#76: Smarty Party (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Smarty Party

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 76th
• 2012: 41st
• 2010: 46th
• 2005: 15th
• appeared on all four lists

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 1551
• rating: 6.66

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• No holds barred, this is my favorite "party" game - it's got enough trivia to please trivia buffs... but the whole "one answer at a time" mechanic makes it work for people who don't carry around lots of useless knowledge in their heads.

Tips & Tricks:

• We start all the pawns one space in front of START - that way, a 'judge' who makes his bet and/or a person who ends up with the Smarty Pants and no chips both still get a reward.
• There's another variant we like... a 'judge' who's feeling lucky (or smart) can "double down" on his yes/no bet - either gaining two spaces or losing them.

Extras

• We've been pleasantly surprised that with the addition of two sets of expansion cards, we've been able to take enough time with the game to come back to the original cards "fresh"... and sadly make the identical mistakes we made a couple of years ago in our guesses.
• Here's what I wrote about Smarty Party for The One Hundred.

#77: The Magic Labyrinth (Mark's 100 - 2014)

The Magic Labyrinth

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 77th
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: did not appear
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 592
• rating: 6.96

Print Status

• in print... I think

Why It's On The List

• Second. Best. Memory. Game. Ever... but the over-the-top production means it gets requested more often - and therefore ended slightly higher on the list than Hallo Dachs!

Tips & Tricks:

• Do not mistake this for the unexplicably popular A-Mazing Labyrinth (or the spin-off games in that series). This is closer to an old favorite that it "fires" - Magical Maze.
• While the game works great with 2, 3 or 4 players, it is probably best with four players. By watching more players explore the (hidden) maze, it's easier to figure out a safe route to your destination.
• The expansion - only published in Germany as far as I know - is very, very good. It adds one-way walls as well as three special one-time abilities: a felt wizard's hat (cause another player to miss a turn), a wooden vial of potion (move until you reach your destination or hit a wall), and a wooden magic wand (get rid of your destination chit & draw a new one).

Extras

• I wrote a mini-review of The Magic Labyrinth expansion (along with three other games) a few years back. 
• I didn't play the game in time for it to be included in my Ki.d Games 100 - though I was pretty sure it would have been

Wrong Anthem, By Gum (Classic)

A company selling Wrigley's gum wanted music for a commercial in Russia. It went to an English company, and bought a catchy tune. The commercials aired in Moscow, until the Chinese embassy called to ask why the Chinese national anthem was used to sell gum. The company calls it a "misunderstanding."NPR's Morning Edition, January 16, 2007

Whoops.

When I heard this story, I laughed... then I started thinking. (Yes, thinking. I occasionally do that.) How often do we in the Christian church do exactly what Wrigley's did?

You can go two ways with this:

1. Churches have a tendency to go buy the latest program/curriculum/40 Day experience/whatever, expecting since it worked for Churches X, Y, & Z that it will work for them.
2. Churches have a tendency to be completely tone-deaf when it comes to reaching the community around them. We have lived so long in our "Christian bubble" that we don't realize what we sound like to people on the outside.

Either way, it's worth spending some time mulling this one over. First, the church applications:

1. Is my church spending time, energy & cash looking for the "next big thing" that will make us grow & "be cool"... or are we asking God "what's next"?
2. Is my church really listening to our friends in our community who don't go to church & trying to hear what they hear when they listen to Christians?

And then, the personal applications:

1. Am I looking for "the next big thing" to fix my problems, my ills, my hurts? Do I want a "magic bullet" to make all my garbage go "poof"... or do I want Jesus? (These are NOT the same thing.)
2. Am I really listening to the people around me who don't know Jesus... or am I simply reciting the lines I learned in Sunday School? Am I having real conversations about truth & grace & life... or am I simply trying to get them to sign on the dotted line?

Maybe I shouldn't listen to NPR so much - it makes me ask too many questions.

Another classic Grapevine article that was written back in early 2007... slightly edited for my readership.

