Fluxx
Looney Laboratories, Inc.
Card game for as little as two people, and as many people as you can gather

This might very well be the perfect anywhere-anytime party card game. An awesome many-player game that doesn't lose its fun with just two players. This is often in my pocket when I'm off to an IHOP, Chili's, Jack in the Box, or other restaurant in which me and my people sit down and feel like killing some time.

The rules of Fluxx are simple. They are printed on the cards. In fact, they *are* the cards. Fluxx starts out with a basic rule card, and as the game progresses players add, change and remove rules. The goal of game even changes as the players continue their chaotic rampage through the deck.

The basic premise is that you have keepers that you play in front of you, and to win the moment your can match your keepers (or lack-thereof in a few cases) with the keepers on the goal card currently in play - even if it's not your turn. New rules being added can help, hinder, or otherwise just make interesting the prospect of having the keepers and the right goal at the right time. You can also play action cards that let you do something wacky or different.

I respect a game where my opponent can force me to make him win (an uncommon, but very possible occurence). I also respect a game that keeps me on my toes - where in a split second the rules can go from "Draw 5, Play 3, Hand Limit 2" to "Draw 2, Play All, Hand Limit 0, Keeper Limit 3" and the goal goes from having me one card away from winning to having my opponent ready to pounce on the win to me ready to take it back and all the way for the gold.

This game became perfect when Looney Labs began releasing Fluxx expansion sets - a few blank cards where you can make your own New Rules, Keepers, Goals and Actions. Fluxx just became your own customized homebrew set with in-jokes for your friends, and it answers the call that many players have with games: "if only it had [whatever], this would kick more ass." A choice handful that we play with:

• Keepers: Atom, Bathtub
• Goals: Atomic Clock (Atom + Time), Nuclear War (War + Atom), Long Ass Russian Novel (War + Peace)
• New Rules: Play All But 1, First Card Random
• Actions: Rotate Hands

Fluxx is a lot of fun, it's very portable, and the expansions both make it as customizable as you want for your circle of gamegeeks as well as allowing you to have more cards to support more players. For a mere Jackson you could get Fluxx and a few expansion boosters. You will get so much use out of thise game that you might even end up buying boosters just to replace old worn-out cards.

Fluxx: I game a wish I could make the sweet, sweet lovin' to
(Note to my crew: don't worry, I haven't tried :)