Games Me Play!

As far as these "reviews" go, here's the grain of salt with which they must be taken: I'm a baby boomer (yes, old as dirt) with a job, a family, and many other enthusiasms and interests beyond games. Further, the people I game with (the same bastards I've been gaming with since high school) also have jobs, families, etc. And yet we somehow still manage to get together once a month for a full day of gaming (and food, and alcohol and billiards, and whatever else we can manage). The upshot being that we're no longer youngsters with infinite amounts of time to waste on whatever game might blow across our collective transoms. Consequently, we're just not that interested in two-player games, games with thick rulebooks and steep learning curves, or games that take more than six hours to complete. No offense if you like those kinds of games, but they're probably not going to get a nice write-up here.

I've received numerous requests over the years to apply some sort of rating system to this list, so here it is:

	An awesome game - one that we totally love and play repeatedly
	A good game, a game that we like, but a game that we don't play all that often
	An OK game - no strenuous or specific complaints, but apparantly there are better options
	A game that sucks and should be expunged from the universe
	A game that we've looked at, but (for whatever reason) never got around to trying out

Note, these ratings are relative to my main (hard core) gaming group, so the family/kiddie games have to really rock to get anything above an "indifferent" rating.

Name	Publisher	Copyright	# of Players	Ages	Genre	Rating
Gumshoe	Sleuth Publications Ltd	1986	Any	Any	Detection/Deduction
Khet	Innovention Toys	2005	2	9-up	Abstract Strategy
Black Monday	Salagames	1988	2-6	10-up	Finance/Stocks
Executive Decision	3M	1971	2-6	12-up	Finance/Manufacturing
Cargo Noir	Days of Wonder	2011	2-5	8-up	Strategy/Smuggling
Kingsburg	Fantasy Flight Games	2007	2-5	13-up	Strategy/City Building
221B Baker Street	John N. Hansen Co	1977	2-6	10-up	Mystery/Deduction
Sleuth	3M	1967	3-7	10-up	Cards/Deduction
Gammarauders	TSR	1987	2-6	10-up	Monsters/Strategy
Dominion	Rio Grande Games	2008	2-4	8-up	Cards/Strategy/Medieval
Tales of the Arabian Nights	Z-Man Games	2009	1-6	12-up	Role-Playing
Revolution	Steve Jackson Games	2009	3-4	10-up	Strategy/Politics
Venture	3M	1968	2-6	13-up	Finance
Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal	Avalon Hill	2008	2	13-up	WWII/Tactics
Guitar Hero III	Nintendo	2007	Any	Any	Simulated Rockgoditude
Consulting Detective	Sleuth Publications Ltd	1981	Any	Any	Detection/Deduction
Caylus	Rio Grande Games/Ystari Games	2005	2-5	12-up	Economics/Strategy
Miskatonic Madness	Richard Launius	2005	2	12-up	Fantasy/Horror
Bootleggers	Eagle Games	2004	3-6	12-up	Finance/Crime
Axis & Allies: Battle of the Bulge	Avalon Hill	2006	2	13-up	WWII/Tactics
Interstellar Wars	Attactix	1982	2	12-up	Space War/Strategy
