Warning, this is a heavy and thoughtful post. Do not read before having your morning coffee.
Emergence is the changing group dynamics and player interaction that happens during and in between games. This isn't a complete definition, nor is it even 100% accurate, but it's what I mean when I use the term. Episode 45 of Ludology spent far more time talking about this, and doing a better job of probing the depths of it than I could ever do. Ever since I listened to the podcast, I've been noticing emergence all over the place.
I think an example of this helps more than anything. The other night, I was playing Resistance Avalon with people who had never played before, or who had only played once. In our first game, there was very little table talk until I started pushing it. See, the first time I played Resistance, I didn't know enough about the game or the other people to feel comfortable with the direct accusations of "you're a spy" and so on, but this time we were all more comfortable with each other. In our second game, the table talk flew around for most people, and that was great. In the third game, even our quietest player was jumping in on the accusations and everyone was really trying to figure everything out.
Now, here's where you say something like "Well that's because Resistance is supposed to work that way." or "Players naturally do that when they are more comfortable with a game." Those are both good points, but that's part of emergent behavior.
Players will start to think of things on a higher level the more they play a game. Let me give you another example of a game. In Hanabi, players are working together to play cards in order without messing up. The catch is that you can see everyone's hand of cards except your own. On your turn you can only tell someone about a number in their hand, or a color in their hand. But what do you do if someone has say a 1,2,3 in red? Well, maybe you touch the cards in the proper order as you say "this, this and this are red." Some might say that that's cheating, but I call it emergent behavior. Both players have to understand the code. There are other aspects to that game that demonstrate emergent behavior, but let's leave that for the review.
In the aforementioned Ludology podcast, they use Go as a leading example of emergence. Since I don't know much about the game, I'll use Chess as a counter example. Chess has seen the rise and fall of strategies over the years. There is no perfect strategy, but there are strategies that can be hard to beat. The more you play against one opponent, the more you have to change what you do, else they would learn how to beat you every time.
Perhaps the simplest example is Rock Paper Scissors. Each part has something that it beats, and something it loses to. It leads to looking for emergence as you try to detect patterns in your opponent. What I'm getting at here is that emergence is all around us. It's one of the aspects that makes gaming great. Good games will lead to emergence. Strategies will rise and fall. Players will have to try something, fail, react, change, fail, alter, fail, try again, and perhaps fail. It can be a frustrating process, but cracking that code and seeing something for the first time can be one of the most satisfying experiences in life.
As it relates to game design, emergence is crucial. Sure, not every game has to have emergent behavior, but most tend to have some amount of it. Rules establish a framework for what we can and cannot do, but they often leave room for strategy and choices that even the designer didn't envision.
Take Tic-Tac-Toe for instance. The rules, start with a 3x3 grid, make a mark in a grid that no one else has marked in, connect 3 in a row to win. There's strategy there, and choices. Yes, it's been solved, but there is still the opportunity for emergence when someone learns the game.
The unexpected is often what makes life worth living. Trying to find something new, something that is in the realm of the constraints that have been established for us, but is something that no one has thought of before.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Top 7 Games that are Better with Expansion(s)
First of all, note that this is not a list of the top 7 expansions. This is a list of games that are good alone, but great with an expansion or expansions, and a list of games that might be ok by themselves but become better with expansions. Either way, the expansion(s) to a game make it better than it is by itself.
#7 Settlers of Catan
I enjoy basic Settlers. I enjoy Settlers with Seafarers and/or Cities and Knights more. The other expansions have their merits, but they're not as good in my own opinion. Basic Settlers is a fine game, but it needs a little extra something to make each resource feel important. Seafarers gives sheep an added importance while C&K changes up the game in many ways. These do add time, but I think that either is worth including to make the game better.
#6 Formula D
Expansions to Formula D are new tracks to race on, but the thrill of racing games is learning how to race on new tracks. If you race on the same layout every time, eventually you know exactly how to best get around, provided your dice cooperate. Being able to race on 8 different tracks gives me a lot options right now, though more tracks would be nice to have.
#5 Rattus
Specifically the Pied Piper expansion. The base game comes with 6 powers, but you use all 6 in every game. That leads to some strategies becoming dominant, and samey gameplay. Pied Piper adds 12 more powers, yet you still only play with 6. That really changes up the game and leads to a lot of variety between games.
