LoC #62 - Top 50 Tabletop Games

[Compound]

 

# 33: Go Fish

42 Points (On 5 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#9 by Mrs. Dick Courier)

Publication Date: Unknown
 
Number of Players: 2-6
 
Designed by: Unknown
 
Publisher: Public Domain
 
Description:
Using a standard 52-card deck, five cards are dealt to each player, or seven if there are four or fewer. The remaining card pack is shared between the players, usually sprawled out in a non-orderly pile referenced as the "ocean" or "pool".

The player whose turn it is to play asks another player for his or her cards of a particular rank. For example, "Steve, do you have any threes?" The player who is asking must have at least one card of the rank he asked for in his hand. The recipient of the request must then hand over a card of that rank, if he has any. If the recipient of the request has none, he tells the player to "go fish," and the player draws a card from the pool and ends his turn. If the player receives the card he wanted (through either means), he may take another turn. If the player is now holding a pair of one rank, he may place the cards face up in front of himself.
 
Hey, How Do I Win This
When a player runs out of cards they win.
 
Fun Gaming Facts:
A few variants of the game exist. In some versions, you need to collect books rather than pairs, i.e. 4 of a kind. In other variants, you need to show that you have a card of a rank before asking for it, and in still other versions you need to ask for specific cards, i.e. 3 of clubs.
 
Dice:
No, our diceless run continues.
 
Purple and Orange?:
Generally no as standard card decks are used. A few versions use, for example, animals instead of suites and numbers and other colors might sneak in that way.
 
Awards & Stuff:
None.
 
Related Games that Received Votes:
 
Related Games that Didn't Receive Votes:
Literature, where players gain points for guessing who holds what set of cards. Okay, it's only really similar since it's called Fish in some places.
 
Hey! It's an Amazon link with the price! $8.49
 
Next Turn:
I apologize for the next entry.

[Compound]

# 32: Sorry

42 Points (On 6 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#6 by Thor)

Publication Date: 1929

Number of Players: 2-4

Designed by:   Paul T. Haskell Jr. & William Henry Storey

Publisher: Parker Brothers/ Hasbro

Description:
Race your four game pieces from Start around the board to your Home in this Parcheesi type game. By turning over a card from the draw deck and following its instructions, players move their pieces around the game board, switch places with players, and knock opponents' pieces off the track and back to their Start position.

Slides are located at various places around the game board. When a player's piece lands at the beginning of one of these slides not of its own color, it automatically advances to the end, removing any opponent's piece on the slide and sending it back to Start.

Game moves are directed exclusively by cards from the play-action deck. If one plays the normal version in which one card is drawn from the deck each turn, the outcome has a huge element of luck. Sorry can be made more of a strategic game (and more appealing to adults) by dealing five cards to each player at the start of the game and allowing the player to choose which card he/she will play each turn. In this version, at the end of each turn, a new card is drawn from the deck to replace the card that was played, so that each player is always working from five cards.

A player's fortunes can change dramatically in one or two rounds of play through the use of Sorry cards, the "11" cards (which give the player the option of trading places with an opponent's piece on the track), and the fact that it is possible to move from Start to Home without circumnavigating the full board by making judicious use of the "backward 4" cards.

Hey, How Do I Win This?
Get all your pieces to home before the other players do.

Fun Gaming Facts:
Well, there's a Spongebob Squarepants version of Sorry. And a Spider-Man 3 version. And Neopets. And a Splash Mountain version too.

And according to Randall Munroe, there are very few variants of Strip Sorry out there. Please don't try to create some.

Dice:
None, although there is a Sorry branded dice game where you try to roll your colors. And Sorry Express uses dice instead of cards. But hey, no one voted for that.

Purple and Orange?:
Nope. Boring old 4 standard colors.

Awards & Stuff:
Games Magazine Hall of Fame Inductee

Related Games that Received Votes:
The previously mentioned Trouble.

Related Games that Didn't Receive Votes:


Hey! It's an Amazon link with the price! $20.61

Next Turn:
Justin Bei... oh. Wait. I miscounted. Instead, I flail about trying to decipher a game's rules again.

[Compound]

# 31: Spades

45 Points (On 2 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#1 by thor)

Publication Date: 1938

Number of Players: 4

Designed by: Unknown

Publisher: Public Domain

Description:
This trick-taking game is a standard deck playing card game and takes on many different group-specific rules. Generally speaking, each player is given thirteen cards and a partner who sits across the table. Each player bids the number of tricks he'll take, and then the partners collectively attempt to take at least as many as they bid. The tricks are fairly standard with following suit if you can, and spades as the trump suit. If you make your bid you earn ten times the number of tricks you bid, otherwise you lose that many points. Plus there is usually a nil bid, which means you personally won't take any tricks but your partner still plays as normal.

Hey, How Do I Win This?
Score 500 points and then return the ruby to the boat while avoiding the other players and the giant fireballs trying to knock you into the smoldering pit.

