Author Topic: Board Game Recomendations  (Read 12288 times)

Captain and Mrs Slow

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Board Game Recomendations
« on: February 25, 2015, 04:43:55 AM »
The Wife and I have gotten big time into board games, so instead of coming home and crashing in front of the TV we set up a game and play for a couple of hours. We've cut way back on our TV watching. But I'm looking for some more games, on line and off.

So far I have Ticket to Ride Europe, Dominion, Star Trek Catan plus the expansion.

Also would love to find more games like Ticket to Ride. The online version is way better for a couple than the table top version.

Thanks

Edit: looking to avoid games like Minion Rush and Angry Birds fun but if you a serious player it's hard to avoid in app purchases
« Last Edit: February 25, 2015, 05:18:12 AM by Captain and Mrs Slow »

Miijia

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2015, 05:23:55 AM »
Fluxx is a really fun card based game. It is more luck based than strategy but very enjoyable even with two players.

Smallworld is an amazing game with beautiful artwork to boot. It is very much a strategy game. Good for 2-5 players.

If you are interested in a cooperative board game Pandemic is great as well as Forbidden Desert.

If you are having a party and have a nice sized group 4+ I recommend Catch Phrase which is so simple to learn and a great time anyone from 10-99  years old can play. Also for big groups Resistance is a great game. It is more complex but a good time.

Also an awesome game is King of Tokyo. We actually play this game every weekend I can't believe I am just getting to this. This one is nice, more luck based than strategy but a great time and easy to learn.

The next game I would like to by is Alhambra (sp?). Anyway, happy gaming to you.

Bjorn

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2015, 05:26:51 AM »
Settlers of Catan - my all time favorite

Risk - strategy/dices for 2-5 hours

Axis & Allies - a complex but similar game to Risk, lasts 5+ hours

What about card games or chess?

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2015, 05:28:57 AM »
Carcassone is great for me and my wife because we can walk by, play a few rounds while our 1-year-old is checking something out (like the blank tiles that came with the box...) and then put an indicator on whoever's side it is that it's their turn next when we need to move on. A game can last all day that way even though it would normally last under an hour.

Captain and Mrs Slow

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2015, 06:21:53 AM »
Some great ideas been added to my wish list thanks

I have Star Trek Catan, the expansion version is slightly different from other Cantan as it's new boards.


DragonSlayer

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2015, 07:19:40 AM »
There was a long thread on this not too far back... (or two)

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/board-game-suggestions/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/what-are-your-favorite-board-games/

And as far as enjoying Ticket to Ride... Get the expansion map for Switzerland, or the Nordic Countries version. Those are tailor made for two players and, IMO, are much better for a couple than Europe or the USA versions. Much tighter boards and tense play.

Dimitri

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2015, 07:41:17 AM »
Mahjong.  Best with four people but you can play with two.

Read more about two, three or five player variants at http://www.mahjongbritishrules.com/game/gamefor2-5players.html

Metta

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2015, 07:47:23 AM »
We just discovered Eldritch Horror, which is another cooperative game but set in a Lovecraftian milieu and it is quite good. One of our favorite games is Eclipse. We've just started playing Netrunner, which is a fun card-based game made for two people.

miked

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2015, 07:57:58 AM »
My wife and I got Agricola for Christmas and we've been playing non-stop. A steep learning curve during the first game, but everything clicks after the scoring is done at the end of the game. It has a lot of replay value as your occupations and improvements change every game (multiple decks). The game supports up to 5 people and changes quite a bit to support more players. We've only played with 3, but if anyone is in the Rhode Island area, we're always looking for more people.

Also: Settlers of Catan, Munchkin (card based, satire of D&D), and Quirkle (easy and fun).

going2ER

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2015, 07:59:21 AM »
Crimes Against Humanity is fun, especially if you have other people over, but you do need a sense of humor ;) You can download it for free to see if you like it from here http://cardsagainsthumanity.com/

Captain and Mrs Slow

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2015, 08:06:19 AM »

plainjane

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2015, 08:23:07 AM »
Crimes Against Humanity is fun, especially if you have other people over, but you do need a sense of humor ;)

I like to think I have a sense of humour.  Cards Against Humanity was not fun.  I found it was a combination of cruel, privileged, scatalogical, and frat boy "humour".  It was also exceptionally uncomfortable to play with co-workers.

