Reddit mentions: The best collectible card games
We found 771 Reddit comments discussing the best collectible card games. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 265 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. Rio Grande Games - Dominion: First Edition
- Tactical Dominion card game
- Play time is about 30 minutes
- Designed for 2 to 4 players
- Recommended for ages 13 and up
Features:
Specs:
Height | 11.811 Inches |
Length | 11.811 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 3.0864714664531 Pounds |
Width | 2.7559 Inches |
2. Steve Jackson Games Munchkin Deluxe
3 to 6 players1 2 hours to play10 and upDeluxe set includes standies and a gameboardComplete game playable out of the box
Specs:
Color | Multicoloured |
Height | 10.5 Inches |
Length | 2 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | August 2011 |
Size | Original version |
Weight | 1.5 Pounds |
Width | 10.5 Inches |
3. Guillotine
- 30 minute playing time
- Fast paced and fun
- 100 playing cards, rules
- Easy to learn
- Tons of replay value
Features:
Specs:
Height | 0.88 Inches |
Length | 7 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 0.25 Pounds |
Width | 4.88 Inches |
4. Star Realms: Deckbuilding Game
- Fun Amazingly rich yet easy to learn game play
- Portable The whole game comes in a deck box that can fit in your jacket pocket
- Expandable One copy supports 2 players Add additional copies for multi player games of up to 6 players
- Beautiful Rich full color artwork brings this science fiction universe to life
Features:
Specs:
Height | 3.8 inches |
Length | 2.8 inches |
Weight | 0.437507358939 Pounds |
Width | 1.8 inches |
5. R & R Games Hanabi Card Game
- For 2-5 Players
- 2013 Spiele Des Jahres Game Of The Year
- Takes About 20-30 Minutes To Play
- 60 Hanabi Cards, 8 Blue Clock Tokens, 4 Black Fuse Tokens
Features:
Specs:
Color | Basic Pack |
Height | 2 Inches |
Length | 7 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | April 2018 |
Size | Original version |
Weight | 0.3 Pounds |
Width | 4.2 Inches |
6. Pokemon 2016 Rayquaza - Keldeo Battle Arena Deck
- theme deck containing a foil card of Rayquaza-EX or keldeo-ex
- In each 60-card deck you will find 8 foil basic energy cards and Tournament-level trainer cards, including vs seeker, Professor sycamore, N, and more
- Each box also contains 2 metallic Coins and 2 sets of damage counters
- Also comes with 2-player playmate and rule sheet, 1 code card to play these decks online, and 2 deck boxes
- You also get 1 quick guide to unlock the powerful strategies within
Features:
Specs:
Height | 7.18 Inches |
Length | 1.16 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | October 2018 |
Weight | 0.25 Pounds |
Width | 8 Inches |
7. Exploding Kittens Card Game - Family-Friendly Party Games - Card Games For Adults, Teens & Kids
- A Kitty-Powered Russian Roulette Card Game - The hit party game for family and friends who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats.
- A Simple Card Game for Kids and Adults - Perfect for all occasions, including a family game night, beach trip, road trip or drinking with friends!
- Game Of The Year Award Winner - More than 10 million copies sold, breaking records in kids games, adult games and everything in between.
- Beginner-Friendly, Just 2 Minutes to Learn - If you draw an Exploding Kitten, you lose and you are full of loser sad-sauce. All the other cards in the deck help you avoid or mitigate your risk of drawing an Exploding Kitten. If you don’t explode, YOU WIN!
- 56 Cards, with Box and Instructions - A simple card game for kids, drinking, kittens, and adults, not in that order.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Red |
Height | 1.5 Inches |
Length | 4.41 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | August 2015 |
Size | Large |
Weight | 0.3968125 pounds |
Width | 6.38 Inches |
8. Magic the Gathering - MTG: Deck Builders Toolkit
Specs:
Height | 3.31 Inches |
Length | 8.11 Inches |
Weight | 1.5 Pounds |
Width | 4.29 Inches |
9. Magic The Gathering 1000+ Bulk Cards MTG [Toy]
1000+ mtg cards1000+ mtg cards(common, uncommon) from a variety of sets, some duplication, little to no basic land.(common, uncommon) from a variety of sets, some duplication, little to no basic land.
Specs:
Height | 2.99 Inches |
Length | 14.88 Inches |
Weight | 4 Pounds |
Width | 4.17 Inches |
10. Brotherwise Games Boss Monster: The Dungeon Building Card Game
- For 2-4 players
- Takes around 20 minutes to play
- Dungeon building card game
Features:
Specs:
Height | 8.2 Inches |
Length | 5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 0.85 Pounds |
Width | 1.5 Inches |
11. Bang 4th Edition
For 4 7 Players30 minute playing timeFun party gameTons of replay valueFun Party gameFor 4 7 playersTakes about 30 minutes to playTons of replay valueFun Party game
Specs:
Color | Various |
Height | 5.5 inches |
Length | 7.5 inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | May 2012 |
Weight | 0.000881849048 Pounds |
Width | 1.75 inches |
12. Rick and Morty Total Rickall Cooperative Card Game
- Cooperative, but with no "table captain" issues
- Mimics the action and hilarity of the Rick and Morty Episode Total Rickall
- Easy to learn
- Feature many of the zaniest and wackiest characters from the episode
- Includes rules for advanced play with hidden roles
Features:
Specs:
Color | Multi-colored |
Height | 5.47243 Inches |
Length | 4.09448 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | June 2016 |
Size | Standard |
Weight | 0.67902376696 Pounds |
Width | 1.69291 Inches |
13. Race for the Galaxy Card Game
For 2-4 players60 minute playing timeCheck out all the great expansions to Race for the GalaxyFor 2 to 4 playersPlay time of 60 minutesIn Race for the Galaxy, players build galactic civilizations by game cards that represent worlds or technical and social developments
Specs:
Height | 10.75 Inches |
Length | 7.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Weight | 1.5 Pounds |
Width | 2.75 Inches |
14. Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon Trainer Kit Lycanroc & Alolan Raichu Card Game
BECOME AN INSTANT MASTER: Two guided game booklets to teach you how to champion your team, card by card, step by step.LEAD YOUR TEAM TO VICTORY: Will you choose Lycanroc or Alolan Raichu as your champion? Or combine them for full 60-card deck.EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO LEARN IN ONE BOX: Decks, playmat, ...
Specs:
Color | Multicolor |
Height | 4 Inches |
Length | 7.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | April 2017 |
Size | One Size |
Weight | 0.440924524 Pounds |
Width | 1 Inches |
15. Sentinels of The Multiverse Enhanced Card Game (2nd Edition)
- For 2-5 Players
- 60 minute playing time
- Enhanced second edition
- Sentinels of the Multiverse is a cooperative, fixed-deck card game with a comic book flavor
Features:
Specs:
Height | 3.25 Inches |
Length | 7.62 Inches |
Weight | 2.20462262 Pounds |
Width | 11.25 Inches |
16. Asmadi Games ASI-0050 Red7 Card Game
For 2-4 Players5-10 minute playing timeFun and fast gameFun and fast card gameFor 2-4 playersTakes 5-10 minutes to play
Specs:
Color | Black |
Height | 0.75 Inches |
Length | 5.25 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | February 2018 |
Weight | 0.3 Pounds |
Width | 3.75 Inches |
17. Magic the Gathering - Commander 2013 - Nature of the Beast Deck
Includes a 100-card deck and 3 oversize legend cards
Specs:
Height | 2.4 Inches |
Length | 8.6 Inches |
Weight | 0.06 Pounds |
Width | 6.5 Inches |
18. Pokemon Sun & Moon: Guardians Rising Elite Trainer Box, Multicolor
45 Pokémon TCG energy cards65 card sleeves featuring Tapu Koko6 damage-counter dice 1 competition-legal coin-flip die2 Acrylic condition markers and 1 acrylic GX marker and a collector's box to hold everything with 4 dividers to keep it organizedAlso includes a code card for the Pokémon trading ca...
Specs:
Color | Multicolor |
Height | 6.75 Inches |
Length | 7.38 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | May 2017 |
Size | Value Not Found |
Weight | 1.0582188576 Pounds |
Width | 3.44 Inches |
19. Magic: The Gathering Magic Game Night | Card Game for 2-5 Players | 5 Decks | 5 Dice | Accessories
You and 1–4 friends can START PLAYING MAGIC: THE GATHERING instantly with this multiplayer starter set.JUST OPEN AND PLAY. Everything is in the box. 5 60-card decks, 5 dice for tracking life totals, and all the accessories you need to play.These five decks were designed as an intuitive way to TEAC...
Specs:
Height | 9.45 Inches |
Length | 2.72 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | November 2018 |
Weight | 2.0723452628 Pounds |
Width | 10.2 Inches |
20. Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot; Blue Starter Deck
Off the wall strategic fun for 2 to 8 players ages 13 and up, average play time is 45 minutesGame includes 165 large cards, 36 small cards, 6 twelve-side dice and instructionsPlays right out of the box, so players do not need to bring their own decks to the tableGreat game for larger groupsIncludes ...
Specs:
Color | Blue |
Height | 2.75 Inches |
Length | 10.5 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | June 2006 |
Weight | 1.15 pounds |
Width | 10.5 Inches |
🎓 Reddit experts on collectible card games
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where collectible card games are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
You could go all in with an awesome collection of Cards Against Humanity!
It requires you to have a pretty twisted sense of humor but it's a ton of fun with friends.
You could check out Firefly the Game.
If you're a fan of the space opera, this is one of the more enjoyable games I've ever played.
If you really don't mind blowing 300 bucks, there's the Star Wars X-Wing miniatures game!
You take control of a spacecraft in the Star Wars universe and each game is like an episode of a Star Wars tv show, with a clear goal and twists and turns along the way as you try and accomplish that goal. The miniatures can get pricey but 300 bucks would get you started on a pretty sweet collection if you buy the smaller ships.
300 bucks would also get you started with the world's greatest trading card game: Magic the Gathering!
This classic card game has been around for over 20 years, features thousands upon thousands of cards to select from and, just like chess, takes 10 minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. For 300 bucks you could both have a gaming mat, plenty of dice, a kick-ass card collection and more than enough to start building multiple decks. Heck, you can just go and buy pre-made decks from a plethora of websites. Check out Youtube for suggestions on what formats you might enjoy, but kitchen table Magic the Gathering is VERY satisfying for two people.
Of course, if you really want an epic adventure, you could check out the bigger, meaner, older cousin of Magic the Gathering, and maybe the most infamous table top game in the world: Dungeons and Dragons!
A little more effort than most, but hugely rewarding if you have a colorful imagination and don't mind some simple math (most games requre SOME math, just look at Monopoly), and you have decades of books to explore, and many are available for pretty cheap from both used book stores and your local library (hopefully). This is a hobby that lasts for the rest of your life.
Like Dungeons and Dragons but want a more easy and accessible game to start out? How about [Muchkin!] (http://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jackson-Games-1483SJG-Munchkin/dp/B004U7JJWE/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1462113434&sr=1-1&keywords=munchkin)
We're talking dungeons...dragons...knights in shining armor and a LOT of fun. It's a good start for tabletop gaming.
