Jim's 10 Favorite Board Games of All Time!!! (and a giveaway!!)

Jim's Top Ten Games of all Time!!!

I love lists AND I love ranking things, so it was only a matter of time until I got to work on this post. One thing I do want to make clear is that these are not what I think are the best games of all time, but rather my personal favorite games of all time. This distinction may be small, but I think worth mentioning.

Without further ado, please enjoy this list of my favorite games! (Followed by a game giveaway!!)

10. London

This was one of the first games I played that involved building up a tableau and I fell in love with it almost immediately. I really enjoy having to balance building up on the board, with building up your tableau, with not taking too many poverty tokens. Knowing how many piles of cards to have in your tableau and when its OK to build over a card are awesome decision points.

9. Pandemic: The Cure

This is the newest game on the list by a couple years. If you read my recent review of this game, you'll know already that the original Pandemic has a very special place in my gamer heart, as the first modern game to really captivate me. Pandemic: The Cure has all the fun, puzzlyness, cooperation, and heartache of the original - but it adds dice! If I had to only keep one of the two games, I think I would choose The Cure over original Pandemic. But only if you forced me to choose. =)

8. Navegador

One of my favorite designers is definitely Mac Gerdts. I haven't played everything he has put out, but everything I have tried, I have really really enjoyed. Navegador was the first of his that I've played. I really enjoy working within the confines of Mac's evil/glorious rondel - doing what I can to bend its inflexibility to my will better than my opponents. I like that there are several directions for players to go in pursuit of victory, and I like even more that those different paths to victory not only feel different, but are all pretty viable.

7. Lords of Vegas

Just like many of the games on this list, I don't get to play Lords of Vegas as much as I would like (in fact, I own the expansion, Up!, and haven't gotten to play it yet!). This is even more true for Lords of Vegas, since it really isn't worth playing with only 2 players (which is how I play most of my games). Lords of Vegas has a lot that I really like about board games. I really like the stock market aspect, as well as the acquisition of property. The risk/reward present in Lords of Vegas is so much fun, going for hostile takeovers and paying double to develop properties that might just go to someone else when the card comes up. There are things in Lords of Vegas I don't like, but I always have a great time when playing it.

6. Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation

Stratego was one of those "classic" games that I played when I was younger that I remember really enjoying. The concept of having your units be secret from your opponent was just so great. I really like the Lord of the Rings movies, so The Confrontation is a perfect fit for me. The game is pretty abstract, but still feels pretty thematic. One of my favorite things in games is when the "Vizzini effect" comes into play. I know that you know I  might play this card, but you know that I know that you know that, so maybe I should play this card...etc. Many games can create similar situations, but none do it better than Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation.

5. Airlines Europe

This is definitely my favorite "gateway game." I like Ticket to Ride, but I find this one just so much more interesting (and really not nearly as mean as TtR can be). I really like games with stock market mechanisms, and Airlines Europe implements a stock market-ish system really well, and is really simple to play and teach. 

4. Star Wars: The Card Game

I love Star Wars. When I heard that FFG got the license for Star Wars card and RPG games I immediately got very excited. I love this game. I love how much it feels like Star Wars, I love how gorgeous the art is, and most of all I love how the game plays. The only thing I don't love about this game is that my wife doesn't care for it. I don't get to play this game very often, but that just makes the times when I can play that much more special. This entry in my list also hold the honor of being the most likely to be replaced within the next few weeks - by another FFG game in fact...=P

3. Bohnanza

I love to laugh. I don't think I've ever played a game of Bohnanza that didn't involve me getting out of breath from laughing too much at least once. This is another game that I can bring out with really any group of people who want to play a game, and it is 99% guaranteed to be a great time. I like playing it with close friends the best, but this is a great game for people who don't already know each other to play - its remarkable how quickly you can get to know someone while planting and trading beans.

2. Agricola

Uwe Rosenberg is my favorite designer of all time. That, despite the fact that I have acquired, given up on, traded, and reacquired Agricola no less than 3 times. Yes - the copy of Agricola I currently own is my third. It took me a few plays to warm to the game, but I absolutely love it now. I love how the base game is mostly the same from session to session, but the cards you draft can change so much about how you go about pursuing the best farm. Agricola is one of those games that I am always willing to play, no matter what.

1. War of the Ring

War of the Ring is a thematic masterpiece. Middle Earth absolutely comes alive on my table whenever I get to play it. I certainly don't get to play it very often, but whenever I do, the experience is always epic, and always so much fun. I get to experience one of my favorite stories of all time - but I also get to change it and manipulate it in different ways to see what would happen. War of the Ring is my favorite game of all time because it is simultaneously very strategic and solidly story based, but also keeps those exciting moments and randomness and chance with the card draws, die rolls, and chit pulls. Every single game of this leaves me in awe of both the design and of Tolkien's masterpiece itself.

