Need some new entertainment!
June 1, 2011 2:49 PM Subscribe
Group of adult nerds getting bored. We need new games, board or otherwise!
A group of us get together once or twice a week, usually four or five strong. We've torn through our board games, exhausting their novelty over too many play-throughs. The board games came first - Arkham Horror, then Betrayal at the House on the Hill, then Munchkin, then Battlestar Galactica, and now we play Settlers of Catan off and on. We didn't play many video games, but lately we've also been playing the zombie mode on the latest Call of Duty for its really great cooperative play.
Now I think we need some new game or activity with some real longevity! The sprawling adventure board game genre appeals to us the most, but the excessive setup time for some of them gets to be a problem. Ticket to Ride was kind of a flop for some reason, as was Carcassonne. That said, we're really up for anything, board game, videogame, drinking contest, whatever. Just as long as it's nerd-friendly!
Any other nerds out there found a great game you and your friends like to play a lot? Help a brother out!
A group of us get together once or twice a week, usually four or five strong. We've torn through our board games, exhausting their novelty over too many play-throughs. The board games came first - Arkham Horror, then Betrayal at the House on the Hill, then Munchkin, then Battlestar Galactica, and now we play Settlers of Catan off and on. We didn't play many video games, but lately we've also been playing the zombie mode on the latest Call of Duty for its really great cooperative play.
Now I think we need some new game or activity with some real longevity! The sprawling adventure board game genre appeals to us the most, but the excessive setup time for some of them gets to be a problem. Ticket to Ride was kind of a flop for some reason, as was Carcassonne. That said, we're really up for anything, board game, videogame, drinking contest, whatever. Just as long as it's nerd-friendly!
Any other nerds out there found a great game you and your friends like to play a lot? Help a brother out!
Have you tried Puerto Rico or Agricola? Those have been the favorites in my group.
posted by wildcrdj at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by wildcrdj at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Dominion, Race for the Galaxy, and boardgamegeek for more recommendations.
(Not quite sure what it was y'all didn't like about Carcassone and Ticket to Ride, so I hesitate to make more recommendations).
posted by nat at 2:56 PM on June 1, 2011
(Not quite sure what it was y'all didn't like about Carcassone and Ticket to Ride, so I hesitate to make more recommendations).
posted by nat at 2:56 PM on June 1, 2011
Have you considered delving deeper into roleplaying? If you can handle all of the tokens and gewgaws in Arkham Horror, you should do fine with the D&D 4th Edition starter set
posted by Oktober at 2:58 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by Oktober at 2:58 PM on June 1, 2011
2nd Dominion.
With the many expansion packs no 2 games are ever the same.
posted by mattdini at 3:00 PM on June 1, 2011
With the many expansion packs no 2 games are ever the same.
posted by mattdini at 3:00 PM on June 1, 2011
Axis & Allies springs to mind. 2-5 players and a single game can take hours to complete (so some kind of enforced longevity, I guess, assuming you don't just give up).
posted by axiom at 3:01 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by axiom at 3:01 PM on June 1, 2011
Cranium is always a good time.
posted by pyro979 at 3:02 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by pyro979 at 3:02 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
The sprawling adventure board game genre appeals to us the most, but the excessive setup time for some of them gets to be a problem
The Dungeons & Dragons board games (i.e. Castle Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon, not the regular D&D RPG) are a lot of fun and don't require much in the way of set-up time, especially after the first playthrough, once the players are familiar with the different characters and their powers. Like Arkham Horror, the games (and the planned future entries in the series) are compatible with each other, so you can mix and match characters, monsters, scenarios, etc for a lot of replay value. They're designed for up to 5 players, though if you buy both then you could theoretically go as high as 10 because of the compatibility between games.
Typical play time is 1-3 hours, depending on the complexity of the scenario and the number of players. WoA introduces a 'campaign mode' in which scenarios can be chained together.
posted by jedicus at 3:02 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
The Dungeons & Dragons board games (i.e. Castle Ravenloft and Wrath of Ashardalon, not the regular D&D RPG) are a lot of fun and don't require much in the way of set-up time, especially after the first playthrough, once the players are familiar with the different characters and their powers. Like Arkham Horror, the games (and the planned future entries in the series) are compatible with each other, so you can mix and match characters, monsters, scenarios, etc for a lot of replay value. They're designed for up to 5 players, though if you buy both then you could theoretically go as high as 10 because of the compatibility between games.
Typical play time is 1-3 hours, depending on the complexity of the scenario and the number of players. WoA introduces a 'campaign mode' in which scenarios can be chained together.
posted by jedicus at 3:02 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Not sure what you mean by 'nerd-friendly' - there are many flavours of nerd, and IME hobby board-games skew toward the nerdy kids.
What about a more group-suited game, like Apples to Apples? Or something quick and combatative, like No Thanks or For Sale?
I Do Not Like Race for the Galaxy. I think it's that it seems like San Juan (which I love) with added MATHS. And me and MATHS do not get on.
