#36: Sentinels of the Multiverse (Mark's 100 - 2014)

Sentinels of the Multiverse

Mark's Ranking

• 2014: 36th
• 2012: did not appear
• 2010: prior to publication
• 2005: prior to publication

BoardGameGeek

• rank: 120
• rating: 7.52

Print Status

• in print

Why It's On The List

• A cooperative comic book game that uses multiple card decks (heroes, villain, environment) to tell the story of a "battle royale". It's enhanced by a well-developed mythos and a plethora of sly references to various "real" (read: DC/Marvel) superheroes.

Tips & Tricks:

• Some games have the potential to divide gaming groups into "wow - love that! let's play again" and "I'm pretty much done with that one after one play" - Sentinels is defintely one of those. I get to play a lot because both of my boys and one of my best friends LOVE the game.
• When teaching new players, you MUST let them get to know their hero decks on their own. Avoid the temptation to tell them which cards to play - it will kill their enjoyment of the game... and shortchange them of the joy of "discovering their superpowers".
• Building a good superhero team is a little like building a good D&D party - you need a variety of skills to take on different situations.
• One of the skills that is difficult to master is creating a challenging but not impossible game - the right combination of heroes, villain & environment. There's a resource that can make that a whole lot easier - Matthew Gray's Sentinels of the Multiverse Difficulty Score System.

Extras

• There are a LOT of expansions for this game system - we own pretty much everything that has been published because part of the fun is getting to take on a new challenge each time. However, the game out of the box is quite enjoyable.
• I've heard great things about the Sidekick app (that tracks hits & statuses) and the actual iOS/Steam app that plays the game - but I haven't sprung for either of them. Yet.