Munchkin

Kick down the door, kill the monster, steal the treasure, and stab your friend in the back on the way out.

The card game that has been quietly funding Steve Jackson Games since 2001. You are a dungeon-crawling adventurer with no redeeming features whatsoever, kicking down doors and fighting whatever is behind them for levels and loot. First to level 10 wins, and everybody else's entire job is to stop that happening.

The design is honest about what it is. You will be winning a fight comfortably when three people play cards to make the monster stronger, and the game expects you to do the same to them fifteen minutes later. John Kovalic's artwork and the relentless stream of gaming jokes carry it, and the box supports up to six — though be warned that it runs longer at higher counts, and the last level is always the hardest to reach because everybody can see you approaching it.

Perfect for: Groups who want to fall out with each other over something that doesn't matter.

3–6 players | 60–120 minutes | Age 10+