Of course, Tabletop gaming is pretty extensive when it comes to choices. Here are a few more to check out:
The Game of the Century: Settlers of Catan
Spooky fun with Arkham Horror!
Big Adventures: Small Heroes... Mice and Mystics!
Survive the Zombie Apocalypse with Dead of Winter!
Of course, like Levar Burton says, you don't have to take my word for it. Here is the awesome Wil Wheaton's Youtube series, Tabletop! He plays with his friends so you don't have to! This series is amazing at helping to decide which tabletop game might be best for your playing needs.
Need a little help deciding if Magic the Gathering is right for you? How about Spellslingers on Youtube! Game Guru Day[9] plays Magic with his friends. Not only is this a super easy way to learn the game, it's a lot of fun to watch.
Need a little help understanding Dungeons and Dragons? Give Critical Role on Youtube a listen!
Luckily, you happened upon a time where tabletop games are going stronger than ever so...good luck!
This is extraordinarily thorough. So thorough in fact, that you should also consider board gaming. Reading this, it just makes a lot of sense for you. I think board gaming would fit you like a glove.
1. Video games have moved away from couch co-op. You've made a great list here with a lot of solid points, but I doubt you would have ever reached your conclusion, had you considered board games. Keep Talking is certainly a good entertaining game, nothing against it. It's just, that game feels plucked like a needle out of a haystack. Like you've biopsied out a very small node from inside a large mass.
You don't really have this problem with board games. Literally every single board game in existence is designed to be played with people immediately around you. I hesitate to use the phrase "played co-operatively" simply because most board games are NOT co-operative - though there are notable exceptions like Pandemic or Ghost Stories. Both great games.
Board games use human beings as the engine the game runs on. That's not to say board games pit intellects against each other in some sort of valid competition of "who's the most smartest", but to say: humans are social machines and will surprise you with their grasp of system thinking. If I have five or six people in the room with me, I'd prefer the game that we're playing to exist in the head-space between us rather than on some electronic device.
People have come over to my house in the real world. Why not play a game with them that also exists in the real world? I can play videogames over online multiplayer until I'm blue in the face. Just last night I reinstalled Bad Company 2 and played with a few old college roommates. If I had those old friends over to my house, we'd play a board game. It seems crazy to me that someone has taken the time to drive over to your place and you set them down in front of a computer.
2. Because boardgames have always been designed around a social experience taking place in the real world, they're just better at it. This is definitely subjective. You can feel free to disagree with me all you want, but there are mechanics that I just don't see in videogames. Sure, I could load up Gremlin's Inc and replicate what is probably the best roll n' move game I've ever played, but roll n' move is a Monopoly era game genre. Board games can move past this.
You can't play Two Room's and a Boom on a machine. You can't play Bid n' Bluff games like Liar's Dice, Sheriff of Nottingham, or social deduction games like Coup or Love Letter. You can't play physical dexterity games like Jenga (still great fun btw), Flick em' Up, or Catacombs.
There are just games that play better with groups of people because they exist in the real world and make use of humans as the operating system.
3. Board games are much more open to much more people. I don't know about you, but in my experience board games are just more accessible to a wider range of people. I'm maybe going to get a round of Mario Kart out of the adults in my life that love me, but I've sat down with people over 50 and had a great time with Ticket to Ride. At family reunions I've enjoyed Dominion with young children and grandparents alike. Settlers of Catan, Blockus, and Carcassonne are all genuinely fun games I played to death with my family.
How crazy is that? I would really look forward to playing one of those games with my whole family. I can't think of even one videogame that fits that criteria.
4. Perhaps most simply, there are incredible games that just don't exist in videogame form - even though they could. Is the total conversion mod for Crusader Kings II not giving you that full heady Game of Thrones experience? Why not just play Game of Thrones. This is probably my favorite game and it's just not on computers. I can imagine a version of Cosmic Encounter played over online multiplayer, but why? It already exists in perfect form. If I want to play El Grande, or Arctic Scavengers, or Lords of Vegas - well . . . those games just don't exist as videogames.
5. Just honorable mentions. Seven Wonders. Splendor. Blueprints.
TL;DR. There are a ton of great board games out there and if you actually are struggling to think of something that you and your friends can enjoy together in the same room - maybe give it a shot rather than lament the lack of couch co-op in videogames.
(For your reference: How The Game Works
The basic strategy of the game is to keep as many bunnies alive as possible while eliminating your opponents’ bunnies. Of course all the other players are trying to do the same thing, which can get dreadfully vengeful, horribly nasty, hilariously messy, and just plain fun! While folks are trying to eliminate each other’s bunnies, each player is also trying to collect as many Carrots as possible. At the end of the game, one of the Carrots is revealed to be the Magic (or winning) Carrot and each game, the Magic Carrot will be different. Logically, the more Carrots that a player collects, the better his chances will be of winning the game. Collecting as many Carrots as possible is another basic strategy of the game.)
A WOMAN'SMY WEEK AT THE GYMDear Diary,
For my birthday this year, my hubby (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 19 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My hubby seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.
MONDAY: Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess - a thinly built female, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!
Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring! Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!
TUESDAY: I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!! It's a whole new life for me.
WEDNESDAY: The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.
Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the f would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other s too.
THURSDAY: Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes. Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. She sent another skinny cow to find me. Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.
FRIDAY: I hate that cow Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me those stupid barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?
SATURDAY: Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.
SUNDAY: I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my hubby (the f**ing ss) will choose a gift for me that is fun, like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!
Thank you for the contest!
What price range are you talking about? Here's some gifts divided into categories and price:
Lord of the Rings (Does she like LotR?):
Games:
Other:
These are my main suggestions, for everything else there's Think Geek. But really, browse this site.
^^Moved ^^from ^^your ^^original ^^comment ^^to ^^the ^^thread, ^^as ^^was ^^original ^^intended ^^location.
Well, as far as silly card games go, I'm partial to We Didn't Playtest This At All and Fluxx which support 2-15 and 2-6 players respectively. Both games can be really quick or take a while, but I've always found them to be great fun, and they both have a bunch of expansions, if you find that you like them.
Of course, if you want to delve into the world of board games, I'm a big fan of co-op games like Castle Panic and Pandemic. In Castle Panic, you work together to defend a castle from oncoming hordes of monsters and in Pandemic you need to cooperate to keep viral epidemics under control while finding a cure. Castle Panic is great fun, a simple game, and easy to get into, but I've never found it an easy game to win which keeps it fresh. Pandemic is a bit more complicated, requiring a lot of strategy and cooperation, and it can be brutally difficult at times, but that just makes winning all the more satisfying.
If you and your friends like a little friendly competition, I'd suggest something like 7 Wonders or Bang!, which was the game that got me started down this path. In 7 Wonders, you draft cards to build a civilization and compete for victory points. It may seem a little complicated at first, but once you play a game or two, it really starts to shine. In Bang!, you enter the wild west where one of you is the sheriff, and the rest of the players are deputies, outlaws, or renegades, each with their own win condition. The thing with this one is that everyone's role except the sheriff's is hidden. You can play Bang! with as little as 3 players, but it really only gets good if you have 5 or more.
If you want to do some research on your own, check out /r/boardgames or http://boardgamegeek.com/ which has a pretty comprehensive database of all the board games out there with ratings and reviews.
I own all of these (plus quite a few more), and enjoy playing them regularly. Prices are approximately accurate at places like Target, walmart, Amazon, etc. Most games below can be played by up to 4-6 players (some more), but all support a minimum of two. (An important distinction, as many games require 3 or more players.)
$5-10:
$10-20:
Here, we start getting into some really interesting ones...
$20-30
$30-50
A bit pricier here, but some very interesting gameplay is to be found.
As a Rick and Morty fan that is what I have to go with here! : )
We own the McFarlane building sets and they are pretty cheap, fun and cute (definitely not Legos but they aren't as bad as the star ratings would have you think at all).
Total Rickall is soo much fun and based on my favorite episode. You have to figure out who is a parasite and who isn't.
This collectible Rick is hilarious too (warning NSFW due to the bird being flipped)
Playing this game in a Rick and Morty version is sooo much fun!! These playing cards are great as well.
I am sure whatever you end up getting will make your husband very happy!! Happy shopping; hope my suggestions help you! : )
Wow, she sounds like my kind of girl. My GF really likes model planes. Something like this is a good starter model if she has never tried model planes before. It's not a very good way to introduce someone to the hobby, but down the road if she's interested and more experienced, she can get FPV systems, which put a camera in the cockpit of your model plane and fly it from a first person perspective. Another good idea in the realm of flying might be a basic simulator set-up for a computer like this (this one is just an example, I'm not well versed enough in these to give a specific model recommendation, so you should do some research on your own to find the best one).
When it comes to board games, there's so, so many great ones. Its hard to really recommend one because there are so many vastly different games that are ideal for different people. One that everyone seems to like is Ticket to Ride. My GF happens to like Pandemic. One of my favorites is Dominion. Head over to /r/boardgames (maybe with a little more info about what she likes?) and you'll get a ton of great recommendations if you are interested in going the board game route.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes.
Well, how serious are you? Cause if you're serious... here ya go
Otherwise, without knowing what you're into, it's a bit tough. Sushi Go! is an absolutely awesome card game - super easy to teach, pretty quick to play, but really fun for anyone. It's... "THE BOMB" at parties.
I would also extremely recommend Dominion, it's probably my favorite table-top game. However, I can't say it's for everyone.
I would absolutely love KTANE... wish I could buy it, but I've already spent way too much on games, and college is eating into my pockets. Thanks much! Sir Soaring Spud
Love Letter - Ultra fun game for 2 to 4 players, super small, super simple, but tons of replayability. One of my favorite games ever, and a hit with everyone. Currently $8 on amazon.
Coup- Super basic social deduction game, tons of fun for not a lot of money. More complicated than Love Letter, but not very difficult. The hardest part about teaching a younger kid this game is the idea that you can (and should) lie to your friends. Currently $9 on amazon.
Red 7 - This is a small 2-4 player game, super fun, super simple. Currently $9 on amazon
Basically, you can get all three of these for ~$25.
If you're doing G/W tokens, I highly recommend Trostani over Tolsimir. Tolsimir is a built in anthem, but Trostani's populate on a stick is useful, and the life you'll be gaining is not negligible. You can even just throw in both so he can swap generals.
Another fun G/W deck is Karametra. Any creature is better when it comes with a free Rampant Growth, and the extra mana she brings allows you to curve a little higher so he can throw around all kinds of goofy things. Most landfall cards are cheap, and you can get away with making the deck be mostly creatures and run Primal Surge as a win condition. Cards like Lurking Predators and Abundance are ridiculous in this sort of deck. The only real issue is that Avenger of Zendikar is amazing in this, but a bit expensive. However, you can order [Nature of the Beast] (http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Gathering-Commander-Nature-Beast/dp/B00FUSBCCC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397739211&sr=8-1&keywords=nature+of+the+beast) for 20$ off Amazon and that gets you stuff like Avenger, Rampaging Baloths, Wrath of God, Tempt with Discovery, and some other useful stuff. Just cut the red stuff and use the rest of your budget to fill out the deck.
Or since the precon is all the colors he likes, just add cards to it with the rest of your budget, but I'd still say cut it down to two colors since decent three-color manabases are $$.