Rollout	Supremacy Games	1987	2-6	10-up	Finance/Strategy
Red Storm Rising	TSR	1989	2-4	12-up	Modern War/Strategy
Diplomacy	Waddington's	1971	2-7	12-up	Diplomacy/Negotiation/Strategy
Risk 2210 A.D.	Avalon Hill/Hasbro	2001	2-5	10-up	SF/War/Strategy
Dragonriders of Pern	Mayfair Games	1983	1-7	12-up	Fantasy/Strategy
Sanctuary	Mayfair Games	1982	1-6	12-up	Fantasy
Challenge of the Lion Lord	T.L.C.	1995	2-4	10-up	Fantasy
Dragonmaster	Milton Bradley	1981	3-4	12-up	Fantasy/Card
King's Bounty	Task Force Games	1991	1-8	12-up	Fantasy
The Challenge	Lion Rampant	1990	2-6	12-up	Fantasy
Magic Realm	Avalon Hill	1978	2-16	12-up	Fantasy
Pentantastar	Adventure Games	1983	2-4	12-up	Fantasy/Strategy/War
Dragonhunt	Avalon Hill	1982	2-6	10-up	Fantasy
Wizards	Avalon Hill	1982	2-6	12-up	Fantasy
New Dungeon!	TSR	1989	1-6	8-up	Fantasy
War of the Ring	Fantasy Flight Games	2006	2-4	12-up	Fantasy/War/Strategy
Memoir '44	Days of Wonder	2004	2	8-up	World War II/Tactics
Star Hop	Teaching Concepts, Inc	1981	2-4	10-up	Astronomy/Educational
Rail Baron	Avalon Hill	1977	3-6	10-up	Finance/Railroading
Filthy Rich	Wizards of the Coast	1998	2-5	14-up	Finance/Advertising
Lie, Cheat & Steal	Reiss Games	1971	2-6	10-up	Politics/Family
The Settlers of Catan	Mayfair Games	1996	3-4	12-up	Settlement/Strategy
Scotland Yard	Milton Bradley	1985	3-6	10-up	Pursuit/Tactics
Arkham Horror	Fantasy Flight Games	2005	1-8	12-up	Horror/SF
Monsters Menace America	Avalon Hill	2005	2-4	12-up	Sci-Fi/Strategy
The Game of Life (Simpsons Edition)	Milton Bradley	2004	2-6	9-up	Family
Operation (Shrek Edition)	Milton Bradley	2004	1 or more	6-up	Skill
Robo Rally	Wizards of the Coast	1994	2-8	12-up	Sci-Fi/Tactics
Doom: The Boardgame	Id/Fantasy Flight Games	2004	2-4	12-up	Horror/Sci-Fi/Tactics
The Maze of Ishtar	Anachromagique, Inc	1984	2-4	12-up	Fantasy/Dungeon
Stratego	Milton Bradley/Hasbro	1961	2	8-up	Strategy/Napoleanic War
Civilization III PC CD-ROM	Atari, Inc	2004	1 (more via network)	12-up	History/Strategy/War
Supremacy	Supremacy Games, Inc	1986	2-6	10-up	Modern War/Strategy
Cranium Cadoo For Kids	Cranium, Inc	2001	2 or more	7-up	Family/Trivia/Puzzles
Cosmic Encounter	Mayfair	1991	3-6	12-up	Sci-Fi/Strategy/Diplomacy
Magic: The Gathering PC CD-ROM	Microprose	1997	1-2	6-up	Fantasy/Cards
Battleship	Milton Bradley	1967	2	7-up	Submarine/Tactics
Risk II PC CD-ROM	Microprose	2000	1-8	9-up	Napoleanic Wars/Strategy
Axis & Allies Iron Blitz PC CD-ROM	Microprose	1999	1-5	12-up	World War II/Strategy
Axis & Allies Europe	Avalon Hill	1999	2-4	12-up	World War II/Strategy
Ticket To Ride	Days of Wonder	2004	2-5	8-up	Railroad/Abstract Strategy
Destination Mars	Discovery Kids	1999	2	8-up	Space/Learning
Axis & Allies PC CD-ROM	Microprose	1998	1-5	12-up	World War II/Strategy
Doom 3 PC CD-ROM	Id	2004	1	17-up	First person shooter/SF-Horror
Axis & Allies Pacific	Avalon Hill	2000	2-3	12-up	World War II/Strategy
Runebound	Fantasy Flight Games	2004	2-6	12-up	Fantasy/Strategy & Tactics
