• World of Warcraft – Millions of people play this MMORPG, and it even holds a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the number of monthly subscribers. Set in the world of Azeroth, WoW (as it’s better known) allows participants to complete quests, battle monsters, interact with non-player characters, and have deadly duels with other subscribers. Races such as orcs, trolls, humans, and dwarves are among the most popular, and the game has released a number of expansions since its 2004 release (The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King). Another expansion, Cataclysm, is expected sometime in 2010.
• FrontierVille – If you’ve ever used Facebook or a number of other social networking sites, then you’ve no doubt come across ads for this simulation role-playing game. Similar in design to Farmville (they’re both made by Zynga), FrontierVille allows players to take on the identity of an Old West pioneer. You can chop down trees, buy a mule, raise livestock, build furniture, and even have a family (then put them to work). Simple to learn but worth hours and hours of fun, it’s the only game I know of that allows you to kill groundhogs.
• Team Fortress 2 – Two teams battle in various environments, with the goal being the utter annihilation of anyone who stands in your way. Developed by Valve, each player can choose from nine cartoony-looking character types: Pyro, Engineer, Heavy, Spy, Scout, Sniper, Demoman, Soldier, and Medic. The characters have distinct personalities and weapons, as well as their own strengths and weaknesses. Numerous patches and free updates have been released by Valve since the game debuted online in 2007, and a blog exists to keep players and fans updated on all the latest happenings. Great fun for anyone wanting senseless mayhem with less-than-realistic characters.
• Counter-Strike: Source – Created by the people behind Half-Life, this online first-person shooter allows players to take on the roles of terrorists or counter-terrorists and kill each other in new and inventive ways. All kinds of customizations are available for your character, from modifying your weapon to changing the layout of a map. Attention is paid to details like recoil, so fans of running and gunning may require a period of adjustment. Lots of fun if you’re looking for a tactical game that allows you to terminate an opponent with one shot to the cranium.
• Guild Wars – Considered a CORPG (competitive online role-playing game), Guild Wars is set in the fantasy world of Tyria. Players can choose from classes such as Warrior, Monk, Necromancer, and Ranger, and one of the best features of Guild Wars is that high level characters can be created right from the beginning. There’s also no monthly fee to worry about. Millions of units of the game have been sold since its initial release, and the following expansion campaigns are available: Guild Wars Prophecies, Guild Wars Factions, and Guild Wars Nightfall. A sequel known as Guild Wars 2 is in the works.
• Mafia Wars – Available on the iPhone, Facebook, and a number of other social networking sites, Mafia Wars is a multiplayer browser game made by the same people responsible for FarmVille and FrontierVille. Over 45 million people play on a monthly basis, and the goal is to advance your criminal syndicate by traveling around the globe and performing various tasks. You can form your own crime family, even recruiting your MySpace or Facebook friends to join in the struggle for power. Battle other syndicates, and journey to such dangerous destinations as Bangkok, Moscow, Paris, London, Cuba, New York, Mumbai, and South Africa.
• Second Life – With your three-dimensional avatar, you can travel across the world of Second Life and interact with other users, take part in activities, sell (or buy) goods and services, and generally live out the life of another person. The success of this online game has been staggering: real-life nations have opened embassies in the virtual world, and various religions are beginning to follow suit. The in-game money can even be translated into real cash, with a few users earning over one million dollars annually.
• FarmVille – If you’ve ever dreamed of living and working on a farm, this popular online game is an excellent way to test the waters without having to smell cow dung all day. Available as an app on Android and the Apple iPhone, FarmVille is best known for its presence on Facebook and other social networking sites. In fact, it’s the most popular application available, with over 61 million active users as of June, 2010. Grow crops and raise livestock, then sell them at the market and start all over again. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your farm and even invite your friends to become neighbors.
• Uno Online – The PC version of this game has tons of fans, and the version offered on the Xbox Live Arcade became their first to surpass one million downloads. That’s because this popular card game has been keeping families entertained ever since its invention in 1971. With brightly-colored cards and the chance to Skip, Reverse, or go Wild, the game is suitable for both adults and kids. A quick search on the Internet will show this game offered for free at numerous sites. In some cases, you can even earn real cash by becoming the first player to discard all the cards in your hand.
• Family Feud – The hit television show first aired in 1976 with Richard Dawson as the host, and it’s continued over the years with such men as John O’Hurley, Richard Karn, and Louie Anderson. It’s one of the most popular online games around, and versions have also been released for Wii, Nintendo DS, and mobile devices. The premise is simple: 100 people are asked a question, and you try to guess the answer given by the greatest number of individuals. If you miss three times, the other team has a chance to steal the points. It’s a simple concept, but it’s also a great way to kill some time.

If you’ve enjoyed this look at some of the most popular online games currently available, I would also recommend the following articles from Games Info Depot:

• Popular Video Games
• How to Play Poker
• Table Tennis Rules

Many families have a ping-pong table gathering dust in some corner of their garage; that’s a real shame, as table tennis can provide hours of fun, competition, and physical exercise. Learning table tennis rules is a simple matter, so why not take a few minutes and read our article on the subject? Afterwards, head out to the garage, dust off your table, and have a ball thrashing your friends and family.

TABLE TENNIS RULES

Table tennis can be played by either two or four players. Using table tennis rackets, they hit a plastic ball back and forth over a net in the center of the table. This section details all of the table tennis rules commonly used in family dens and garages, and the rules for doubles play are included in the bottom section.

Determining Service in Table Tennis

To determine service in table tennis, three methods are commonly used:

• The ITTF calls for a coin toss to decide who serves first.
• The second option is used in garages across the world. With a player hiding the ball in one of their hands, the other player tries to guess the correct hand. The winner can choose to serve, receive, or select which side of the table they’ll play on.
• In the third option, players hit the ball back and forth to one another four times. Then, the point is played out as in a normal game. The winner of the point can choose to serve or receive. This is known as “rally to serve” or “play to serve.”