My SO and I like some of the strategy based diplomacy games like 1960 and Twilight Struggle, but I don't know how well these would play in 'teams' as there are essentially only two sides in each.
posted by mippy at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2011
What about a more group-suited game, like Apples to Apples? Or something quick and combatative, like No Thanks or For Sale?
I Do Not Like Race for the Galaxy. I think it's that it seems like San Juan (which I love) with added MATHS. And me and MATHS do not get on.
My SO and I like some of the strategy based diplomacy games like 1960 and Twilight Struggle, but I don't know how well these would play in 'teams' as there are essentially only two sides in each.
posted by mippy at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2011
As a general suggestion, MeFi's own liquidindian has a website devoted to boardgames. I've found some good suggestions there.
Personally, the lekvar household has been playing Smallworld recently.
posted by lekvar at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Personally, the lekvar household has been playing Smallworld recently.
posted by lekvar at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Nthing Race for the Galaxy. Very quick to set up, lots of replay value, flexible for a variety of group sizes, tends not to escalate into bad feelings the way that some of the more cutthroat games do.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by Narrative Priorities at 3:03 PM on June 1, 2011
Oh yes, Castle Ravenloft is good. Dungeon crawl games might suit - things like Incursion, or basically anything involving tiles and minatures. We just got Earth Reborn which is a lot of fun.
posted by mippy at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by mippy at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2011
Yes, Dominion is great. So is Pandemic. Dixit is also a great game.
Spin the bottle is good if you have empty bottles, open relationships a a limited budget.
posted by glaucon at 3:06 PM on June 1, 2011
Spin the bottle is good if you have empty bottles, open relationships a a limited budget.
posted by glaucon at 3:06 PM on June 1, 2011
Boardgames:
Smallworld, Dominion, Agricola, Confucius, have all been fun.
Cardgames:
Anima: Shadow of Omega, Monopoly Deal.
posted by yeloson at 3:07 PM on June 1, 2011
Smallworld, Dominion, Agricola, Confucius, have all been fun.
Cardgames:
Anima: Shadow of Omega, Monopoly Deal.
posted by yeloson at 3:07 PM on June 1, 2011
Seconding Small World (or, if you can get it, the game it was based on -- which I prefer -- Vinci). Pandemic can be lots of fun, but can be liable to single person taking over if there are differing skill levels. I am a big fan of Stone Age, though there's not so much sprawling setup there. Most people love Dominion, and probably I would too but the people I would play with have other groups they play at lunch with, so I am too far behind.
I like Power Grid, but it can get really mathy, and a 5 player game takes forever. I am a huge fan of the recent game Fresco, but it's not more than 4 people. (I like games that have player order change.) Taluva is fun.
posted by jeather at 3:12 PM on June 1, 2011
I like Power Grid, but it can get really mathy, and a 5 player game takes forever. I am a huge fan of the recent game Fresco, but it's not more than 4 people. (I like games that have player order change.) Taluva is fun.
posted by jeather at 3:12 PM on June 1, 2011
Are card games okay? My role-playing nerdly nerd friends and I rather enjoyed Bang!
My word-nerd friends also have a lot of fun with Bananagrams and Pairs in Pears (the latter in particular actually requires some strategy, when playing by the full rules). Worth a shot, although I know this isn't totally in the genre you're looking for.
posted by pemberkins at 3:13 PM on June 1, 2011
My word-nerd friends also have a lot of fun with Bananagrams and Pairs in Pears (the latter in particular actually requires some strategy, when playing by the full rules). Worth a shot, although I know this isn't totally in the genre you're looking for.
posted by pemberkins at 3:13 PM on June 1, 2011
Seconding Dominion, a qualified yes for Agricola (if you have arguers and people who get stuck in analysis paralysis, it can be painful), and I really enjoy To Court The King. The bf bought Mansions of Madness (which I think is by the same people who did Arkham?) and is v. excited to play it, but hasn't been able to get a group together yet.
posted by brilliantine at 3:13 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by brilliantine at 3:13 PM on June 1, 2011
My nerd posse has been known to enjoy a lively game of Chrononauts.
posted by sophistrie at 3:14 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by sophistrie at 3:14 PM on June 1, 2011
Dominion is fun, always different, and the games can be short. Same with Dixit.
I no longer find Settlers of Catan that interesting—it has been replaced in my heart by similar games such as Agricola, Stone Age, and Seven Wonders.
posted by grouse at 3:16 PM on June 1, 2011
I no longer find Settlers of Catan that interesting—it has been replaced in my heart by similar games such as Agricola, Stone Age, and Seven Wonders.
posted by grouse at 3:16 PM on June 1, 2011
Casinopoly is a Monopoly variant. The game operates as a rules overlay to regular Monopoly. Very fun, very nerdy.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:21 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:21 PM on June 1, 2011
I love RoboRally.
posted by bq at 3:23 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by bq at 3:23 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Diplomacy.
posted by smokingmonkey at 3:26 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by smokingmonkey at 3:26 PM on June 1, 2011
Also Rail Barons. Kind of like monopoly but with railroads and much better imo. It's out of print but you can sometimes find it on ebay.
posted by smokingmonkey at 3:27 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by smokingmonkey at 3:27 PM on June 1, 2011
If you can find old Avalon Hill games ( pre internet Hasbro, WoC god knows who else) they are worth the time and ducats. Personal favs Civilization, except for board space when 7 people are playing, very little antagonistic competition.
