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[Drab Emordnilap]

I tried to look for co-op games because that genre interests me, but I didn't find any that appeal to me.  Time limits seem too stressful for board gaming to me, that eliminated a bunch.

I enjoy co-op games. My favorites are Operation Flashpoint and Sentinels of the Multiverse.

Operation Flashpoint has each player taking on the role of a firefighter, trying to save people from a burning house. The smoke that appears each turn is randomly placed (there's a coordinate system on a 6x8 grid, and you roll those two dice to place the smoke), but I've only rarely lost or won a game of it that I feel like was completely out of my hands. Sometimes it's harder than others is all.

Sentinels of the Multiverse is a preconstructed deck game where each deck represents a superhero. Each player selects a hero, and you have a deck for the villain and another for the environment, and there's multiple of each type to mix and match. (The base set has 4 villains, 4 environments, and 10? heroes. I forget exactly.) There's some passing similarities to Magic (In that you have a deck, you draw a card every turn, you play cards and use abilities to do stuff) but for the most part, it's a much more positive experience, because you all get to curse Baron Blade and his Terralunar Impulsion Beam together.

[gman314]

For co-op games, if Pandemic is too "dark" with the whole fate of the world is at stake mechanic, you can go with Forbidden Island. Unless a relic from a temple is considered necessarily demonic.

I regularly hang out with a bunch of people who include gamers and non-gamers. The games we can regularly persuade the non-gamers to play are Bohnanza, Ticket to Ride (Europe) and 7 Wonders. Non-gamer friends will sometimes want to play "the bean game" or "the train game" or "that game with all the cards that you pass around."

[Davio]

For co-op games, if Pandemic is too "dark" with the whole fate of the world is at stake mechanic, you can go with Forbidden Island. Unless a relic from a temple is considered necessarily demonic.

I regularly hang out with a bunch of people who include gamers and non-gamers. The games we can regularly persuade the non-gamers to play are Bohnanza, Ticket to Ride (Europe) and 7 Wonders. Non-gamer friends will sometimes want to play "the bean game" or "the train game" or "that game with all the cards that you pass around."

Forbidden Island is really hard with 2 players though, because you have less storage room for your treasure/relic cards and you often have to discard cards you'll need later.

Me and my wife played a couple of days ago on beginner level and we beat the game with 1 turn to spare. Exactly one more turn and we would've been toast. She was the Explorer(?) and I was the Pilot.

[eHalcyon]

I think we need more data points. I've only played it once, 2p on the intermediate level, I think. We had no problems. I forget our roles though.

[popsofctown]

Sentinels of the Multiverse and Forbidden Island both sound really cool.  Now I can't choose!

[Dsell]

Forbidden Island can offer some tough strategy, but sometimes it does just come down to luck a bit. And it definitely can be super tough the harder you make it. It is a lot like Pandemic Lite, but it has some unique features and being a lite version of a good game is not so bad. Plus, it is really pretty to look at with fantastic art and components.

[Kuildeous]

I'm really digging on SotM right now. I have a friend's copy for the moment, but I'm looking at CSI or MM to buy my own. So far they're out of stock, so I guess I may just call up my FLGSs and try to find them.

And the theme is pretty light. There is the usual villainous things, like a mad scientist trying to pull the moon out of orbit or an alien invasion, but it's very much comic-themed, which may please the kids (and kid-at-heart). One expansion has a hero that is like the Punisher in that she does guns and only guns. Not sure if that seems too dark. There is a hero named Fanatic that is kind of like a martyr paladin I guess; I haven't played that one yet. His theme is kind of religious.

I've heard good things about Forbidden Island, but I've yet to experience it.

Speaking of islands, Tobago is pretty neat. It has a unique mechanic that is technically simple but can be difficult to master. As long as cursed gold isn't too dark, it should fit in well. I don't know how it plays with 2 players, though, or if it even does.

[Qvist]

Regarding Forbidden Island vs Pandemic: What I like more about Forbidden Island is:
1.) That you can make your own map. That's the biggest thing; for me Pandemic would be even better if there would be the option to randomize the map.
2.) It's shorter. Sometimes it's the key decision in choosing Forbidden Island vs. Pandemic. "Let's play Forbidden Island, because I'm already tired." or "because then we can play another one later too."
3.) I don't know how the English version looks like, but my version of Forbidden Island has some nice Miniatures for the players and cool looking Relics and not just wooden cubes and meeples.

But otherwise I prefer Pandemic.

[popsofctown]

Ah!! I still can't choose!

[Drab Emordnilap]

I'm really digging on SotM right now. I have a friend's copy for the moment, but I'm looking at CSI or MM to buy my own. So far they're out of stock, so I guess I may just call up my FLGSs and try to find them.

And the theme is pretty light. There is the usual villainous things, like a mad scientist trying to pull the moon out of orbit or an alien invasion, but it's very much comic-themed, which may please the kids (and kid-at-heart). One expansion has a hero that is like the Punisher in that she does guns and only guns. Not sure if that seems too dark. There is a hero named Fanatic that is kind of like a martyr paladin I guess; I haven't played that one yet. His theme is kind of religious.

Yeah, Expatriette's super power is lots of guns. And ammo, that's important too.

The Fanatic is more like an Archon than a Paladin; she's kind of this holy avenger who gained her powers in a monastery and decided it must be God's will for her to smite the wicked. She has a crisis of conscience when she meets someone else with the same powers as her, who's evil and not particularly devout.

There's actually quite a lot of backstory that isn't on the cards.

EDIT: Heck, if you live in Houston, you can come play them tomorrow; my gaming group is getting together at someone's house, and Sentinels always gets played.

[popsofctown]

I don't live in Houston

[Forge!!!]

Why not both? Forbidden Island is like 10 bucks.

[popsofctown]

it's more about the likelihood of being able to introduce several games. 

[Voltgloss]

I gave my wife Elder Sign as a birthday gift over the weekend and we had a blast.  And my mom picked it up after watching us play once.  1-8 players, cooperative game, "Arkham Horror lite" but Arkham Horror is so damn heavy I think that's a good thing.  It was fun, fast-paced, and we enjoyed the flavour.  Looking forward to playing it more, and I'd therefore also give it a recommendation.