If you're an avid gamer, you' probably enjoy most genres of games and puzzles. Someone asks if you'd like to play, and you immediately say, "I'm in!" In an admittedly informal survey of avid gamers (and after some very heated discussions), here are the games that they claimed were among the most addicting games on the planet.
Video Games
When it came to addicting video games, many of my gamer friends voted for the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (for the GameCube) and WarioWare: Smooth Moves (for the Wii). The guys in the crowd were partial to the Burnout Series and the Gran Turismo series (for the Playstation). And those who were into role-playing games were vocal in their support of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (on the Xbox 360).
Board Games
All of my gamer friends love to play board games, and most named Monopoly as one of the most addicting games on the planet. Other traditional board games that ranked high included Scrabble and Risk. Some mentioned unique board games, such as Axis & Allies and Starfarers of Catan, while others stuck with Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit.
Card Games
When it came to card games, more than a few of my gamer friends admitted to having stayed up all night playing poker. Several owned high-end poker chip sets and planned their activities around their monthly poker games. There weren't any bridge players in the group, but several mentioned learning old-time card games from their parents and grandparents. The fondly reminisced about playing card games of canasta, rummy, hearts, and spades as they were growing up.
Kid's Games
All of my gamer friends said that they came from game-playing families, and that they started playing games when they were very young. Aside from card games like Old Maid and Crazy Eights, most ranked Chutes and Ladders, Sorry!, and checkers as all-time favorites. Those with kids said that some of the newer games for kids, like Cranium Cadoo and Pictionary Junior, were big hits at home, although one said that her daughter loved jigsaw puzzles more than any particular game - and had over 50 in her collection!
Strategy Games
When the subject of strategy games came up, there was an intense discussion of the merits of checkers, chess, and backgammon. The chess players in the group dismissed checkers as too simple, while the checkers players argued that the chess players were just brainiacs. Everyone did agree, though, that backgammon was one of the most addicting games on the planet.
Party Games
Naturally, all of my gamer friends often attended "game night" parties, and all agreed that 25 Words or Less and Taboo were two of the most addicting games on the planet. For more organized fun, many voted for Bunco, a mindless dice game played by 12 or more players. Everyone vouched for the fact that Bunco allows you to visit with friends while rolling the dice, accumulating points, and periodically screaming "Bunco!"
Obviously, every gamer is unique and has his or her own personal list of the most addicting games on the planet. But if you haven't dabble in those that my gamer friends recommend, give them a try - you might find them addicting as well!