Based on what you've written, I would recommend Dominion, for 28 dollars here on Amazon.
Dominion is a great standalone game, but it also has a wealth of (mostly) excellent expansions, so it's a game she can play for a very long time. It's easy to learn and teach, and it scales decently well from 2-4 players.
If she doesn't have any deckbuilders, Dominion invented and, in my opinion, perfected the genre. It's an absolutely superb game, and I've logged at least 200 plays with my different sets and expansions. And if she does, Dominion is still the best one around.
I wish I knew your budget so I could figure out the price range to go for but here but I'll try to suggest something from three ranges.
First Is like to recommend any dice from chessex. They are a great company and make dice that are well balanced. You can pick them up at your local card/comic/board game shop for around 8$ a pack. The nice part about cheeses is it comes with a non bag see through case with your dice that makes them great for showing off.
An awesome dragon puzzle that you both can put together and hang on the wall after your done
Boss Monster is a fun boardgame where you try to kill the heros instead of the other way around. It is quick to pick up and a fast play if you have a limited time.
Quarriors if he likes boardgames and rolling dice this is for him. It's a dice board game that functions like a deck building one
I have teen boys (14 and 16) and shockingly we have not yet seen the lego movie and would love to win a digital copy!
Your son sounds similar to mine in their taste profile, so I asked them what they liked as gifts when they were 12. Here are their thoughts:
My recommendation (in addition to my kids) is based on his love of the titanic. Have you heard of Ernest Shackleton? He did a journey to the South Pole that was very much an adventure story about leadership and teamwork. There is a graphic novel about it that might be right for him (I haven't read it) and a larger book called Endurance.
Good luck on the gifting!
As far as pre-constructed decks, I'd recommend Keldeo vs. Rayquaza. That set comes with many good trainer cards that can be used for building other decks as well: https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Arena-Decks-Rayquaza-Keldeo/dp/B01GT1CY7K
If you're up for some reading, I recommend taking a look at the beginner deck building page in the sidebar: https://www.reddit.com/r/pkmntcg/wiki/beginnerdecks
The core trainers mentioned on the page are cheaper than what it says. Current price per card on tcgplayer:
0.11 Shauna
0.48 N
0.16 Ultra Ball
0.05 Switch
0.14 Rescue Stretcher
0.10 Energy Retrieval
0.29 Lysandre
Most of the other trainers should be cheaper by now too. Once you have some basic trainers I'd recommend choosing some of your favorite pokemon and building a deck around them (maybe keep them within the same type + colorless to start with).
Also don't worry about staying within the current tournament rulesets of standard / expanded - it would only serve as an arbitrary restriction on cards played for casual play.
To get some ideas on what's available, you could browse these pages for released cards:
Sets: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_Pok%C3%A9mon_Trading_Card_Game_expansions
Trainers: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_English_Trainer_cards
Energy: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Energy_card_(TCG)
Though for pokemon I'd recommend just searching for the pokemon name on tcgplayer because they have listings from every set. Usually newer expansions are cheaper due to availability unless it's a popular card in the current rotation.
One last side note, depending on the theme deck it can be cheaper to look up the card list and buy the deck as singles if you don't need the coin / markers.
Buying Pikachu Power as singles from tcgplayer for example:
3 pikachu = 0.12
2 raichu = 1.74
1 magneton = 0.64
3 magnemite = 0.21
2 electabuzz = 0.12
2 voltorb = 0.16
2 beedrill = 0.24
3 kakuna = 0.18
3 weedle = 0.21
2 metapod = 0.12
3 caterpie = 0.24
2 tangela = 0.14
2 doduo = 0.12
1 energy retrieval = 0.10
1 evosoda = 0.38
1 pokeball = 0.04
1 pokemon center lady = 0.47
1 pokemon fan club = 0.15
1 professor oak's hint = 0.06
2 professor's letter = 0.20
1 revive = 0.07
1 switch = 0.05
2 tierno = 0.24
9 lightning energy = 0.63
9 grass energy = 0.63
total = $7.26
(without grouping for shipping)
I bought some INSIDE3 cube puzzle thing. I've no idea if it'll hit the spot or not but looks interesting anyway. There also seems to be a site where you can trade them in so effectively upgrade your difficulty cheaper than just buying new ones, if she likes it!
As for other ideas... maybe something of a board/card game? Something like exploding kittens which is pretty easy to understand, has cute pictures, and largely seems to go down well with all audiences (read: might make having to suffer time with your family mildly more amusing). I bought this to play with friends and stuff but I showed it to my mum when a couple of people were over before and she still loves to mention how much fun it was. I've played it with colleagues etc. there's also a NSFW version if you have a sibling or someone who might prefer a bit more humour that way!
I commented on here earlier, but the thing I recommended was already listed. xD Sooooo Imma suggest some board games!
If you like deck-building games, Dominion is a classic. I didn't think I would like it, but the premise is pretty simple, so it's easy to pick up.
I like the Chinese version of Bang which is called SanGuoSha. It's not always in-stock on Amazon in English; I think right now all the ones offered are in Chinese. I think the characters and items are a little more complex than Bang's, which is why I prefer this version, but Bang is good as well. :)
I also like Betrayal at House on the Hill. It usually makes for a unique experience each time. You explore a haunted house with the other plays, picking up different omens along the way until you trigger "the haunt." The thing is, the haunt varies depending on the character who triggered it, the omen that it was triggered with, and the room it happened in! So there's tons of different haunts making for awesome replayability!
Also, I gotta throw in a recommendation for Lifeboat. Lifeboat is pretty entertaining. The premise is that you're on a lifeboat with the other players. You're trying to get to shore. The person with the most points wins. Each person "loves" and "hates" another player. If the person you love survives, you get bonus points. So you want the person you love to survive and the person you hate to die, but you also don't wanted your loved one to get more points than you otherwise they would win...
Each character has different skills/strength/HP. You get to pick an item card (point items. weapons, health) every round in order. First person gets first pick, but the last person controls the boat. You can choose to switch places with someone, trade with someone or mug someone, or row the boat (you draw 2 navigation cards and pick 1 to add to the stack). If you fight someone (e.g. you want an item but they won't give it to you), all players can join on either side, and the total side with the most strength wins while the other side loses health.
At the end of a round of turns, the navigator picks from the navigation cards drawn from rowers. Those cards dictate who goes overboard and loses health. If a navigation card has a seagull on it, you get closer to shore. 4 seagulls = game over.
It's a super fun game, but be careful who you play with... Some people get REALLY angry or upset when shit goes down. Some people really hate that there's no enforcability... Like if you say you'll trade someone an item but don't go through with your end like a douche, you can do that. Buuuuut I guess if you make too many enemies, people won't take your sides on fights and could work together to kill you first.
Hope this helps!
Hey, keep in mind that old commander decks from 2013 and 2014 are super cheap right now. Last year's Commander had mono-colored planeswalker commanders, and the year before that had cool 3-color commanders. Linkage:
2013 Decks (3-color)
2014 Decks (Mono Color Walkers)
(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OI1BX0I?keywords=commander%202014&qid=1449601024&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4)
***
 
Here is a 9 Minute Video by The Professor exactly why should go back and check out the past two year's commander decks before you decide on the current year. He makes the point that modern staples are not in this year's decks, so they'll likely reduce in price by next year. Also, the beauty of doing it this way and getting 2 different decks is that if you have a doubly good chance of getting one he likes. That's just my opinion, but I think expanding your search to the other 10 would be a smart play!
Happy Holidays, and I hope your in-law loves whatever you choose for him.
Wow, Vito Gesualdi from White Wizard Games here (creators of Star Realms). We are super amazed to have made the top fifty list, especially since this is both our first digital game release and the game has only been out for what, two months now? Glad you guys are loving the app!
As a heads up, we have lots of great suggestions coming from the community and we're working to integrate a bunch of them. Also, keep an eye out for our first expansion, which should add a new chapter to the campaign mode and a host of cool new cards!
I'd also suggest trying out the physical game if you can ever find it at MSRP (or don't mind paying scalper prices on Amazon... http://www.amazon.com/White-Wizard-Games-Realms-Deckbuilding/dp/B00HRGMPIU). We've got a third (and forth) printing on the way and four mini-expansion sets coming around the holidays.
Oh and uh, feel free to challenge 'Vito' on your device. I promise I won't hurt you too bad... ;D
Here's what I'd do if I had to rebuild a collection from scratch for $1k trying to have a wide variety of play styles:
7 Wonders $32.99
Agricola $45.79
Battlestar Galactica $39.97
Carcassonne $30.02
Carcassonne Inns & Cathedrals$15.71
Dixit $22.65
Dominion Big Box $69.18 Prosperity is one of the best expansions; Alchemy is not, but you're pretty much getting it for free in this set.
Eclipse $61.49 It wouldn't be a board game library without a 4X game, and I think Eclipse is the best currently.
Eldritch Horror $40.47 - I love Arkham Horror, but Eldritch streamlines a lot of the fiddly rules of the original.
Formula D [$41.96] (http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-FDUSASM-Formula-D/dp/2914849648/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1395757676&sr=1-1&keywords=formula+d)
Gloom $17.98
Guillotine $13.52
King of Tokyo $30.19
Love Letter $9.34
Memoir 44 $47.43
No Thanks! $9.98
Pandemic $31.65
Power Grid $32.27
Puerto Rico [$31.20] (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-195RGG-Puerto/dp/B00008URUT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395756360&sr=8-1&keywords=puerto+rico)
Race for the Galaxy $24.11
Resistance, The $17.99
Roborally $37.49
Settlers of Catan $37.99
Telestrations $19.99 Awesome and funny party game. My friends and I eventually tire of Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity, but seldom do so with this.
Ticket to Ride $37.24
Ticket to Ride 1910 Expansion $18.21
Tsuro $24.22
Twilight Struggle $49.98
Village $35.47
Wits & Wagers $19.99
That comes up to $946.47; room for a couple more expansions or another game.
Guillotine (BGG; $14 at Amazon) is a 2-5 person card game based on the French Revolution.
The game takes place over three rounds ("days"). Each day, you line up twelve noble cards. Each noble has a different point value. At the end of each turn, a player decapitates the noble at the front of the line. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins (novel concept, right?)
Every turn, you can:
In addition, certain nobles have special actions that trigger when collected, allowing you to draw more cards, gain points, or extend the day.
Really simple to learn, with a skill cap coming in 3 or 4 games later, once you've learned all the cards. Pretty luck based (depends on card draw,) but fun nonetheless. I play 5-6 games on a gaming night, then don't touch it for a few weeks. It's a ton of fun as long as it's not the only game you're playing.
Dead of Winter is a great game, takes quite a while to set up though, and maybe not really a game that you can play casually.
Dominion is more of a card game, but there are many expansions.
Following the card game theme, you also have Legendary. Both Legendary and Dominion are deck building games, Legendary is Marvel themed and I believe have other versions/expansions.
Superfight is a debating game, I really enjoy playing this with a lot of people, I got into an hour debate with my dad over who would win in a fight, a samurai, or a 7 member boy band.
I have some more recommendations that just aren't coming to mind right now. If you want to know more about a particular game, feel free to PM me. I really love Board games.
I play mostly with my husband and when we get a chance we have friends over to play as well, so I will recommend a couple of great 2 player games.
