Slashdot Mirror

Another big hit was Four Player Chess, formerly purchaseable at 4playerchess.com but is now managed by a domain-name squatter. :/ Anyway, mine has always been a big hit amongst the Coffee Shop Crowd. it's not too hard one of your own. Take a normal chess board then add three rows to each side (making the board look like a big Plus sign). Add two sets of Chess pieces (preferably all distinct) and you're off!

Steve Jackson Games' Knightmare Chess. It's a card game played while playing chess. Play a card, move a piece. The cards change the rules as you go (e.g. "All Pawns attack forward and move diagnal until this card is banished"). This game in conjunction with Four Player Chess is hours of insane fun. A quick search revealed one for sale elsewhere.

Lunch Money is a sick and masterfully done game of kill-thy-neighbor. Always a big hit amongst those with a ken of violence.

Hot Death UNO. My personal-favorite diversion, an extension of Crazy Eights (UNO), this card game add almost 30 new cards to the game of UNO. For example: Mutual Assured Destruction, Fuck You!, Harvester of Sorrows, The Shitter, Glasnost.... This game is not for the meek and merciful. There's also a PC version here and a Sourceforge project desperately in need of a programmer with mad (motivational) skillz.

I can second the Settlers and Carcassonne nominations. Those both reward skill, though Settlers takes some bargaining craft to really excel.

I didn't like Iron Mountain very much, but Eurorails had the best map for the rail series of games I played. The US (Empire Builder) is too large, and Australia has the same problems of overly wide spaces with no cities. Never played India Rails.

(Note, I don't work for Cheapass Games.)

Try this link for Lightspeed. Under the Hip Pocket games.

Only one of the other posts isn't completely offtopic.

Anywho, if you're still hankering for heaping helping of free boardgames, Invisible City Press, home of Zombie Rancher, has plenty. If that's not enough for you, you can always print up a Piecepack or two.

If you're willing to spend a little money, James Ernest makes an unpleasantly large number of really pleasant games, most of which sell for less than $10.00. In fact, one of the best sells for $5.00, while my current favorite comes in at a paltry $7.50, with all the heavy-duty fun of your average German game.

...are Cheapass' offerings. No doubt, many here have enjoyed Dr. Lucky. My favorite failure card, for when you're about to kill your host, and someone blocks:

You Forget.

(I hope this doesn't come across as a gigantic free textad on Slashdot. :-)

Hi there, I'm Scott Starkey, designer of the card game "The Mother Lode of Sticky Gulch." My game was honored by the GAMES 100 this past year, a lifelong dream I accidentally hurdled. I would be happy to dispense a little bit of advice.

If you're just starting out, probably the "home-publishing" method could probably work for you. There's a few companies out there that are doing print runs at Kinko's and lovingly hand-cutting their product and selling it. Advantage: Very small cash outlay at the start. Disadvantage: Product might seem a little "cheap." (Cheaper than Cheapass?) Also takes a lot of energy to do each deck.

Secondly, there's the method that I tried. If you're insane, and you've got a few thousand dollars that you'd just like to say goodbye to, you can have your cards professionally printed. There are a few printers around that will do small print runs of 1000 units or so. I went with Delano Service, because of them being geographically close to me, and they seemed to have excellent customer service. My good pal Jim Doherty of Eight Foot Llama seems to get good service in Canada at Quebecor. Fact is, there are several places you could get a game printed at, and there's no obligation to get a quote if you know what you need. In fact, it's rather fun to get quotes. :-)

I don't want to discourage you too much, but creating a game is somewhat of a pain in the ass. You've got to compile a metric buttload of art, design each of the cards, lay it out in a way that's pleasing to the eye, design an attractive package, write clear and consise rules. Most games are designed by a team. Me, I was lucky, because I was already an artist, but it was still an uphill battle. Then once you compile all of the artwork, you might find out that the printer needs all of your art to be 300 dpi CMYK instead of 60 dpi RGB, and have to do it all over again, like I did.

Of course, I didn't realize, after getting the game printed... printing the game is the easy part. Yeah, I'm designing games as a hobby. But now I have to become a marketer, promoter, and salesman. Fact is, I'm a horrible salesman, and I don't like pushing my game in people's faces. Also, if you're running a business, you've got to keep voluminous records of travel, expenses, taxes. It's all mind-numblingly boring, for something that was supposed to be fun!

