Zooloretto / Aquaretto
BoardGameGeek & BoardGameGeek
- rank: 842 & 1,404
- rating: 6.8 & 7.0
- published: 2007 & 2008
Print Status
- in print? & out of print?
Why It's On The List
- Michael Schacht takes the central game mechanic from his card game Coloretto & develops it into a full-fledged board game with delightful artwork & theme. And then, if that wasn't enough, he keeps expanding that world (thanks to the SdJ win) in some very intriguing ways.
Tips & Tricks:
- I didn't like Zooloretto particularly the first time I played it... that, as you can see, has changed. (The theme drew me back in, btw.)
- Lots of people like Coloretto better than Zooloretto - they're wrong, of course, but I think that's more a function of "liking a clever mechanic" versus "liking a clever mechanic in the midst of a thematic & enjoyable game".
- Zooloretto spawned Aquaretto - which I've included in the family for purposes of this list. Aquaretto is the more gamer-friendly of the two - there's more potential for a new player to mess themselves over with bad tile placement.
- The plethora of large & small expansions can be confusing - but I like how you can tailor the game to your personal tastes.
- The game is best with 3 or 4 players... 5 has a little too much downtime (if you're using any expansions) and 2 is bland.
- If you're going to play Zooloretto & Aquaretto together, you should only play with 3 players... or with Michael's 6-player partnership variant.
Extras
- I wrote an extensive post about Zooloretto & the various expansions entitled Renovating Your Zoo(loretto) for this blog.
- I translated the Big Boss variant from Michael Schacht's site - it's used w/the Zooloretto: Boss expansion.
- One of the proudest moments of my life - my son, Braeden (who was 7 at the time), created a really great variant idea for Aquaretto - and Michael Schacht published it on his website! Check out the Touch Pool...
- The picture above shows a game with all the expansions in (the white meeples are workers from Zooloretto: Boss).
Anno 1701: Das Brettspiel- rank: 5,353
- rating: 6.7
- published: 2007
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- While I didn't like Klaus Teuber's attempt to make Anno 1503 deeper via an expansion - I thought it was bloated & made the game much too long - I think his 2nd attempt at a similar game was very, very successful. And that's Anno 1701, which feels like a cross between Catan & Anno 1503.
Tips & Tricks:
- There are lots of options to harvest victory points (which can win you the game) - but you can't try to do all of them.
- The island tile sets are nearly identical - the brown ones are just farther from the starting point.
Extras
- Sadly, this game has never been published in English - there are some translation issues but they shouldn't be an insurmountable barrier.
- Not liking Catan does not necessarily mean you'll dislike Anno 1701 - give it a try!.
- My hot take: I think this design informed the design of Catan: Explorers and Pirates... they share a number of very good design ideas.
- This is the fifth of seven (7!) games on my top 100 list designed by Klaus Teuber.
Ticket to Ride
BoardGameGeek- rank: 198
- rating: 7.4
- published: 2004
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Gorgeous production coupled with easy gameplay... a classic theme (trains!) coupled with a classic Rummy set-collection mechanic... just as playable with 2 as it is with 5.
Tips & Tricks:
- Playing with 3 or 5 players is MUCH more cutthroat than playing with 2 or 4, due to how crowded the board can become.
- Figuring out the "choke points" on any map is an important step in choosing tickets both at the beginning of the game and as you take ticket turns later.
- We have a house rule that players can keep taking turns while someone decides on tickets as long as their action is to draw cards or take tickets. If a player is going to play to the board, they must wait until the ticket-taker has made their decision.
- Most importantly, this is an excellent "gateway" game for non-gamers.
Extras
- There are a number of expansions & stand-alone versions of the game. I'm partial to the 1910 card expansion - as well as...
- I have played a number of other versions/variants... while I really enjoy the small versions (New York/London/Amsterdam), I didn't think that Heart of Africa or France were necessary expansions.
- And I don't like Ticket to Ride: Europe...
- The iOS app for the game is tremendous!
- Here's what I wrote about Ticket to Ride for The One Hundred... and for my personal top 100 in 2005.
- Here's my review of the Alvin & Dexter expansion.
- The picture is the Switzerland map...
- This is the second of two games on this countdown designed by Alan Moon.
Lost Ruins of Arnak
BoardGameGeek- rank: 33
- rating: 8.1
- published: 2020
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Yes, it's another combination of worker placement and deck-building... but don't let that fool you. The gameplay is well-thought-out, the artwork/graphic design is gorgeous, and there are meaningful timing and resource management choices throughout.
