Many of the best games published each year can only be purchased online or in hobby stores. But there are also a number of great games available in stores like Toys 'R' Us and Wal-Mart; I refer to these as "mass market games." Here are my picks for the best mass market games published in 2005. Games published by SimplyFun -- a company with a distribution model similar to The Pampered Chef (in-home game parties) -- are also included in the mass market category.
1. Star Wars Attacktix
For 2 players, published by Hasbro. Sliding plastic figures across a table was never so much fun. The Star Wars characters in this game include jedi armed with lightsabers and various characters armed with laser guns and other projectile weapons. The goal is to knock over your opponent's figures before he gets yours.
2. The Apprentice
For 2 to 12 players, published by Hasbro. Players are dealt a team of "apprentices," each with his own strengths and weaknesses. They then compete in challenges assigned by Donald Trump (whose voice is featured in this electronic game) by sliding the apprentices' cards through a bar code reader. The player who chooses the best team for the most challenges wins the game. Good card management is more subtly difficult than it first appears, although this game is just fun to play.3. Plext
For 2 to 8 players, designed by Chris Handy, published by SimplyFun. Gameplay begins by rolling 14 dice, each covered with letters of the alphabet. The dice are lined up and players compete to use all of the letters, in order, in the fewest possible words. For example, the six-letter sequence "NTHINS" could be used to form the word "nothingness." Plext is a wonderful, addictive challenge for word lovers.4. DaVinci's Challenge
For 2 players, designed by Paul Micarelli, published by Briarpatch. This abstract design looks like a piece of art at game end. Players use their pieces to form any of nine different designs; the more complex designs are more valuable. The difficulty comes in taking advantage of your own scoring opportunities while preventing your opponent from making a big score of his own. DaVinci's Challenge rewards strategic planning.5. Clue Mysteries
For 2 to 6 players, published by Parker Brothers / Hasbro. In Clue Mysteries, John Boddy is still alive -- but his hometown is full of crime. The game includes 50 mini-mysteries for players to solve by questioning witnesses, decoding their clues and evaluating their honesty. This is the second truly new Clue game in the U.S. in recent years. Electronic Talking Clue FX is still available; that game was number three on my 2003 list of the best mass market games.6. Walk the Dogs
For 2 to 5 players, designed by Alan R. Moon and Aaron Weissblum, published by SimplyFun. This game is simple enough for young children to play, but older children and adults will enjoy discovering the different tactical possibilities. The game comes with 63 plastic dogs, making it a visual and tactile delight. Players use cards to choose dogs and form a line with breeds matched as often as possible. The dog catcher, leash and bone cards add a few twists.7. Bumparena
For 2 to 4 players, designed by Forrest-Pruzan Creative, published by Cranium. If you know the Plinko game on "The Price is Right" game show, you have the general idea for Bumparena. But in this game, players build the 3-D maze that the balls will travel, scoring points by leading balls into the best goals. Other new games from Cranium this year include Whoonu (a party game) and the Cranium Family Fun Game (ages 8 and up).8. Shout About...
For 2 teams of players, designed by Norman Beil, published by Hasbro. This is a series of DVD games: Shout About Movies (4 DVDs are available), Shout About Music (2 DVDs), and Shout About TV (2 DVDs). All you need is a television, DVD player and two teams -- the scoring is handled on screen and the entire game is run through the remote control. These are trivia games in which the answers are based on video and sound clips. The downside is that there are only three games on each DVD.9. Can You Beat Ken?
For 2 or more players, published by University Games. Ken Jennings, the $2.5 million Jeopardy champion, is the Ken in question -- and the challenge is for you to beat him in a trivia game. The 880 questions included here (220 cards, four questions per) were posed to Jennings and his results are included. Can you beat him to the goal of $2.6 million, while also besting your opponents?10. Domination: The Conquer and Claim Dominoes Game
For 2 to 4 players, published by Patch Products. The goal of this strategy game is to claim the most territories on the board through clever placement of dominoes. When a square is surrounded, the player who placed the final domino scores a point. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins. A healthy dose of luck helps, but Domination does offer some challenging decisions.