You might go to a convention and expect to sell a bundle of games. Don't kid yourself. I dropped $500 on half of a GenCon booth last year and sold a scant few decks. Chatting with some of the other boothites, it seems that most companies that go to a convention do not make back their investment at the convention. However, it does serve as good advertising. Having a presence at a convention puts a product in the public eye, which is good. But it doesn't really add up in many direct sales, unless you're Wizards of the Coast in 1992.

I might never make back what I invested. Sales haven't been spectacular, despite having been honored by GAMES. It doesn't really matter, though. It's a wild ride. I am now a game designer with a mote of prestige. I've fulfilled a lifelong dream. It's my biggest gambit of all: I wagered a few thousand dollars that there are 1000 people out there that would buy my game. I get the feeling that very few people make a profit at this game. However, if I justify it as a "very expensive hobby," it takes the sting out somewhat. :-)

You might check out the Board Game Designer Forum, where a bunch of folks of a similar mindset to you and me hang out and talk about the process of creating games. We critique each other's works, and have weekly chat sessions about various topics about the craft of game desi

For my latest game, an original design, I just needed a Pinochle deck, some Poker chips, and the rules.

Check out Cheapass Games. They take a similar approach for their games. They ship you a board and the rules and you provide dice, pieces, etc. They also provide full packages of dice and pieces.

cheapass.com

these guys understand games and just sell you what you need. (my personal favorite is 'kill dr lucky' -- hilarious, with high replay value)

anyway this doesn't directly address your question but it's relevant, and you could get some good ideas wrt saving materials costs etc...

business cards, and most 'generic' card stock in general, suck for game cards. they dont shuffle well, they dont feel 'right' in your hands, etc. prototypes, sure, but NEVER manufacture a game with cards like this. thats the one downfall of most of the cheapest games from Cheapass Games, cheap card stock.

you checked out Cheapassgames or any of the GamesWorkshop games?

Try what the Cheapass Games people did. Make the board out of big pieces of paper, swipe pieces from other games, print the cards on a laser printer using card stock, and so on. As long as the game itself is entertaining, the looks won't matter thatmuch. Once you're sure it's a good game and people want to play it, then you can think about getting fancy.

Cheapass makes some great games and obviously you can't beat their prices. However, a bunch of their games are long on flavour but short on game balance, so their replay value isn't necessarily amazing. Also note that the games don't usually come with everything you'll need to play; you have to scavenge the bits you need from other games. For example, Monopoly is a good source of money bills for their money-based games. If you're giving the games to someone who doesn't play a lot of games, that may potentially be a problem and you might want to stay away from Cheapass stuff.

That said, Cheapass games I'd personally recommend:

Cube Farm. A simple but elegant strategy game. Ok for novice game players.

Freeloader. Again, great flavour and a nice level of strategy. However, this one is more complicated so you might not want to get it if you're giving it to a real novice. Also very greedy on the number of pieces it needs (30+ different-coloured counters for each player).

Give me the Brain. Less strategy and more luck in this one (not necessarily a bad thing). If you're giving it to young children, skip this one because of zombie-related humour. Male teenagers will probably like it, though.

The Very Clever Pipe Game. Pure strategy, and small enough to be a good stocking filler. Doesn't need extra pieces. It's really a 2-player game though although it claims to be a 4-player game too, so be warned.

Cheapass makes some great games and obviously you can't beat their prices. However, a bunch of their games are long on flavour but short on game balance, so their replay value isn't necessarily amazing. Also note that the games don't usually come with everything you'll need to play; you have to scavenge the bits you need from other games. For example, Monopoly is a good source of money bills for their money-based games. If you're giving the games to someone who doesn't play a lot of games, that may potentially be a problem and you might want to stay away from Cheapass stuff.

That said, Cheapass games I'd personally recommend:

Cube Farm. A simple but elegant strategy game. Ok for novice game players.

Freeloader. Again, great flavour and a nice level of strategy. However, this one is more complicated so you might not want to get it if you're giving it to a real novice. Also very greedy on the number of pieces it needs (30+ different-coloured counters for each player).

Give me the Brain. Less strategy and more luck in this one (not necessarily a bad thing). If you're giving it to young children, skip this one because of zombie-related humour. Male teenagers will probably like it, though.

The Very Clever Pipe Game. Pure strategy, and small enough to be a good stocking filler. Doesn't need extra pieces. It's really a 2-player game though although it claims to be a 4-player game too, so be warned.