Fun Gaming Facts:
Spades is part of the Whist family of games, which include Bridge, Hearts and the aptly named Oh, Hell.

Spades can also be traced back to a place of Origin: Cincinnati, OH. It spread in popularity during World War II as Ohio residents taught it to other GIs. Gee, thanks Greatest Generation.

Dice:
No.

Purple and Orange?:
No.

Awards & Stuff:
None.

Related Games that Received Votes:

Related Games that Didn't Receive Votes:


Hey! It's an Amazon link with the price! Really? Not one in the game area right now? Well, try this deck of cards for $3.70

Next Turn:
Probably the only game on the list which has a music video about people destroying a copy of it.

[Compound]

# 30: Mouse Trap

45 Points (On 5 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#13 by Pak-Man)

Publication Date: 1963
 
Number of Players: 2-4
 
Designed by: Gordon Barlow, Marvin Glass, Harvey Kramer, Burt Meyer, Sid Jackson
 
Publisher: Milton Bradley/ Ideal
 
Description:
Mouse Trap pits 2-4 players against each other as mice trying to navigate through a complex mousetrap. They build the Rube Goldberg inspired mousetrap as they move their mice across the board. They also try to collect cheese cards, which allow them to move other mice to cheese wheel which is the bait for the trap. Once the mousetrap has been completely constructed, players can attempt to capture each others' mice in it by turning the crank, which activates the mousetrap. If the mousetrap doesn't malfunction, the mouse is captured and out of the game.
 
Hey, How Do I Win This
The winner is the last mouse who avoids being trapped.
 
Fun Gaming Facts:
In a proper operation, the player turns the crank, which rotates a vertical gear, connected to a horizontal gear. As that gear turns, it pushes an elastic-loaded lever until it snaps back in place, hitting a swinging boot. This causes the boot to kick over a bucket, sending a marble down a zig-zagging incline (the "rickety stairs") which feeds into a chute. This leads the marble to hit a vertical pole, at the top of which is an open hand, palm-up, which is supporting a larger ball (changed later on to a marble just like the starter one). The movement of the pole knocks the ball free to fall through a hole in its platform into a bathtub, and then through a hole in the tub onto one end of a seesaw. This launches a diver on the other end into a tub which is on the same base as the barbed pole supporting the mouse cage. The movement of the tub shakes the cage free from the top of the pole and allows it to fall.
 
In 2006, the game was re-released in the United Kingdom with a completely new design in which there are three mousetraps, and in which the board and plastic components are completely different. The most obvious change is the addition of a model toilet at the top of the tallest part of the game which also serves as an activation method for any of the mousetraps. Another key difference is that all of the mousetrap is set up in advance of the game. It has been criticized for flimsy parts and non working sections of the traps. The UK also had a game show version of the game where children participated in a life sized version of the game.
 
The intersection of I-25 and I-70 in Denver was referred to as "The Mouse Trap" for many years, but it generally had fewer bowling balls than the game.

Oh, yeah. The aforementioned video.
 
Dice:
Yes. Generally one six sided die is used.


Purple and Orange?:
No, generally the standard four colors are used, with an occasional nod towards real mouse colors like grey or brown.
 
Awards & Stuff:
None.

Related Games that Received Votes:
 
 
Related Games that Didn't Receive Votes:
 
Hey! It's an Amazon link with the price!  $25.48
 
Next Turn:
#20-29!  Trains, discs, gold mines, beads, crayons and sigh, even more cards. Next time!

[CJones]

I'm kind of surprised Sorry got so many votes. I think I had it at #25. The version I have belonged to my mom when she was a kid. This house has been in our family since 1943, and it is jam packed with old crap (and I love it that way).

Go Fish huh. IMO the second most boring game to use the standard 52 card deck. #1 being War of course.

[Johnny Unusual]

Go Fish huh. IMO the second most boring game to use the standard 52 card deck. #1 being War of course.

Really?  More than War?

[D.B. Barnes]

# 32: Spades

45 Points (On 2 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#1 by thor)

I have to say, it was mighty nice of the god of thunder to take time out of his busy schedule to compile a list of his favorite tabletop games.

[AmazingThor]

I have to say, it was mighty nice of the god of thunder to take time out of his busy schedule to compile a list of his favorite tabletop games.

That's why I'm AMAZING Thor

[Thrifty]

# 31: Mouse Trap

45 Points (On 5 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#13 by Pak-Man)

Fun Gaming Facts:
In a proper operation, the player turns the crank, which rotates a vertical gear, connected to a horizontal gear. As that gear turns, it pushes an elastic-loaded lever until it snaps back in place, hitting a swinging boot. This causes the boot to kick over a bucket, sending a marble down a zig-zagging incline (the "rickety stairs") which feeds into a chute. This leads the marble to hit a vertical pole, at the top of which is an open hand, palm-up, which is supporting a larger ball (changed later on to a marble just like the starter one). The movement of the pole knocks the ball free to fall through a hole in its platform into a bathtub, and then through a hole in the tub onto one end of a seesaw. This launches a diver on the other end into a tub which is on the same base as the barbed pole supporting the mouse cage. The movement of the tub shakes the cage free from the top of the pole and allows it to fall.