Republic of Rome, three games really, for each period of Rome, to complete all three games requires heavy cooperation or the game wins.
Seconding Diplomacy, another AH game. There always Kingmaker too, easy random fun. Rail Barons... as smokingmonkey suggested.
And Eurorails by Mayfair with all the other Rails in the series are great ways to kill a night.
posted by Max Power at 3:31 PM on June 1, 2011
Republic of Rome, three games really, for each period of Rome, to complete all three games requires heavy cooperation or the game wins.
Seconding Diplomacy, another AH game. There always Kingmaker too, easy random fun. Rail Barons... as smokingmonkey suggested.
And Eurorails by Mayfair with all the other Rails in the series are great ways to kill a night.
posted by Max Power at 3:31 PM on June 1, 2011
If Ticket to Ride and Carcassonne fell flat, and "sprawling adventure board games" such as Arkham horror appeal, then it's simple - your tastes run more to 'Ameritrash' rather than 'Eurogames'.
Broadly speaking, Ameritrash (an insult turned into a badge of pride) values theme over mechanic, and isn't afraid to add in extra rules or 'chrome' to fit the theme. Euros tend to be dry in comparison, with well balanced mechanics but lacking in theme. If you're rolling lots of dice and have lots of figurines, it's likely to be Ameritrash. If you're trading in mediaeval Europe and moving around cubes, it's a Euro. This is pretty broad-brush and there are lots of exceptions - it's more a spectrum than a division - but it's a handy quick guide.
So: I wouldn't necessarily recommend Agricola or Puerto Rico, even though they're hugely popular games. Same with Race for the Galaxy. Don't rule them out, but if you want a whole ton of theme in your game, they may not be for you.
Quite a few of the best-rated Ameritrash games are two-player. Space Hulk is a good example, and hideously expensive. Claustrophobia offers similar two-player fun and is more readily available. Earth Reborn is worth a look if sprawling is your thing - it's the closest to X-Com in a boardgame I've seen.
For more players, Chaos in the Old World is a good example of an Ameritrash game with Euro elements. Even if you're not a fan of Warhammer games in general, with the painting and the never-ending amounts of stuff, CitOW is different. It plays 3-4 (5 with the new expansion) and is an area-control game where you're fighting with each other to corrupt the land the most.
Fury of Dracula is like Scotland Yard, but with fighting and vampires and lots of fiddly bits. It's a cautious recommendation usually, but your professed love of the sprawl means I think you'll like it very much. It's 4 vs 1 (or 3 or 2vs1, but 4vs1 works best)
Also up your street: Descent (dungeon crawling and fighting monsters, one player is the baddie), Castle Ravenloft & Wrath of Ashardalon (more dungeon crawling, based on D&D, no 'evil' player, purely cooperative), Last Night on Earth (flee the zombies, very thematic), Cosmic Encounter (Different alien powers, some backstabbing and bluffing, some ganging up on the leader) the new Civilisation board game (Well, it's Civ, innit)
A final couple of suggestions: Space Alert is a real-time game of trying to cooperate to save your spaceship and probably failing. I can't do better than this review here. Chaos and madness and perfect given the right group. Very finally - are you happy to act out? If so, try Tales of the Arabian Nights. It's like a shared Choose Your Own Adventure, and combined with a few drinks, no shame, and dubious acting skills, you'll have loads of fun.
posted by liquidindian at 3:35 PM on June 1, 2011 [7 favorites]
Broadly speaking, Ameritrash (an insult turned into a badge of pride) values theme over mechanic, and isn't afraid to add in extra rules or 'chrome' to fit the theme. Euros tend to be dry in comparison, with well balanced mechanics but lacking in theme. If you're rolling lots of dice and have lots of figurines, it's likely to be Ameritrash. If you're trading in mediaeval Europe and moving around cubes, it's a Euro. This is pretty broad-brush and there are lots of exceptions - it's more a spectrum than a division - but it's a handy quick guide.
So: I wouldn't necessarily recommend Agricola or Puerto Rico, even though they're hugely popular games. Same with Race for the Galaxy. Don't rule them out, but if you want a whole ton of theme in your game, they may not be for you.
Quite a few of the best-rated Ameritrash games are two-player. Space Hulk is a good example, and hideously expensive. Claustrophobia offers similar two-player fun and is more readily available. Earth Reborn is worth a look if sprawling is your thing - it's the closest to X-Com in a boardgame I've seen.
For more players, Chaos in the Old World is a good example of an Ameritrash game with Euro elements. Even if you're not a fan of Warhammer games in general, with the painting and the never-ending amounts of stuff, CitOW is different. It plays 3-4 (5 with the new expansion) and is an area-control game where you're fighting with each other to corrupt the land the most.