#4 Carcassonne
Carcassonne has many expansions, very few of which are necessary, but several of which enhance the game in some way. Basic Carcassonne is a fine game, but it really needs the first expansion (Inns and Cathedrals) to make it a more strategic experience. This is a game where you can't play with everything every time you play it, the game would take too long. Adding in some expansions makes Carc a more enjoyable game, just don't go overboard.
#3 Pandemic
On the Brink changed Pandemic in so many ways that one could argue that it is an essential expansion. OtB more than doubled the available roles that players can use to try to win the game. This alone would be an expansion worth owning, but when you add in several new ways to play the game, OtB greatly enhances Pandemic. I liked the basic game of Pandemic, but after 20 plays, I needed something more. OtB made it harder in ways and easier in others, which when combined made for a much more enjoyable gaming experience.
#2 Dominion
Though I own every expansion to Dominion, I won't argue that they are all necessary. However, adding in at least 1 expansion makes Dominion a better game. Each set has a general theme, so the cards in any set tend to combo well with each other. Once you start mixing things, the combos get more interesting, and setting up a deck becomes a bigger challenge. The nice thing is that the choices in any given game don't expand a lot, but the variety of games goes up exponentially. So for not a lot of extra difficulty, and a lot of added replay value, Dominion is the #2 game that gets better with expansions.
#1 X-Wing
This game would be nothing without expansion ships and upgrades. They are what makes this game compelling and challenging. In ways this is cheating since it's a miniatures game. You have to have multiple units for it to be playable, but the game does have a core set that works on its own. There is fun in that single box with 2 Tie Fighters and 1 X-Wing, but adding in more ships truly makes the game special.
For links to many of these games and their expansions, click on the BoBG store link in the header.
#7 Settlers of Catan
I enjoy basic Settlers. I enjoy Settlers with Seafarers and/or Cities and Knights more. The other expansions have their merits, but they're not as good in my own opinion. Basic Settlers is a fine game, but it needs a little extra something to make each resource feel important. Seafarers gives sheep an added importance while C&K changes up the game in many ways. These do add time, but I think that either is worth including to make the game better.
#6 Formula D
Expansions to Formula D are new tracks to race on, but the thrill of racing games is learning how to race on new tracks. If you race on the same layout every time, eventually you know exactly how to best get around, provided your dice cooperate. Being able to race on 8 different tracks gives me a lot options right now, though more tracks would be nice to have.
#5 Rattus
Specifically the Pied Piper expansion. The base game comes with 6 powers, but you use all 6 in every game. That leads to some strategies becoming dominant, and samey gameplay. Pied Piper adds 12 more powers, yet you still only play with 6. That really changes up the game and leads to a lot of variety between games.
#4 Carcassonne
Carcassonne has many expansions, very few of which are necessary, but several of which enhance the game in some way. Basic Carcassonne is a fine game, but it really needs the first expansion (Inns and Cathedrals) to make it a more strategic experience. This is a game where you can't play with everything every time you play it, the game would take too long. Adding in some expansions makes Carc a more enjoyable game, just don't go overboard.
#3 Pandemic
On the Brink changed Pandemic in so many ways that one could argue that it is an essential expansion. OtB more than doubled the available roles that players can use to try to win the game. This alone would be an expansion worth owning, but when you add in several new ways to play the game, OtB greatly enhances Pandemic. I liked the basic game of Pandemic, but after 20 plays, I needed something more. OtB made it harder in ways and easier in others, which when combined made for a much more enjoyable gaming experience.
#2 Dominion
Though I own every expansion to Dominion, I won't argue that they are all necessary. However, adding in at least 1 expansion makes Dominion a better game. Each set has a general theme, so the cards in any set tend to combo well with each other. Once you start mixing things, the combos get more interesting, and setting up a deck becomes a bigger challenge. The nice thing is that the choices in any given game don't expand a lot, but the variety of games goes up exponentially. So for not a lot of extra difficulty, and a lot of added replay value, Dominion is the #2 game that gets better with expansions.