That's not how it works.  You turn the crank, which snaps the plank, and boots the marble right down the chute.  Now watch it roll and hit the pole and knock the ball in the rub-a-dub tub, which flips the man, into the pan.  The trap is set; here comes the net.

[Johnny Unusual]

# 31: Mouse Trap

45 Points (On 5 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#13 by Pak-Man)

Fun Gaming Facts:
In a proper operation, the player turns the crank, which rotates a vertical gear, connected to a horizontal gear. As that gear turns, it pushes an elastic-loaded lever until it snaps back in place, hitting a swinging boot. This causes the boot to kick over a bucket, sending a marble down a zig-zagging incline (the "rickety stairs") which feeds into a chute. This leads the marble to hit a vertical pole, at the top of which is an open hand, palm-up, which is supporting a larger ball (changed later on to a marble just like the starter one). The movement of the pole knocks the ball free to fall through a hole in its platform into a bathtub, and then through a hole in the tub onto one end of a seesaw. This launches a diver on the other end into a tub which is on the same base as the barbed pole supporting the mouse cage. The movement of the tub shakes the cage free from the top of the pole and allows it to fall.

That's not how it works.  You turn the crank, which snaps the plank, and boots the marble right down the chute.  Now watch it roll and hit the pole and knock the ball in the rub-a-dub tub, which flips the man, into the pan.  The trap is set; here comes the net.

Here it comes!  Any second now.... any... uh, let's just play Crossfire.

[Thrifty]

# 31: Mouse Trap

45 Points (On 5 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#13 by Pak-Man)

Fun Gaming Facts:
In a proper operation, the player turns the crank, which rotates a vertical gear, connected to a horizontal gear. As that gear turns, it pushes an elastic-loaded lever until it snaps back in place, hitting a swinging boot. This causes the boot to kick over a bucket, sending a marble down a zig-zagging incline (the "rickety stairs") which feeds into a chute. This leads the marble to hit a vertical pole, at the top of which is an open hand, palm-up, which is supporting a larger ball (changed later on to a marble just like the starter one). The movement of the pole knocks the ball free to fall through a hole in its platform into a bathtub, and then through a hole in the tub onto one end of a seesaw. This launches a diver on the other end into a tub which is on the same base as the barbed pole supporting the mouse cage. The movement of the tub shakes the cage free from the top of the pole and allows it to fall.

That's not how it works.  You turn the crank, which snaps the plank, and boots the marble right down the chute.  Now watch it roll and hit the pole and knock the ball in the rub-a-dub tub, which flips the man, into the pan.  The trap is set; here comes the net.

Here it comes!  Any second now.... any... uh, let's just play Crossfire.

CROSSFIRE!!!!!!

You'll get caught up in the

CROSSFIRE!!!!!!

The commercials made that game look ridiculously difficult.

[Darth Geek]

# 31: Mouse Trap

45 Points (On 5 of 14 lists)
Highest Vote: (#13 by Pak-Man)

Fun Gaming Facts:
In a proper operation, the player turns the crank, which rotates a vertical gear, connected to a horizontal gear. As that gear turns, it pushes an elastic-loaded lever until it snaps back in place, hitting a swinging boot. This causes the boot to kick over a bucket, sending a marble down a zig-zagging incline (the "rickety stairs") which feeds into a chute. This leads the marble to hit a vertical pole, at the top of which is an open hand, palm-up, which is supporting a larger ball (changed later on to a marble just like the starter one). The movement of the pole knocks the ball free to fall through a hole in its platform into a bathtub, and then through a hole in the tub onto one end of a seesaw. This launches a diver on the other end into a tub which is on the same base as the barbed pole supporting the mouse cage. The movement of the tub shakes the cage free from the top of the pole and allows it to fall.

That's not how it works.  You turn the crank, which snaps the plank, and boots the marble right down the chute.  Now watch it roll and hit the pole and knock the ball in the rub-a-dub tub, which flips the man, into the pan.  The trap is set; here comes the net.

Here it comes!  Any second now.... any... uh, let's just play Crossfire.

CROSSFIRE!!!!!!

You'll get caught up in the

CROSSFIRE!!!!!!

The commercials made that game look ridiculously difficult.

Didn't one of the kids from the Crossfire commercials look like Ryan Reynolds? I remember thinking that from the Nostalgia Critic's video about commercials.

[Mrs. Dick Courier]

I totally forgot Guess Who, that was a fun game.

[Kete]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Dkc2vYUEA9w" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Dkc2vYUEA9w</a>

[Thrifty]

Go Fish huh. IMO the second most boring game to use the standard 52 card deck. #1 being War of course.

I had trouble coming up with 25, so I had to fill out the bottom of the list with card games.  Go Fish was one of them.