Top 5 Introductory Designer (German) Games
If you've never played a designer board game, you're missing a lot. Designer games (sometimes called modern games, German games, German-style games or Euro-games) have found favor with gamers around the world because they're fun and challenging -- and they can be played in an hour or two, sometimes even less. Top 5 Ancient Games
These games are the classic classics -- board games that have been played for centuries. They have elegant rules, deep strategy, tactical opportunities, and they all continue to delight modern-day gamers. Top 5 Money / Economic Board Games
In 1883, George Parker (later joined by his brother Charles in the game business) published the board game Banking. Ever since, games with economic themes have been a staple. Here are some of the very best. Top 5 Trivia Games
When Trivial Pursuit burst onto the scene in the 1980s, an entire genre of games was born. Television game shows based on trivia (Jeopardy, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Win Ben Stein's Money, etc.) are more popular than ever. These games let you bring the fun home. Top 10 Coolest Monopoly Editions
Monopoly is one of those games that many people are familiar with. One way to breathe new life into this classic is to play it with a new theme -- such as Harley Davidson Monopoly, NFL Monopoly or even U.S. National Parks Monopoly. Dozens upon dozens of Monopoly editions have been published; these are my picks for the coolest. Some of these editions even include a special rule or two. Top 5 Sid Sackson Games
Sid Sackson is one of the founding fathers of modern board games. His masterpiece Acquire continues to delight gamers around the world. Here are my picks for the best five games designed by Sid Sackson. Top 5 Alan R. Moon Games
Alan R. Moon has designed many games through the years, and it seems that he just gets better as time goes on. Here's a list of his best five games, including several designed with Aaron Weissblum. Top 5 Reiner Knizia Board Games
Reiner Knizia is one of today's most prolific designers of board games. He's designed games based on a variety of mechanics, and this list shows off my picks for his best five overall board games. Top 5 Deutscher SpielPries Winners
The Deutscher SpielPries is a German award given to the Strategy Game of the Year. These are typically games that hardcore gamers will enjoy, but some of them may be a bit too complex for family gaming. These are my picks for the best five games to ever win the DSP. Top 5 Spiel des Jahres Winners
The Spiel des Jahres is an award given in Germany to the Family Game of the Year, and it may be the most prestigious award a board game can win. These are my picks for the best five games to ever win the SdJ. Top 5 Games for Grads
Graduation is a big step in life, and it's a good time to focus on what's truly important -- including the ability to enjoy a great game. Here are some game gift suggestions for the graduate in your life. Top 5 Star Wars Board Games
The Star Wars movies have provided inspiration for novels, comic books, and a wide variety of games. These are my picks for the best Star Wars board games ever published. Top 5 Negotiation Board Games
Some board games not only require you to implement a good strategy, they require you to negotiate with the very opponents you're trying to defeat. These are the best negotiation board games. Top 3 Sources for Loaded Dice
Are you unusually unlucky when it comes to rolling dice? Investing in a pair of dice that's more, uh, reliable might be just what you need. (Needless to say, these dice should be used for amusement purposes only.) Top 5 Haba Games
Haba is a game publisher in Germany which specializes in children's board games, but many of their games can also be enjoyed by adults. Here are my picks for the best games published by Haba. Top 5 City-Building Board Games
One of the best things about playing board games is that they let you try things you'll never get to do in real life. Here's a look at the best games with a city-building theme. Top 5 Real-Time Games
Some games are played in real time; that is, the amount of time it takes to play the game is similar to what it would take in real life. Generally, these games are very quick and meant to be played without much reflection. Here are my picks for the best real-time games. Top 5 James Ernest Games
James Ernest first made a name for himself as the head of Cheapass Games, a company devoted to the publication of low-cost board games -- many of which had off-the-wall themes. He also runs James Ernest Games, a company with higher production standards. These are my picks for the best of all his games. Top 3 Game-Related Comics
Comics and games seem like a natural pairing. Games like Marvel HeroClix show that the two worlds can intersect in such a way that produces good games. And these comics show that the same can be true in reverse. Top 5 Alex Randolph Games
Alex Randolph was one of the most prolific game designers of the late 1900s, developing dozens of games over the course of several decades. Here are my picks for the best five games designed by Alex Randolph. Top 5 Bruno Faidutti Games
Bruno Faidutti likes a little chaos in his games. And none of his games could really be called predictable. These are my picks for the five best games designed by Bruno Faidutti. Top 3 Monopoly Books
Monopoly is an American institution, one of those games that seems to find its way into just about every home. If you're interested in the history of Monopoly, or in making this board game more fun to play, these books will help. | 