#1 X-Wing
This game would be nothing without expansion ships and upgrades. They are what makes this game compelling and challenging. In ways this is cheating since it's a miniatures game. You have to have multiple units for it to be playable, but the game does have a core set that works on its own. There is fun in that single box with 2 Tie Fighters and 1 X-Wing, but adding in more ships truly makes the game special.
For links to many of these games and their expansions, click on the BoBG store link in the header.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Smash Up: Awesome Level 9000 Expansion Review
Since I'm reviewing an expansion, my normal format kinda goes to the wayside. With any expansion, the main question one has to ask is something along the lines of "does this offer enough extra things to warrant the price?" Now those extra things come in many shapes and sizes.Awesome Level 9000, an expansion for Smash Up, offers 2 things - 4 new decks, and victory point tokens. First off, let me say thank-you for the victory point tokens. These were needed from the get go, and I'm glad the publisher saw the need for them and included them in this expansion. Those alone do not justify buying the expansion, but they don't hurt the cause. Let's talk about the 4 new decks - Plants, Ghosts, Steampunk, and Bear Cavalry. Yes, you can now have Plants versus Zombies, or even Plant-Zombie combo. Each of these 4 decks do bring something new to the table. Ghosts encourage small hands of cards and cycling to power up your minions. Steampunk use action cards to move around and do a lot of crazy things. Plants work to bring more minions out and then to take root where they are. Bear Cavalry are strong, they destroy minions with as much glee as Ninjas, and they have some actions which make them really hard to mess with.
These 4 new decks are a great addition to the game. It doesn't feel like there's a power creep, which is a good thing. Each deck certainly has their abilities, but it's up to each player to maximize their combinations. Ghosts are an expert level deck, while the rest feel medium to me. Maybe the Bear Cavalry is an easy deck to play, it all just really depends on your style.So, the verdict on Awesome Level 9000 is that is a worthwhile expansion for Smash Up. Having 4 more decks offers a lot of new combinations to explore, and shakes up some of the strategies. Plus, you'll no longer see every faction in a 4 player game. If you like Smash Up and you're looking for something more, buy Awesome Level 9000.
Missed my review of the base game? You can read it here.
Want to buy the expansion and support BoBG?
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Top 7 Games Every Gamer Should Own
It's been awhile since my last Top 7 list, so I thought I'd jump back in with a big one. I've been addressing a bit of this with my collection building articles. These games are irrespective of genre, but instead focus on the idea that a game collection is incomplete without either owning or at least having access to the following games.
Before I start my list, there are several games which could have easily made this list, but didn't for a variety of reasons. Some of those games are: Lost Cities, Power Grid, Pandemic, For Sale, Flash Point: Fire Rescue, Say Anything, Wits and Wagers, Shadows Over Camelot, The Resistance, and Small World.
#7 Settlers of Catan
Like it, love it, or hate it, no one can deny the importance of Catan on most of our gaming lives. It is a good game to be able to pull out to introduce people to gaming, and it's a good negotiation and dice rolling game to be able to pull out with gamers. I don't own this, though I do own Star Trek Catan, but I have multiple people around me who own it, and anytime I want to play, it would be with those people. Catan doesn't need all the expansions to make it a good game, and they can overcomplicate the game sometimes.
#6 Dominion
Dominion is the current gold standard for variety and replayability. No two games are exactly the same, though some will feel similar. I'm fortunate to have a couple people who are right around my play level, so we can all give each other a good match. In ways, Dominion can become chess, where new players have almost no chance against highly experienced players, but the learning curve is far less steep.
#5 Cosmic Encounter
Cosmic is the silver standard for variety and replayability, but it beats Dominion on this list for three reasons. First, Cosmic is a deeper game. Second, Cosmic has more player interaction and ability to come from behind. Third, Cosmic gives new players the opportunity to win right away.
#4 No Thanks!
Every gamer needs a simple and quick card game. No Thanks gives players interesting choices while not punishing mistakes. There's a good amount of luck, but also some strategy that makes the game accessible to new players while also being enjoyable for gamers.
#3 Incan Gold
Incan Gold is my favorite push your luck game. Players have to calculate some of the odds in their head, but they can also rely on gut feelings. There can be crazy runs of cards sometimes, which will reward those who don't have the instinct to run, but it can also reward those who want to play it safe. I like that players have to take the choices of others into consideration since some treasures are only gained when running alone. Even though the game uses the same 35 cards each time, every game has a different feel.
