Gosh, it was tough to come up with a Top Ten list this week. I can't say why. I've got a cool one on deck, but I'd prefer to hold off just a little longer until it is consistently outdoor weather here in Northeast Ohio. We're still bouncing around in temperatures, and it's the rainy season.

So... when the weather is crummy and/or you're just not feeling like going out, what's more fun than playing a good board game? Board games make for a perfect family activity night, I think. From eight to eighty (and beyond), friends of all ages are brought together to socialize and bond through playing them. They provide hours-on-end of free, unplugged fun! That's hard to beat.

I like to get a little music going, maybe enjoy some drinks, and get into it. (If you've got a smart speaker around, just throw out a voice command for it to "Play 94.9 WQMX" for easy access to all the good vibes.) My favorite sort of games are highly involved strategy ones, as you'll discover below. I generally dislike the brainless, luck-based board games such as Chutes and Ladders. For this list, we're only talking about games with some sort of board and not just cards.

Put down your phone and pick up the dice. We're shooting for snake eyes: it's my top ten traditional board games!

10. Sorry

9. Connect 4

8. Scrabble

7. Battleship

6. Guess Who?

5. Mouse Trap

4. Life

3. Monopoly

2. Risk

1. Chess

Hey, till next time, thanks for checking this out!