Gaming with Sidekicks presents: The Board Game Collection Draft!

Dear reader, welcome to the first ever Board Game Collection Draft, here on Gaming with Sidekicks. The first ever fantasy draft of board games ever. Or at least we think so, none of us could be bothered to Google this. They say “Ignorance is not an alibi,” but those people haven’t tried hard enough. 

We will be drafting in twenty categories based upon common board game mechanisms. Each participant will have first pick in five categories that have been randomized, all other picks have been randomized as well. 

This will be a Herculean task and we ask that you do not try this at home. In preparation for this feat, we’ve carbo loaded, then gone low-carb. We joined CrossFit gyms and then angrily canceled our memberships when told that interpretive dance isn’t normally part of the CrossFit curriculum. Needless to say, we are ready. 

Who are we?

I’m Isaac, a Detroit Lions true believer, when people talk about the G.O.A.T., I assume they mean Matt Stafford (so keep that in mind with my draft picks!) Joining me are JT, future wooden board game insert magnate, also of GwS; Jin of My Cardboard Weighs a Ton (mycardboardweighs.com), a “site” that right now has one review on it; and Brian, the Greater Detroit area’s number three Francophile. 

On with the draft.

Our first category in round one is: Party Games! We love these games and the opportunity they bring to put everyone around the table. 

Draft order for the first round will proceed as follows:

Isaac
Brian
JT
Jin

 

Jin

Hopefully, you do a better job making a team than your Detroit Lions have done.

Isaac

Oh man. And the games begin!

My #1 pick is between my most played party game and what I would expect is most other people’s most played game. Do I go fan fave or personal…ughhhh

I think I will go with what fits best for me and my gaming groups. This is a game I have played and played and played with a large variety of people, gamers and non-gamers alike. It is one we love to get out for big groups and even just a few people and one I have gotten almost every member of my family to try at some point. So for the #1 pick I will take: Codenames!

(All of the versions btw, I’m taking them all)

Jin

That was an obvious pick. Codenames was number one on every mock draft I saw.

Brian

Codenames is definitely what I would have taken with the number one overall pick. A great game with lots of variants for different interests. My personal fave is XXL, but that’s just because I’m getting old and it’s easier to see!

Since Isaac took my choice, I’ll go with my other favorite party game. It shares some of the wordplay and clue-giving that make Codenames so much fun, but twists the concept in a different direction: Decrypto.

Jin

I got a demo of that, this past Origins and I thought it was pretty good. It does have a similar feel to Codenames. If Codenames is Jordan, Decryto is Kobe; a nice alternative.

Isaac

I have Decrypto sitting on my review shelf. I look forward to trying it out soon!

Joseph

Wow. Two great ones off the board. And I have to admit a little bit of cheating because I checked bgg to make sure it was listed as such, but I’ll go with Captain Sonar here. Every time I’ve played this game I’ve heard comments from new players about how crazy things got and how tense it was. For me, that tension is the point of playing to begin with. Whether it’s co-op, competitive, co-opetive, or something else, for me, a game lives and dies by what makes the choices meaningful.

Jin

The readers should know that JT has a stellar record as the commanding officer in Captain Sonar. I’m sure this fact played its part in his pick. But it’s a great game, especially if you can arrange the full complement of players.

Joseph

Thanks for the kind words, Jin. It’s still a team game even if I’ve micro managed a move or two, right? I like it best with 8, for sure, but I’ve had lots of fun at 4 and 6 as well.

Isaac

And you have to play it real time to get the full chaotic experience!

Jin

Micro managing is one way to put it. The obvious pick for me was Codenames but sitting here at pick number four there was little chance of that falling this low. I’m a bit out of my wheelhouse here since I don’t play party games that often. In fact, at the local game night, the groups playing party games laughing and clapping are the people I’m giving side eyes to while I’m deep into a euro trying to figure out what move will give me the most victory points. 

 

When it comes to party games, there’s a giant elephant in the room, whose name begins with “Cards” and ends with “of Humanity.” A dirty secret is that I do own this game and have enjoyed it in the past. I was very early on the CoH train, a lot of that is owed to the fact that it’s a game that comes out of Chicago and I definitely ride for the home team. 

 

I’ve enjoyed it in the past but currently my copy is in my storage unit, gathering dust. You can’t deny  its popularity; I was recently in the toys and game section of Target and found a shocking amount of CoH. 

 

With that said, CoH isn’t my pick; with the fourth pick I’m taking A Fake Artist Goes to New York by Oink Games. A clever deduction game where everyone takes turns adding to a drawing with the conceit that the fake artist doesn’t know what the are drawing. It’s rollicking fun and that’s exactly what a party game should be.

Isaac

Round two is Action Selection-each boardgame chosen will focus on this mechanism of play. Which games will be added to the collections next?…

Brian

JT

Jin

Isaac

 

Brian

Action Selection. Given a slate of options, players need to choose the most effective or efficient one each turn. I really love this style of game, where I’m constantly wishing I could do “all of the things” on every turn.

My favorite game of this genre is the venerable Terra Mystica. Variable player powers, multiple paths to victory, and a changing board make for a different experience every time. Amazing wooden components don’t hurt, either.

Jin

How do you feel about Gaia Project?

