Screw Colonizing the New World. I Want to F*ck Something. [A Geeklist Containing Excellent Dexterity Games]
United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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Don't get me wrong. I enjoy colonizing the new world, European imperialism, constructing medieval monuments, corporate takeovers, ancient Egypt, German politics, the Cold War, and Mediterranean civilizations just as much as the next gamer. Participating in a contest of wits with a group of adults can be very stimulating (and even enjoyable).
However, in certain situations, stuffy adult games and mature themes just won't cut it. In part, gaming is a form of escapism. I game to forget about that annoying coworker, the mortgage payment, tedious yardwork, looming deadlines, overdue credit card bills, and automobile maintenance. It is fun to discard the heavy mantle of adulthood and regress every now and then.
Think back to your childhood. Did you ever use the term suboptimal play, suffer from analysis paralysis, or debate the differences between strategy and tactics? No. Did you worry about seating order bias, prefer games with little downtime, or have a least-favorite mechanism? No.
Here on the geek, many of the most popular games are disguised as adult activities. Games are structured, processional, and analytical. As children, play was a lively, carefree activity that was largely experiential. As a kid, play was fun. Yes, play was rollicking, boisterous, jocular, carefree, uproarious fun. How often can you say that about your weekly session of Puerto Rico or Caylus?
This list is dedicated to dexterity games that have the ability to make even the most hardened, stoic adult gamers approach play with a child-like wonder and naivety. So,
Screw Colonizing the New World. I Want to Flick Something.
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Has to be played to be believed. Lots of "ooohs", "aaahs", and "no WAYS" after some of the shots."
"Just one more time!"
"This is the best table-top skill game out there, bar none."
"What a hoot!"
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Peter Batterton
United States
Georgetown
Texas
Seriously though, he looks just like me . . . .
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Here is another good one. With a bit of strategy even. And a really big board. And cool bits. Great fun at anytime. Some of the optional rules can add quite a bit to playability and move it past a "move and shoot" game.
Plus its "Piraty"! 
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28.
Board Game: Paleo
[Average Rating:6.84 Unranked]
United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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Although there aren't any comments yet, this game seems very interesting.
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"It's tiddlywinks battle galore!"
"Sure its a simple premise and a goofy dexterity game, but it is lots of fun and is good for a laugh."
"I cannot help it, I just love it :-)"
"For me, boardgame perfection. Skill-driven dexterity game....but with a touch of chaos as your luck varies with each shot; sometimes you'll make the most amazing cross-board shot, and sometimes you'll fumble hitting the enemy adjacent to you."
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Nathan Beeler
United States
Seattle
Washington
Really? Hovertext? Whatever.
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I can't believe no one has added this. Maybe it's not the best dexterity game out there, but on occasion it can be a riot. Any game that has more clean-up time than game time can't be all bad.
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"I love Crokinole and I love Elchfest, but this takes dexterity games to a new level of excitment!!! Not so much skill is needed though a good aim will go a long way. A rare gem that gets me hootin' and hollerin' while playing! This has going straight to the top of our most played games at our club game days. The only problem I've experienced is that after a few hours of hearing the disks banging around, headaches abound! (and no one can figure out why!)"
"Great game, one of the most fun and "laugh while you play" dexterity games I have ever played. Great for setting the mood for a fun and silly game night, or for polishing off the game night with a rousing and fast game."
"This game is crack on acid! So fun, so fast, and anyone who doesnt like it needs a punch in the stomach."
"This game is a blast -- fast, vicious, and chaotic! If you like Crokinole, you'll probably like Passe-Trappe and yet it won't feel duplicative."
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Needle
Australia
Leichhardt
NSW
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"...but it gets an 8 anyway, just for having amazing components and being a clever design. Lots of fun for all ages here."
"Very fun dexterity game: you ARE the wind that moves your ships around.
Great stuff."
"Fun tactical dex game with a wonderful pillaging mechanism. Kids love this as do adults."
"Some of the games in this line can wear out their welcome with length, but not the Black Pirate. Its kinda like playing Pirate's Cove, with a turkey baseter. Lots of fun. "
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Atomic wedgie
United States
Vancouver
Washington
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If you've ever been at a Chinese restaurant and had a bowl of shelled peanuts in front of you that you need to pick up with chopsticks to eat, you've trained for this game. This is a game where your opponents need to be comfortable with direct scrimmaging as you compete to get the last pieces out of the bowl.
No thinking required.
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"The constant tension of grabbing the totem quicker than your rivals is great! After a few games the speed of card drawing gets higher and mistakes are devestating. THE best reaction game ever!"