#78: Fortress America (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Fortress America

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 78th
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: did not appear
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 1468
• rating: 7.10

Print Status

• in print (the current Fantasy Flight version)

Why It's On The List

• Kevin Wilson "re-mixed" this classic Milton Bradley Gamemaster game... and the combination of nostalgia and just plain fun makes it a winner.

Tips & Tricks:

• I played the original 1986 version of this game a bunch of times with my best friend from college (and best man at my wedding) Tim Formby. He was pretty much unbeatable as the US of A. I do know that part of the charm/joy of playing Fortress America is that backdrop of memories.
• However, designer Kevin Wilson made some excellent changes to the game - he rejiggered the map, moved combat resolution from a CRT to custom dice, and added "invader decks" to increase variety.
• Winning is about not getting involved in battles that sap your strength without a decent payoff - and about avoiding taking cities you can't hold.

Extras

• I wrote a post back in 2010 that named Fortress America my most played game published in 1986 - Through the Years: More Gaming History.

#79: Toledo (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Toledo

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 79th
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: did not appear
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 1551
• rating: 6.30

Print Status

• OOP (but very easy to find a copy at a decent price)

Why It's On The List

• A hand-management & push-your-luck game that moves at a nice clip - especially for a Martin Wallace design. 

Tips & Tricks:

• I personally don't chase the horsemanship chit - the potential downside isn't worth the positives. Others feel differently.
• Toledo is one of those games where the "speed" of the game can completely change your game plan. If someone is pushing the game end timer, you must change gears and maximize points - or cooperate with other players to slow them down.
• The theme is not exactly pasted-on... but it isn't deeply integrated, either. What this game is (for me) is fun.

Extras

• I wrote a nice blurb about Toledo following my first play of the game in a post entitled The Good, the Mediocre and the Ones with a Nice Personality.

#80: Hallo Dachs! (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Hallo Dachs!

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 80th
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: did not appear
• 2005: did not appear

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 5521
• rating: 6.25

Print Status

• OOP (though there was talk of Mayfair republishing it...)

Why It's On The List

• Best. Memory. Game. Ever.

Tips & Tricks:

• 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.
• The only reason this hasn't been on the countdown before is the simple fact that it's a "kid game" - I consider this another example of the design genius of Klaus "yes, I can do more than Catan" Teuber.

Extras

• Hallo Dachs! was the #2 game on my Kid Games 100.

#81: Arctic Scavengers (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Arctic Scavengers

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 81st
• 2012: prior to publication
• 2010: prior to publication
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 707
• rating: 7.07

Print Status

• in print? (see below)

Why It's On The List

• This was the first game to take the deck-building mechanic from Dominion and create a game with a thematic arc... too bad it wasn't released by a major publisher for nearly 3 years.

Tips & Tricks:

• Arctic Scavengers has experienced somewhat of a resurgence in the last year, thanks to some very positive video reviews and fans campaigning for the expansion to be published. (That's why I'm not sure about the 'in print' status.)
• Deciding when to fight is key - there is a definite memory element to the game which can get tricky when playing with four players.
• There are multiple expansion levels in the box as published - they add some interesting twists. I'm not sure the Building stuff is entirely successful, but it does flesh out the theme really well - and theme is one of the strong points of this very enjoyable design.

Extras

• I wrote a little bit about Arctic Scavengers in my Gathering 2013 recap post.

Words + Music

As a pastor, I got an earful about the music we chose to use each week in worship. It was:

• too loud
• too fast
• too slow
• not enough hymns
• too many hymns
• hymns - but not the way I know them

Those of you who lead worship know exactly what I'm talking about.

What I'm about to do here may or may not help you - but it was a major issue for some of the older folks in one of my former congregations, so I did some research and put together a presentation to explain why obsessing about a particular arrangement of a hymn as the "right" way to do it wasn't necessarily true.

