get a clue

So, we spent an hour playing the Clue card game tonight. It was a ton of fun. I have to admit, I really enjoy playing card games and board games. Yes, as a Total Dweeb I enjoy the video games (and I'm a-jealous of all who got Halo 2 today, since I won't be playing it for a while), but there's something really fun about sitting down with friends and playing a good game and actually interacting with real people. Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary . . . they're all pretty good. I love trivia games (especially pop culture trivia, etc.) and I enjoy strategy games. I like the feel of moving pieces around the board, or actually using a paper and pencil to write or draw something. I love the jokes that arise as everyone laughs about silly or stupid answers. I love the feel of shuffling cards in my hands and flipping my fingers across the ridges as I try to figure out what my next move will be.

I've seen some classic board games reworked as video games--Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Risk. It's fun, and at times (as in the case of Risk) it may allow for improvements, but there's something about the real thing that is just more satisfying.

It's the same way I feel about books. I spend a lot of time online, and I enjoy reading news, entertainment, etc. on the Net, but nothing beats having an actual book in your hand: dog-earring favorite passages, losing your place as you fall asleep, cracking the spine, feeling satisfaction as you close it for the last time. The physical process of reading is something I love, and I hope that never goes away. Turning pages beats scrolling down the screen any day of the week.

So, that said, if anyone knows any good boardgames we should buy, throw me a comment. Christmas is coming and we'll probably get a game or two to play; I'm always looking for something new and fun. Let me know what you think.