Game boys: Forget Monopoly, today's board games are much more challenging

The people -- who come from all walks of life -- are there for a very singular reason.

They want to play board games.

"Some people want to get out of the house and play poker with their buddies," said King, owner of Games King, a specialty game store. "These guys, on the other hand, just want to play board games with their buddies."

And no, we don't mean old-school games like Monopoly or Risk. 

Brought up on a steady diet of video games and role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, Jeff Baumgardner said today's board gamers want something more substantial.

"Video games can be fun but they're fixed to a certain level of play," explained the Monday night regular. "A good board game has a level of play that is much more fluid."

So, what does Baumgardner like to play? Currently, Betrayal at House on the Hill -- a horror-themed game that incorporates game pieces, character cards, special tokens and even a bit of role playing.

"There so many different scenarios that it's like you're playing a different game every time," he said.

"Are you guys talking about Betrayal?'" Travis Dill asked. "I love that game too."

A Dungeons & Dragons aficionado, Dill likes to switch things up with board games.

"It's easy to lose track of time when you're playing a good board game," he admitted.

But it's also fun to win, said gamer Sioux City gamer James Smith.

"I'm pretty competitive and board games stoke that competitiveness," he said.

Currently, Smith's favorite game is 7 Wonders, which uses three decks of cards that feature depictions of ancient civilizations, military conflicts and commercial activities.

Wow, that sounds complicated. Don't they make Candyland, anymore? Yes they do, according to King. However, his customers much prefer Catan.

"Catan is a multiplayer board game in which players build settlements, cities and roads on an island," he said. "Even though Catan requires a great deal of strategy, it's simple to play."

King said that makes Catan a perfect introduction for people entering the world of strategic board games.

Want a good party board game for the holidays? King recommends both Wits & Wagers (a trivia game that can be played by four to 20 players) and Apples to Apples (a game that can use four to 10 players with a playing time not taking more than one hour).

If those games are the most flexible, which one is the trendiest? 

"Pandemic is pretty popular," King said of the game based on the premise that four different diseases have broken out in the world. "What makes Pandemic different is the fact that game play is cooperative, not competitive."

"A team must work together in order to save the world," he said.

Which is a sentiment that even a competitive guy like Smith can appreciate.

"A board game allows you to step outside of the ordinary," he said. "You can build new worlds and you can save some old ones."

King nodded his head in agreement.

"People love cards games, role-playing games and board games," he said. "What makes them fun is the strategy involved as well as the interaction with your fellow players."

It's also what motivates a person to make a weekly trip to play a hot new board game.

"This is geekdom," Smith announced with obvious pride. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a geek."