A number of what we've come to consider the "great hymns" of Southern Baptist life were first conceived simply as lyrics - and to which a variety of musical settings were applied. In some cases, there was a substantial gap between the writing of those lyrics and the writing of the music that we've come to accept as the "right" melody for the hymn.

• Amazing Grace
• words: 1779
• music: 1835
• 56 years difference
• When I Survey the Wonderous Cross
• words: 1707
• music: 1824
• 117 years difference
• Rock of Ages
• words: 1776
• music: 1830
• 54 years difference
• Holy Holy Holy
• words: 1826
• music: 1861
• 35 years difference
• What A Friend We Have in Jesus
• words: 1855
• music: 1868
• 13 years difference

The gaps don't make the pairing of lyric & music invalid - I find it particularly heartening to my view of God's sovereignty that Isaac Watts (the lyricist of "When I Survey...") died 44 years before Lowell Mason (the musician behind the tune "Hamburg") was born.

But it does suggest that our attachment to specific tunes and/or arrangements may say more about the kind of church we grew up in or the cultural styles with which we are comfortable than they do about "playing them the right way."

Note: Please don't use this post to beat up folks with your musical knowledge or suggest that they are "standing in the way of progress". We are called to use "speech seasoned with grace" - not arguments seasoned with facts appropriated from some yahoo's blog post.

#82: Traumfabrik (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Traumfabrik (Dream Factory)

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 83rd
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: did not appear
• 2005: did not appear

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 325
• rating: 7.13

Print Status

• in print (but OOP in my favorite version)

Why It's On The List

• Over time, this has become my favorite Knizia auction game - partly because of a sweet "zero sum" mechanic & partly because of the theme (in the original version of the game).

Tips & Tricks:

• Some of the charm of the game has been lost from the original version (yes, I sound like a broken record). The real 1930s/40s era actors combined with the real movie names was a delightful theme to play with...
• I like to get one or two "stars" early so I can have a decent pick at the parties.
• Finishing one movie quickly can be worth a great deal - but so can making a BIG name film. The important thing is to zig when the other players zag.
• The current in print version (Dream Factory) is OK - but avoid the ugly Hollywood Blockbuster version.

Extras

• This is the only game on my top 100 this time around that I don't own. If someone had a copy of Traumfabrik or Fabrik der Traume (the German versions with the real actors & films) they are interested in selling, please let me know!

#83: Wyatt Earp (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Wyatt Earp

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 83rd
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: did not appear
• 2005: did not appear

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 550
• rating: 6.85

Print Status

• OOP

Why It's On The List

• Mike Fitzgerald's "Mystery Rummy" system gets some interesting polish courtesy of veteran designer Richard Borg - and ends up with a Western-themed game that plays quickly and with a great deal of style.

Tips & Tricks:

• I think that Wyatt Earp is at it's best with 3 players.
• Some folks complain about the "gunshot" mechanic - but it's a probability issue that the "rummy" nature of the game actually makes easier to figure out. The more cards that have been played to the table, the less likely a "gunshot" action is going to work.
• We always use the optional "play a Photo for free when someone else melds an outlaw" rule.

Extras

• I've written about the Mystery Rummy series before... but never about Wyatt Earp. My apologies, Mike - it's a great game that is finally getting some Mark's 100 love.

#84: Goldland (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Goldland

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 84th
• 2012: 62nd
• 2010: 68th
• 2005: 49th
• appeared on all four lists

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 1019
• rating: 6.70

Print Status

• OOP

Why It's On The List

• An interesting mix of exploration game & puzzle game (how do I convert resources & moves into points?) with lovely old-school Goldsieber production.

Tips & Tricks:

• Do not play this with 5 players - ever. Many of the bad attitudes about this game exist courtesy of playing with 5. (It's best with 3... though 2 or 4 work just fine.)
• You can win without ever reaching the temple... but the more players there are in the game, the less well this works.
• My younger son picked up on this really well... he and his brother think that Goldland and Agricola are "kind of like Minecraft board games". 

