Perhaps the game most responsible for a resurgence of board gaming enthusiasm (at least in the States) is
Settlers of Catan. In fact, it seems strange not to have begun any discussion on modern games with Settlers of Catan (sorry, readers; I've let you down). In many ways, it is
the great gateway game--a way to introduce people who think all board games are like Monopoly, Life, or Clue to enjoyable games that involve (gasp!) interesting decisions to make on every turn.
Like Mary Poppins, Settlers of Catan is practically perfect in every way--elegant, simple, intuitive, interactive, and fun. But, again, like Mary Poppins, even practically perfect can get old. And like Mary Poppins sings, while a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, you don't always want to drink medicine.
