I was reading Dan's bit about drunken party games, and it got me thinking about the parties my friends and I used have all the time, and still try to have all the time (It doesn't always work out like it used to. Panda status.) when we can.

Almost all of my friends are gamers. So, any kind of celebration or occasion to have a gathering, there's always gaming involved, and lots of it. Usually there's 10-15 people at the house/apartment at one time, so there is always one or two individuals who will bring an extra TV, a console, games, or extra controllers. Everything gets up in different rooms and everyone kind of wanders back and forth between them.

It works out great because it usually ends up being multiplayer, like Gears of War 2, Halo 3, Smash Bros., etc. for the hardcore gamers of our group (Guilty.) in one room, and someone will set up Rock Band or Scene It? for the more casual gamers (Hell, one time a friend even brought her own 13" TV and PlayStation so she could play LEGO Star Wars). Everyone does their own thing and it doesn't get clique-y because sometimes the hardcore will want to take a break and play a track or two on Rock Band, and the casuals will dabble into a little shoot-'em-up multiplayer for whatever reason, even if just to say they've played an FPS. A few times we've even opened up a new game and watched and took turns playing through it.

This setup works out great, because every network has its drama, and mine is no exception. Everyone could hate everyone else for their own reasons, and one of the peacemakers will set one of these game nights (Well, I say nights, but usually the party starts early in the afternoon and can go throughout the following morning), people arrive and suddenly everyone gets along again as if the fighting never happened.

Somehow these parties never get old for us, even though it's usually at the same couple of guys' houses, with all the same people showing up. But when we get together there's something different happening each time. It's been great remembering past parties and all the fun we've had. Like the Smash Bros. Brawl Cinnamon Challenge between the two most competitive guys of the group. Fun times, indeed.

Tell me about yours!