Fury of Dracula is like Scotland Yard, but with fighting and vampires and lots of fiddly bits. It's a cautious recommendation usually, but your professed love of the sprawl means I think you'll like it very much. It's 4 vs 1 (or 3 or 2vs1, but 4vs1 works best)
Also up your street: Descent (dungeon crawling and fighting monsters, one player is the baddie), Castle Ravenloft & Wrath of Ashardalon (more dungeon crawling, based on D&D, no 'evil' player, purely cooperative), Last Night on Earth (flee the zombies, very thematic), Cosmic Encounter (Different alien powers, some backstabbing and bluffing, some ganging up on the leader) the new Civilisation board game (Well, it's Civ, innit)
A final couple of suggestions: Space Alert is a real-time game of trying to cooperate to save your spaceship and probably failing. I can't do better than this review here. Chaos and madness and perfect given the right group. Very finally - are you happy to act out? If so, try Tales of the Arabian Nights. It's like a shared Choose Your Own Adventure, and combined with a few drinks, no shame, and dubious acting skills, you'll have loads of fun.
posted by liquidindian at 3:35 PM on June 1, 2011 [7 favorites]
Set is a very fun competitive puzzle game. You can buy the decks at most game/toy stores.
posted by mellifluous at 3:37 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by mellifluous at 3:37 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Also Rail Barons. Kind of like monopoly but with railroads and much better imo. It's out of print but you can sometimes find it on ebay.
Ah, this reminds me of my favorite board game back in the day: Double Crossing. Also out of print, and maybe I am remembering it with rose-colored glasses, but it was a lot of fun.
Oh, and I'll second Set, although I don't know that it would work well in large groups. I always play with two or three people.
posted by pemberkins at 3:41 PM on June 1, 2011
Ah, this reminds me of my favorite board game back in the day: Double Crossing. Also out of print, and maybe I am remembering it with rose-colored glasses, but it was a lot of fun.
Oh, and I'll second Set, although I don't know that it would work well in large groups. I always play with two or three people.
posted by pemberkins at 3:41 PM on June 1, 2011
I love Agricola, not only because it's a really interesting game, but you have an actual physical farm to look at at the end. It's not just a hand full of point cards or whatever.
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 3:42 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 3:42 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
My geeky friends love Cosmic Encounter. We've got the second generation now introducing it to their college friends, who all love it too.
posted by CathyG at 4:04 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by CathyG at 4:04 PM on June 1, 2011
We enjoy Shadows over Camelot for the cooperative gameplay element, and the "traitor" element keeps it fresh (I believe it is similar to the Battlestar Galactica game in that manner, but I've never played the game so I'm not sure how close an experience it is).
Last Night on Earth is also a good cooperative element, and can sometimes get fairly challenging. There are a bunch of different scenario cards.
I'm also a big fan of Dominion. The variable deck ensures each game is different for me, but it does have its detractors in our group. You do need to make some house rules to get around some of the broken card combinations, and the people who used to play Magic: The Gathering on a regular basis don't seem to enjoy it as much.
In terms of non-board game activities to do, we like to cook together sometimes. Now that it's summer, you might have some god results with outdoor games. We like badminton, horseshoes, beanbags, darts, sometimes we play catch with those velcro balls and mitts. Nothing too strenuous or challenging.
It's also fun to occasionally spend a night making something, and the more ridiculous the better. We made watermelon kegs once, had a great night decorating cheap plastic cups with puffy paint and jewels, and once spent an inordinate amount of time with a bedazzler. Kiddie activities you buy at the craft store are great for this -- something to keep your hands and minds occupied while you chat and drink, none of it will be too challenging, and it'll all be silly enough to keep you in good spirits.
posted by lilac girl at 4:05 PM on June 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
Last Night on Earth is also a good cooperative element, and can sometimes get fairly challenging. There are a bunch of different scenario cards.
I'm also a big fan of Dominion. The variable deck ensures each game is different for me, but it does have its detractors in our group. You do need to make some house rules to get around some of the broken card combinations, and the people who used to play Magic: The Gathering on a regular basis don't seem to enjoy it as much.
In terms of non-board game activities to do, we like to cook together sometimes. Now that it's summer, you might have some god results with outdoor games. We like badminton, horseshoes, beanbags, darts, sometimes we play catch with those velcro balls and mitts. Nothing too strenuous or challenging.
It's also fun to occasionally spend a night making something, and the more ridiculous the better. We made watermelon kegs once, had a great night decorating cheap plastic cups with puffy paint and jewels, and once spent an inordinate amount of time with a bedazzler. Kiddie activities you buy at the craft store are great for this -- something to keep your hands and minds occupied while you chat and drink, none of it will be too challenging, and it'll all be silly enough to keep you in good spirits.
posted by lilac girl at 4:05 PM on June 1, 2011 [3 favorites]
I have not actually played this game Werewolf. But I would play it if I had my own nerd herd. You might need more than five, though.