Table Tennis Service and Return

Play begins when one player serves the ball to the other. The server should hold the ball in their open palm, toss it six inches into the air, and then strike it so that it first touches his side of the table and then his opponent’s side of the table (without touching the net). The ball must remain in clear sight at all times during service, and the server may not use their body or clothing to obscure it. If the ball touches the net during service, it is called a “let,” and the service is done over.

If the server correctly delivers the ball to his opponent’s side of the table, the opponent may now hit it back. This must be done before the ball bounces a second time. As the volley begins, the players must always hit the ball so that it bounces at least once on the opponent’s side of the table. Play continues if the ball hits the net and goes over (only during the initial service does this stop gameplay).

Scoring in Table Tennis

Scoring in table tennis occurs when one of the following happens:

• One player fails to properly return the ball during a volley or during service. To be considered a proper return, the ball must cross over the net and bounce at least once on the opponent’s side of the table.
• A player intentionally obstructs the ball with his body or clothing.
• A player touches the net with his body or moves the table.
• The free hand of a player touches the surface of play or the ball.
• A player strikes the ball twice in succession. It is not illegal if the ball hits the hand or fingers holding the ping-pong paddle.

Winning the Game

To win a game of table tennis, you must be the first to either score 11 or 21 (11 is the official variation). In either case, you must defeat your opponent by at least two points. Matches are made up of an odd number of games, with five or seven being the most common.

Alternating in Table Tennis

In the 11-point version of the game, service alternates between players (regardless of who won the points) every two points. In the 21-point version, service alternates every five points.

If both players have a score of 10, and the winner needs 11, the game continues with players alternating service after every point. In the 21-point variation, this applies if both players have a score of 20.

If a player serves first in one game, he or she will receive first in the following game. Players will also switch sides of the table following each game. In the last possible game of match play, players will switch sides again once the first player scores five points.

DOUBLES RULES FOR TABLE TENNIS

Most of the rules for a doubles game of table tennis are the same. There are, however, a few differences.

• When a player serves, the ball must bounce once in the box on his side of the table and then once inside the box on his opponent’s side of the table. If the ball lands in the wrong box, the receiving team scores a point.
• Players must take turns hitting the ball. If you hit the ball the last time during the rally, your partner must hit the ball the next time it crosses over the net onto your side of the table. If a team fails to do this, their opponents score a point.
• When there’s a change in service, the previous receiver will become the server. The partner of the previous server will become the recipient of the serve.
• The team with the right to serve first in a game can decide which of them gives service. The receiving team can choose who receives service, but only in the first game of match play. After that, the receiver is the player who served first in the preceding game.
• When a team has scored five points in the last possible game of match play, the teams must switch sides and the team receiving service must alternate receivers.

Now that you’ve got these table tennis rules memorized, you might also want to take a look at some of the other gaming articles available on our blog.

• Chinese Checkers Rules
• Popular Kids Games
• 100 Roleplaying Tips for Gamemasters

Poker Hand Rankings

Before we discuss how to play poker, let’s look at the hand rankings. Unless otherwise stated, all poker games will follow these guidelines.

• Five of a Kind – The best possible hand, assuming that jokers or wild cards are allowed. The highest possible hand would be five aces (four regular aces and a joker or wild card).
• Straight Flush – The highest hand if there are no jokers or wild cards in play. A straight flush is made up of five consecutive cards of the same suit. The Royal Flush is the best, and it’s comprised of an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit.
• Four of a Kind – This hand is made up of four cards of the same rank. Four aces would be the best, followed by four kings.
• Full House – Three cards of the same rank, plus a pair of a different rank. Three queens and a pair of tens would be an example of a full house.
• Flush – To achieve a flush, you need to get five cards of the same suit. That means five diamonds, five spades, etc. If two or more players have a flush, the highest card in each hand is used to determine the winner. If those cards are the same, then use the next highest card. If all cards are the same, then the pot is split between the players.
• Straight – Five cards of different suits in sequence. For example, holding 65432 of different suits would be considered a straight. When two straights are competing for the pot, the high card is used to determine the winner.
• Three of a Kind – Comprised of three cards of the same rank, such as three kings or three nines. The other two cards are unpaired.
• Two Pair – Two cards of the same rank, and then another two cards of another rank (although different from the first). The final card is of another rank.
• One Pair – Two cards of an identical rank, while the other three cards are different. If two players are competing over a pot with the same pair in each hand, use the highest of the unrelated cards to determine a winner.
• High Card – The player has no matching cards in their hand. High card denotes the highest-ranking card in their hand.

Texas Hold’em Rules

If you want to learn how to play poker these days, the best place to start is with Texas Hold’em. That’s because it’s all the rage, having been popularized after the World Series of Poker started to gain international attention on ESPN.

Each player is dealt two cards, while another five cards are dealt in the center of the table and shared by all the players. The object is to use any combination of the cards in your hand and the cards in the center of the table to make the best poker hand possible.

Blinds (another name for an ante) are first placed, and then each player is dealt two cards face down. These cards are to be kept hidden unless the showdown stage is reached. After the two cards are dealt, a round of betting occurs. Then five cards are dealt in the center of the table and three are turned over. This is called “the flop,” and another round of betting occurs. Players may fold at any time. The fourth community card is turned over during the phase known as “the turn.” Another round of betting. The fifth and final community card is turned over in what’s known as “the river.” Another round of betting. Then comes the showdown. Any players still left in the hand will reveal their face down cards and announce their five-card hand.

Badugi Rules

A variant poker game that uses triple draw and lowball rules. Four cards are in a player’s hand, and the goal is to end up with four low-ranking cards of different ranks and suits. The ace is the lowest card in this game, so the A234 hand would be the best hand possible. If no player can achieve a four-card badugi by the showdown, then the best possible three-card badugi will be ruled the winner.

Omaha Hold’em Rules

In this game, players receive four cards in their hand, and five community cards are dealt in the center of the table. The rounds are play are identical to Texas Hold’em, with a flop, turn, and river. If the hand comes to the showdown round, players must create the best possible poker hand using exactly two cards from their hand and exactly three cards from the community area.