#2 Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is one of those games that is so simple to explain, but offers a lot of strategic and tactical choices. There's lots of player interaction, which keeps things interesting. I know there are better train games out there, but Ticket to Ride makes this list because of it's simplicity and elegant design.
#1 King of Tokyo
Everyone needs a game where you roll lots of dice and get to do something cool with them. For me, and many others, that game is King of Tokyo. I'm not saying that KoT wins any awards for being super strategic, but it's pure simple monster mashing fan. That's what I want to play sometimes, and King of Tokyo, is the perfect game for those times.
Before I start my list, there are several games which could have easily made this list, but didn't for a variety of reasons. Some of those games are: Lost Cities, Power Grid, Pandemic, For Sale, Flash Point: Fire Rescue, Say Anything, Wits and Wagers, Shadows Over Camelot, The Resistance, and Small World.
#7 Settlers of Catan
Like it, love it, or hate it, no one can deny the importance of Catan on most of our gaming lives. It is a good game to be able to pull out to introduce people to gaming, and it's a good negotiation and dice rolling game to be able to pull out with gamers. I don't own this, though I do own Star Trek Catan, but I have multiple people around me who own it, and anytime I want to play, it would be with those people. Catan doesn't need all the expansions to make it a good game, and they can overcomplicate the game sometimes.
#6 Dominion
Dominion is the current gold standard for variety and replayability. No two games are exactly the same, though some will feel similar. I'm fortunate to have a couple people who are right around my play level, so we can all give each other a good match. In ways, Dominion can become chess, where new players have almost no chance against highly experienced players, but the learning curve is far less steep.
#5 Cosmic Encounter
Cosmic is the silver standard for variety and replayability, but it beats Dominion on this list for three reasons. First, Cosmic is a deeper game. Second, Cosmic has more player interaction and ability to come from behind. Third, Cosmic gives new players the opportunity to win right away.
#4 No Thanks!
Every gamer needs a simple and quick card game. No Thanks gives players interesting choices while not punishing mistakes. There's a good amount of luck, but also some strategy that makes the game accessible to new players while also being enjoyable for gamers.
#3 Incan Gold
Incan Gold is my favorite push your luck game. Players have to calculate some of the odds in their head, but they can also rely on gut feelings. There can be crazy runs of cards sometimes, which will reward those who don't have the instinct to run, but it can also reward those who want to play it safe. I like that players have to take the choices of others into consideration since some treasures are only gained when running alone. Even though the game uses the same 35 cards each time, every game has a different feel.
#2 Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is one of those games that is so simple to explain, but offers a lot of strategic and tactical choices. There's lots of player interaction, which keeps things interesting. I know there are better train games out there, but Ticket to Ride makes this list because of it's simplicity and elegant design.
#1 King of Tokyo
Everyone needs a game where you roll lots of dice and get to do something cool with them. For me, and many others, that game is King of Tokyo. I'm not saying that KoT wins any awards for being super strategic, but it's pure simple monster mashing fan. That's what I want to play sometimes, and King of Tokyo, is the perfect game for those times.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Dice Tower 2012 Award Winners
The Dice Tower Award Nominations came out this morning for games produced in 2011. I wanted to take a look at them, give you my choice from the list, and the one I think will win. Often these will be the same, but I think some differences will exist too. If you feel so inclined, leave a comment below as to where you disagree.
Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): by Adam Sadler, Daniel Clark (I), Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson - Fantasy Flight Games
CO2: by Vital Lacerda – Stronghold Games
Lords of Waterdeep: by Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson – Wizards of the Coast
Mage Wars: by Bryan and Benjamin Pope – Arcane Wonders
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Robinson Crusoe: Adventure on the Cursed Island: by Ignacy Trzewiczek – Z-Man Games
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery: by Aaron Dill, John Kovaleski, and Sean Sweigart – Battlefront Miniatures Ltd
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game: by Jason Little – Fantasy Flight Games
My Choice: X-Wing
What I Think Will Win: Mice and Mystics
Winner: X-Wing
Best Family Game Nominees:
Lords of Waterdeep: by Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson – Wizards of the Coast
Love Letter: by Seiji Kanai – AEG
Legendary: by Devin Low – Upper Deck
Smash Up: by Paul Peterson - AEG
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
My Choice: Smash Up
What I Think WIll Win: Lords of Waterdeep
Winner: Love Letter
Best New Game Designer Nominees:
Lords of Waterdeep: by Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson – Wizards of the Coast
Mage Wars: by Bryan and Benjamin Pope – Arcane Wonders
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery: by Aaron Dill, John Kovaleski, and Sean Sweigart – Battlefront Miniatures Ltd
Best Game Reprint Nominees:
Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): by Adam Sadler, Daniel Clark (I), Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson - Fantasy Flight Games
Merchant of Venus (Second Edition): by Richard Hamblan and Robert A. Kouba - Fantasy Flight Games
Android Netrunner: by Richard Garfield, Lukas Litzsinger - Fantasy Flight Games
Sentinels of the Multiverse: by Christopher Badell and Paul Bender - Greater Than Games LLC
War of the Ring (Second Edition): by Robert Di Meflio, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello - Ares Games
Best Production Values Nominees:
Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): by Adam Sadler, Daniel Clark (I), Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson - Fantasy Flight Games
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar: by Simone Luciani and Daniele Tascini - Rio Grande Games
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game: by Jason Little – Fantasy Flight Games
Zombicide: by Raphael Guiton, Jean-Baptiste Lullien, Nicolas Raoult - Cool Mini or Not
Mage Wars: by Bryan and Benjamin Pope – Arcane Wonders
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Best Party Game Nominees:
Best Game Expansion Nominees:
Most Innovative Game Nominees:
Best Game Artwork Nominees:
Best War Games Nominees:
Best Game Theme Nominees:
Robinson Crusoe: Adventure on the Cursed Island: by Ignacy Trzewiczek – Z-Man Games
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
Game of the Year Nominees:
Android Netrunner: by Richard Garfield, Lukas Litzsinger - Fantasy Flight GamesDescent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): by Adam Sadler, Daniel Clark (I), Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson - Fantasy Flight Games
CO2: by Vital Lacerda – Stronghold Games
Lords of Waterdeep: by Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson – Wizards of the Coast
Mage Wars: by Bryan and Benjamin Pope – Arcane Wonders
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Robinson Crusoe: Adventure on the Cursed Island: by Ignacy Trzewiczek – Z-Man Games
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery: by Aaron Dill, John Kovaleski, and Sean Sweigart – Battlefront Miniatures Ltd
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game: by Jason Little – Fantasy Flight Games
My Choice: X-Wing
What I Think Will Win: Mice and Mystics
Winner: X-Wing
Lords of Waterdeep: by Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson – Wizards of the Coast
Love Letter: by Seiji Kanai – AEG
Legendary: by Devin Low – Upper Deck
Smash Up: by Paul Peterson - AEG
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
My Choice: Smash Up
What I Think WIll Win: Lords of Waterdeep
Winner: Love Letter
Best New Game Designer Nominees:
Lords of Waterdeep: by Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson – Wizards of the Coast
Mage Wars: by Bryan and Benjamin Pope – Arcane Wonders
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery: by Aaron Dill, John Kovaleski, and Sean Sweigart – Battlefront Miniatures Ltd