Tips & Tricks:
- Don't lock into a single strategy based on how the last game ended... the game situation can change drastically depending on player choices and the various random decks, so you need to be prepared to react to the game in front of you.
- Sometimes, a card is more valuable for the move icon than the special power - one of the tricks of the game is making sure you realize when that is..
- The double-sided board (bird temple and snake temple) is a really nice touch to vary up play and tactics.
Extras
- I have not yet played the Expedition Leaders expansion - however, I do have a copy on order.
- I am playing The Search For Professor Kutil solo campaign again... and while I think it's excellent, you don't need the campaign to play a really enjoyable solo game with Arnak - which is why it's the seventeenth of 18 solo games I recommend on this countdown. (BTW - the campaign is a web app OR a print-n-play file.)
- There is also an extra solo print-n-play file to increase the solo game difficulty.
Dungeonquest
BoardGameGeek- rank: 1,818
- rating: 6.7
- published: 1985
Print Status
- out of print... in all three editions
Why It's On The List
- I have always described this game as "similar to playing Dungeons & Dragons with a DM who hates your guts" - it's a short (no more than an hour...and often shorter!), brutal & intensely fun experience game/dungeon crawl.
Tips & Tricks:
- While I appreciate what Fantasy Flight did in reprinting Dungeonquest, I wasn't a fan of the goofy combat system they loaded onto it or the seriousness they added to the proceedings by transporting the game into their Terrinoth universe. (Part of the charm of Dungeonquest is the off-beat dark humor - which I attribute to the unique blend of Swedish designer & British publisher.)
- That said, I have not played the Revised Edition reprint... which has better buzz than the earlier version.
- If you manage to track down a copy of the original game + the two expansions, consider yourself incredibly lucky. It took me nearly 8 years to find the expansions - and even then I had to replace some of the missing miniatures from the used copy I bought.
- The FFG edition includes some of the expansion stuff - so if you can find that at a reasonable price, it's still a good deal. (But look on BGG for alternate ways to do combat that don't slow the game down.)
- We have a house rule... you can't win by simply surviving (running in a couple of spaces & running right back out). You must find SOMETHING of value - and no, a potentially poisonous healing "potion" does not count.
- Do not under any circumstances (a) get too attached to your character, or (b) take the game too seriously. It's just a rousing chance to roll dice, fight monsters & generally find creative new ways to die.
Extras
- I still have trouble believing that I haven't written more about Dungeonquest. I will have to remedy that... someday.
- Queen Games has a new dungeon game coming from designer Dan Glimne that (according to the KS) "captures the same system [Drakborgen aka Dungeonquest] which is designed to kill players in a shorter, dice game format." Yep, sounds like a spiritual heir to Dungeonquest.
The Quacks of Quedlinburg- rank: 58
- rating: 7.9
- published: 2018
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Bag-building and whimsy combined to produce an easy-to-teach press-your-luck game that has been 100% successful with everyone I've introduced it to.
Tips & Tricks:
- You need to look at what powers are available - and remember that you can't do everything.
- Not worrying about scoring for the first couple of rounds is sometimes worth it for the rat-tail catch-up mechanic.
Extras
- I like both of the expansions... though they make the game a little trickier to teach and get into for new players. I'd recommend you wait on Herb Witches and/or Alchemists until everyone at the table has a game or two under their belts.
- I have two nifty add-on things for my Quacks collection - the splendid GeekUp Bits tokens (seen in the picture) thanks to a very good friend (King Bob!)... and the Folded Space organizer.
- This is the second of two games designed by Wolfgang Warsch on the countdown.
Marvel Champions- rank: 37
- rating: 8.2
- published: 2019
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Taking the Marvel universe of super-heroes and creating a working LCG (Living Card Game) that isn't impossible to teach and/or read across the table.
Tips & Tricks:
- If you get into the game in any serious way, bookmark Marvel DCB - it's a fantastic site on building hero decks.
- Decks are built differently for solo and team play - an effective solo deck sometimes won't be much help in a multi-player setting.
- I think the game is strongest at 1-2 players, though 3 works well. Four is fine against weaker villains, but takes entirely too long against foes with multiple level schemes.
