Well, I finally sprang for a supscription, and, lo and behold, among topics of cosmic importance, my first thread is about card games :smack:
Anyway, I am looking for some fun card games to pass the time away. Something along the lines of this game , and something that can be played with only a few players. Any help would be appreciated, thanks 
Wow…sounds like that could be fun, but 12+ seems like more of a party game than a small group.
This isn’t much like the game in your link, but “Golf” is a pretty simple and fun card game that I’ve only played a few times (and it’s probably the most fun with several players, but might be ok with 3 or 4).
Click here for the Wikipedia entry on Golf and scroll down to the part that says “Golf for four or more.” I’ve played the variation described as “four card golf” that is also in the Wiki desciption.
Mafia sounds like a variation of Werewolves - which is tremendous fun. Just needs 8+ people.
I can recommend the series of Murder Mystery Rummy games
Jack the Ripper - very good
Murders in the Rue Morgue - even better
Jeckyll and Hyde - nice 2 player
Al Capone - variation of Jack
On this list, I have
Bohnanza -involves collecting sets of beans! We actually enjoy iy alot.
Lost Cities - very nice and easy 2 player
Bang! - very good fun but you need a good 5 people for it to shine.
I’ve had a lot of fun playing Wizard (here’s a link). It works nicely with anywhere from 3 to 6 people and gives you plenty of opportunity for strategy and fouling up your opponents.
What is it about Mafia that appeals to you? The role-playing? The strategy? I’m afraid I’m not quite sure what you’re looking for yet.
I really like the game pitch which can be as involved or laid back as you want it to be. You can play individually, or in teams. There are lots of variations, but here are the basic rules
1000 Blank White Cards is like Mafia in the sense that it’s really lo-fi but surprisingly fun. It’s not a competitive game; mostly it’s just a matter of riffing on other player’s ideas, in-jokes, pop culture references, weird stuff that just pops out of your head, etc.
Several good ones mentioned, although Mafia/Werewolf is a rather unique one, so it’s hard to name something “similar.” But for a similar sized crowd, what about these:
My absolute favorite card game (except for poker) is easily Tichu. It uses a standard 52 card deck (well, the suits are different, using jade, pagodas, scimitars, and stars) with four extra cards: the dog, the phoenix, the dragon, and the mah johng.
Tichu is a partnership game that combines elements of poker, bridge, and hearts. The rules are not at all complicated, but playing well, especially as a team, can be. I play it frequently online, but own a few Tichu decks at home as well (more than a few or worn out from play).
Well, my favorite card game is Fluxx - but all of the card games from Looney Labs are worth investigating. Another favorite from them of mine is Chrononauts.
I can also recommend Apples to Apples (mentioned earlier), but it’s better played by 4 or more people, even though it can be played by fewer.
Guillotine is loads of fun. Set in the French Revolution, your goals is to bribe the guards to manipulate the line of nobles due to be decapitated, and be the one to collect the higher ranked nobles (like King Louis and Marie Antoinette), and avoid the martyrs. Much less bloody than it sounds.
I highly recommend buying two copies and using a sharpie to make up your own cards for better replay value.
As for Mafia, it also makes for a wonderful forum game on message boards. I’ve considered introducing it here, but I think the mods might frown on it.
Ah, didn’t notice you asked for games for fewer players.
In that case, here are some more good choices:
Bohnanza (as mentioned previously)
Citadels (a great city-building game with a little roleplaying aspect in choosing “characters” with different abilities)
Saboteur captures the paranoid feel of Mafia/Werewolf with mining dwarves, 1-3 of which are actually secretly sabotuers.
If you don’t mind branching into boardgames, there’s:
Shadows over Camelot, in which the knights of the round table have a traitor in their midst.
I heartily second Tichu, but… “the rules are not at all complicated”??? I grant that it may seem that way once you know them, but have you ever seen the dull stare in a person’s eyes when you try to teach them? (It usually sets in around the rules for “bombs” or passing cards to your partner and opponent.) Tichu is in perhaps the top five or six most complicated card game rules I’ve ever seen… But it’s a fantastic game.
Ah… I keep remembering more good ones:
The Big Idea Fun, crazy, and cheap. (Cheapass to be exact) Card game based on putting together words into wacky products, then pitching them to your friends, trying to attract their investment.
Well, it looks as though my boring evenings are over. I am definitely going to have to check out a few of those, thanks fellas.
If you like Mille Bornes, see if you can dig up Roadkill. It’s like Mille Bornes with weapons and dirty tricks.