Blokus

The goal of Blokus, a beautiful abstract strategy game, is to place as many of your 21 pieces on the board as possible.

Naturally, there are some restrictions: Pieces of the same colour must touch each other on at least one corner, and pieces of the same colour can only touch each other at the corners.

The game is extraordinarily simple to understand, but offers layers of complexity that make it a challenge every time its played. The web site offers online play, so you can try the game before you buy it. But even if abstract games are not ordinarily your cup of tea, you may find yourself addicted to Blokus.

Web: http://www.blokus.com/

First sold in 1941, Cadaco's All-Star Baseball Game is returning in a Cooperstown Hall of Fame Edition, packaged in an embossed tin box. Batting and fielding results from real baseball players are translated to special playing discs. The goal is to manage your team to victory.

The game includes all stars from many decades, including Reggie Jackson, Yogi Berra, Ernie Banks, Willie Stargell, and Whitey Ford.

For 2 or more players, ages 10 and up.

Web: http://www.cadaco.com/

Subtitled "A Game of Galactic Conquest," Fleets is a game for 2 to 6 players, ages 10 and up. Players build and control a fleet of starships, attempting to move through the universe to capture star systems, attack alien starships and protect their own areas of control.

Game designer Anthony Listrom said, "Fleets was first copyrighted in 1988 and has gone under at least 10 revisions in the last 15 years to make the board game an easy play." The game takes 2 to 3 hours to complete.

Web: http://www.fleetgames.com/

Published by American Historical Games, the Lewis & Clark game recreates the 1804-1806 expedition across North America. Players don't need to know about the expedition to play competitively, but should learn about it as they progress in the game.

The oversized game board is 36" by 22" and the goal of the game is to be the first player (or two-player team) to complete the journey to the Pacific coast and back to St. Louis. Up to four players or teams can take part.

Players compete to build a path of hexagons reaching across the board in Path Blitzer. The game allows for "attacks" by which players can replace opponents' pieces with their own. For 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up.

Web: http://www.pastimegames.com/