Board Game Gift Guide 2010

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Welcome to BoardGameGeek, a worldwide community of folks who love board games! Together we've played pretty much every game ever made, and we've worked together to produce a list of great gift ideas for you this holiday shopping season.

A board game is one of the best presents you can give, because it brings friends and family together and can provide more hours of fun than any book, DVD, or pair of socks you can find. There's a game on this page that's right for anyone on your list! Games in each category are arranged from the simplest and least complex games, to the more strategic games.

(Note to BGG regulars: Please do not change the actual selection of games here, and before making any changes to this document, please read this thread.)

These games are considered modern classics that have stood the test of time.

Blokus might have the simplest rules of any game on the market. Put your pieces on the board, touching your other pieces, but only on the corners. Try to get all your pieces on that board. That's it! But you will forever be experimenting with new tricks and strategies to expand your territory while hemming in your opponents'. If Blokus is a hit with your recipients, they may also like the two-player edition, Blokus Duo, or the new Blokus Trigon with triangular instead of square pieces.

• Players: 2 to 4 (especially good with: exactly 4)
• Time: 20 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up (in our experience, 6 and up)
• Availability: Target, Chapters/Indigo, local game stores, online
• Price: $23-$30
• Review by Mike Romigh and Video Review by Colin Sherman

You've probably never had this much fun buying and selling real estate. For Sale is one of many great "auction games" on the market today, in which players place bids on valuable game items (here, cards that represent real estate properties). For Sale combines this auction with a few unique twists that lead to a tense and fun experience that is always over too quickly. Even after playing this great card game for the first time, expect to hear people say, "Let's play again!"

• Players: 3 to 6 (especially good with: 4 to 5)
• Time: 20 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: Most Local Game Stores, Online
• Price: $20
• Review by Jon Ben and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Ever heard of a board game with no board? In Carcassonne, you and your fellow players actually build the board yourselves as you play the game, one high-quality cardboard tile at a time. By the time it's over, you'll have built such a pretty and unique arrangement of cities, roads, monasteries and fields that you may find yourself a little sad to have to take it all apart to put away. Carcassonne is quite easy to learn if someone in the group has played it before, but it is just a little bit harder to learn the first time out than the typical game in this guide. This game comes with many expansions, so if the base game becomes too boring (not likely for a while), consider expansions like Carcassonne: Expansion 2 – Traders & Builders, Carcassonne: Expansion 1 – Inns & Cathedrals, and many more.

• Players: 2 to 5 (especially good with: 2 to 4)
• Time: 60 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: Toys R Us, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, local game stores, online
• Price: $16-$25
• Review by Tom Vasel and Video Review by Board to Death TV

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Ticket to Ride is a very popular game that has sold over 1 million copies worldwide. The game board is a map of the United States and Canada where the players compete to build train routes between the major cities to score points. It's easy to learn, fast to play, works great for any number of players up to 5, and is almost always a big hit with people who are new (or old) to the board gaming hobby. If you're interested in playing the same type of game on a map featuring another part of the world, you can try: Ticket to Ride: Europe, Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries, Ticket to Ride: Märklin

• Players: 2 to 5
• Time: 45 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $27-$40
• Review by Elijah Lau and Video Review by Scott Nicholson

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Settlers of Catan is one of the most popular board games in the world. Each player takes the role of a hardy settler on the uninhabited island of Catan. The island you settle yields five types of raw materials used to build roads, settlements, cities and armies. However, often the resources you've got aren't the resources you need, which means that you will have to trade with the other players. The player whose settlers are the most successful in colonizing the island wins the game.

• Players: 3 to 4
• Time: 90 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: Chapters/Indigo, Toys R Us, local game stores, online
• Price: $25-$40
• Review by Elijah Lau and Video Review by Tim Kerby

These games are accessible to a wide range of gamers because of simple rules and creative gameplay.

Forbidden Island is a cooperative game - but don't think this means that it's boring or easy! Competition to beat this award-winning game can be tough, and you either win together or lose together! Join a team of fearless adventurers on a do-or-die mission to capture four sacred treasures from the ruins of the perilous paradise of Forbidden Island. Work together as a team as the island begins to sink beneath every step! Expect lots of tension as you race to collect the treasures, and make a triumphant escape - or be swallowed into the watery abyss!

