Okay Christmas is coming, which means spending time with family, and that means board games and suchlike. Now I am fed up with same old games year after year, so I am looking for suggestions.
My own requirement is something that can be played in the 8 to 80 range, and which does not go on too long (neither 8 year olds nor 80 year olds have a great attention span). But this thread is really just a chance for people to nominate their personal favourites. So over to you...
I haven't played a board game in years. Although I saw this being advertised...
I love Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble, but I don't know any new ones. My brother gets random new ones sometimes but I can rarely understand them, they tend to be really convoluted now, in an effort to be original.
Apples to Apples is quite good, kind of a word game though.
Incest: A game the whole family can play.
Quote: Leevil @ December 7 2009, 9:59 PM GMTIncest: A game the whole family can play.
And 9 months later, you get to play Congenital Birth Defects!
I used to get my Nan to buy me strategy games like Risk, Campaign, etc. But I always ended up playing them on my own... but I didn't even mind that. Just having the pieces set out and the dice in my hand, playing a turn then swapping sides was great. Now you know why I see everything from both sides.
Can anyone remember Big Business? - a mining company game where you built a mine, transported ore, then shipped it to a port for sale. I loved that too.
I try and play partyand board games with my family, but it never works. 
One year I instigated a game of Mr & Mrs which ended with couples arguing and was probably cited in a divorce or two. So now I stay in the kitchen and cook.
In my own house we play board games designed for younger kids, like Hungry Hippos, which are fun, but I believe Father Christmas is bringing some new ones like Operation and Pop Up Pirates this year.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 7 2009, 10:11 PM GMTOne year I instigated a game of Mr & Mrs which ended with couples arguing
Have always enjoyed board games. Love Scrabble, and Backgammon.
Never seem to get the chance to play them much these days though.
My favourite back in the day was probably Balderdash.
Does anyone remember a game called Kensington?
game of the year back in 1984 or something.
Quote: Leevil @ December 7 2009, 9:59 PM GMTIncest: A game the whole family can play.
I love crappy jokes people use every Christmas too 
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ December 7 2009, 10:11 PM GMTIn my own house we play board games designed for younger kids, like Hungry Hippos...
Maybe some adults enjoy that game too 
Quote: zooo @ December 7 2009, 9:58 PM GMTI love Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble
Scrabbles great because you don't have to be good at spelling, just good at forward planning and putting your tiles in the right place so the person you're playing can't spelling "quizing" over the triple word score.
Twister?
This was my family playing last year. Not really a board game but wanted to share the family snap. I'm the one on the far right... gravy fight got a bit personal.
Quote: Timbo @ December 7 2009, 9:47 PM GMTsomething that can be played in the 8 to 80 range, and which does not go on too long (neither 8 year olds nor 80 year olds have a great attention span).
Blokus® is good for those ages. Chinese Checkers also good. And Mastermind if only two people. And Hungry Hippos. Even Snakes and Ladders.
I'd sooner play backgammon, chess, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly. I've even made a few custom Monopoly boards (complete with lewd Chance and Community Chest cards) when living in countries that didn't have official versions of the game.
Quote: EllieJP @ December 8 2009, 9:03 AM GMTTwister?
This was my family playing last year. Not really a board game but wanted to share the family snap. I'm the one on the far right
I see you've lost weight. 
Monopoly.