Bits 2 - 5 Pillars

Many subjects have fundamental ideas that everything builds upon.  Boardgaming has many pillars, but I submit that there are 5 major pillars: Alhambra, Carcassonne, Dominion, Settlers of Catan, and Ticket to Ride.

I'm aware that this list is missing a war-game, a dice game, and a cooperative game.  If you want those, I'd suggest Memoir '44, King of Tokyo, and Pandemic respectively.

Each of these games brings a little something different to the table.  They introduce core concepts that other games build upon, but they are also good games in their own right.

Alhambra - A bit of set collection, understanding where you can score points, even if it isn't first place, and a reward for spacial thinking and planning ahead.

Carcassonne - Very light worker placement, multiple ways to score points, short vs long term investments, as well as learning when to work with other players on a feature and when to cut your losses.

Dominion - Deck building, learning how to maximize potential and minimize "dead" hands, teaches players when to go for more stuff, and when to switch to victory points.

Catan - How to manage resources, trading with other players and the board.

Ticket to Ride - Emphasis on route planning, adapting to unexpected changes (blocking), and balancing what you have versus what you might get.

So there you go, the 5 pillars of boardgames.  Agree or disagree?  Leave a comment.

My Top 50 Games (as of Jan. 1 2014) Part 4 20-11

Welcome back to my top 50 games list as of the start of 2014.  Part 4 has a few more surprises.
5 games make their debut in the 20's.


#20 Flash Point: Fire Rescue  Up 6

Flash Point is one of the simpler co-op games, but I really enjoy it.  The theme flows throughout the game.  There's always a certain amount of tension since fire can spark up anywhere on the map.  I have most/all the expansions, so I have plenty of ways to play this game.  It hasn't been right for every group, but it's a game I can teach to just about anyone and they have a basic understanding of how to play based on real life ideas.

#19 Legendary: A Marvel Deckbuilding Game  New

Legendary makes its debut on this list because it has a neat twist on the co-op game.  Everyone wins or loses the game together, but there is essentially an MVP on the winning side.  Now technically, someone wins more, but I've played it as an MVP situation.  I enjoy the variety of superheroes in the game, and how each seems to do something unique.  The game rewards cooperation, but it also allows players to make their own decisions which is important in any co-op game.

#18 Hanabi  New


Hanabi makes my list because it is unlike any game I've ever played.  This is a puzzle game where everyone has a lot of knowledge, but no one has perfect knowledge.  Discussion is very limited, every clue matters, and players have to pay attention to everything, both spoken and unspoken.  A perfect game is obtainable, but it's really challenging.


#17 Alhambra  New


Alhambra is an older game, but I find it refreshing and challenging even today.  It just missed the cut last year, coming in at #48.  I was able to play it several times in 2013, which is why it moved up drastically.  I have the big box, which means I have over 20 modules which means I have a lot of replayability in the box.  Alhambra is one of the few games that my entire family will ask to play.  That alone makes it worth rating highly.

#16 Love Letter  New


Love Letter is truly a minimalist game.  It has 16 cards, and 13 cube tokens.  Even though the components are low, the game packs a punch.  Love Letter is played over several rounds, with the winner of each round getting a token, and the overall winner being the player to get a certain number of tokens first.  The game has a good combination of luck and strategy.  Sometimes there is nothing you can do, but most of the time, you're going to have some chance to win a round.


#15 Escape: The Curse of the Temple  New

Escape is the most tense 10 minutes of gaming you can play.  It's a realtime co-op dicefest.  Players have to work together to get gems, and then get out of the temple before time runs out.  If even one player is left in the temple at the end, everyone loses the game.


#14 Shadows Over Camelot Down 6


Shadows drops because of its length.  I did get to play it 3 times in 2013, but each time I realized that the game takes too long for what it is.  If I could get Shadows down to an hour, it would be even higher on this list.