Seven-Card Stud Rules

Popular in home games, with a number of variations in existence. Prior to the first round of betting, each player receives one upcard and two downcards. After the first round of betting has taken place, players receive another upcard and then have another round of betting. This pattern of upcards followed by a round of betting happens twice more, so that the players now have four upcards and two downcards. Then a final downcard is dealt, and one last round of betting occurs. The winner of the pot is the player with the best five-card hand.

Razz Rules

Played like Seven Card Stud, except that the lowest hand wins the pot. Aces are low, and straights and flushes have no effect. The best possible hand in Razz is 5432A (which is known as a wheel).

Pineapple Hold’em Rules

Players are dealt three downcards at the beginning. Prior to the flop, one of these cards is discarded. Then a three card flop occurs in the center of the table, and another round of betting takes place. From there, the game plays out like Texas Hold’em. To make the best five-card hand possible, players may use any combination of their two downcards and the five community cards. The variation known as Crazy Pineapple allows players to discard their third downcard after the flop.

Draw Poker Rules

Players receive five downcards. Then a round of betting occurs, where players may open for the minimum, check, or raise. Players are then allowed to replace up to three cards in their hand with new ones. Then another round of betting takes place. Finally, hands are revealed, and the player with the best poker hand takes the pot.

Mixed Poker Games

In many casinos, you can find mixed games that combine several different kinds of poker. The most common are O.E. (Omaha High Low – Stud High Low), H.O.E. (Texas Hold’em – Omaha-Eight or Better), and H.O.R.S.E. (Texas Hold’em – Omaha – Razz – Eight or Better). If you want to learn how to play poker like a real pro, watching those skilled in mixed games is a good way to see veteran card players in action.

Lowball Rules

A variation of draw poker where the lowest hand takes the pot. Aces are considered low, and the best possible hand is 5432A. Flushes and straight do not count. Players receive five facedown cards, and then there is a round of betting. At this point, players must either fold or open with a bet. Players who remain in the hand can replace up to three cards in their hand. Then another round of betting takes place, and the player with the lowest poker hand takes the pot.

Now that you know how to play poker, I encourage you to read more on the subject. There are numerous rules and variations to explore, and the game itself is filled with strategy. While it takes a lifetime to master, the thrill of competition is well worth it (those big pots don’t hurt, either).

Also recommended:

• Table Tennis Rules

Certain video games stand out from the crowd. Maybe the graphics are ahead of their time, or they’re just beautifully rendered. Maybe the gameplay is more fluid and realistic than other games of its time. Or maybe the game present a unique challenge or strategy, that no other game or console has presented.

Some video games have a particularly engaging character that captures your imagination, while others have a plot you think is good enough to become a book or movie. If you’re talking about the best video games ever, everything came together just right and the title’s greatness comes from some combination of what I’m talking about.

Even though it’s can be difficult to describe exactly what it is that makes some video games better than all the rest, it’s easy to recognize when you’re playing a good one. That’s why renting games has an appeal, because most people can tell if a game is going to be great in the first five minutes of gameplay.

Here are thirteen of the best games in history, one per (notable) game system.

Pac-Man (1982) – Atari 5200: For most of us, Pac-Man was the machine that first took our quarters at the arcade or convenience store. Pac-Man was the game we waited to have on the developing home console market. The Atari port may not have been as good as the arcade version, but I remember the day we brought Pac-Man home and it was still greatness to play the first Pac-Man on Atari.

Sure, maybe the screen looked squashed. Maybe the sounds were all wrong. Still, the magic was there. The story of modern home video games may not begin with Atari Pac-Man, but it’s where the story begins to get interesting.

Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990) – Nintendo Entertainment System: Super Mario Bros. 3 was a late addition to the NES cannon, but it stands out as being one of the best. The best gamers spent their childhoods learning how to beat this game in less than 10 minutes, but true fans know it’s more fun to play through the whole game, rather than taking the warp whistles.

Of course, I couldn’t talk about old Nintendo without giving a shoot-out to Super Techmo Bowl, the greatest sports video game of its time. The Madden Football Games have been great, and they’re about a million times more realistic, but Super Tecmo Bowl was just pure fun. Let’s give an honorable mention, then get back to the games with storylines and signature characters.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) – Sega Genesis: Sonic was Sega’s answer to the Mario Brothers franchise, but never proved quite as successful commercially. That doesn’t mean that any of the Sonic games were lacking. When Sonic appeared on the Genesis he looked bigger, better and, most important, faster than anything that Nintendo had to offer.

Sadly, it couldn’t last, but this intrepid hedgehog earned himself a lasting place in the history of video games.

Mortal Kombat (1993) – Super Nintendo: The controversy over the cartoonish violence in this 2D fighting game seems somewhat strange today, with the game’s silly, ketchup splashes of blood and pixellated “fatality” moves. Nevertheless, this was the original parental shocker, chock-full of enough spine-ripping out action to give Tipper Gore a heart attack.

Mortal Kombat launched a franchise that included several films and a well-known soundtrack. This game is still a blast to play, especially in two-player mode. “Get over here!”

Final Fantasy VII (1997) – PlayStation: There’s a legion of rabid fans that maintain the contention that Final Fantasy VII is the best game in the Final Fantasy series. Other fans claim it was Final Fantasy X. This would be a tough dispute to resolve, except for one key element: Sephiroth.

Sephiroth, the silver-haired baddie from Final Fantasy VII, is the most awesome video game villain…ever. FFX might have better graphics, but it simply doesn’t have Sephiroth. Anyone want to make the contention that “Sin” has anything on Sephiroth?

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998) – Nintendo 64: This game brought “Link” into the third dimension, and lost nothing in the translation. The world of Hyrule was just as expansive as ever, the dungeons were gigantic, and the plot just as epic. Even the theme song was elevated into a work of sprightly orchestral beauty.

The Nintendo 64 never did better than Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Soul Calibur (1999) – Sega Dreamcast: The Dreamcast represents the tragic downfall of the Sega empire. Actually a great gaming system, it suffered from a lack of titles, which caused it to eventually fail to compete. Nevertheless, the original Soul Calibur, a sequel to the arcade game SoulEdge, represents a grand technical achievement, for its time.