Cheapass makes some great games and obviously you can't beat their prices. However, a bunch of their games are long on flavour but short on game balance, so their replay value isn't necessarily amazing. Also note that the games don't usually come with everything you'll need to play; you have to scavenge the bits you need from other games. For example, Monopoly is a good source of money bills for their money-based games. If you're giving the games to someone who doesn't play a lot of games, that may potentially be a problem and you might want to stay away from Cheapass stuff.

That said, Cheapass games I'd personally recommend:

Cube Farm. A simple but elegant strategy game. Ok for novice game players.

Freeloader. Again, great flavour and a nice level of strategy. However, this one is more complicated so you might not want to get it if you're giving it to a real novice. Also very greedy on the number of pieces it needs (30+ different-coloured counters for each player).

Give me the Brain. Less strategy and more luck in this one (not necessarily a bad thing). If you're giving it to young children, skip this one because of zombie-related humour. Male teenagers will probably like it, though.

The Very Clever Pipe Game. Pure strategy, and small enough to be a good stocking filler. Doesn't need extra pieces. It's really a 2-player game though although it claims to be a 4-player game too, so be warned.

Cheapass makes some great games and obviously you can't beat their prices. However, a bunch of their games are long on flavour but short on game balance, so their replay value isn't necessarily amazing. Also note that the games don't usually come with everything you'll need to play; you have to scavenge the bits you need from other games. For example, Monopoly is a good source of money bills for their money-based games. If you're giving the games to someone who doesn't play a lot of games, that may potentially be a problem and you might want to stay away from Cheapass stuff.

That said, Cheapass games I'd personally recommend:

Cube Farm. A simple but elegant strategy game. Ok for novice game players.

Freeloader. Again, great flavour and a nice level of strategy. However, this one is more complicated so you might not want to get it if you're giving it to a real novice. Also very greedy on the number of pieces it needs (30+ different-coloured counters for each player).

Give me the Brain. Less strategy and more luck in this one (not necessarily a bad thing). If you're giving it to young children, skip this one because of zombie-related humour. Male teenagers will probably like it, though.

The Very Clever Pipe Game. Pure strategy, and small enough to be a good stocking filler. Doesn't need extra pieces. It's really a 2-player game though although it claims to be a 4-player game too, so be warned.

Might be too late for Xmas, but one of the games at http://www.cheapass.com is bound to be a hit. I've played 'Kill Doctor Lucky' and hear that the card games 'Agora' and 'LightSpeed' are both good. Best is, as the name promises, they won't break the bank. (Please tell me you aren't asking about computer games.)

My favorite along these lines is Kill Doctor Lucky from CheapAss Games. The goal is to, um, kill Doctor Lucky (and all the other players) on a clue-like board where there are various implements lying about.

Kill Doctor Lucky is especially recommended.

And the Mario Party series of Nintendo games are all fantastic, and are all basically board games. Mario Party 5 night tonight! :)

Anyway, this thread reminds me of one of the CheapAss games:

Game Synopsis: U.S. Patent Number 1 is a racing game. Every player is a scientist who has invented time travel, and now everyone is racing to the Patent Office to prove who invented it first. Because you have a time machine, it's not enough to get to the Patent Office fast. You actually have to go back in time, to the day the Patent Office opened!

During this race you will upgrade your machine with some gadgets, including a power plant, a chassis, a weapon, and a shield. You can invent these things on your own, you can buy them, or you can steal them from the other players. Only a machine with all four upgrades qualifies to earn the patent, and you have a limited supply of money and power to spend.

Probably a fun game; most games at this website are decent.
(Lightspeed is killer... Realtime space battle cardgame played in under a minute... $5... very fun).

This is something I've noticed from several of the articles here on /.: We seem to be carrying around two definitions of the word "Adult". On one hand, you have the "mature, sophisticated, intellectual" definition, and on the other, you have the "porn, alcohol, and other age-restricted materials" definition.

Tragic though it may be, it seems that the latter definition is the more common one, even here on /., and we're supposed to be the intellectual crowd.

Enough maudlin, back to games.

On the American side of things, there's Cheapass games, Looney Labs, Out of the Box publishing, and for you linux/opensource/get-it-for-free-fans, Piecepack.

On the German side of the coin, you've got a bit of a quandry. Most German game manufacturers are GmbH, which is an abbreviation for something or another, but basically boils down to the fact that the company isn't allowed to export their products themselves. So, in order for German games to reach other shores, they must go through other companies. Among them, Mayfair Games, importers of the Catan series (pronounced cuh-tahn'), Rio Grande Games (Bohnanza is a good gateway game, while Peurto Rico and TransAmerica have been getting good attention from less casual gamers.), and on some occasions, Fantasy Flight Games, current makers of most Lord of the Rings board games.

