Pandemic

Not the Swine Flu, the board game.

I have always been a fan of games. Board games, party games, pool games...except sporting events. I like games that don't rely on physical strength, agility, flexibility, competition.

"Competition?" You rhetorically ask.
"Yes," I reply "Competition."

Example 1: Let's face it, no one likes playing Sorry with that person who chooses to kick you back to base, when other options were available.

Example 2: If during Phase 10 you find out your opponent needs a certain card to play his hand, choosing to hold it in your hand is kind of mean. You're taking the competition too far.

Example 3: Your opponent is only 2 colored spaces away from the gingerbread house in Candyland and the gumdrop card from the beginning is drawn. If you laugh condescendingly, then you're out-of-control competitive.

All this to say, there is a game that Zane and I have come to enjoy called Pandemic, where the competition is not between players, but against the game. All players work as a team to beat the game. It's amazing!

The game board is a map of the world (like Risk). There are 4 different viruses that infect different cities of the world. Each player has a different role in overtaking the viruses, such as Medic, Researcher, Dispatcher, etc. All players must share information and skills. If you kill all 4 viruses you win, otherwise everyone loses.

It's the game for those people who hate competitive games.

Don't get me wrong. You have to want to win to enjoy some games. You still have to want to win to enjoy Pandemic. Everyone has to win together or die together from pandemic viruses.

In Pandemic, it's all for one and one for all.