There you have it! My 10 favorite games of all time!

One of the most interesting thing I find about this list is that even though one of my favorite things about games is playing and learning new ones, most of the games on this list are more than 2 years old. That's not much time in the grand scheme of things, but for a cultist of the "new," a lot of games get released in 2 years.

I think what this says is that while I really like exploring brand new game spaces, its takes a lot for a new release to be good enough for it to supplant any of the games on this list. I am always searching for great new experiences in games, and even though I've played many games I've really liked in the past few years, almost none have been fun enough for me to add them to this list.

Now, as I promised, a game giveaway!! One of the best new games I've gotten to play this year is Imperial Settlers, from Portal Games. So, to celebrate my list, the holidays, the end of the year, my awesome readers, and the fact that Imperial Settlers is awesome, I'm going to be giving a new copy of it away to one of you!

The Rafflecopter thingy is down below - I know some people don't like using Rafflecopter, but just know that there is only 1 mandatory entry - please leave a comment on this post that includes both your favorite game on my list above as well as your favorite game that is not on my list.

Remember that leaving a comment on this post is a requirement for entering!! You MUST do so in order to qualify for the prize!!

You can earn extra entries every day from now until the contest is over - Sunday, December 22 at midnight EST!!!

Please note: I will put $15 towards shipping, which will fully cover you if you live in the US. International readers are more than welcome to enter, but know you'll have to help me out with shipping.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Games That I Want to Play More - Summer 2014

There are all kinds of different Top 10 lists that you can make, but I thought that it might be fun to make a list of the Top 10 that I want to play more.  What could be simpler?  Recently, my biggest struggle in gaming is actually getting playing time - which means that there are a lot of games that I sit around wishing I could actually play.  So, why not write up a list of the games that have been staring at me from my closet!

Now, there are multiple reasons these might be on the list - maybe my gaming group doesn't like them, maybe I don't have access to a copy of it for some reason, or maybe it just hasn't worked out for some reason.  Anyway, here's the list of the...

Top Ten Games That I Want to Play More

 

10. Game of Thrones: LCG

I am in love with Living Card Games. I think they're amazing. I regularly buy the Lord of the Rings: LCG and Star Wars: LCG. But, I think that the decisions in Game of Thrones are at least as interesting as in either of those. Unfortunately, it hasn't clicked with any of my regular gaming friends. This one has gotten so bad that I've had to put a moratorium on buying any more packs until it actually gets played regularly. (Now, let's see if I can actually stand by that buying ban.)

9. Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game

So, with the release of Dark City, Legendary went from being a fun game that I would play occasionally to one of my favorite solo games. In the base game, you basically never lose to the game - but with Dark City mixed in, you can definitely be slaughtered! The main thing keeping this from being higher on the list is that I do get to play it solo regularly enough that I'm not in major withdrawal.

8. Clout Fantasy

A great little dexterity game that I never got around to reviewing is Clout Fantasy. The biggest downside for Clout was its release method. It is a "collectible throwing game." Aka, you have to buy packs to get the chips that you want. (Blech.  They were significantly overpriced too - like $1 per chip!) However, now that the game is not actively made, prices have dropped, and it's one that I really enjoy. Having to build armies and teach people how to play is what has kept it from being played more often. But, seriously - you get to throw poker chips strategically. How would I not like this?

7. Star Wars: LCG

What makes Star Wars get rated above Game of Thrones on my want to play more list? Simple - I keep spending money on Star Wars! What motivates you to play a game more than spending money on it? In fact, I have two new force packs that just arrived in the mail making me itch to play it more... (don't worry, right after I finish writing this, I may be tweaking my decks).

6. City Hall

A year or two ago at WBC I got to play City Hall, and I really liked it. So, why haven't I been playing it more? Well.... it doesn't exist yet! Fortunately, this title got signed by Tasty Minstrel Games, was successfully Kickstarted, and the publishing of it is just about done. So, I'm hoping to finally bring this game to my table!

5. Battlestar Galactica

Whenever people discover that I like board games, they always ask me what my favorite one it. Honestly, I don't have one. But, if I was forced to pick one, then BSG might win. All I know for certain is that if I haven't played BSG in a month, then I'd be up for a game if the right situation came along.  And I haven't played BSG in almost a year, if my memory serves!

