The holidays have come and gone, and if you were like me, you were surrounded by friends and family. Even if you were too busy to bust out your favorite childhood board game, you may still be in luck. We northerners are unfortunately stuck inside during the bitter cold months of January and February, so we have plenty of time for indoor fun. If you’re struggling to find something to do on these short, sunlit days and you’re looking for bragging rights, here are a few classic games that could be a hit around the kitchen table.
Board Games That Give You Bragging Rights
Sorry!
The game that teaches you at a young age to be an a**hole! Sorry! never goes out of style. Whether you pick the red, blue, green, or yellow pawns, bumping your opponent back to start gets no sweeter. Get revenge on every member of your family, hoping they don’t take it personally.
Just make sure that you watch your back because what comes around, goes around. It may be funny to laugh at Mom or little Suzy when you slide into them, sending them back to start. Make sure you’re prepared when they draw that dreaded Sorry card to say “bye-bye” to one of your precious pawns.
Risk
Who doesn’t love alliances, treaties, and world domination? I sure do! The board game that encourages dictatorship as your army attempts to take over the world! Is your strategy to build your army in Africa or South America, with limited borders? Maybe you have the gift of gab, so you settle in North America and make an alliance with your neighbor to the south, eliminating one border threat.
Are you the guy who takes over Australia, sits in the corner, slowly building your army? There are limited entry ways into your continent, and an easy border to protect. Or are you placed smack dab in the middle of the board, trying to fight off rivals from every direction in Europe? If that’s the case, you may get nicknamed “One-turn Jake,” and your risky adventures may be short-lived. I hope you’ll be able to find something else to do for a few hours.
13 Dead End Drive
I bet most of you have never played this board game, let alone played it. This might be the 1990s best hidden gem. It takes a bit to set up, but once it’s good to go, this game is great. We have all wanted to “off” our siblings at one point or another (not in a serious manner). This game allows you to do so in tremendous fashion. You can drop chandeliers and statues, throw them down the stairs or off a ladder, and you can even burn them in the fireplace.
Divide the characters up between the fam and enjoy trying to murder each other. To spice things up, put a few dollars on it. The last survivor wins the prize. Everything is better with a little bit of cash on it, am I right? In this game, you can move any character and attempt to kill everyone. So with your hidden identities on the cards, who knows who will be the last person (or cat) standing!
UNO
Ok, ok, I know, I know! It’s not technically a board game, but it’s UNO! I am pretty sure this game has caused at least one divorce because of its high-tension, competitive nature. One in Spanish should be a staple in every household! It brings families together as much as it tears them competitively apart! Just as you think you’re going out, here comes Papa with a draw four card, telling little Petey to “sit the hell down, Son!”
If UNO wasn’t exceptional on its own, if you have tried the alternative games, they may be even better than the original. UNO Flip and UNO No Mercy are great versions of the game. Flip gives you an alternative dimension, sending you to the Upside Down. No Mercy preys on your fears like Vecna, sometimes forcing you to draw more than 10 cards!
Final Thoughts
I know I am late to the “board” game, and this could have been useful before the holidays. Since I won’t see the sun much for the next 60 days or so, being here in Detroit for the winter, it still seems like a good time for it. Hopefully you’re lucky like me, who has a family that loves to play board games. And if you’re dating someone who doesn’t enjoy them, they may be a psychopath, just kidding, but for real!
