Low-tech Fun

Need a break from our crazy high-tech, iPhone, 24-hour news cycle, electricty-devouring world? Never fear; there are some great options out there for having some low-tech fun that's more social than reading a book or napping. All you will need are a few friends to enjoy the following fun, battery and electrity free games!

• Empire Builder: Empire Builder is all about building your own railroad empire and getting rich. I'll admit, I was skeptical at first, but it's a lot more fun than it sounds. Anyone who is a fan of Atlas Shrugged will enjoy this game as it will remind them of Dagny Taggart and Taggart Transcontinental. At least, that's what it made me think of... Also, you get to draw your railroad on the game board with crayons, which is pretty cool.

• Settlers of Catan: This German favorite is all about building settlements and roads and trading commodities. Once you master the basic game, there are a lot of expansions available that allow for more players or add new commodities.

• Risk: A favorite of International Relations students everywhere and a personal childhood favorite of my own. On school vacations, my brother and I would spend hours and hours playing risk without leaving the room for fear that the other person would cheat... This classic global domination game is easy to learn and will bring out an imperialistic spirit in even the most peace-loving individuals. Who doesn't want to take over the world?

• Arkham Horror: This is by far the most complicated board game I have ever played, but once you figure out all the steps and rules and what everything means, it's a lot of fun. The game board is the town of Arkham where mysterious portals are opening up. Monsters emerge through these portals and the players must fight them throughout the game and close the portals. There are a million other supernatural things that happen along the way, but I won't give them away except to say that you can get sucked through the portals into strange "Other Worlds" and that you get to use magical weapons. AND unlike most games, this is a co-operative board game where all players work together to win. Expansions are available that make the game and its board absolutely massive.