acquisitive glee
Toys R Us is having a sale: buy 1 get 1 free on Hasbro, Milton Bradley, or Parker Brothers games. (Avalon Hill was also a decent publisher that got snapped up by Hasbro a few years ago.) The sale lasts until the 15th. Yeah, it's offered online -- free shipping too -- but I think I want to try my chances in a brick-and-mortar store...
When M's 'rents visited us last, we decided to spring Ticket to Ride on them; however, this was a dicey proposition. They aren't gamers at all, and M's dad hates complexity in a lot of things (after all, it's not just him -- I'm unsure about how my mom would do with it, for example).
The little plastic trains, however, are irresistible.
M's mom was a convert and wanted to play a game most nights they were there. Another upside is that M's parents, who are two of the hardest people to buy for, now have a definite Hanukkah present.
Hence this sale. The troublesome thing is that Ticket to Ride is not made by any of the listed companies -- I'm hoping that I can show up at a Toys R Us that carries TtR (itself a dicey issue... I don't think many do, if at all), act confused, and walk out with TtR and a free copy of this game. True, it's a massive dicefest. But if you know you're getting into a lot of dice beforehand and you realize that there isn't a lot of strategy involved... I just really need a game where I can destroy the entire Eastern Seaboard with a giant frickin' eyeball, OK?
Furthermore: every kid needs a copy of this classic. I was mildly surprised when Mer said she'd never had it as a kid. I think this and either Hungry Hungry Hippos or Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots... hmmm...
(And yes, I need help. Eventually.)