It is extremely YMMV (aka edgy), and I wish that people promoting it would acknowledge that.

snshijuptr

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2015, 08:24:01 AM »
I am all about the co-operative board games. My current favorites are Forbidden Desert and Forbidden Island. The other one is Flash Point. The Forbidden series is great for 2 player.

ChaseMcD

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2015, 08:35:41 AM »
Good two player games:

Jaipur - great card game
Mr. Jack - Sort of like a good version of Guess Who
A Few Acres of Snow
1775: Rebellion
Takenoko - 2-4 players but plays best at 2 players.

Good co-op games:
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
Pandemic
« Last Edit: February 25, 2015, 09:07:39 AM by ChaseMcD »

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2015, 08:38:43 AM »
Crimes Against Humanity is fun, especially if you have other people over, but you do need a sense of humor ;)

I like to think I have a sense of humour.  Cards Against Humanity was not fun.  I found it was a combination of cruel, privileged, scatalogical, and frat boy "humour".  It was also exceptionally uncomfortable to play with co-workers.

It is extremely YMMV (aka edgy), and I wish that people promoting it would acknowledge that.

Also somewhat uncomfortable with family.

cautiouspessimist

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2015, 08:50:37 AM »
A lot of good suggestions here. I would add Goldbrau to the list. It is for 2-4 players. You buy shares in German beer gardens/breweries and expand your markets. Whoever ends up with the most money at the end wins.

I would suggest you head over to boardgamegeek.com and check out the reviews and such for these games. There's a lot of good information over there about board games.

MamaStache

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #16 on: February 25, 2015, 09:36:14 AM »
Monopoly Cards!

Great for 2 people but can have up to 5.

Race to own 3 full property sets, while scheming and charging your opponent(s) rent and fees.

Not like the board game due to being shorter, livelier, and more fun!   I highly reccomend it.

http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-B0965-Monopoly-Deal-Card/dp/B00NQQTZCO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1424881928&sr=8-2&keywords=monopoly+cards

My husband would reccomend the game Stock Market, but it's out of print.

http://www.amazon.com/Whitman-Stock-Market-Board-DELUXE/dp/B0032R6H78/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1424882119&sr=8-11&keywords=stock+market+game

catccc

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #17 on: February 25, 2015, 10:28:37 AM »
I can't remember if this is good with 2 people, but Niagara is really fun!

Travis

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #18 on: February 25, 2015, 12:24:14 PM »
My in laws have always been big board game players, and they recently found a game called Wits and Wagers. It is best played with 4 or more people.  The game offers a wide range of Trivial Pursuit-style questions where the answer is a number (year, amount, size, etc).  Players or teams write down their guess and place them on a board that offers payoff increases on each end of the spectrum (the more people the wider the range).  You then place bets Price is Right style where the closest to the actual answer without going over gets a payout.

MandalayVA

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2015, 12:38:00 PM »
Crimes Against Humanity is fun, especially if you have other people over, but you do need a sense of humor ;)

I like to think I have a sense of humour.  Cards Against Humanity was not fun.  I found it was a combination of cruel, privileged, scatalogical, and frat boy "humour".  It was also exceptionally uncomfortable to play with co-workers.

It is extremely YMMV (aka edgy), and I wish that people promoting it would acknowledge that.

Also somewhat uncomfortable with family.

I'd agree that Cards Against Humanity is not for everyone.  Play only with people with a similar sense of humor that you know well.

Sometimes the simplest games can be fun.  From time to time Mr. Mandalay and I bust out a deck of cards and play War.  It can be made into a drinking game (not that I would know anything about that*) or, if you're feeling frisky, you can play Strip War (wouldn't know anything about that either*).

