The Board Game Thread

[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.

[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...

[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.

[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.

[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.

[ERCougar]

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.

Go buy some card protectors (available at any game store) and sort your Dominion cards into them (each type of card grouped into a card holder), and then only use the insert to hold your money cards and your victory points (maybe some others, but I don't have my game here so I can't remember). It makes choosing your ten card types much easier and set up quicker. Still, like Ohio and you...I'm just not a huge fan of the game.

If you're sick of learning new games, do Carcassonne--it's quick and easy, and plays really well with two players (in fact, I think it's best with two players).

[ERCougar]

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.

I'm still not ready to say Small World is a deep game--just that it's deeper than it appears on the first play. The first time I played, it seemed like it was just a matter of expanding until you couldn't expand any more, then declining your race and starting a new one. Obviously, certain races are more interesting than others at different phases of the game, but still, overall, pretty straightforward. After a few more plays, you start to see the importance of a strong declining race through the midgame, which changes your opinion of some of the races, and moreover, the timing of your declines and the importance of position. I now think these latter two factors may be what separates good players from really good players at this game, and I'm not sure there's an obvious answer for either one. So I'm interested for a little while. I'm encouraged that there seems to be a pretty active online community at the DOW website, which usually indicates there is some depth to the game.

My tastes have definitely moved towards lighter games over the years, chiefly because I like playing with friends and I have so few friends who will play anything tougher than Settlers. I'd rather play a good light game with friends than a really good game with weird guys at the gaming store. PR is still about as close to a perfect game that I've found, but I have exactly one friend who's any good at it. PR has a huge kingmaker problem, so if we bring the obligatory third person into the mix, I can tell you who's going to win before we start (whoever gets to sit to his left). So I'll play that online, but I think that sort of defeats the purpose of a board game, which to me is having fun interaction with friends. Sure, light games tend to have more luck (not always), but even that's not always a bad thing, as it evens the playing field a little. I care now a lot more about having a good time than winning, so I just enjoy the experience. There's really nothing worse than playing with someone who agonizes over every decision (analysis paralysis) because he simply has to win the game, even if it is a really good game.

EDIT: I was just browsing through the strategy articles on BGG and came across this. This guy sounds like kind of a dick, but he has some of the same thoughts on this game: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/...-do-not-get-it

[Surfah]

Go buy some card protectors (available at any game store) and sort your Dominion cards into them (each type of card grouped into a card holder), and then only use the insert to hold your money cards and your victory points (maybe some others, but I don't have my game here so I can't remember). It makes choosing your ten card types much easier and set up quicker. Still, like Ohio and you...I'm just not a huge fan of the game.

If you're sick of learning new games, do Carcassonne--it's quick and easy, and plays really well with two players (in fact, I think it's best with two players).

Once I got it all separated the box actually had individual slots for everything so setup from here on out shouldn't be too painful. That first one was a PITA though.

We're now playing card games like Trumps.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I now have 3 of the Dominion expansions which make it a pain to transport if we want to play away from home. I downloaded one of the tab pdfs on board game geek, printed them, and made this storage solution. I just used some cardboard to create the channels. It isn't pretty or perfect, but it works. I have Dominion, Seaside, Prosperity, and Alchemy in the box right now. There is also room for other expansions.





Mock away.

[Mrs. Funk]

Dominion Prosperity is awesome.

[RobinFinderson]

We picked up Thunderstone for XMas, along with two expansions, and we have really been enjoying the game. It is a lot of fun, and a hit with the whole family. I love how the game changes so much from session to session.

I had the chance to play the big money expansion to Dominion, and thought that was pretty fun. As long as we are playing Thunderstone, I doubt we will be picking up any additional expansions to the two Dominion games we already own.

Finally, I have a friend who will lend me Memoir 44 very soon, so I will finally have a chance to try that one with Little Robin.

Oh, and one other 'finally,' we also got to play [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Wonders-Board-Game-Asmodee-Editions/dp/B0043KJW5M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1294456583&sr=8-2"]Amazon.com: 7 Wonders Board Game by Asmodee Editions: Toys & Games@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uuPxVySBL.@@AMEPARAM@@51uuPxVySBL[/ame], which is a lot of fun, and it plays quick, but I just saw that it lists for about $80, so I guess we won't be picking up THAT one any time soon. But if you get the chance to play, don't pass it up. 7 Wonders is cool.