I have a feeling some folks around here have played.
posted by Glinn at 4:35 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I have a feeling some folks around here have played.
posted by Glinn at 4:35 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd have to say liquidindian's comment seems most in line with your group's tastes. I'll also nth Smallworld, because that game is awesome. Here are a few other suggestions:
Through the Ages is like Civilization. Lots of bits. Has a bit of a learning curve, and maxes out at four, but can easily go for three or four hours at a time if you have all of the people you need for it.
Twilight Imperium is another big sprawling game. And it can be long. But fun. So very fun.
A Game of Thrones might be a bit more on the strategy side, but I dearly love the bidding and political aspects of this game, and as a bonus the HBO show is currently running so there's always the possibility of having a themed night of geekery.
Talisman is an older game of the swords-and-sorcery variety. I myself haven't played the new edition, but I can't imagine that it would be too different from earlier ones. Looks like a dungeon slog, but my husband says it's monopoly-ish because one rolls the dice and stuff happens. (I dunno. Just a thought.)
In addition, check out roleplaying! It definitely goes from week to week and stays fresh since it always changes. D&D4E is pretty board-gamey, and easy to get into. Also Gamma World, which has the bonus of being completely nuts and easy to play for one-shot games.
posted by daikaisho at 5:33 PM on June 1, 2011
Through the Ages is like Civilization. Lots of bits. Has a bit of a learning curve, and maxes out at four, but can easily go for three or four hours at a time if you have all of the people you need for it.
Twilight Imperium is another big sprawling game. And it can be long. But fun. So very fun.
A Game of Thrones might be a bit more on the strategy side, but I dearly love the bidding and political aspects of this game, and as a bonus the HBO show is currently running so there's always the possibility of having a themed night of geekery.
Talisman is an older game of the swords-and-sorcery variety. I myself haven't played the new edition, but I can't imagine that it would be too different from earlier ones. Looks like a dungeon slog, but my husband says it's monopoly-ish because one rolls the dice and stuff happens. (I dunno. Just a thought.)
In addition, check out roleplaying! It definitely goes from week to week and stays fresh since it always changes. D&D4E is pretty board-gamey, and easy to get into. Also Gamma World, which has the bonus of being completely nuts and easy to play for one-shot games.
posted by daikaisho at 5:33 PM on June 1, 2011
They're not like the games you've been playing, but you can't go wrong with anything from Steve Jackson. Try "Illuminati" for starts.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:44 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 5:44 PM on June 1, 2011
Diplomacy. But you might not be friends still afterwards.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:00 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:00 PM on June 1, 2011
I think there really is no better game for four players then Spades or (if you want a little bit more challenge) Bridge.
posted by cyphill at 6:43 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by cyphill at 6:43 PM on June 1, 2011
Nuclear War is a darkly humorous, simple-to-set-up card game with a pretty simple set of rules. In most of the games I've played, everyone has lost.
And, like others in this thread, I have to say that Race for the Galaxy really is a whole lot of fun with a quick setup and relatively short playtime. Also, the cards themselves are pretty entertaining.
Zombies!!! is a modular board game that can be pretty fun, but it definitely requires tinkering with/making up some house rules (the endgame can get very slow and boring, and there are usually just not enough zombies).
I am also quite fond of Agricola, Scotland Yard (classic and brilliant), The aMAZEing Labyrinth (which seems to go by many names), Notre Dame (where you've got a rat counter for keeping track of how much plague is in your part of town!), and A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (an interesting take on the whole CCG-type-thing).
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:10 PM on June 1, 2011
And, like others in this thread, I have to say that Race for the Galaxy really is a whole lot of fun with a quick setup and relatively short playtime. Also, the cards themselves are pretty entertaining.
Zombies!!! is a modular board game that can be pretty fun, but it definitely requires tinkering with/making up some house rules (the endgame can get very slow and boring, and there are usually just not enough zombies).
I am also quite fond of Agricola, Scotland Yard (classic and brilliant), The aMAZEing Labyrinth (which seems to go by many names), Notre Dame (where you've got a rat counter for keeping track of how much plague is in your part of town!), and A Game of Thrones: The Card Game (an interesting take on the whole CCG-type-thing).
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 7:10 PM on June 1, 2011
You could do Geocaching as an ensemble.
posted by patronuscharms at 7:16 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by patronuscharms at 7:16 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
1kbc or 1 Thousand Blank Cards is ALWAYS a hit, because it is an ever-evolving sort of game, and all you need are a number of white index cards and some fabulously colored markers. The rules are insanely simple:
1.) Everyone receives an approximately equal number of blank white cards. You're aiming for a deck of about 50, so divide accordingly.
2.) Everyone makes cards. Here is the only rule: it must have words and a picture. That is all. We have our own 'house' rules that expand on this a little, and are mostly designed to keep people from aiming a card at a specific person, but you can adjust accordingly. When all the cards are made, gather them back together, add as many more blank cards as you like (will make more sense later) and shuffle them thoroughly.
3.) Everyone receives seven cards and takes turns going around the circle laying down one card, picking up one card. The cards can be 'played' on everyone (a breadbasket as we call it), yourself or one particular person. If they are an action they must be undertaken by the individuals played upon. These cards do stack, so for instance if a card that said imitate a Televangelist and a card that said do the funky chicken were played on the same individual, yes, they must do the funky chicken while imitating a Televangelist.
