I’m having fun with lists so I thought I would continue it with this next little gem, the top 5 games that where almost great. These are games that where innovative, creative or otherwise on the brink of something amazing but botched it in some way like poor application of mechanics, balance, theme or something to the effect. These are games I want to love, I wish were great, but just came up short and we just have to accept that they missed the mark.
1. Starcraft The Board Game
When fantasy flight announced a new coffin sized epic scale board game based on the Starcraft franchise to say that the hype was overwhelming is an understatement. In fact there are still many that insist that this game is great (the I spent too much money not to like it effect) but, by all reputable accounts Starcraft the board game was a failure. It went out of print and has since been removed from the Fantasy Flight Games website which means there are no future re-prints planned.
Like a sail boat the most exciting times with Starcraft is the day you buy it and the day you sell it.
Starcraft had everything going for it. Two of the best designers in the business in my opinion, particularly well known for making amazing big board games (Corey Konieczka & Christian T. Petersen). It had a beloved and well known franchise which was begging for a great board game interpretation and it had a company with a reputation for creating amazing big board games with some of the best components money can buy. It was really a perfect marriage, the stars where aligned, it really wasn’t a question of whether or not I would be dropping the dough on this game, it was just a question of how quickly we could get our hands on it. With promotion and hype in full gear the game lands and with held breath we dove deep into the world of Starcraft the board game.
The result. While having some very clever mechanics, amazing components and superb art, Starcraft the board game was a complete dud. Unbalanced with an all but broken card combat and a stiflingly small game map, whatever potential greatness was put into the game it was killed by a clear shortage of play testing. Perhaps Fantasy Flight just got over confident, perhaps there was pressure from the licensee, who knows, but the game just sucked. Some claim that the expansion solved a lot of the problems of the game and I believe that is partially true, with the expansion the game is “playable”. Still of all the games that used the combat card mechanic FFG was putting into their games during this period which was a burden to other games FFG as well, Starcraft was the unquestionable king of disappointments and rightfully earns its number one spot as one of the biggest “should have been great” duds among games on this list.
2. Rune Wars
The fantasy world on which Fantasy Flight Games has based a number of games was exciting and different. We had become familiar with many of it’s personalities, monstrosities and legends in games like Runebound, Battle Lore and Descent, but Rune Wars represented the first time we were able to play in this world on a more global scale. Rune Wars was another coffin sized board game that used a very clever role-selection like mechanic, had amazing miniatures and art and again Corey Konieczka. He’s a great designer and it clearly shows, because despite its short comings, Runewars had a lot of potential. Like Starcraft it had that damned combat card mechanic and it just burdened this game unfortunatly. More than that however one of the factions in the game (The Elves) was completely and utterly broken, something that should have been fixed in testing. With house rules and if you could look beyond the card combat mechanic, Runewars had a lot going for it, but the combination of the two short comings overwhelmed the game. It was so close, that it actually pained me to cull it from my collection but the reality was no one ever wanted to play it out of fear of being stuck with the Elves. We tried a few house rules that made them more manageable but in the end even with fixed Elves the combat mechanic was just bad.
The Elf faction should have never been approved for release, this was clearly a play test failure.
Unlike Starcraft however Runewars was not abandoned and got a revised edition with some rules updates that did improve the game somewhat. The Elves remain the least favorite faction however still considered by many to be completely underpowered (myself included) and card combat mechanic is still there of course which is the worst part of the game in my humble opinion.
I want to love Runewars I really do but it’s just one of those games that sits on the shelf and never gets played because when it’s time to pull out a big fantasy war game there are just much better options available (some of them from fantasy flight games) and it’s just hard to justify it. So close, but yet so far away.
3. Letter’s From White Chapel
I feel like I’m picking on Fantasy Flight Games with this list as all but one of the games on this list are published by FFG. Perhaps its expectations, they are after all, the unquestionable king of amazing game publication hence held to a higher standard. Letter’s From White Chapel however does not deserve an excuse, it is, simply put, a terrible game and it’s shocking considering that it’s mechanics are pulled directly from one of the best games ever made (Fury of Dracula). I don’t understand why they would create a sub-par version of an amazing game they could have just reprinted, which notably a shockingly large amount of gamers are begging for. Perhaps it was a licensing issue or something, but the magic of Fury of Dracula simply does not exist in Letters From White Chapel. Which is odd, given that chasing Jack the Ripper is as awesome thematically as chasing after Dracula.
This addition is as stupid as it is boring, if I want to fill out paper work I will file my taxes not play board games.
Letter’s to White Chapel is a watered down yet oddly more rules heavy version of Fury of Dracula, missing some of the most interesting elements and streamlined mechanics that made Fury great, while including convoluted rules and utterly stupid ideas (like adding a pencil and notepad) to the game. Fury of Dracula was a seamless, streamlined gem that was both dynamic and exciting at every stage. Letter’s From White Chapel feels more like doing homework on a Saturday night.
I don’t know why they messed with a good thing, but what should have been a new exciting version of Fury of Dracula with an amazingly appropriate theme like Jack The Ripper has been turned into what I considered one of the worst games in FFG’s library of games. The fact that it is visually butt ugly just adds insult to injury, as this is one area, good game or bad, FFG always get’s right and they dropped the ball on this on top of everything else. If anyone tells you “it’s like Fury Of Dracula”, immediately dragon punch them, this is NOT at all like Fury of Dracula and to utter those words is heresy.