• Players: 2-4
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $15
• Review by Wil Wheaton and Pictorial Review by Graham Dean and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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FITS (Fill In The Spaces) is essentially a multi-player Tetris. Each player has an inclined board on which they place different pieces that consist of three, four, or five squares. Cards are drawn from a pile to tell the players which piece to take. The pieces may be rotated and reversed before they slide down the inclined area to dock to other gaming pieces, but unlike Tetris cannot be slid horizontally once dropped. Scoring is based on quantity and configuration of squares left uncovered. Unlike original Tetris there is no time pressure but like Tetris every player is engaged with his own board.

• Players: 1-4
• Time: 45 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $24-$33
• Review by Andrew Walters and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Enjoy exploring? Enjoy pressing your luck? Incan Gold is a quick, fun and tense game in which you and other adventurers explore an old Incan temple in search of gold and treasure. In each of the five rounds, you secretly choose if you want to continue exploring the temple in search of more treasure or retreat to the safety of your camp with your share of the treasure that has been discovered so far. Easy to learn, and fun for young and old!

• Players: 3 to 8 (especially good with: 5-8)
• Time: 20 minutes
• Ages: 6 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $25
• Review by Tom Vasel and Pictorial review by EndersGame and Video Review by Colin Sherman

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This is not the Sorry you learned as a kid! This is a wonderful tabletop dexterity game for families. Even children as young as 2 or 3 can play. Grab your roller pawn and take aim - then skillfully slide it down your track onto the target board! A good slide could score big points, but watch out! An opponent's pawn may slam your pawn onto a Sorry! space - and out of the game! Either way, it's easy to learn, and great fun for both children and adults!

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 4 and up
• Availability: Wal*Mart, Target, Toys R Us, local game stores, online
• Price: $20-$39
• Review by Vandemonium and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Qwirkle should be instantly familiar to anyone who has played Scrabble--think Scrabble with symbols and colors instead of words and no board, and you'll have a good idea of how this game plays. The excellent components and reasonable price makes this a particularly good gift. (Not suitable for color-blind players)

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 45 minutes
• Ages: 6 and up
• Availability: Online, Local Game Stores
• Price: $19-$25
• Review by stormseeker75 and Video Review by The Board Game Family

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Tobago is an adventure game, in which the players possess different parts of treasure maps. During the game more and more information about the locations of the treasures is revealed, and the possible locations are narrowed down. When a player identifies the location of one of the treasures he tries to reach it as fast as possible to secure the findings. The game features a deduction element as well as a modular game board.

• Players: 2-4
• Time: 60 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up (BGG suggests 8 and up)
• Availability: online
• Price: $35-$55
• Review by Doug Adams and Video Review by Tom Vasel

If you're looking for a game for adults that's a little more challenging than some of the choices above, then these are the games for you. Best suited for teenagers and adults, these games offer more of a challenge, but a more rewarding experience for anyone prepared to take them on!

One of the most innovative and award winning games to emerge from the last couple of years! In Dominion, each player starts with an identical, very small deck of cards. In the center of the table is a selection of other cards the players can "buy" as they can afford them. Through their selection of cards to buy, and how they play their hands as they draw them, the players construct their deck on the fly, striving for the most efficient path to the precious victory points by game end.

• Players: 2-4
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up (BGG suggests 10 and up)
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $28-$45
• Pictorial review by EndersGame and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Four diseases have broken out in the world and it is up to a team of specialists in various fields to find cures before mankind is wiped out. In this recent and very popular cooperative game, you must work together with other players, using your individual strengths and abilities, to plan strategies that will treat existing diseases, as well as find a cure for them before they overwhelm the world. Will you be a Scientist that specializes in curing diseases, an Operations Specialist that specializes in building research stations, a Medic, Researcher, or Dispatcher? The game will be vastly different every time, depending on which role you play, and where the diseases appear. But the diseases are breaking out fast and time is running out: you must work as a team to stem the tide of infection in diseased areas while developing cures at the same time. If disease spreads uncontrolled, the players lose, but if you find the cures on time, you win. Pandemic is your prescription for a great gaming experience like you've never had before!

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 45 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $22-$30
• Review by Eric Herman and Video Review by Colin Sherman

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Players struggle to survive the Stone Age by working as hunters, gatherers, farmers, and tool makers. The central theme of the game revolves around choosing which of these roles your tribe members should perform each turn. As you gather and spend resources, you can buy developments that will allow your tribe to survive and outshine those of your opponents. Be careful though. At the end of each round players must have enough food available to feed their tribe, or face losing resources or points.

