Spot It

How:

A small space to put a stack of cards, be it a table, floor, seatback tray or train seat.

What:

Multiple quick visual matching games, emphasis on speedy image recognition.

Who:

Kids who like pictures. Adults who like visual stimulus. Adults and kids who like playing together, especially when the kids win!

Where:

Your friendly local game store, or Amazon for $12.

Why:

Young minds pick up the details of Spot It quickly, and will trounce you in minutes. It's a great game for groups, easy to learn and fun to watch. Grab it to throw in your bag for that extra-long wait in line or the delay at the airport. Toss it into your closet as a last-minute gift for the person who's tough to shop for.

Apples to Apples

How:

Cards, friends or family, and a table.

What:

Free association, pop culture, creative persuasion and a lot of silliness make this card game a family friendly source of laughs.

Who:

Kids, adults, families; small or large groups. Just make sure you aren't in a quiet spot... it gets loud.

Where:

Your friendly local game store, or Amazon ($18).

Why:

It's so simple: pick an adjective, then others have to pick nouns that best fit. But the fun comes in unexpected juxtapositions, silly arguments for your own card, and knowing how to read the judge to predict what they will like best. Lots of fun, short gameplay, kid friendly.

Once Upon A Time

How:

Cards, friends, minimal table or floor space.

What:

Story telling collaboration with surprise theft of narrative control and awesome ending phrases that each is trying to work towards.

Who:

Children, adults, and anyone who likes taking random, disparate elements and weaving them into a fairy tale style story.

Where:

Your friendly local game store, or Amazon has it ($24).

Why:

This one crosses all age groups, getting to our storytelling instincts very effectively. I played a ton of it in high school, and just recently recommended it to some older friends to bring along for a visit to some family with children. Kids get this quickly, adults can jump in easily, since the rules are light and the replayability very high. Plus it's small and portable.

Elements

How:

Web browser, mouse only.

What:

Customizable card game, similar to Magic The Gathering or many others, in which you create a deck and then play cards as you draw from your deck. Twelve elements make for many strategies, whether using only one or two 'colors' or blending all of them at once.

Who:

Play Elements if you like card games where you think about deck building but also card selection and timing.

Where:

Online at ElementsTheGame

Why:

Starts off simple, gets very rich in strategy. Twelve areas to focus on, with two-color decks being common and powerful, meaning many possible options to explore. This game has a variety of tough AI opponents, a long advancement curve for boosting your deck's power, and some very creative player vs player modes, both simultaneous and asynchronous.

Hearthstone (Blizzard)

How:

Free download (via Battle.net) for Mac, Windows and iPad.

What:

Turn based, one-on-one collectible card game using Warcraft universe and a mix of monsters and spells.

Who:

Play if you like deckbuilding strategy, human vs human multiplayer, sealed or constructed deck play and class-based differences.

Where:

Free download from Blizzard.

Why:

Hearthstone is easy to pick up, especially if you've played card games like it. The deckbuilding offers a variety of valid strategies and you can earn and unlock a variety of cards as you play more and more. For those who want a completely free experience you can earn in-game money through quests and participate in sealed deck Arena play, which is similar to Drafting in other games.