Reddit reviews Atlas Gloom

I own all of these (plus quite a few more), and enjoy playing them regularly. Prices are approximately accurate at places like Target, walmart, Amazon, etc. Most games below can be played by up to 4-6 players (some more), but all support a minimum of two. (An important distinction, as many games require 3 or more players.)

$5-10:

• Scrabble/Monopoly are fun if you're both into the classics. For some reason, these are both almost $20 on Amazon, but I've seen them for under/around $10 each at Target/Walmart.
  
• Scrabble Slam (card game) - sets Scrabble on it's ear and adds some adrenaline.
  
• A copy of Hoyle's Rules of Games and a deck of cards.
  
• Uno - One of my favorites - An absolute staple, and works with as many people as you want, though you might want to add a second deck for more than 4-5.
  
• Phase 10 - kind of like a cross between Uno and Rummy.
  
  $10-20:
  
  Here, we start getting into some really interesting ones...
  
  
• Munchkin - One of my favorites - Like pen & paper RPGs? This makes fun of them ALL in a way only a true gamer would get. Plenty of expansions if you get bored.
  
• Guillotine - You're each executioners during the French Revolution, trying to collect the most prestigious heads.
  
• Gloom - You're each one of up to four tragedy-ridden families. Play misery-inducing cards on your family to make them as unhappy as possible before you shove them off into the hereafter, and play happy puppies and fluffy bunnies on your opponent to do the opposite.
  
• Fluxx - The rules are the cards you play. Start with 3 cards, then draw 1 and play 1 each turn. Oh, but now it's draw 3 and play 1, so you'll need to draw 2 more to catch up. Now it's draw 3 and play 5, so play 4 to catch up, except that someone played inflation, so it's draw 4 and play 6... etc.
  
• Citadels Out of the hundreds of games I've played over the years, this is the only one I've seen that claims to have "intrigue"... and really does. Play the role of various nobles, each with different abilities, to gain gold, build cities, and steal from/assassinate your opponents to prevent them from doing the same. The catch? You each play different roles each turn, and the roles are chosen part randomly, and part secretly, so that no one knows who is who until it's too late.
  
  $20-30
  
  
• Carcassone - One of my favorites - Lay down tiles to build cities, roads and farmland, and place your followers to claim them for points. Just because you lay something down doesn't mean someone else won't claim it instead, and claiming it doesn't ensure that you keep it. Lots of strategy involved, and plenty of expansions if you want to change gameplay. Good for up to 5 players, or more with expansions. Has some similarities with Settlers of Catan, to be mentioned shortly.
  
• Chez Geek, House Party Edition - You're all college kids in a dorm, trying to get the most slack points with fun/cool things to do, while reducing slack points in your opponents with annoying cards like car alarms (no sleep), the drunk friend (drinks all your slack-gaining booze), etc. The basic game is under $20, but it's worth it to buy the House Party Edition for $25, as it includes some expansions and extras.
  
• Illuminati - I haven't played this yet, but from what I've read, it's a blast. By Steve Jackson Games, the makers of Munchkin.
  
• Kill Dr. Lucky - Here's a quote from the rules: "You have hated Dr. Lucky for as long as you can remember, and you've been secretly awaiting this perfect chance to do the old man in. Maybe he destroyed your dry cleaning business; maybe you think he's the leader of the vampires. Perhaps he's the only person standing between you and the family fortune. Or maybe his cat just keeps peeing in your shrubs. Whatever your reason, its good enough to push you over the edge, and now you absolutely can't wait to take the lying old bastard down!"
  
  
  $30-50
  A bit pricier here, but some very interesting gameplay is to be found.
  
  
• Settlers of Catan - One of my favorites - no game shelf is complete without it - Build roads and settlements using the tradable resources provided by the areas around your settlements, and the roll of the dice. Note: This is not a two player game. I made an exception here because it rocks, but unfortunately you'll need a third wheel to play.
  