Brian

I like Gaia Project a lot, though I’ve only played it twice. It “fixes” some elements of TM (that don’t bother me too much), but it’s different enough that they both can exist in my collection.

I feel like GP gains a lot from having TM experience. I don’t know that you should jump right to GP.

Joseph

I wanted to love TM. I was prepared to love TM. I had very little fun actually playing TM. I should probably play again with another group, but my 2 in person plays backed by numerous plays on the iOS app have netted me a negative opinion of the game, and I can’t really put my finger on why, except that I simply didn’t find it gripping in any way. I should probably also play GP at some point, but there are only so many hours in a day…

For my pick, I wanted to choose a game with many paths to victory, where managing some resources is critical and navigating the threat of combat is occasionally enough to accomplish your goal and have your opponent move out of the hex you want to control. There are tomes of strategy written about this game, and plenty of published opinions on the miniatures. Of course this means I wanted to pick Eclipse. I just couldn’t pull the trigger. I have to go with Scythe. I can’t do the game justice in this brief discussion. I just love the tension, the build up, the upgrades that come with building mechs, the extras added by the expansions, the enormous following and community the game has…for me they make it an incredible experience every time I play. I am still working my way through collecting the upgrades from the KS campaign since I unfortunately did not back it (to much shame and regret), but one day I’ll have them all, because this one is a keeper for sure.

Brian

Scythe is a great pick. A big fan favorite, to be sure, but deservingly so. It was definitely in contention for my selection.

Isaac

Scythe was definitely my pick and I was hoping it would sink to #4 but didn’t expect it to.

Jin

I would have happily taken Scythe as well with my pick. It’s a great game in every aspect and it just seems to grow in popularity.

Fortunately, there are a plethora of games I can pick, all of them by my favorite designer, Vital Lacerda. Which do I pick? Vinhos? The Gallerist? Or do I pick the game that I think is his finest work, the sublime Lisboa?

Vinhos Deluxe is my selection with the third pick. My reason for taking Vinhos over Lisboa is simple; it’s a step lighter than the others. This is because of the 2016 version with the streamlined rules that remove the Bank/Investment action. I’ve got a player in my game group who doesn’t like Lacerda’s games with the exception of Vinhos and that is entirely because we played the 2016 rules, which lose none of the Lacerda’s trademark interdependent decision space while removing one small mechanic that might trip up some gamers. And that Ian O’Toole art? Perfection.

Joseph

Hard to go wrong there. Lacerda has a well earned reputation for strong design and meaningful decision making.

Isaac

There are a few action selection games I considered here. I really enjoyed playing Terraforming Mars a few times and can totally see picking this one as my go to. I also really enjoyed Food Chain Magnate and I’m surprised it didn’t end up on another list on here already. But when it comes down to it one of my all-time favorite games and a great selection here is going to be the deluxified version of TMG‘s hit game Orleans. I love the components, the bag building and the race to multiple selections and needing to decide when it’s time to start adjusting for the end game. Beautifully made and a true joy to play, Orleans is my pick at the four spot here.

Jin

Jinstradamus predicts we will see Food Chain Magnate before the end. I haven’t played Orleans because I refuse to play a non-Deluxified copy. I don’t roll like that.

 

Isaac

Next up is everyone’s favorite mechanic deck building. There are a number of games with this aspect, some classic some new and everything in between. So here we go with round three and let’s see what comes up when when we look at adding deck building to our collections.

Deckbuilder order:

JT

Brian 

Isaac

Jin

 

Joseph

I’m going with Clank! In! Space! with the first pick. I’m not going to make any arguments about best or greatest. I’m just going to share that every time I play Clank! In! Space! I have a great time. I am always forced into choices about how to spend purchase, combat, and movement points in ways that I find compelling and fun. Is a particular purchase worth it now, knowing it won’t come back around for a while? “I’ve made some really great purchases but I don’t have much movement in my deck – this could get interesting…” Not every game has been close, but not every game has to be. The randomness of the purchase row does occasionally seem unfair. But I’ve still always had fun playing this game. I have not played the original Clank! nor have I played the Apocalypse! expansion. But every time I’ve pulled that black box off the shelf it’s been a good time. That consistency and fun factor makes this pick easy for me.

Brian

Clank! (all versions) is a great pick. It takes the deckbuilder concept and adds board movement to make a really engaging game. I prefer vanilla Clank! just because it is lighter and a little more accessible, but I do enjoy the space version. I’ve been at game nights where there were four tables of Clank! being played at the same time, so clearly a popular choice.

For my own pick, now that Clank! is off the table, I’m going to go a even little bit lighter. For a pared down deckbuilder experience, I really enjoy Star Realms. It’s not revolutionary or terribly innovative, but it’s exactly what I want from a deckbuilder: fast, fun, and with some interesting decisions along the way. It’s got two basic currencies (buying power and attack power), faction synergies (four of them), and is a slick little two-player experience. It doesn’t hurt that there is a phenomenal app version that lets me knock out games in just a few minutes. Also, there are plenty of options, with multiple mini-expansions, different core sets, and the fancy new Command Decks that play around with your starting cards and cross-faction abilities. I haven’t tried those out yet, but it’ll be a long time before this game goes stale for me.

Joseph

Agree on all points for Star Realms. I was actually torn between Star Realms and Clank! In! Space! for first pick. There’s a lot to love in the base set and loads to explore in all the expansions. Solid game play in the physical version and that app is tremendous! Just remember, scrap Vipers first!

