MagniHarvald said:
So Boardgame-Age, I'm searching for a boardgame that must pretty versatile, anywhere from 4-7 players (or less/more obviously), easily understandable for 12-year-olds, but not too boring for adults, and where the games don't last more than an hour..
What'd be my best bet? =)
Like Astrolad there are a lot games that fit your criteria. Here are some of my favorites:
Card Games
Guillotine - 2 -5 Players - Card game where you play cards to shuffle the line of Nobles who are waiting to get executed. The theme is a little lighter than it sounds.
Totally Renamed Spy Game (Before I kill you Mr. Bond) 3 -6 Players (Playable with 2) - Each player plays an evil genius who is building a lair to attract higher numbered spys. Kill off the spy get the points. You can also play "taunt" cards that will give you more points when the spy is killed. It's an easy game to learn and really quick to play.
Bang - 4 - 7 - A take on the game Werewolf with a Spaghetti Western theme. Each player is dealt a role (Sheriff, Deputy, Outlaw, Renegade) and a character. The roles are hidden, except for the Sheriff, and they each have their own objective. The Sheriff needs to kill the Outlaws and the Renegade, the Deputy helps the Sheriff, the Outlaw needs to kill the Sheriff, and the Renegade needs to be the last man standing. The game is easy to learn and play and can get crazy with the right group.
Party Games
Wits and Wagers - 3 -21 Players (Honestly you can probably play this with a ton more people) It's a trivia game where you don't need to know the answers. Every answer is numerical players write down their answer and place them face down on the board. The answers are then organized in descending order on a betting mat with various odds listed on them. The players then bet on which answer they think is closest to the right answer with out going over. The game plays out in 7 rounds at the end whoever has the most chips is the winner. There is a family edition out where the questions are more geared towards children and the betting is a little easier for younger kids to grasp.
Apples to Apples - 4 - 10 - Everybody is dealt a hand of cards with nouns written on them. The "referee" then flips over a card with a description on it. The players through in the card that best matches the description and the ref chooses the best one. Really easy to play and great is a big group.
Board Games
Robo Rally - 2 - 8 - You play a super computer who is programming robots for a race. At the start of your turn you play 5 movement cards in the order you wish for the movement to be carried out. During the turn you flip over a card and perform that movement. Seems easy enough, except, everybody is doing the same thing. Only one robot can be in a spot at the same time so there is a lot of bumping and shooting going on. The game can be difficult for people with poor spatial reasoning but honestly, half the fun is seeing your best laid plans go to shit because of one step is wrong in your program or your opponent knocks you off your path.
Ticket to Ride 2 - 5 - Play cards to build trains in order to connect the cities on your tickets. This is a super simple game that is still a blast to play. The more players you have the more the competition for routes and that's when things becomes really interesting.
Nuns on the Run 2 - 8 players - In this game players play the part of Novices or Prioress and Abbess. The object is for the novices to sneak out of their rooms and grab their secret wish. The Abbess and Prioress need to find these novices and send them back to their rooms. The twist is the Novice players are moving around in secret using a notepad for their movements. The players playing the Prioress and Abbess can only see the players if they cross their line of sight or if they heard them. I only played this once so far but it's a good game.
There are more but I'm done typing for now. Hope this helps.