4. Age of Empires 3

Since I've moved to Philadelphia, I have found my biggest issue with Age of Empires 3 - the box is too big! It doesn't easily fit (ahem, it doesn't fit at all) in the bag that I take with me to game night. What's this mean? It means I basically don't ever get to play it. And, Age of Empires 3 is my favorite worker placement game (for this current second). That combined with rarely getting to play it means I am really, really jonesing for a chance to get it to the table.

3. One Night Ultimate Werewolf

Most of the games on this list are here because I rarely get to play them. ONUWW (is that right?  Or should it have one "W"?) bucks that trend. I've played this one an estimated ten times over the last couple of months. Yet, I still haven't gotten enough of it. It's just an overall great game. I'm sure that I'll burn myself out on it at some point, but it'll be a while until that happens.

2. Twilight Struggle

This game is brilliant. And I haven't played it in about 5 months. Even then I only played it once. It deserves more.

1. Chicago Express

Yeah, you didn't expect that one, did you? But, honestly, it's the one game that sits on my shelf calling out to me. It hasn't been well received by my gaming group (they should give it a chance!), which has kept it from getting played. I don't know how, but I will soon find a way to play this game.

Honorable Mentions:

There are a few others that I'd like to see on the table a bit more. Specifically, Galaxy Trucker, Navegador, Haggis, and Escape: Curse of the Temple. But, if I can get Chicago Express played, it'll be a good time.  Anyway - I'm sure that everyone has some games that they wish they could play more.  These are mine - feel free to add your own in the comments.

Top Ten Games You Might Have Missed - Summer 2013

A lot of games come out every year.  And, often, the only games that you hear about are the latest releases.  This is for a variety of reasons - publishers looking for advertisement, reviewers having already played the older titles, and the human tendency to want new things.  But, with talking so often about new games, there is a good chance that there are some amazing older games that you haven't tried out.  So, here are my top ten games that I think are worth going back and trying out if you haven't already!

Here are the rules: it can't be in the top 10 of BoardGameGeek.com.  Why?  Because those games are basically advertising themselves - so I assume there's a good chance you have heard of them.  Second, the game has to be at least 5 years old.  I used BoardGameGeek's year associated with each game to determine this.  So, if the year was 2009 or later, it was automatically disqualified.  (Which knocked out some great games like Catacombs, Flash Point, and Jab).  So, with the rules laid out, on to the list of the....

Top Ten Games You Might Have Missed 

 

10. Risk 2210 AD

If you have fond memories of playing Risk with family, then this game is definitely one that you should check out. Taking the basics of Risk, 2210 adds a guaranteed end time (you only play 5 turns) while adding many strategic elements. It includes commanders that roll eight-sided dice, cards, and territories on the moon and in the oceans. This was one of the games that got me started in this gaming hobby, and it continues to hold a high place in my collection.

9. Shadows Over Camelot

Before Fantasy Flight Games came out with Battlestar Galactica, Shadows Over Camelot was the traitor game. (At least in my opinion.) With a shorter game time, but still much of the intrigue of Fantasy Flight's game, Shadows still deserves it's spot on your gaming table. If you haven't played this one and you enjoy games with a potential traitor element, then I recommend you check it out.

8. Hey, That's My Fish!

This is the only children's game on my list. Why? Because I don't have kids! Yet, Hey, That's My Fish! transcends being a kid friendly game, and manages to be one that is enjoyable by all ages. This game will be regularly brought to my game night, and is almost always enjoyed by those who learns it.

7. Code 777

Before Hanabi won Game of the Year, Code 777 used a similar formula of showing everyone else what is in your hand, without being able to see it yourself. Yet, Code 777 takes a competitive approach, and forces you to deduce what you have as quickly as possible - without missing it - because that forces you to start over! If you like deduction, then Code 777 is definitely for you.

6. Conspiracy

The oldest game on this list (by a landslide) is Conspiracy. I picked this one up at a Garage Sale a few years ago, and I was very pleasantly surprised! Essentially, as a spy master, you are attempting to bribe various spies to move a briefcase (full of secrets, obviously) to your headquarters. But, the trick is that everyone else can move the same spies! And, ultimately, they will list to whoever (secretly) paid them the most! I'm not advocating that you run out and immediately try to buy this on eBay (unless it's cheap - I haven't looked at prices), but this is definitely one to keep an eye out for.

5. Liar's Dice

The party game that combines party elements and strategic choices, is Liar's Dice (also known as Perudo). Recently, Liar's Dice was featured in one of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and thus it got a bit more notoriety. If you are looking for a game that can support a variable number of players, and that anyone can enjoy, regardless of how many games they have played, then Liar's Dice is a great choice. And, if you need to add more players, you simply have to find a handful of dice!

