New ways to be board
Board games aren’t just for rainy days. Whether you just want to “unplug ” or are feeling nostalgic for the Chutes and Ladders of your childhood, you can choose from hundreds of hot new board games meant for adults. If you’re looking for a way to get in o
Fresh crop of games brings different moves to game night
IF YOU LIKE MONOPOLY, TRY TICKET TO RIDE
Everyone’s favorite propertytrading game has taught thousands of kids the phrase “Pass Go, collect $200,” and it’s long been a staple for rainy days and family game nights. If you’re looking for something slightly more strategic, try Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder, $22 on Amazon) — a board game that involves moving trains rather than gathering real estate. In it, players travel around the country claiming railway routes to connect trains in different cities, all using cards and game pieces.
IF YOU LIKE CLUE, TRY CODENAMES
Just as Clue challenges you to put the pieces together and solve a murder mystery,
Codenames (Czech Games, $15 on Amazon) tests your ability to follow hints and develop conclusions. In this game, two teams compete to make contact with secret agents known only by their code names — “007”-style — using clues dropped by the allknowing spymasters. And both teams are trying to avoid the assassin, while being the first to reach their own spies.
IF YOU LIKE SORRY!, TRY KINGDOMINO
The decidedly unapologetic players of Sorry! aim to get around a game board faster than their opponents, and the concept of Kingdomino (Blue Orange Games, $19 on Amazon) is much the same — with the added challenge of kingdom-building while trying to prevent other lords from stealing their land. Players explore the diverse terrain using dominoes to claim parts of it for themselves.
IF YOU LIKE SETTLERS OF CATAN, TRY SMALL WORLD
Since its introduction to the United States in the 1990s, Catan has grown into one of the most popular hobby games played today. But if you’re looking for something new to try, Small
World (Days of Wonder, $33 on Amazon) offers many of the same world-building opportunities. It’s based on the premise that the players are trying to conquer and control a world that’s just too small for them, incorporating characters like dwarves, wizards, Amazons, giants and orcs.
IF YOU LIKE RISK, TRY PANDEMIC
For fans of classic strategy games,
Pandemic (Z-Man Games, $22 on Amazon) offers a chance to heal rather than conquer. In the Pan
demic universe, several diseases have broken out across the globe, and it’s up to the players to save humanity from the virulent plagues. On each turn, you can travel, treat patients, develop cures and conduct research, all while trying to stop the infections from spreading — letting you live out your wildest World War Z fantasies.