4.) At this point you're thinking, oh God, these stack, how do I stop doing the funky chicken? Here's the key: build some undo cards into the deck if you like, but the real beauty of this game is that the blank cards that are distributed may be written on at ANY time during the game to react to situations that are happening in real-time. This is an excellent time for appropriate pop culture references or group in-jokes.
The game itself ends when it ends, or when you are all too drunk to keep moving, but it's not over there! Go back through all the cards and vote on them. If the majority want it in the permanent or 'house' deck, it goes in. Every person gets one veto for that one card they just never want to see again because they did the funky chicken for fifteen minutes until someone drew a blank and wrote undo and they're going to be sore in the morning. When you've voted on all of them, save the good ones and congratulations! You've started your very own house deck.
Fair warning: this game can be surprisingly poignant. We played 1kbc at my going away party before I left for the better part of a year's study abroad in Sweden, and I had a 'Get the fuck out of the country' and a 'Everyone kiss Widget goodbye' card played in short order, and I ended up under a pile of fifteen people all trying to grab and kiss part of me at once, crying my eyes out because I was going to miss the warm weight of them so much. I still have that card. 1kbc makes memories.
Also wonderful is the internet-joke based Cards Against Humanity, which is played exactly like Apples to Apples but oh-so-much funnier and more cynical. It doesn't pack the same emotional punch that 1kbc does for me, but we still love it. And if you're just looking to relax and get hammered while watching a classic, try taking a shot every time there's a euphemism for penis in Zardoz-- but I'm telling you now, it's counter-intuitive but the movie does not make more sense if you are drunk.
posted by WidgetAlley at 8:20 PM on June 1, 2011 [7 favorites]
1.) Everyone receives an approximately equal number of blank white cards. You're aiming for a deck of about 50, so divide accordingly.
2.) Everyone makes cards. Here is the only rule: it must have words and a picture. That is all. We have our own 'house' rules that expand on this a little, and are mostly designed to keep people from aiming a card at a specific person, but you can adjust accordingly. When all the cards are made, gather them back together, add as many more blank cards as you like (will make more sense later) and shuffle them thoroughly.
3.) Everyone receives seven cards and takes turns going around the circle laying down one card, picking up one card. The cards can be 'played' on everyone (a breadbasket as we call it), yourself or one particular person. If they are an action they must be undertaken by the individuals played upon. These cards do stack, so for instance if a card that said imitate a Televangelist and a card that said do the funky chicken were played on the same individual, yes, they must do the funky chicken while imitating a Televangelist.
4.) At this point you're thinking, oh God, these stack, how do I stop doing the funky chicken? Here's the key: build some undo cards into the deck if you like, but the real beauty of this game is that the blank cards that are distributed may be written on at ANY time during the game to react to situations that are happening in real-time. This is an excellent time for appropriate pop culture references or group in-jokes.
The game itself ends when it ends, or when you are all too drunk to keep moving, but it's not over there! Go back through all the cards and vote on them. If the majority want it in the permanent or 'house' deck, it goes in. Every person gets one veto for that one card they just never want to see again because they did the funky chicken for fifteen minutes until someone drew a blank and wrote undo and they're going to be sore in the morning. When you've voted on all of them, save the good ones and congratulations! You've started your very own house deck.
Fair warning: this game can be surprisingly poignant. We played 1kbc at my going away party before I left for the better part of a year's study abroad in Sweden, and I had a 'Get the fuck out of the country' and a 'Everyone kiss Widget goodbye' card played in short order, and I ended up under a pile of fifteen people all trying to grab and kiss part of me at once, crying my eyes out because I was going to miss the warm weight of them so much. I still have that card. 1kbc makes memories.
Also wonderful is the internet-joke based Cards Against Humanity, which is played exactly like Apples to Apples but oh-so-much funnier and more cynical. It doesn't pack the same emotional punch that 1kbc does for me, but we still love it. And if you're just looking to relax and get hammered while watching a classic, try taking a shot every time there's a euphemism for penis in Zardoz-- but I'm telling you now, it's counter-intuitive but the movie does not make more sense if you are drunk.
posted by WidgetAlley at 8:20 PM on June 1, 2011 [7 favorites]
Rather different, but very nerdy and spatial: Ricochet Robots has entertained around here quite a bit lately.
posted by rockindata at 8:25 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by rockindata at 8:25 PM on June 1, 2011
Matthew Baldwin of Defective Yeti has written a number of game guides which I've found very useful in deciding which games I'd like. I like how he evaluates the games so I can tell how much I'd like it independent of how much he likes it. (I've gotten a number of games from these lists and always been pleased.)
posted by Margalo Epps at 9:23 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Margalo Epps at 9:23 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
The already mentioned Chaos in the Old World and Game of Thrones sound like they are right up your alley in that they both blend ameritrash mechanics with a bit of euro elements. There is an expansion for CitOW that brings it to 5 players and is getting excellent reviews.