4. In the Year of the Dragon

Stefan Feld has become a very popular (as well as prolific) game designer recently. In the last few years, he has put out what seems to be a dozen or more titles, with a new one always on the way. Yet, I think that some of his best work was on his earlier titles. In the Year of the Dragon forces you to balance decisions based on gaining points with decisions based on keeping your workers alive. This game just recently slipped out of the BoardGameGeek top 100, but I think that it deserves to be returned to its place of prominence.

3. Dvonn

It is always hard for me to figure out how to rank abstract strategy games against other, more thematic, titles. I almost created this list without including any. Yet, upon further reflection, I determined that abstract strategy games are overlooked at least as often as these other titles. And, Dvonn maintains it's hold as my favorite abstract strategy game. If you're looking for an interesting way to be forced to outwit your opponent, Dvonn comes highly recommended.

2. Game of Thrones: The (Living) Card Game

The game on this list that has easily taken the most of my money is Game of Thrones LCG. As a note, I play this as a two player affair. (The living card game has rules for up to four - the original Collectible Card Game was a two player game). Regardless of if you enjoy the Game of Thrones books or TV show, the game itself stands on it's own as a strategic gem that forces players to balance what kind of challenges they want to make at any given time, and how they want to assign their forces. If you are not turned off by the continual release of new expansions, then this game is worth your time.

1. Notre Dame

When I had the idea for this top ten list, I already knew what the winner was. Notre Dame has recently slipped out of the top 100 games on BoardGameGeek, but I would put it in my personal top 10 favorites. This game forces you to adapt to what other players are doing, while also encouraging you to build on your own past efforts. It is a true gem, and if you haven't played it, then I encourage you to seek opportunities to do so as soon as possible.

Honorable Mentions:

I had to pare down this list a bit before getting started. Part of the reason that I selected the 5 year time frame was to make my decisions a little bit easier (and I mentioned some of the quality games that were knocked off of the list by that requirement earlier). Yet, there are a few others that still deserve recognition while not quite making the top 10: Beowulf: The Legend, Pirate's Cove, and Tumblin Dice.

Well, that's it. I'm sure that there are some great games that I've missed - quite likely because I haven't tried them! Feel free to recommend more games for me to check out in the comments!

If you like top ten lists, you might also check out my Top Ten Two-Player Games, Top Ten Lunch Games, and my Top Ten Abstract Strategy Games.

Top Ten Two-Player Games - Spring 2013

Sometimes you only have one friend.  (Hey, it's better than not having any, right?)  Regardless of whether you are looking to play a game with your significant other, your best friend, or some person that you just met, there is a time and a place where you need a good two-player game.  So, here's my list of current favorites.

Here are the rules: it's a two-player game.  Not 2-4, not 2-6, not 1-2.  Two player.  That's it.  With that said, let's get to my...

Top Ten Two-Player Games

 

10. Jab

Real Time Boxing

Not every game has to be deep and strategic in order to be a lot of fun. And, Jab is a great little real-time game when you're looking for something quick but engaging. It can be a bit of a problem when you and your opponent aren't evenly matched, so it might be best to pick one person that you play Jab with and reserve it for them.

9. Arimaa

For some reason, abstract strategy games tend to be two-player. I could have easily made a list of two-player games simply consisting of them (but, if you want that, you should really check out my top ten abstract strategy games). Regardless, Arimaa is a great game in it's own right, and I would be remiss to not include it.

8. 1960: The Making of the President

Well, in the United States, we currently have a two-party political system. And, we've had it since well before the 1960's. And so, it's only natural that there should be games made about this very important aspect of our country. Whether you find actual politics fascinating, or are somewhat apathetic about them, you still might find 1960 to be a fun game.

7. Game of Thrones: The Living Card Game

So, at this point you may be throwing a flag and pointing out that Game of Thrones: The (Living) Card Game states that it is 2-4 player. Yes, you would be right, and so this game technically breaks my criteria. Yet, in my opinion this game was designed as a two player game with rules for additional players tacked on later (like with Magic, Star Trek: CCG, and many others). Regardless of that, Game of Thrones is a fabulous game where you are constantly struggling back and forth with your opponent in a number of different "challenges". Since I first tried this game, I became hooked and just wish that I played it more.

6. Hive

Hive has beautiful Bakelite pieces

Returning to the abstract strategy genre, Hive makes an appearance on the list. This could honestly be considered a low position for Hive, as it could easily have beaten out most of the games above it, depending on when I put this list together. When I think about two-player games, Hive is one of the first that comes to mind, and is one that I enjoy sharing with others.