Agricola All Creatures Big and Small is the 2 player version of Agricola. Agricola does play 1-5 and I've played it several times with just two players and it is fun.
Lost Cities
Smash Up I want this one to play with my husband!
Rivals for Catan I haven't played this yet but it's probably fun!
Race for the Galaxy Space! That's almost reason enough, plus it's a really fun game.
You may have some of those. I couldn't find a couple I'd like to recommend on the UK amazon so I'll just link to the Board Game Geek pages for them.
Caesar & Cleopatra
Balloon Cup
Welcome to the hobby!
Lords of Waterdeep is a very good fantasy-themed board game to start with. It is set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe and uses a game mechanic called "worker placement". Amazon currently has it for about $34.
Dominion is a very popular "deck-building" game that plays with cards only (i.e. no board). It has a loose fantasy-ish theme, but it will be a good introduction to the world of modern gaming. Another deck builder with a more conventional fantasy theme is Ascension: Deckbuilding Game. [Amazon has Dominion for about $29.]
(http://smile.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG370-Dominion/dp/B001JQY6K4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1464598805&sr=1-1&keywords=dominion)
And yes, while not fantasy, Pandemic is one of the greatest cooperative board games ever made (my opinion of course). Definitely worth getting. Amazon has this for about $24.
Happy gaming!
/u/r2d8 getinfo long
I would really like to play a game that you can play with only two players. Right now all of the games my husband and I have are for 3 or more players, but sometimes it is hard to find a third player, and we would like to have some games to play ourselves. I played Dominion once with a few people but I would like to get it myself so I can try playing with just two people. I also would like to try Forbidden Island since you can play that with two players as well. An interesting thing is that I decided to get a PhD at 30, so I am older than most people in my grad program. Elephant Barber!
It's more simple than the games you listed, but I've never gotten a bad review from Guillotine. It's quick to learn, all the cards say what they do, it's funny, it's colorful, and has the right balance of randomness and strategy that lets experienced players play better, but other players always have a chance to get back in the game.
Set is another game I'd recommend, though it is a bit tougher. It's all about finding a pattern and calling it first, so usually adults/older kids have the advantage (though you'd be amazed how fast kids pick up on that stuff).
In my experience, Puerto Rico is very long and very difficult to master. Dominion is rather light and fast, but the interactions between cards take time to learn. As juniperapolo said, Pandemic is good (all the players team up against the board), though it can be a bit random and intense sometimes. Roborally is ok; it's a bit long, and, in my experience, one person ends up way ahead by the second or third checkpoint, and everyone else has no chance of catching up for the entire second half of the game. And I'm all for teaching kids Arkham Horror ;)
Also, if they have Catan, maybe getting the Seafarer's expansion might be good, or the 5-6 player expansion.
Gullotine is definitely on amazon for like 11 bucks.. it's a two player game that i really love. you can play up to four. i've found that three players is best.
Othello is my other favorite go to 2 player game. i really like this one.
I also play chess and connect four. I like two player games a lot. lol
I suggest looking for “Trainer Kits” like this one:
Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon Trainer Kit Lycanroc & Alolan Raichu Card Game https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6TC9MD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3MXZDbZNC8STP
They come with instruction guides, a playmat, all the necessary tokens and two training decks that can be merged into a full deck once you understand the mechanics and get additional decks to play with.
It’s a pretty good starting place for both of your to learn, and the deck(s) are designed to be somewhat simple for beginners.
After you have a good understanding of the game you can get additional 60 card Game Decks, or can five deep into the rabbit hole of buying packs and trying to construct your own decks. For new players I’d suggest Game Decks and a few boosters or even a Trainer Box (8 packs, card sleeves, tokens, additional energy, and a storage box with dividers.)
Varieties of any of these should be easy enough to find on Amazon if you search for the right terms, or can typically be found at any big box store that sells TCGs (Walmart, Target, Best Buy, etc...)
I hope this helps and you get everything you need.
I enjoy giving people notebooks and staionery from [May Designs] (http://www.maydesigns.com/). They're pretty and personalized (and they're having a 50% off sale through 7/28).
If friends like the same kind of games that I like, then I like to give out [Bohnanza] (https://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG-155/dp/B00008URUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469562466&sr=8-1&keywords=bohnanaza) and [Guillotine] (https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-of-the-Coast-5510919/dp/B000ARTT7S/ref=pd_sim_21_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=51XbxH977yL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL320_SR216%2C320_&psc=1&refRID=6T7SEJV85QKQKCQJNC1Q) and [Timeline] (https://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-TIM01USASM-Timeline/dp/B005N57CNU/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1469562501&sr=1-1&keywords=timeline).
I'm just getting into fountains pens and am considering giving my best friend from high school (and penpal) a [fountain pen] (https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91104/dp/B009M3PIK8/ref=sr_1_4?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1469562565&sr=1-4&keywords=pilot+metropolitan+fountain+pen) and some [ink samples] (http://www.gouletpens.com/ink-samples/c/21) (this website has a ton of colors to choose from) for Christmas.
Assuming you want to spend half of your money:
Star Realms: http://www.amazon.com/White-Wizard-Games-Realms-Deckbuilding/dp/B00HRGMPIU
Sushi Go: http://www.amazon.com/Sushi-Go-Pick-Pass-Card/dp/B00J57VU44
One is a deck builder like dominion, the other is drafting like 7Wonders. (If you want 4 player star realms pick up two copies). That is a grand total of $24/$36. If you add Coup OR/and Resistance/ Resistance Avalon:
http://www.amazon.com/Coup-Card-Game-Resistance-Universe/dp/B00GDI4HX4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1417653537&sr=1-1&keywords=coup
http://www.amazon.com/Indie-Boards-Cards-AVA1IBC-Resistance/dp/B009SAAV0C/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1417653562&sr=1-1&keywords=resistance+avalon
Which are similar (made by the same people), you could be three games in for 40 bucks.
Then add a heavier game or two medium sized games-- check out TableTop, or our "What did you play this week" threads for some ideas-- and you come out with a nice collection of games (5 or six of them) for about 100 bucks.
I'm not saying you have to get these exact games, but think about a few smaller card games with a bigger game for the most bang for the buck.
The resistance (avalon preferably) is 100% worth it since it plays 5-10... but what about days when you only have 4, etc. Catan can't do all the work forever.
I can give better recs if you edit to add more info; even if it's just things like "I like space. The people I play with like space... and Pirates!"
That is too cute. I love Kevin because he is so smart and funny. :)
I went into your movie list and chose The Hobbit. I actually just watched this a couple of days ago and it was awesome. Long but awesome.
Here's a card game around 20 bucks from my list - of course you don't have to buy it. But you should consider putting it on your wishlist because it's super fun!
HAPPY HAPPY CAKE DAY!
BONUS. Off your High Priority wishlist, the thing that sticks out the most to me, because I'm a war buff, was THIS. Though peronsally, I'd probably grab THIS above the rest.
I have an Amazon wish list for Gifts that I add to anytime I run across something cool that I want to remember.
[Pot Rack](http://www.DecoBros.com/ Wall Mount Square Grid Pot Pan Rack includes 8 hooks, 25 by 12-inch,Bronze https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U86XNM8). We have one and love it.
An [atomic clock](http://www.La.com/ Crosse Technology WT-3122A 12 1/2-Inch Wood Atomic Analog Clock https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001PG238/) that's not ugly.
A [laser maze](http://www.Laser.com/ Maze (Class 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071X6YSJZ/) for a STEM loving kid.
[Smart plugs](http://www.Wifi.com/ Smart Plug Mini, GMYLE Smart Home Power Control Socket, Remote Control Your Household Equipment from Everywhere, No Hub Required, Works with Amazon Alexa & Google Home (2 Packs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072J1D8L1/) that can be controlled by Alexa.
Beautiful [Tea Forte](Tea Forté Petite Presentation Box Sampler with 10 Handcrafted Pyramid Tea Infusers - Black Tea, White Tea, Green Tea, Herbal Tea https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0153PUZSS/) box set and a pair of [tea bag trays](Tea Forte Ceramic TEA TRAY for Presenting and Resting Signature Pyramid Tea Infusers, Two Per Box, Orchid White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016CDOV4Y/).
Good looking [Swiss Gear backpack](http://www.SwissGear.com/ 1900 Scansmart TSA Laptop Backpack - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006HFJA12/)
[Exploding Kittens game.](http://www.Exploding.com/ Kittens: A Card Game About Kittens and Explosions and Sometimes Goats https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TQY7A8/)
And everyone needs [avocado socks.](http://www.Socksmith.com/ Avocado Socks in Parrot Green https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IPQZTWK/)
Edited to add something for the pets. [Self heating mat.](Thermal Warming Pad for Dogs and Cats - XL Couch Protecting Pet Bed- Machine Washable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C4OG9AO/)
I'm excited to see your post, because I was going to write something similar. In particular, I wanted to link to the five geek social fallacies which is all about why nerdy gamers feel obligated to include socially awkward friends at the table, even when they're disruptive. And then, I wanted to suggest that OP transition this high-anxiety friend over to a different social event, and your suggestion of board games is perfect. Board games do not require role play in which a socially awkward person bungles the social interactions. Here are some of my favorites that seem to work well with socially difficult people:
Good luck OP!
Certainly (in general) the more pieces the game involves, the more costly it's going to be. There's definitely something to be said for having epic games with the immersion that the board and the pieces bring, but I'm also a fan of a number of more compact games.
They're mostly cards with maybe a couple chits, but they're all fantastic and bring a different experience. It's nice having a lower price point, taking up less room, and being more travel friendly -- especially when you're building a collection with friends and playing at each other's apartments/homes.
Game | Price | # Players
---|---|----
Love Letter | $6.84 | 2-4
Fairy Tale | $17 now; I picked it up for $13 | 2-5
Resistance | $15.13 | 5-10
Coup | $13.13 | 2-6
Hanabi | $10.13 | 2-5
Citadels | $19.95 | 2-7
Innovation | $18.30 | 2-4
The lans I go to are too small to really bear much advice to you on the questions you listed.
Where I can provide some insight is in the types of table top games you should consider. Lots of folks (in the lan community) have been exposed to traditional pen/paper stuff like DnD. If you're looking to spice things up a bit, consider trying out some of the modern board games that are out. I'm sure some of your attendees will have already been exposed to these, but for the rest that haven't, they'll probably strike at least an interest or a few questions. BoardGameGeek has a list of the top board games out right now, some of which you might not have heard of. Settlers of Catan, Dominion, Race for the Galaxy, Carcassonne are some of the most popular. They're flashy, they're interesting, and they're usually under an hour (if not usually under 45 min) to play. They're an up and coming type of gaming that's spreading fast among the table-top/CCG/comics folks.
Edit: In retrospect, I kinda seem like a fanboy for this post, but holy shit they're really awesome games.
Just One is FABULOUS and takes two seconds to learn! You can easily take it out of the box and travel with it in a baggy!
Avalon/Werewolf social deduction type games are fun for big groups!
Age of War is a small push your luck die roll game (not the best for a big group but for a portion of the group)
Box of Rocks is a trivia type game where it is all humans versus a box of rocks
Set is good solitaire or with big groups but is going to cause lots of head scratching. It's good for those who like puzzles!