You might also like Cyclades and Shogun. Cyclades is a war game set in ancient Greece with some Euroish elements such as bidding for the god's favors. The kraken can even be unleashed! Shogun has the appearance of a Risk-like wargame but it is actually about economics and the bluffs / threats of war.
posted by ridogi at 10:37 PM on June 1, 2011
You might also like Cyclades and Shogun. Cyclades is a war game set in ancient Greece with some Euroish elements such as bidding for the god's favors. The kraken can even be unleashed! Shogun has the appearance of a Risk-like wargame but it is actually about economics and the bluffs / threats of war.
posted by ridogi at 10:37 PM on June 1, 2011
Depending on what you're looking for, I've got a couple of suggestions.
First up is Pandemic, a cooperative team board game, where you play to either all win or lose. I've played it with my family, and while we only played it once (and we lost) it was close enough that it was a very satisfying play overall.
On the other hand, for competitive stuff, Sirlin Games has some excellent offerings. Yomi is one of my favorite card games. It's a one-on-one thing meant to replicate the mindgames involved in Street Fighter, except essentially in slow motion. Lots of fun once you get a hang of the strategy involved, and there are some fun two-on-two tag variants floating around on the forums of sirlin.net.
Puzzle Strike, on the other hand, is basically Dominion but where you interact with other people instead of essentially playing alongside them. Lots of fun and the Puzzle Fighter-based æsthetic works really well (i.e. instead of playing toward a set number of "victory points," you are essentially assigned a death-clock and have to try your best to either keep winding it back or pass it along to opponents).
Neither game is cheap, but they also have huge amounts of variety (you're required to pick a character for each, and they all play pretty substantially differently) and are just ridiculously fun. You can try them online for free, too, at fantasystrike.com/dev (though you can only play Yomi right now against an AI player; you can play either one against other people via netplay though).
posted by DoctorFedora at 11:17 PM on June 1, 2011
First up is Pandemic, a cooperative team board game, where you play to either all win or lose. I've played it with my family, and while we only played it once (and we lost) it was close enough that it was a very satisfying play overall.
On the other hand, for competitive stuff, Sirlin Games has some excellent offerings. Yomi is one of my favorite card games. It's a one-on-one thing meant to replicate the mindgames involved in Street Fighter, except essentially in slow motion. Lots of fun once you get a hang of the strategy involved, and there are some fun two-on-two tag variants floating around on the forums of sirlin.net.
Puzzle Strike, on the other hand, is basically Dominion but where you interact with other people instead of essentially playing alongside them. Lots of fun and the Puzzle Fighter-based æsthetic works really well (i.e. instead of playing toward a set number of "victory points," you are essentially assigned a death-clock and have to try your best to either keep winding it back or pass it along to opponents).
Neither game is cheap, but they also have huge amounts of variety (you're required to pick a character for each, and they all play pretty substantially differently) and are just ridiculously fun. You can try them online for free, too, at fantasystrike.com/dev (though you can only play Yomi right now against an AI player; you can play either one against other people via netplay though).
posted by DoctorFedora at 11:17 PM on June 1, 2011
Left 4 Dead has great co-op. Maybe some other shooter with a co-op mode, like Halo or Gears of War? Depending on the age of the geeks, some Mario Kart or Goldeneye would go ever well.
moving away from shooters, maybe a tournament of a fighting game like Marvel vs Capcom 3 or one of the Street Fighter games?
Werewolf is an archetypical geek party game.
With RPGs, Paranoia leads to much backstabbing and hilarity
seconding Munchkin.
there was a great card game that was similar my group played. can't remember the name, but it was based on a B-Movie theme.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 12:16 AM on June 2, 2011
moving away from shooters, maybe a tournament of a fighting game like Marvel vs Capcom 3 or one of the Street Fighter games?
Werewolf is an archetypical geek party game.
With RPGs, Paranoia leads to much backstabbing and hilarity
seconding Munchkin.
there was a great card game that was similar my group played. can't remember the name, but it was based on a B-Movie theme.
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 12:16 AM on June 2, 2011
Zendo, Fluxx, and most Looney Labs games in general are worth looking at.
Morton's List is tremendously fun with the right group of people, although the list itself needs some editing. I'm not a fan of the special lists, for example.
posted by yeolcoatl at 1:31 AM on June 2, 2011
Morton's List is tremendously fun with the right group of people, although the list itself needs some editing. I'm not a fan of the special lists, for example.
posted by yeolcoatl at 1:31 AM on June 2, 2011
I like Mü, a trick-taking card game (like hearts or spades). I am a particular fan of card games because they are more chunk-y than board games (so you can take breaks easier), and unlike the more complicated games you aren't generally stuck forever waiting for someone else to take their turn.
