Risk was a preferred game both while I was in school and for some time afterwards in our ski house, etc. It definitely appealed to people who weren't broadly into board games--and certainly not hardcore war games.

I always liked it. There are some potentially annoying dynamics like how cards dominate so much in the end game and basically force you to go for it at some point.

I've played Catan on a tablet. It's OK but I seem to keep coming back most to Carcassonne for that general class of game.