Red7 is a personal favorite but doesn't play to 10 people
7 wonders is super fun once you get the hang of it.
another fun game that i just recently played is Boss Monster. the rounds go pretty quick usually and it's pretty easy to pick up how to play.
oh ok, definetely check out the rayqauza battle arena deck right here ---> Here , there about 20$ and they come with 2 ready to play deck, these have competitive trainer cards and there good for new players, if you can get 2, that would be ideal because then you can combine them and build even better decks. The decks Come with N, Sycamore and VS Seekers which are all competitive and expensive cards so it is a pretty good deal if your just starting out. Hopefully this helps. :)
You NEED Munchkin!
It's a table-top game for up to 8 people AND it's roleplaying. Everything changes, you can team up with friends to help take another friend down or help out. It's great. Look into it!
new tires. unknown.
Thanks for the contest! Enjoy the origin games you got and the new game you end up getting through this contest!
My suggestions for fun two player games that have a small footprint are below. I haven't tried playing these in a pub, but I think they should work.
Love Letter - I played this at a party recently and enjoyed it. There are various themes, including a munchkins variant.
Pass the Pigs - I used to bring this game with me on plane trips because it is compact and playable on a tray table.
Toss Up - Fun dice game, simple rules, could be turned into a drinking game if you are so inclined.
Timeline - Lots of different versions of this game, all have to do with history, but you can pick different topics, and even combine packs.
Exploding Kittens - random fun, there is also a NSFW version that is full of boob/penis/poop/etc jokes.
Hanabi - I have the tile version of this, which is a little bulkier, but is much more drink and food resistant.
I would love to get this for my husband. He always talks about getting back to playing MTG and we're always looking for games that just he and I can play. We own over 70 board games but many of them need more than 2 players, so this would be great for us to be able to spend some game time with one another but without the hassle of set-up, needing lots of space, and/or needing a large amount of time.
He's been having some ups and downs lately and his birthday is coming up in May. I'd love to surprise him with this. He takes care of me wholeheartedly (even when he's frustrated about it) and I can't ever thank him enough for that (because I have many medical problems and he is always there for me). Thanks for the opportunity.
Amazon has bulk (1,000) cheapo cards for under $15. You won't find anything super impressive in them, but they will give you all kinds of stuff with different types of rules to learn about. That's how my brother and I got started. http://www.amazon.com/1000-Bulk-Magic-Gathering-Cards/dp/B0028QC50C
These don't have any land, which you will also need, but that's just a few more bucks, http://www.amazon.com/300-Assorted-Magic-Gathering-Basic/dp/B002JAOJJ2 (300 pack) ~$6.
Right about $20 total.
It'll probably be tough to build any themed decks, but it'll let you play around on the cheap(ish) with lots of options.
A lot better than a single pre-built deck, in my opinion. And it will cost about the same.
Another benefit of going this path is it'll let you have decks in each color so you can see what you like. Also, you'll have decks enough to play with friends, even if they aren't willing to buy into it.
These are great suggestions. Other light, cheap games I enjoy are:
I suggest Boss Monster! It's like a nostalgia trip to the 8-bit era of RPGs in card-game form! Only, you're playing the boss monster instead of the heroes. It's for 2-4 people, and games wrap up in about 15-20 minutes as well. Hero cards are drawn and piled into the middle of the playing area, and then go into the dungeons based on what 'treasures' are in each dungeon tile. It's awesome waiting and seeing which traps they'll run into, how many heroes don't make it, etc.
2.
This For clarification on relation of #2
4. I think it counts :D
5.
7.
8.
9. I'd consider it a tool, buut some may not.
10. This was the best as a kid. Still is xD
12. I game a lot
13. Best i could come up with
14. Some may call it unnatural...
15.
16.
17. Gotta have em all :P
18. Jelly beans! :D
19.
This will clarify #19
20. This most definitely :P
Bonus:
Happy happy cake day! Make it rock.. you only get one a year... :P
By the way, of few of those say they were added August 3rd, but it was honestly at like 2 in the morning before I went to bed, so I thought they were added yesterday.
Do you have any friends that play? You can try bulking up a collection to get you started with something like this: http://www.amazon.com/1000-Bulk-Magic-Gathering-Cards/dp/B0028QC50C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382153940&sr=8-2&keywords=1000+mtg+cards
It's completely worth getting into. Super fun, great community.
Also, once you get the idea of the game down, find a local game store (LGS) near you and ask them if they do events.
I host a regular Dominion game with other redditors, which is a game a lot like Magic: The Gathering and a tiny bit like hold'em. Previous meetup events here: http://www.meetup.com/NYC-Redditors/events/30012491/ & http://www.meetup.com/NYC-Redditors/events/28428671/
Amazon description of the game here: http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG370-Dominion/dp/B001JQY6K4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314746416&sr=8-1
It's a great, low-pressure way to meet fellow redditors. And while it's like M:tG, there's no expense on your end-- I've bought the game and all expansions, which is all you need to host up to 8 people. Would you be interested in that? We're happy to teach new people. If so, let me know and I'll be happy to let you know when the next game is and/or you can subscribe to the reddit meetup NYC group to be automatically notified of that and other events.
If your willing to spend a little money (less tha $5) may I suggest buying the code for "Battle Arena Decks: Keldeo vs Raquaza"
It comes with 2 pre made decks. The Keldeo one is actually quite good and both decks great for starters.
It contains 4 meta EX Pokemon, several meta trainer cards, and other meta Pokemon.
There is one caviat it only works in expanded format. Not theme!
It's a very good start and well worth the money! Heck buy the IRL for you and your son and use the code it comes with online!
Here is an Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Arena-Decks-Rayquaza-Keldeo/dp/B01GT1CY7K
You could search eBay and find the code alone fairly easily.
GL Have Fun!
I have found [[Mayael the Anima]] to be a commander that does very well on a budget and is also really easy to continue to revamp and upgrade as you please. My list is currently TCG price around $212, but by taking out the Eldrazi (Ulamog and It That Betrays) and replacing them with just about any 5/x creature you have laying around, you're down to ~$150. There are tons of lists and primers for her, and she can be really fun to pilot since you hardly ever get the same creature twice. If she's in the playstyle you like, I'd definitely have to recommend it.
You can get the basic shell in the Naya C13 precon, which is $16 from this seller on amazon.
There's Munchkin Treasure Hunt which is pretty fun and easy to grasp
I also highly recommend Exploding Kittens
These are on the easier side and are a great starting point to get acclimated to board games and card games.
It is far from my favorite game, but I think Star Realms fits this category. Super simple deck builder, super quick to play, super cheap ($13 on Amazon) and a small package (can fit in your pocket).
The Resistance is really fun, especially when you have a large group of people :)
Have you tried Fluxx or Munchkin at all? They're not exactly board games, but they're a blast to play, especially if you enjoy RPGs.
Not sure if you're into cookbooks or not, but both Grillhouse: Gastropub at Home and This is a Cookbook look like they'd be neat.
Ok, a $20 budget is way tougher than I expected. (Most of my normal recommendations hit around $25).
[Hive Pocket] (https://www.miniaturemarket.com/tci013.html) - $17.09 - Great chess-like strategy that can be played anywhere. The components feel great, and I really like the travel size. Plays equally well at a cafe, beach, patio, or coffee table.
Flip City - $16.06 - As a disclaimer, this is a very light deckbuilder. This game works better as a "simple zen game to decompress with" than a "game to ponder and analyze". However, it's pretty good for a light deckbuilder.
Valley of the Kings: Afterlife - $15.11 - Some people love this one, other people hate it. I fall in the former camp. This is a more unique "zen" deckbuilder that has you sacrificing your high-powered cards to convert them to victory points. One of the common complaints is that it is too easy. There are a few variants on BGG that address this.
Star Realms - $13.61 - Another "light-ish" deckbuilder. This one feels quite luck-based, but it has a quick set-up and tear down, and plays at a decent clip as well.
I don't know where you live, but the people I know definitely think gaming setups are expensive. That's why people buy them rarely, and invest in ones that last a long time. There are expensive hobbies out there -- skiing, hunting, equestrianism off the top of my head. But those aren't run-of-the-mill hobbies, those are expensive hobbies. Playing Mardu Vehicles is also an expensive hobby.
Let's compare Magic to similar games for its audience:
So if you're a new gamer, MtG is expensive compared to LoL, HS, and Clash of Clans. If you're kind of invested in gaming, Magic is similarly-priced to board games but will rotate out. If you're heavily invested in competitive gaming, Magic is a money vortex.
Magic is expensive.
Here is a better alternative, at least in my opinion: Star Realms. It's not fantasy and magic, but it is a deckbuilding card game that is fun to play with friends. It's not expensive and the rules are easy to learn, so it isn't intimidating to new players who are drunk. It may not satisfy the uber-nerd that wants to collect every last card out there since it uses standardized decks, but even still it may be a better option for you.
Well you have two options.
Either get the original game or the sequal Colony Wars. They should be around $15 each. They are both base games and play exactly the same so it doesn’t matter which one you pick up. If you like it then you can do a bit of research on where to go next.
Alternatively if you have a smart phone or a Steam account there is a free digital version on Android, iPhone, and Steam. The free version is you vs. the computer and a campaign mode. The paid version unlocks online and local multiplayer modes and additional campaign content. But the free version is enough to let you figure out if you actually want to buy the physical version.
Both Star Realms and Ascension are available on Steam and Android (don't know about iOS) I highly recommend giving them a play. You can find physical copies of those two, and Dominion at any local game store. Star Realms is especially a steal since you can just buy one small deck of cards and it comes with everything you need to play.
I seriously love Star Realms and look how stupid cheap it is. It's one of the most fun 1v1 games I know of. It's easy to learn and there is a ton of depth to game play. Plus some really great expansions and add-ons.
I need to find a large enough group of friends that I can regularly play Shadows Over Camelot. That game is super fun.
But for 2 player games stuff like Zombie Dice, Exploding Kittens, and Fluxx are a boatload of fun.
Farkle, Killer Bunnies, Munchkin, Netrunner, x-wing, jaiper (super fun 2 player game), Guillotine, Small World...we can't think of any other ones at this time.
She isn't a nerd or anything, but she really likes playing games together. It brings us closer (even though the loser usually wants to strangle the winner for a few minutes after the game). Lots of "I WANT A REMATCH" and "THAT WAS PURE LUCK" is said around our dinner table.
/u/spidersam639, hear me out. Japanese snacks (dagashi) and a Rick and Morty board game? There doesn’t seem to be a nerdier mix. Also, if you like The Adventure Zone you should check out Brian Posehn’s D&D podcast called Nerd Poker. It’s hilarious, and they tend to be awesome at D\&D; they also talk a lot about metal music, old-school comedians, and Lord of the Rings. They like to mention everyone they know who had like one line in the movies lol
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My suggestion is Disney Pictopia...it's fun, it's not hard to learn and a single game only takes about 30 min depending on how things go.
We also played Exploding Kittens at the ILs over Thanksgiving and that is hilarious. :D
We've also played Watch Ya Mouth at the ILs and that is a super fun game.
I haven't dug through the bag they bring yet because I was mostly interested in meeting people and trying new things, but I saw people playing the following.