Isaac

There’s a reason that Star Realms took off like wildfire a few years ago at Origins. It is simple to play but so good. It’s everything I want out of a deckbuilder in a quick compact package. I’ve played it on an end table in a hotel, the floor of a convention hall and on the app way too much. Love it. 

Those two picks are solid and really make my next pick tough.

I love deckbuilding as a mechanism. I am willing to play anything with deckbuilding in it and have tried quite a few over the years. Dominion was one of my gateway games and I fell in love with the deckbuilder challenge it provided but have since found other games that add so much more. Clank and Star Realms are high on my most played list also but there is another that came to mind quickly for me. It also has a ton of variations and add-on expansions but never gets away from its strength as a deckbuilder. 

For my selection I am going to take Legendary at pick number three. I have tried most of the additions and variants for this game and I like the gameplay of Aliens the most and I like the theme/IP of Marvel winning out in that category. This is one of my son’s go-to games and he runs the table almost every time we play. Love the competition and cooperation all mixed in together -Legendary scratches that deckbuilder itch for me everytime.

Jin

These are all fine picks but I’m glad you guys had the courtesy to leave me with the best pick, which is Great Western Trail. GWT is a beautiful game of rustling cattle up north where you need to discard the cattle cards you have multiples of before you get to Kansas City because having the more unique cards earns you more money. I enjoyed my couple of plays of the Clank games but I have to admit that during each play I just thought, I’d rather be playing Great Western Trail. It’s that good. I think it’s a masterpiece and easily Alexander Pfister’s finest design.

Joseph

It’s certainly a worthy pick. To be fair, I’ve only played it once, but it felt nuanced enough for me to believe there’s a lot to unpack in repeat plays. And the new expansion (which I’ve only heard good things about) has many excited.

Isaac

Haven’t played that one yet but have heard good things on it. May have to add it to my list!

Brian

I’ve played GWT and it is a lot of fun. I didn’t jump on it because I don’t really think if it as a deckbuilder. There is a deckbuilding element to it, but that’s not what stands out to me. Pfister is one of the more consistently excellent designers out there, and GWT is no exception.

 

Isaac

Next up is round 4 which brings us to roll and write games. Roll and write games have gained quite a bit of popularity in the last year or two and continue to be a strong presence in the industry. There are some really good unique games out there amongst all of the titles to choose from-so let’s see which games find their way into our individual collections!

Jin

Brian

Isaac

JT

 

Jin

Isaac’s enthusiasm contrasts nicely with my own apathy. Roll and write games aren’t really my cup of tea but I can fully admit that they are having a moment right now. With that said, I’m going to have to pick the one roll and write I’ve played and enjoyed. It’s an oldie but hopefully still a goodie. My pick is Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age. I know it’s a bit different from the variety of roll and writes that are popular now but I remember enjoying the mechanic in Roll Through the Ages and feeling it was a game worthy of being in my collection. With the new Bookshelf edition of the sequel “Iron Age” getting funded on Kickstarter perhaps a roll and write might finally find its way into my library.

Isaac

I have heard that one is solid. It’s a throwback pick from the moment roll and writes seem to be having now and one I definitely want to try

Brian

It’s good to hear that Jin shares my general distaste for the roll-and-write movement that is popular right now. Too often for me, r&w games feel like four people playing solo games.

If I’m going to go that route on game night, I want to do something light and breezy. I’m reaching for a family-friendly favorite, Quixx. The recent deluxe edition (Target exclusive?) puts this fun dice roller in a great, attractive package. It’s great for a non-gamer family, or a filler between meatier games. I like how your early choices can impact your late-game options, but it rarely feels like you’re totally out of it. Even if you are, a complete game shouldn’t be more than 15 minutes.

Isaac

Oh man…I feel like there are so many Roll and Write games I could list here. I love Rolling America, Tag City, Ganz Schön Clever-this list goes on and on. But for me the one that stands out at the top is one I had to jump on this fall when they went back to Kickstarter with a reprint, new editions and gameplay aspects that I am sure are bound to increase even more time around the house playing in this neighborhood.

Welcome To Your Perfect Home is my Roll and Write choice. The “Roll” mechanic here is more of a flip of a card but the gameplay still exists-we all have the same pool of choices and what we do with them is where our game will progress to. Solid game with great mechanics in this category, Welcome To Your Perfect Home will always have a place in my collection.

Brian

I just played a round of Welcome to… this evening. As r&w games go, it’s pretty good. My trouble is that I never have any idea how anyone else is doing, or how I’m doing relative to them. We could be in different rooms of the house and the experience wouldn’t be that different.

Joseph

A fair criticism to be sure, Brian. For me, these games have been great gateway games to, well, gateway games for a number of family and friends. For that reason, I’ll try to keep a few handy at holidays and family get togethers.

Ganz, Welcome To, and Railroad Ink were all in the running for me. I’m kinda surprised 2 of them fell to me. They’re all worthy picks, but I have to go with Tag City. I hope it gets picked up for publication in the US. Unlike some of the other R&W on the list, it has a drafting mechanism that just sings while playing. With a theme of graffiti and tagging areas of the city for bonus points, it uses shapes one might recognize from Tetris or Blokus and players draft the dice that are rolled to choose from the available shapes, trying to fill in the grid representing the city. I really like this one and I hope it gets the broader audience it deserves.