Extras
- While I think the LotR LCG is quite good and the Android: Netrunner LCG is spectacular, both have a rather high barrier to entry in learning the game. Moreover, LotR LCG is incredibly difficult to read in low light and/or playing multi-player.
- If you're new to the game, the big boxes are your best bet - the original set gives you a great start, then I'd add one or two of the large box expansions. Around that, you can add the heroes you're interested in. You can save the smaller villain packs for later - they have less replayability.
- Yes, I still like Sentinels of the Multiverse... and I've been impressed with the new "definitive" version of the game.
- Marvel Champions works as a solo game - so it's the thirteenth of 18 solo games I recommend on the countdown.
Imperium Classics / Legends- rank: 555 & 943
- rating: 7.8 & 8.0
- published: 2021
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- A civilization-building game that packs in the game mechanics: deckbuilding, resource management, tableau building, asymmetric factions, multiple game timers, keywords to differentiate similar actions… and each individual civilization has a uniquely structured deck.
Tips & Tricks:
- Know what's in the deck you're playing... they do NOT work the same way and tactics can be very different.
- Don't forget about Innovate (dropping your hand to get a card you want from the market)... sometimes, it's the best thing you can do.
- It will take a few plays, but watching what other players are doing is key to winning.
Extras
- I'm on the fence about buying the 3D-printed bits from MeepleSource - but they look really nice..
- Here's the review I wrote about Imperium Classics/Legends for the Opinionated Gamers website. (I've played the game nine more times since I wrote that review.)
- It is a brilliant solo system - so it's the twelfth of 18 solo games I recommend on the countdown.
- This is the second of two games on my list by designer Dávid Turczi.
AfricaPrint Status
Why It's On The List
- A great Knizia exploration game that was sadly under-rated when it first appeared in 2002 because it wasn't the next Euphrat & Tigris.
Tips & Tricks:
- As much as possible, don't waste moves. You can work to set up plays so that you can make sure that each turn has two productive activities.
- Use the "skip a turn, move anywhere" power sparingly.
- Relocating nomads can be very lucrative point-wise, especially if you plan for it.
Extras
- Africa packs a lot of game into 30 minutes... it's worth tracking down a copy.
- I don't understand it - but for some reason, this is a really polarizing game for some people.
- Here's what I wrote about Africa for The One Hundred.
- This is the seventh of seven games on my list by designer Reiner Knizia.
Xia: Legends of a Drift System
BoardGameGeek
- rank: 151
- rating: 7.9
- published: 2014
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- This is truly a sandbox game with epic scope - I liken it to FFG's Outer Rim but without any guardrails. Fantastic production values added to gameplay that encourages creating swashbuckling stories makes this one of the best pandemic purchases I made.
Tips & Tricks:
- Note: all but one of my plays of Xia has been solo - so take this as a strong recommendation for solo play. (Many have noted that the game slows way down with more than 3 players, which seems obvious.)
- This is an adventure game with a lot of moving parts... strategies that work in one game will not necessarily go as well when the map lays out differently.
- Stop and smell the roses - there is a lot of wonderful color text and background story buried in the game. Since it is very much an experience game, enjoy it!
- The sprawling space opera nature of the game reminds me (in a good way!) of my one online-moderated play of Star Saga: One.
- The solo campaign system is excellent - but it's not short. Five games in, I've only accomplished two of the ten objectives... but my overall campaign score is positive!
Extras
- With games like this, more is more. Embers of a Forsaken Star is an essential expansion (particularly if you want to play solo).
- The Missions and Powers expansion is also great... but not quite as necessary. (Still glad I own it.)
- Because it's from a very niche company, the game goes in and out of print. Keep your eyes open - I found my complete copy via the BGG Marketplace.
- Yep, I recommend this as a solo game unreservedly - the eleventh out of 18 on this list.
- Please be praying for the family of the designer, Cody Miller. As he's shared as a part of the Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread Kickstarter, his son is undergoing treatment for cancer.
Res Arcana
BoardGameGeek
- rank: 125
- rating: 7.7
- published: 2019
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- You'd think that a game with an eight card individual player deck would feel claustrophobic - instead, it's the entry point to a brilliant Tom Lehmann design that challenges each player to build a victory point engine while defending themselves against the direct and indirect challenges of the other players.
Tips & Tricks:
- Proper assessment of your deck at the beginning of the game is vital.
- Like many of Tom's designs, the speed curve is slow for the first couple of turns and then accelerates rapidly toward the end of the game.