* = totally lying.  :D

swick

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DollarBill

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #22 on: February 25, 2015, 08:16:03 PM »
There was a long thread on this not too far back... (or two)

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/board-game-suggestions/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/what-are-your-favorite-board-games/

And as far as enjoying Ticket to Ride... Get the expansion map for Switzerland, or the Nordic Countries version. Those are tailor made for two players and, IMO, are much better for a couple than Europe or the USA versions. Much tighter boards and tense play.

After those other post and some research on youtube I finally ordered the card game "No Thanks" and the board game "Jamaica". I'm hoping it will be here by Friday.

swick

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #23 on: February 25, 2015, 10:50:36 PM »
There was a long thread on this not too far back... (or two)

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/board-game-suggestions/
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/what-are-your-favorite-board-games/

And as far as enjoying Ticket to Ride... Get the expansion map for Switzerland, or the Nordic Countries version. Those are tailor made for two players and, IMO, are much better for a couple than Europe or the USA versions. Much tighter boards and tense play.

After those other post and some research on youtube I finally ordered the card game "No Thanks" and the board game "Jamaica". I'm hoping it will be here by Friday.

Hubs and I love Jamaica, so does everyone we introduced it to, have fun :)

N

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #24 on: February 26, 2015, 12:09:28 AM »
I live in Chicago and there are at least 3 game stores that have open games that people can play in the store to try out. There are game nights for people to play in groups as well. For free! You may want to check around and see if there is something like this around you so you can play before you buy.

I love board games and card games.

You can also find games at the thrift store, it can be fun to try out old games, too.

I like to play trivial pursuit-the first and second editions are pretty good, even today.
I also recently got Colorku which is sudoku with colored marbles.

For two players I like: Quirkle (cubes), Jaipur, Lost Cities, Colorku, Quoridor, Risk. Tapple.
For card games: Karma, Set, Five Crowns, Skipbo, Iota

lakemom

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #25 on: February 26, 2015, 05:17:39 AM »
Have you thought about a deck of cards and Hoyle's Rule Book (is that the right name?).  Endless card games for endless fun and cheap to boot.  My guess is that the book is in an online format these days meaning you wouldn't actually have to purchase it either.  Grab a new/inexpensive cribbage board while you are at it and have even more fun with cards. 

Captain and Mrs Slow

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #26 on: February 26, 2015, 01:02:22 PM »
@lakemom just google it, what a great idea, especially if you're on the road.

I also want to give a five star recommendation to Ticket To Ride IOS edtion, for 1-2 players beats the board game hands down and at a fraction of the price to boot

swick

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #27 on: February 26, 2015, 02:02:19 PM »
If you like the digital version of TTR you would probably really like digital SmallWorld, we have it on Steam. It is great when you don't feel like setting up a game, or in our case we'd rather play cuddled up on the couch together instead of sitting  across  the table. For a group you would want to go for the physical copy, but the computer version allows you to play each other or add in AI players and is a great alternative.

bballfreakunc

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #28 on: February 26, 2015, 08:48:05 PM »
Grab a new/inexpensive cribbage board while you are at it and have even more fun with cards.

Cribbage is easily my favorite game right now. Math and strategy, what more could one want.

Metta

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #29 on: February 26, 2015, 09:37:21 PM »
I live in Chicago and there are at least 3 game stores that have open games that people can play in the store to try out. There are game nights for people to play in groups as well. For free! You may want to check around and see if there is something like this around you so you can play before you buy.

One of the best strategies is to use MeetUp to find gamers. Then you get to play their games for free (since all gamers have more games than players to play with and welcome fresh blood er... new people).

Captain and Mrs Slow

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #30 on: February 27, 2015, 12:58:55 AM »
OK found a perfect solution!!! See attached photo:)

Also have book marked this page for future reference, going to need to some to read and research (compare prices Germany - Canada US) all recommendations here. thanks everyone!