5. Jaipur

Jaipur can be considered the "significant other specialty." (Yes, I just made that term up.) Of all the games on this list, I think that this is the best one for playing with a "non-gamer" spouse. Sure, some of you may be married to people that love to play games just as much as you do. However, the more common scenario seems to be marriages in which one person loves to play games drastically more than the other. For these situations, I think that Jaipur may be an ideal game to play with your special someone.

4. Dvonn

The #1 game on my abstract strategy list only manages to make #4 on this one. This one was hard for me to rank, as abstract games feel so different than "traditional" strategy games. In fact, when I first thought about this list, I completely neglected all of my abstract strategies - then remembered them and had way too many games. So, as a happy medium, I've added the three you see - with Dvonn being the top representative of the genre once again.

3. Star Wars: Customizable Card Game

The game that truly shows that each of these lists is based on my own opinion and not any indisputable facts is definitely Star Wars: CCG.  This game has been one of my favorites for an incredibly long time. Though the game hasn't been in print for years, and I dislike the collectible format of the game, I still find the game itself to be amazing, and I get excited when I find new people that I can play the game with. (Don't worry - I have plenty of cards. You can make a deck with my collection, and then we can play!)

2. Summoner Wars

One of the best two player games to come out in the last few years is Summoner Wars. Though I don't play it as much as I'd like (isn't that the story of this entire list?), I have continued buying every expansion as they come out because I know... some day.... I will play it more! And at that point I will have dozens of factions that I can use.

1. Twilight Struggle

Really, did this surprise anybody? I'm guessing no. As I said in my review, Twilight Struggle is enough fun to tempt me to give up this site so that I can dedicate more time to playing it instead of to learning new games. Though not flawless, it is an immaculate tug of war that epitomizes what a two player game can be!

The winner!!

Honorable Mention:

This top ten list really had a lot of titles that I was sad to whittle away. I could have easily justified including Star Wars: The (Living) Card Game or Android: Netrunner, but I didn't want to list too many Living/Customizable Card Games. I was also shocked when I didn't have enough room for Jambo. A few others that just barely missed the cut were Dungeon Command, Mage Wars, and Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation. Finally, Crokinole, which would have been my lone dexterity entry, only missed the cut because of the technicality that it can be played by two or four players.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the list - feel free to add comments about what you think I missed, where you agree, or some games that I should try out! And, if you like top ten lists, you should also check out my Top Ten Cooperative or Solo Games, Top Ten Lunch Games, and My Top Ten Most Played Games

Top Ten Lunch Games - Winter 2013

What makes a good lunch game?  Well, obviously it needs to be something that you can play over lunch - so, it should be less than an hour.  It also needs to be easy to teach, and ideally it can support a wide range of players.  And, since not everyone has a desk they can dedicate to gaming, it would be useful if you could set it up and tear it down quickly, and it doesn't take up too much space.

So, which games do I currently think are great to play over lunch?  Let's get to....

My Top Ten Lunch Games!!

10. Crokinole

Crokinole is fabulous. Absolutely amazing, and one of my absolute favorite games. So, why is it so low on the list? Well, it can only support 2 or 4 players, is fairly expensive, and takes up a lot of space. With all that said, a lunch spent playing Crokinole leads to a good day!

9. Summoner Wars

Summoner Wars is only two players, which knocks it down so low on the list. But, it's pretty easy to teach, incredibly simple to set up, and has immense replayability due to the number of factions available. If you don't have many co-workers interested in gaming, this might be the best choice.

8. Glory to Rome

I can't really explain it, but when I think of lunch games, this one jumps to mind. It's probably the most difficult game on the list in order to teach, but can also give one of the most satisfying game play experiences. If you want to pack a deeply strategic game into your lunch hour, this may be your best bet.

King of Tokyo is great - but mine is even better!

7. King of Tokyo

So, this game is obviously best if you have my sweet pimped out version. But, this is a fun, light game that you can easily teach to both your gaming and non-gaming co-workers. And, they'll all love it! But, the person that wins will probably love it the most. "Unfortunately", in the office you might have to reign in your inner monster voice. (MEKA DRAGON INTIMIDATES QUIETLY...)

6. Dixit

Want a game that you can teach to non-gamers (aside from King of Tokyo)? And, want it to be one that they might absolutely love? Dixit is a great choice. It's pretty flexible in how long you play, incredibly simple to teach and set up, and some of your co-workers might fall madly in love with the game (I know some of my friends have). Playing it repeatedly will also force you to be more creative, in order to keep coming up with new clues for the cards that you play.

5. Ra

I had to reign in my list of auction games so that this list didn't turn into the "top ten relatively short auction games." However, I have to include at least some auction games - after all, it's one of my favorite mechanics! Ra combines auction, planning, and press your luck elements into a brilliant game that should only last around 45 minutes.