- You can win without taking a Place of Power - but it's not easy to do.
- You don't have to "crank" every card in your tableau - sometimes it's smarter to pass and grab the magic item you need.
Extras
- The first expansion - Lux et Tennebrae - adds some nice variety to the system and a couple of new mechanics that don't overwhelm game play. (Note: my son noted that there's a lot more Tennebrae and not very much Lux in the expansion.)
- I haven't had a chance to play with the newest expansion - Perlae Imperii. (It's held up with my pre-order for Tom's Dice Realms!)
- The production of this game is gorgeous - and the box is appropriately sized for the components.
- This is the fourth of five Tom Lehmann game designs on my list.
Dune: Imperium
BoardGameGeek
- rank: 15
- rating: 8.3
- published: 2020
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Despite not being a particularly big fan of Dune (the books or the movies), the game manages to combine deck-building & worker placement to evoke the feel of the Dune universe in an incredibly playable format.
Tips & Tricks:
- One of the things I like best about the game is the ability to adapt your tactics/strategy to the character you are playing and the ever-changing board situation.
- You don't have to win every conflict - in fact, sometimes the smartest thing you can do is let two other opponents duke it out and save your troops for a later battle.
- The House Hagal mechanic (an AI deck) makes sure that 2 player games have enough filled board space without complicating the game unnecessarily.
- I've played the game at all player counts (1-4 players) and enjoyed them all.
Extras
- The Rise of Ix expansion has some great twists/additions to the game... highly recommended.
- The solo design uses the House Hagal deck to create two feisty AI opponents - making this the eleventh of 18 games recommended for solo play on my top 100.
- The app (available as part of the Dire Wolf games app) automates the House Hagal deck and helps walk you through set-up... as well as offering some alternate play modes.
- This is the second of two Paul Dennen designs on my list.
Undaunted: Normandy/North Africa
BoardGameGeek and BoardGameGeek
- rank: 186 & 693
- rating: 7.8 & 7.9
- published: 2019 & 2020
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Take the basic deck-building combat design of War Chest and ground it in the theme and combat tactics of WW2... for this old AH/SPI wargamer, it's the best of both worlds. It feels like the best games of Squad Leader without the long playing time or the rules headaches.
Tips & Tricks:
- It has all the feels of a classic wargame - with the deck-building system that adds fog of war and command & control issues with extremely low fiddliness.
- So far, scenarios in both boxes seem to be well-balanced... even those with asymmetric objectives.
- Like any squad-level combat game, cover is important.
- Lessons learned in the Command & Colors games work here as well - try not to strand units in indefensible positions.
- Both boxes reflect a solid understanding of the different kinds of WW2 tactical warfare they work to portray - impressive.
Extras
- The Reinforcements box not only adds new units and scenarios for both of the original boxes - it also adds a complete storage system for both games... and, more importantly for my purposes, a sophisticated solo system that is challenging and makes pretty solid tactical decisions.
- So, yes, this is tenth of 18 games recommended for solo play on my top 100.
- A new game in the series has been announced for later this year - Undaunted: Stalingrad.
- This is the second of three David Thompson designs on my list... and the first of two Dávid Turczi designs.
Favor of the Pharaoh
BoardGameGeek
- rank: 1,546
- rating: 6.8
- published: 2015
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- A re-imagined version of the classic dice game To Court the King - imagine Yahtzee crossed with Magic: The Gathering. You use dice to obtain card powers in order to manipulate dice to obtain more power (and dice) to finally win the favor of the Pharaoh.
Tips & Tricks:
- You need dice - and a few manipulation powers. Going the other way (dice manipulation powers and a few extra dice) will lose you the game.
- The game works well with 2-4 players.
- The variability introduced in this version is excellent - each game has its own feel.
- I do wish I'd sprung for a second set of dice... with 4 players, you have to do a lot of trading around of base dice.
Extras
- I had the privilege of Tom Lehmann (the designer) showing me the unpublished expansion for To Court the King some years back... many of those great ideas ended up in Favor of the Pharaoh.
- This is the third of five (5!) Lehmann designs on my list.
StreetSoccer- rank: 2,681
- rating: 6.5
- published: 2002
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- It doesn't so much simulate soccer (like Pursue the Pennant attempts to simulate baseball)... instead, it uses a backgammon-ish mechanic to simulate the feel of a soccer game - and does so brilliantly.