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 60 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $28-$45
• Review by Neil Thomson and Video Review by Tim Kerby

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In Small World, players vie for conquest and control of a world that is simply too small to accommodate them all. Small World is inhabited by a zany cast of characters such as dwarves, wizards, amazons, giants, orcs and even humans, who use their troops to occupy territory and conquer adjacent lands in order to push the other races off the face of the earth. Picking the right combination from the 14 different fantasy races and 20 unique special powers, players rush to expand their empires - often at the expense of weaker neighbors. Yet they must also know when to push their own over-extended civilization into decline and ride a new one to victory!

• Players: 2-5
• Time: 80 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $33-$50
• Review by ronaldinho and Video Review by Scott Nicholson

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Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game is an exciting game of mistrust, intrigue, and the struggle for survival. Based on the epic and widely-acclaimed new Sci-Fi Channel series, Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game puts players in the role of one of ten of their favorite characters from the show. Each playable character has their own abilities and weaknesses, and must all work together in order for humanity to have any hope of survival. However, one or more players in every game secretly side with the Cylons. Players must attempt to expose the traitor while fuel shortages, food contaminations and political unrest threatens to tear the fleet apart.

• Players: 3-6
• Time: 180 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up (BGG suggests 14 and up)
• Availability: Borders, local game stores, online
• Price: $30-$50
• Review by Philip Reed and Video Review by Scott Nicholson

Family games should be fun for both kids and parents. These games provide a little more challenge than the games for Younger Children (see below).

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Ready for a thrilling Indiana Jones style adventure? In this game you and your opponents will face the challenge of a fast-paced run through a Mayan temple. As your intrepid adventurers delve through the ruins, you will face all kinds of deadly traps that guard the ancient relics...

• Players: 2-6
• Time: 45 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: online, local game stores
• Price: $40
• Review by David Plank and Video Review by Ted Cheatham

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PitchCar is a dexterity game where large, wooden, puzzle-like pieces are used to construct a race track that looks very similar to a slot car track when finished. But instead of using electrons, players use finger-flicks to send little round pucks around the track. Who can resist a racing game like this? Expansions are also available.

• Players: 2-8
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 6 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $60-$80
• Pictorial review by EndersGame and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Let's head to the races again - but this time the snowy world of the Arctic Circle, where brave sledders compete in a test of skill and endurance. Action is fast and furious and not all sleds may make it to the end. Hang on to your furs, the reins, your sled and anything else you can get hold of, as you play cards from your dog decks, trying to control your sled through corners, and across the finish line!

• Players: 2-5
• Time: 45 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: online, local game stores
• Price: $40
• Review by Matt Drake and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Zooloretto won multiple awards for best family game of the year in 2007, and it is easy to see why. Each player uses a variety of wild and exotic animals and their young to try to attract as many visitors as possible to their zoo. But be careful - the zoo must be carefully planned. Before you know it, you have too many animals and no more room for them. The simple rules and appealing theme makes this game a winner with gamers of all ages!

• Players: 2 to 5
• Time: 45 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $28-$44
• Review by Chris Norwood and Audio Review by The Spiel and Video Review by Games With Hayden

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A cute but strategic game in which each player tries to have his or her penguins eat the most fish. It is easily adaptable for children as young as four but can be fun for people of any age -- even adults (really!). Who can resist penguins hopping across ice floes?

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 20 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: Barnes & Noble, online game stores, online
• Price: $30
• Review by Tom Vasel and Pictorial Review by John Bandettini and Video Review by Brian Stevenson

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This is an exciting game that's proven to be a favourite with many children and families. Together with your friends, you must work as a team to defend your castle against the horde of monsters that emerge from the forest and threaten to tear down your walls and destroy your castle towers. It's win or lose ... together!

• Players: 1-6
• Time: 60 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: online, local game stores
• Price: $30
• Review by Larry Welborn and Video Review by Scott Nicholson

Family games should be fun for both kids and parents. These games are accessible to the youngsters, but still provide challenge enough to keep the parents interested too! You may also wish to check the Games by player age wiki page.

In this fun and tense family game, players are the Magicians' Apprentices, with the task to collect magical objects from a maze with invisible walls. As an indication of quality, The Magic Labyrinth was the winner of a prestigious award for best children's game in 2009.

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 15 minutes
• Ages: 6 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $25
• Review by Manuel Pasi and Video Review by Board To Death TV

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This game has won lots of awards because of how successful it has been with children. Each player controls colored mice and tries to collect pieces of cheese in the castle, by putting mice into play, revealing corridors in the castle, moving their mice around, or pushing a tile into play (which changes the maze of cheese pieces underneath).

