Everything including the kitchen sink... but with special attention paid to board games, Jesus Christ, my family, being a "professional" (and I use that word loosely) Christian, and the random firing of the 10% of the synapses I'm currently using.
The best of the customizable dice games out there... and it moves along at a furious pace as you develop your little medieval realm.
Tips & Tricks:
Much like Dominion, being able to look at the collection of special powers/die faces available in the game and make a coherent plan for development is a key to victory.
When there are "attack" die faces in play, you want to make sure you have some defensive capabilities... as the combination of attacks + winter can put you into a death spiral (and hasten the end of the game).
Extras
The Trade expansion is very, very good - and incorporates a version of thesolo & cooperative rules that designer Tom Lehmann posted on BGG.
This is the fourth of seven (7!) games designed by Tom Lehmann on the countdown.
A dexterity game that more about physics than perfect dexterity... and more about the fun of building (and accidentally destroying) a huge house of cards than about tricking your opponent into making a bad move. And, yes, it's a kids game - but it's been successful with pretty much every person I've taught it to.
Tips & Tricks:
Not getting "cute" with your early builds will lead to a more stable base and a MUCH taller building.
The game is random enough (you roll both to see how far your hero climbs AND to win battles against other heroes) that you should not take it seriously.
The only person worth setting up for a fall is the player who is currently highest up on the tower - if they lose, everyone else wins.
Extras
This is part of the very successful Rhino Hero family of games from HABA... the original Rhino Hero is both highly portable and a lot of fun to play. I haven't played the other games.
Picture includes Owen (my younger son's good friend AND fellow Unmatched fan).
This third iteration of the Great Western Trail engine has the right combination of elements to appeal to me - a bit more money in the game that opens up new strategies, two different ways to use sheep (selling & shearing), and an "expansion" board that makes more sense than Rails to the North (from the original game).
Tips & Tricks:
The solo automata is brilliantly designed and offers a competitive game and a relatively low level of player upkeep/overhead for this heavy a game.
There is not a single correct strategy - so much is dependent on what is happening in the game state and you need to constantly adjust your expectations while still planning for future turns.
I avoided playing the original Great Western Trail for a long time – even though I really enjoyed some of Pfister’s designs. My first play was very good – but I just didn’t see who I could get to play it with me. The new versions being released piqued my interest – but not enough to pull the trigger until GWT: New Zealand… and boy howdy, I’m glad it did. There are a number of changes to the base game – though the basics are still the same. It’s as if they took GWT and the Rails to the North expansion, smushed them together, added some clever twists to “loosen” the game up a bit, and then did a better job with the graphics than the previous versions.
Extras
I've only had the opportunity to play GTW:NZ solo and two player - I'd like to try it with 3 or 4 players, but the game time would increase pretty seriously.
This is the second of three games designed by Alexander Pfister on this countdown.
I've described Mr. President as "a solo role-playing game for people interested in domestic and international politics" – and I stand by that statement. (I’m Mark Jackson, and I approve this message.)
Tips &Tricks:
For a game that takes 5-10 hours (not including set-up and tear down), it's a pretty tactical game. Much of the time you're simply reacting to the craziness of the world around and trying to keep all of your plates spinning.
The advice in the rulebook is spot on - "you win the game by doing well at domestic politics; you lose the game by doing badly at foreign affairs."
Extras
This is an overwhelming design - but GMT has gone out of their way to make it playable and enjoyable - especially with the clean-up they did with the second edition.
GMT is currently working on a digital version of the game that will solve the combined problems of "table-eater" and "game length" for some folks.
I wrote a preview of Mr. President in the form of a press briefing/interview for the Opinionated Gamer site.
I heartily recommend the 3D-printed storage system created by PrintablesByCaren... it makes it so much easier to find the right chits when playing.
The developer of the game (Mike Bertucelli) was a long-time member of the gaming group I ran in Central California and a great guy to game with.
The lightest of the Race for the Galaxy family games is not just a sci-fi retread of Tom Lehmann's The City... it's an interesting blend of the two systems to make for a very quick and highly enjoyable tableau building card game.
Tips &Tricks:
Chances are excellent that someone who hasn't played much will tell that a certain building strategy is "broken" and "always wins". See my personal information below for why I raise a Spock-ish eyebrow to that claim.
You only have 6-8 rounds before the game is over... so exploring (drawing extra cards instead of building) is a serious decision. Doing it twice is just a nice way to say "let's play again after you beat me."
Extras
I have played Jump Drive 158 times and The City 113 times.
The new expansion for Jump Drive, Terminal Velocity, not only adds some new elements to the game but also has a really well-done solo mode.
I wrote a review of Jump Drive for the Opinionated Gamers website. (I will note that I am now incorrect in that review - the newest edition of The City makes it much easier to teach - it's in English - and score - it has point chips just like Jump Drive.)
This is the third of seven (7!) Tom Lehmann designs on the countdown... and the first of three Race for the Galaxy-themed games.
There are only six bugs to remember - but you have to remember where multiples of those bugs are hidden... and your badger's dietary preferences are dictated by a die roll. This is not for the faint of heart.
Hallo Dachs! also contains some real board play elements - both racing players to particularly point-rich spots as well as being careful about not wasting turns by eating your way into a dead end.
Extras
Hallo Dachs! was the #2 game on my Kid Games 100 back in the day.
This is the fourth of five (5!) games designed by Klaus Teuber on my top 100 list.
designers: Rob Daviau, Alan Roach, & Craig Van Ness
Print Status
VERY out of print... but see the news below!
Why It's On The List
This is possibly the best licensed game out there - certainly the one with the best combination of "toy factor" and "solid gameplay"... and it's based on the weakest film in the Star Wars franchise. It manages to capture the best parts of a bad film and make a splendid game.
Tips & Tricks:
The Trade Federation is slightly easier to play... but with two experienced players, the game is pretty well balanced.
If you're playing the Naboo side, you MUST use every Anakin card possible to push the timer. (This is really the only "can't miss" bit of strategic advice I can give you.)
Extras
This is not the only good Star Wars game (I also like Outer Rim & X-Wing Miniatures & Imperial Assault) but it's certainly the best. (Note: I have not yet played Armada, Legion, or Shatterpoint...)
The Risk: Star Wars Edition published in 2015 is a similar but NOT identical design... Nat Green has an excellent article on BGG comparing them.
Here's what I wrote about The Queen's Gambit for The One Hundred.
Restoration Games just announced in late March that they will be crowdfunding Lord of the Rings: The King's Gambit - marrying the design of Queen's Gambit to the Lord of the Rings storyline and theme. Color me extra excited!
This is the first of five games co-designed by Rob Daviau on this countdown... and the first of two co-designed by Craig Van Ness. (Please note: Rob heaps praise on Craig for doing the lion's share of the work on Queen's Gambit.)
follower of Jesus, husband, father, "pastor", boardgamer, writer, Legomaniac, Disneyphile, voted most likely to have the same Christmas wish list at age 58 as he did at age 8