Take a look at the online polls and many gamers still list Soul Calibur the greatest fighting game ever, even over 10 years later. Soul Calibur had flawless visuals, super-smooth graphics and high frame rates. The movement was smooth and you could execute moves the way they were meant to be executed. Fighting to the death was never so beautiful.

Super Smash Brothers Melee (2001) – Nintendo GameCube: The king of the drunkenly childish party video game is Super Smash Brothers, which progressed to it’s powered-up descendent, “Super Smash Brothers Melee”. Smash Brothers features an all-star cast of Nintendo greats, from Link to Luigi to Donkey Kong hismelf. You could have Samus fight Pikachu, then have the winner take on Ganondorf.

Ever want to see who would win a death match between Dr. Mario and Jigglypuff?

Play Super Smash Brothers Melee and see. Yes, sir; all the classic Nintendo characters returned to do battle in those dramatic floating arenas. One word of warning, though: Watch out for Princess Peach, who glides in and attacks with a series of wicked kicks. But I can’t forget that oddly frightening Jigglypuff, who sings you to sleep before destroying you.

Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) – Xbox: This launch title for the Xbox showcased all the new console had to offer. The squad-based combat and extensive multiplayer options really set Halo apart from other first-person shooters. With the networking capabilities of the Xbox, Halo changed the way console games were played.

Halo is the one that started it all, and lead directly to Halo 2 and Xbox Live, where squads could communicate via an Internet connection. Those early Halo Deathmatch sessions were a glory to behold. I’m sure it was the same for you and your friends.

Shadow of the Colossus (2005) – PlayStation 2: One of the most haunting and strange games you’ll ever play, Shadow of the Colossus combined elements of adventure and puzzle games to create a true classic. With little to no help by way of expository dialogue, players take on the role of a knight hoping to rescue a cursed princess.

They do so by searching for and then slaying an array of ever-more difficult giants, hidden in an expansive, deliriously beautiful world. Shadow of the Colossus was a unique challenge for its players, because you had to locate a weakness for each of the Colossi, before you took them down. If you love originality, you’ll Shadow of the Colossus.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006) – Nintendo Wii: A launch title for the Wii, Twilight Princess represents a return to form for Link, something that was needed after the love-it-or-hate-it Zelda: Windwaker. Twilight Princess presented gamers with a huge world that made brilliant use of the Wii’s innovative controls with gesture-based sword slashes.

With its eerie theme of a world turned to darkness, Twilight Princess is perhaps the best Zelda game to date. For those olders gamers who never got into the Zelda Series, “Twilight Princess” is the first of the series to receive a “T” rating for violence. If you ever considered playing Zelda, but wasn’t sure, this is the game I would recommend you play.

Rock Band (2007) – PlayStation 3: Superior to its earlier cousin Guitar Hero, Rock Band represents the best use of game peripherals to date. This game allows wannabe musicians to take on not just the lead guitar parts from decades worth of popular song, but the bass guitar, drums, and vocals as well, with specific peripherals for each. Later versions such as Beatles: Rock Band and LEGO Rock Band are even more entertaining.

Rock Band made the guitar easier than Guitar Hero guitar playing, while drumming was the most difficult part to master. Like in a real band, the Rock Band is only as good as its drummer. I still remember one of our friends, who’s made a living as a professional drummer for 20 years, freaking out when another friend’s 13-year old son got better scores at drumming on Rock Band.

The thought still makes me laugh.

Assassin’s Creed II (2009) – Xbox360: The sequel to 2007’s equally awesome Assassin’s Creed, this game moves the action from medieval times to Renaissance Italy. Featuring open-ended gameplay with multiple side-missions, this game is destined to become an instant classic.

Ezio, the main character, can interact with nearly every object in the game’s vast world. Assassin’s Creed II adds swimming, and even flying, to the protagonist’s many abilities. Also, money is an important factor as well, which is only natural for an assassin.

Great Video Games

There have been great video games I haven’t mentioned, like a personal favorite of mine, Fight Night Round 3. In the next ten years, graphics and gaming worlds will only get bigger and more enthralling. But a great video game is about gameplay and the details, creating an immersive, entertaining game experience. The games we’ve listed put you in another world, which is what the great video games do.

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Knowing how to invent board games lets you surprise your family or circle of friends with a new, inventive game scenario, or lets you toy around with marketing your own board game. Consider combining the two, coming up with new and interesting game rules for you and your friends to playtest every week. As you tweak your game system, you might find one with market appeal.

Less ambitious is learning how to tweak board game rules, so your usual game nights have special house rules that spice up the evening. Like the scenario above, you might find a rule combination that can be turned into a game with wider appeal.

You would be surprised at how many indie board games there are on the market. Americans looking playing games, but they get tired of playing the same old game with the same old rules. Many are always looking for a new board game to play.

Choose the Game Type

Select from the different genres and game types on the market. There are trivia games, party games, strategy games, word games and resource allocation games, just to name a few. Each comes with its own challenges in the creation process.

When choosing a game archetype to play with, focus on the kind of games you enjoy and the kind of games you’re good at. If you hate math, your game invention shouldn’t be a resource allocation game. If you hate spelling and vocabulary, your game system should involve word puzzles and word building.

Once you finish this process, you should be able to say to yourself, “I’m inventing a new strategy game.”

Come Up with an Interesting Theme

Select a theme for your board game. A theme is the specific color of a board game, what makes it different from all the others. Themes might be “game of world conquest” (Risk) or “game of cornering the market” (Monopoly) or “game of settling a new land” (Settlers of Catan).

Once you have a theme, it’s going to be a lot easier to come up with a working title. You don’t have to come up with anything yet, but it’s nice to have ideas in the back of your head. With themes and titles, simpler is better. When choosing a theme for your game, try to sum it up in one phrase or sentence.

Select Player Numbers

Another factor to consider is your minimum and maximum number of players. Most games allow between 2-6 players. Some games can be played solitaire, while others (mainly party games) might include 8 to 10 or even more. That two to six range is best, if you want to market your game, because people tend to buy board games to enjoy with a small number of friends, but larger groups are harder to gather.

Create the Goal of Your Game

Winning a game requires attaining a goal. If you don’t have a goal of the game, no one’s going to be interested in winning. Some goals are to get to the other side of the board. Others are the demolish the enemy’s strategic positions, or fill out your pie with pie pieces.