Brian

I’ve not heard of that one. Drafting sounds like a nice twist to the standard roll & write. I’ll keep an eye out for it.

Isaac

The drafting mechanism in Tag City allows you to pick a die and then pick the corresponding piece, so it’s drafting in the same way that Ganz does well-we all pick and then there is a community pick from what is left. It’s a fun game for sure and I fully expect it to be picked up.

The polyominos are a nice touch in Tag City for sure.

 

Next up are Co-op games. Co-op, aka cooperation games will give us the chance to play together to a like-minded goal. There are a number of great titles out there for this game type and I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with for their pick! 

Order for the round:

Jin

Isaac

Brian

JT

 

Jin

For the first pick of co-op games, I’m not going to pick any of the countless Pandemic versions, although I did strongly consider picking Pandemic: The Cure and Pandemic: Rising Tide. 

My pick is Ghost Stories by Antoine Bauza, a beautiful game about defending a small village against Wu-Feng, a really nasty ghost. It’s essentially Ghostbusters in long ago China. I picked Ghost Stories because the rolling dice mechanic solves the “alpha gamer” problem (micro managing if JT is involved). That’s also why I considered the dice version of Pandemic. Ghost Stories is 10 years old now but it still holds up and after all this time I still haven’t ever protected the villagers from Wu-Feng. I’m a loser. Sad!

Isaac

So I’ve got a few on my list that I’ve played and would love to add-Dead of Winter, Pandemic Legacy and Gloomhaven are all choices I think would be a solid pick here at the number two spot. But I think I have to go with the one that I have loved adding to my personal collection the most and one that is easily accessible for players to jump in or out. The art is amazing, the minis are great and the storage in this giant box is outstanding. For my pick I have to go with the cooperative programming game Mechs vs Minions. A true passion project from the minds behind League of Legends this game is not to be missed. Just thinking about it makes me want to get it to the table again with the family!

Brian

I do enjoy cooperative gaming. It’s nice to take the edge off sometimes, and try to work as a team instead of attacking each other. Some of my favorite gaming experiences have been with co-op games, which are usually really good at telling a story.

With that, my choice for my collection is the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game. All of the sets are pretty good, but I’d say the first one, Rise of the Runelords, is probably my favorite.

Using a deck of cards as your character and a set of polyhedral dice, the Pathfinder card game does a great job of emulating the feel of a tabletop rpg. Each part of the adventure is a deck of cards that you explore, either fearing enemies or acquiring new weapons, armor, and spells. Your characters develop and grow from scenario to scenario, as you upgrade and expand your deck.

Joseph

You all left a few soft lobs on the table for me. All the Pandemics, Gloomhaven (which, if my math is right, won 73,042 Dice Tower awards), and Time Stories to name a few.

I am going a little old school because I think the traitor mechanic, even as a possibility not a certainty, helps against some of the alpha gaming. And for all Jin’s jabs, I generally ask permission to quarterback before I begin a dictatorship. The last time I played Captain Sonar, I told my team “I’ll play any role you want me to, but if you make me your captain we will win if you do as I say.” They made me captain, and they listened, and domination of our opponents ensued.

I’m going with Battlestar Galactica. I haven’t played in a while, but it’s on my list to get back to the table soon. The theme may give it a bit of a cult following since there are plenty of folks who didn’t follow the show or are not interested in the IP. But this game is tough to beat and forces players to make choices with opportunity cost in ways that feel compelling to me. The constant threat of Cylons revealing themselves has kept quarterbacking to a minimum in games I’ve played. There is a certain nostalgia for me with this game for sure, but it’s one that I think deserves a look, especially from players who are/were fans of the show.

Brian

Great pick JT. I considered that one, as well as some of the others mentioned. I’m surprised that no one mentioned Spirit Island, which almost got my selection. There are a lot of really high-quality cooperative games out there!

Joseph

Spirit Island is one I really want to play – I just haven’t had the chance. The recent KS campaign was stacked against a few others that I chose to back instead, but I’m excited to try it soon!

Brian

It’s a lot of fun, and very re-playable. Each spirit plays very differently, and different combinations make for very diverse play experiences.

 

Isaac

Next up is round 6 and Two-player games. A good Two-player game doesn’t have to be “2 only” but is a game that plays best when it is one vs one. 

This round we have the following order:

1-JT

2-Jin

3-Brian

4-Isaac

 

Joseph

This is tough for me. I’m torn between two games that don’t get nearly enough buzz and have all the strategy and simplicity you could want. Simple design, quality wood pieces, a grid board, and light and dark pieces that both players can manipulate. Between Tak and Quarto, I think it’s hard to go wrong. In Tak your goal is to control a path from one side of the board to the opposite side. In Quarto, your goal is to place a piece so that 4 in a row share a common trait. Ultimately, I think I give the nod to Quarto because of the twist – your opponent chooses the piece you play each turn… You only get to choose where to put it. So when you win, it’s often because of a choice you forced your opponent to make. It’s that use of “zugzwang” in every game that makes this such a treat for me to play. There are some great 2 player games, some even with national and world championships for which players can compete. But Quarto is something special in its own right and that’s why it gets my pick.

