Hope is don't get ragged on, but Settlers of Catan has been our go-to when my playgroups' wives don't want to play M:tG.
I played Settlers of Catan earlier this evening. I hadn't played it in a while and thoroughly enjoyed it (although I still find the fact that you also have to buy a 5-6 player expansion for every expansion a little cheeky). In my experience it's a great game for playing with people who don't play board games very often.
For my money, the best board game is Frank Herberts DUNE produced in 1979 by the same people that made Cosmic Encounters. It is one of the most singularly enjoyable and engrossing board games I've ever played and is superior to CE in every way. It also has one of the best combat resolution mechanics I've seen. It has the rare distinction that both its addon packs (Spice Harvest and The Duel) add complexity and value to gameplay while keeping well within cannon and are worthy additions. Regretfully it hasn't been in production for ages, so copies have to be bought on E-Bay and can be hard to come by. Have a look http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/121/dune
Ever play CATAN Dnd figures make a good board game I have been known to combine several board games together to make a game never played before
Going to be hosting a Arkham Horror run on friday, been a while - bringing in some noobies, and oldtimers both. Will be great fun!
Good luck with your game. I'd be interested to know how it goes, especially what the new players think of it. I've never had the chance to try it myself although I want to. I've heard it described as a game where you play for 4 or 5 hours and then the board beats you (this wasn't a criticism btw). Accurate?
Sadly the game tomorrow got cancelled, or rather re-scheduled. Not the fist time we've brought in some board game virgins - think we've had 2 players that hadn't even played anything similar (but were computer gamers), and they took to the game reasonably fast. Also, as for win/loss - it's beatable but no cakewalk, very dependent on what characters you have, how you are able (or strategic enough) to develop them - and finally, what kind of Great Old One you have to face. Some are... pretty hard. Also, as it's a very coop-based game it's pretty simple to get new people into gaming.
This past weekend I played a game called City of Horror. Not too bad. There was an interesting bid mechanic regarding movement around the board and a voting mechanic for who succumbed to zombies. I wouldn't buy it but I wouldn't mind playing it again.
Check out Gloom. A card game where you have a family of characters destined to be unhappy and die horribly. Try to make your opponents too happy to end it all. A cool transparent plastic card mechanic as well.
Just picked up axis & allies 1940. By the gods of greyhawk that game is huge. I play it on my 4' X 8' D&D table and it is barely enough room.
Yep. It's pricey, both games together will put you back about $180 but for my money there is nothing like it.
I liked Illluminati, but my friends don't @DukeMyers: My friends and I dig A&A, but allways wanted to try it with more than 5 players.... maybe I get them to invest some mony in it