When selecting a board game goal, you are determining the end game scenario. How does someone win the game?

Write the Rules

Rules are the nuts and bolts of your game. In essence, the rules of a board game is the game itself.

Write rules to referee the players’ actions and lay down the system that a player attains the goal of the game. When writing these rules, you’ll need to close any loopholes in the game.

Playtest the Board Game

Playtesting board game in the second (and third and fourth) step in writing board game rules. You have to be certain there aren’t any gaping loopholes that make the game unplayable, so get your friends together and play the game according to your rules.

Once finished, close any loopholes by rewriting the rulebook. Playtest again to see if this makes it work better.

If there are any game balance issues, address those in the rewrite. For instance, if there is one surefire and straightforward way to win the game, but your game is supposed to involve multiple strategies that could win, you have balance issues that need to be addressed.

You may have to go through several revisions to get this part right.

Get Feedback from Players

When finished with game sessions, ask your players for real feedback. Being nice and giving encouragement does you no good at this point, so encourage real advice.

Questions to ask in the feedback phase are:

• Is the game challenging?
• Is the game too complicated? Too simplistic?
• Are the rules clear?
• Is the game too long? Is it too short?
• Is the game balanced?
• Is the game fun?

That last question is essential to answer. If your new game isn’t entertaining to play, then you need to spice up the game by making it more challenging, or move faster, or improved in some way. If this doesn’t work, you need to invent a new game.

Name Your Game

Hopefully, you already have something in mind. If not, it’s time to brainstorm names. Once again, keep the title simple and to the point. Try to make your board game’s name describe the game, or invoke interest and mystery as to what this game is. A board game called “Brown” probably isn’t going to sell many copies.

How to Invent Board Game Supplies

You may want to design the look and appearance of your board game, right down to the game pieces and the game board. If your board game has cards, think of what symbol or artwork would look nice on the backs of the cards. You want your game to be pleasant to look at while you’re playing it, so consider colors and designs that work well with your theme, but are nice to look at.

If you’re really creative, design your own crude game pieces. If you have a friend who is more creative, collaborate with them on this process, or ask them to design something on their own.

Once you have an entertaining board game idea, a good theme, working rules and board game supplies, you have invented your board game. Now it’s time to set up a booth at the next games fair and to start pestering game companies to give your board game a look. Or you can save your brilliant board game for your group of friends, and begin work on inventing a whole new board game.

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Popular family games are something people seem to come to this site wanting to learn about a lot. For that reason, I wanted to include another list of popular family game ideas you might enjoy playing with the kids or the cousins.

I’ve tried to include famous games and relatively obscure games alike, focusing specifically on games that have high entertainment value and playability. There’s going to be something about each of these games that entertains the crowd of people around the board, whether it’s solid game play or silliness.

Clue: The Card Game – You can now play the classic murder-mystery boardgame, Clue, as a card game. The game mechanics are fairly similar. Each player starts the game with a checklist, which they must use to mark off those who couldn’t have committed the murder, so they can solve the crime by process of elimination.

Instead of the name of the person, the murder weapon and the room they committed the crime in, it’s now the murderer, the means of escape (vehicle) and their destination. You solve the murder and catch the criminal, but since there’s no mention of a murder weapon, your kids aren’t exposed to that mess.

Each person is dealt a number of cards they can mark off. Occasionally, others will draw cards allowing you to see or more of your cards, while you can do the same. Seeing these cards substitute for moving around the game board, though there is an aspect of movement in Clue: the Card Game. You’ll have to move around to make accusations from certain locations, which requires a special card to move.

In the end, the game may not play exactly the same, but Clue: The Card Game definitely captures the spirit of the original game. I played along with a couple of 6-year olds and they were able to follow along and participate, though they occasionally gave away a little more than they should. It was fun.

Electronic Catchphrase – Provide your teammates with clues to guess the word or phrase on your turn, then hand over the electronic clue provider to the opposing team. The challenge is to avoid being the one holding the device when the buzzer goes off. This is a lot of fun for kids, though I’ve seen this used as a pretty entertaining party game.

Parcheesi – One of the oldest race board games on the market. Parcheesi has been popular with game players for over a hundred years, back to the days of the Raj. Parcheesi teaches strategy, counting skills and decision making, in a game that was played in India as early as 500 B.C. Legend has it the Hindi royalty played the game on giant boards with costumed dancers as the game pieces, which is why Parcheesi is called the “Royal Game of India”.

What’s great about Parcheesi is that it’s unpredictable and players can mount big comebacks to win the game.

Encore Board Game – Encore is a singing game, where you try to give clues to the identity of the song by singing 8 or more words. Show off your vocal talents or entertain with really bad renditions of songs. This game is harder than you would think. No song knowledge needed, though it can’t hurt.

Wits & Waters – Another one that’s great for family get-togethers and parties, because Wits and Wagers is designed for kids 10 and up, while it also allows up to 21 players. Wits & Wagers is a trivia game, except the person who guesses right doesn’t win. Instead, you collect the trivia answers on a piece of paper, then wager points on which answer you think is correct. This means the trivia buffs get to show off their talents, while everyone else competes on a level playing field.

Payday – It’s been a while since I played this game, but Payday is always a good way to teach your kids why you’re always telling them to “wait until payday” for us to buy the new toy or new pair of shoes.

Barbarossa – Think of the clay shaping game in your Cranium Board Game and then imagine this as a full game, or imagines Charades with clay. Hilarity is sure to follow when a group of people try guessing what the heck your trying to tell them with your clay. A great way to brake the ice at staid old family reunions, or just have fun with the kids on a rainy day.

More Games to Consider

• Caribou
• Time’s Up
• Kill Dr. Lucky
• Mancala
• Ultimate Werewolf

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There’s a whole list of popular strategy games on the market today, including games that recreate historical wars or battles, classic strategy game scenarios like Diplomacy and Risk, and games that place the action in a fictional setting, like Twilight Imperium and Settlers of Catan.