Isaac

I do enjoy Quarto and really all of the two player abstract games from Gigamic. Surprising but solid pick for #1

Jin

If you had asked me a couple years ago, my pick would have been Dice Masters but my views on that game have been adversely impacted by the management of that game. For my two player game, I’m going to go with Summoner Wars by Plaid Hat Games. It’s a miniatures game simplified by using cards instead of minis. The game is dead simple, kill your opponent’s Summoner. Each faction has a starting setup all their own as well as different unit types and event cards. Plaid Hat has released reinforcement packs for the different factions as well as second Summoners to liven things up. They’ve even released a stand alone expansion called Alliances that creates factions that are mashups of the existing factions. This allows a good amount of deck building and when you add in the Mercenaries, a faction that can have its units in any deck and the combinations seems almost endless. True, Plaid Hat is done with Summoner Wars, no more content will be coming out for it but that’s a knock on the game. They did the honorable thing and let the game die a natural death, instead of slowly choking it to death as Wizkids seems to be doing with Dice Masters. Do yourself a favor and go out and get Summoner Wars before it’s fully out of print. It is excellent. 

Brian

While my wife and I are both avid gamers, we don’t tend to play much when it’s just the two of us. We prefer gaming with groups of friends or other couples, so most of our library accommodates 4 or 5 players. We enjoy small games like Jaipur, or the occasional game of Gold Ahoy. Century: Spice Road plays well with two, though I like it with 3 or 4 as well.

My pick for two-player games is Hive. It’s a very thinky, trough strategy game that is often compared to chess, the granddaddy of them all.

You have these beautiful, chunky Bakelite tiles as your pieces, each a different species of insect (or arachnid). Different tiles have different movement rules. each turn, a player can either move piece or add a new one to the board. The first player to trap the opposing queen is the winner.

This is a great game for travel, since it all fits in a bag. For those even more space conscious, there’s even a travel version. We’ve taken this one on trips & vacations, we’ve played in campsites & on the beach. No two games play out the same, and it’s usually fast enough that you’ll want to play a few times.

Isaac

My wife and I are on the opposite side of the coin from Brian-we like playing in bigger groups bit find ourselves playing a lot of two player games at home. 

My most played two player games are Dice Masters and Lightseekers and frankly both continue to make my list of favorite games to play one on one. However the CCG/LCG aspect turns a lot of people off and I get that. 

Boardgame wise, I could go with Star Realms or Hero Realms here, but since Star Realms is off the table I’ll have to pass on that one. I also considered Battle Line, Santorini, Jaipur and Onitama here as all solid additions to my collection. 

But ultimately I am going to go with a game that can play with more players but in my experience and according to an unscientific poll I did on Facebook this game plays best at 2 and when I learned it seemed best at 2 as well. That game is Dice Throne. Dice chucking, hero vs hero combat and one of the prettier games out of the box gives you a great experience at 2 players.

 

Isaac

Next up is Round 7 and Hidden Movement games. These games rely on secret choices by players and is probably one of the more overlooked categories on our list.

Draft order for the round:

Brian

Jin

Isaac

JT

 

Brian

As Isaac said, hidden movement is an overlooked genre. It harkens back to the childhood classic Battleship, where neither player can see their opponent’s board. Modern hidden movement games take things to the next level, often pitting whole tables against one player.

I have played quite a few hidden information games, but I’m partial to an obscure little one called Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space. While the title doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, the game itself goes pretty smoothly. 

In this game, each player gets a hex map representing a malfunctioning space station. Each hex has a letter & number, and each player starts in a slightly different position. Players are either humans or aliens, and have different goals: the humans want to make it to one of the escape pods (certain hexes on the map), while the aliens want to find and eat the humans. 

Roles are secretly assigned at the start of the game, and no one can see where the others are. The humans can freely discuss where they are or where they are heading, but at the start of the game no one knows who the aliens are! As the game progresses, the aliens eventually reveal themselves and there’s a mad dash for the escape pods.

As a player moves, a deck of cards determines whether he or she must reveal some information about their location, though some cards allow a player to lie. This leads to lots of misdirection and shenanigans, with a bit of social deduction à la Werewolf.

The game came out in 2010, but a recent rerelease saw the paper hex pads replaced by dry-erase flipbooks. It’s a considerable upgrade that makes playing a breeze. Plus, it can support up to 8 players at a time, so it turns into a puzzly little party game. I highly recommend it.

Jin

Hidden movement is another class of game that I don’t venture much into; what can I say, I’m a man of very specific tastes. Two games that I have played, own and enjoyed are Letters From Whitechapel and Last Friday. I really dig the theme of Last Friday but found that the game can be a little too long versus the fun I can find in it, so my pick is Letters From Whitechapel. It’s a good game that has one player taking the role of Jack the Ripper while everyone else plays Detectives trying to hunt him down each night before he gets back to his hideout. Overall it’s a fun game that can lead to moments of elation where you feel in sync with your fellow Detectives or moments of misery where you wonder how any of you guys ever made it through the Police academy.

Isaac

For me, I’m looking at hidden movement games we have consistently gotten to the table. For a family game, Pyramid of Penqueen is a good light hidden movement in the Ice Cool world. Fury of Dracula is one I have and can’t wait to play but I don’t know enough about it yet to commit. Captain Sonar fits well here also but has already been snatched up. 