« Last Edit: February 27, 2015, 01:04:17 AM by Captain and Mrs Slow »

swick

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #31 on: February 27, 2015, 10:31:59 AM »
totally forgot: Board game generator based on your preferences. It has been pretty spot on in identifying games we would like.

http://www.boardgamesfor.me/

Lis

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #32 on: February 27, 2015, 01:36:18 PM »
Love love LOVE Catan! If you don't mind playing with random people, or know other people who play it (and you have two computers), it's free to play online at playcatan.com. You have to register, and I think there are options to purchase expansions or the ability to play with AI, but if you're looking to play with 3-4 people, it's a great option. I much prefer the actual board game, but it certainly does make set up/clean up a lot easier, plus you can set a timer if you get stuck playing with a slowpoke.

I agree Cards Against Humanity isn't for everyone (I love it, but I would never play with coworkers or family). You could always try Apples to Apples, which is what it was based on in the first place. Doesn't work with two people though.

I would second (or third?) the Fluxx series... I learned on Zombie Fluxx, which is incredibly fun and funny (and frustrating!). Super fun to play with a huge crowd, but it's also surprisingly fun with just two people.

danthelibrarian

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #33 on: February 27, 2015, 02:33:46 PM »
Spend some time at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/ looking through top-rated games.

If you have others over who are interested in games verging on the complex, I'd recommend Eclipse. Plays 2, but gets different, sometimes more interesting, with a different number of players. Innovation is good with 2 or more.

You might want to find a local game group (Meetup?), of people who own lots of games already, to try out new ones and meet new friends and perhaps not have to buy as wide a variety. Game stores often have game nights or games to rent. Some public libraries carry board games.

And watch Tabletop if you are a fan of Wesley Crusher. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4F80C7D2DC8D9B6C

ryanthequark

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #34 on: March 18, 2015, 10:07:52 PM »
I enthusiastically second the Risk recommendation. It's loads of fun.

Taran Wanderer

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #35 on: March 18, 2015, 11:54:34 PM »
Third on Risk.

Also, look for The Farming Game.

swick

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #36 on: March 19, 2015, 02:14:12 AM »
I'm going to buck the trend and say Risk MIGHT not be a great choice - at least for a game for you and your wife...maybe as a group game if you are with people who really love area control and strategy. Full disclosure, I HATE Risk, I'm not a fan of the game mechanics and if you do like area control and the heavier weight strategy games there are a lot of better options out there in both theme and mechanic.

It is worth it to start taking note of what you like and don't like in a game - theme/mechanic/rules/time length etc. You might find that you both have different preferences and games that you might enjoy as a couple or how you play might differ from what you'd like or how you'd play in a group. Knowing what you do and don't like will save you loads of cash and time when trying to decide on a new game.


ash7962

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #37 on: March 19, 2015, 08:30:23 AM »
My SO and I play board games a lot as well, so I'm constantly on the lookout for some good 2 player games.
Adding my recommendation for Pandemic, Forbidden Island, and/or Forbidden Desert for the coop games.  If you like Ticket to Ride Europe then you should give the Nordic countries version a try.  Each of the ticket to ride versions have slightly different rules/mechanics especially with how you can use the wild train cards.  Also, Nordic Countries is meant for 2-3 players only so might be a good one for you guys. 

Here's one that almost no one has ever heard of: Hanabi (means fireworks in Japanese I believe).  The basic premise is that each card has a specific number (1-5) and colored fireworks (5 kinds) on it, and you are trying to build stacks of the same color firework starting with the #1 card and getting up to the #5 card.  The interesting part is that each of you will have a hand of cards that you play from, but hold your cards face out (your partner can see them but not you).  You have 8 or 10 hints that you can use to tell your partner something about the cards in their hand.  Then your partner has to use the information you give to play the cards in their hand.  Its tough to play a perfect game and you have to work together a lot.  Highly recommend it.

Lastly if you're looking for something a little less intense we like to play Sequence once in a while.  Quick paced and simple but still fun to play.

Ok ok last one, if you're looking for some head to head strategic type of game try Quorridor.  Its arguably better with more than 2, but still fun.

Polaria

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Re: Board Game Recomendations
« Reply #38 on: March 19, 2015, 08:59:00 AM »
Rummikub!