Axis & Allies D-Day	Avalon Hill	2004	2-3	12-up	World War II/Strategy
Power Grid	Rio Grande Games	2004	2-6	12-up	Power Plant/Strategy
Star Wars Epic Duels	Milton Bradley	2002	2-6	8-up	SF/Tactics
Organized Crime	Iron Crown Enterprises	1974	2-4	14-up	Crime
Risk - LOTR Trilogy Edition	Parker Bros	2003	2-4	9-up	Fantasy/Strategic War
Dante's Inferno	Twilight Creations Inc.	2003	3-6	12-up	Fantasy/Horror/Tactics
Illuminati	Steve Jackson Games	1982	2-6	12-up	Conspiracy/Cards
Federation and Empire	Task Force Games	1986	2-8	12-up	SF/Tactics
Castle Risk	Parker Bros	1986	2-6	12-up	Napoleanic War
Dicemaster	Iron Crown Enterprises	1996	Any	12-up	Fantasy/Dice
Moonstar	Avalon Hill	1981	Any	Any	Math/Dice
The Official Dealer McDope Dealing Game	Last Gasp	1971	?	?	Drug Dealing
Kingmaker	Avalon Hill	1976	2-6	12-up	Medieval/Political/Strategy
Feudal	3M Bookshelf Games	1967	2-6	10-up	Medieval/Strategy
Empire Builder	Mayfair Games	1984	2-6	12-up	Railroad/Strategy
4000 AD	Waddington's	1972	2-4	12-up	Space/Strategy
Titan	Avalon Hill	1982	2-6	12-up	Fantasy/Strategy/Tactics
Belter	Game Designers' Workshop	1979	2?	12-up	SF/Space/Mining
Paths of Glory	GMT Games	1999	2	12-up	WW I/Strategy
Ploy	3M Bookshelf Games	1970	2 or 4	10-up	Strategy
Infection	Earwig Enterprises	1991	2-8	9-90	Medical Trivia
Double Star	Game Designers' Workshop	1979	2	12-up	Space/Tactics
Tactics II	Avalon Hill	1958	2	12-up	WW II/Tactics
Up Front	Avalon Hill	1983	2	12-up	WW II/Card/Tactics
Invasion: Earth	Game Designers' Workshop	1981	2	12-up	Space/Tactics
Freedom in the Galaxy	Avalon Hill	1981	2	12-up	Space/Tactics
Starforce Alpha Centauri	Simulations Publications, Inc	1974	2	12-up	Space/Tactics
A Game of Thrones	Fantasy Flight Games	2003	3-5	12-up	War/Strategy
Nuclear War	Flying Buffalo	1965	2-6	10-up	War/Cards
Talisman	Games Workshop	1985	2-6	9-up	Fantasy
Zylatron - Battle for the Galaxy	Games People Play	1985	2-4	9-up	Sci-Fi/Space/Tactics
Wizard's Quest	Avalon Hill	1979	2-6	12-up	War/Fantasy/Strategy
Dungeonquest	Games Workshop	1987	1-4	12-up	Fantasy/Tactics
Elric, Battle at the End of Time	Chaosium, Inc	1981	1-4	12-up	War/Fantasy/Strategy
Cults Across America	Atlas Games	1998	2-6	12-up	War/Horror/Strategy
Shogun	Milton Bradley	1986	2-5	12-up	Feudal Japan/War/Strategy
Spammers	Atlas Games (Trident, Inc)	1998	2-6	13-up	Card/Humorous
Hacker	Steve Jackson Games	1992	3-6	12-up	Card/Computers
Guesstures	Milton Bradley	1990	4 or more	12-up	Family/Charades
Catch Phrase	Park Bros (Hasbro)	1994	4 or more	12-up	Family/Password
Pictionary	Pictionary Inc	1985	3-16	12-up	Family/Drawing
Cranium	Cranium Inc	1998	4 or more	13-up	Family/Trivia/Puzzles
People Magazine Game	Patch Games	2002	4 or more	12-up	Family/Trivia/Puzzles
Warrior Knights	Games Workshop Ltd	1985	2-6	10-up	Medieval War/Strategy
Tigris & Euphrates	Mayfair Games	1999	3-4	12-up	Strategy
Titan: The Arena	Avalon Hill	1997	2-5	10-up	Fantasy/Cards
Pirateer	Mendocino Game Co.	1994	2-4	8-up	Pirate/Tactics
