So I used "Beer N' Pretzels Gaming Nights" as sort of a cover-all for those nights when you're either between campaigns, can't or don't feel like running your regular game for some reason, or perhaps it's just time for a break.  What do you run for these short, one-night games?  Do you go with something like Risus (which is my go-to one-shot game--nothing spells Beer N' Pretzels Fun like one of my Risus Traveller games), or do you stick with your regular system, and say, run a quick D&D adventure with hastily rolled-up characters or pregens?  

Or on your Beer N' Pretzels nights, do you check out something different, maybe one of the plethora of German tile games about managing resources or flipping over said high-quality tiles?  Heck, maybe you just forget about playing anything and watch Hawk The Slayer for the 83rd time.  Perhaps you even default to some Thematic RPG about the decision that explores that social dynamic of exploring social dynamics through writing Thematic RPGs.

On your Beer N' Pretzel Gaming Nights, what do you do?

Jungle Speed
A really fun, fast twitch game. Best part: plays well with 3 to 8.

Dreamblade
Takes about an hour to play, lots of interesting choices, eminently playable with only a few boosters or a couple of starters. Drawback: two players only. (NB: Not just saying this because I work for Hasbro. Seriously! I've spent my own cash on boosters!)

Omega World
Jonathan Tweet does Gamma World. Fast, easy to play, lots of fun.

Blokus
Abstract boardgame that plays fast but requires four players for the best game.

The Adventure Begins
A big book of 20 1st and 2nd level D&D adventures from Goodman Games. We did character creation (PH only) and an entire adventure in less than two hours a couple weeks back. I literally bought the book and ran the first adventure from it an hour later.

I also have a small binder of gaming stuff just for random nights of gaming. My binder has a bunch of pre-gen D&D PCs, a few printed PDF adventures that I've read, and a printed copy of Encounter Critical that we will one day play, this I swear!

My best friend makes boardgames, so we will usually play one of those.

Quote from: AosMy best friend makes boardgames, so we will usually play one of those.

Well, that's handy.  Does he do it for a hobby, or for a specific company, if you don't mind my asking?

Quote from: Zachary The FirstOn your Beer N' Pretzel Gaming Nights, what do you do?

Usually, any two of:

Abalone, Settlers, Candamir, Elasund, Lunch Money, Once Upon A Time, Junta, Munchkin, Dutch Blitz, Gloom, 8-Bit Dungeon.

Memoir 44, Backgammon, Uno, Three Dragon Ante, or History of the World if we have the time.

Quote from: JongWKUno

I need to buy that again.  Good game.

...And I want my own Mancala board, since Pundit's reminder yesterday.

...Also, I can't even count the number of people who have recommended Jungle Speed to me.

So much for my game money this month.

Risus is always good. And the 1PG games from Deep7 make for great one-shots when I can't come up with something on my own.

I've got a whole shelf full of board games and such as well, back from my review writing days, though we end up pulling out Button Men and Brawl more than just about anything else.

I used to GM Star Wars D6 on any occasion where three like minded people would congregate.

Quote from: Levi KornelsenI need to buy that again.  Good game.

...And I want my own Mancala board, since Pundit's reminder yesterday.

...Also, I can't even count the number of people who have recommended Jungle Speed to me.

So much for my game money this month.

If you want a cool card game, what you want is Truco (the Uruguayan version, not the dumbed down game played in Argentina).

For a quick fun game Kobolds Ate My Baby really does the trick when doing a "Beer and Pretzels" Gaming Night

Uno, possibly a game of Munchkin, or Grave Robbers from Outer Space. Pirate's Cove was fun. Sometimes we just talk for hours.

Squirrel Attack!

Phase 10

Bang!

Lunch Money & Beer Money

Dungeoneer

Quote from: McrowSquirrel Attack!

I seriously need to get a game of that going here. :bawling:

Quote from: AosMy best friend makes boardgames, so we will usually play one of those.

More like an obsessive passion- they look totally professional too (he's an accomplished artist) the best one hands down is called "Evil Bastards"