The Board Game Thread

[MartyFunkhouser]

Right on. What didn't you like about Agricola, out of curiosity?

Way too fiddly. It seemed less like I was playing a game and more like I was moving chits around. Also, I didn't love the feeding mechanic as it seemed way too brutal. I was tired of constantly being on the brink of survival and having to eat my pet sheep to survive.

[OhioBlue]

The same luck-based elements are key to Settlers, Ticket to Ride, and virtually every other board game.

You clearly haven't played boardgames like Puerto Rico. There is virtually zero luck-element in that game. Or Tigris and Euphrates (or any number of other Reiner Knizia games, for that matter). Or several others, many mentioned already in this thread.

Settlers and TTR do indeed include some luck-based elements, but that's why they are often considered entry-level or 'gateway' games, to get us Risk and Monopoly-loving Americans to slowly let go of the dice and start playing real boardgames.

[Surfah]

So we've been playing games with family quite a bit. Here's my brief review of each:

We never made it through 4 turns each in Dominion before packing it up. I think we were tired of learning a new game after having to learn so many others. Also, the rules for that game aren't very clear and set up the first time was a bitch and rather time consuming as the cards weren't really grouped together so I had to go through all 500 and put them in their correct piles. Annoying. Me and Gidget will try and give it a go together when the family leaves to see if we like it better. Another big negative about this game is the table space it takes up. Not a fan of that. I had high hopes for this game since it is so highly reviewed and came recommended by many

Bang! is the biggest hit by far. We have played a couple of games and everyone seems to enjoy it. Plus, the talk around the table becomes rather crass with all the banging which has been funny. I like the game mechanics and mafia like role playing and secrecy.

Bananagrams is a fun game as well. I really enjoy word games and play a number of these types of games on my cell phone. I like that it's an individual game against everyone else.

Anomia is a pretty fun game. It's a mix of the old speed card game mixed with some quick thinking to win the card. The only problem with this game is when played multiple times with the same group people start using the same answers which isn't allowed. The same answer in a single game is not allowed.

Wits and Wagers is pretty fun. I love trivia. Especially stupid random knowledge trivia. It's a good family game and I enjoy the betting mechanism. It's pretty interesting to see how close everyone's answers are. Even funnier when there is an outlier.

Gidget played solitaire Set. She likes it. I have yet to play it.

I forgot that we own Carcassone and Settlers. Gidget bought me Carcassone a few years ago and I don't think I ever took it out of the shrink wrap. I bought Settlers for Gidget when we were dating and we too have never played that. So we now own a fair number of games. I think I am now officially a board game geek.

[statman]

Has any of our serious gamers tried Die Macher or Indonesia? These are two games that, due to cost, length of game, and complexity, you will only find in elite gaming circles. I own neither, but play them both about once a year. If you get the chance to play one, jump at it.

Never heard of either - but I haven't been much into 'real' gaming for almost 30 years. I used to play a couple different historical games some simple and some very un-simple (axis and allies on steroids). But the ones I really liked back in the day became increasingly hard to find, expensive to own, and the newer versions dumbed down the rules to such an extent that they had little to do with the originals as they became more and more Risk-like.

And I'd rather gouge my eyes out than play Risk. If someone who knows how to play is playing with others who don't, the one who understands will win about 90% of the time. But if everyone at the table understands the rudimentary strategy, the game comes down to die-rolls.

The same luck-based elements are key to Settlers, Ticket to Ride, and virtually every other board game. I really prefer card games. The problem with card games is that if you're playing one of the many games where there really is strategy and skill in playing, it becomes very clear when better players are at the table - especially when they're paired with each other. Strategy in card games is a lot more subtle - like reading the other players & reading your partner (legally). The other problem with card games is that if you're playing one of the many games that relies on teams, if you're one of the players at the table that 'gets it' and you're paired with someone who doesn't, you may as well be rolling dice to see who wins. You could be the best Bridge player in the world, and a clueless partner negates it all.

My wife and I used to play Rook & Bridge a lot with another couple. If I was paired with either of the women in the group, the winner of a game (not a hand, but a game) was basically a random event. But if I was paired with the other guy, we would win 99 times out of 100. It's not that either of the women we BAD players, it's just that he and I were about 99% on the same wavelength, and simply understood how the other would play. From the first few sets of cards played in a game, it was clear in general what cards the other had (for all the cards that mattered). the thought process is something like - "If he would have had this card, he would have played it, so I guess one of the other two must have it, so I'll play this to try and force them to play it now." In those games, when you know what your partner has, it's pretty much mop-up time from there on.

It wasn't fun playing in mixed teams because it boiled down to dumb luck. I simply couldn't tell how either of the women was going to play - and he couldn't either. But it wasn't fun playing the other way either, because we knew who was going to win from the get-go.

We pretty much don't play games anymore...

[SCcoug]

2) Dixit - This is a 2010 SDJ winner, which is sort of a surprise, given the type of game it is. This is essentially Apples to Apples with pictures. If you're a fan of A to A (I am, as far as party games go), you'll like it. The artwork is fantastic and the game is a little more creative than A to A, in that the aim is to describe the picture you lay down and get some but not everyone to vote on your picture among the cards laid down. If you're turning your nose up at A to A because it's mainstream, then give this one a shot, because it's not. We'll see how long this stays fresh, but the first few plays were really fun for everyone.

+1 on Dixit. I picked up this game for the wife for Christmas and we've played it a few times with her family. It is a fun game and easy to teach to others. A good party game.

[OhioBlue]

We will have to do a game night and play Power Grid. I tried Agricola and didn't like it at all.

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Right on. What didn't you like about Agricola, out of curiosity?