Extras

• Here's what I wrote about Goldland for The One Hundred.

#85: Roll Through the Ages - The Bronze Age (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 85th
• 2012: 50th
• 2010: 51st
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 350
• rating: 6.98

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• Civilization + Yahtzee - 6+ hours = Roll Through the Ages. And besides that, it's fun.

Tips & Tricks:

• It's easy to get locked into a single strategy - but you MUST pay attention to what the other players are doing so you can act and react appropriately.
• The solitaire game is actually pretty enjoyable.

Extras

• There's a very nice iPhone app of Roll Through the Ages..
• The print-n-play expansion, The Late Bronze Age, is an excellent addition to the game - and can be had for the cost of printing the files for your own use.
• With the Essen 2014 release of Roll Through the Ages - The Iron Age, I now have to be more specific about the name. 
• [cool information about upcoming stuff redacted for security reasons]

Serial

I've always enjoyed the radio show This American Life - but I seldom get to listen to it due to when it airs on our local NPR station.

Note: this is the part where I admit I'm an idiot for not considering that This American Life would also be in podcast form until about 3 months ago. All those years, wasted. Sigh.

Anyway, I now listen to This American Life each Monday on the way to & from work, thanks to the magic of iTunes. Also, I'm enough of a fanboy to think it was cool that Ira Glass & the staff were in the Veronica Mars movie.

So when they started teasing that they had a new podcast-only show coming called Serial, I was curious. And when they took an entire TAL episode to give us the first episode of Serial...

...I was hooked.

Let's start with the "official" description of what Serial is...

Serial is a new podcast from the creators of This American Life, hosted by Sarah Koenig. Serial will follow one story - a true story - over the course of a whole season. We'll follow the plot and characters wherever they take us and we won’t know what happens at the end of the story until we get there, not long before you get there with us. Each week we'll bring you the latest chapter, so it's important to listen in order, starting with Episode 1.

Which, I'll admit, sounds a little dry. Until you realize that the first story they're exploring is this:

On January 13, 1999, a girl named Hae Min Lee, a senior at Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, disappeared. A month later, her body turned up in a city park. She'd been strangled. Her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was arrested for the crime, and within a year, he was convicted and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. The case against him was largely based on the story of one witness, Adnan’s friend Jay, who testified that he helped Adnan bury Hae's body. But Adnan has always maintained he had nothing to do with Hae’s death. Some people believe he’s telling the truth. Many others don’t. 

Sarah Koenig, who hosts Serial, first learned about this case more than a year ago. In the months since, she's been sorting through box after box (after box) of legal documents and investigators' notes, listening to trial testimony and police interrogations, and talking to everyone she can find who remembers what happened between Adnan Syed and Hae Min Lee fifteen years ago. What she realized is that the trial covered up a far more complicated story, which neither the jury nor the public got to hear. The high school scene, the shifting statements to police, the prejudices, the sketchy alibis, the scant forensic evidence - all of it leads back to the most basic questions: How can you know a person’s character? How can you tell what they’re capable of? In Season One of Serial, she looks for answers.

It's a real-life murder mystery - with all the confusing turns, dead-ends, questions & a-ha moments that make it both fascinating & frustrating... and absolutely riveting listening. I can't recommend it highly enough.

You can download episodes each Thursday on iTunes... and you should start from the beginning. (Episode 5 released yesterday.) Other information (maps, photos, letters, etc.) related to the story are available on the Serial website.

Note: the language & subject matter is occasionally non-family-friendly, as befits a murder mystery.

#86: Flowerpower (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Flowerpower

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 86th
• 2012: 27th
• 2010: 17th
• 2005: 78th
• appeared on all four lists

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 1541
• rating: 6.59

Print Status

• way out of print

Why It's On The List

• Despite an off-putting box cover, this is a tremendous two-player game of building gardens that can be played "friendly" or "cutthroat"... and enjoyed both ways.