For actually buying the games, I would suggest Funagain or Boulder Games.

Enjoy.

A big problem with getting into these specialty board games is the cost of entry. Reviews help, but it's hard to really know if you're going to like a game until you buy it and try it out. You can get more bang for your buck by getting a game system, which allows you to play many games. One of my favorites is Icehouse, which enables you to play hundreds of games of different genres. Geeks love Zendo, an inductive logic game you can play with an Icehouse set.

Another option is Cheapass Games, a company specializing in selling games you can play using equipment you probably already have (dice, tokens, cards).

I've also heard good things about Piecepack games. Piecepack is a public domain gaming system, so you can buy a set from several different manufacturers or make your own.

I've been enjoying some of the cheap-ass games for a while. Their games are very bare-bones in their delivery, but some are pleanty involved. The less involved ones are just plain fun as well though because the game premises are so offbeat (Please pass the brain)

CheapAssGames --No it's NOT a p0rn site.

Eureka! You've just invented time travel.

But the awful truth is that you're not alone.

In fact, scientists have been inventing time travel since 1814.

But if you have a time machine, it really doesn't matter who invented it first. All that matters is who gets to the Patent Office first.

And by "first" we mean on opening day. Because nothing suits a time machine like U.S. Patent 1.

Cheapass Games is an indie but commercial hard board games developer/publisher. I recommend their games.. they are a lot of fun. You can even re-use pieces between the different games to reduce the cost of getting the game.

How long until someone buys CheapAssGames?

A better story:

Eureka! You've just invented time travel. But the awful truth is that you're not alone. In fact, scientists have been inventing time travel since 1814.

But if you have a time machine, it really doesn't matter who invented it first. All that matters is who gets to the Patent Office first. And by "first" we mean on opening day. Because nothing suits a time machine like US Patent Number 1.

Bitin Off Hedz: There is, as far as I know, one way to play this game and enjoy it, and that is to use gummi dinos for pawns so that you really can bite off their hedz.

Girl Genius appeals to the same mentality as Bejeweled (AKA Diamond Mine), only competitive and a little more difficult. Strangely enough, even though it looks wonky and plays weird, a lot of people pick up on it on a subconcious level. You definitely feel smarter for playing it, though.

Never ran into the absentia player syndrome in KDL. Probably depends a lot on somebody just not bothering to finish their own turn (Like in Monopoly: There's no reason your turn should last longer than 1 minute. It's roll & move, buy or not, trade or not.)

I enjoyed Parts Unknown, but found it's thematic sequel Renfield to be unfun in every way.

However, I can't say enough good things about James's new Hip Pocket line of games, Light Speed and Agora especially.

Bitin Off Hedz: There is, as far as I know, one way to play this game and enjoy it, and that is to use gummi dinos for pawns so that you really can bite off their hedz.

Girl Genius appeals to the same mentality as Bejeweled (AKA Diamond Mine), only competitive and a little more difficult. Strangely enough, even though it looks wonky and plays weird, a lot of people pick up on it on a subconcious level. You definitely feel smarter for playing it, though.

Never ran into the absentia player syndrome in KDL. Probably depends a lot on somebody just not bothering to finish their own turn (Like in Monopoly: There's no reason your turn should last longer than 1 minute. It's roll & move, buy or not, trade or not.)

I enjoyed Parts Unknown, but found it's thematic sequel Renfield to be unfun in every way.

However, I can't say enough good things about James's new Hip Pocket line of games, Light Speed and Agora especially.

There is a series of games available at cheap-ass games that explores something everyone can relate to- the drudgery of food service, where the workers are literally zombies. By far my favorite is Give Me the Brain, in which you have to try to finish all of your tasks so you can go home. However, there's only one brain to go around all of the employees, and some tasks (though hardly all) require it to be completed. I'm sure you can get the gist of it from their product description.

Anyway, if you like shouting "Braiiinnnn" a lot, which I always do, this is a great party game. In addition to being fun and having relatively simple rules, this game is hilarious. If you can't make zombies funny, though, you're obviously not trying.

There's nothing like having some friends over, having some beer and playing Devil Bunny. And the best part, it costs $2.50.