Tips & Tricks:
- Like playing backgammon, winning at StreetSoccer is as much about the position you leave yourself in as well as pushing hard to score...
- And like backgammon, what appears initially to be a random dice game actually reveals itself to be a very tactical game of risk & probability.
Extras
- There are three different online PBEM versions of StreetSoccer... the one I used to play on (a lot!) was Little Golem.
- I'm hopeful that Portal Games' upcoming Eleven will fill in the management side of soccer in my collection. (Yes, I backed it.)
Mystery Rummy: Al Capone & the Chicago Underworld
- rank: 3,013
- rating: 6.8
- published: 2003
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- This is my favorite of the Mystery Rummy series... mostly because it feels a bit like Canasta (possibly my favorite standard deck card game) in how difficult it is to hide key cards from your opponent(s).
Tips & Tricks:
- In my opinion, this is the easiest of the Mystery Rummy games to teach to non-gamers.
- While MR: Al Capone is a great 2-handed game and a wonderful partnership game, it drags on way too long with three players.
- Don't give up... it is possible to fight your back into the game, even after a bad hand. (Just one of the reasons I love this game.)
Extras
- Wyatt Earp is a cousin to this series of games & is very enjoyable as well.
- Here's how I rank the Mystery Rummy games currently...
- Here's what I wrote about the Mystery Rummy series for The One Hundred.
- This is the second of two games on my top 100 list from designer Mike Fitzgerald.
Ascending Empires- rank: 1,258
- rating: 7.2
- published: 2011
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- For a game of space conquest (complete with a tech tree), it zips along at a blistering pace. Turns are short, decisions are tricky, scores are close, and there are multiple ways to victory. Plus, you get to flick stuff!
Tips & Tricks:
- As much as I love flicking games (Catacombs, Carabande, etc.), the flicking here is not the whole game - it's just a part of a much larger space-empire building game.
- The game scales really well from 2-4 players - which is odd, considering it has a four-quadrant map.
- There are even some official variants for the game posted on the Geek... both of which are quite good.
- Combat is NOT the most important thing in the game. While you can't ignore it, it won't win you the game by itself.
Extras
- My Opinionated Gamers review of Ascending Empires... with lots more information and my thoughts on all the whining about the puzzle-cut boards.
Monopoly: Tropical Tycoon DVD Game
- rank: 14,234
- rating: 5.8
- published: 2007
Print Status
- out of print (but pretty easy to find on Ebay)
Why It's On The List
- It takes the classic game (Monopoly) and makes it extremely gamer-friendly by adding Cosmic Encounter-ish roles, a variety of choices for building, and a great victory point system that lets you stop the game at any point and declare a legitimate winner.
Tips & Tricks:
- Basic Monopoly strategy still works with Tropical Tycoon... but there are major new considerations when you are building on monopolies. You can build for cash or for points... or for some balance point in between.
- The more people playing, the more careful you have to be about how you make trades. Some of the cheaper properties can be converted into pretty powerful income streams if you plan correctly.
Extras
- The only problem I can see with the game is the need for a DVD player - all of the card draws/random events are keyed off of the DVD. That said, it works really well without being overly intrusive. (Yes, the "funny" stuff gets old the 2nd or 3rd time you hear it - but it still works.)
- Here's two things I wrote about Monopoly on my blog aka pastor guy: Giving Away Your Own (Monopoly) Money and The World's Most Famous Game And How It Got That Way. In short: "most of you play Monopoly wrong... and that somewhat explains why so many gamers hate the game."
- Here's what I wrote about Monopoly for The One Hundred.
- This is the fourth of eight game designs from Rob Daviau on the countdown.
Minigolf Designer- rank: 4,139
- rating: 8.0
- published: 2020
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Take the part I like best about Kingdomino (the drafting system), use it to drive a tile placement game with thematic scoring (like Carcassonne but without the arguments about which set of farm rules we’ll be using), and provided the proper components (big cloth bag, easy to read tiles, clever use of cards to add variety) to make a really enjoyable game experience.
Tips & Tricks:
- The scoring has a number of elements... however, they all make sense AND the scoring track includes a reminder of all the rules in play.
- Start with the Family game... the Advanced Game has some risk/reward elements that won't be clear until you've got a couple of games under your belt.
Extras
- The new mini-expansion (Putt of No Return) does things: it adds interesting new course tiles and investors, it provides two-layer par boards (a welcome addition), and it fixes my main complaint about the original game with new and better art for all the cards.