Some popular strategy games are more unit-based and tactical in nature, while others avoid combat and are more about resource allocation, while others involve player interaction and diplomatic skill. If you have a specific sort of war scenario or test of your skills at warmaking or civilzation building, the chances are there’s a game out there that already caters to your needs.

Many games can be considered strategy games, because you employ one sort of strategy or another to win them: Monopoly, Scrabble, Dungeon & Dragons, Mah Jong, Chess, Checkers, Go, Dominoes, Backgammon. Pretty much you name it and a game requires some strategy to win. I’m going to narrow our terms here and say that strategy games involve war, conquest, diplomacy or the building of nations.

Settlers of Catan

Considered by many to be the best strategy game of the last generation, Settlers of Catan is a German-designed civilization building and resource allocation game. You pretend to be settlers to the island of Catan, where you cultivate gain, wood, brick and other trading interests.

To succeed at Catan, you have to cooperate with your fellow players through commerce and trade. The board can be rearranged each new game to add spice, while there’s a sequel called Starfarers of Catan.

Sid Meier’s Civilization

Released in 1991 as a turn-based strategy game for the PC, Civilization was improved upon all the way down to Civilization IV. Since then, Activision lost right to Civilization and called a later edition Call to Power II, while Sid Meier has gone on to create Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri, Sid Meier’s Railroads! and Master of Magic.

In Civilization, you take one of Earth’s civilizations back in 4000 B.C., start with building cities and armies and roads to get around, and eventually end up in a technological race somewhere else in the world. Sample civilizations included China, Egypt, Azteca, England, Greece, India, Mongolia, Rome and Zululand.

Carcassone

Another German board game, this one the 2001 Game of the Year. Once again, you cultivate fields and build roads and cities. No one is eliminated, while the winner is based on points accumulated.

Illuminati

This 1982 card game by Steve Jackson Games is still one of my favorites to play. Illuminati is the game of world conspiracy, where you take the role of a famous world conspiracy: The UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle, the Gnomes of Zurich, the Discordian Society, the Servants of Cthulhu and the Bavarian Illuminati.

You use the unique powers of each to take over various other organizations, represented by playing cards, ranging from the Pentagon, the CIA, Orbital Mind Control Lasers, the Trekkies, the Porn Industry, the Televangelists, the Republicans, the Democrats, California, New York City, the Boy Scouts and so on.

Each conspiracy must meet a different requirement to win the game, while players are encouraged to game up on one another to keep one side from winning. Illuminati is awesome. Later editions included Illuminati: New World Order and expansions like Brainwash, Y2K and Bavarian Fire Drill.

Risk Board Game

Risk was designed in the middle of the 20th Century and was the original game of world domination. Most of us played Risk at least once as a kid. Risk continues to put out new versions, with a retro version of the old game coming out in 2009. Other editions of Risk included Castle Risk, Edition Napoleon, Risk 2210 A.D., Godstorm (where pantheons get involved), Black Ops (I think later called Reinvention or Risk Factor).

There were also versions of Risk played out in fictional universes, such as Middle Earth (The Lord of the Rings), Star Wars: Clone Wars Edition, Star Wars: Original Trilogy Edition, Narnia, The Transformers Edition and Halo Wars Collector’s Edition.

Each game had its own set of rules, but the original game is still a lot of fun to play, as is.

Axis & Allies

Axis & Allies is a more elaborate version of Risk, with players taking on the role of powers during World War II. Created in 1981 by Avalon Hill and reissued by Milton Bradley in 1984, this game, which was actually older than either of those release dates, was a staple of my childhood.

Later additions to the A&A canon included Axis & Allies: Europe, Axis & Allies: Pacific Theater, Axis & Allies: 1942 and Axis & Allies: 50th Anniversary Edition (50th anniversary of Avalon Hill, I believe). I think there may have been other board games based on D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge and Guadalcanal, too.

Where the units in Risk were all the same, the big difference in Axis & Allies was you had infrantry, tanks, fighters, bombers, navies and the like. You got money for the territories you overran and could choose to use them to buy more units or research secret weapons. Unfortunately, no atom bomb was available. You would have to play Supremacy, another great strategy game of my childhood, to get that option. After nearly 30 years of gameplay, Axis & Allies is still popular and you’ll find it in stores even oday.

Diplomacy

Diplomacy is based more on diplomatic skill and social interaction than army building or strategy. You’ll definitely need to employ a strategy, but how you execute that strategy and your skills at alliance building overshadow the armies.

Backstabbing and conniving are a big part and when you betray your ally often determines who wins, so the game does a great job of making each round and each decision seem to be about the life and death of your nation-state, which are the great powers of Europe in 1900: France, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Turkey and Great Britain.

The twist is that you spend 15 minutes between each round trying to convince the other players to work with you and not against you, then all write down orders for your armies in secret, to be revealed all at the same time. Brilliant.

Warhammer

Warhammer is a wargame set in a fictional world with elves, dwarves, orcs, undead and armies of Chaos. You decide to build armies based on one of those concepts, along with human armies of the Imperium. Warhammer has been around decades, inspiring a first rate RPG and a sequel called Warhammer 40,000, set in deep space.

Warhammer 40,000 is a great wargame, too, because the elves, dwarves and orcs become space marines and so on. Warhammer is an expensive game, because of all the cool miniatures, but it’s great fun.

Puerto Rico

Imagine yourself to be a developer on the island of Puerto Rico, just the same as all the other players in the game. Then imagine your are trying to build mercantile interests, produce goods, trade them on the open market. Puerto Rico is one of the highest rated board games on one or two of the biggest online game sites. There is a card game version named San Juan which is also pretty good, too, though not as good as the board game.

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So you are supposed to plan next week’s office party and you don’t know how to plan office party games. Included below are a number of ways you can approach your work party that hopefully won’t have the rest of your co-workers grumbling. You might even find that the people at your work actually have a good time and forget about the grind for a few hours.

1. Know Your Audience

Know the people in your office so you can plan appropriate games. If you have a bunch of partiers in your office, then they might be bored with many party games. If you have older or more conservative office workers, wilder party games are going to go over like a lead balloon.