• Dominion - One of my favorites - I grew up with Magic: The Gathering, but disliked always having to buy new cards to be competitive. Gameplay is somewhat similar to Magic, though instead of plinking away at your opponent's health, you are gaining victory points. Also, Dominion includes all of the cards you will need for up to 4 players, and you "build" your deck (similar to Magic), by buying new cards every turn.
  
• Ticket to Ride - Build your train routes across the US (or Europe, if you get that edition) without revealing your destination, because your opponents might cut you off!
  
• Small World - Kind of like a cross between Risk and... something else. Control territory to gain gold, using various races with special abilities. Send your races into decline (continuing to own the territory until it is taken), while expanding out with your new race. Knowing when to send a race into decline makes all the difference.
  
• Red November - You're a bunch of drunken gnomes on a doomed submarine. Put out the fire by shunting the flooded compartment to the burning one, but now there are two flooded compartments and you have to pump them out while the engine has a problem and oh my god it's the kraken. INSANE gameplay, but can be stressful. This has skyrocketed in price (from $30 to $50), probably because they're about to release a revised edition, so the old one is out of print. You might want to wait a month for the new version to come out before you buy this.

Gloom

Guillotine

Munchkin

Bohnanza

High Heel Wine Caddy (not a board game)

Testiculating - talking shit, but with more expansive arm movements.

I've been gifted exactly once, an expansion to a game I don't own yet.

[This] (http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-AG1250-Gloom/dp/158978068X/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3BUYPKWBAKDBD&coliid=I11PEJ6RA5LE4X) is a game I've been wanting for years, and [this yogurt maker] (http://www.amazon.com/Euro-Cuisine-ym100-Automatic-Yogurt/dp/B001KZM4Y4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=S1GF0HLI3KZI&coliid=I3RTUT6FZXO9YP) is super practical.

Congrats /u/crimsonjella!!

CoverON® Hard Slim Design Case for LG G2 ATT TMobile Sprint - with Cover Removal Pry Tool - Black Mustache $2.30

Gloom $20.99

PLR Studio Series .43x High Definition Wide Angle Lens With Macro Attachment + PLR Studio Series 2.2X High Definition Telephoto Lens Travel Kit For The Canon Digital EOS Rebel SL1 (100D), T5i (700D), T4i (650D), T3 (1100D), T3i (600D), T1i (500D), T2i (550D), XSI (450D), XS (1000D), XTI (400D), XT (350D), 1D C, 60D, 60Da, 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D, 10D, 5D, 1D X, 1D, 5D Mark 2, 5D Mark 3, 7D, 6D Digital SLR Cameras Which Has Any Of These (18-55mm, 75-300mm, 50mm 1.4 , 55-200) Canon Lenses $24.99

PLR Optics 58MM +1 +2 +4 +10 Close-Up Macro Filter Set with Pouch For The Canon Digital EOS Rebel SL1 (100D), T5i (700D), T4i (650D), T3 (1100D), T3i (600D), T1i (500D), T2i (550D), XSI (450D), XS (1000D), XTI (400D), XT (350D), 60D, 60Da, 1D C, 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D, 10D, 5D, 1D X, 1D, 5D Mark 2, 5D Mark 3, 7D, 6D SLR Cameras Which Has Any Of These (18-55mm, 75-300mm, 50mm 1.4 , 55-200) Canon Lenses $13.99

Squeezy Freezy Instant Slushy Maker As Seen On TV Ships in random colors $15.45

Energizer CHP4WB4 Recharge Smart AA/AAA Charger with 4 AA NiMH Batteries $17.09

EZOPower Extra Long 6ft Purple Micro-USB 2in1 Sync and Charge USB Data Cable for Samsung, HTC, LG and Other Smartphone $2.99

For a grand total of $97.80

Combine your interests then. There are storytelling card games out there. Two spring to mind:

Once upon a time: http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-AG1250-Once-Upon-Time/dp/1887801006

Gloom: http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-AG1001-Gloom/dp/158978068X/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1342715477&sr=1-1&keywords=gloom

If your kids wind up liking the storytelling, head into role playing. If they like strategy games and the physical presence of the cards, move into MtG.

