With the winter bearing on, and the cold that doesn't seem to want to let up, it's time to start looking at new and interesting things to do inside. I've always loved board and card games, so it's an obvious choice to get us away from the video games and enjoying camaraderie in the long February evenings.
In my many years of playing games, all drama comments aside, there are a handful that have stuck out as games that shall never leave my household. Here are the top 5.
Multi-Game Board-- Okay, I'm kind of cheating with this one because it's not a single game. Usually these boards will have anywhere from 5 to 10, including Chess, Checkers and Backgammon. Some of them even have a deck of cards so they really have thousands of games, especially if you have a Hoyle.
Munchkin is a Steve Jackson game that allows you to level up and fight monsters without all of that nasty, boring role playing. If you've ever thought table top RPGs would be great if you didn't have to sit there for 5 hours straight, then this is the perfect game. Combining dice and cards, it's fast paced, fun, and a favorite of my 11 year old. There are several versions, including expansions and a vampire version.
Falling is a real time card game (played while the cards are being dealt) based on a simple premise... all of the players are falling. Your job is to be the last to hit the ground. I discovered this game while having a lovely glass of tea at Angst Coffee House many years ago, and am the proud owner of two decks. Sadly, Falling is now out of print, but if you ever come by it get a copy. It is well worth it.
Apples to Apples is the definitive party game. It's fun, fast paced, and is great for getting to know people.
When I was a kid, my mom taught me how to play Mancala using an old egg carton and dried beans. In the years since, I purchased a proper Mancala board and discovered that this game is still lots of fun. It can be played simply, as it is when played with children, or can utilize some very tricky strategies. Plus, it can be played anywhere, even using found objects. And you can play it for hours!