Tips & Tricks:

• You must use the "community garden" area wisely - ignoring it will simply allow your opponent more space to plant with.
• Wait to use your "weeds" (you only have three of them) until your opponent has filled up enough of his side of the board to make them painful.
• Pay attention to how much space you'll need to get a flower bed to the next point level - there's no use making a bed of five flowers when they're worth the same as a bed of three flowers.

Extras

• This is a game that begs for a reprint!
• Here's what I wrote about Flowerpower for Game Central Station (my old website)

#87: Machi Koro (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Machi Koro

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 87th
• 2012: prior to publication
• 2010: prior to publication
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 562
• rating: 7.10

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• an unbelievably simple city-building game with a variety of tactical options and lightning fast play

Tips & Tricks:

• The value of various cards changes with the number of players in the game - most noticeably the red (restaurant) cards. Play accordingly!
• You don't have time to get distracted into building the "monster" play - you just need to build your landmarks.
• You don't have to build your landmarks in order - in fact, there is a viable strategy where you NEVER roll both dice, so you don't need to bother with your cheapest landmark until the end of the game.

Extras

• Machi Koro was one of my Best New (to Me!) Games of 2013.

#88: Forbidden Desert (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Forbidden Desert

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 88th
• 2012: prior to publication
• 2010: prior to publication
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 145
• rating: 7.50

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• while thematically a cousin to Matt Leacock's Forbidden Island and mechanically related to Pandemic (both of which will appear on this countdown), this beautifully produced game is somewhere between the two in difficulty & family-friendliness.

Tips & Tricks:

• The average amount of sand deposited on the board is roughly 1.3 sand per card - which means you MUST watch your pool of sand tokens carefully.
• Water supplies can be a distraction - or your doom. The first & most important trick to beating the game is getting the balance right.

Extras

• I wrote an extensive review of Forbidden Desert (which includes my theories about the design of cooperative games) for the Opinionated Gamers website..

#89: Coal Baron (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Coal Baron

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 89th
• 2012: prior to publication
• 2010: prior to publication
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 407
• rating: 7.37

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• a smooth-as-silk worker placement game that doesn't have the typical "I took the one spot you need & you're hosed" problem that sours me on most worker placement games... the theme is odd (coal mining in Essen) but works like a charm with the mechanics to make for a great playing experience with 2, 3, or 4 players

Tips & Tricks:

• This is both an "avoidance" game - where you want to take the path of least resistance and avoid running into the plans of other players - and a "edge" game - where you want to edge out the other players by using the fewest number of workers to get a valuable space.
• Because you can always use a space by paying one more worker than the number of workers that are currently residing there, you are never boxed out. It may be too expensive, though.

Extras

• I was one of a number of Opinionated Gamers commenting on the OG review of Coal Baron.

#90: Tante Tarantel (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Tante Tarantel 

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 90th
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: did not appear
• 2005: did not appear

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 4434
• rating: 6.21

Print Status

• OOP

Why It's On The List

• "Auntie Tarantula" (that's how the game translates into English) is an odd blend of think-y movement decisions (the movement of your bugs is fixed at one space per turn) and wild swings of random craziness (Auntie T., on the other hand, moves at the whim of a die roll). 

Tips & Tricks:

• This is the first "kid game" on the list... but there's enough going on here to make it a nice end of the night filler game.
• My boys were both playing this by the time they were 5 years old - WITH adult help. The endgame scoring & the odd movement system for the spider (along with the German language notes on the board) require some supervision.
• Timing your exit from the web is key... since the point values fluctuate, it's important to think about player order & the appropriate level of risk.

Extras

• This game was #18 on my Kid Games 100 back in 2009.
• Tante Tarantel was reprinted in 2009 in a "two games in one box" edition with the also fun (but not quite as good) Igel Argern. 

The Obligatory "If Only I Was At Essen" Post

If I was at Essen - right now - I would...

...try to get a demo of the Magic: The Gathering Board Game, even though I could care less about the collectible card game, because it's designed by Craig Van Ness, one of the geniuses behind Heroscape.

