction.

Set (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/1198): A purely abstract card game where you're competing with the other players to find sets of three cards out of 12 that match or don't match on 4 criteria. I like it 'cause it's a "thinky" game and a "speed" game, plays well with 1 to 6+ players, and goes for as long or as short as you want it to.

*sigh*... I could keep going on and on. There's Cranimu Hoopla (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/4424), for a good collaborative party game. Apples to Apples (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/74) is another great party game. Twilight Imperium (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/12493) can be big fun if you have several hours to kill. I just need to stop ranbling now...

[MrsbwcMD]

I started as a board gamer a long time ago, so it's a nice treat when my RPG group decides to pull out the board games. My husband and I have amassed a pile of fun board/card games from our past visits to local gaming conventions, and we've played a few others with our friends. Here are some of my favorites:
Munchkin--I think we own almost every set known to man.
Alhambra--great tile game with cards, where you build your own palace and gain points for the number of rooms you add.
Ticket to Ride--try to make as many connecting train routes on the board as possible in the United States. I also demoed the newest version of it at Origins, last year, which is set entirely in Germany. It was much harder because I'm definitely not as familiar with German cities as US cities.
Settlers of Cataan and its many expansions
Arkham Horror--my friend owns this one. Only played it twice, but it's definitely a fun cooperative game with lots of Call of Cthulhu insanity.
War of the Ring--based on Tolkein's Lord of the Rings. My husband and I have played many variations of it from the main board set up with most of Middle Earth to the more specific battles of Rohan and Gondor. A lot of strategy is involved, so I rarely win this game, though I tend to have better dice karma than my husband.
Metro--another connecting-train-routes type of game, though it uses tiles with lots of twists and turns in which you can really mess around with your opponents' routes.
I'm sure there's lots more, but I can't think of any of them. We really like the more obscure games that can really only be found at gaming conventions or over the Internet.

[Logic]

I recently bought the "Star Wars: Starship Battles" Miniatures game, and am currently unable to test the game out, as no one I know plays this game as well.