Jason McIntosh has done many Cool Things (tm), including co-authoring Perl and XML and defining ComicsXML. He worked at O'Reilly for awhile in the now defunct Tools group, helping to build programs to convert author manuscripts into a formats amenable to the Production workflow. When not hacking code, jmac finds and plays obscure games from impolitely named companies. Buy his book and encourage him to write a second edition about Panther.

No, I got U.S. Patent No. 1 on my time machine. Well, I will anyway.

And no, this isn't an original joke.

That wouldn't be J. Robert Lucky of "Kill Dr. Lucky" fame now, would it?

I've played Kill Dr. Lucky, The Big Idea, and Brawl, and liked them all, and heard good things about a lot of the rest.

Hmmm.... what's patent #1, I wonder?

The good folks at Cheapass Games have the answer.

Eureka! You've just invented time travel.

But the awful truth is that you're not alone.

In fact, scientists have been inventing time travel since 1814.

But if you have a time machine, it really doesn't matter who invented it first. All that matters is who gets to the Patent Office first.

And by "first" we mean on opening day. Because nothing suits a time machine like U.S. Patent 1.

The game's pretty fun, and doesn't require an ATIForce Titaneon 980235700000 to play, either.

Hmmm.... what's patent #1, I wonder?

The good folks at Cheapass Games have the answer.

Eureka! You've just invented time travel.

But the awful truth is that you're not alone.

In fact, scientists have been inventing time travel since 1814.

But if you have a time machine, it really doesn't matter who invented it first. All that matters is who gets to the Patent Office first.

And by "first" we mean on opening day. Because nothing suits a time machine like U.S. Patent 1.

The game's pretty fun, and doesn't require an ATIForce Titaneon 980235700000 to play, either.

It's already a card-game called Unexploded Cow from Cheapass Games. Lots of fun.

You and your friends have discovered two problems with a common solution: Mad Cows in England and Unexploded Bombs in France. You've decided to bring these two powderkegs together just to see what happens. And you wouldn't say "no" to a little money on the side. So round up your herd, march them through France, and set them loose behind the Cordon Rouge. If you're lucky you'll come home rich before Greenpeace gets hold of you. Either way, there's something magical about blowing up cows.

I would recommend Lord of the Rings, it is designed by Reiner Knizia, one of the world's greatest game designers. In it, you must work together to destroy the ring, while the game itself represents Sauron's evil minions. The dynamics work really well, the game gets tense and exciting, particularly near the end. It is also the most beautiful board game ever.

On a different note, check out Cheap-Ass Games. They're sold on the idea that you'll already have tokens and dice and such from other games. These items are what makes a game expensive (~40 bucks, generally). Cheap-ass games are typically sold in paper pouches for 5 bucks. The games themselves are usually well-designed, funny, and for that price, what do you have to lose? Try Kill Dr. Lucky or any of the zombie games (zombies working fast-food, with one brain between them...)

For under $10, there's a few Cheapass games that are a ton of fun with the right crowd. Give Me The Brain, Deadwood, and Ben Hurt are good. We also dig Ebola Monkey Hunt from Placebo Press. Both can be had for ~$7.

Did I mention including the beverage of choice?

If you haven't found them the last two years I've made this post, you're missing out. Several small time game companies make cheap games often with a delightfully geeky bent:

• Fluxx ($10) from LooneyLabs
  A self-modifying card game where the rules of the game are the cards played.
  
  
• Icehouse ($35) also from LooneyLabs
  No, not the beer. A Unquestionably cool set of plastic pyramids suitable for playing a variety of games, and designing of your own games.
  
  
• Falling ($10) from Cheapass Games
  Imagine real-time (as opposed to turn based) blackjack on speed.
  
  

All of these games are perfect for sitting in restraunts waiting for food, or other such awkward time slots that normally get wasted.

If you haven't found them the last two years I've made this post, you're missing out. Several small time game companies make cheap games often with a delightfully geeky bent:

• Fluxx ($10) from LooneyLabs
  A self-modifying card game where the rules of the game are the cards played.
  
  
• Icehouse ($35) also from LooneyLabs
  No, not the beer. A Unquestionably cool set of plastic pyramids suitable for playing a variety of games, and designing of your own games.
  
  
• Falling ($10) from Cheapass Games
  Imagine real-time (as opposed to turn based) blackjack on speed.
  
  

All of these games are perfect for sitting in restraunts waiting for food, or other such awkward time slots that normally get wasted.

