★★★½☆ Dead Man’s Draw; a Press-Yar-Luck game with a pirate theme?

Check out this game if: you like pressing your luck (or watching others fail).

★★★½☆ World Fair 1893: curate the best attractions for the fabulous world’s fair, but don’t forget to sell tickets.

Check out this game if: are not afraid of some new concepts and a very rewarding game.

★★★☆☆ Boom Boom Balloon; don’t let the silly balloon face fool you, this game is intense.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a silly good time for a medium size group (focused on kids).

★★★★½ Concept; the board has every image except the one you want -but that’s what makes it fun.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a fun activity for a large group.

★★★☆☆ Sheriff of Nottingham; where lying to the sheriff is incouraged.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a medium weight bluffing game -with a great theme.

★★★★☆ Bananagrams Party; imagine they told the spelling bee kids to stand on one foot or run in a circle while spelling.

Check out this game if: you or your family/friends like scrabble (or banana grams) and want to switch things up a bit (also much better than the previously mentioned if you don’t like word games as much).

★★★★½ are you dumber than A Box of Rocks?

Check out this game if: you are looking for a silly excuse to have fun with clever trivia questions.

★★★★☆ Lost Cities: the Board Game; discover ancient civilizations by collecting playing cards -just like real archaeologists.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a simple, unique, and fun game for four players (great small-family game).

★★★½☆ Niya; fight for control over Japan’s imperial garden! -or play this fun little tile game.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a clever two player game that is quick but still has real strategy -perfect little game for on the go.

★★★☆☆ Colt Express; Robbing a train seems easy until everyone else tries to rob the same darned train.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a game with a lot of interaction, some direct conflict, and a really fun theme.

★★★½☆ Spyfall; want to feel like James Bond -minus the drinking, ladies, and action?

Check out this game if: you are looking for a group/party game that plays quickly but can take some real thought.

★★★★½ Dr. Eureka: help a scientist discover chemical compounds -but what is he doing with these discoveries?

Check out this game if: you are looking for a great game that plays well with a variety of ages (fantastic with kids).

★★★★★ Mysterium; have you ever felt your dreams were trying to tell you something? How about that one with the lion/boat in the desert?

Check out this game if: you are looking for a group game with a unique play experience -and  everyone can be social while still playing a thinky game.

★★★★☆ Kahuna; it’s common knowledge, the next best option to visiting tropical islands is building bridges with cards.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a medium to quick 2 player game that is simple to teach but offers unique strategy and an intense ending.

★★★★☆ Dominion; this is a deck building game, but you don’t need a carpenter or tools.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a unique game with some complexity for teenagers and up.

★★★★☆ Blokus; the game looks like tetris but plays like a new pop song that spreads everywhere, until another song moves in.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a quick 2 to 4 player game that offers a little bit of strategy and a lot of interaction with other players.

★★★½☆ Lanterns; the Gods love lanterns (obviously) and it’s up to you to light their favorite colors (obviously).

Buy this game if: you’re looking for an eye-catching game that is fairly friendly, but still has some strategy. 

★★☆☆☆ Munchkin; fighting monsters with your friends (unless they want to stab you in the back).

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a silly game with lots of jokes but relatively complicated rules. 

★★★☆☆ Say Anything; jokes about John Cusack do not go over well during this game, apparently.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a quick game for a large group that can be clever and fun. 

★★★★½ Lost Cities (card); imagine you’ve just found the lost city of Atlantis, and then you sit down to play a card game.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a 2 player game that is simple to teach but offers hours of wonderful intensity. 

★★★☆☆ Battle Sheep; “they can take our land, but they can never take our wool.”

Check out this game if: You’re looking for a game for younger kids (I think 5 y/o can play this game with a little patience).

★★★½☆ Love Letter; roses are red, violets are blue, this game has nothing to do with poetry, or love, or writing.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a quick and easy game that is strangely addicting.

The Great Outdoors; games that can survive harsh environments (but likely won’t withstand a bear attack).