Guillotine is fantastic. My friends always ask for that one at game night :)

Timeline has become a new favorite to pull out in-between longer games. We're all in our mid-twenties and enjoy trying to remember our high school history and science classes but I think this would be a good game for Redditors that are looking for games to play with their kids as well. There are a few alternate decks--you can mix and match; they're not true "expansions." Bonus: it comes in a very attractive, small, metal tin and is very portable!

Citadels is another card game that can be played with 2-7 players (though it's honestly better with at least 4). First person to build up their medieval-themed city ends the game, however, all players then count points for their city landmarks (so the biggest city is not necessarily the winning city.) It gets a little madcap as you change "profession" (each with their own special ability) every round but I really enjoy it.

For the Redditor with a darker sense of humor, get Gloom ! The creator actually came up with the idea for the game because his wife didn't like being "mean" to other players in games. In this game, you have 4 spooky families that you literally have to kill with kindness! It's quirky and another one that gets asked for fairly frequently at game nights. It's best with 4 players but there are expansion packs available to gain new families and fit more players in.

Wits and Wagers is a trivia game that isn't, where everyone gets a white board and a marker and has to write either a number or date according to the trivia question on the card (how many feet tall is the Statue of Liberty, etc.) Then you arrange the boards and bet with chips on which one you think is correct--the closest answer wins, everyone is dealt chips, and it goes on for 7 rounds in total. Highly recommended!

As someone who looks forward to having the occasional quiet night in with my boyfriend, I find that there are a lot of games that say they can be 2 player but aren't actually any good with any fewer than 3 or 4 players. Lost Cities is a very good 2 player only game where you're playing as much against yourself as the other player. The Amazon reviews are all more or less indifferent or negative so I had put off buying it but after playing it during a visit with a friend, I knew I had to have it. Mr. Jack , though pricier at $30.47 is another very good 2 player only game of cat and mouse. (I haven't tried the pocket version, which is less expensive, but it seems to have favorable reviews.)

OP has a great list so I hope it's "the more the merrier" with my additions (not trying to step on any toes!)

Play on, player

Gloom https://www.amazon.com/dp/158978068X/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Xj3dvb0PCPTMK

I LOVE this game. So much fun. Makes your put on your thinking cap and creativity jacket. Less about who has the most point, but how can make up the best story with the cards they have been dealt. Best. Game. Ever.

Thank you for the contest!

• The Resistance
  
  
• Forbidden Island
  
  
• Carcassonne
  
  
• Gloom
  
  

It reminds me of this game: Gloom.

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-AG1001-Gloom/dp/158978068X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321806101&sr=8-1

Hmmm... this is pretty cool: Schumacher XP400 Instant Portable Power Source

And this looks incredibly fun (in an evil way): Gloom

I took a break from school for a bit; I decided to go back this year. Good luck in your own studies!

flabbergasted

Edit: I totally didn't add a WL item--whoops! Gloom

GLOOM sounds like it might be a good fit for your group - It's a storytelling card game about who can make their victorian family the most miserable, before they kill them off. You get to tell silly baloney stories about the cards you and other people are playing, and it's like improv co-op storytelling. With points, and a winner.

edit: Link

I recently had the opportunity to play this game and it is SO FUN. I highly recommend it!

That being said, I want Jessica to make me a hat! A bear hat! It's so adorbs I can't even control myself. :)

HAPPY HAPPY CAKE DAY!

1. ---
   
2. ---
   
3. No book is currently higher on my want list.
   
4. ---
   
5. Not just an animal.
   
6. Purple and poignant.
   
7. A game for misanthropes.
   
8. A guilty pleasure, albeit one I don't get to partake in too often.
   
9. This tool allows near instant face to face communication.
   
10. This may be from my childhood but its still a part of my life to this day.
    
11. Now hear me out on this one: in order to use this item your organizational skill have to be off the charts.
    
12. I got to live music events and write reviews on them, and writing is one of my three biggest hobbies.
    
13. Not sure it gets nerdier...
    
14. Few things are more natural than hair.
    
15. The Great Old One.
    
16. Something I'd wear all the time.
    
17. A lot of people of people tell me this is funny. I've only played once, and only online.
    
18. ---
    
19. ---
    
20. As a writer, gamer and aspiring video/sound editor, this is the ultimate dream item on my wishlist.
    
    BONUS. Off your High Priority wishlist, the thing that sticks out the most to me, because I'm a war buff, was THIS. Though peronsally, I'd probably grab THIS above the rest.