[MartyFunkhouser]

We picked up Thunderstone for XMas, along with two expansions, and we have really been enjoying the game. It is a lot of fun, and a hit with the whole family. I love how the game changes so much from session to session.

I had the chance to play the big money expansion to Dominion, and thought that was pretty fun. As long as we are playing Thunderstone, I doubt we will be picking up any additional expansions to the two Dominion games we already own.

Finally, I have a friend who will lend me Memoir 44 very soon, so I will finally have a chance to try that one with Little Robin.

Oh, and one other 'finally,' we also got to play Amazon.com: 7 Wonders Board Game by Asmodee Editions: Toys & Games, which is a lot of fun, and it plays quick, but I just saw that it lists for about $80, so I guess we won't be picking up THAT one any time soon. But if you get the chance to play, don't pass it up. 7 Wonders is cool.

I would really like to play 7 Wonders, but won't until it is back in stock and doesn't cost a ridiculous amount. My FLGS sells it for about $35 but is obviously out of stock.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I would really like to play 7 Wonders, but won't until it is back in stock and doesn't cost a ridiculous amount. My FLGS sells it for about $35 but is obviously out of stock.

So I did get a copy of 7 Wonders once it was reissued and the price was reasonable. It really is a great game. It has quickly become one of my favorites. It is a game that I would love to play with more people. My only complaint is the cards are incredibly flimsy. They seemed poor enough quality that I went ahead and bought card sleeves for them. It is a great game and highly recommended. The game play is extremely simple and I can see it being a great gateway game. The scoring is somewhat complex, but the mechanics are simple and quick to learn.

I've also picked up Battle Line and it is now my favorite quick 2-player game. I like it a lot better than Lost Cities. It has similar card drafting mechanics but the game is executed a lot better.

Unless, something amazing comes out, I'm done buying games for awhile. Mrs. Funk and I do have a tradition to buy a boardgame for Christmas, so I think that is basically going to be it for me. We have a nice well rounded collection now.

[ERCougar]

So I did get a copy of 7 Wonders once it was reissued and the price was reasonable. It really is a great game. It has quickly become one of my favorites. It is a game that I would love to play with more people. My only complaint is the cards are incredibly flimsy. They seemed poor enough quality that I went ahead and bought card sleeves for them. It is a great game and highly recommended. The game play is extremely simple and I can see it being a great gateway game. The scoring is somewhat complex, but the mechanics are simple and quick to learn.

I've also picked up Battle Line and it is now my favorite quick 2-player game. I like it a lot better than Lost Cities. It has similar card drafting mechanics but the game is executed a lot better.

Unless, something amazing comes out, I'm done buying games for awhile. Mrs. Funk and I do have a tradition to buy a boardgame for Christmas, so I think that is basically going to be it for me. We have a nice well rounded collection now.

Dang...
My last trip into SLC last week, I stopped by game night games and almost bought Battle Line. I might have to order it. Playable with a 10 yr old?

I was sort of disappointed in 7 wonders. I don't have a copy, but looked a little at the store copy. You're right--it looks a little cheap. And a bit too complicated for the people I play with. And way way way too expensive. From what I had read, it seemed like a simple to explain game with some depth, but instead, it looks a little fussy. I still will probably get a copy eventually, but it'll have to wait , for now. Maybe christmas.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Dang...
My last trip into SLC last week, I stopped by game night games and almost bought Battle Line. I might have to order it. Playable with a 10 yr old?

I was sort of disappointed in 7 wonders. I don't have a copy, but looked a little at the store copy. You're right--it looks a little cheap. And a bit too complicated for the people I play with. And way way way too expensive. From what I had read, it seemed like a simple to explain game with some depth, but instead, it looks a little fussy. I still will probably get a copy eventually, but it'll have to wait , for now. Maybe christmas.

Battle Line is well worth it and could easily be played with a 10 year old. If the 10 year old can understand few simple poker like hands (3 of kind, straight, flush) and their ranking he can play it.

Buy 7 Wonders on Amazon, it is a lot cheaper. $36.00 seemed a lot more reasonable for the game than $50. Also, if you are driving up from Southern Utah, stop at Board Game Revolution instead. The games are a lot cheaper.

Also, for the boardgame fans. Keith Law actually does a lot of boardgame reviews on his blog.
http://meadowparty.com/blog/