...go hunting for a second-hand copy of Tal der Abenteur, my long-sought-after "grail" game... I've played it once and enjoyed it immensely. (It's like Honeybears, only with a dash more game involved.)

...hang out with Dale Yu and act as his manservant/Sherpa to cart games back to his hotel - all the time secretly siphoning off the stuff I know he's gonna hate & I'll love.

...meet a number of folks from Europe face-to-face - FINALLY - that I've been corresponding with since the late 90s. (Mik, for example... or Jeff Allers... or Vlaada!)

...buy the following games/expansions and then have a devil of a time trying to pack them into my suitcase:

• Claustrophobia: Furor Sanguinis
• Castles of Mad King Ludwig
• Tash-Kalar: Arena of Legends – Everfrost
• Clash of Cultures: Civilizations
• Pandemic: The Cure
• Mahé
• Historia
• Throne of the World
• Crash Cup Karambolage
• Mit Mist und Tücke
• Blocky Mountains
• Nations: the Dice Game
• Colt Express
• Realm of Wonder
• Time Masters
• Deus
• Spike
• 7 Wonders: Babel
• Adventure Tours
• Hellweg westfalicus
• Omega Centauri
• Aruba: Battle Race 
• Mythotopia
• Onward to Venus
• Mangrovia

...rack up a ridiculous amount on the credit card that I will have to explain to my non-gamer (but incredibly patient) wife.

#91: Zauberschwert & Drachenei (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Zauberschwert & Drachenei 

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 91st
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: new to me
• 2005: new to me

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 3048
• rating: 6.16

Print Status

• not sure about the print status... it looks like the publisher (Adlung) still has it available, but that's in Germany

Why It's On The List

• the name means "Magic Sword & Dragon Egg" - and it's a fantasy-themed game of auctions, negotiation and engine-building that has won my two sons over

Tips & Tricks:

• There are two components to playing Z&D well:.
• remember that you can negotiate - but never trust that the player following you in the turn order will honor your deal
• remember there is a certain level of engine-building that must be done in order to be successful - just saving up energy to zap monsters for victory points will not win you the game
• I am a huge fan of both expansion boxes - they add some great twists to the base system that increase the variety of paths to victory. They do, admittedly, add some length to the game.
• Helden & Zauberspruche ("Heroes & Spells") 
• Wissen & Artefakte ("Knowledge & Artifacts")

Extras

• I haven't written much about this game, either... sigh.

#92: Rampage (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Rampage

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 92nd
• 2012: prior to publication
• 2010: prior to publication
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 354
• rating: 7.17

Print Status

• in print (well, almost back in print)

Why It's On The List

• a dexterity game of monster destruction - with a 3D city built out of meeples. What's not to like?

Tips & Tricks:

• This is an experience game - yes, skill with flicking & blowing (monster breath) will help you win, but there's a LOT of luck here.
• This game is catnip to teenage boys - rave reviews from every one my sons & I have introduced it to...
• I like the "side B" of the escaped meeples chart better than the "original" side.
• The reprint of the game is named "Terror in Meeple City" - Asmodee had to bow to pressure since the game theme & artwork was too close to the trademark material of the beloved old-skool video game.

Extras

• This one was on my Essen wishlist from last year... glad I got it for my birthday!

#93: Drôles de Zèbres (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Drôles de Zèbres

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 93rd
• 2012: 58th
• 2010: 57th
• 2005: new to me

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 4312
• rating: 6.57

Print Status

• really OOP

Why It's On The List

• I'm a sucker for zoo-themed games (as you've seen and will see) - which is funny, as I don't particularly like animals. Anyway, maybe it's the theme that makes this perfect information game work for me.

Tips & Tricks:

• Understanding how each piece works is key to making good choices.
• Like many two-player abstracts, you have to decide which battles are worth fighting over... and which battles you can lose in order to win elsewhere.