With all that in mind I am going with a game I grabbed after a single playthrough and lost at Origins when it debuted but knew I would love to play it. I’m going with Emerson Matsuuchi’s Spector Ops. I love the hidden movement and the balance of the characters in this. Both the hunter and the huntee are given variable powers and abilities that helps to really change up the gameplay each time. It also introduces a possible traitor amongst the hunters giving another twist in the game.

Joseph

I’ve only played a couple hidden movement games, but I’ve enjoyed, I think, all of them. Some solid selections off the board, Fury of Dracula was mentioned but I’ve not played it, and I’ve heard good things about Nuns on the Run which I’ve also not played. I did like the Bioterrorist expansion to Pandemic released in On The Brink, but ultimately it didn’t quite have the teeth for my selection here. 

My pick goes a little old school. Scotland Yard was the first hidden movement game I played and owned. Seeing my Mr. X hat still reminds me of some of those early experiences with the game. New iterations of the mechanic definitely have improved upon the idea, but Scotland Yard is the OG for me, and that’s why it gets my pick.

 

Isaac

Here are the collections so far

Isaac

Codenames 
Orleans
Legendary 
Welcome to your perfect home
Mechs v Minions
Dice Throne
Spector Ops

Jin

A fake Artist Goes to NY 
Vinhos Deluxe 
Great Western Trail
Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
Ghost Stories 
Hive
Letters from Whitechapel

 

Brian 

Decrypto 
Terra Mystica
Star Realms
Quixx
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game 
Seven Wonders Duel
Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space 

 

JT

Captain Sonar 
Scythe
Clank! In! Space!
Tag City
Battlestar Galactica 
Quarto
Scotland Yar

Four solid collections so far

Next up is drafting. There are a variety of games that can fit under this mechanism, so it will be interesting to see what everyone “drafts” into their own collection. 

Order:

Isaac

Jin

JT

Brian

 

Jin

So many games have drafting as a mechanism, the choices are really plentiful. Azul and Sagrada are well loved games where drafting is a central component but I’ve a firm believer that, for dedicated gamers, there’s a much better game out there; that game is Roll Player. 

In Roll Player you’re drafting dice to fill out a RPG like player sheet, trying to keep your different character stats either over/under or exactly at a number. Each of the six stats also lets you do a special ability when you place a die in that row like flipping a die, moving a die, rerolling a die, etc. You do this while attempting to match the right die to the color on the player board. You can also purchase equipment that affects an alignment card you have and gives you end game points when you obtain a set. It has a lot going on under the surface and they’ve got an expansion that allows you to use your character to go and fight some monsters. I haven’t played it yet but you can bet it’s on the agenda.

Isaac

It’s one I want to play for sure but the theme of games like Sagrada, Azul etc appeal more to the people I tend to play with.

Joseph

I can’t wait to play Roll Player. But Castles hasn’t ever clicked for me any of my plays. /shrug. With my pick, I’m going full cult of the new. A recent kickstarter, Railroad Rivals is a new favorite for me.

Players bid victory points on draft order then draft a city tile and a stock tile (one at a time, in turn order, and each player must draft one of each). The stock tiles represent ownership in each of the 12 railroad companies and remain open information throughout the game. Then there is a tile laying component for the city tiles; players who connect one or more railroads also claim each connection with their own locomotive meeple. City tiles are placed with goods on them that need delivered. After each player places a city tile a SECOND draft occurs, only this is a draft mechanic in hiding. A player may deliver any good on the board to an adjacent tile connected by a locomotive. The stock value of whatever railroad is used is increased and different values of points are awarded based on the good that was delivered. And if you use your opponent’s locomotive, you will give them points too. This draft is really clever and doesn’t feel like a draft. I love it! 

Barring unnecessary AP, the game plays very quickly and the bidding for draft position is super tense. The choice of drafting a city tile first vs a stock tile is great. Your ability to block locations for opponents, draft stocks out from under them, and crank up stock value for the companies you hold majority in is just icing on the cake.

Jin

Hearing that description makes me regret not adding that onto my Raccoon Tycoon Kickstarter pledge. I might have to pick up a copy.

Joseph

Be sure to get the deluxe. Wood tiles. They’re gorgeous!

Brian

With the last pick of drafting games, I’m picking another Kickstarter find, from Ape Games it’s Spirits if the Rice Paddy. This one was a big hit with a lot of our friends. Each player is trying to plant rice, fertilize paddies, get rid of bugs and have the best harvest. 

It’s a typical farming game, except for the drafting. Before each round, players draft a set of magical abilities. You get to bend the game rules, but he more powerful your drafted abilities, the later you go in turn order. This is significant because there’s only so much water to go around each turn, so your paddies might not grow if you draft the wrong thing.

This game has lots of neat decision points, and really nice components. It never seemed to get a lot of buzz, but has been to our table many, many times.

 

Isaac

Next up, Round 9 and Gateway games. These are the games you first get to the table when a friend or family member says “sure, I like boardgames too!”, and they are referring to your standard Parker Bros/Hasbro games of our youth, the roll and moves and games of luck. 

Which game do you add to your collection to gateway a prospective player into the rest of your collection? That’s the mindset with this next pick…

Order

Isaac

Brian

Jin

JT

 

Isaac

There are so many games I would love to use here. There are the classic Gateways like Ticket to Ride, Settlers, Carcassonne- the list goes on and on. 