4. Forbidden Island

Finally, a cooperative game shows up on the list! Whereas I had a fairly sizable list of co-ops that I considered, Forbidden Island really makes the most sense for lunch. Teaching, setup, and playing should all easily fit within an hour. And, what's more, the tension in the game is almost as strong as any of the longer cooperative games that I could have included.

3. Dominion

Do you know how I know that Dominion plays well over lunch? Because my co-workers fell madly in love with it. And so have dozens of other people that I know. And, my co-workers managed to do this after I transferred offices. So, it's a game that you can easily learn and teach, regardless of if you have any "gamers" in your group. The biggest issue will be avoiding starting a new game when lunch is over.

2. For Sale

You should have known that another auction game would be on this list. And For Sale is amazing. Amazing! Though it's often classified as a "filler", For Sale rivals any game in my collection. You should be able to fit in several games of For Sale over lunch, and the game is also flexible in the number of players that it can handle.

1. The Resistance

This was an easy choice. I lost count of how many lunches I've spent playing The Resistance. I think the mark of the best lunch games are that you will find yourself talking about them through most of the afternoon, and no game has left me discussing it hours later like The Resistance.

The Resistance - my obvious choice for #1

Honorable Mention:

This list started with a ton of good options that didn't quite make the list. If the ten I mentioned don't work for your group, you might also check out PitchCar, Castle Panic, Smash Up, Biblios, and Race for the Galaxy.

Well, I hope that I've given you some good ideas for games that you might be able to try out over lunch. And, if you just love reading top ten lists, you might also check out my Top Ten Abstract Strategy Games, Top Ten Cooperative or Solo Games and, of course, my Top Ten Most Played Games of All Time!!.

Top Ten Most Played Games of All Time - Fall 2012

Ok, that's a pretty lofty title.  But, more specifically, this is my top ten most played games.  And, to determine this, I am basing it off of total time that I have invested in playing a game - not my current feelings about a game.  After all, there's a decent chance that I've played some of these so often that I'm at least a bit burned out on them.

There are a few caveats on this list, though.  First, I don't actually pay attention to how long I've played a game, so this is all based on guesswork and conjecture.  Second, I'm basing this off of total game time, not number of plays.  So, a game that takes three hours to play may wind up much higher on the list than a game that I play dozens of times but doesn't take as long.  Third, I didn't count anything that you can play with a standard deck of cards.  Finally, I'm not counting time playing the game in an electronic format (otherwise Dominion and Axis and Allies would be much higher).

With all that said, lists are fun - so let's get to

My Top Ten Most Played Games of All Time!!

10. Power Grid

I love Power Grid. That should be obvious by it being on this list! This is one that I love so much, that I wrote a computer version of it in order to learn a new programming language. Though, admittedly, I may be remembering the time spent doing that, and it may be clouding my judgement about how much I've actually played the "real" game.

9. Betrayal at House on the Hill

Want to know how great this game is? I don't even care about horror themed games, and it still made this list! I absolutely love the thematic gameplay, the betrayal half-way through the game, and the book of scenarios!

8. Battlestar Galactica

This became one of my office's lunch games. Unfortunately, lunch breaks are only an hour. Do you realize how hard it is to maintain a lie over several days? However, the game is so amazing, that we put up with that slight nuisance for the opportunity to play it - again and again.

7. The Resistance

I said in my review of The Resistance that, for the money, this is the best game that I've ever bought. I can't even speculate on how many times I've played this game - or how many times I've fallen for someone's deceit!

6. Shadows Over Camelot

Both the first co-operative game I played and the first game with a traitor element. This combination adds up to playing back to back games for hours on end. Unfortunately, for some of my friends, they have been permanently branded as a traitor from all of these sessions. (If you're curious, I am referring to my good friends "Traitor Nic" and "Traitor Heath.")

5. PitchCar

How does a game that takes 5-10 minutes to play get on a list like this? You play it a lot. I have probably averaged playing PitchCar five times or more every week for a year and a half. Yeah. That's how it's on the list.

4. Star Wars: Customizable Card Game

This was my high school game of choice. "Obsessive" probably doesn't quite cover it. If the time I spent building decks was factored in, instead of just the time actually playing the game, this one would be #1. However, depending on my parents for transportation kept my ability to play in check, and keeps it "down" at #4.

3. Monopoly

Everyone was a kid sometime, right? I loved this game as a kid. Loved it. However, just because I loved it didn't mean I could convince people to play it with me. It did have a brief re-emergence in my graduate school days. And, for that matter, I'd still be willing to play it if anyone was interested.  Many people hate Monopoly, but I'm not one of them.