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 6 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $30-35
• Review by Ron Olivier, snr

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Animal Upon Animal is a fun stacking game that can be enjoyed by adults as well as by children as young as 4 (the game has some small wooden parts and it requires some fine motor skills which might be hard for younger children.) The players construct animal towers using cute wooden animals thus getting rid of all their animals. A die determines if you can attempt to stack 1-2 of your animals, pass one of your animals to another player or have to let another player choose which animal to stack. If you knock over the pile, you have to take 1-2 animals back into your hand and keep playing. First one to use all of their animals wins!

• Players: 2-4
• Time: 15 minutes
• Ages: 4 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $20-$22
• Review by Bartosz Trzaskowski and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Chicken Cha Cha Cha is one of the most acclaimed children's game of the last decade. As it is a memory game at its core it can well be played by the youngest children (3-years and up) of the family and still put them on a fairly level playing-field with adults. The game comes with sturdy wooden chickens and beautifully illustrated cards. Chicken Cha Cha Cha combines a basic memory game with a race game; the players race each other to obtain the feathers of rival chickens, and the first player to obtain every player’s feather wins.

• Players: 2-4
• Time: 20 minutes
• Ages: 4 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $28-$45
• Review by Brian Ridge and Video Review by Tony Rupp

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On 14 July, the national holiday in France, the sheep, chickens and cows are set free in the town of Carcassonne. The children have great fun at catching the animals before dusk. Unlike many other children's games there's no memory, concentration or dexterity involved, but rather it is a successfully simplified version of the classic Carcassonne game. The players in turn draw and place a landscape tile that shows things like children on the roads. Whenever a road is finished, every player places one of his meeples on each appropriate picture. The first player who manages to place all of his meeples wins the game.

• Players: 2 to 4
• Time: 15 minutes
• Ages: 4 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $20-$25
• Review by Peter Hein van Mulligen and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Giro Galoppo is a fun and frantic horse racing game driven by cards. First, players take turns placing obstacles (jumps). All players receive an identical set of cards with values 1-6. Each turn the players simultaneously select one of their cards and show it. The player with the lowest value (and for ties, farther back), moves first. If your horse and rider land on another player's figure, you displace them backward. If your figure's movement would land you on an obstacle, you lose your turn. First & farthest across the finish line wins. As the game requires some hand management and forward thinking, while playable from 6 years old, it excels when played by children between 8-12 years of age.

• Players: 2 to 5
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 6 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $30-$40
• Review by Neil Thomson and Pictorial review by Homo Ludens

Party games are fun, light games designed to be played by a festive, boisterous group.

In this award winning party game, players sketch a word that's dictated by the roll of a die, then pass their sketch on to the next player to guess what's been drawn. That player then writes down what they think the word is, for the next player to draw a sketch of. Remember the classic game of Chinese Whispers? This is like that, but with pictures, and it's proven to be very popular and lots of fun!

• Players: 4-8
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $30
• Review by Andrea Doria and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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This award-winning party game features beautifully illustrated cards with unique artwork. The story-teller must make up a phrase to describe one of the illustrated cards, and after other players have chosen a card from their hand that they think also matches this phrase, players must try to pick out the story-teller's card from the cards of the other players. A beautiful game with intriguing pictures, and lots of room for creativity and fun!

• Players: 3-6
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $23-$35
• Review by Tiffany Smith and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Say Anything is a light-hearted and award-winning game about what you and your friends think. It gives you the chance to settle questions that have been hotly debated for centuries. For instance, "What is the most overrated band of all time?" or "Which celebrity would be the most fun to hang out with for a day?" So dig deep into your heart or just come up with something witty - this is your chance to Say Anything!

• Players: 3-8
• Time: 40 minutes
• Ages: 12 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $18-$25
• Pictorial Review by EndersGame and Video review by Scott Nicholson

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Time's Up! is a party game for teams of two or more players (best with teams of two). The same set of famous names is used for each of three rounds. In each round, one member of a team tries to get his teammates to guess as many names as possible in 30 seconds. One of the most popular party games! Other available editions include: Time's Up! Title Recall! and Time's Up! Deluxe

• Players: 4 to 18
• Time: 90 minutes
• Ages: 12 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $18
• Review by Tom Vasel and Video Review by Alex Berry

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Take everything you know about trivia games and throw it out. Wits and Wagers is a trivia game that you can win without ever knowing a single correct answer! In this game, every team gets to submit a guess for every question, then use their poker chips (included) to place bets on the answers they think are closest. Rely on your own knowledge, or just bet on which of your friends you think knows the most -- but wait, are they bluffing? Bring out the excitement of a Vegas-style casino in your own home, and don't leave anyone feeling left out of the fun.