My Choice: Mice and Mystics
What I Think WIll Win: Space Cadets
Winner: Space Cadets
Winner: Space Cadets
Best Game Reprint Nominees:
Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): by Adam Sadler, Daniel Clark (I), Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson - Fantasy Flight Games
Merchant of Venus (Second Edition): by Richard Hamblan and Robert A. Kouba - Fantasy Flight Games
Android Netrunner: by Richard Garfield, Lukas Litzsinger - Fantasy Flight Games
Sentinels of the Multiverse: by Christopher Badell and Paul Bender - Greater Than Games LLC
War of the Ring (Second Edition): by Robert Di Meflio, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello - Ares Games
My Choice: Merchant of Venus
What I Think WIll Win: Descent
Winner: Android Netrunner
Winner: Android Netrunner
Best Production Values Nominees:
Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition): by Adam Sadler, Daniel Clark (I), Corey Konieczka, Kevin Wilson - Fantasy Flight Games
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar: by Simone Luciani and Daniele Tascini - Rio Grande Games
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game: by Jason Little – Fantasy Flight Games
Zombicide: by Raphael Guiton, Jean-Baptiste Lullien, Nicolas Raoult - Cool Mini or Not
My Choice: X-Wing
What I Think WIll Win: X-Wing
Winner: X-Wing
Winner: X-Wing
Best Small Publisher Nominees:
Agents of SMERSH: by Jason Maxwell – 8th Summit
Empires of the Void: by Ryan Laukat - Unpublished
Mage Wars: by Bryan and Benjamin Pope – Arcane Wonders
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery: by Aaron Dill, John Kovaleski, and Sean Sweigart – Battlefront Miniatures Ltd
My Choice: Mice and Mystics
What I Think WIll Win: Mice and Mystics
Winner: Mice and Mystics
Winner: Mice and Mystics
Coup: by Rikki Tahta – La Mame Games
Love Letter: by Seiji Kanai – AEG
Plukin' Pairs: by Stephen Glenn – R&R Games
Las Vegas: by Rüdiger Dorn – Alea
Wits and Wagers Party: by Dominic Crapuchettes – North Star Games
My Choice: Wits and Wagers Party
What I Think WIll Win: Love Letter
Winner: Love Letter
Winner: Love Letter
7 Wonders: Cities: by Antoine Bauza – Asmodee
Alien Frontiers: Factions: by Tory Niemann - Clever Mojo Games
Core Worlds: Galactic Orders: by Andrew Parks – Stronghold Games
King of Tokyo: Power Up!: by Richard Garfield – IELLO
Mage Knight Board Game: The Lost Legion, by Vlaada Chvátil – Wizkids Games
My Choice: 7 Wonders Cities
What I Think WIll Win: 7 Wonders Cities
Winner: Core Worlds: Galactic Orders
Winner: Core Worlds: Galactic Orders
Escape: The Curse of the Temple: by Kristian Amundsen Østby – Queen Games
Flowerfall: by Carl Chudyk – Asmadi Games
Mage Wars: by Bryan and Benjamin Pope – Arcane Wonders
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar: by Simone Luciani and Daniele Tascini - Rio Grande Games
My Choice: Escape
What I Think WIll Win: Space Cadets
Winner: Space Cadets
Winner: Space Cadets
Libertalia: by Paolo Mori - Asterion Press
Legendary: by Devin Low – Upper Deck
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Seasons: by R̩gis Bonness̩e РAsmodee
Smash Up: by Paul Peterson - AEG
My Choice: Seasons
What I Think WIll Win: Mice and Mystics
Winner: Mice and Mystics
Winner: Mice and Mystics
1812: The Invasion of Canada: by Beau Beckett and Jeph Stahl – Academy Games
1989: Dawn of Freedom: by Jason Matthews and Ted Torgeson - Bard Centrum Gier
Andean Abyss: by Volko Ruhnke – GMT Games
Thunderbolt Apache Leader: by Dan Verssen – DVG
Virgin Queen: Ed Beach - GMT Games
My Choice: 1989
What I Think WIll Win: 1989
Winner: 1812: The Invasion of Canada
Winner: 1812: The Invasion of Canada
CO2: by Vital Lacerda – Stronghold Games
Mice and Mystics: by Jerry Hawthorne – Plaid Hat Games
Robinson Crusoe: Adventure on the Cursed Island: by Ignacy Trzewiczek – Z-Man Games
Space Cadets: by Brian, Geoff, and Sydney Engelstein – Stronghold Games
Spartacus: A Game of Blood & Treachery: by Aaron Dill, John Kovaleski, and Sean Sweigart – Battlefront Miniatures Ltd
My Choice: Space Cadets
What I Think WIll Win: Mice and Mystics
Winner: Mice and Mystics
Winner: Mice and Mystics
My picks were 3/12
What I thought would win was 8/12
I completely missed on the game expansion, reprint and wargame categories. Not a bad track showing this year. Last year I was 6/13 and 7/13 respectively, so my own choices were worse, but my guesses for the voters were better.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees. There were a lot of really good games published in 2012 and it's hard to go wrong with anything on this list.