But I want to pick from the list of games we use and take to introduce non-gaming friends to the hobby. Those games often include titles like Vegas Dice, Century Spice, For Sale, King of Tokyo, Sushi Go, Sagrada and a few others. But the one I have been getting to the table the most is one of the best abstract games and a great way to introduce games that rely a lot less on luck. That game is Plan B title Azul. 

Azul hits on a few different areas for me and the ease of getting it to the table in front a new player is definitely a plus. Visually it is appealing and the tiles are great conversation starters themselves. The game helps bring about critical thinking in boardgames without being too overwhelming for the new player.

Although it may not be the first game I chose to play on a game night, Azul continues to be a great title to bring new converts into the fold. Azul takes the top spot for Gateway games in my collection.

Isaac

(Also, playing it by the correct rules is a definite must)

 

Brian

I have to go with an old classic: Ticket to Ride.

It’s a venerable works horse, but it really is one of the best gateway games that I own. It’s super-accessible, visually pleasing, and has a great tactile “toy quality” with the little plastic trains. The rules are simple enough that non-gamers can grasp them quickly, and there’s enough of a strategic element that gamers aren’t usually bored with it.

We recently gave my sister-in-law our copy of TTR, and it has done its work. They keep playing with their friends, and have been asking us for more and more game recommendations. It’s a true gateway game because it elevates the concept beyond Monopoly-style randomness, and hints at a larger world. Oh, you liked that? Let me show you this…

Jin

Well that was my pick as well. I think Ticket to Ride is an amazing game and it still hold up all these years later. Out of the triumvirate of gateway games, Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Carcassonne: TtR is the only game I’d recommend now. My selection is going to be a game that I think is simple enough that it could be a gateway game. With the increased popularity of D&D, due to shows like Big Bang Theory and Stranger Things, the theme of the game is even more appealing to non-gamers than it was when it was first released. My selection is Lords of Waterdeep. I still keep this in my collection even though it’s unlikely to make it to the table anytime soon. The gameplay is simple enough that anyone can understand that you get a quest and get the cubes to fulfill it. Build buildings and you get stuff when people use them. You’ve got a hidden role that means you want to complete certain types of quests over others. It’s simple, yet a challenge for newcomers to understand what actions to prioritize and when. I still enjoy it enough to occasionally boot up the app version on my phone. And LoW does a great job of introducing future gamers to the worker placement mechanic, one of the more common types of game.

Isaac

LoW is a solid pick and one that I played a bit back in the day. I think it has a fine place as an intro game for sure.

Brian

Still one of my favorite games.

Joseph

Looks like Isaac picked 10 games. Hard to knock his final choice of Azul though. TtR and LoW are also solid. With the 4th pick here,  I’m going to go with Drop It. This Kosmos hit game from 2018 is a hit for a number of reasons. First, it’s got an absolutely simple ruleset. Pick a piece and drop it in the board. if it isn’t touching a matching shape or color piece, it scores. The game being approachable for non-hobby gamers makes this an ideal gateway game. But the fact that so many hobby gamers have given it high praise has raised its credibility in the public eye. I am sure this game will never leave my collection. It plays quickly, simply, and there’s always the hope for a better score or play. My family loves it and so do many of the non-hobby gamers I’ve introduced to it.

Isaac

Dang it. I passed on Drop It hoping to nab it in the family games round. This is one of my favorite games in my collection and one I love introducing to new players.

I even purposely didn’t name it on my list so no one else thought about it

Joseph

Well, thankfully I didn’t rely on your scripting for the choices! 

 

Isaac

Area control/Area majority is up next. This mechanic allows you to gain and control an area through a variety of ways and really is a staple in a lot of good games.

Draft order for round 10:

Brian

JT

Isaac

Jin

 

Brian

Okay, area control. Games of pure area control can be a little cutthroat. Sometimes that negative player interaction can really crush my enjoyment, especially if I’m taking it from a few different sides. When it’s well-integrated with the theme, though, I can really enjoy it.

My pick for area control is one that drips with theme: Dominant Species. You take the role of Mammals, Amphibians, Birds, Reptiles, Arachnids, or Insects. Over the game you adapt and spread around the Earth as an ice age threatens to wipe out everything. It’s long and thinky, but super-engaging. We like this one so much we upgraded the wooden bits with Meeple Source, at a cost much higher than the game itself. A six-player game can take a long time, but it sure is fun.

Joseph

I’m going to take a bit of a risk here and pick a game I haven’t played (I own it – it’s on my shelf of opportunity). I’m going to take a recent KS fulfillment from Mindclash games – Cerebria. This game is absolutely gorgeous. It’s simply one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever seen. In Cerebria, players take on roles of different emotions and play for control of the mind (Cerebria). At certain points in the game, a revelation is triggered. at that moment, the area control/majority determines the state of the game (state of mind), and making a permanent mark on the identity of Cerebria. As the identity is formed, a bit of a monument is built in the middle of the board. in essence, the game is layered area control for the win. The theme, the concept, and the hype around how well it’s balanced and how well it plays have me chomping at the bit for this one. So much so that I’m willing to take it with the second pick, unplayed.