4. Eclipse
Eclipse already made it to my list of top 5 list of games you can skip, but it makes this list as well because while it’s certainly a game not worth your time, it really should have been. Eclipse is a game which fringes on greatness as it side swipes its thematic potential and sells out to Euro-bore roots. Let this be a lesson to all Euro game designers, if you’re going to make a game in a genre of games that already has amazingly thematically rich games, you WILL be compared and judged on that comparison. Eclipse looks amazing, it sounds amazing and when you sit down to play it, you get that sense of “oh my god, this will be amazing”. Than the game step by step misses the opportunities to turn great mechanics into thematic gameplay. It’s a shorter game than Twilight Imperium and yes, thank you, that is a really great, but 3 hours of gaming is 3 hours of gaming, you have to make it worth my time.
It looks amazing on the table, if only the play was as exciting as the image.
Eclipse is a dull game and really while the theme is clearly present, it’s so thinly done, the game never really feels like an epic space opera, but instead feels more like Agricola in space. I always look forward to adding new science-fiction games to my collection and I really thought Eclipse was going to make it, but while it has all the appetizers of a great game, the meal is empty and superficial. It is far better to play a six hour game of Twilight Imperium, than to suffer through three hours of Eclipse. There is just no reason to play it and really it was so close, just a bit more American thematic design influence in this game and it would have been amazing.
5. Sid Meier’s Civilization
Another FFG game and another game from the top 5 games you can skip, it was one I was hesitant to put on this list since I have already said my peace, but the truth is that, this one was a real disappointment to me because of its great potential which should have been very easy to tap into. So much so that I sometimes play it despite its flaws because I so badly want it to be good. Like most of the games on this list, it had so much going for it that it really should have resulted in an amazing game, but like Runewars and Starcraft it was utterly ruined by the combat card mechanic. It should have been less so than any other game on this list because in Civilization combat is not the main goal. Unfortunatly every game of Civilization I have ever played has resulted in a very un-climatic military victory and I have yet to play it where everyone at the table didn’t utter these words.
No amount of wishful thinking is going to make this game good, no matter how much we want it to be.
“Really great game except for that combat mechanic, that’s just stupid”. – Everyone (all the time).
As a veteran gamer, we love to play with other veteran gamers if for no other reason than simple shared interest. Veteran gamers don’t shy away from complexity, they are as excited about the hobby as you are, it makes for a perfect match. That said as gamers we are always trying to sneak in ways to do more gaming and certainly we have all been in that position where we have a room full of people looking to be entertained that aren’t really gamers. Pulling Twilight Imperium out and introducing them to it isn’t likely to yield particularly good results and when someone suggests Monopoly I immediately have the urge to roll my eyes to the back of my head. Fortunately there are lots of really great entry level games, sometimes known as gateway games that are perfect for introducing people to the hobby without scaring them off or making them feel like they aren’t going to do very well in the game. The following top 10 list is made of such games, each one better than the last for introducing people to the wonderful hobby of designer games.
1. Small World
When I started making this list Small World was the unquestionable king of introductory games, not only because it’s very easy to teach and learn, both because it’s simple and streamlined, but because gamer or not, it’s a fantastic game in its own right. I find Small World is as popular among non-gamers, casual gamers and veteran gamers a-like. This is a game that simply caters to everyone and thanks to its cute fantasy art, very clever concept and versatility, playing as well with 2 players as it does with 3, 4 or 5, its ideal. Now I will admit that I did not review this game particularly high on boardgamegeek but it’s largely because I am a veteran gamer, I prefer to play games aimed at guys like me and Small World is really, well simple. It’s clearly not a game aimed to capture my attention and preferences, but I have never passed up the opportunity to play it and I find it hits the table a lot more often than any other light strategy game with my usual game group which is made up of largely veteran gamers. That says a lot about Small World as a game.
A game for everyone, that’s all that needs to be said about why Small World is at the top of this list.
2. Ticket To Ride
This list would be incomplete without Ticket to Ride on it, it is the Monopoly of our generation. Rightfully so because it is the premiere family game and it has done beer and pretzel fun without that endless slog that old school family games like Monopoly or The Game of Life had. I find more than any other game on this list, Ticket to ride is great because it requires ZERO instruction ahead of time. You can simply setup the board and the explain the game as you play which I think is a huge benefit to using this game as an introductory game. It’s also a lot more kid friendly, I have played with kids as young as 6 and it works just fine. It has an appeal to kids as well, who doesn’t love playing with miniature toy trains. Simple, fun and actually does have a bit of umpf for those who dig into the nuisances of the games potential strategies, there really is some game here below the surface that might satisfy a more gamy group. It’s a classic, it belongs on this list.
The perfect family board game night game, looks amazing, it’s simple enough for kids of pretty much any age yet offers sufficient strategy and gameplay to keep veteran gamers from getting bored.