Ship livestock to the mined areas that have been diagnosed with BSE (no, not BSD). Let them roam free, and tell the inhabitants not to eat the gibs. This concept has made it into a game called Unexploded Cow.

And before anyone flies off the handle, I'm just kidding. :^)

You just described Unexploded Cow from Cheapass Games.

Games that are fun, nonviolent, and educational... well, I would personally reccomend a lego mindstorms set, though those can get pricey. Along the eyecandy line I can reccomend the Myst series, though if you want something a little less difficult (as far as the puzzles are concerned, Myst: Exile nonwithstanding), take a look at Presto Studio's Journeyman Project line... Not only eyecandy, but it includes quite a few historical/mythological locations (the game is based on time travel) and #2 and later include a handy AI who tends to comment on items of historical significance.

I'm actually reminded of an old game from about '94 that was called 'Heaven and Earth', which was essentially a collection of Puzzles and skill tests, ranging from the simle and fun to the mindbreakingly complex.

Of course... well, Civilization is a good one, a bit dated, though CivII is similarly addictive, and Civilization: Call To Power isn't bad either, and allows LAN games. Call To Power II I have personal issues with, because the interface is kinda tedious, and this series may not get past the non-violent part.

However, don't restrict yourself to computer games. If you feel like expanding into the realms of Card games and so on, I can reccomend a whole series of games. Chrononauts is a very funny and educational game, though it 'follows' a very tounge-in-cheek version of history. Similarly, many things by Cheapass Games can be fun... though you'll have to dig a bit to find something educational. :)

I hope this was helpfull ;)

From the site:

New Game Coming in August: U.S. Patent Number One Congratulations, you've invented a time machine. But you're not the first person to think of it, and you won't be the last. What really matters is who gets to the Patent Office first. And with a time machine, "first" means "first"!

In case, you're one of many like me who collected magic cards, but doesn't play much anymore; someone just forwarded me this link to a Cheapass Game that can be played with Magic Cards. If you're not familliar with Cheapass Games, they produce very low-cost games with simple rules. Their best known include: "Before I Kill You, Mr. Bond", "Give Me the Brain", "Kill Dr. Lucky" and many, many others.

My personal favorite and recommendation is "Kill Dr. Lucky" for it's deceptively simple strategy, including the infamous "lucky train".

Landyland and it's sister game Mana Burn are only a buck each, which is the low-end of Cheapass games. The high end is around $8-10, but I usually expect to pay around $2-5 for a Cheapass game.

The other great thing about Cheapass is the art. Many of the games are drawn by such artists as Phil Phoglio and John Kovalic. It may be on paper cut-outs, but it's very nicely done.

NOTE: I'm advocating Cheapass games, but have no vested interest in their financial future. I'd love to see more people play them, but that's just for my gaming fun.

In case, you're one of many like me who collected magic cards, but doesn't play much anymore; someone just forwarded me this link to a Cheapass Game that can be played with Magic Cards. If you're not familliar with Cheapass Games, they produce very low-cost games with simple rules. Their best known include: "Before I Kill You, Mr. Bond", "Give Me the Brain", "Kill Dr. Lucky" and many, many others.

My personal favorite and recommendation is "Kill Dr. Lucky" for it's deceptively simple strategy, including the infamous "lucky train".

Landyland and it's sister game Mana Burn are only a buck each, which is the low-end of Cheapass games. The high end is around $8-10, but I usually expect to pay around $2-5 for a Cheapass game.

The other great thing about Cheapass is the art. Many of the games are drawn by such artists as Phil Phoglio and John Kovalic. It may be on paper cut-outs, but it's very nicely done.

NOTE: I'm advocating Cheapass games, but have no vested interest in their financial future. I'd love to see more people play them, but that's just for my gaming fun.

If you're interested in small, imaginative companies that publish small, imaginative games, then you'd be well-served to check out wonderfully named Cheapass Games.

Don't let the name -- or the packaging -- fool you. It is their very simplicity that makes Cheapass Games so enjoyable. The concepts are ludicrous, the artwork often hilarious, and the game fun due in no small part to a handful of simple rules.

Some offerings of note:

• Kill Doctor Lucky : the logical inverse of Clue.
• Before I Kill You, Mr Bond... : Capture the master spy, take him to your secret lair, and taunt him.
• Give Me The Brain : If you work in fast food service, you'll appreciate this game.
• Escape from Elba : You're Napoleon, and so is everyone else.
• The Very Clever Pipe Game: Sadly, no longer in print.

Really good stuff.

Schwab