• Players: 3 to 21 (especially good with larger numbers of players!)
• Time: 25 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: Target, Borders, Chapters/Indigo, local game stores, online
• Price: $20-$30
• Review by Tom Vasel and Video Review by Scott Nicholson

Wits & Wagers Family is the family version of this award winning party game (Pictorial review by EndersGame and Video Review by Tom Vasel).

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We realize that playing with bright orange foam guns is not going to work for everyone, but don't judge too quickly, because Ca$h 'n Gun$ has proven to be a big hit with people of all ages! There's lots of fun to be had as players bluff, negotiate, and deduce, using cards and guns in an effort to collect loot.

• Players: 4-6
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $35-45
• Review by Daniel Judah and Review by Tom Vasel

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In the world of party games, this is a modern classic. Apples to Apples consists of two decks of cards: Things and Descriptions. Each turn, the current referee selects a Description and players try to pick, from the cards in their hands, the Things that best match that Description. The referee then chooses the Thing that appeals most and awards the card to the player who played it. The unusual combinations of Things and Descriptions are humorous to the extreme, and will quickly have the entire room in an uproar. The first player to earn the specified number of cards wins. For younger children, there's Apples to Apples Kids.

• Players: 4 to 10 (especially good with: 6 to 8)
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 12 and up
• Availability: Target, Toys R Us, local game stores, online
• Price: $22-$30
• Review by Tom Vasel and Video Review by Scott Nicholson

Great for couples. Note that, while the games in this section are designed especially for two players, many other games in this guide are good choices for two. Check the "Players" information under each game entry.

Even those who think they have tried everything will have to admit that Lost Cities is an exciting, unusual two-player card game. It's quick, it's simple, it's tense, and it's addictive! The play is simple: You put down numbered cards in sequence on one of five "expeditions." But once you start an expedition, you must keep adding cards to it - or else risk losing more points than you gain! All the while, your opponent may be holding onto the card you want, trying to build up his or her own expeditions. In Lost Cities, the finish is usually so tense that you'll want to play just one more game ... and another!

• Players: 2
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $15-$25
• Review by Lowell Kempf and Video Review by Scott Nicholson

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Looking for a quick strategic game? You've come to the right place with Hive! In this highly addictive game, the board takes shape as you and your opponent lay down your pieces. Each player controls an identical army of bugs, each with its own unique movement. Can you place and move your pieces so that you surround your opponent's queen bee before he surrounds yours?

• Players: 2
• Time: 15 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $23-$30
• Review by Derek Gallacher and Video Review by Tim Kerby

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Winner of the 2006 BoardGameGeek Golden Geek award for Family Game of the Year as well as multiple other board game awards, Ingenious is a fun, colorful tile-laying game. Each tile has two colorful symbols on it. Each turn, players place one tile down on the hexagonal board and score points for each identical symbol in imaginary rows emanating from each symbol. Players can build off of others' previously laid tiles to score a large number of points in one turn. However, in an unusual twist, players at the end of the game are scored on which of the six symbols they've scored the fewest points for. The rules are easy and well illustrated, but the game itself is both elegant and challenging. The travel edition is more compact and portable, but we also can recommend the original game.

• Players: 2
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $13-$20
• Review by Tom Vasel and Video Review by Colin Sherman (NB: reviews are of regular game)

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Loosely based on the investigation surrounding Jack the Ripper, Mr. Jack is a quick deduction game for two. One player represents Mr. Jack, who is masquerading as one of the characters on the board. The other player is the Investigator, who must discover who Jack is impersonating before the criminal escapes under the cover of night. Will Mr. Jack escape or will the Inspector arrest him before daybreak? Wits, logic, and bluffing will all determine the answer to that question.

• Players: 2
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 9 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $28-$43
• Review by Steve Oksienik and Video Review by Paul Springer

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Memoir '44 is a historical board game where players face off in some of the most important battles of World War II. You'll need a mixture of good strategy, effective card play, and luck to win. The 15 included "scenarios" help ensure that this game will be played and replayed, with something new happening each time. The 144 amazingly detailed army miniatures make this game a beautiful game to look at too! Both children and adults will find something to love about this simple yet engaging war game!