3. Carcassonne
I think the first few games on this list I realized when I was writing it are almost kind of obvious to gamers, I would imagine that any gamer who would form a list like this would have Caraccassone on it. It’s such an obvious choice, easy to learn difficult to master it’s a game that draws you in if you have even the slightest interest in board gaming. There are various expansions for the game, but for the purposes of an introductory game the original Caraccassone is best. Though most of the expansions add only slightly more complexity so really any of them would work. Most gamers have their favorite, but for me personally, I like regular plain old Caraccassone. It’s a simple game and personally I have never felt it needed any expansions. I actually play this game quite often, It seems like every gamer I know has a copy so I think of all the games on this list, its really up there in terms of games I play regularly.
Very strategic for such a simple game and really such a classic gateway game the list would be incomplete without it.
4. Dominion
This is probably where opinions will start to diverge. Dominion is slightly more complex than most games on this list, but it’s a game I think is very easy to grasp the rules of. Learning the strategies is another topic, it has some less than obvious ones and can take many plays to get your head around. I like Dominion as an introductory game however because it has this addictive “lets play again” nature to it. I have never introduced Dominion to any group that didn’t ultimately end up playing several games back to back. The bonus is that I love playing Dominion, so when I bring it out to casual gamers it feels more like a board game night with the guys, than an introductory game night and I really like that. I tend to stick to the core game for introductions, the rules for expansions tend to be a bit too complex for an introductory game.
The addictive nature of Dominion paired with its simple and streamlined gameplay makes it ideal as a gateway game.
5. Railways Of The World
This game lands on a slightly more complex level than the others, but I have had a lot of great results introducing it to non-gamers and getting them excited about the hobby. I find that sometimes, non-gamers are a bit put off by the “fantasy” or “kids” like art of most introductory games. After all most non-gamers have played more complex games anyway like RISK, Chess, Stratego and things of that nature. Just because someone is a non-gamer, doesn’t mean there stupid and I think that’s why Railways of the World is such a great introductory game. It kind of takes the players more seriously, yet is really no more complex than any other game on this list to teach. It has the benefit of looking amazing on the table, which is a really great treat for people who don’t ordinarily play games because it has this “wow” effect. It also has this thing where it looks complicated but isn’t, I find that non-gamers pick the strategy up really quickly and do quite well even in their first game and by the end of it do the classic gamer thing “I should have done X or Y”. A clear indication that they where into the game and are thinking about how they will do it next time, exactly what you want when introducing someone to gaming.
A meaningful relatively deep strategic game that is easy to teach and learn. The fact that it looks amazing on the table is just a bonus.
6. Cosmic Encounters
I was hesitant to add this to the list because while it’s a fairly simple game, it does have a science-fiction theme, it can get a little mean and some of the specific races can make the game a bit complex. Still I find that when people come over to my house, see my game collection, Cosmic Encounters gets that “what’s this” query from non-gamers. There is a draw to it, perhaps it’s the art but I have pulled it off the shelf by request from non-gamers more often than I have pulled it off myself as an introductory game. Cosmic Encounters does have that social negotiation element to it and people seem to like that, even though I would have not guessed that. I always imagine that non-gamers want to avoid confrontational games but quite to the contrary, I often get the comment from non-gamers or casual gamers that they want to play something with more interaction, which might explain why RISK is often requested. While familiar, I think people like games like RISK because it’s a confrontation game so there is something to it. Cosmic Encounters is a really great game, I love playing it with my own gaming groups so if it’s requested and there is interest in the science-fiction theme, there certainly is no reason not to use it as a gateway game. It is after all very easy to teach and grasp, so it’s not the complexity that would be a turn off. You just have to feel the room because that confrontation element can get quite nasty in Cosmic Encounters.
I was a bit hesitant to add this one to the list. It’s a science-fiction game, it looks complicated and it can be kind of mean in the negotiation element of the game. It is however easy to teach/learn and it’s on the list because it gets requested by visitors to my gaming dungeon. I think there are more science-fiction fans out there than people realize.
7. King of Tokyo
Simple games like Yahtzee are often requested and my eyes immediately roll to the back of my head. For the love of god if you want to roll dice there are far better games than Yahtzee to do it with. King of Tokyo is a perfect example. A very simple, dice chucking game that is actually fun and has a great theme that everyone can get behind as well. It’s a really great game for kids as well, in fact, this is the premiere “family game night” game because as parents we often want to let our kids win but don’t give them the impression that we are letting them win and as strange as it sounds, King of Tokyo is fun to play even if you intentionally throwing the game. There are lots of big moments and take those moments, plenty of gotcha’s and I have found that it really hits that almost party game level in terms of board games. Great, simple, dice chucking fun, perfect for those dinner parties when you’re trying to entertain guests with something other than boring conversations about politics.
A far better alternative to boring classic dice chuckers like Yahtzee. To answer your question, yes, it’s as much fun as it looks.