2. Risk 2210

Risk 2210 is probably the first game that started my deep plunge into "strategy" board games. After discovering this gem while working on my bachelor's degree, I started playing this with friends from my dorm every day. We knew when each other's classes ended each day, so that we could immediately start a game afterwards. And I would dare say that I spent half of my waking hours over at least one Spring Break playing this. I'm currently on my third physical copy of the game, having worn out one copy and had another one stolen.  There's a fair chance that I'll wind up with a fourth copy soon, as my current copy is also fairly "well loved." 

1. Heroscape

I own everything that Heroscape has put out. Did you catch that? (In case you're not overly familiar with Heroscape, they put out around 50 small expansions, 6 large expansions, had over 10 promo items, and had 4 master sets.) Yeah - that's how much I love this game. While working on my master's degree, I had a Heroscape board permanently set up in my dorm room. And, fortunately, I had several people that enjoyed playing with me, to the point that we played every night for around a year.

Honorable Mention:

Some of my other all time favorites didn't quite make the cut. They include Puerto Rico, Lord of the Rings: The Card Game (I expect this one to be on a future list), Dominion (I have played the base game over 500 times on my iPhone; I just checked), Pandemic, Settlers of Catan, and Axis and Allies.

Well - there you have it, the 10 games that I have played the most!  This list is a bit hard to argue over, unless you've been secretly following me for all of my life and timing how long I've played various games.  However, I would be curious - what are the games you've invested the most time into?  Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Cooperative or Solo Board Games - Summer 2012

Last January, I decided to start doing an occasional top ten list.  They're fun to write, and they can start interesting discussions!  Now, please keep in mind that this list is completely my own opinion, and that means that it only contains games that I've personally played.  If you think that I'm missing anything, feel free to let me know in the comments.

Most of these games I've reviewed, but a few of them I haven't yet.  If I've reviewed it, then I'll give you a link to my review.  With all that said, here come my

Top Ten Cooperative and/or Solo Games!!

 

10. Yggdrasil

You can tell that this is a list of amazing games when Yggdrasil only comes in at #10! Players take on the role of Norse gods protecting the holy tree by fighting off ice giants and all kinds of other mythical monsters.

9. Shadows Over Camelot

Shadows Over Camelot was a lot higher on my original list until I realized that it was cheating. I absolutely love this game, but only when playing with the possibility of a traitor. This dropped it down this far on the list - but it is definitely a highly recommended game!

8. Wok Star

Z-Man Games has promised to do a large print run of Wok Star for a few years, and having played the original Gabob version, I think that they would make a lot of money if they did so! This co-operative game uses real-time elements to force players to work together to ensure that everything happens before the timer runs out!

7. Space Alert

Another unique title, Space Alert forces the players to coordinate the defense of their space station.  But... it has a sound track!  How many games can claim that?  Each of the games only lasts about 10 minutes - but those 10 minutes are frantic as everyone tries to program his character's movement (and double check them to make sure he isn't the weak link on the team). This game really works a lot better than I was initially expecting, and gives a pleasantly stressful gameplay experience!

6. Hanabi

A game that I'm still looking to add to my collection, Hanabi refutes the claim that "all cooperative games can be played solo." Hanabi is all about trying to figure out how to communicate effectively with other players so that they know what they have available to play. The theme (shooting off fireworks) is a bit cheesy, but the mechanics help this game score highly on my list.

5. Lord of the Rings (Knizia Version)

Ok, so "Lord of the Rings" isn't an uncommon name for board games, but this is the co-op that Reiner Knizia created around 2003. This game seems to be one of the originators of this genre, and is still fun to play and sports a different feel than the other titles on this list. I have all of the (now out of print) expansions in my closet, regularly begging me to play them.

4. Flash Point: Fire Rescue

Ok, now we're getting down to some tough decisions. This game jumped up to the top of my list very, very quickly. I really debated placing it as high as #2 on this list! The theme really makes this game beautiful, but some slight fiddliness keeps it from cracking the top 3.

3. Pandemic

This game might not deserve a place quite this high on the list, but it is the game that introduced me to the genre - and made me fall in love with it. I know many people have claimed that they have "mastered" Pandemic - but, I'd imagine that they've played it dozens of times (and still occasionally lose). Shouldn't a game that calls you back dozens of times land pretty high on a top ten list? I think it should.

2. Friday

Ok, now to get more controversial - Friday is the only truly solo game on this list. However, after trying out Friday, I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you ever travel for business, I recommend that you invest the roughly $20 that it costs to throw a copy of Friday in your carry-on. It's brilliant.

