Please name and discuss games good for 2+ people

manyhats

Wed, Apr 02 2014, 2:04 pm

There is a similar post but no details are given. I'd like some idea of what takes place.
I play only 2 games: scrabble and rummicub Both games are good for 2 or more people.

Scrabble: a word game, place letters strategically on board to get highest score possible

Rummicub: start with 14 numbers and form pairs. pairs are either same #s or a string of numbers in order, using same color. Very similar to card game "rummy"

Both games require strategy- pay attention.

Scrabble123

Wed, Apr 02 2014, 2:29 pm

Ok I love these games. You can play a game that I made up with my friend. It's like Scrabble & Rummi Combined.

Pick 14 tiles. The first person with two sets goes first. Now you must build off of these sets. You can go up and down side by side, etc., but there must ALWAYS be a valid set. so you can't put 2 twos out at anytime, but always be a valid set. You only pick if you cannot go. This game is great because you can move around rummy tiles to make better matches. This game is terrible with 3 or more players because then it is just too easy to manipulate the tiles to win in one turn.

Other games that are enjoyable for two people:

1. Backgammon!!! This is a wonderful game if and only if both players know how to play and understand stratergy. It's for 2 players

2. Gin: A great card game... It's for 2 players

3. Othello It's for 2 players

4. Sets (purple card game..)

5. Settlers of Catan: have to develop settlements and need to collect cards to
do so

6. Chess

7. I don't know the name, but it is a matching you have to place one card on top of the other and they must be opposites to be a pair. you can play with 2 and 3 cards to form a pair for beginners and 4 and 5 cards for more advanced players. I will search for it and post a link

8. There is poker which is a wonderful game (texas holdem) if you have no yiddishkeit problem with playing it and if and only if both players (or all players) understand the game and excel at it.

9. Then there is skipbo, perpetual commotion, hearts, spades, etc.

These are just the games I play on a weekly/bi weekly basis, but there are many more enjoyable ones. I love discussing/playing games.

little_mage

Wed, Apr 02 2014, 8:18 pm

I should just send you a photo of our game shelves. We're up to four completely full ones...One thing we do before buying a game is check the reviews on www.boardgamegeek.com. It will usually tell you how the game plays with two people.

Some of our favorites:
1. Carrcesonce (any): You place tiles and claim areas to gain points. There are several different versions, but I've enjoyed all of the ones I've played.
2. Dominion: This is a deck building game. It's a very quick game, once you get the hang of it, and one of the things I really like about it is that every game can be different because you're only using 10 cards in a given game. Once you add in the expansions (we're up to three expansions, plus the base game), there are a ton of different combinations of cards that will then interact with each other differently, which changes the playing of every game.
3. Pathfinder: Another deck building game, this one has you creating a deck for a character and playing through a series of scenarios. It's a cooperative game, which can be a nice change of pace. The one thing to be aware of, though, is that your character does progress, and it can be a little hard to keep track of your progression if you're playing on Shabbat.
4. Through the Ages: A history game-one of my favorite parts is seeing the different people they come up with and the extra powers they give you. The goal is to build your civilization by obtaining various technologies.
5. Race for the Galaxy: Another card game. In this one, you're settling worlds through cards.
Those are probably enough to start with (plus, the baby's fussing). As a final note, though, I will mention that we've had better luck if you stay away from the standard American game publishers. Our favorite publishers are Zman games and Rio Grande Games.

dr. pepper

Wed, Apr 02 2014, 8:30 pm

no time to describe..maybe I'll come back later:
1) perpetual commotion
2) monopoly deal (not to be confused with monopoly millionaire deal)
3) blokus
4) othelo
5) rummikub
6) zingo -for kids
7) senquence for kids- obviously for kids
8) guess who-for kids
9) connect four-for kids
10) spot it- a version for adults and kids
I agree, I hate hate hate games like candy land/sorry/trouble.
I find them tedious and super boring. we have those only from gifts.
I have a few more...gotta think of them

imasinger

Wed, Apr 02 2014, 8:31 pm

Bananagrams: Like Scrabble, you form words with tiles in an interlocking fashion. Each player gets a certain number of letter tiles. When a player has used all his tiles to make interlocking words, s/he calls "peel", and everyone takes a new tile. The first to use all their tiles when the draw pile is done is the winner.

