Come Play With Me

Oh kids. I feel like I have been gone for a long time, but in reality it hasn’t been that long. Although, I am the impatient blog reader who yells at my computer if certain blogs don’t update everyday. Maybe it is time I make some offline friends. :)

So for all of you who have been holding your breath, every so patiently waiting for a new something to read, here it is. (And quite long.) I wouldn’t be that creeped out if one of you changed your Facebook or Twitter to “Hooray! Denise blogged again.”

Of course you remember the calendar that hangs in my office. Every month there is a list to complete. (I have written down things for the other months, but just haven’t gotten around to posting them on here, yet.)

July asked us to make a list of our favourite games. So here is it! Hopefully you agree with some of them.

Board/Card Games

Trains. It’s really called Ticket To Ride, but surprisingly I can never remember that. Be a jerk and put your trains in the middle of someone’s line. Fly under the radar, circumvent the major ports and end up with a train from Edinburgh to Athens. It all ends with a semi-challenging math exercise. But despite the sound of it, it’s actually a pretty fun game.

Trivial Pursuit. Since the days of Quiz Kids (“Kermit is a ________?”) I have loved to test my knowledge. For the longest time my family only owned the original, dark blue boxed version of Trivial Pursuit. The questions involved events that occurred long before my birth, and most of the questions were still dealing with a very communist USSR. We have since moved on the challenging Canadian edition, and easy 90’s version but sweet satisfaction still comes every time I earn another piece of that plastic pie.

Skip-Bo. I lived at a house that one summer went through an immense Skip-Bo phase. We set up on the kitchen table, added more and more decks to the pile and the never-ending game continued for the whole summer. When someone got tired of playing, someone else subbed in. When it was time to sleep the game paused and we picked it back up in the morning. For the longest time after that summer I felt ill whenever it was suggested we play Skip-Bo, but every once and while I pull it out and remember the raucous games that occurred that blurry summer, long ago. 

Video Games

Tetris. One Easter in the early 90’s we got Tetris for our computer. I have loved it ever since. Back then I could barely clear two lines at once, let alone get a whole tetris. Thinking the game was gone with the original Nintendo, I was ecstatic to find the game I loved online. I am now a Tetris master, performing back-to-back tetrises with ease. Thanks Russia for a wonderful way to pass the time.

Original Mario (preferable with Duck Hunt on the same cartridge). We never had a Nintendo growing up. Occasionally we rented a unit during our holidays from school, and spent the next couple of days becoming “vidiots.” I know that other Marios have been introduced, but my favourite is still the original. Hands up if you can still sing the whole soundtrack to the game.

Aladdin for Super Nintendo. Run through the streets of Agrabah, find the princess, unlock the Genie, take a magic carpet ride and beat the big boss, Japhar. My brothers and I spent a great deal of time trying to beat this game, and just when we thought it was impossible, we became victorious. It was the first game we were ever able to win.

Karaoke Type Games. I’m not much of a singer, but give me a microphone and scoring based on tone and accuracy, and I can belt anything out. Whether it is Rockband (especially Beatles Rockband), Singstar or even the creepy Filipino version our ward has, I’m the singer for the band, and love watching those points climb higher and higher…. on easy mode, of course.

Other Games

Celebrity. Some paper, pens and a big bowl and you have a game of hilarity on your hands. Write down your favourite celebrity (Sometimes, just for fun, throw in your own name.) and have your friends try to get you to guess who the person written on the paper is. Without a doubt, Canada’s answer to Mr. Rogers, Mr. Dressup, shows up in the game, and there are always those unknown people whose only clue becomes, rhymes with…

Make Out Challenge 2000. Whether it is the celebrity edition, people we know, or the gross out version, this game has become a classic Weekday Eve game. Give it a try yourself. Think up two people and decide who would you rather make out with. Some of the answers might surprise you.

Games I’m Really Not Into.

7-Up. Come on, you know the one. Played during recesses in on cold days, I tired quickly with the game and often just kept my thumb down to keep from being chosen. Although, considering how much time has passed since I last heard, “Heads Up, Seven Up” I might be willing give it another go. (Besides it might be a good way to figure out who has a crush on me again.)

Boggle. I have a few friends that are much too competitive when it comes to this game. I am only able to find simple three letter words like cat before I am completely out words. They challenge each other, egging the other one to spot the seven and eight letter words that they were able to come up with. Just to hear the shake of the box brings that sinking feeling of dread.

Softball/Baseball. Considering that I heard, “We’re baseball men” most of my life, I cannot play this game for the life of me. To be honest it all seems a bit too dangerous for me. You just stand here with a stick and we are going to throw balls at you. Oh yah and now that the ball in the air, we are going to give you a piece of leather on your hand to catch the ball with. You’ll love it! Well, I can’t hit, I can’t catch and heaven knows that I can’t throw, so the whole night turns into an elaborate game of dodge ball. Fear not, I do make a pretty great spectator. I have figured out the just the right time to yell, “Call it in the air” and an encouraging, “Good eye”.

What are your favourite games to play. Maybe it's Monopoly, Scrabble, Dr. Mario or even head games, give us a list of your favourite competitive way to pass the time.