#13 Battlestar Galactica  Down 7

BSG probably wins my award for game I wish I played more but can't/don't.  The game is so hard to teach to new people.  It really is something you have to go through once in order to understand how to play, and even then the game is complicated.  There are a lot of moving parts, and often it's too much for multiple new players to understand.  As such, this game sits on my shelf looking sad.

#12 Star Trek Fleet Captains  Down 5


Such a good game that I don't get to play.  It's hard to have a situation where I have 1 or 2 other people who want to play a long game.  Fleet Captains isn't the longest game, but it is a deep game with an immersive theme.  I love Star Trek, as you'll see in my Top 10, and Fleet Captains feels like Star Trek to me, but this game has a lot going

#11 Dominion Down 7

Dominion trends down for the second year in a row.  Here's my issue with Dominion right now: the game is big, it isn't easy to get new players into the game because experienced players will typically win the game running away.  I have enough Dominion cards to play almost forever without ever playing the exact same game.  I still enjoy the game, especially with people who know what they're doing, but I have a hard time holding myself back when I play with new gamers.

My Sister's Top 25 games of all time as of January 2014 Part 2 #15-6

Welcome back to Sarah's Top 25 games. Hope everyone liked my first post. Here are my next top 10 games. I enjoy these games more, since I play them more often, and they are a bit more strategic, but still as fun.

Now, the games!


#15 Martian Dice

I like Martian Dice, since it is a simple game that only involves a combination of some luck and timing. It can also be a quick game, or made into a longer game, depending on how long you can stand trying to roll humans, chickens, and cows to gain points against tanks.

#14 Resistance Avalon

Resistance and Resistance Avalon are both good games for when you become suspicious of your game group members. Try and figure out who is really on the good side and watch yourself over think, but still have fun.


#13 Tsuro

This is a quick game that involves some strategy, but once your tiles connect with others' tiles, then craziness ensues. It is best to focus on your path and not connect soon, but it is also fun to mess up the other players' paths.


#12 For Sale 

I like For Sale because it is fun to try and buy good properties and to avoid the horrible cardboard box properties. You learn how much people are willing to bet, to win, and who you will want to invite on your next trip to Vegas.


#11 Gem Dealer 

Gem Dealer is on my list because I am good at collecting the gems. I like that the game comes with actual (plastic) gems. It makes the game seem more real. It is a quick game, like For Sale, and is good to include for a night of many games.


#10 Aquaretto/Zooloretto 

I combined Aquaretto and Zooloretto because they are too similar to have to rank separately. The major difference is Aquaretto features dolphins, whales, and penguins, while Zooloretto features elephants, monkeys, and zebras. So it all depends which species you are in the mood to try and collect!


#9 Alhambra


Alhambra is a fun city-building game. I enjoy trying to create the longest wall and get as many tower pieces as I can. It is not too long of a game. I like that you do not know when each round will end (depends on the card shuffling), which provides for a sense of urgency to try and get more points and avoid ties with other players.


#8 TransAmerica

TransAmerica is a cool game to play, if you happen to ever be tired of Ticket to Ride. It is more simple than Ticket, but can be just as fun. A lot of the game can depend on where you place your starting piece, but at any point the game can completely change, especially since you do not really know when someone will finish connecting their cities.

#7 Hanabi 


I enjoy Hanabi when I feel like challenging myself. This is one of the only co-op games I like to play, and it is nice to not have to worry too much about your cards. You get to see the other players' cards and tell them which of their cards are important to use, while you have to wait for them to tell you about your cards. The game can be stressful, but it is a fun stress. Yes, you do want to put on a good fireworks show, but if there are a few bumps along the way, it can still end well!

#6 King of Tokyo 

There is not a dull moment, when playing King of Tokyo. Players are constantly battling each other for points, powers, and health. The base game, alone, is exciting, but the expansions are even more fun. Yes, dice are involved, but the luck is quickly exchanged between players.









Any guesses on which games I have in my top 5? Comment below and we look forward to reading them!