Best board game

[thoughtsbecomethings]

Want to buy a board game for family to play at Christmas age range 13 - 67. What's the best board game ??


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MNHQ Update
We appreciate this thread is a little old now, but if you’ve come across it while on the hunt for similar recommendations, our guide to the best board games has been recently updated to reflect current availability and new releases. It’s been compiled based on advice from Mumsnet users as well as consumer reviews with fun for the whole family in mind. We hope it’s helpful!

[TrueBoo]

Balderdash

[drinkyourmilk]

Sequence

[paperlantern]

Lords of waterdeep
settlers of catan
ticket to ride (either usa of Europe version)
dominion (either the "intrigue" or slightly more complex "hinterland" starter pack)
eaten by zombies
killing Dr Lucky by cheapass games (this is a free downloadable board game. takes about 15 mins to print and cut out, a little longer drunk )
seven wonders

[Margetts]

Clue do is my favourite

[Margetts]

Blinking auto correct I mean Cluedo

[paperlantern]

it is just an opinion....

I used to think games like monopoly and cluedo were good. however IMHO any of the games on the above list beats those old games hands down.

of you want to play traditional games you might as well check out your local charity shops. they are so prolific there really is no point in buying new.

if you like cludo, dr lucky works on a similar idea but is wittier.

if your buying new have a look at one of the games above. ticket to ride is arguably the most accessible but I've listed them in order of my favourites

[shockers]

Need my bed, but marking this thread cause we're always on the lookout for good games .

[TheSydenhamSet]

Our family really enjoy articulate

[paperlantern]

I might be a mashoosive board game fan and somewhat evangelical about the quality of some of the board games of recent years

[Misty9]

Fond memories of articulate. And of the older generation not quite getting the rules and saying, but why can't I just say (word on card)!

[Heathcliff27]

Paper, i can safely say i have never heard of any if those board games . Either we're on different continents or i'm so out of touch with the young un's these days

[NeonGolden]

You're not out of touch, they are just aimed at a more "niche" market. If you don't have that much "serious" boardgame extreem experience I would recommend ticket to ride as well! especially the Europe version. It is easy to learn and I have yet to meet somebody that doesnt like it!

[fuzzpig]

I agree paperlantern, there are vast amounts of high quality games now. Mind you there is an awful lot of crap available too (especially TV/character based games, and gimmicky ones aimed at children)

We are thinking of getting Forbidden Island this year, might be fun as it's a cooperative one. But I'm also tempted by Ticket to Ride.

[paperlantern]

most of them are only niche because they haven't been around for long!!!!

I don't think most people will know them. But they are seriously good.

dr lucky is absolutely niche, not from the point of view of game play; but the philosophy behind cheapass games. eaten by zombies is niche because the instructions are impossible to understand, but once you do its an awesome game

yes "ticket to ride" is always suggested as the easiest way in to the games above.

but IMHO settlers of catan is equally learnable and a lot of fun at a party. especially if everyone is slightly squiffy.

[fuzzpig]

We got settlers of catan as a wedding present :o

[PsychicPaper]

fuzzpig - very jealous! considering re-writing my wedding list (shh I know its a MN sin!)

[myrtleWilson]

Dominium is great as is ticket to ride. I'd throw in a vote for Pandemic too

[myrtleWilson]

Dominion not the garbled word I created!

[mostlysinging]

fuzzpig - DS was given Forbidden Island a couple of birthdays ago and it's a fab game. We love playing it and works really well as a co-operative game and gone down well with all age groups.

On the lookout for a new game this year so will be looking through paperlanterns list.

[paperlantern]

actually thinking about it I totally disagree.

The only hard ones to learn on that list are eaten by zombies (instruction manual failure) and seven wonders, but even those you get within a couple of games. (not a big deal as they are short half hour 40 mins games)

what makes most them niche is that at the moment only the "serious gamers" know about them. settlers and ticket to ride are fast becoming mainstream and so they should!

The mechanics of games above are better. monopoly and risk go on for hours, usually with one person dominating the game and everyone else waiting on their slow destruction. (although this is often true if you play me at ticket to ride but at least the game only lasts about an hour ) never found cluedo overly interesting.

now niche is the "game of thrones" board game, thunderstone, and high command which I wouldn't recommend to casual gamers

[CelticPromise]

Cranium. Very funny and lots of variety.

[paperlantern]

I want pandemic and power grid.

if you haven't got dominion don't get the original. intrigue or hinterlands are much better starters

I can recommend a few good kids games.....

[myrtleWilson]

We've just bought Agricola too, I've not played it yet but DH and DD are fans...

[paperlantern]

and another one I want.

[paperlantern]

fuzzypig- you have awesome wedding guests