Tichu is also a good card game, and you don't need any sort of special card deck for it (even though they try to sell you one). You just need a regular deck of cards plus 4 jokers specially marked.
posted by that girl at 6:54 AM on June 2, 2011
Tichu is also a good card game, and you don't need any sort of special card deck for it (even though they try to sell you one). You just need a regular deck of cards plus 4 jokers specially marked.
posted by that girl at 6:54 AM on June 2, 2011
Game of Things is a riot. (not a long term game though)
posted by getawaysticks at 7:34 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by getawaysticks at 7:34 AM on June 2, 2011
Game of Things is a riot. (not a long term game though)
I joyfully disagree. Things is the game my group goes back to over and over. You can add in your own rules about responses to mix things up, or even make your own cards. We occasionally enforce 'total honesty' as a rule, since Things often becomes a game of who can do the best impressions of what someone else would write, or a stacking series of running jokes.
Strongly seconding Space Alert, Agricola, and more Steve Jackson games (especially Dork Tower, Revolution, and Ninja Burger)
Power Grid is a favorite as well, and we're liking PG: Factory Manager too.
I also agree with those who would urge you towards a real RPG. Every board game has an expiration date, but if everyone is working together on a shared world they're invested in, that can last a long, long, long time.
posted by heatvision at 9:02 AM on June 2, 2011
I joyfully disagree. Things is the game my group goes back to over and over. You can add in your own rules about responses to mix things up, or even make your own cards. We occasionally enforce 'total honesty' as a rule, since Things often becomes a game of who can do the best impressions of what someone else would write, or a stacking series of running jokes.
Strongly seconding Space Alert, Agricola, and more Steve Jackson games (especially Dork Tower, Revolution, and Ninja Burger)
Power Grid is a favorite as well, and we're liking PG: Factory Manager too.
I also agree with those who would urge you towards a real RPG. Every board game has an expiration date, but if everyone is working together on a shared world they're invested in, that can last a long, long, long time.
posted by heatvision at 9:02 AM on June 2, 2011
Rock Band nights can be a lot of fun, and with more and more songs being added (including quite a few Jonathan Coulton songs).
I really like the Geocaching idea.
You could also try to get together a Starship Artemis setup, though that will require a few laptops and such. But, you guys being a bunch of adult nerds, that shouldn't be a problem, right? Basically it's a Starship Bridge simulator that gives everyone a specific console, and one person plays captain coordinating everyone. It seems quite immersive, and it's just a great geeky concept in and of itself. There was even a MeFi post about it a year ago. There are also voluminous YouTube videos of gameplay; it seems you can get a free copy of the game if you play the demo and upload the video. I've never actually played myself, but it feels like the kind of thing that could have some longevity.
posted by tittergrrl at 10:09 AM on June 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
I really like the Geocaching idea.
You could also try to get together a Starship Artemis setup, though that will require a few laptops and such. But, you guys being a bunch of adult nerds, that shouldn't be a problem, right? Basically it's a Starship Bridge simulator that gives everyone a specific console, and one person plays captain coordinating everyone. It seems quite immersive, and it's just a great geeky concept in and of itself. There was even a MeFi post about it a year ago. There are also voluminous YouTube videos of gameplay; it seems you can get a free copy of the game if you play the demo and upload the video. I've never actually played myself, but it feels like the kind of thing that could have some longevity.
posted by tittergrrl at 10:09 AM on June 2, 2011 [2 favorites]
D&D 2nd edition. Come on, your group of self professed 'nerds' haven't tried this? Only 2nd edition. You can get all the books cheap at comic stores and ebay.
You can try a TNG drinking game. Not only will you watch a very good show, but you'll get drunk. Google for great ideas.
Portal 2 co-op is fun so is left for dead 2. My favorite co-op, and by far the best shooting game (Nerd friendly because it actually requires skill and planning) is battlefield 2. If you fancy yourself a gamer, why not revisit old nes, supernes games. Try to beat battletoads or ninja gaiden. Or for hard modern games with a good atmosphere, try Demon's Souls. Drink, have fun.
Why not do something in the real world as a group? We've been through many bands. We've been urban exploring, we camp. We teach each other skills like welding, painting, woodworking, cool science experiments. We built a singing tesla coil for an aforementioned band. We sit down at a friends for a really big homemade meal once a week. We splurge. You can involve gaming into this board or otherwise.
posted by penguinkeys at 9:33 PM on June 2, 2011
You can try a TNG drinking game. Not only will you watch a very good show, but you'll get drunk. Google for great ideas.
Portal 2 co-op is fun so is left for dead 2. My favorite co-op, and by far the best shooting game (Nerd friendly because it actually requires skill and planning) is battlefield 2. If you fancy yourself a gamer, why not revisit old nes, supernes games. Try to beat battletoads or ninja gaiden. Or for hard modern games with a good atmosphere, try Demon's Souls. Drink, have fun.
Why not do something in the real world as a group? We've been through many bands. We've been urban exploring, we camp. We teach each other skills like welding, painting, woodworking, cool science experiments. We built a singing tesla coil for an aforementioned band. We sit down at a friends for a really big homemade meal once a week. We splurge. You can involve gaming into this board or otherwise.
posted by penguinkeys at 9:33 PM on June 2, 2011
Bananagrams is jolly good fun.
posted by schmod at 10:32 AM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by schmod at 10:32 AM on June 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
« Older Because a decent meal ain't gonna cook itself... | Please help me research consumer demographics. Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Leezie at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]