Extras

• I enjoy how the odd theme "works" for explaining the game... and how quickly it plays.
• The name (and game) are French... and no, I can't pronounce it. (It means "Funny Zebras" and is actually the name of a French film comedy about bank robbers.) When I tried to order it from Levalet (which is not pronounced "lev - el - et", by the way), the nice gentleman from Montreal repressed a snort at my butchered attempt at saying Drôles de Zèbres. 

#94: Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 94th
• 2012: prior to publication
• 2010: prior to publication
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 21
• rating: 7.98

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• a simple system of simultaneous movement programming combined with gorgeous pre-painted minis... and it's Star Wars, for crying out loud!

Tips & Tricks:

• This is NOT a cheap game system to get involved with... but if you're patient, you can sometimes find X-Wing minis for sale.
• Yes, there is a lot of luck involved... but superior movement planning & winning the "bluffing" game helps you win the game.
• I like scenarios with objectives better than straight out "kill or be killed" scenarios - wish there were more 'official' scenarios. How about a scenario book, Fantasy Flight?!

Extras

• It's not specifically about X-Wing, but I did write what I consider to be a helpful rumination on "toolkit" game systems. 

How To Shrink a Universe Into A Great Two Player Game

This isn't exactly a review - it's more of a "hey, I playtested this game and it's awesome" kind of love-fest. I am not paid by Tasty Minstrel Games, I have received no swag and/or sample product, and I spent my own hard-earned dough on inkjet ink to mock up the prototype to play. Not only do I not have any dog in this fight, I don't even own a dog.

Well, that's not entirely true. I want to see Tasty Minstrel succeed, because I enjoy a good number of the games they are creating and publishing. I want Seth Jaffee (the designer) to design more games. And I want a copy of this game that doesn't consist of my hastily printed-on-inkjet slips of paper shoved into low-quality sleeves with foreign-language Magic: The Gathering cards as backing.

The last of those desires is taken care of, as Eminent Domain: Microcosm is fully funded - all any of us have to do is plunk down our $10 and set our clock radio for the spring of 2015. You have until Friday night (October 17, 2014) to join in and get not only this splendid little 34 card game but some nifty extra cards for Eminent Domain, Dungeon Roll & the upcoming Eminent Domain: Battlecruisers.

So, with that introduction taken care of and way too much discussion about hypothetical dogs & Korean M:tG cards, let's move on to the question and answer portion of this blog post.

Is this just a shrunken version of Eminent Domain?

No. I'm a huge fan of Eminent Domain (and I'm enjoying playtesting the upcoming Exotica expansion)... but this is not Eminent Domain: the Dice Game. (Yes, I know it's a card game... what I'm suggesting is that Microcosm is emphatically not just a simplified version of the original game, created to cash in on the brand.)

10 minutes? Really?!

Not on your first play or two - but those won't be longer than 15-20 minutes. Once you know how the game works, 10 minutes is very realistic. 

Only 34 cards? Really?

Yes, really. Players begin with no cards in their hands and draft a card each turn, then either:

• play a card from their hand, OR
• pick up all of their played cards and put them back in their hand

Each of the cards has multiple functions:

• the action you take when playing the card
• an icon that affects the power of your actions (most cards)
• instructions on how you will score influence (victory points) at the end of the game

With that few cards, doesn't the game get "old" quickly?

Absolutely not. There are multiple ways to build your influence over the galaxy, even with the short playing time & limited number of turns. Tactics can be affected by what cards are available to draft - or what planets your opponent has colonized or conquered.

My oldest son & I have played 6+ games of this... and the scores are getting tighter each time. We're learning how to sabotage the other player by drafting to steal points, as well as making strategic "reloading" turns at the right time. Each game is more exciting rather than less... and the playing time has tightened up as well.

How do I order this and be as cool as you are, Mark?

Glad you asked. Follow this Kickstarter link.

Seriously, Eminent Domain: Microcosm a great 2-player game... even if you're not a fan of science fiction games. This is a splendid design.