Here are some of the games my Movie Night/Board Games group loves:

• Last Night on Earth
  
• Gloom
  
• Once Upon a Time
  
• A Touch of Evil
  
• Ticket to Ride Europe
  
• And my Personal Favorite: Betrayal at House on the Hill
  

Oooh! I like board games too!

The one I really want is Tsuro. Have you played it before?

Other ideas for you: Last Christmas, I got [this game] (http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-AG1250-Gloom/dp/158978068X/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1374258452&sr=1-1&keywords=gloom) for reddit secret santa-And it's AWESOME! There are expansions for Gloom too-if you have Gloom and expansions, I would recommend Cthulu Gloom!

boardgames/cardgames:

I recommend Gloom, castle panic, Munchkin (though if he's into boardgames and card games he might already have these)

Edit: also smallworld, settlers,

My favorite gaming memory is probably my first D&D campaign. It's not a kid game, but you said tabletop counts! It was just a really fun experience learning about this whole new gaming world--I'd never played tabletop games before of any kind. I think I made a bard, and I ended up being super useful in this campaign because we needed to suck up to a lot of people. My bard spent like 90% of every day singing and trying to convince NPCs to do stuff, and it was fun to be useful.

I'm still a kid at heart!

There aren't many games on my WL as most games we want are super expensive, but Super Mario Galaxy would be great, or this Gloom game looks pretty fun. Or Wii Music, my brother kept my copy when I moved. In summary, surprise me out of these options if I win because these are the only games on my list (I made it easy, no searching!).

Here's what I'd do if I had to rebuild a collection from scratch for $1k trying to have a wide variety of play styles:

7 Wonders $32.99
Agricola $45.79
Battlestar Galactica $39.97
Carcassonne $30.02
Carcassonne Inns & Cathedrals$15.71
Dixit $22.65
Dominion Big Box $69.18 Prosperity is one of the best expansions; Alchemy is not, but you're pretty much getting it for free in this set.
Eclipse $61.49 It wouldn't be a board game library without a 4X game, and I think Eclipse is the best currently.
Eldritch Horror $40.47 - I love Arkham Horror, but Eldritch streamlines a lot of the fiddly rules of the original.
Formula D [$41.96] (http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-FDUSASM-Formula-D/dp/2914849648/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1395757676&sr=1-1&keywords=formula+d)
Gloom $17.98
Guillotine $13.52
King of Tokyo $30.19
Love Letter $9.34
Memoir 44 $47.43
No Thanks! $9.98
Pandemic $31.65
Power Grid $32.27
Puerto Rico [$31.20] (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-195RGG-Puerto/dp/B00008URUT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395756360&sr=8-1&keywords=puerto+rico)
Race for the Galaxy $24.11
Resistance, The $17.99
Roborally $37.49
Settlers of Catan $37.99
Telestrations $19.99 Awesome and funny party game. My friends and I eventually tire of Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity, but seldom do so with this.
Ticket to Ride $37.24
Ticket to Ride 1910 Expansion $18.21
Tsuro $24.22
Twilight Struggle $49.98
Village $35.47
Wits & Wagers $19.99

That comes up to $946.47; room for a couple more expansions or another game.

Oh man, there's a lot of stuff you can get him that fits the bill.

Maybe the Pac-Man shot glasses, Nun Bowling!, Gloom boardgame (dark humor and very fun), the Man Cave Laws poster, a Doctor Who mug, or a mighty wallet with prints he'd like. I could go on!