For friends and family

There are really 2 major categories of board games. The first are those that you probably already know about. These are your "classic" boardgames (Monopoly, chess, checkers, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, etc). The "best" of the classic boardgames usually stick out as the most popular ones. Choosing a classic board game comes down to simply what type of game you like. Strategy fans can't go wrong with a good game of Risk, and Trivia Buffs will always love Trivial Pursuit. The other type of game is the more specialized boardgames. These games aren't very well known, but are loved by their loyal fans. If you want to get more into "serious" board games then consider checking out games like Ticket to Ride, Caylus, and Shadows Over Camelot for your first look into these games.