In 2003, this $870 million dollar industry saw a 65% surge in sales according to market researchers NPD Group. Some analysts contribute this to the overall economy. When the economy is sluggish, Americans seek cost effective alternatives to have fun.

Others attribute Sept. 11 as the catalyst to families spending more time together at home. Whatever the reason, this industry continues to be a growth sector.

BusinessWeek reports to keep an eye on the small companies as they secure an advantage with low overhead, quick turnaround and marketing ease via the Internet. Entrepreneurs continue to be attracted to this industry.

From players strategizing around the world to replace Antonio Zafra Fernandez as the current 2004 Monopoly world champion to games customized by choice, simply put, board games are hot!

This holiday season, children can go crazy two ways with Doggone Crazy!, an interactive doggy-themed game by Doggone Crazy! (Gift Guide) , and Going, Going Crazy by Going Crazy, Inc.(Gift Guide), a fast-paced educational challenge. Doggone Crazy! allows kids to get in on the fun and be doggy detectives as they try to figure out what dogs are saying with their body language. With more than a 100 photo cards and designed by dog experts, the entire family will have doggone fun! The craziness continues with Going, Going Crazy as players compete to see who will get to the “WIN” position by rolling dice, spinning the spinner or drawing cards. This fast-paced madness is for the whole family and helps young children work on their counting and comprehensive skills. It was also designed for children and adults with special needs.

Children learn at a young age the importance of handling money with Budget Town by Attainment Company (Gift Guide). This board game incorporates true to life situations requiring players to receive or pay out money, teaching basic budgeting skills in a fun environment. Older children learn more advance skills with Budget City, writing checks, using credit cards and collecting interest on savings accounts.

Couples can rediscover romance with An Enchanted Evening by Time For Two (Gift Guide), a board game that invokes secret wishes, gentle touches, subtle playfulness and celebrates the special bond of being together. Turn up the heat and get a little naughty with a new game by Silver Summit Games (Gift Guide). This adult board game challenges couples or teams on their sexual knowledge or lack thereof. From the familiar to the unusual, this game is outrageous!

Getting physical has never been so much fun as with the No Sweat Fitness Board Game by Fun and Fitness LLC (Gift Guide). Families can break a sweat together as teams of 2 to 6 players compete to qualify for the field and track events to win the Goal Medal! Who will bring home the gold? Big brother, little sis or maybe grandpa! Everyone has a chance to win with this easy, interactive fitness challenge.

MarBan Industries, has come up with a clever way to make constructing sentences a blast with Sentence Says (Gift Guide). Rapid responses and quick thinking is needed if you want to stay in this game! Players take turns creating sentences out of a dealt letter card. Each letter represents any word of a player’s choice beginning with the letter on the corresponding card. Time limits and action cards build the thrills and sentence stealing increases the fun!

Little ones can experience farm life with Life on the Farm Preschool Edition by We R Fun (Gift Guide). Especially designed for ages 3 to 7, this game has received rave reviews from early education specialists. The game board is a soft-feel foam 5-piece puzzle. Match colors to move - fill your puzzle barn with animals to win!

Finally, being a couch potato pays off with Don’t Quote Me-TV Guide Edition! This award-winning board game by Wiggles 3D Inc (Gift Guide). and licensed with TV Guide, features quotes and trivia spanning 50 years of TV and movie history. Test your TV knowledge and recall favorites shows from days gone past.

Music more your thing? Then Aleken Games, Inc. has created the perfect challenge with Rock and Roll Triviologies (Gift Guide). Remember where you were back in the day and rock out a few tunes of your own, as you explore 50 years and play five categories of music trivia on the way to building your own band. Enjoy Jam Session, avoid a Band Break-up the use your Ticket to Roll to win!

Think Geography is boring? Think again! The company STOPS (Gift Guide) has created STOPS American Edition Board game. STOPS, which is an acronym stands for states, territories or provinces, provides interesting and challenging trivia clues for each state. Clues range from easy to difficult allowing for custom type playing for young children up to adults. The whole family can get in on learning about the USA.

Have a blast with the high-energy game, 3 Dymension by R&R Ventures (Gift Guide). Lady luck can’t save you, as you plot strategies and weave interactive people skills to advance. Deceptively simple to learn, 3-Dymension will challenge even the most resourceful players. Form alliances, block others and compete to be the first to build a straight line six beads to win. Sound simple? The fun stacks up as players try to outwit each other on this three-dimensional board game.

Game Savers by OBH Enterprises (Gift Guide) saves the day for your board games when the boxes have become tattered and torn. No more missing pieces or taped up boxes. With its sturdy construction and internal compartments board game components stay organized and intact. Game Savers – Blue Style are for thicker rectangular boxes such as Monopoly, Life and Risk. Game Savers – Orange Style are for thinner rectangular boxes such as Candyland and Chutes and Ladders.

Updated on 11/29/04