Conquest of the Empire	Milton Bradley	1984	2-6	10-up	Roman warfare/strategy
Entdecker	Mayfair	2001	2-4	10-up	Colonial Exploration/Strategy
Chez Geek	Steve Jackson Games	1999	2-5	12-up	Card/Party
Noble House	Fasa Corp	1981	2-5	12-up	Stocks/Finance
Tai-Pan	Fasa Corp	1981	2-4	12-up	Sea Trade
Asteroid	Game Designers' Workshop	1983	2	12-up	Sci-Fi/Tactics
MindTrap	MindTrap Games, Inc	1991	2 or more	12-up	Family/IQ
Space Crusade	Milton Bradley/Hasbro	1990	2-4	10-up	SF/Tactics
Zombies!!!	Journeyman Press	2001	2-6	12-up	Horror/Tactics
Starbase Jeff	Cheapass Games	1998	2-4	10-up	SF/Strategy
Dune	Avalon Hill	1979	2-6	12-up	SF/Strategy
The Quest of the Philosopher's Stone	The Games Gang, Ltd	1986	2-4	10-up	Fantasy/Trivia
Pokemon Monopoly	Parker Bros/Hasbro	1999	2-6	8-up	Family/Finance
Uno	Int'l Games, Inc	1979	2-10	7-up	Family/Cards
Lionheart	Parker Bros/Hasbro	1997	2	10-up	Medieval/Tactics
Starlord	Gamma Two Games Ltd	1977	2	9-up	SF/Strategy
Twilight Imperium	Fantasy Flight Games	2000	2-6	12-up	SF/Strategy
Dragonlance	TSR	1988	2-6	10-up	Fantasy/Tactics
Puerto Rico	Rio Grande Games	2002	3-5	12-up	Economics/Trade
Stratego Legends	Avalon Hill/Hasbro	1999	2	10-up	Fantasy/Tactics
Orbit War	Steve Jackson Games	1992	2	12-up	SF/Strategy
Pokemon Master Trainer	Milton Bradley/Hasbro	1995	2-6	7-up	Kids
The Game of Nations	Waddington's	1974	2-4	12-up	War/Strategy
Acquire	Avalon Hill	1995	2-6	12-up	Finance
Magic: The Gathering	Wizards of the Coast	1993	2-up	12-up	Fantasy/Card
Fortress America	Milton Bradley	1986	2-4	12-up	Strategy/War
El Grande	Rio Grande Games	1996	2-5	12-up	Strategy
Assassin	Avalon Hill	1993	3-6	10-up	Espionage/Tactics
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain	Games Workshop	1986	2-6	10-up	Fantasy/Tactics
Sorry	Parker Brothers	1934	2-4	6-up	Family
Candyland	Milton Bradley	1949	2-4	3-6	Tots/Simple
Lord of the Rings	Hasbro	2000	2-5	12-up	Fantasy
Airlines	Avalanche Press	1998	2-4	12-up	Business/Strategy
Berzerk	Milton Bradley	1983	2	7-14	SF/Tactics
Arkham Horror	Chaosium, Inc.	1987	1-8	12-up	Horror/SF
Balderdash	Parker Bros	1984	2-6	10-up	Family/Party
Outburst	Hasbro	1988	2 teams	Adults	Family/Party
Sequence	Jax Ltd	1994	2-12	7-up	Family/Strategy
Battle of the Sexes	University Games	1998	Any	12-up	Family/Trivia
Kings & Things	West End Games	1986	2-4	12-up	Fantasy/War
HeroQuest	Milton Bradley	1990	2-5	10-up	Fantasy
Dark Tower	Milton Bradley	1982	1-4	10-up	Fantasy
Edge City	Imagineering Design	1994	2-4	10-up	SF/Cyberpunk
The Omega Virus	Milton Bradley	1992	1-4	10-up	SF/Space
The Amazing Magic Robot	???	???	???	???	Party
Dungeon!	TSR	1980	2-8	8-up	Fantasy
Dungeon Dice	Parker Brothers	1977	2-4	8-up	Fantasy
The Starfarers of Catan	Mayfair	2001	3-4	12-up	SF/Space
Monopoly Junior	Hasbro	1999	2-4	5-8	Kids/Finance
Chutes & Ladders	Milton Bradley	1978	2-4	4-7	Kids/Counting
Scattergories	Milton Bradley	1988	2-6	12-up	Family/Party

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