8. Pandemic
Pandemic takes on a pretty unusual topic for a board game (viral outbreak) in which players cooperate in an effort to stop a global catastrophe. Not exactly what I would call an easy concept to sell to new players. It might almost be too much from a theme perspective alone, but there is no denying Pandemic’s streamlined, easy to learn design which fits perfect on this list as an introductory game. More importantly, in terms of “gamer games” that work well with non-gamers it’s ideal because it’s purely cooperative, so no one suffers at the hands of more experienced players. It’s a game where the actions of players have a lot of impact, but since your cooperating it’s not strange or insulting to offer advice and talk strategies at the table. The subject matter might work to your benefit as well as non-gamers tend to get put off by the “fantasy” element of most board games, where Pandemic is really kind of a “this could actually happen” type of subject matter which might register with more serious people who see board gaming as “play time for kids”. This game is oddly enough family friendly as well, as everyone at the table is working together, promoting a kind of team spirit thing, though perhaps children shouldn’t be too young. I often wish there was a Pandemic game with a lighter theme, but what Pandemic does best is provide a very challenging gaming experience without overwhelming you with rules so it really is a great introductory game. You just need to feel he room and make sure the subject matter is appropriate.
The subject matter might be a turn off for some, but I find there are certain groups of people who don’t mind playing a board game as long as they don’t have to be a Wizard or a space marine which excludes a lot of board games. Be selective, but for the right group it’s a perfect game.
9. Kingdoms
I have always loved this game for its extremely easy to teach and learn rules, while simultaneously being immensely deep strategically. It’s a pretty fast game too boot which is always a consideration for introductory games and many games on this list might be a bit too long for some introductions. Kingdoms is a really great game in particular when dealing with “casual gamers” rather than non-gamers. Casual gamers are generally people who do sometimes play games or might have played games in the past like RISK or Stratego for example, it has that same simplicity, yet offers some depth and mastery that can be attractive to casual gamers. It’s easily one of my favorite short games, in fact, after you play it once and have explained the rules, it’s practically a filler game. Really solid design, versatile in the sense that it’s as much a gamers game as an introductory game and I find once I introduce it to group, they tend to want to replay it which again, is always a great sign that it’s having the desired effect. Highly recommend it In general for everyone, but in particular as an introductory game.
A simple game with a lot of depth. This one will have people thinking, its less “fun fun” as a game so it caters more to non-gamers who are interested in strategy as opposed to a dinner party “lets have some laughs” type of gaming. You have to feel the room.
10. Lords of Waterdeep
Lords of Waterdeep has been mentioned on this blog a number of times and once again I have to put it on a list of games you should be pulling out. I realize I have a strange infatuation with this game, but it really does belong on this list though I will admit it’s really a “taking the next step” kind of game mostly because of its theme. This is a very simple game, in fact, I typically don’t teach it prior to playing but rather teach it during play, it’s that simple. The game has a lot of depth beneath the surface, but this really only comes through once you start and the depth is not complexity of the rules but of potential strategies. Really the only strike against it for this list is its fantasy theme which I find is kind of a turn off for a lot of non-gamers who want to avoid the “nerdy” element of board gaming as its often perceived. It really functions better as a game that you introduce once you have people’s attention and interest and they are over that awkward self-conscious stage where they feel they are being judged on how they spend their free time. It really has that spark as a game that triggers the gamer in all of us, once you get someone to play this game, the door really swings pretty wide in what you can introduce next so while its lowest on this list, it’s definitely to be considered an introductory game for all intense and purposes.
This is a “next step” type of game, though D&D is a familiar theme and I have found people have a tendency to want to play games in familiar territory. Simple enough to teach on the fly however makes this a strong entry at the end of this list.
I have completed my top 10 best games, now I’m going to have a look at some of the games that are in the top spots on Boardgamegeek that I actually don’t like. In fact, most of the games on this list I simply avoid playing whenever possible or play games that use similar mechanics to better effect (games that have been replaced by better games). I kept it to 5 though I could have easily done a top 20, but the games on this list are either just terrible games, boring games or should have been far more than they are.
1. Agricola
When Agricola hit board game geek and rose through the ranks like a cannon I was rather confused, I hadn’t played it, but how does a game about one of the dullest subjects on gods green earth become one of the most popular board games on board game geek? Naturally my curiosity peeked when it hit the number 2 spot, I had to find out and so of course, I did. Several times to be certain of my forming opinion, which now I’m 100% certain on. Hands down, one of the dumbest and most boring games I have ever played, in fact, of all the games on this list, this is the one I can’t name even a single redeeming quality it has. It’s mechanics are dry, virtually nothing creative or profound about the game, it completely lacks player interaction, it’s rules are confusing and unnecessarily over complicated and it boasts some pretty ugly art work with text so small on the cards even with perfect 20/20 vision you have to strain to read overly elaborate language used to define what cards can do.
Its every bit as boring as it sounds, don’t believe the hype. For a far better game about farming try Caverna, but if you value money, skip games about farming all together.
It’s just bad all around and to add the poop cherry on top its stupidly expensive begging the question where the developer/publisher sunk the money? It’s popularity baffles me unlike any other game, though it’s hype was thankfully short lived at least in my circles. There was a burst of “let’s play Agricola” which I suffered through but after a few plays with any group it simply died. I haven’t seen it played in over a year anywhere and wasn’t ever able to find a victim to pawn it off onto. In the end I gave it away with a reluctant recipient who I convinced by using the classic phrase “Just take it, it’s free!”. Avoid the temptation, it’s as stupid as it sounds.