Most offices have a selection of people, which can make planning office party games a nightmare. You’ll have to find games to play that are exciting, without being a little too exciting. Get a feel for the personalities in your office by asking around what kind of games each person enjoys.

2. The “No” Game

This is a good way to get to know one another in a mixer, while also playing a game. Fill out a name card or note card and hang it from string or a chain, enough so that people can wear the cards around their necks. Next, write the name of everyone in the office on a separate card and hand them out to the appropriate office staff.

Hand out the cards at the beginning of the event, then have everyone mix and mingle for 15-20 minutes. The one stipulation of this game is that no one can say the word “no” (“know” is okay). If they do, that person must have over their card to the person they are talking with. Whoever collects the most name cards during the mingling wins the game.

3. Break Up a Marriage

If spouses are included, play the game where the spouse impersonate how they believe their husband or wife acts. If the people in your office don’t know each other well outside work, have the rest of the office try to guess who the spouse is impersonating. There really is no better ice breaker than this game.

4. Play Party Games that Have Worked Before

Classic party games like Charades are classics for a reason. Charades is another great ice breaker, because you have people making outrageous gestures and trying to work in teams to solve word puzzles. Because they have to strive to help the rest of the team with their charade, this is likely to get someone to do what they wouldn’t do normally.

5. Texas Hold’em Tournament

A poker tournament might not be as popular as it was 3 to 4 years ago, but this is a good way to enjoy yourselves. Give away a prize for the big winner to keep everyone interested, then divide up by table. Everyone gets the same stack of chips. As soon as a person is eliminated, you can combine tables (if you have multiple tables). Keep going until someone is the big winner.

Casino night can be fun, especially if no one has to put money into the event. Free Texas Holdem tournament shouldn’t offend those gambling sticklers out there and, in the end, it’s just a card game.

Another option is to play Bingo.

6. Celebrity Couples Game

Get post-it notes and fill them out with the name of one-half of a celebrity pair. When the party starts, stick one of these names on each person’s back. That person must mingle with the crowd, trying to find their partner.

The stipulation of the celebrity pairings game is that everyone who speaks with you must pretend to be talking to the famous person on your post-it note. This represents the clues you get. You and the other half of your duo get five minutes to find each other, just as everyone else does the same.

Celebrity Couples

Here’s a short list to get you started. Pick and choose the ones you think are most appropriate or best-known by the crowd in your office party.

• Brad Pitt – Angelina Jolie
• David Beckham – Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice)
• Ellen Degeneres – Portia de Rossi
• Stan Laurel – Oliver Hardy
• Tom Cruise – Katie Holmes
• Jay-Z – Beyonce
• Giselle Bundchen – Tom Brady
• Bud Abbott – Lou Costello
• Faith Hill – Tim McGraw
• Justin Timberlake – Jessica Biel
• Dezi Arnez – Lucille Ball
• Kim Kardashian – Reggie Bush
• Callista Flockhart – Harrison Ford
• Sonny Bono – Cher
• Tony Romo – Jessica Simpson
• Penn Jillette – Teller
• Jim Carrey – Jenny McCarthy
• Kyle Broflovski – Eric Cartman
• Joe Jonas – Camille Bell
• Cheech Marin – Tommy Chong
• Beavis – Butthead

6. Consider a Change of Venue

If at all possible, take the party outside of the normal confines of your office. Having a party in your office still seems like it’s at work. People associate those four walls with the drudgery of work. If you get your co-workers together somewhere they aren’t used to seeing each other, they are more likely to start enjoying themselves and behaving in ways they wouldn’t around the office.

7. Ask for Ideas

Don’t be afraid to ask for ideas from co-workers. There’s no reason to become a party tyrant. The better the planning is, the greater fun everyone will have. You want the party to be a success, first and foremost.

8. Keep It Under Control

Remember to keep things under control. This doesn’t mean ruining everyone’s fun. It only means that sexual harrassment and hard feelings can happen outside the office or during off-hours, too, so don’t let the party take a turn for the worst. You might not be able to foresee these incidents, but don’t pick party games that are going to spiral into an offensive sexual situation.

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Popular video game lists change all the time, but here are some of the most popular video games on the market right now. You’ll notice a large number of sequels and franchises, but those obviously suggest these are successful games with reviewers and the buying public.

I’ve tried to include a wide variety, but no list is going to be complete. Hopefully, readers can find a couple of titles they wouldn’t have normally played. You’ll find games for the Wii, Playstation 3, XBOX 360 and the pc.

Readers will also find a few games that have just released or should release. In these instances, these are video games I expect to be popular or are from franchises that have been popular in the past.

