Dan's Papers - June 29, 2007

Rainy days may not have a flattering affect on the sky. However, they do make for a wonderful excuse to stay cooped-up inside without feeling guilty. But if you're one of those people who begin to pry at the walls, desperate to escape the house (or the boredom), games are a way to entertain yourself without leaving the house.

Over the years, generations have witnessed the coming and going of many board games. But, there are a certain few that have an infinite stay in stores. Monopoly is one of those few. Since 1935, it has continued on the cultural current, adapting to a changing market. Now there isn't just Monopoly but Make-Your-Own Monopoly, Disney Monopoly, Ultimate Monopoly, Virtual Monopoly and even Family Guy Monopoly. Now those can't all have the Park or Madison Avenue address that we all compete for but they do add flair or fun for those who don't exactly appreciate the importance of Madison Avenue property.

Although Monopoly seems to be the namesake for the board game world, there are some others that we can't forget about. My personal favorite of the classic board game genre is none other than Trivial Pursuit. It's less about strategy and more about knowledge, and never seems to fail on fun. Just like Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit has made its way through the years with popular additions: Pop-Culture Trivial Pursuit, Ultimate 80's Trivial Pursuit, 90's Trivial Pursuit, Mastergame Genius Edition Trivial Pursuit and, of course, Disney Trivial Pursuit. And for every version of Trivial Pursuit I listed, there are four others I didn't list that are waiting for you to discover them (the same goes for all the Monopoly editions).

The survival of Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit was intelligently calculated to the growing market of the pop-culture industry and, with that, we began to see television show specific board games. The "Friends" phenomena gave way to a popular "Friends" trivia game, the intensity of Jack Bauer and his little show called "24" can now be taken home in the form of a game. Even detail oriented crime scene investigations have made their way onto the board with the "CSI" board game. All of these are a somewhat successful ploy by the networks to cash in on their hit shows before they fizzle down the rankings. Nonetheless, I recommend these and more like them if there is a particular show you fanatically enjoy.

None of the new-age games seem to really grab your attention like the game Scene It. It's a clever spin on the board game industry because, in fact, it is not a board game but an interactive DVD game for all ages. And for those who aren't wooed by the television networks attempt at games, you'll be happy to know that the Scene It has evolved into specialized editions for particular ages, shows and movie genres. My favorite is the "Friends" edition where they play clips and trivia from the show to test your knowledge on the show that you probably watch in syndication more than you'd like.

The up and coming game that seems to be sweeping households, college dorms and bachelor pads is the game Apples to Apples. It's an interesting twist to a card game and with the right group of people, can make for an interesting twist on life.

Saving the best for last, I suggest the great game of Scattegories. It mixes your everyday and educational knowledge with the adrenaline rush of a time limit and teamwork. It's a game that tests vocabulary because in order for a team to guess the word in question, you are not allowed to use five specific words (provided on the card) to describe the word in question. Simply, it's verbal charades with a timer. It makes a great game for family and friends because it helps to be on the same page (or have a smidgen of ESP) in order to guess the right word.

So next time the sky starts to fall on us this summer, don't shy away from that high shelf in the closet where the board games are hidden. Whether you have any of the games I mentioned or others, they are a great way to pry the kids away from the television, get your spouse away from the computer or to bring your whole family (and friends) together.