Settlers of Catan 4th Edition Bundle Decide Now

Another great purchase through Amazon.com. Fair price which included prompt shipping. This game is great.Get more detail about Settlers of Catan 4th Edition Bundle.

Wham-O Trac Ball Racket Game Right now

I got my first set when I was 13 about 25 years ago. At that time the rackets were all black and the balls were orange. If you are buying because you had as a child, like I did, you'll note once you receive the set that they are very similar, the colors are a little different though. I still have my old set, but wanted to add more rackets for more people. The balls on the newer set are definitely a little thicker and a little heavier. I found it does change the way the ball flies slightly but not necessarily in a bad way, just different. The old ball being lighter spins more and curves a little better, while the new ball is better for straight shot throwing but you can still curve it pretty good with practice.
In the box:
Rackets (2 plastic rackets like lacrosse nets only hard with an interior track that helps whip the ball from the racket and direct it into the cup of the racket when catching the ball)
Balls (2 Plastic hollow balls, fairly light)

Here are the general Pros/Cons/Tips.
Pros
-Great Lacrosse Catch Type game, very fun
-Gets the kids and the adults moving around in the yard for exercise that doesn't involve the Wii, thats still enjoyable.
-Challenging to play and you can create different variations of catch games
-Create some wicked curves with the balls in every direction, I think I shattered the space-time curve continuum once.
-All ages (almost) can enjoy it.
-Something that you can start off with slow and gradually learn the different moves if you have younger players.
-Inexpensive game that provides hours of outdoor entertainment.
-Easily expandable, buy more rackets.

Cons
-Really there are none but keep in mind the following:
-If you are uncoordinated or playing with younger players you might want to take it easy at first, because the ball can be curved in extreme manners and with some velocity if you want. Therefore if you get hit in the face its going to hurt.
-If you are playing near or on concrete beware: once it hits concrete especially after a missed catch, the ball is going to be rolling for a while, if you live on a hill, well you get the idea. Watch for cars!

Game Types
Essentially the game centers around throwing the ball back and forth with the rackets. You can have a simple catch, you can play hockey and try to get into the opposing players goal(whatever you want to use), create your own variance. I suppose you could also make a tag game out of it and try to nail the other players, could be fun, do it at your own risk. Our favorite game is trying to throw the ball so the other person can't catch it. This is a point based game, where you earn a point each time the person trys and fails to catch because they missed it or it hit their racket, etc.. You can play up to 10 points with best out of 5 games or whatever. You have to set the framework in the beginning of the game though as what constitutes a missed catch, basically it has to be catchable and a honest attempt has to be made because if it hits the racket or it was a clear whiff then the other player gets a point. The honor system applies.

Playing Tips
First off be creative when throwing the ball. Using a quick whipping motion with your hand you can drag the racket across your body or downwards to create curves towards your opponent or victim(ha ha)in almost any direction. You can spin and whip your wrist at the same time putting curve and spin on the ball like English in pool. Not only does this cause some extreme curving, but the spin can make it difficult to catch by your opponent if they don't have the ball locked onto, it also makes it more likely to land in their racket and jump back out again. You can throw super high floaters straight up in the air towards your opponent as well, this can be very difficult to catch especially on a windier day, the ball moves while coming down.
Try playing at different wind level days, it can make a huge difference on how the game is played, but switch sides to be fair. You can throw direct speed shots straight-aways. Remember if you throw hard and straight without curving the ball is going to go very fast at the person and usually where you aimed, they should be coordinated enough to catch the ball or some pain could ensue. You are going to catch the ball either over or under handed (pretend the open face of the racket is your palm side) depending on what angle the ball is coming from. Underhanded is more difficult because the ball has a better chance of spinning out of the racket if your not careful, you have to let it hit the cup of the racket and move your hand up quickly to secure the ball in the cup. When the ball comes in from above if you time it correctly it should stay put but its best to cock your hand back a little once the ball is in the cup to avoid it from bouncing out. When catching it helps if you square your body with whatever direction (angle)the ball is coming from. The most challenging part of the game is when you have two skilled players throwing lots of curves because on the receiving end it can be difficult to anticipate the balls movement. Truly the ball can have some weird movements. A straight curve isn't too bad, but if there is even a little wind and all of sudden the wind drops off or picks up, then you have a fast curve coming where the ball can drop or rise 5 feet in height in a second right before it gets to you. This is where the true fun comes in, watching your opponent trying to catch a crazy throw or watching them be out of position or juggling the ball as its bouncing in their racket before an awesome reel in or as the ball ignominiously hits the ground.
Overall you and your family will love this game.Get more detail about Wham-O Trac Ball Racket Game.

Lowest Price Monopoly

This is a great game with a lot of real world lessons. I think it's a great way to teach kids about money management, although the same could be said for its affect on adults. This is a game that can take an evening, depending on how good everybody is, but if you're looking to move things along, a great way to do so is to pass out the properties randomly at the beginning of the game.

For those of your looking to upgrade your set, depending on how long it's been since you're seen a "new" Monopoly, some things have changed. The money colors have changed and a lot of the wooden or metal pieces are now plastic. More or less though, it's the same great game you remember.Get more detail about Monopoly.

Low Price Scrabble Diamond Anniversary Edition

Like many of the other reviewers, I like a lot of the changes they have made. It is nice to be able to turn the board so easily (though you need to be careful your tile rack is out of the line of fire), the raised gridlines make tile placement easier and minimize movement if the board or table is bumped, and the fact that it is self-contained makes storage and portability a breeze!

The changes I do not like are the tile racks, which I think are cheap-looking and more difficult to put your tiles on, and the changes to the colors of the bones point blocks on the board. After decades and decades of playing with pink and red, and pale and darker blue, it just seems odd and pointless, and makes it seem too modern. I tossed the red racks and just use the wooden ones from my older game, and they fit fine in the side drawers (which are brilliant!).

I am sure that in time I will adjust to the new colors on the board and if I had tried, I probably could have learned to tolerate the tile racks, but there are too many other things in life that require my energy. This game is worth purchasing if you frequently play Scrabble, for the raised grids, wheels, side drawers, and the shell it is encased in. If you only pull out the game once a year, I'd stick with the original and use a lazy susan.Get more detail about Scrabble Diamond Anniversary Edition.

Save Pairs in Pears

Great game for grade school children learning how to spell. Kids loved it and it makes them spell out words and the whole family can playGet more detail about Pairs in Pears.

Cheapest Sorry

I think that sorry! is a great game. It's very educational and fun for the whole family. Once your child plays this game, they'll never want to stop...unless they're bumped back to start! I definitely recommend this game. I play it myself with my family as well.Get more detail about Sorry.

Cheap Chessex Dice: Pound of Dice (Pound-O-Dice) Approximately 100 Die

I got this bag for a bunch of new players, and it had 90 dice in it.

There seemed to be a pretty even mix of dice, except there were only TWO D4's, and only (about) seven D100's. So I'm gonna go pick some up at Crit. Hit Games (local table top game store). But it was fun to dig through, LOL, I'd recommend it, even though I got less than the average person gets ;/Get more detail about Chessex Dice: Pound of Dice (Pound-O-Dice) Approximately 100 Die.