Boss Monster http://www.amazon.com/Boss-Monster-Dungeon-Building-Card/dp/B00DK3P856
Love Letter http://www.amazon.com/Alderac-Entertainment-Group-5104AEG-Letter/dp/B00AGJ4HC2
Cards Against Humanity http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM
DC Deck Building Game http://www.amazon.com/DC-Comics-Deck-Building-Game/dp/1617681709
Splendor http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-SCSPL01-Splendor-Board-Game/dp/B00IZEUFIA
Kittens in a Blender http://www.amazon.com/Sandstorm-55010NRD-Kittens-in-Blender/dp/B004U5R9J6
and Samurai Spirit http://www.amazon.com/Passport-Game-Studio-FNFSAMUS01PGS-Samurai/dp/B00QD78KZG
There is also an N64 with Goldeneye and Smash and an Emulation Station with many nes / snes / ps / gb / sega games.
I love crochet!!!! I want Jessica to make me a hat!
You need to play Killer Bunnies!
It is super fun and there are tons of expansions that change the game as you go.
And I just made a Twinkie Chan scarf and it was so much fun.
You also need these so your poor little crocheting fingers don't get as sore.
Bananagrams - simple word game. A bit like Scrabble only without the scoring system. Really great to play with my kids.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toys-Winning-Moves-Bananagrams-Game/dp/B00ZR6V5HO
Exploding Kittens - fun as hell card game. Easy to learn and play. Full instruction video on their website. Again, fun to play with my 9 and 13 year old. There's a NSFW version too.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exploding-Kittens-About-Explosions-Sometimes/dp/B010TQY7A8
(NSFW version http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B010TU7LP2/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1449901848&sr=8-2&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=exploding+kittens&dpPl=1&dpID=51g9KWUTKPL&ref=plSrch)
31 days for Augustus
I like August because it is the end of summer which means fall is almost here & the weather is finally cooling down. Also even though it has been a while since I have been in school I take full advantage of all the back to school sales. Especially at Target, the best time to stock up on stuff I need around the house. Also is there anything better than baseball in August? I think not.
Munchkin would be nice or speaking of August baseball This baseball book.
Thanks for the contest!
Board games are awesome. I wish my FH and I could play video games together, but I get motion sick from 90% of the ones we try. Board games, luckily, don't elicit the same response. We recently started playing one called Guillotine that's pretty fun!
edit: technically, Guillotine is a card game, not a board game. Close enough!
Dinner was my only meal for the day, which is the only reason it looks so nice! 😆
$35 Talrand (U) Plays a bunch of cantrips and counters to get an army of 2/2 drakes and turns them sideways to win. Heavy counterspell may draw some hate at tables.
$50 Brion (UR) Casts fat creatures, and flings them with its commander. Has a few combo wincons.
$56 Isamaru, Hound of Konda (W) One drop commander, pumps him up with a ton of equipment to get 21 commander damage out fast.[Voltron]
I also found a blog with a bunch of budget decks, I'll dump links to all the lists for people searching this to get into the format for cheap.
$38 Niv-Mizzet (U) Draws a ton of cards to deal damage, subthemes are spell copying and spell recursion. Can go infinite with the addition of cards like [[Curiosity]] and [[Ophidian Eye]]
$27 Azami (U) Draw cards, counter spells, make flashy timmy plays. Has cool wincons including [[Diviner's Wand]].
$31 Bruna (UW) Another voltron deck, this one uses Auras to pump up the commander instead, and the commander's ability to cheat them on from the hand and graveyard.
$30 Pharika (BG) Reanimator with lots of ETB effects. Commander can create 1/1 deathtouch tokens for 2 mana at instant speed.
$36 Scion of the Ur-Dragon (Five-Color) Dragon tribal with some reanimator. Infinite combos off [[Hellkite Charger]] + [[Bear Umbra]] and[[Niv-Mizzet, The Firemind]] + [[Ophidian Eye]]
$36 Kamahl (G) Good old mono G battlecruiser. Contains tons of ramp, tokens, and Timmy spells. Commander has [[Overrun]] as an activated ability.
$38 Sharuum (BUW) Artifact reanimator with goodstuff from all three colours. Uses [[Shimmer Myr]] to play most of its deck at instant speed.
I'd also like to give an honorable mention to the Commander pre-constructed decks, which can be had for $20 online, and the newest ones are at a $35 MSRP. They're all legal and playable out of the box, but I hear that the power level on some of the older ones is lacking a bit. I'd recommend the 2014 Commander decks as I have experience with them being competitive at local tables outside of the box. I would have the warning that they're all split down the middle into multiple subthemes to allow the list to be re-focused using the alternate commanders provided, and so they end up playing fairly differently than a deck that was built from the top to be more focused.
What budget are you considering? You can build fairly cohesive and decent commander decks for ~$20. Is the $80 total out of the price range?
There is Game Night which is 5 decks meant to be played out of the box against each other, kinda treating it as if it was a board game. It's $35-$40.
Card Kingdom does a bunch of budget stuff. If you like drafting they have a $100 Starter Cube which lets you draft over and over with it.
They also have Battle Decks which are $10 decks that are all roughly designed to be played against each other, and might be your best option (especially if you want to be able to pick what decks to play and expand it with new decks).
They also have Sparring Decks which are similar but are brawl decks instead (which is a format a bit more conducive to multiplayer). A bunch of these cards will rotate soon so you might want to wait to see if they release new ones with Eldraine's release, but if it's just between friends you can also expand the rules of brawl to be non-rotating (you'll follow along with "historic"'s legality).
Cake is a girl's best friend.
A bit over $5, sorry! this i'm loving!
You (and me) should totally get this game . One can never have enough board games
And finally, a funny pic! enjoy!
Hanabi is a great, coop game that is about 10 dollars on Amazon right now. It plays between 2 and 5 players and is a lot of fun. It also is in a tiny box, so it makes it really easy to carry around. Definitely worth a buy.
Depending on her playing level, a great competitive entry point would be the Keldeo vs. Rayquaza Battle Arena Decks. It has two decks, so she could play/learn with her parents or a friend. It has numerous trainer cards that are seen in competitive play (VS Seeker, Professor Sycamore, N, Lysandre, Ultra Ball), so once she "outgrows" the template decks, she could take those trainers and build a deck of her own.
At the moment Amazon already offers the set with $6 off -- it's a great deal. https://smile.amazon.com/Battle-Arena-Decks-Rayquaza-Keldeo/dp/B01GT1CY7K
Race For The Galaxy supports 2-4 players in the base game.
Race For The Galaxy: The Gathering Storm (Expansion #1) adds a 5th player and also includes rules for solitaire play.
Race For The Galaxy: Rebel Vs. Imperium (Expansion #2) adds a 6th player.
It's a card-based game. There's no board. It's very simple to learn, but the strategy is incredibly deep for a card game. Play time is around 30 minutes.
Each expansion adds some new play options on top of the base game rules but a LOT of people just use the new cards from the first two expansions and continue to play using the base game rules.
This is currently my all-time favorite game.
This is a great offer! I'd like to enter for Exploding Kittens here: http://amzn.com/B010TQY7A8
It would be for the whole family...but I chose this because 1. My son ADORES cats...and is into the whole survival genre, so exploding anything is up his alley. And 2. I love The Oatmeal, who created this.
We have been gifted more than 5 items, but no family games so I figured I'd throw our name in the hat anyways.
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Favorite game right now is probably Insurgency. I'm also really into Blade and Soul (my first MMO). Favorite game of all time is probably Europa Universalis IV, though Civilization IV and V are close behind. For "board" games, my current top game would be Dominion. My law school friends play this all the time. Personally, I would prefer to be playing Risk, but I like playing with my friends.
For a base set I prefer Munchkin Deluxe. It has a board added to it, but you can still just use the cards. I find the board really helpful in getting people to play because it’s easier to describe what the goal of the game is. Also, it makes it much easier to play drunk (if thats what youre into). You can always buy expansions and other base sets and use the board to go along with it.
Munchkin Deluxe https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004U7JJWE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_80oYAbP0TA8NJ
Almost all of these are $15 and under (plus shipping):
Best value:
2 only:
The 2-3 player weird spot (it's harder to find games good at this player count):
Great with 4:
Great for 5+:
I'd tell this dad to pick up Sentinels of the Multiverse. Very fun card game that has superhero characters that are parodies of famous DC and Marvel characters and a good balance of male and female characters to play as. It is also a really fun game.
I personally don't want anything, but I want to get this for my wife because she's been in a gaming mood lately and we're running low on "new-ish" games to play with friends.
Congrats for getting trained like a boss!
I can't agree enough about this. It's a very fun game to play, as as Brotodeau points out, it's a complicated as you make it. When we play it's a very intense game. But a lot of people just have fun with it. We don't see the point in having fun. We're out for blood. The starter kit is very simple to play, and it gets more complex (and fun) with each expansion.
I'd like to suggest stacking games. They seem to be a safe bet; they don't require reading comprehension, can be quick and decisive, and does not need alot of strenuous dexterity (depending on your table).
Click Clack Lumberjack has you whack away a tree with a plastic axe. It's pretty fun. You can also try its sequel, Bling Bling Gemstone, which plays the same way but for Gems.
There's also Animal Upon Animal where you stack wooden animals on top of each other based on what dice value you roll.
For something with words, I suggest Red 7, a more balanced and strategic version of UNO Cards and Fluxx. The words are single-sentence rules, and mostly its the numbers and colors that are significant.
Hanabi, most definitely (only two in stock!). For $15 you get one of the most unique co-op card games I've ever seen. I expecting/hoping to see it win the Spiel des Jares this year.
So much fun, and it's definitely a card game you can teach to anyone, and tailor the difficulty as you see fit.
Go to walmart and buy a deck builders toolkit
It really is a good value and will give you everything you need to make various decks.
If you ever decide to take your game to the next level you may consider playing "standard". This is the format that is most played in magic and consist of cards printed within the current block and the previous one. Right now "standard" decks are only going to have cards printed in "Scars of Mirrodin" Block from last year: Scars of Mirrodin, Mirrodin Besieged, and New Phyrexia. and the present "Inninstrad" Block: Inninstrad, Dark Ascension, and Avacyn Restored - Releases next month
In the summer Wizards releases their yearly "Core" set. With last summers being called M12 - Magic 2012
The Magic: The Gathering game expands every year, introducing new worlds filled with deadly perils, ancient adversaries, and fantastic new adventures. At its center is the Magic core set, the game in its purest form: evocative spells, menacing creatures, and infinite possibilities. But even at its core, the experience is ever-changing. The Magic 2012 core set boldly continues this tradition.
Each cycle normally starts around September so expect Scars of Mirrodin to "cycle" out and for Return to Ravinca to "cycle" in.
Feel free to post here if you have any questions.
I have been enjoying Smash Up with my wife lately, but you could also go with something more like Pandemic instead. There is always Star Realms and Dominion too. I hear good things about Lord of Waterdeep with the Scoundrels of Skullport expansion for wife/husband play, but I have not played myself yet.
Dauntless was great until we accidentally crashed the build (sorry!).
Phoenix Covenant was an awesome tactics card game that felt like something you could just get absolutely enthralled with.