- Here's my review of Minigolf Designer for the Opinionated Gamers site.
- I find the solo mode an engaging puzzle with a nice push-your-luck element... which makes it the ninth game of eighteen on the countdown that I recommend for solo play.
Star Wars: The Queen's Gambit- rank: 882
- rating: 7.6
- published: 2000
Print Status
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) but it's certainly the best. (Note: I have not yet played Imperial Assault or Armada or Legion...)
- Here's what I wrote about The Queen's Gambit for The One Hundred
- This is the third of eight 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.)
Dungeon Lords
BoardGameGeek
- rank: 296
- rating: 7.4
- published: 2009
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- Flip your standard adventurers v. monsters around and put players in the role of harried dungeon masters trying to fend off sticky-fingered heroes. Add loads of RPG and WoW-related humor... and tie it together with an almost perfect melding of mechanic and theme.
Tips & Tricks:
- My original impression of Dungeon Lords is that it only worked with a full complement of four players. I'm happy to say that I was wrong. My oldest son and I really enjoy playing two player - there are some interesting decisions in choosing actions for the non-player dungeon lords.
- The Festival Season expansion makes the game a little longer & adds some more wrinkles... but they're really good wrinkles and worth the time if you like the game system.
- You MUST pay attention to what other players can and cannot choose as actions to avoid losing an action.
- CGE published a blinged-out version of the game (Happy Anniversary) - I spent too much money getting the pieces to upgrade my set, but it's just so darn cool.
- Final warning: a 4 player game with the expansion fills up a dining room table - but it looks good doing it.
Extras
- I'm really proud of my review of the Festival Season expansion... I think I managed to capture the humorous tone that adds so much to this game system.
- This is the second of two games on my list designed by Vlaada Chvatil.
Quantum
- rank: 550
- rating: 7.3
- published: 2013
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- A fast-moving game of space conquest with built-in variety and room for great tactical play. And I love the cover art.
Tips & Tricks:
- Thanks to the modular board format, the game works like a charm with 2, 3 or 4 players.
- The combat system is pro-attacking... wise players will take advantage of this to slow down opponents, even if it doesn't directly benefit your plans for placing quantum cubes.
- Learning how to use the "free" ship powers is the key to playing well. They are easy to overlook in your first play.
- The technology cards may seem out of balance at first - but each card can be very helpful when paired with the right strategic and tactical play. I'm constantly finding new ways to combine card powers and ship powers.
- When I say "fast", I'm not kidding. A long game of Quantum lasts an hour.
Extras
- I haven't written much about Quantum - which is really too bad. It's a great, great game.
- The Void expansion - which was available through the BGG shop - is a nifty addition to the game.
- Quantum is available to play on BGA!
Wildlands
BoardGameGeek
- rank: 935
- rating: 7.3
- published: 2018
Print Status
Why It's On The List
- While I'm not a fan of Martin Wallace's "classic" games (Age of Steam, Brass, etc.), I think that this card-based skirmish game is brilliant. It plays quickly, each faction has it's own flavor, and the variety of expansions and maps available give the game system great variety. (And the miniatures are excellent.)
Tips & Tricks:
- There are two tricky concepts when introducing the game to new players - first, the pictures on the cards are not "who can use this card". (That is indicated by the flags on the edge of the card.)
- Second, the wise use of the Interrupt actions can often be the difference between winning and losing... but it's really tempting to use the wild movement or draw 2 capabilities of those cards.
- While some teams thrive on being in a tight group (or at least in LOS of each other), it's often smart to spread out your team to find your shards.
- The balance of victory conditions (you get 1 point for each opponent figure eliminated and 1 point for each shard recovered - first to 5 points wins) means that some teams will focus on getting rid of opponents, some will race to harvest their shards, and still others will aim for a balance of objectives.
Extras
- I own all of the expansions - and while I think they all have things to recommend them, my favorites are the second map pack (The Fall of the Dark House) and the incredible big box (The Ancients).
- Speaking of The Ancients, it not only adds a couple of great maps, a team play mode, and a new faction of high-powered Ancients... it also adds an excellent solo mode as you face off against those Ancients. (Yes, it's the eighth of 18 game that come recommended for solo play on this countdown.)
- Well, not ALL of the expansions - I'd love to get my hands on the promo expansions (The Hagmoles and The Thorns & The Roses).
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