"I liked this game enough at first because I like reaction time games and the production is excellent. But this holiday season my family could not get enough of this game. We were all jacked up on Jungle Speed and even though knuckles were almost broken and blood was drawn---everyone kept asking for this (it is quick to learn, quick to play)!"
"Wow! If I had to apply the phrase "pure game" to one title, this is probably it. At the moment when two shapes match, be the first to grab the totem. That's the game. Speed, coordination, and correct judgment are all equally important. Your hand must be quick, and sure, at the right time."
"Fast, quick party game that will make you laugh at yourself. Rating goes up after my sister-in-law bit me in a fight over the sacred totem."
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35.
Board Game: Fubi
[Average Rating:6.74 Overall Rank:3330]
United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Fun mindless flicking with great shots, penalty kicks and own goals."
"...blowing a shot is deliciously exacerbating and when other's blow theirs it is downright titillating. Good Job Fubi."
"Of 300+ games, this gets the most play. Fast, easy to learn, despite the horrendous English translation of the rules. So good I bought a 2nd copy "just in case"."
"It is an absolutely fantastic kind of little table billiard. I must have bought ten sets so far, and all of my friends who have tried it have become dedicated fans of this game."
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Kämmen mein schnurrbart
United States
Austin
Texas
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What about classic paper (american) football? I played that most mornings before school.
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Great fun! Addictive, even. One of those kids games you'll play even when the kids aren't around."
"Bounce-It-In w/a frog theme... addictive."
"Wonderful dexterity game! I suck at it, as usual :-)"
"Must own"
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Played once, found it a clever Carabande-like game. The interaction of gradients with the ball-bearing-weighted balls is especially interesting. I also like that it's got some inertia, so moves tend to be shorter and a little more tactical, and less likely to be blown out by a lucky shot, as can happen in Carabande. Also, the plastic playing surface and round ball are less likely to be impacted by seams and other track imperfections, which could be a hassle in Carabande. While the ZBall does have some interesting potential for spins and such, it's also still light and seems like it can be a little finicky, so we'll see if the game has staying power. But initial impressions were favorable, and it's very nice that that they give you get a little bit of everything (tunnel, jump, risers) in the base set."
"Better than Pitchcar IMO. The track pieces are very nice and textured. The set is a great value for everything you get. The kids love it."
"This game is very similar to Pitchcar, but the differences in feel make it worth owning both games. They did a lot of things right with this game and improved on the faults that Pitchcar has. For example: The rails snap in place on the sides of the tracks, so they don't constantly pop out. The plastic road pieces fir together easily and provide a snug and smooth fit. Surprisingly, the track pieces stay flat and smooth even when adding the pillars underneath for height changes.
You get quite a lot of pieces all in the base set. Including a ramp and tunnel. Which is a huge plus. The expansions are cheap and allow you to add to the game. Allowing for bigger track configurations.
As you probably already know. Instead of flicking pucks. You flick a little weighted ball, which can be very tricky and unpredictable. I think this will take a little getting used to. Especially when used to flicking the pucks in Pitchcar, which give you a little more control of your shoots.
All in all. I had a lot of fun and laughs with this game. The improvements over Pitchcar were a very warm welcome. If you like Pitchcar. I highly recommoend this game also, as they both have enough of a different feel to justify owning both and you can't beat all you get for the price."
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"I'm tempted to slap a 10 on this, and I expect it to end up there after a debut at a family function. We'll see what my regular game group thinks about this--they're old and crotchety, after all, with none of the childish glee that comes from flick-slamming another player's pawn into the netherrealm... okay, scratch that.
UPDATE: Okay, busted this out with my regular group of emotionally-stunted man-children who took one look at the box and made faces and directly questioned my manhood, mental state and geek cred... fast forward through More Games Than I Can Count™ and they were grappling with a new addiction, stunned and shamed that they just... couldn't... walk away."
"Mass-market games should not be this much fun... Hilarious dexterity game reminiscent of the ice-based sport of curling."
"This game is an absolute BLAST to play! What a stroke of brilliance by Craig Van Ness. The components are fantastic. For a very fun light dexterity game I would highly recommend giving this a try. "
"Sorry! Sliders (S!S) is a wonderful tabletop dexterity game for families. It completely succeeds in what it tries to do - provide table-shuffleboard fun for ALL ages (a child of 2 years can probably play this game, which is amazing)."
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Disc flicking, yea! This is a silly but really fun game and invariably someone seems to just not be shooting well, much to the amusement of everyone else. Such a gorgeous production."
"QUICK fun. And the bits can't be beat...the mouses and the cat are adorable, and the cheese impeccably done. My board insert is a little warped, but salvageable."
"What fun! Portable pitchcar with potholes."