1. Lord of the Rings: Living Card Game

If you've been following my site for a while, Lord of the Rings: LCG coming it at #1 probably doesn't surprise you. I think that this game is amazing - plus, with the continual release of new adventures, the gameplay is constantly shifting. More than any others on this list, I can see people investing hours upon hours in Lord of the Rings, and I can see their interest stay strong for years to come.

Honorable Mentions

It amazes me that some of these titles didn't make it. However, other very solid co-operative games include Defenders of the Realm, Legend of Drizzt, Castle Panic, Sentinels of the Multiverse, and Forbidden Island. There's also a little game called Ghost Stories - I need to play this game at some point to see if it should be on the list next time!

So, what do you think?  Anything that I missed?  Any "oh my goodness, how did he rank that so high (or low)?"  Feel free to let me know in the comments!

Top Ten Abstract Strategy Board Games - January 2012

So recently I have been debating what I want to do with this site. I enjoy writing reviews, and I still intend for that to be the bulk of my posts. However, one thing that I've heard from some of my readers is that they like when I compare games to each other. Also, I got to spend some time with Jason from Play Board Games recently, and he encouraged me to start writing "Top Ten" lists - he said that they're both fun to write and engaging to readers. So, why not? Feel free to add comments to my Top Ten, missed games, and whether you like the addition of Top Tens to the site!

Some of these games I have reviewed, and some I haven't. If I've reviewed it, I'll give you the link to my review (instead of the normal link to Amazon, but feel free to use this Amazon link and search for any of these games in the search bar).  If I haven't reviewed some of these yet, I'll try to get around to writing one for you! And, since I just completed my self proclaimed "Abstract Strategy Month" of December, what better place to start than...

Top Ten Abstract Strategy Games!!

 

10. Tsuro

Simple but enjoyable. This may be the only abstract strategy game that I know of that can support up to 8 players!

 

9. Stomple

Gorgeous and engaging. This game is perfect for anyone with children, but the amount of luck involved in your initial setup keeps it from placing higher.

 

8. Abalone

This is basically sumo wrestling as an abstract strategy game. It can be incredible fun, but can also become tedious if you and your opponent are too experienced at it, if you are both able to avoid getting any pieces knocked off the board.

 

7. Jin Li

One of my surprise finds of 2011 was Jin Li. Having never heard of the game before I was given a copy, I quickly fell in love. Surprising depth with very brief rules, I wound up buying the iPhone version so that I could play it when I needed a 3-minute break.

 

6. Hive

One of my very first reviews, Hive is the game on this list closest to having a theme, but it's paper thinness allows it to still land on the list. Simply a brilliant game (another one that I've bought for my iPhone) of attempting to surround your opponent's queen.

 

5. Yinsh

The Gipf project finally cracks the list with what many believe to be the best game in the series. Unfortunately, it's up against some brilliant competition both from other games in the Gipf project, and some outsiders. Still, Yinsh combines some beautiful gameplay elements to make for a great experience!

 

4. Hey, That's My Fish!

A game that can be enjoyed by everyone, I would recommend that everyone buy a copy of Hey, That's My Fish since you can currently buy it for around $12 from Fantasy Flight. The setup time (especially in comparison to the actual gameplay time) is the biggest downside, which is why I have converted most of my time with this game to playing it on the iPad. However, anyone with children take note - this is a great game that you can play with kids, and I've played it with kids as young as 4, who were still able to understand and enjoy the game.

 

3. Pentago

Mindtwister USA's flagship game really is a prototypical example of what I look for in an abstract strategy game - easy to teach, easy to transport, and many levels of strategic depth. "Play one, twist one, try to get five in a row." It's much deeper than it initially appears.

 

2. Gipf

Yes, I should post a review about this one. The original game from the Gipf project, Gipf is an amazing game. It combines elements of pushing and matching pieces into a brilliant, amazing, and exciting game. (I'm running out of adjectives - I love all of the games on this list!)

 

1. Dvonn

A game that I gave a score of 8.5 to tops the list? Yeah - I always say to read the text and not to focus on scores, and this is a perfect example. I love Dvonn. Love it. What's more, the setup and the teardown of the game are the game allowing for essentially no downtime with either of these activities. Some people disagree, but I think that the ever-collapsing board makes for a great play experience!

Honorable Mention

Rise, Tzaar, Ingenious, Multiplayer Pentago, Cityscape.

Any of these could have easily made the list, as they are all solid titles, but the real question would be - what do I take off of it in their place?


I hope you enjoyed my inaugural Top Ten list. Feel free to leave comments and let me know what you think I got right, and where you think I was way off! (As a note, I've never actually played Go, if you're wondering how it got completely left off of the list.)