Has Been Heroes was a fun little game that I felt was betrayed a bit by the control scheme of the demo. I'll probably pick it up on Steam at some point in the near future.
Game of Thrones: Hand of the King was very easy to pick up and had a good amount of depth to its strategy. Of note: It was the only game I had my heart set on buying to the point that when no one on the show floor had it I went to Amazon.
Gingerdead was an interesting little tower defense game that was fun but random. Not quite Munchkin random, but random enough that it cooled me on it.
Sentinels of the Multiverse Ok I'm cheating on this one since Sentinels isn't exactly new or unheard of, but it was my first time playing and I had an absolute blast.
My local game store had a large blind box of 200 mostly commons for pretty cheap. She was wowed by the amount of cards and had fun seeing what was inside. This is just for fun or collecting.
I got her a trainer kit to teach me and her how to play the game. I keep this together like a board game, not mixed with the others:
Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon Trainer Kit Lycanroc & Alolan Raichu Card Game https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6TC9MD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AwUXCbSHRBXT2
Guillotine
Its easy to learn how to play, a lot of fun, and a great game to play if you don't have much time.
Also, it comes with a cut out of a Guillotine, which is cool.. right?
Hey dude, I am a newbie myself and after alot of chatter with a store here in the UK they all prety much advised on the 2011 deck builders kit that I got from them http://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Deck-Builders-Toolkit-Board/dp/0786955651/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312813520&sr=8-1 I have prety much got a deck of each colour less a few lands but it comes with everything!
So I have just been messing with this and working out what I prefer colour wise a few days in so far and love it!
do you have friends who play? usually people who have been playing will have troves of extra cards they dont want. But if you are looking for pre built ones there are those. Also what i find great are thrift stores. I found cards fa dayz there.
but your best bet is the deck builders toolkit
it comes with a bunch of cards and lands to learn how to build your own decks
http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Gathering-Deck-Builders-Toolkit/dp/0786955651/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331361340&sr=8-2
The starter decks are a good start but they usually don't have enough cards in them, and too many land. This is a good thing to get as well:
https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Gathering-Deck-Builders-Toolkit/dp/0786955651
It will have random cards in it from all colors, so he'll be able to tweak and customize the decks to his liking.
And yea.. this can be an expensive hobby.. but it doesn't have to be. If he is able to work I'd say time to get a job if you want more than this!
How about Jaipur or Hive Pocket? Mr Jack Pocket is also wonderful. Star Realms is the best micro game of the year IMHO, and scales past 2P with multiple decks. Coup is also a lot of fun and quick. I personally do not like Cheaty Mages at all.
If you are going to start buying cards, I cannot recommend buying a fat pack enough. Having a list of every card in the set is very helpful not only for learning terms, but also for planning card combos. It's the most cost efficient way to get 9 packs of boosters, a spin down life counter die, 100 land cards, and a neat box.
Also, for a staring player, the deck builders tool kit is a nice selection of very useful cards.
Munchkin is a pretty fun game.
Surprise me if I win.
Here are a couple of options I have been enjoying:
Betrayal
Small World
Power Grid
Dominion
Most of these are slightly out of your price range, but you get what you pay for. If you are willing to spend slightly more, you open up a whole new world of possibilities.
If you do want to stick to cheaper options, Fluxx or Exploding Kittens is always a good, fun choice.
If you want to get a lot of cards for cheap than I suggest Amazon. There are tons of singles as well as huge bulk buys like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0028QC50C/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1418523546&sr=8-1
You are not guaranteed great cards with bulk buys but you can get a collection going. Personally I buy singles to get the perfect deck for my play style though.
I suggest you put together a garchomp and an empoleon decks for you guys to play together. You could probably spend <$30 on them and do well enough with them.
There's also the World Championship decks which aren't legal for competitive use but you can just play for fun.
You could also get some Battle Decks
Trainer kits, exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much!!
https://www.amazon.ca/Pokemon-TCG-Trainer-Kit-Lycanroc-Alolan/dp/B01N6TC9MD/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Trainer+kit+pokemon&qid=1554989529&s=gateway&sr=8-1
Remember folks, even with a fresh coat of paint, it's still Monopoly, and Monopoly is still the worst.
Want to mix video game nostalgia with board games? Try Boss Monster / Boss Monster 2 instead. Or try a bajillion other board games that are actually a great time. Happy to recommend more. =]
Guillotine. Played this game hundreds of times over the last 15-20 years or so, well worth the ten bucks I spent on it. Easy to learn, quick game, good at various levels of drunkeness, just enough strategy to make the hard core gamers happy while simple enough for even drunk idiots to play.
I see you like board games and table top. I love this game! You build the board as you play and there are like 60 different scenarios. My friends have it, but it'd be cool to have my own copy. You should also check out Munchkin Deluxe and some of those extensions.
Sure thing. If you want to be notified when it's back on Amazon and at a good price, a great tool for tracking that stuff is camelcamelcamel.com.
For example here's the history for RFTG.
Here, I'll help. =)
It really is a great game. Lots of interesting strategy that is very different from most games that are around.
Of the games already submitted here, I think the best matches for you (from what I can suss from your question) would be:
I notice you don't have many TV shows on your list, but this might be something you would like.
Or if you want something out of left field this game looks really fun.
You should buy Dominion. It's a really fun card game (it can also be played online if you wanna check it out. Here's the online version. Yes, it's over 25$ but it's worth it.
I'd like this [popsicle mold] (http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-423-Ice-Pop-Maker/dp/B0002IBJOG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1I2K5R72JAJH4&amp;coliid=I20FE2039OP3J5). It's under 25, so hopefully this all balances.
If you don't have prime, that changes some things though and I'll have to edit this.
Anything from China is fake. DO NOT buy any cards from China.
What is your son wanting to? Collect? Play competitively? Both?
If he wants to collect, I'm not really sure if SM is the best way to start. The set features 20+ secret rares (usually 1 per 2 booster boxes) and each SR can go from $15-$30 each, depending on which Pokemon.
In order to get the best deal for collecting, its only two words: BUY SINGLES. If you try and collect sets with only booster packs/boxes/etc., you are probably going to spend triple or quadruple the amount you would spend on just buying singles from the set, and keep in mind Sun and Moon costs around $300-$450 to complete it.
If he wants to play competitively, I'm gonna be that guy and say that you should buy a Keldeo vs Rayquaza Battle Arena Decks. The decks include most of the trainer staples you'll need for a deck, and Keldeo-EX and Rayquaza-EX aren't bad EXs in the Expanded format.
Hahaha yeah. I discovered Dominion last year. I now own every expansion and have made my own custom wood-burned box to store everything. That's a whole different post, though. :-)
Edit: Just realized you might be referring to League of Legends, like /u/LeeeSin was - I was talking about the Dominion card game.
If you don't already have Munchkin, you should get it. Its a lot of fun, and I think you could definitely teach a 10 year old how to play. Totally worth it.
Battle. Arena. Decks.
These are just a great place for new and returning players to get their start. They all have a decent number of competitively viable cards (though many are Expanded) and are somewhat competent in terms of their design (unlike theme decks).
After that, it's just singles, man. Find a deck list that you like and order the cards.
guillotine is a really great game that's cheap. great for non-gamer types, too
Sounds cool
Pretty good price (plus free shipping) and stellar reviews. Added to my wishlist for future consideration.
Buying some cards as a gift for a new Pokemon player - but I know zilch about Pokemon. I figured a Trainer Kit like this or this would be a good start. But I also want to add some additional cards so they can build upon this foundation.
What Battle or Theme Decks or other card bundle would build upon either of those trainer kits?
Thx
I am definitely getting him some new packs but would something like this also be helpful? Just to fill out his decks and extra cards he can give to drives?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028QC50C/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A24YO9R9T4AVDQ&amp;psc=1
As I said, already, for the top 10 games you can probably get a good deal online. But, stray from that and the deals aren't as big. My gaming habits tend more towards casual, family and friend style games, which may also make a difference.
Forbidden Island - 16%
Gloom expansion - 15%
Say Anything - 12%
Munchkin - 16%
Tsuro - 19%
MLP Trading Card Game - 9%
Bananagrams - 21%
Scrabble - 15%
Apples to Apples - 0%
Oz Fluxx - 23%
Those are the last 10 games I bought. The biggest percentage is 23%, and that was only a $3 difference. The biggest dollar difference was $5. For differences that small, i'll buy local. It supports the local guy and I get it now, not several days to a week from now.
Also, the reason I don't agree with the original statement is because (as is shown in my personal examples) the online prices aren't that much less for the games I have purchased lately. And, I have never called in to any of the local stores and found that they do not have something in stock that isn't also out of stock online. So, I also disagree with the assertion that they cannot compete for item availability.
Again, I use the bookstore analogy. Sure, I may be able to get a better deal for a book online, but it's not going to stop my from heading to Powells. And, except for the most obscure of titles, i'll probably find a copy of it at Powells.
Guillotine is my favorite little card game, cheap to buy and everyone I've played it with has loved it. 2-5 players
Hanabi is a cooperative game that is pretty good. Love Letter is another game I enjoy. Both are small and very portable.
There are a lot of good options. I enjoy all of these with 2 players, and all except 7 Wonders Duel scale well with more players. Just pick 3 that are close in price to maximize the deal.
Castles of Burgundy $29
Dominion $30
7 Wonders Duel $24
San Juan $26
Carcassonne $21
Here is a ridiculously fun card game that I had the chance to play once at a game store. I really enjoyed it, and maybe you would too!
We're doing a brunch/no dancing wedding as well, and we'll be putting easy games on the tables. A few that we're definitely doing are:
Im a big fan of Ascension personally. Had the app forever and am finally getting a physical copy in the mail next week. Its not incredibly interactive though, only occasionaly forcing players to discard cards and such. Its all about getting points by killing monsters from the center deck (which also holds extra cards for your deck).
I cant speak to the other games you listed but if you want to pick up Dominion its super cheap right now. Amazon has it for $20 on sale. And if you have prime and live somewhere that is serviced by prime now you can get it for $10. Use the promo code PRIMENOW10 which gives you $10 off of a $20 order. I just ordered a copy for myself last night. A friend of mine already had it but its hard to turn down a $45 game for $10.
5$ would get you a 50 card bulk lot on ebay but nothing coherent enough to be considered a playable deck. You can get the Sun and Moon theme decks for about $10 a piece but they have limited long term playability. The best value is the Keldeo v Rayquaza Battle Arena Deck but you'll have to expand your budget if you want 6 decks.
Munchkin Deluxe - the perfect meld of Munchkin with a gameboard and move markers.
Someone got me it for World's End Plus exchange and my husband and I have lots of fun playing it.
If into board games, Boss Monster is a fun card game to play with friends.
Ya if you have a bunch of friends and an active social life it's a really good game. Just like Snipperclips. I couldn't play it single player for more than 10 minutes, but me and the roommates got together and smoked some stuff and drank some stuff, and Snipperclips was the highlight of the night.
That and the Total Rickall game my buddy found.
In Japan they sell $5 60 cards decks based on a specific energy that are great to start with. Otherwise you can get two 2x 30 card deck learning sets for $10 and learn to play with them.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6TC9MD/ref=dp_cerb_1
Unfortunately those are two of the more expensive decks from the two sets, and would cost you around $65 for the both of them. Assuming that you have Amazon Prime (for the free shipping), these are the combinations I would recommend that are under $50, just based on giving him the most color variety.