A Few More First Impressions
As what may be a new series of articles for me, I want to talk about some more games I've had a chance to play 2-5 times. Certainly not enough to review them in depth, but enough that I want to give you my thoughts, and maybe have a basis for comparison when I do a full review of the game.
Article 27
A negotiation game where each player has a secret goal, and round to round goals. It plays quickly, only 5 minutes per round plus book keeping. You only play one round per player in a 4-6 player game. I've played with 3,4, and 6 players and it's tense in each setting. I think this is a keeper for a long time.
Imperial
This is an evolution of risk. Each player is an investor in various European countries. It's an economic game, not a confrontation game, yet military plays a big role in the game. It uses a rondel, which if you're not familiar with that is a means of selecting actions based on your previous action. It makes certain things impossible to do, others more expensive to do. I've yet to win a game of Imperial, but I enjoy it most of the time. It's not a favorite, and not something I'll be adding to my collection, but I will continue to enjoy playing it with the people I play it with.
TransAmerica
This is essentially a simpler Ticket to Ride. Players work together to build track, and it's a race to connect your cities before everyone else does, but you're sharing the same track to complete your route. I appreciate that the game plays over multiple rounds, so one bad deal doesn't ruin your game. There's a decent amount of luck to the game, but it also has strategy elements.
Elfenland
An older game from the designer of Ticket to Ride. I can see aspects of TtR in this game, and I find TtR to be the better game. Elfenland is a route planning game with cards and tokens. Players use various means of transportation (rafts, dragons, unicorns, magic clouds, elf cycles, giant pigs and troll carts) to travel from city to city. Tokens are placed between two cities to determine which mode of transportation can be used to travel between the two points. I like the game, but I worry that it's replay value may not be great. It's an enjoyable game, but even after two plays I don't feel excited to play it again.
Survive: Escape from Atlantis
Survive is a game all about getting your people off the sinking island to safety as quickly as possible. The challenge is that there are limited boats to transport your people, there are sea creatures looking to destroy your boats and/or eat your swimmers, and the other players are out to get you as well. Also, each of your figures is worth a hidden amount that you know when you place them, but you'll forget once the game is going. I like the game, but I don't love it. It works well, but one player can get overly lucky and draw a lot of tiles that give them choices. I wish there was some way to make that a little more even, but the game is still fun for what it is.
If any of these games interest you, here are the Amazon links. You support BoBG and allow me to procure more games to review. You can also check out the BoBG store link in the top, or click to Amazon on the right hand side. Anything you buy through Amazon supports the blog. Thank-you to those of you who have ordered something.
Article 27
A negotiation game where each player has a secret goal, and round to round goals. It plays quickly, only 5 minutes per round plus book keeping. You only play one round per player in a 4-6 player game. I've played with 3,4, and 6 players and it's tense in each setting. I think this is a keeper for a long time.
Imperial
This is an evolution of risk. Each player is an investor in various European countries. It's an economic game, not a confrontation game, yet military plays a big role in the game. It uses a rondel, which if you're not familiar with that is a means of selecting actions based on your previous action. It makes certain things impossible to do, others more expensive to do. I've yet to win a game of Imperial, but I enjoy it most of the time. It's not a favorite, and not something I'll be adding to my collection, but I will continue to enjoy playing it with the people I play it with.
TransAmerica
This is essentially a simpler Ticket to Ride. Players work together to build track, and it's a race to connect your cities before everyone else does, but you're sharing the same track to complete your route. I appreciate that the game plays over multiple rounds, so one bad deal doesn't ruin your game. There's a decent amount of luck to the game, but it also has strategy elements.
Elfenland
An older game from the designer of Ticket to Ride. I can see aspects of TtR in this game, and I find TtR to be the better game. Elfenland is a route planning game with cards and tokens. Players use various means of transportation (rafts, dragons, unicorns, magic clouds, elf cycles, giant pigs and troll carts) to travel from city to city. Tokens are placed between two cities to determine which mode of transportation can be used to travel between the two points. I like the game, but I worry that it's replay value may not be great. It's an enjoyable game, but even after two plays I don't feel excited to play it again.
