Cosmos

In Cosmos, players take turns exploring the universe, building far-flung colonies, and collecting taxes (for once, we're on the right side of taxes!). The goal of the game is to make the most money from the economic opportunities of exploring space, while elbowing out the market competition. Central market mechanics allow players to compete by increasing or decreasing universal resource prices, while limited resources make each region of space a hotly-contested competition for colonies. The game ends when the universe is totally explored--meaning if you're sitting in dead last without a hope, you can explore your heart out and rush the game to an untimely conclusion.

Cosmos is very straightforward to learn, and a typical game takes around 30-45 minutes. Cosmos is simple enough for casual gamers to play (and win), but complex enough to keep the interest of more competitive or experienced gamers. Turns are quick, and the game mechanics are easy to remember.

Most conflict in Cosmos is indirect, making this a great game for two players--even those who may be mismatched in competitive nature or gaming experience (read: the hobbyist and the spouse). At the same time, Cosmos allows up to eight players, making it a decent party game, although it gets a bit crowded and far more competitive at six.

Overall, this is a highly replayable, very entertaining game with a really broad appeal and low commitment requirements.