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

So I think we may be board game geeks now. On top of Anomia and Bang! that we bought for the family, Santa brought Dominion, Set, Bananagrams, and Wits and Wagers.

I think Wits and Wagers is a lot of fun.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I'm glad someone else shares my opinion of Dominion. I don't hate it, but I certainly don't love it like everyone else seems to. I guess I kind of see it as the card-game version of a Settlers of Catan--a popular 'lite' game that will be a good gateway game to much better games. It suffers from multi-player solitaire syndrome, which is probably the biggest reason I'm not gaga over it. But it's fun enough and accessible enough that I can enjoy a game or two.

I only played Small World once, but I was waaay underwhelmed. Fun game to look at, in true Days of Wonder fashion, but light on depth--again, at least the first time I played. Maybe it needs a couple more plays, you've convinced me to give it another shot.

Given the choice, I'm still going to prefer a game of Puerto Rico, El Grande, or even Amun-Re. I really need to play Agricola, Power Grid, and Caylus--still haven't tried any of those. They have stuck around for a while in/near the BGG.com top ten.

We will have to do a game night and play Power Grid. I tried Agricola and didn't like it at all.

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[OhioBlue]

I have Dominion, but am still pretty blech about it--it may just be that I'm tired of City/Kingdom building games.

I'm glad someone else shares my opinion of Dominion. I don't hate it, but I certainly don't love it like everyone else seems to. I guess I kind of see it as the card-game version of a Settlers of Catan--a popular 'lite' game that will be a good gateway game to much better games. It suffers from multi-player solitaire syndrome, which is probably the biggest reason I'm not gaga over it. But it's fun enough and accessible enough that I can enjoy a game or two.

I only played Small World once, but I was waaay underwhelmed. Fun game to look at, in true Days of Wonder fashion, but light on depth--again, at least the first time I played. Maybe it needs a couple more plays, you've convinced me to give it another shot.

Given the choice, I'm still going to prefer a game of Puerto Rico, El Grande, or even Amun-Re. I really need to play Agricola, Power Grid, and Caylus--still haven't tried any of those. They have stuck around for a while in/near the BGG.com top ten.

[ERCougar]

This has been a favorite game of mine for nearly 20 years. My uncle brought a copy back from his mission in Germany, and he and I used to play it all the time. He gave me my own set as a wedding gift, and my wife and I played it for 3 hours on our honeymoon night.

Ok, I made that last part up.

See? Really fun for kids!

Germans are way ahead of us on boardgames. Their kids play Labyrinth, ours play Candyland.

[Donuthole]

3) Labyrinth - Fun game, especially for kids. It's a little like Carcassonne, in that it can become a little too chaotic to do much game-planning, but it's a good puzzle exercise and kids always like these sliding mechanic games.

I don't like many board games, but one board game I really enjoy (and the only game I have ever purchased on my own) is Labyrinth. . . .

It's a European maze game comprised of "slideable" pieces. Each turn you slide a piece to shift the maze in an attempt to move your marker to a designated item. It is very challenging with 4 players, as the maze will change 3 times before you get your next turn.

This has been a favorite game of mine for nearly 20 years. My uncle brought a copy back from his mission in Germany, and he and I used to play it all the time. He gave me my own set as a wedding gift, and my wife and I played it for 3 hours on our honeymoon night.

Ok, I made that last part up.

[ERCougar]

So I think we may be board game geeks now. On top of Anomia and Bang! that we bought for the family, Santa brought Dominion, Set, Bananagrams, and Wits and Wagers.

Ha! Embrace your inner geek. Bang is a favorite of mine. I have Dominion, but am still pretty blech about it--it may just be that I'm tired of City/Kingdom building games. Wits and Wagers is another favorite of mine. Your next party game needs to be Time's Up--I like it even better than Wits and Wagers.

I'm much less anti-party game than I used to be. There are a few good ones out there (Bang is almost in that category), and if you pick a good one, everyone likes them.

[ERCougar]

So we've gotten a few plays in of the new Christmas games for the family. In order of preference:
1) Small World - This is a really good game. It has a lot more depth than a lot of gamers are going to give it credit for, while at the same time being easy enough that anyone could pick up and start playing within a few minutes. This would be the perfect gateway game, if it weren't for the nerdy theme (which will turn off plenty of people) and the length (60-90 minutes, more towards 90 if you have new players). The theme's uber-nerdy, but so is boardgaming, and it doesn't feel pasted-on at all. This is my new favorite for a while.
2) Dixit - This is a 2010 SDJ winner, which is sort of a surprise, given the type of game it is. This is essentially Apples to Apples with pictures. If you're a fan of A to A (I am, as far as party games go), you'll like it. The artwork is fantastic and the game is a little more creative than A to A, in that the aim is to describe the picture you lay down and get some but not everyone to vote on your picture among the cards laid down. If you're turning your nose up at A to A because it's mainstream, then give this one a shot, because it's not. We'll see how long this stays fresh, but the first few plays were really fun for everyone.
3) Labyrinth - Fun game, especially for kids. It's a little like Carcassonne, in that it can become a little too chaotic to do much game-planning, but it's a good puzzle exercise and kids always like these sliding mechanic games.

[ERCougar]

I haven't read this whole thread but I want to give Stratego some love. One of my favorite board games, HFN Jr. saw it in the closet last night when were were cleaning and preparing for family to come. We have played about 6 games, he is getting good. Great game, plus a game only takes 30 mins or so.

Stratego's a great game! One of the few really good mainstream games.

[clackamascoug]

We're old school - Connect 4, and Scrabble.

We played Scrabble on Thursday night, and our big boy ripped one early on, so I let go some very potent SBD's, and he kept getting the blame. Very funny.