This past week, while visiting a little Caribbean island, I was determined to research good games that could hold up to wind, sand, water, and booze. But I got distracted by the sand, water, and booze.

★★★☆☆ Welcome to the Dungeon; “we got fun a games” (nothing to do with Axl Rose -unless you consider him an Orc).

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a quick press-your-luck game with a little complexity.

★★★★½ Carcassonne; it’s really fun to say the word “meeple.”

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a medium complex game that is both clever and exciting.

★★★½☆ Small World; just like the Disney ride but with ghosts, goblins, vampires, giants -scratch that, nothing like the ride.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a little more complicated game for kids who like multi player strategic games -like Risk but quicker and more fun.

★★☆☆☆ Fluxx; a game where someone can say “now I’m the zombie vampire, and I win, cause I just changed the rules.”

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a game that is more of an activity than a game -for people who don’t get frustrated with changing rules.

★★★☆☆ Pentago; seconds to learn, years to master… but probably competence in a day.

Check out this game if: you like two player abstract games like chess and checkers.

★★★★☆ Splendor; if you want important people to like you, buy gems.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a medium complex game that you can play again and again (and again).

★★★☆☆ 7 Wonders; a game where Egypt must battle and trade with Babylon, but not Greece -because they are two seats away.

Buy this game if: you’ve played Sushi Go (a card drafting game) and want something with more strategy.

★★★½☆ Forbidden Island; it’s like Indiana Jones put together a team of “experts” to retrieve treasures from a sinking island.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a cooperative/friendly game for a younger group.

★★★☆☆ Roll America; do you like Sudoku, but wish it were more random?

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a quick puzzle game for any number of players.

★★½☆☆ Catan Dice Game; it’s like when a board game is based on a tv show, only this one is based on another game .

Check out this game if: if you already like the game Catan and would like a quick variation.

★★★★★ Telestrations; a combination of the games telephone and pictionary -but so much more bananas (?).

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a fun game that doesn’t really teach anyone anything.

★★★☆☆ Labyrinth; did you ever wish you could move walls with your mind? -still cant.

Check out this game if: you want a game with a lot of luck, but teaches kids problem solving skills and planning ahead.

★★★½☆ Sushi Go; imagine building the best meal from a conveyor belt of sushi -that appear happy you want to eat them.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a medium level game with adorable art.

★★★☆☆ Tsuro; do like making your own path in this world? also, do you want to be a dragon?

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a quick and simple game with equal parts luck and planning.

★★★★☆ Apples to Apples; a creative word game where everything is made up and the points don’t matter.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a highly creative fun party/word game that gets everyone involved.

★★★★★ CodeNames; “is there a better connection between nautical and board, or nautical and draft?”

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a creative word game -and a rowdy fun time with a large group.

★★★★☆ Qwirkle; matching shapes and colors, sounds easy, but…

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a thinky game that is very rewarding to play.

★★★½☆ Camel Up; a racing game with no jockeys and camels can hitch a ride with each other.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a light hearted/interactive racing game that feels rewarding to win, but not particularly bad if you don’t.

★★★½☆ Gobblet; it’s like connect four and memory at the same time.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a two player game that’s a step up from checkers, but not quite chess.

★★★☆☆ Qwixx; rolling dice for points, really, that’s it, but still quite fun.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a quick game that involves every player every turn and feels a little strategic.

★★★★½ Timeline: did Einstein wear Levi’s? trivia game with lots of surprises.

Check out this game if: you want to sneak a little education into game night, but still want to have fun.

★★★★☆ King of Tokyo; If monsters battled by rolling dice.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a rowdy game with some conflict -but also a little strategy.  

★★★★★ Spot It; a game of quick eyes and quicker hands.

Check out this game if: you are looking for a quick game that plays well with everyone, seriously.

★★★★★ Dixit; a deceptively thinky game, where no one has to talk.

Check out this game if: you’re looking for a group game that plays well with all ages.

★★★★★ Wits & Wagers; a game show in a box.

Check out this game if: you have a pulse -it’s really that much fun for everyone.