Survive: Escape from Atlantis
Survive is a game all about getting your people off the sinking island to safety as quickly as possible. The challenge is that there are limited boats to transport your people, there are sea creatures looking to destroy your boats and/or eat your swimmers, and the other players are out to get you as well. Also, each of your figures is worth a hidden amount that you know when you place them, but you'll forget once the game is going. I like the game, but I don't love it. It works well, but one player can get overly lucky and draw a lot of tiles that give them choices. I wish there was some way to make that a little more even, but the game is still fun for what it is.
If any of these games interest you, here are the Amazon links. You support BoBG and allow me to procure more games to review. You can also check out the BoBG store link in the top, or click to Amazon on the right hand side. Anything you buy through Amazon supports the blog. Thank-you to those of you who have ordered something.
Monday, July 1, 2013
June 2013 Recap
Another 30 days and a new month. My birthday didn't quite hold as much gaming as I wanted due to an illness that went through my family. Now it is July and everyone is healthy.
What June lacked in quantity of game days, it made up for in quality. I played a lot of longer games, and had really good gaming sessions.
I played 37 games in 30 days, gaining just a little bit. That brings the YTD total to 184/365. Ideally I would be at 181, so 3 ahead finally. I played 7 games for the first time this year, which brings me up to 66/100. I also got to play with 8 new people, bringing that count to 57/50 so 1 goal accomplished, WOOHOO!
Just a quick list of what I actually played in June
9 Times
3 Times
Looking ahead to July, who knows what's going to happen with my game plays. I have lots of gaming opportunities, it's a matter of what I'm willing to drive to and who else shows up to events.
In June I reviewed Eight-Minute Empire and the expansion for King of Tokyo. I didn't get to the Smash Up expansion, but I will soon. Not sure what else I'll review, so I welcome any suggestions as a comment.
Since we're halfway through the year, I think it's an appropriate time to look at how all my game goals are going.
What June lacked in quantity of game days, it made up for in quality. I played a lot of longer games, and had really good gaming sessions.
I played 37 games in 30 days, gaining just a little bit. That brings the YTD total to 184/365. Ideally I would be at 181, so 3 ahead finally. I played 7 games for the first time this year, which brings me up to 66/100. I also got to play with 8 new people, bringing that count to 57/50 so 1 goal accomplished, WOOHOO!
Just a quick list of what I actually played in June
9 Times
- King of Tokyo
3 Times
- Alhambra
- Article 27
- Eight-Minute Empire
- Imperial
- TransAmerica
- X-Wing
1 Time
- Biblios
- Catan
- Elfenland
- For Sale
- Legendary
- Santiago
- Seasons
- Space Cadets
- That's Life
- Thurn and Taxis
- Tiki Topple
- Tsuro
I acquired 3 new games in June - Article 27, Space Cadets, TransAmerica, as well as the first expansion to Seasons.
Looking ahead to July, who knows what's going to happen with my game plays. I have lots of gaming opportunities, it's a matter of what I'm willing to drive to and who else shows up to events.
In June I reviewed Eight-Minute Empire and the expansion for King of Tokyo. I didn't get to the Smash Up expansion, but I will soon. Not sure what else I'll review, so I welcome any suggestions as a comment.
Since we're halfway through the year, I think it's an appropriate time to look at how all my game goals are going.
- 365 game plays (184 done)
- Play 20+ games 5+ times, and play 10+ games 10+ times. (King of Tokyo is the only one over 10) (9 games are at 5+, so 9/20 and 1/10)
- Play 100 unique games. (64 done, as noted above)
- Play a game with 50 different people. (Done in June)
- Finish Risk Legacy (Haven't even played one additional game)
- Teach Cosmic Encounter to at least one new person (Haven't done it yet, but hopefully)
- Attend a gaming convention (Not planned, but I have one I'm considering)
- Further the development of current game designs and think up new ones. (Still working hard on SR, others have come and gone.)
- Play every game I own, as of the start of 2013, that I haven't played. (I only have a handful to go - Star Trek Expeditions, Scotland Yard, Risk 2210, Scrabble Slam, Fictionaire, Crappy Birthday, Angry Birds, Ground Floor)
- I'll also predict Incan Gold as my most played game of 2013. (Hahaha! I've played Incan Gold once, and King of Tokyo much much more)
Until next time, thanks for reading.
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