10 - Kill Dr. Lucky - Dr. Lucky was created by Cheapass games, who certainly live up to their moniker. The game is very inexpensive at $7.50, comprised entirely of paper with a couple wooden and plastic pawns to denote the player. You run all over the mansion (think Clue), trying to kill Dr. Lucky by being in a room with the old man when out of line-of-sight with other players. The best part of the game is the colorful commentary for failing to kill him, such as the floor squeaking or a flash and a puff of smoke. A sequel called, "Save Dr. Lucky" lacks some of the atmosphere and original gameplay, and there is a board game version now available for $35, but the original is still the best version.
9 - Fluxx - All the rules for this game are printed on the cards; draw one, play one. The game gets tricky, however, as the rules get more complicated. Draw five and play two, hand limits, and a changing goal make it a great game for a lazy afternoon or night of drinking. Just keeping track of what you need to get done each turn is a challenge in and of itself, and you will find yourself laughing at how absurd the rule combinations can become. An excellent casual game with a play time of five to fifteen minutes per round.
8 - Hoopla - Cranium games tend to all be derivatives of each other. Hoopla, however, scales well from one to eight players. Instead of playing against each other, the group plays against the clock. Your job is to guess what is on the card of the player whose turn it is through one of four minigame genres: drawing, acting, "bigger than smaller than," and tongue-tied, in which the player may only use words beginning with the same letter. Everyone must guess all of the cards before the timer runs out. The emphasis on gameplay over competing and low cost (less than $10) make this an easy recommendation.
7 - Rummikub - Each player begins with 14 tiles of random numbers between one and thirteen of four different colors. The goal is to get rid of all your numbers by matching them up with other tiles in sequence or in packs, with sequences required to be of the same color and packs of opposing colors. Once the tiles are in play, they can be rearranged. If it sounds complicated, think of it as a pattern recognition game, and a very good one. This is great for families with between two and four players.
6 - Taboo - As far as party games go, it does not get much better than Taboo. Players break into two teams, with one member of each team given a card with a word on it. They need to get their team to guess the word without saying any of the other five words on the card. Simple, but once the other words get your brain in their frame of mind, it can be tough to think of anything else. Simple, fun, challenging, and works equally well sober as inebriated.
5 - Carcassonne - The first of three "Eurogames" in the top ten, Carcassone is a game of building. The players draw alternating square-shaped tiles whose art fits together. Where the player places their tiles determines how many points they score, and creative tile placement can hinder an opponent while helping the player. Playable by two to five individuals, Carcassonne is more versatile than some of the other party games, and should appeal particularly to gamers who play primarily with one other person. Also available on XBox360.
4 - Puerto Rico - Players are charged with successfully colonizing a certain island in the Caribbean. You score points for sending crops and resources by boat back to the motherland. The problem is that there is only so much room on the ships, and each ship can only carry one type or resource. The odd thing about Puerto Rico is that nothing is random except who goes first. There are no dice or other variations for the rest of the game, yet each game ends up being completely different, strategically speaking. This is one of the best strategy games available, and is highly recommended for two (variant rules available online are quite good) or more players that enjoy games of strategy and cunning.
3 - Scrabble - Has anyone not played Scrabble? Spell words using randomly drawn tiles and existing words on the board. The added bonus is that you get to show off your vocabulary, which is otherwise mocked and chided by your peers. Seriously, who uses words like "bifurcate" in daily conversation? Geeks like the author, for one. Sadly, he takes immense satisfaction bashing opponents with his vernacular as much as dropping a high-point letter on the triple-word score for a 30-point 3-letter word.
2 - Cards - The best part about cards is you can pick up a deck anywhere, they are cheap, and everyone knows at least a couple games. From Crazy Eights to Bridge, there are card games for everyone. Their versatility and universal appeal, not to mention the value of knowing a couple gambling games (for networking and hobnobbing with the boss, not actually making money, of course; wink wink), makes playing cards an easy vote for number two.
1 - Settlers of Catan - A game of luck, skill, and economics, Settlers relies on shrewd and timely trading strategy as much as a roll of the dice. No game is complete without someone getting slighted and refusing to trade with another player. It is an excellent introduction to Eurogames for neophytes and novices alike, and offers equally great fun for the family or a drunken group of like-minded geeks on a weekend. Also available on XBox360.
Honorable Mentions: Magic: The Gathering is a great card game, but is prohibitively expensive for casual play (the wife and author play). Further, to get cards you generally have to venture into the den of the uber-nerd, and nobody wants to get involved in a conversation with that guy. Also good for a lark are Jenga, Pictionary, and Scattergories, the latter being a favorite of the author's wife. Role playing gamers and fans of stories might also enjoy Betrayal at House on the Hill from Avalon Hill. The game is a combination of room discovery and storytelling that makes for some great fun in the right crowd.
For more great game suggestions, visit Board Game Geek.