"An entertaining flicking game, typically used as filler. I bet it plays well with kids, too ;-)"
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41.
Board Game: Tocce
[Average Rating:6.63 Unranked]
United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Simple filler. I discover that the more I play this, the more I like it. A very well-designed dexterity game."
"So portable! So affordable!"
"Nice portable game that should appeal to any fan of skill and action games like Crokinole. Also a great game to play with the kids before bed."
"More compact than Carabande, more elegant than Elchfest. Great opener."
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"I love this game. any game that can get four people, all in their twenties to perform crazy acts in order to win a rubber egg wins gold!!!! COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
"You will laugh until you cry. (And this is a good thing.) The sight of my wife attempting to waddle around the table with three eggs clutched between her knees and one in each elbow is one I will NEVER forget!"
"Who cares who wins? This game is pure unspoiled F U N. People must be ready for some acrobatic to like this game!"
"For this game you have to be brave and not fear to ridicule yourself. Play it publicly! I just love the concept of storing rubber eggs between various body parts and then doing funny stunts. Beware of overzealous players!"
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"My favorite filler, hands down."
"This ranks high as one of my favorite light games. This is probably too long as a filler (if played with three rounds), but it is a great closer. The crazy thing about the game is that, for as random everthing is, there really is some tactical control.
Light and silly, this game is just chock full of goofy fun. There is a little bit of a dexterity element (although, not really), but random spice generators (aka, bottles) keeps people actively involved.
Many laughs are had as you balance screwing your fellow players and trying not to feed your dishes to the pigs. The game would work out fine with just one round, though, but chances are you will want to play more."
"Probably one of the most inventive games ever. Visually it is a stunner, and the game play hits all the marks (dexterity, strategy, screwage). All this from the creator of Die Macher?! Definitely a must have and a must play -- excellent."
"I give this such a high rating, simply because of it's mindless fun factor. Such an original concept for a game."
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"This almost fell on my head as I reached for that little thin stick on the bottom level....! Yeah, that was a dumb move but I was stuck with an impossible move versus and equally impossible move. Hmmm... the red pill or the blue pill. I'm screwed either way..."
"Wow. Fun, yet potentially dangerous! :-)"
"The size really does make this game even more fun."
"Fun game. Like Jenga on crack."
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Always want to play, and expect this will never change. After all, it hasn't changed in 37 years."
"This is a purely mechanical game, is not brain-burning at all, and is insanely fun. Try it next time you feel the urge to blow up some buildings."
"This is a huge hit. It is simple and childish for sure but all in a good way."
"This game rocks, in a silly, throwing stuff at yer enemy's guys sort of way!"
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Adrian Hague
United Kingdom
Leamington, Warwickshire
West Midlands
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Now this is a dexterity game with tension. Only don't jump too much or you'll set off more 'faults'
Very original, and a lot of fun!
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United States
Lexington
Kentucky
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"Quite a fun dexterity game, sort of a cross between Don't Break the Ice and Jenga. I believe the second edition was the one I played. Very clever design, plays quickly and quite addictive. Yes, it's a kid's game, but a quality example of such."
"Silly but very addictive dexterity filler."
"Silly fun. Hit the tree with an axe to collect bits of bark without causing the core of the trunk to come crashing down. Nice (plastic) bits, and it's surprising how out of joint you can smack the tree without it actually toppling."
"Quite a fun dexterity game, sort of a cross between Don't Break the Ice and Jenga. I believe the second edition was the one I played. Very clever design, plays quickly and quite addictive. Yes, it's a kid's game, but a quality example of such."
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Scott Halvorson
United States
Lake Geneva
Wisconsin
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A friend of mine had a set of Crossbows and Catapults when we were young. We liked the idea of shooting those plastic rings at each other's castle walls and towers, or using a catapult to fling a ring at your opponent's tower trying to knock the flag over. The only problem we had, besides having enough floor space to play on, was the rubber bands breaking all the time. You had to have the right size rubber bands so that they were strong enough to be streched across whatever they needed to be streched across, but not so strong that you couldn't use the crossbow or the catapult without giving it too much of a launch or the rubber band strecthed so tight you couldn't pull the moving part back far enough to launch the plastic ring.
Still, this was one of my favorite dexterity games when I was a child. I don't remember how many expansions they made for this game, but I think my friend had the base game and one expansion. We had a lot of bricks to build a wall out of, I can remember.
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Ricatoni
Puerto Rico
In Chula Vista
California
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There is a lot of "flicking" in the X-Bugs Series. My daughters love this game!
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Commack
New York
Alexandria
Virginia
Washington
Dist of Columbia
Lexington
Kentucky
I'll change it back for you.
Seattle
Washington
WHAT THE DEUCE?