Dungeons and Dragons: 9.4 Dungeons and Dragons is an amazing role playing game in which you create a character and play the role of it in a fantastical world. You will go on epic adventures with thousands of ending, fight fantasy monsters, and work through intense riddles. This game has the option to play pre-made adventures, or you can create your own representing your personal taste. Also you can play as the dungeon master where you hold the balance of the world that you create in your very hands and can decide whether or not you’re brave fighters, wizards, clerics, and thieves will survive or die. This game has a huge variety in age requirements but it could be ages 10+ or 16+. It all depends on the adventure.
Settlers of Catan: 9.3 In Settlers of Catan, you explore a new world and make a trail between settlements which you build with your resources and can grow and expand as you build new settlements. Overall, this is an amazingly designed game that uses incredible skill and complex strategy. This game involves trading with other players and strategically spending your resources to the greatest, most effective extent. Also, there is the added effect of the robber who can steal resources from other players and potential make them lose the game. There are tons of expansion sets that can keep this game from ever getting boring. This is a great game with unlimited fun to be had. The only reason that this game isn’t #1 is because of the cost the original base game is $50 and each expansion is another $30-50. This game is great for anyone ages 10+.
Master Mind: 9.2Master Mind is a complex strategy game that will make your brain hurt (in a good way). In Master Mind, you use clues and the process of elimination to figure out what your opponent’s series of colors is. This game requires thinking and skill. Although technically if you think it all through you won’t make a mistake, but with multiple levels of difficulty, infinite challenge, and just a tad of luck this game was destined to rank high. Ages 7+ is good but for some it may be easier for them if they’re a little bit older.
Magic the Gathering: 9.2 Magic the Gathering is truly an infinite game with thousands of cards: 11,441 to be exact. With trading card games in which you design your deck out of all the cards that you have, picking and choosing the best ones and trying to design an effective, synergistic deck is a good strategy. This game has so many different formats and levels of competitivity that you can do nearly anything that you wish. First, there is standard format, in which you can only play with the latest four sets, forcing people to continue to buy magic cards. However, if you don’t wish to continue to pump money into this hobby, there are many other formats, such as commander in which you play with a hundred card deck instead of sixty. Also, you can only use one of each specific card instead of the normal four. There are legacy and vintage formats, which are rather expensive and offer access to almost every card. Also, there is modern (my personal favorite) in which you can use and cards released after 2003. I have to admit that this game is probably my personal favorite, but the others that were higher than Magic the Gathering were better overall games. I’d suggest that people ages 10 and up play this game, as it is fairly complex, especially the deck-building process.
Sorry: 8.8 Sorry may have nearly no skill but the sheer joy people get as they double-cross their friends and notice how close the game always is even if it isn’t close from the start. Sorry is ingeniously designed so that it is always close and nerve-wracking. There’s not much to say–it’s simply ingenious and a ton of fun. Another upside is that people of all ages can participate. I’d say ages 5+ is a good range.
Backgammon: 8.7 Backgammon is a great game because it implements the use of dice in such a perfect way. The roll of the dice requires luck, but the use of your roll is key to victory. Backgammon is a game in which you move your pieces however you wish, but you will be limited by your rol;. With capturing, escaping, and trying to successfully get all of your pieces to the other side. I recommend 10+ for this game.
Risk: 8.7In this game, you and your opponent will start with equal power but will use skill, and strategy to lower your opponent, wiling away at their defense until it collapses and you can claim victory. You will control a powerful army and use it to demolish the enemy with brute force, or use your cunningness and strategy to hit their weak points until they fall to the ground no longer able to fight, and you will claim the world for yourself. This game is great for anyone ages 11+ but could be played by younger kids.
Monopoly: 8.6 Become rich in this game of risk, chance, and bargaining. Monopoly is a game in which you roll dice to advance across a folding board. Crazy chance and community chest cards keep you on the edge of your seat. The rest is up to you. Make choices and buy properties, utilities, and railroads to make money. Build houses, hotels, and suck your friends pockets dry to create your own monopoly!
Chess: 8.4 In this ancient test of skill and strategy, your intelligence and cunning will be the ultimate weapon against your opponent. You start with a small army under your command, equally as strong as your opponent, but your wits and strategy will determine the outcome of the battle. Protect your king while chasing down your opponent’s king and prove that skill is the strongest weapon. This game is great for anyone ages 9+ and is widely respected as one of the best strategy games ever.
Stratego: 8.2 This board game requires an incredible amount of planning and strategy. In Stratego, there is a crazy amount of different characters from the spy to the general to the basic foot soldier. You command a small force with the goal of pursuing your opponent’s flag whilst protecting your own. Use soldiers, bombs and amazing tactics to overpower your opponent and win the game.
