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Diversions, ages 3 to 103 - a list by Taffastrophe
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The Game of Life
First to recommend
Description
My all-time favorite board game as a kid. Lots of good life lessons are available in this game, not the least of which is that you can fit six kids into a plastic car. Wait, that's probably a bad idea...
It's also the source of my compulsive gambling. Once I figured out you could make side bets on what number would be spun (a la Roulette), I spiraled uncontrollably into a world of scratch-off tickets, Keno, Blackjack, Hold 'Em, horse racing, cock fighting, and dice games in the bathroom.
But whatever. I'm sure that won't happen to your kid! I'm just an idiot.
Updated Aug 16, 2008
Monopoly
8 people recommended this item
Description
was this game as big in other families as is was in mine? i freaking love this game to this day. i get the dog!
Updated Dec 17, 2008
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Mousetrap
First to recommend
Description
Definitely one of my favorite games when I was a kid -- at least for one great summer, before pieces started getting lost. The game is like one big engineering lesson, with a bonus of being able to kick someone's butt and laugh about it. Even to this day, when I see those wire tracks with marbles rolling 'round and 'round and 'round, I stop and watch. They're fascinating.
Side note: The Hasbro website has a disclaimer.... "Warning. Choking Hazard. Small Balls. Not for children under 3 years." I'm still shuddering.
Updated Aug 16, 2008
Candy Land
2 people recommended this item
Description
When I was a kid, my mom told me never to take candy from strangers.... and then she made me play this game with random kids of friends of hers. Mixed signals, I tell ya.
This game is great for teaching kids to count, and it helps with spatial awareness because the game makes you move both horizontally and vertically. Also because it's really, really colorful... but I won't go there. Yes, I have a color fetish. Sorry.
Updated Aug 16, 2008
Clue
6 people recommended this item
Description
the butler in the kitchen with the candle stick! awesome, classic and totally rad game.
Updated Dec 17, 2008
Operation
4 people recommended this item
Description
This game is great for hand-eye coordination, and it teaches (at least a little bit) about anatomy.
As a five year-old, I had great hand-eye coordination -- once, I ran my Atari through my VCR and taped myself playing a game of Asteroids for 4 hours -- but I was always terrible at this game. My hands shook too much with nervous energy, and when that buzzer went off, I always jumped about a mile into the air.
Luckily for me, a couple of years later I discovered alcohol. Man, there's nothing like a drunken seven year-old whipping the pants off of adults at this game. It also was a great diversion when I was sitting in the Child Protective Services offices on weekends, but that's a whole different story.
Put it this way: Do you want your kids playing Operation, or do you want them going over to little Billy's house and playing Doctor? That's what I thought.
Updated Aug 16, 2008
Risk
First to recommend
3 people recommended this item
Description
My family used to play this game once a week when I was nine years old. The way you're supposed to play it, after all of the territories have been selected, you take turns placing one army at a time onto various countries. However, my dad and I -- the strong, upstanding, moral guys we were -- would always excuse ourselves to "go to the bathroom," or "make a phone call," or "grab a drink" while Mom & my sister placed all of their armies on the board. We'd come back, find the weaknesses, and put our armies out to attack them.
Hey, I never claimed to be a fair fighter. I wanted to win. Badly.
Anyway, if you play this game fairly, it's a lot of fun. Teaches a lot about geography, the element of chance, and of course, it comes with dice so that you can get that game of craps going with your buddies. But I digress...
Updated Aug 16, 2008
Stratego
First to recommend
Description
Oh. My. God. Forget what I said about The Game of Life -- THIS was my favorite board game as a kid. I only had it for about three months, as it was lost in shipping somewhere between Ankara, Turkey and College Park, Maryland... but wow, yeah, this was my favorite game.
Damn. Now I have to a) buy this game, and b) find people willing to actually play it with me. Or find an online version. If anyone knows of one, send me a link. It'll be easier than hanging around the elementary school down the road and constantly explaining to faculty/staff/police officers that I'm just looking for a friendly game.
Updated Aug 16, 2008
Battleship
First to recommend
3 people recommended this item
Description
This game gets referenced in my personal life more than you can imagine. If someone starts talking about a certain explosive, I say, "C4?" And they say, "Yeah, C4." And then, trying futilely to suppress a smile, I'll say, "Aw maaaan! You sunk my battleship!"
At which point, my friend shakes his head and wanders off to have a conversation with an adult.
Anyway, this is a great game. Love it. Loooove it. Unless you're playing against a snot-nosed little cheater, in which case I recommend playing in a room with a lot of mirrors. Much like your dream honeymoon suite.
Updated Aug 16, 2008
Axis and Allies
First to recommend
Description
I first discovered this game when I was a freshman in high school, so it doesn't count as a kid's game. However, if it were a kid's game, it would be at the top of my list. I'm just including it here because, well, it's so cool.
In my opinion, it is the coolest board game ever invented. It is easily the most complex, with varying degrees of strategy, luck, coordination between fellow players, and desire for personal gain.
In fact, I went online last year to look for an Axis & Allies game live on the net. No luck -- all were pretty pathetic compared to the real thing. This game is probably about twice as expensive as your typical board game, but it's Oh. So. Worth it. Axis and Allies. Kill a Nazi today!
Updated Aug 16, 2008
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