2. Terra Mystica
Another pointless Euro cube pusher following in the footstep of the themeless Euro drones that basically boil down to solving unnecessarily complicated math problems is Terra Mystica. It’s a game of cube management pure and simple and if that sounds boring, it’s worth mentioning that’s it’s not even a particularly good cube pusher. Games like Russian Railroads which follow in the same style of theme-lessnes and mathematics is as least creative and carry’s pretty decent strategic depth.
This over hyped cube pusher will put you to sleep. Bring a calculator.
Terra Mystica is just painful to play, I don’t understand why these games are made and how in the world they become so popular, but it makes me think that people are just completely ignorant to some of the amazing games out there they could be playing instead. I will grant Terra Mystica that it’s premise is at least more interesting than Agricola, but given that there is virtually no connection between premise and actual mechanics, it’s only a slight nudge below Agricola in the “why the hell would anyone play this crap” category. So bad, so not worth your time or money.
3. Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has some redeeming qualities as an interesting example of role selection mechanics and it does boast some relatively strategic play that can hold your attention but its popularity is confusing. It’s rather stale, has a boring theme and has some severely broken balance issue that once discovered creates a game split between the players that do know and those that don’t know how to break it.
It was clever for its time, but its time has come and gone. For today’s standards it simply doesn’t live up.
It’s a puzzle with a solution and I hate that type of thing in games. Puerto Rico is a good example of games that have aged really badly, back in the day it was an ok game and we played it, but for today’s standard it’s not even remotely acceptable as a designer game. It’s time has come and gone, there are far better and more balanced Euro’s on the market today.
4. Eclipse
When it was first released it’s most common comparison was to Twilight Imperium 3rd edition, in fact it was often referred to as TI3 junior. A small, more compact version of Twilight Imperium that could be played in half the time. As a huge TI3 fan, this was exciting news and the designers comments regarding his inspiration (Master of Orion) further fueled the hype as the next big science fiction opera. The first time I played it I thought to myself, ok, it’s not a terrible game, but it is in no way, shape or form anything even in the ball park of TI3, in fact to say so was insulting. This game has more in common with games on this list (Agricola and Terra Mystica) than it has to do with TI3.
You might say if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck its a duck, but I assure you, the appearance is a lie. This is not an epic space opera, its a game that has more to do with games like Agricola than it has to do with classics like TI3.
After 2 or 3 games of Eclipse you start to see a pattern emerge as well, as is the case with so many Euro’s. It’s frankly a boring game with a nice theme and in a sense it was the theme that intrigued me to play the game several times before I realized that I just wasn’t having any fun.
Eclipse lacks everything that makes space opera games fun. There is no economics to speak off, there is very little interaction between players, diplomacy in particular is pointless since player actions are so predictable and like most Euro games that are cube happy it’s basically a mathematical puzzle and not a particularly hard one to solve. It’s one of those games where in any given situation there are many choices available to you, but one very clear, very obvious one that is far superior. It’s almost like you’re on rails, taking actions that you very clearly must take. I don’t think it’s a terrible game, in fact, I actually don’t mind playing it unlike many games on this list but it’s far too long even though it plays half the time of TI3 for what you get out of it. Today it’s even less attractive given that there are new games in this genre that have been added that are far better than this one.
5. Sid Meier’s Civilization
It pains me to bash this game both because it’s published by my favorite board game maker Fantasy Flight Games and its designer Kevin Wilson who has made some wonderful games both big and small including Android, Arkham Horror and even one of my favorite silver line mini games Arena Maximus. When I first heard that FFG was making a board game version of Civilization I was giddy with excitement, in particular given that the other attempt by Eagle Games (Civilization the board game) wasn’t particularly good either. Sid Meier’s Civilization is full of great ideas but just poorly executed. It just doesn’t feel right, in particular combat which is so dull, made during the weird period when FFG was really into card based combat mechanics, a concept that ruined Rune Wars and Starcraft.
It looks amazing and you may be tempted, but all the dazzle in the world cannot save this games short comings. It’s just not the civilization game your looking for.
It’s a long game and while it has that fantastic FFG component quality, art and solid theme it just isn’t that much fun to play. The first couple of games we played I thought it was ok, but the combat mechanic in particular really ruined it for me. It looks great, but is not worth your time, I think Kevin Wilson missed a great opportunity on this one.
I think any gaming blogger worth his salt has a best of list, so this will be mine. Included in this list are going to be board, card and miniatures games. This list is what I consider the best of the best, though the term best may be defined as deepest, most strategic or perhaps most fun. Simply put, these are the games I enjoy most, I highly recommend them all.
Star Wars X-Wing
It shouldn’t come as a surprise if you read my blog, but X-Wing has so much going for it without even mentioning the most obvious thing, its Star Wars!
In my humble experience, regardless of what sort of gamer you are, whether casual, serious, one looking for depth or just pure fun Star Wars X-Wing is the single best game on the market today that can easily meet the requirements of any gamer. Easy to teach, impossible to master with infinite replay-ability and bursting with theme, there is no game that I would rather play always than Star Wars X-Wing. I love it’s flexible point system that allows for simple one on one quick dog fights, to its epic level hundreds of points super games that can involve multiple players. I love that it can be approached thematically, or competitively, I love that it can be used to create scenario’s or just basic death matches.
