Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Five & Dime 2009: Dimes (10+ Played Games)

Game 2009 2008 2007 2006
Dominion 59.47% 45.96% new new
Race for the Galaxy 36.39% 49.69% 10.98% new
Pandemic 23.67% 30.43% 0.00% new
Agricola 16.27% 38.51% 3.35% new
Roll Through the Ages 12.43% new new new
Small World 10.06% new new new
Ticket To Ride 7.99% 10.56% 13.41% 14.66%
Sorry! Sliders 7.40% 4.35% new new
Le Havre 7.10% 3.73% new new
Tichu 7.10% 14.91% 10.98% 12.93%
Lost Cities 6.80% 8.07% 10.37% 9.48%
Finito! 6.80% 1.24% new new
Magic: the Gathering CCG 6.21% 3.73% ??? ???
FITS 5.92% new new new
Hive 5.92% 6.83% 6.40% 1.72%
Crokinole 5.92% 5.59% 7.93% 8.62%
Stone Age 5.62% 11.80% new new
Ingenious 5.62% 6.21% 11.59% 11.21%
Carcassonne 5.33% 5.59% 11.59% 6.03%
Space Alert 5.03% 1.24% new new
No Thanks/Geschenkt 4.44% 4.97% 10.67% 12.07%
Settlers of Catan 4.44% 6.83% 7.01% 12.07%
San Juan 4.44% 3.73% 8.84% 12.07%
Galaxy Trucker 4.14% 3.11% ??? ???
Bananagrams 4.14% 1.24% new new

Just out of the running (at 3.85%): Diamant/Incan Gold, Bohnanza, 10 Days/Europa Tour, Loopin' Louie, Mr Jack, Fairy Tale, Power Grid, Can't Stop.

Droppped off the table from last year:

  • Through the Ages (now 3.55%)
  • For Sale (now 2.66%)
  • Kingsburg (now 2.07%)
  • Hanging Gardens (now 0.89%)
  • Ticket to Ride: The Card Game (now 0.30%)

Last year I predicted that this will be No Thanks! last year on the Dime list... I'm a little iffy about that now, but I still think we're seeing the long-time perennial games slide more & more. It would not surprise me to see Settlers, San Juan or No Thanks! fall off the table next year.

My "two more years before Crokinole fades into obscurity" looks particularly silly in light of Mayday Games plan to release a high-quality affordable board - if that happens, Crokinole will climb back up the charts.

Over the years, I've started calling a certain class of games "one year dimes" - games that get a brief flare-up of intense play but don't hold up to long-time commitment. Last year, I went two for three, calling the departure of Hanging Gardens & Ticket to Ride: Card Game. However, I missed the call on Stone Age... again, I wonder if the easy online access to the game has any effect on this. (It's also a game that has grown in respect over the past year or so - well, at least it has for me.)

Next year, the "one year dimes" will be Space Alert & FITS (though I'm not completely confident about FITS.) Galaxy Trucker is probably gonna drop off as well.

Out of the top 4, I called three out of the four correctly - Dominon, Race for the Galaxy & Pandemic. Both Dominion & Race for the Galaxy will be back on this list, btw, and I'll be stunned if they both aren't the top 3. Pandemic was another correct call of mine. But I blew the call on Agricola - wow. Who knew that so many of you would find this much table time for an admittedly great but very long game?!

The other real surprises for me this year was Le Havre & Magic: the Gathering. Le Havre- really? On the dime list? And where in thee heck did Magic come from? Aren't CCGs supposed to be dead (he sez with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek)?

The big question for next year is whether the proposed "big box" expansion for Small World will keep it here on the Dime list.

7 comments:

Greg W said...

Small World may not have the staying power you predict. I had 25+ plays of it last year but haven't played it since January. Another expansion might change that...

Mark (aka pastor guy) said...

Greg, I think Small World will drop into the "solid but not spectacular" range... partially because the fantasy theme makes it accessible to groups that might not otherwise play it, and partially because it scales really well from 2-5 players.

To be back into the top ten, the new big-box expansion will have to be successful.

Greg W said...

Is this expansion just rumored or are there details somewhere? (Was it at the Gathering?)

Mark (aka pastor guy) said...

Tales & Legends of Small World was announced on BGN last September.

http://www.boardgamenews.com/index.php/boardgamenews/comments/gone_cardboard_four_new_expansions_for_small_world_from_days_of_wonder/

I had an online conversation with Mark @ Days of Wonder back in January - and he was very coy about what the expansion will entail.

As far as I know, there wasn't a copy at the Gathering, but if there was, it would still be under the "don't talk specifically about prototypes" rule.

Chris B said...

Wow. Le Havre!

Amazing!

I wonder how much its presence here is influenced by the solo player option? The same could be true for Agricola.

Mark (aka pastor guy) said...

Chris... it certainly impacted my Agricola plays. Having never personally played Le Havre, I don't know the answer to that.

Mark (aka pastor guy) said...
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