1. Guitar Hero: Modern Hits – You can choose you own favorite from the many new releases of Guitar Hero (On Tour, Decades), but if you prefer to listen to hits from the last 5 years, the latest edition of the Guitar Hero franchise might be to your liking. It didn’t receive the best of reviews, but you have to remember the reviewers are probably 30-somethings who might not prefer the latest music on the scene.
2. Halo 3: ODST – Also known as “Halo 3: Recon” or “Orbital Drop Shock Troopers”, this game places the troopers during the events of Halo 2 and Halo 3. If you love Halo, you’re likely to love this release. If you want a lesson in humility, I suggest you go online to play “Halo Live” and play a few random 13-year olds. Here’s my favorite line from my online gaming experience: “I’m a ninja f—ing assassin!” Believe me; I wasn’t the one saying that line.
3. PS2 LEGO Star Wars – When I first saw the Lego Star Wars game, I thought to myself, “This is gonna suck.” Lego Star Wars ended up being much more playable than most of the other Star Wars games put out over the years, and frankly was one of the best productions of all the Star Wars nonsense put out in the past ten years – movies included.
4. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – Modern battle is the setting, specifically the mountainous borders of Russia in this one. There’s also a Battlefield Vietnam game you can play. With Vietnam and Russia as backdrops for the action, you can get the idea of the brutal action they warrant.  Battlefield includes “destructive environments”, that let you destroy whole buildings now.
5. Mass Effect 2 – The sequel to the hard science fiction action rpg from XBoX, Electronic Arts and BioWare originally. This is the second in what is expected to be a trilogy of popular games. Sent to Eden Prime to recover really important lost tech on a colony world, your officer fights the geth and many other aliens in the original game. Expect more of the same, along with great graphics, in the sequel.
6. Dark Void – This game just released a week ago and I hope it’s good enough to become one of the popular video games of 2010. Dark Void involves a pilot getting lost in the Bermuda Triangle and ending up on a world where he, Nikola Tesla and similar survivors fight an alien race known as the Watchers who were banished from Earth long ago. Retrofitting Watcher technology, the pilot fights against the godlike Watchers to hopefully return to Earth (or maybe just defeat them in this parallel world). This game seems to include the pulpish rocketeer warriors and a little bit of Flash Gordon action, but I could be wrong. I would appreciate any readers with a review or better idea of the game adding their comments.
7. Aliens vs. Predator: Colonial Marines – Another in the long line of AVP games, whcih should be released some time this year. You pretty much know what you’re getting in these first person shooters: alien xenoforms, predators and space marines in a triangle war.
8. The Sims 3 – Called a “strategic life simulation” game, Sims 3 was an instant hit, with 1.4 million sales in the first week alone. With an 86% approval rating from critics, you get to play in a living neighborhood full of simulated people.
9. Killzone 2 – Killzone 2 was released in 2009 and is another tactical first-person shooter, this time for PlayStation 3. “The madness…begins.”
10. Assassin’s Creed II – I wasn’t as big of a fan of this third-person shooter as many gamers, but there’s no denying that Assassin’s Creed was a popular video game, as evidenced by the recent release of a sequel. This game involves modern day Venice, the modern Knights Templar, 15th century Italian intrigues (including contemporaries Niccolo Machiavelli and Pope Alexander VI, aka Rodrigo Borgia), an artifact hunt and all kinds of other craziness. You can play on either the XBOX 360, Playstation 3 or Microsoft Windows operating systems.
11. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – In the latest Grand Theft Auto edition, this time you’re going into Chinatown to shoot things up. Released in October 2009, this is (amazingly) the thirteenth installment in the Grand Theft Auto series.
12. Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time – Another in the Ratchet and Clank franchise for PS3, which have been releasing since 2002. Control the exploits of an anthropomorphic bobcat and his robotic pal as they blow up a bunch stuff.
13. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – This 3rd person action-adventure game was the highest rated game of 2009 by the critics on Metacritic. ‘Nuff said.
14. No More Heroes 2 – This action game for the Sony Wii is a sequel to No More Heroes and should be releasing any day now. Suda51 states that there will be cooler wrestling moves and better sidequests than the original game. The hero, “Travis Touchdown”, will also wield “dual beam katanas”. In the first installment of this franchise, Travis was a fan of professional wrestling and anime (described as an otaku) living in California. When he takes a job to assassinate a notorious killer, Travis becomes the #11 ranked assassin in the United Assassins Association. He sets out to move up the ranks. Now on top, it’s time for people to come out of the woodworks to get Travis, and Travis to arm himself with even cooler weapons than before.
15. Tatsunoko vs Capcom – I don’t know if this fall into the popular games category, but I wanted to mention this game, just because it has great characters from my childhood. Characters you can play in this fighting game include Ken the Eagle, Jun the Swan and Joe the Condor from Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (aka Mark, Princess and Jason from G-Force or Battle of the Planets!), Casshan (Casshern) and Karas (Karas), along with numerous other classics, if you’re a fan of anime.

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How To Throw a Board Game Party

Hosting a board game party is a fun way to bring together a bunch of friends for something besides a drinking party or cookout, where the group can take part in game activities, instead of standing around talking about work. Read how to throw a board game party and take some notes. Assuming you and your friends enjoy board games, you’re likely to own most of the tools you need for hosting.

There are some things to keep in mind, mainly revolving around the idea of keeping the night entertaining, fast-paced and inclusive. So here’s how to host your own board game party.

1. Take a Board Game Survey

Ask around with your party-goers and ask them which board games they enjoy. You don’t want to stock the party with board games the players aren’t going to want to play. All it takes is one or two people not being on board to make a board game night a beating.

2. Avoid Lengthy Games

There are some great games, like Diplomacy, Monopoly or Dungeon Quest, which take far too long to play at a board game party. The idea of the party is to play several games, so try to find games that can be played in 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. This way, your celebrants will be able to fit in 3-5 games for the evening.

If you later want to throw a Monopoly Party or a Risk Party, then plan one and bill it as such.

Here’s a list of random games, if you’re having trouble thinking up a list of shorter board games. There’s no real rhyme nor reason to these games, except that they are highly rated, I enjoy them and they tend to be shorter than Twilight Imperium or other such games.

• Backgammon (5-30 minutes)
• Chinese Checkers (10-120 minutes)
• Kill Dr. Lucky (40 minutes)
• Stratego (30-120 minutes)
• Blokus (20-30 minutes)
• Puerto Rico (90-150 minutes)
• 221B Baker Street (fun game, can’t remember the time frame)
• The Settlers of Catan (60-90 minutes)

3. Avoid 2 Player Games

Along the same lines, avoid two player games, since this is supposed to be a party. You might have a couple of 2 player games in reserve, in case your group plays games of elimination, so those eliminated can continue to participate in fun until the next round of games.

4. Divide Up into Gaming Parties

If you are starting to approach the double digits in number of guests, consider having two game tables and two simultaneous games running. This might divide the time you get to spend with certain friends, but no one wants to play a game that gets bogged down with two many players, or sit and watch others play.

Simply get a second table and set it up in the same room.

5. Serve Snacks

Remember to serve some finger foods and other snacks at your party. Avoid too many dips and sauces, since these will get onto cards and game boards. Cheese and crackers and other such light snacks will be perfect.

Also, have refreshments on hand, including soft drinks, juices and water. Always include a non-sugar drink, in case you have people who can’t or don’t want to drink sweet drinks. Stock some beer, if appropriate.

6. End With a Party Game

After an evening full of strategy and resource management, end with a fun party game to send everyone home in a festive mood. Loaded Questions, Battle of the Sexes, Taboo or Cranium are what I have in mind.

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