For me personally the collectable element of the game is not a drawback, In particular given the fact that you buy a complete “thing”, unlike most miniatures games that ask you to construct and paint miniatures before you can play. I do realize however that this adds to the expense, and depending on what you buy, can change the experience for you. In a sense, Star Wars X-Wing is a self-contained hobby game, more than a pull it off the shelf all in one complete game. Once you get sufficient amounts of miniatures however, you really don’t have that sense of “keeping up” as you do with most miniatures games. You need a good selection of ships, but once you have it, its simplicity and approachability is there like a typical board game. It’s far more approachable in fact than many board games on this list which is why to me it deserves that number one spot.
Finally, on a personal note which I think is something of a theme for me, I love games where the planning stage of the game and the execution stages are separated. A game where you formulate a plan, make decisions and then a stage in which those plans are executed. A kind of, “now that we planned our strategies, let’s see what happens” thing. Star Wars X-Wing does this beautifully which for me is just icing on the cake.
Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition
Epic is an insufficient adjective to describe Twilight Imperium 3rd edition. It is the ultimate gaming experience for hardened veterans.
There are many very approachable games on this list, Twilight Imperium 3rd edition is not one of those games. In fact, it may be the most difficult to get into games on this list. The complexity of the rules, the depth of the strategies and the sheer volume of moving parts all define this game as a very heavy strategic board game. Difficult to teach, impossible to master, It’s on my list in the number two spot for one very important reason. It is, hands down, one of the most biggest, one of the most elaborate and one of the most extraordinary gaming experiences I have ever had. Exploding with theme, amazing reply-ability and unmatched strategic depth, Twilight Imperium is the very definition of epic board gaming. As a gamer, you simply can’t go bigger because bigger doesn’t exist.
I love it, it’s a gaming event in a box and there is no game on this list I jump at every opportunity the way I do with TI3. There is never a game I rather play instead. It’s THE game on for me and it’s been my number one for the better part of a decade, Star Wars X-Wing is the first time it’s ever been any lower which says as much about TI3 as it does about Star Wars X-Wing.
War of the Rings 2nd Edition
War of the Rings is a story in a box, but not just any story THE greatest fantasy story ever told.
While War of The Rings is definitely a very heavy game, I find its much more approachable than it appears. The rules are very streamlined and straight forward and although there is a lot to this game, you rarely ever need to teach it to more than one person. Once you find a partner for War of The Ring, in particular a fellow Lords of the Ring fan, magic happens. War of the Rings IS Lord of the Rings (all of it) in a single box. Every theme, every plot and sub-plot, every character, every nuance, everything you expect out of the epic tale that is Lord of the Rings is in this game and it demands to be played.
I think of all the things I love about War of The Rings the most, the story it tells, or perhaps better to say re-tells is unforgettable. I love other games on this list, but there are few games I play in which I can recall the details as vividly of specific games as War of the Rings. It’s as much an experience as it is a game, win or lose, playing it is always a pure joy.
Fury of Dracula
My love of thematic games aside, Fury of Dracula is actually a wonderful mechanic I wish we would see in more games, the theme is just icing on the cake.
You may have noticed that every game on this list so far is bursting with theme, something you can expect to continue. Fury of Dracula is no exception; it is a thematic wonderland from the visuals, to the mechanics and everything in between. Whether you are playing as Dracula or as one of Dracula’s pursuers this is a game that infuses the story into the mechanics with so much insistence that you can’t help but feel as if you’re playing a role-playing game rather than a board game. The investigation elements, the chase, the powers of Dracula and the investigators, the equipment and nuances of the day night cycle, they all help to bring the story to life.
The most wonderful element of this game is that it’s very easy to teach and grasp, in fact, there is almost an instinctive expectation based on the visuals on how the game works and sure enough it works how you would logically expect it to. There is this almost natural flow to the game, everything makes sense, is organized and streamlined. Now the game is not “quick”, but you really don’t feel the passage of time as there is this constant sense of involvement as regardless of who’s turn it is, there discoveries and actions beg for your attention. Wonderful game and while mechanically it plays well with any number of players it supports, it’s one of those games where the more, the merrier.
Game of Thrones 2nd edition
Be ready to swallow jagged little pills while playing this game, because it’s very much as brutal, cut throat and mean as the books and tv show.
I will be the first to admit that I have a love hate relationship with this game because I love it, for what it is, an amazing board game, but man will it frustrate the living hell out of you. It’s not so much the games fault however as the cut throat brutality of the competitiveness it creates. It’s a political thriller war game, really a strategic multiplayer chess with betrayals and a never ending stream of shocking “I can’t believe that just happened” moments. It’s as dark and deep as the human soul, friends turn to enemies without notice and in the game of thrones, like the books and tv show, you can’t trust anyone, ever.
Why do I love it? Because it captures the spirit of the story on which it’s based flawlessly. The events that transpire in a typical game, are as shocking as they are reading the books or watching the tv show for the first time. It’s got this edge to it, a tension that builds before the pieces are ever placed on the board. The untrusting looks, the combination of subtle, suspicious moves, the constant sense of looking over your shoulder wondering what people are up to, to the moments when plans are revealed and the creation of frantic chaos. It’s not a game for the faint of heart and it’s definitely not a game you want to play with people who can’t get into the spirit of its theme, but when you get together with friends and fans of the Game of Thrones franchise it’s truly a wonderful albeit (like the books and show) a teeth grinding experience.
