Tell HN: A Great New Card Game
Everyone seems to be talking about Settlers of Catan these days on HN, but if you want a real strategy game, that doesn't have the huge amount of luck Settlers has, try Dominion. I used to play a lot of Magic: The Gathering - I played in all the big national tournaments for years, so I have a special place in my heart for card games.
If I were to summarize why Dominion is good, I would say:
1) Though it is a card game, there is less luck than most card games because of how many times you draw each card.
2) It takes the best part of Magic (the deck-building) and turns it into the entire game.
3) It can be learned quickly, but it is difficult to master. My eight-year-old nephew picked it up in one game and loved it, and his mother (my sister) liked it too.
4) It's fun for 2-4 players.
5) The constant shifting of the cards means the game does not get old fast.
Anyways, if you have some holiday loot, get Dominion. Take it from a hardcore gamer, who has no affiliation with the publisher, Rio Grande. I'm just writing this because the game is great.