• Players: 2
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $34-$50
• Review by Tom Vasel and Video Overview by Days of Wonder

Little. Cheap. Different.

Very simple rules, easy to learn and teach - in this game the aim is to collect large numbers of matching colored cards without having too many different sets of colors. Push your luck, collect sets - this is a tense and fun game that has proven very popular!

• Players: 2-5
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $10-$15
• Review by ColMustard and Video Review by Timothy Pinkham

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Discover the lost treasures of Egypt and make your fortune! You are an archaeologist working the dig sites of the Egyptian desert. Search for the right pieces to complete torn parchments, broken pots and other priceless artifacts. Explore an ancient pyramid hoping to uncover a huge stash of treasure! Trade shrewdly at the local marketplace to increase the value of your collection. Sell your treasures to the museum at just the right time for maximum profit. But beware, the desert also has its dangers! A devastating sandstorm can throw your expedition into disarray, and cunning thieves lurk around the dig site ready to steal your prize discovery!

• Players: 2-4
• Time: 20 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $6.50-$10
• Review by Neil Thomson and Video Review by Tom Vasel

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Take the card, which costs me points but earns me chips? Or pay a chip, which I have precious few of? That seemingly simple decision is the entire heart of the game of No Thanks. The rules can be explained in just a few seconds but you'll be honing your strategy over dozens and dozens (and dozens) of plays.

• Players: 3 to 5
• Time: 20 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: local game stores, online
• Price: $7-$10
• Review by Tom Vasel and Video Review by Farid Widjaya

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Players take on the role of dwarves. As miners, they are in a mine, hunting for gold. Suddenly, a pick axe swings down and shatters the mine lamp. The saboteur has struck. But which of the players are saboteurs? Will you find the gold, or will the fiendish actions of the saboteurs lead them to it first? After three rounds, the player with the most gold is the winner.

• Players: 3-10
• Time: 30 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: online
• Price: $10-$15
• Review by Andy Grimwold and Video Review by Games Overboard

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Yes, we know that the Monopoly board game has both its fans and its haters. But this is different! It features many of the concepts of Monopoly, but turns it into a card game - and it works! Try to collect 3 complete property sets, but beware Debt Collectors, Forced Deals and the dreaded Deal Breakers, which could change your fortunes at any time!

• Players: 2-5
• Time: 15 minutes
• Ages: 8 and up
• Availability: online, game stores, major department stores
• Price: $5-$10
• Review by Chris Kirkman

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Enjoy card games, or know somebody that does? Tichu is one of our favorites! There are quite a number of rules to digest, but if you're up to the challenge, it's one of the best 4-player partnership card games. It doesn't play like an ordinary trick-taking game, and there are special cards and combinations to master. Fans of partnership card games really should give this a try!

• Players: 3-6 (best with 4)
• Time: 60 minutes
• Ages: 10 and up
• Availability: online, game stores
• Price: $12
• Review by Matthew M Monin and Video Review by Brian Stevenson

Many of these games can be found at your local specialty game store. You can look for a local specialty game store using Game Store Database, the Days of Wonder Store Locator or BGG advice in the FLGS of the World (Friendly Local Game Store) thread.

• Boards and Bits
• Cool Stuff Inc.
• Fair Play Games
• Funagain Games (see also their Gift Guide)
• Game Surplus
• GatePlay
• Get Your Fun On
• Thought Hammer
• Time Well Spent

Canada: 2010 online Canadian retailer list
Australia: 2009 online Australian retailer list

For others, including many outside the USA, see our full list of online vendors.

In addition to this guide, several other gift guides exist:

• Asymptomatic Top 10 Games Christmas Gift Guide: 2008
• Critical Gamer's Holiday Gift Guide: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
• Dr. Matt Carlson's Holiday Guides: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003
• GamerChris' Holiday Gift Guides: 2010, 2009, 2008
• Matthew Baldwin's Gift Guides for the Morning News: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
• Peter Svensson's Guide: 2008
• San Francisco Chronicle's annual Games Guide: 2009, 2008, 2007
• Soren Johnson's Board Game Buyer’s Guide: 2008
• The Spiel's Holiday Gift Guides: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
• Wired.com's "Great Board Game Gifts for Geeks" Guide: 2007
• Yehuda Berlinger's Holiday Gift Guides: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007

Previous editions of the BGG Board Game Gift Guide: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006