Shogun (Queens Game version)
The contrast between the quiet, contemplative planning phase and the outrageously chaotic execution phase make this one of the most memorable Euro games I have ever played.
Most of the games on this list are clearly lovingly identifiable as Ameri-Trash games and it may be a bit unfair to see so few Euro style games on a best of list. It’s not that I don’t like Euro games, but they simply don’t have the same presence nor offer the same memorable experiences as the thematically heavy American designed games. Shogun however is an exception, a game very close to my heart and without question a moderately heavy Euro. I mentioned my love for planning and execution based mechanics in games and Shogun is perhaps one of the greatest exaggerations of that concept as the planning and execution phases are so vividly divided. Shogun is one of those games where players contemplate, strategize, analyze and over think during the planning phase, carefully mapping out their coming actions trying to predict how events will unfold in a respectful silence. Than during the action phase there is a frenzy of explosive activity, climaxing with people rising from their seats cheering at the wildly unpredictable dice tower as their little cubes coming out of the tower give its results. There are heartbreaks, clench victories and shocking revelations, but most importantly uncontrollable smiles from ear to ear around the table amidst the chaos.
I love Shogun for that reason, it’s a fairly deep game, but it hinges on this very unpredictable element and you just can’t help but grin as you play it. There is this anticipation and build-up of the execution phase, this element of prediction of events with the climatic conclusion. I have played this game more times than I can count and its effect never dulls. For me it lands in this odd space in limbo between deep strategy and just silly chaotic fun.
Tide of Irons
It looks and feels like a heavy world war II strategic game, without that uncomfortable elitness required from most games in the genre or that silly need for realism or historical accuracy.
I found it odd that I have two, two player games on my list given that it’s really not that common for me to actually have the opportunity to play with just two players, seems I almost always end up with a group. Tide of Iron makes it’s appearance for a number of reasons, but one is probably quite obvious. Who doesn’t want to play with toy soldiers? I’m not a world war II or a historic gamer, I don’t really care to replicate reality in my games nor do I have any particular need to play war games (though combat tends to be a common theme in my preference). Tide of Irons however brings out that war gamer in hidden inside me, I can’t help but take it kind of seriously and I prefer to play it with kind of serious gamers.
Tide of Irons is fiddly, but it has that spirit of classic miniatures gaming combined with the tactical complexity of war games yet is actually simple enough to teach to casual fans of board gaming. In fact, I have played this game almost exclusively with casual gamers and have found that the effect it has on me, being a game that lends itself to being a bit more serious, is the same one my opponents experience. Perhaps it’s the subject matter, but Tide of Irons while doesn’t claim or really even try to be a serious tactical war game, actually plays like one with the caveat that its simple.
I have never bought any expansions, nor care to, for me the core game is already so robust and offers so many options and scenarios that even after years of playing it, I never find its effect wares off on me or becomes repetitive. Even playing the same scenario’s multiple times, it just seems to me with each play through I find new ways to approach old scenario’s. I find the strategies and depth of the game easy to grasp, easy to teach, but very engaging. I have played a lot of tactical world war II games and perhaps it’s because I’m not a huge fan of the genre, but I just find them quite boring, yet this one I not only like but it is among my favorite games to play (world war II games or otherwise).
Formula D
It’s a party game that doesn’t require you to make an ass out of yourself to entertain your guests.
You know I would be lying to you if I said I love Formula D for any other reason than I love games in which you chuck dice, push your luck and create frantic chaos when you fail or succeed. Formula D is basically a party game as far as I’m concerned and I have never introduced the game to anyone who didn’t absolutely love it gamer or not. I know that there are expansions and rules for Formula D that try to convert this dice chucker into a more serious game, but for me it’s just wacky fun and it’s one of the few games on this list that truly comes through as a game in which who the participants are be they family, friends, gamers or of any age group, it’s always fun to play.
I love that it can be played in teams and I love that it can handle a lot of players. It’s visually appealing and despite its randomness there is actually a fair amount of strategy to it, though, largely I find people ignore this and just try to win in the spirit of the game, by pushing the pedal to the metal.
I really hate stupid party games and there are so many awful ones and while this game might not be categorized as a party game, it certainly feels like one because I have never played it without everyone at the table laughing hysterically at the chaos it creates. I love it, always have, it’s been on my top 10 list for years and while I don’t consider it a serious board game, to me, a board games primary purpose is to have fun playing it. Of course there are many deep strategy, thinker games I could have put in its place on this list, but when it comes to creating great gaming experiences you can’t go wrong with a game like Formula D, it never lets me down.
Lords of Waterdeep With Expansion
My inexplicable addiction, what can I say, I love it and I’m not entirely sure why, its just fun to play.
I don’t really know exactly what it is about Lords of Waterdeep that I like so much, it really is a rather simple worker placement game with a rather thin connection to the theme, thicker than others, but still thin. There is just something appealing about it, it seems, no matter how many times I play it, I’m always drawn to it.
