# Quality board games? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 21, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465 "2003-06-21T20:02:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marlow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Marlow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlow)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/1 "2003-06-21T20:02:43Z")
I’ve kinda got into board games of late. I’ve been playing: Kill Dr. Lucky Risk Parts Unknown Settlers of Catan Samuari Zombies!! Chess Diplomacy …I think that’s it. I’d like to play more wargames, but ones that aren’t as random as Risk. But whatever. Post your favorite board games! ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/2 "2003-06-21T20:33:45Z")
Monopoly (Especially _Star Wars_ Monopoly–nothin’ beats the feeling you get when you BUY Coruscant…) Trouble Clue (I’ve got _The Simpsons_ Clue 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/3 "2003-06-21T21:13:03Z")
I bought [Junta](http://www.kumquat.com/cgi-kumquat/funagain/04858) the other day. Heard it was really fun, sort of like Diplomacy, only with bribes and such. Only nobody wants to play with me… My friends and me also like to play the [Lord of the Rings](http://www.thinkgeek.com/interests/tolkien/5899/) board game, but we keep losing to Sauron, it’s darn hard. I also like the Settlers of Catan (and ALL the extension packs / cardgames etc.) Chess is a given. (Nerd Alert!) And [url=http://www.games-workshop.com/Warhammerworld/bloodbowl/news.htm]Bloodbowl. Lucky for me, my brother likes to spend money on these things and bought all the Star Players. Go Skavens! ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/4 "2003-06-21T21:14:33Z")
Darn. One time I skip Preview. [Bloodbowl](http://www.games-workshop.com/Warhammerworld/bloodbowl/news.htm) of course. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/5 "2003-06-21T21:25:13Z")
Oh, I long for a good game of Risk. My roommates and I used to play friggin’ marathon sessions back in the day. The kind where you have to whip out reams of notebook paper to keep track of all the ridiculous treaties you’d cooked up and if you wanted to quit for the night and start up again in the morning you had to dig out a poloroid camera (pre-digital age) and take a picture of the board so no one could sneak to the table and cheat. We didn’t date a lot back then. ---
**Author:** ![Chocobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Chocobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chocobo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/6 "2003-06-21T22:58:59Z")
Stratego is always a fun one, but can get boring after a while. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/7 "2003-06-21T23:05:58Z")
If you like Zombies!!! you should really check out Frag. There are even rules for combining the two. Frag’s been pretty popular around here lately. I also recommend Grave Robbers From Outer Space, but it’s a card game, not a board game. Fun, though. Almost as much fun as Munchkin. As long as you’re playing Cheapass Games, check out Deadwood. Buy it with all the expansion packs, too. Funny as hell to play. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/8 "2003-06-21T23:10:58Z")
I’ve always liked Risk. And chess. There was another favorite I had – when I was in jr. high, my best friend had one that we played often. But it was more obscure – not on the shelves of regular stores and such. Called “Awful Green Things From Outer Space”. Anybody else actually heard of it? (doing a Google search, then saying yes, doesn’t count… ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Ennui](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ennui/32/3396_2.png) [@Ennui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ennui)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/9 "2003-06-21T23:41:53Z")
For the people who like Risk give Axis & Allies a try. It’s a very loosely WWII based game for two to five players and about a half step up in complexity (more unit types, more rules) from Risk. I have a group of guys who’ve been getting together every few weeks for a game for the last (god has it been) ten years. Very fun. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/10 "2003-06-21T23:49:07Z")
Othello was good until the computer versions became available. Took too long to flip those disks. Chess for me. How about backgammon? Ever hear of Pente? ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/11 "2003-06-22T02:07:15Z")
Chess Backgammon Go Scrabble If those can’t keep you entertained on a regular basis, you must have the attention span of a fruit fly. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/12 "2003-06-22T03:37:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marlow \* > \*\*Post your favorite board games! \*\* Quoridor is good. ---
**Author:** ![Lear\_s\_fool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@Lear\_s\_fool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lear_s_fool)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/13 "2003-06-22T04:44:15Z")
i love Go ---
**Author:** ![Jplacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jplacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jplacer)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/14 "2003-06-22T04:50:18Z")
A few of my friends used get together on Monday nights to play Risk. (It was a chance to drink a little beer and be away from the wifes). A few weeks ago, someone brought Junta. We love it. We like it much better than Risk. It is a more social game (you make open deals with players etc.) and it relies less on the luck of the role of dice. I highly recommend Junta. ---
**Author:** ![Manatee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@Manatee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manatee)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/15 "2003-06-22T07:13:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monstre \* > \*\*I’ve always liked Risk. And chess. > > There was another favorite I had – when I was in jr. high, my best friend had one that we played often. But it was more obscure – not on the shelves of regular stores and such. Called “Awful Green Things From Outer Space”. Anybody else actually heard of it? (doing a Google search, then saying yes, doesn’t count… ;)) \*\* Heard of it? I still have it! Zgwortz for everyone! ---
**Author:** ![AchimbaProphet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@AchimbaProphet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AchimbaProphet)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/16 "2003-06-22T10:09:15Z")
More Bloodbowl. Damn fine game. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/17 "2003-06-22T15:57:35Z")
I just picked up **Puerto Rico** yesterday (based on a cover article in _Games_ magazine). It looks very good. There’s virtually no random or hidden elements involved; it’s all planning and reacting to the other players. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/18 "2003-06-22T17:08:16Z")
Parchessi ---
**Author:** ![Tertius01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@Tertius01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tertius01)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/19 "2003-06-22T17:10:45Z")
I have never seen more general enthusiasm for a game than for **Settlers of Catan**. I played with a friend and immediately bought a copy for myself. So far, everyone that I’ve gotten to play the game has loved it. That includes boys and girls and all skill levels of gamers. Its already been mentioned here a few times, but I take any chance I get to plug it. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465/20 "2003-06-22T17:28:20Z")
I am with Lear’s Fool on this one. I love Go as well. (Also known as Paduck/Baduck and Weichi.) It’s more intense than chess, the best computer programs don’t challenge competent players and probably won’t for at least a hundred years, and you can play it online against thousands of other players all over the net. Oh, it also takes about 15 minutes to learn the rules but a lifetime to master. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quality-board-games/183465.md?page=2)