Families and friends used to get together, sit around a table and play games that didn’t require electricity. You could even play them by candlelight – board games like Monopoly, The Game of Life or Scrabble.
But it has been more common to find the kids playing with their Xbox or their Nintendo DS, uninterested in this kind of archaic activity.
These electronic games have been drawing people apart. As the industry has grown, it has been more common for video game developers to eliminate single-game co-op functionality in favour of an online multiplayer function, meaning that if you want to play a game with your friends, you each have to play from a separate copy of the game, on a separate console.
Maybe it is this disconnect that has left us with a longing for some physical companionship in our play. Whatever the reason, tabletop games are making a comeback, and it is about more than just nostalgia. These aren’t your average Milton Bradley, roll-the-dice-and-move-ahead board games. These are games that can be played with varying numbers of players, and most of them are pretty easy to learn.
Here are a few tabletop games I would recommend for a family gathering or meeting of friends:
The Ticket to Ride Europe board game.
Ticket to Ride: Europe
Ticket to Ride by Days of Wonder is a two-to-five-player game that is great for any family. The game is points based – you earn points for placing trains and points for completing tickets – and whoever has the most points at the end, wins. And it’s quick to learn and the rules are basic. Ticket to Ride: Europe is my preferred of the two editions, as it has added gameplay elements not found in the North American edition. Basically, it is a self-paced game that is competitive, but won’t make you hate your family quite like Monopoly does.
The game cover from the original Munchkin game.
Munchkin
Munchkin is a three-to-six-player card game that would be classed in the role playing genre. You start off as a Level 1 human, and the goal is to get to Level 10. You gain levels by defeating monster cards (or just getting lucky enough to have a “gain a level” card played). This is a great group game; even though it is competitive in that there is only one winner, players can work together to help one another defeat monsters. Munchkin has a real tongue-in-cheek feel to it. It’s poking fun of its own genre, and as a result you can sort of make the game go any way your group wants. One of the rules of the game is, “Any disputes in the rules should be settled by loud arguments with the owner of the game having the last word.” This game is absolutely more fun if you pick up some of the expansions and booster packs, which give the deck more options, and make every game more unique.
Here is a video of Wil Wheaton playing the game with its creator, Steve Jackson
Munchkin: Geek and Sundry – Tabletop
An example of a Cards Against Humanity combo. Photo Credit: Marc Majcher
Cards Against Humanity
This game is not for the faint-of-heart. Cards Against Humanity is a raunchy, politically incorrect and sometimes incredibly uncomfortable game, and it’s one of my favourites.
It is basically an explicit version of the game Apples to Apples. There are two types of cards: Black cards (or question cards) and White cards (answer cards). Each round, someone plays a Black card, and you have to use your most appropriate (or innappropriate) White card to answer. The person who placed the question card gets to pick the best answer, so it’s a great way to see your friends’ true colours. Highly recommended as a drinking game, but I don’t recommend it for families, or at least not average families.
If you are really poor, you can always make your own version on the cheap with just some paper, and a really messed-up imagination.
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There are a ton of great tabletop games out there for anyone looking to pass the time with some friends or family. I recommend checking out the Tabletop show at Geek and Sundry (http://tabletop.geekandsundry.com/) to watch them play some great games, and get some ideas on what kind of games would work for you.
Justin Frizzell
I for one like the novelty of tabletop games. The ability to actually hold the pieces and use them on a physical playing field. That’s something tabletop games will always hold over playing these types of games on an iPad or a console.
Cindy St-Laurent
Cards Against Humanity has made many of me and my friends be that much more fun. The game is hilarious and you will never know what to expect. I am glad that table top games are not leaving the wayside. I have always loved playing board games more than video games because it is more interactive with other people. I’m hoping they keep coming up with more, especially for adults because we like them too.
Parker Lund
I feel like as you get older, and out of your teens, these type of games become fun again! I’ve heard great things about “Cards against Humanity.” Really good writing.
Julia Vergara Carnero
Danielle, your writing if very entertaining and funny, great job! Christmas is coming and this is a great reminder to buy a new board game for family fun. I will definitely follow your suggestions. Excellent reviews and explanations.
Ashley Ezart
Great article! I still get together with my high school friends once a month for board game night, and we were recently introduced to Munchkin. It is fantastic once you get the hang of it! I’ve heard good things about “Cards against Humanity,” but I have never tried it. We play Apples to Apples all the time, and it may just be something to try next! Great objective reviews.