I like its simplicity and the expansion adds this push your luck element which combined with the tightness of the space in which players must compete, it just has that “let’s play again” addictive nature to it. It’s a game that rewards you for smart play and its aesthetically pleasing. I suspect someday this game will fall off my top 10 list, in fact, I struggled between this and Kingsburg already because I really like both of these worker placement games for the same reason. It’s hanging in there right now though, I think largely because we just play it all the time and every time I play it, I find myself wanting to play it again.
If pressed to answer the question, why do you like this game so much, I would have to say its because I think it’s a simple, yet relatively deep strategy game that has this sense of urgency where you plan your move’s carefully and hope that your able to combine the plan into a long term strategy. Yet you sort of stumble against the actions of other players, constantly having to re-think how you will complete the same goal in a different way. It has this sense of involvement, the urgency of a race and with the expansion this push your luck element that when combined simply makes for a great game. I’m always surprised to see how often this game gets chosen over many other games higher on this list, in fact just last week we decided to skip X-Wing to play Lords of Waterdeep and I honestly can’t explain it, but suffice to say given its impact on me and my gaming group it would be dishonest not to include it on this list. I play it often, it’s as simple as that.
Dominion
You simply can’t deny how clever this game is, it might get tiresome, but its a rare gamer I have met who didn’t go through a heavy Dominion period.
Number 10 was really hard for me, there was a lot of games I could have put into this spot, but ultimately I went with the game who’s quality I simply can’t deny. I don’t play it often anymore, but that is not a commentary on what I think about it, quite to the contrary the reason I don’t play it often anymore is because when I first got it and for a very long time, Dominion was a game we played the living shit out of. If I took all the games on this list, I can easily say that I have played Dominion ten times more often than everything else combined.
Dominion was a phenomenon when I first got it, it didn’t matter what we planned to play at any given event, at every session we ended up playing dozens of rounds of dominion. It just has this addictive nature, with layers of depth, despite it being one of the simplest games I have ever played with any regularity since I was kid playing checkers. I still love it and would not hesitate to play it if requested and though it largely collects dust on my shelf, I have never been able to get myself to get rid of it. I just need it there, because it really is an amazing game and It proves it to me over and over again. Each time I introduce it to a new person, the end result is the same for them as it was for me, an insatiable appetite to play it over and over and over again. It happens every time and it’s a tribute to its clever design, its complexity masked by its simplicity and its addictive nature.
Honorable Mentions
There are many games I love excluded from this list, in fact, if you removed these top ten games as selections, I could easily create a new top 10 list from the games not chosen to be on this one. There are also many new mistresses that have recently arrived I was very tempted to put on this list, but for me, a game on a top 10 list has to be a game with longevity, something I still like after many plays.
Some games not mentioned include Power Grid, a game I consider a staple. It didn’t make the list because it’s kind of heavy and slow, I find that I really enjoy playing it sporadically, but as soon as two plays of the game have too little space between them, I find I enjoy it less. Perhaps it’s a bit too heavy and a bit too slow, and let’s face it, the theme is kind of try.
Its a good game, but heavy Euro’s can be a real slog sometimes.
Carcassonne is another one I really like, but in light of the other games on this list I found it to have insufficient “umphf” as a game. I have played it many times and undoubtedly will play it many more times, but I have never felt a particular need to have it in my collection. Still I think it’s a very clever game, I like it’s simplicity and certainly with the many expansions there are lots of interesting variants.
I have a few old favorites I really like, but find are not always particularly fun to teach and as such, I have a hard time justifying them for the list. Race for the Galaxy for example is a game I really enjoy, but typically I find that if I ask “hey want to play Race For The Galaxy” and realize the people I’m asking have never played it, I’m immediately trying to get out of having to teach it to them, because it’s just a pain in the ass to do so. Ikusa (formally Samurai Swords and Shogun by Milton Bradly) is another such game. Not that it’s particularly hard to teach, but it has such subtle and fragile strategic elements that playing it against new players unfamiliar with the game is always a drag and more importantly it can drag on for hours and hours, not to mention the potential for player elimination. It’s an old school game, I love playing it with old school gamers but these days it rarely hits the table. Steve Jacksons Illuminati is another one that falls into that, fun to play with people who know what they are doing but sucky to have to teach it and play it with newbies.
A cult classic, a pain to teach and kind of mean, its one of those games I love to play with people who already know how to play and love it to. Teaching it to new players is a real bitch.
REX (also known as DUNE in the 70’s version) is another game I personally love, but find it’s rarely requested and a bit difficult for new players. I think it’s one of those games you really need to know to play well, each race has unique abilities that play a vital role in the game and if you don’t have them memorized, you are at a major disadvantage. It also suffers from this very fragile balance, it’s very possible for the game to end in round one if players aren’t careful and fall into the traps veteran players set for them.
I love games like Descent, Imperial Assault, Battlestar Galactica, Zombiecide and Star Wars the card game, all worthy games to mention, but each with quirks that sometimes annoy me.
Do not be surprised if Star Wars Imperial Assault hits my top 10 in the future, after the first few play I can only say that Fantasy Flight Games has done it again. Masters of Gaming, that’s what they are.
Hope you enjoyed the list, I will probably periodically do an update when I see sufficient things have changed for me in the future.
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