Set: Find sets of 3 cards from a board of 12 cards. The details as to what constitutes a set are too detailed to summarize quickly, but the game is a lot of fun.

Apples to Apples: there is a regular version and a Jewish version. Best for at least 4 players. Find a card from your hand with a word that the player who is judging will like best as a fit for the adjective in play. The fun is in arguing your case.

Fluxx: card game where the rules and goals keep changing.

Munchkins: a social card game for geeks, where players are elves, wizards, etc., and fight monsters. The fun is often in debating the fine points of the rules.

Scattergories: think of words in 12 categories that begin with the selected letter. (Not for Shabbos, as you write down your answers).

dr. pepper

Wed, Apr 02 2014, 10:41 pm

also played doodle dice at someone for shabbos and I'm thinking of buying it for a family present for pesach.
super cute for kids and enjoyable for adults.
there are 6 levels of cards.
you get three chances to throw the dice and match the design in the card.
goal is to get one of each level card.

monopoly deal is by far on the funnest games we have. my kids love it. super quick and fun and engaging.
there is no way I could possibly describe it here Wink

you'll understand when you see the instructions. but once you get it....awesome!

perpetual commotion is fantastic. I call it spit on steroids. not a very shomer negiah friendly game though Very Happy

Spot it is awesome! whoever came up with it is a genius. with different variations to play, the basic goal is to match the most pictures you have with the new card that is being presented. Because the pictures change sizes and position from card to card, it's amazing how your eyes can be staring right at the match and not see it.
the blue box is for younger kids. the red box is for older and adults
and another shout out for set-this one is great for teams as you can even out the playing ground with adults and kids this way (b/c it requires a high level of perceptual awareness)
and rummikub

sequence for kids is a great strategy game for young ones.
same for zingo- it's like a new age match it
same for connect four
and guess who-it's cute watching my just 6 year old struggling to figure out the double negatives ("so if she says her person doesn't have brown hair, who do I put down?")
same for tricky fingers-basically, it's two boxes with different colored balls inside. you pick a card with a pattern and the 2 players race to create that pattern using the tips of your fingers to move the balls around. super fun!

you need for time and patience for othello, but it's a great strategy game as well and I enjoy it. but it's really only for 2 players

manyhats

Thu, Apr 03 2014, 2:13 pm

Thank you pn and oo for your responses.

Dr pepper, wow! thanks for your detailed analysis accompanying the names of the game.

Several of you mentioned playing with children. How nice! Those were the days. I'm an empty nester with children/grandchildren who live out of town.

One game not yet mentioned- Nok Hockey. My children and I used to enjoy it.

Sanguine

Wed, Apr 30 2014, 1:47 pm

rae gi wrote:

Mille Bournes. The best!

OMG - that's about the only game that my husband likes - I think it's stupid and I like playing games. - too much luck of your cards - If the other person gets all the safeties you don't stand a chance, or if you just can't get a rolls. It's good for kids but doesn't take any real thinking - It's only luck

studying_torah

Wed, Apr 30 2014, 1:56 pm

clue mysteries is fun- similar to clue but with some twists.
bezzerwizzer is a kind of trivia game that is interesting- a lot of diff categories
an old game from the 80's is huggermugger- a very diff kind of game that dh and I love
my dh and kids like mastermind- really makes u think, but I never liked it
battleship is also an oldie but goodie

rae gi

Wed, Apr 30 2014, 3:31 pm

Sanguine wrote:

It's luck and skill. Cool

Mevater

Tue, Aug 23 2016, 2:35 pm

little_mage wrote:

I recently bought "Dabble" and were t o t a l l y addicted. We play it on Shabbos without adding points, and whoever gets their words done quickest is the winner. I was curious how it was rated on boardgamegeek.com and it has a rotten rating. One Friday night we were up til 2 am playing!

http://www.boardgamegeek.com./.....abble

What really fun family games are playable on Shabbos for 4 or more people?