Evasive Maneuvers and either Sworn To Darkness or Built From Scratch
Power Hungry and either Peer Through Time or Sworn To Darkness
Nature of the Beast and Peer Through Time
My personal choice of those would be Evasive Maneuvers and Sworn To Darkness, but if you include a gift receipt then he can always exchange them if he needs to.
I got one of my husbands Sentinels of The Multiverse and he loves it. I took a chance on another redditors recommendation and it went perfectly. It seems a little to complicated for my brain but he gets to play with the kids and our cousin.
You are correct!
Exploding Kittens: Original Edition
Family Friendly: Yes
https://www.amazon.com/Exploding-Kittens-LLC-EKG-ORG1-1-Card/dp/B010TQY7A8
The Game Night collection is perfect is perfect for a group your size starting out: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Gathering-Night-Players-Accessories/dp/B07H9KB51J
$0-5Glow faucets?!
$5-10 Nutella is delicious and everone should try it
$10-20 What can I say, I love...love, salame
$20-50 I've played it once and was hooked
Go console. That budget is absolutely out of scope for PCs, especially with the current GPU market thanks to cryptocurrency inflation. For that price, you could easily get a dozen modern consoles...
That said, I would poll your fellow members and see if there's any interest in retro gaming. Grab a Wii or WiiU (or two) and some Mario Party, Mario Kart, etc titles. Grab a PS2 and some older fighting games.
Even if you have 20-25 active members, not everyone has to be playing games at the same time. You can set up games tournaments and rotating split-screen games.
Also: Board games. Set up a table so that you can get a board game going, and maybe invest in copies of Settlers of Catan, Axis and Allies, Risk, Blokus/Blokus Trigon, or even a couple sets each of Chess, Go, Stratego, etc.
Edit: Someone mentioned Magic The Gathering. If you're going to invest in that for the club, just go ahead and go HAM: You can buy randomized lots of 1000 commons for $14. Four of those bad boys will allow you to make up a shitload of pre-made decks of more or less equal utility, so you can do mystery tournaments.
Here are some more game recommendations. If you search for them on youtube you will find some TableTop videos that show how they are all played before you buy.
Small World
Munchkin Deluxe
Pandemic
Magic The Gathering can get expensive but I bet if you ask around some one already plays and could help you out.
If you guys also like board games, this is a really fun cooperative deck building game where you’re the super heroes fighting together to take down the bad guy.
https://www.amazon.de/Greater-Than-Games-GTG-SOTMECOR/dp/B0095ZFA5Q/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=I5ALQKMVP3WH&amp;keywords=sentinels+of+the+multiverse&amp;qid=1555374525&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=sentinels+of+t&amp;sr=8-1
Yeah I wasn't really planning on getting rid of them. My brother and I recently started playing. I have a few hundred cards already from a while ago but he has none and has been using mine. This is just to give him a solid base of cards and add to my collection a bit. We will trade between the 2 of us, but that's about it. And like you said, it's only 16 bucks so it won't break my bank account. Here's the amazon page
You should try Dominion too (if you want more tabletops to consider). It's really fun, and it's easy to get new people into it.
Also, what cider?
Looking at camelcamelcamel, as far as Amazon is concerned it's a decent discount for the game. With free shipping.
http://camelcamelcamel.com/Sentinels-Multiverse-Enhanced-Card-Edition/product/B0095ZFA5Q
That said, if I didn't have $10 in AMZ GCs from Bing Rewards I would have probably passed.
Pokemon Sun & Moon SM5 Ultra Prism Theme Decks EMPOLEAN & GARCHOMP https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078KBW346/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.fwOAbVGP54SF
Best theme decks I’ve played
Pokemon TCG: Battle Arena Decks, Rayquaza Vs Keldeo Card Game https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GT1CY7K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_diwOAb9RM005X
Best battle decks I’ve played at a decent price. These also come with holo energy cards.
They are ready to play out the box, but you can always switch a few cards around to beef it up.
As others have said, Ultimate Werewolf, The Resistance, and The Resistance Avalon are all good. Other options for this type of secret-role/party game are Bang! and Samurai Sword.
Battlestar Galactica is another popular game with secret roles. However, it is much longer and more complex than the other games I mentioned.
I don't know if it counts, but currently probably Hanabi. My friend describes it pretty well as "blind group solitaire where lying is part of the game." If that's not a "board game" enough, then probably Carcassonne, which has really simple rules but has a good depth of strategy. Or maybe chess.
Not to diss if you just really like Monopoly (if so, enjoy!) but there are also a couple other Rick and Morty tabletop games that are, in my opinion at least, way more fun.
Total Rickall is basically a recreation of the episode of the same name. It involves lying to your friends! $15: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BEZTEXS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TPmvybTDRT00S
Mr. Meeseeks Box o Fun is a ridiculous dare game where you have to complete stupid tasks so Meeseeks can die. Reminds me a bit of Quelf, for anyone who's played that. $30: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BEZTAGE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DQmvybHSP8YW7
Regardless, cool gift!
For anyone who hasn't seen or heard yet, you should get the Rick and Morty Card Game. You literally play out the events of this episode, and get to shoot your friends (in advanced mode at least, which youll end up finding more fun). I give it 9/10 for its price point on a party game.
For lands you can just buy a deck builder kit if you are really desperate for them. Or alternately you can buy them for usually 5 - 10 cents each like here.
edit: doing some quick math buying 24 of each land at .10 would be $12.00. At which point I would just pick up a deck builder's kit for $20 that comes with 20 of each land, 4 boosters, and some other random cards. Here is a link to it at amazon. Seems like a better value for the money.
Woo! Fluxx is one of my favorites! You should check out Guillotine.
Do you know what games they have? Three of my favorite inexpensive games (all under $20) are Love Letter (this one comes in different themes, too, like The Hobbit and Batman), Codenames, and Bang.
I've been having a lot of fun playing the card game "Exploding Kittens". I can't stand how "internet-y" the design and humor is, so I decided to re-skin it for my personal use. There's 40 unique characters in the deck! Since I don't have any kind of copyright to the game or the art, I'm not going to distribute the files I designed, but still thought you all would find it cool.
If you enjoy Ascension, you'll probably also like Star Realms -- available on iOS here and Amazon here. It is strictly two player, but you can purchase an additional deck to have it play up to four.
/u/r2d8 getinfo
I'm new too!
This comes with a lot of staples for competitive play, so this is a good buy.
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Arena-Decks-Rayquaza-Keldeo/dp/B01GT1CY7K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1486784896&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=keldeo+vs+rayquaza+battle+arena+deck
decklist is here:
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Battle_Arena_Decks:_Rayquaza_vs_Keldeo_(TCG)
Here's a video review on it that accesses the value:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3ydIfJtorM
Joking Hazard. Its by the guys who do Cyanide and Hapiness comics and it is hilarious to play with 4+ people.
kingdomino. A twist on a traditional domino game
Exploding Kittens. You try to avoid getting the exploding kitten card. Its hilarious.
I think it was total rickall the game. Is actually pretty good. You can get it here
Killer bunnies
This game is seriously fun, but pretty complicated. There's a youtube tutorial that I can't link to from work that really helped.
Fun party game. Check it out
I new into board games and love playing them, right now Dominion is my favorite.
I'm sorry I have no good way to show my crappy handwriting. so here is a puppy
Sounds like the VR version of Bang!, except with werewolves and priests instead of western sheriffs and outlaws. Sweet.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf. You've only got a couple of days till 4/20, but you might be able to find it or some other fun board game at a Toys-r-Us.
Exploding Kittens is another great one.
💣
I'm going to fire up the smoker in the morning, and smoke a 6 lb chuck roast for making Pepper Stout Beef. Then people can make sandwiches in the afternoon.
a few suggestions:
or pick up playing yourself and invite her to a game IRL or over on [roll20] (http://roll20.net)
Yea man, most decks run at least two copies of it. Except greninja, which runs one i think.
if you wanna pull one yourself you should get a [guardians rising elite trainer box] (https://www.amazon.com/Pokemon-Moon-Guardians-Rising-Elite-Trainer/dp/B06X9DCWR5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1511975830&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=guardians+rising), or check out sites like [troll and toad] (https://www.trollandtoad.com/) or [tcgplayer] (https://www.tcgplayer.com/) :]
Buy a Deck Builders Tool Kit It's designed for new players looking to get into the game and deck building, it also comes with how to play instructions and tips fold out. Also if you're willing to put the money into it I'd suggest grabbing a Fat Pack, comes with a nice holding case and life counter dice in addition to the cards and lands.
The cards from both will be enough to keep you busy for months.
Or loves playing Boss Monster
Its been about the same cost on Amazon for a while as well. < $28 for a month or so, and free shipping with prime. Its $26.43 right now for anyone interested, and with prime.
https://www.amazon.com/Pokemon-Moon-Guardians-Rising-Elite-Trainer/dp/B06X9DCWR5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1510795429&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=guardians+rising&amp;dpID=51NiSAZ2dgL&amp;preST=_SY300_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=srch
Amazon has it for $27.
2 bucks more expensive but you get free shipping.
I'm going to second this, and add that if you guys are interested in going to tournaments (especially expanded) then I'd recommend each of you pick up 2 of the Keldeo vs. Rayquaza Battle Arena decks (https://www.amazon.com/Pokemon-TCG-Battle-Rayquaza-Keldeo/dp/B01GT1CY7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1503662978&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=keldeo+vs+rayquaza+battle+decks) you get full playsets of the most commonly needed trainers and have enough to build a nice little Archie's Blastoise deck or a Rayquaza/Eels deck.
If you're thinking about picking up some packs, maybe an Elite Trainer Box. You get some packs (eight), some sleeves (not amazing, but effective), dice, the acrylic markers, and a few dice for damage counters. It's cheaper than buying packs individually (especially at big box stores), and there's some nice goodies included. I've picked up a couple of them to give my little one a pack from it as a treat for doing some small chore or some such.
Sentinels of the Multiverse is on sale and I think it fits pretty well in all of your categories.
Love Letter (http://www.amazon.com/Alderac-Entertainment-Group-5104AEG-Letter/dp/B00AGJ4HC2) + Dominion (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG370-Dominion/dp/B001JQY6K4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1395249359&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=dominion) = just under $40.
Magic: Game Night is one of the best tools I've found for that kind of thing. And since getting it I've actually used it to introduce 7 people to the game, leading to a really smooth onboarding process.
EDIT: After reading some of your comments below, it seems to be geared towards your situation in particular with a group of 5.
Here or at WalMart. Check near the collectible cards (will probably be by the registers). Target may have them also but I cannot say for sure. Have fun getting addicted to cardboard!
Get Bit
Tsuro
Walk the Plank
Bang! the Dice Game
Munchkin
all good options
/u/r2d8 getinfo
If you're looking for a cheaper way to get that "build your own deck, play powerful card combos" fix, try the game Dominion. Everything is self-contained for a game with up to 4 players, and there are expansions available, but you aren't required to buy them to stay competitive, only if you want more variety.
If you all like Uno, you might also like Red7. It's got a lot of the same feel as Uno with less randomness.