What are some good board games that don't take too long to finish?

Question

Going on vacacion soon, and we need some board games. Nothing like monopoly or risk or any of those complicated games. And take around 30-60 minutes to finish. Like LIFE for example.

Answer 1

try checkers!

Answer 2

Memoir '44 doesn't take too long... It takes somewhere between 1-1.5 hours once everybody has played a few rounds and gets the hang of the game. (That time includes players playing as both sides.)

Answer 3

Trouble!

Answer 4

Settlers of Catan

  by Mayfair Games.

This is an award winning game.  It's relatively short.  It's very easy to learn.  And it's a very social game.  So it lends itself well to discussions while playing.  I highly recommend it.  Check out the pictures and info from Wikipedia.

Answer 5

card game:remy 500

Scarbble

monopoly

Guestures

Answer 6

Some of my favorite suggestion for short games -- though card games tend to work better for short games than board games.

Very Short:

1) No Thanks! (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/12942) A remarkably simple game, but one that always has players asking "Ooh! Just one more!"  Basically, there is a deck of cards numbered 3-35, and each player begins the game with a number of chips.  Some cards are removed from the deck and set aside.  Then, one card is flipped up, and a player must either take the card, or pass by putting a chip on the card.  When a player chooses to take a card, that player takes the card and all of the chips that have been played on it...  The key is that at the end of the game, a player's score is the sum of all of the cards the player has taken, less the number of chips he or she holds, and players want to have the _Lowest_ score... but also, cards that are captured in runs (e.g. 23-24-25) only count as the lowest card in the run.  It plays in under 10 minutes, but is a good game that I've always had go over well.  Available online or at specialty game shops. 3-5 players.

2. Can't Stop -- (BoardGameGeek.com entry for Can't Stop : http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/41) A classic press-your luck dice game.  Basically, there is a board that is laid out with columns headed with the numbers 2-12.  On a player's turn, that player rolls four dice, and must pair up the numbers to place one of the three markers in a column (e.g. 3+4 = 7, so a marker in the 7 column).  On all subsequent rolls, the player must be able to pair up two of the dice to advance a marker in a column, or place one of the remaining markers... if all of the markers are in columns, and no combination of the dice allows one of them to move, the player has "busted" and their turn is over.  A player can opt to Stop (despite the game's title) and place a holder marker on the space where the temporary markers are located.  The goal of the game is to progress to the top of the columns to "capture" them (and columns that are "captured" are closed for the remainder of the game).  The first player to capture three columns wins.  Plays in 10-20 minutes.  Available online and at specialty game stores (and an older version can sometimes be found at thrift stores).  2-4 players.

3. For Sale (BoardGameGeek.com entry for For Sale : http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/172) -- a quick game of auctions and property.  The goal of For Sale is to make quick money buying and selling properties.  Basically, the game consists of two decks of cards: the properties (numbered 1-30) and checks (two each of 2K-15K, and two Voids).  Also, there is money for the players to bid.  In the first round of the game, there is an auction for players to buy the properties.  A number of properties are laid out, one for each player.  Then the players bid on the properties... each bid must be larger than a previous bid. If a player passes, he must put half of the money he bid (if he bid any) into the bank, and takes the lowest-numbered property available... this continues until all players have passed but one, and he takes the highest-valued property and pays his whole bid to the bank.  These auction rounds continue until all of the properties have been sold.  In the second round of the game, a number of checks are turned up corresponding to the number of players.  Each player selects a property from his hand and holds it face down until all players have selected.  Then all the properties are revealed, and the player playing the highest numbered property takes the largest check, all the way down to the player with the lowest-numbered property taking the lowest check.  After all of the properties have been sold this way, players tally their checks (and any money left over from the first round), and the highest dollar total wins.  Plays in 10-15 minutes, 3-5 players.  Available online or at specialty game shops.

Longer games (but still within your timeframe):

1. Ticket to Ride - Germany's Game of the Year 2005. (BoardGameGeek.com entry for Ticket to Ride - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9209) This is a great game for families and groups of friends. Players get points by building routes across a map of the United States by collecting and playing colored train cards that correspond to the routes. In addition to getting points for the length of the routes played, each player has secret goals of destinations that need to be linked by their train cars, and players who complete their secret goals receive bonus points at the game's end. Available online or at specialty game stores (and some Toys R Us). 2-5 players, 45-75 minutes.

2. Through the Desert (BoardGameGeek.com entry for Through the Desert - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/503).  Through the Desert is a simple game of building connections and enclosing area.  Basically, there is a game board that is divided up into hexagons.  The set-up has some of these spaces covered with numbered "Water Hole" chips (worth points at the end of the game, and "Oasis" trees.  There are little plastic camels in five colors, and each player gets a colored rider to put on one of each to signify their "caravan leader".  In the set-up, players put out their "caravan leader" for each of the five colors.  In the game-play, a player may put down two camels of any color, so long as they connect to their existing "caravan" of that color, and do not touch another player's "caravan" of that color.  Placing camels on the water hole chips allows that player to pick them up, connecting a "caravan" to an oasis gains a player points, and points are awarded at the end of the game for the player who has the longest caravan in each color, as well as points for any areas completely enclosed by a player's "caravan".  2-5 players, Plays in about 25-45 minutes.  Available online or at specialty stores.

There is also a wealth of games out there that would fit your criteria, these are only five.  There are 1500-2000 new games that come out every year that aren't Monopoly, Life, Uno, or Trivial Pursuit.

Answer 7

Othello

Answer 8

candy land

chutes and ladders

go fish

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...

Answer 9

sorry, backgammon, chess, checkers, mouse trap, operation, parchesi, are just some if you need others you could google some these are the ones i think would be the best

Answer 10

Not exactly board games, but:

Don't Go To Jail

Milles Borne

Uno

Free Parking

Advance to Boardwalk

Skunk