Jenga

Pull a block, stack it on top, and hope the tower stays standing. Sooner or later, somebody brings it all crashing down.

That block looks loose. Try moving it (carefully), and hope the rest of the Jenga tower stays where it is.

Jenga starts with a tower of 54 wooden blocks. Remove one from below and put it on top. The tower gets taller, the lower levels get less dependable, and sooner or later somebody brings the whole thing tumbling down. Some blocks slide more easily than others, so choosing the right one is part of the game.

Leslie Scott developed Jenga from a wooden-block game her family played. She introduced it at the London Toy Fair in 1983, and the North American launch followed in 1986. The name comes from the Swahili word for building, although you do eventually spend some time picking the building up off the table.

This is one of those classic family games that is a year-round favorite at our house. It's easy to learn and play, even for younger kids (as long as they have a steady hand). A lot of the fun is watching other people's strategies and planning ahead as blocks get pulled and added before your next turn. It's a pretty loud game. Besides the blocks falling when someone makes the wrong move, there is usually a lot of shouting and yelled advice. All in all, a very good family game.

The game itself hasn't really changed over the years, but a newer version of Jenga offers an optional web app with additional challenges beyond the basic game, such as timed play or special ways of handling the blocks.