Isaac

At the three spot, I’ve got to take one of new favorites and one I see playing for quite some time. It was recommended by a good friend in here and I am sure one he would love to add to his list as well. 

Area control isn’t the only thing you are doing but it is such an important part of the strategy of all the different players on the board. The flow and gameplay of this title is what keeps me thinking about it days after I’ve played. I learned quickly that you can’t just do “your thing” and hope to win faster. This game is all about control and reaction to your opponent. 

So for my collection, I gotta Add Root from Leder games. This stellar 2018 title is a must-play and I’m happy to grab it here.

Jin

Good pick. This should be a lesson to you, Isaac, never question my taste again, or to put it more succinctly, “RESPECT MY AUTHORITY!”

I’m sure anyone who knows me is feeling pretty certain that I’m about to select a game by Eric Lang and produced by CMON. If any bookies were to take bets, they might lay some racks down, thinking it’s easy money. 

Well friends, you just took a bad beat and you’ve lost everything. Your children will go hungry and your partner will leave you for someone smarter and probably more attractive than you. Because with the last pick, I’m taking the grand daddy of area majority games, El Grande by Z-Man. 

El Grande was released in the same year as Settlers of Catan but unlike Catan, I’d happily play El Grande anytime. It does area majority better than any game after because it keeps it simple. You play a power card once and only once. The higher number power cards get to go first but they also get less caballeros from the supply. You pick an action card and then, in the order of your choice, do the action and place the number of caballeros it tells you to place. All caballeros are placed in regions adjacent to the King piece. Don’t want to place in any of those areas? You can choose to place them inside the Castillo and before the scoring round you can secretly choose where to send the caballeros of your color from within. 

It’s simple and just so good.

 

Updated collections:

Isaac

Codenames 
Orleans
Legendary 
Welcome to your perfect home
Mechs v Minions
Dice Throne
Spector Ops
Castles of Mad King
Ludwig
Azul
Root

Jin

A fake Artist Goes to NY 
Vinhos Deluxe 
Great Western Trail
Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
Ghost Stories 
Hive
Letters from Whitechapel
Roll Player
Lords of Waterdeep
El Grande

 

Brian 

Decrypto 
Terra Mystica
Star Realms
Quixx
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game 
Seven Wonders Duel
Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space 
Spirits of the Rice Paddy
Ticket to Ride
Dominant Species 

 

JT

Captain Sonar 
Scythe 
Clank! In! Space!
Tag City
Battlestar Galactica 
Quarto
Scotland Yard
Railroad Rivals
Drop It
Cerebria

 

Isaac

Next up: deduction. Using deduction as a mechanism, games will often have you try and deduce another player’s role, hand, objective or other hidden information. 

Draft order is: 

A mystery. Figure it out through deduction….

JT

Brian

Isaac

Jin

 

Joseph

I like deduction games. I like logic puzzles. I grew up with Stratego and Clue. But logic isn’t the only deduction – social deduction deserves discussion too. Werewolf and Mafia were group favorites in college well over a decade ago. I love Sudoku puzzles. And that’s the simplest form of deduction – a puzzle. For that reason, I’m tempted to go for one of the many escape room in a box games here. There’s also plenty of reason to go with a co-op game with a traitor, as resolving that tension with the right group can be loads of fun.

Despite the numerous other options, I’m going with Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective with the first pick. While every case is really only playable once, there’s plenty of cases in each box to make the purchase worthwhile. Part of the reason for this pick is that my siblings and their spouses really like it, and they’re not hobby gamers in the least. So when I find a game that we can play together, that they enjoy, I pay a little closer attention to it. This is one that fits the bill and we all enjoy. The difficulty ramps up from case to case, the red herrings give each case that seed of doubt for a good twist, and I’m a sucker for the Sherlock theme when we talk about deduction games. It’s not a game we play often in my house, but I’ve never played and not enjoyed it.

Brian

SH:CD is pretty good, but that guy cheats. I hate reading the solutions that make me feel like such a dummy.

Joseph

I think I read every Encyclopedia Brown case as a kid. I always felt dimwitted after the ones I didn’t solve. At least with SH:CD I can blame being jumpy and not having read the info at every location to sort the red herrings from the solid clues before making my guess.

Brian

 

For my deduction pick, I’m going with One Night Ultimate Werewolf. It’s the faster, one-round distillation of the classic mafia/werewolf.

The reason I prefer ONUW to the standard version is the speed. You boil the game down to the basics, and it becomes a big logic puzzle with plenty of bluffing. Instead of whittling people down, round after round, you have one opportunity to get it right. If you lose, no big deal; shuffle the role cards and try again! Plus, no one has to be the moderator so everyone can join in the fun.

With a three minute playtime and no player elimination, ONUW is the clear winner for me.

Isaac

This one is a hard category for me. If I didn’t already have Specter Ops in the collection it would definitely be my pick here. But since that one is already in the mix, there are a few puzzle-like games I would consider. I have really enjoyed playing Ubongo and Dimensions from Kosmos games but they don’t quite hit the top of the list for me. 

So here I think I will take a game that is on my list of need to play but haven’t played, and one I really think is going to be a favorite once I get the 2–3 hours of gameplay in. So my pick is the new version of Fury of Dracula from wizkids games. The hidden information and deduction of figuring out how to beat this game one versus many is sure to be a hit with our group, and the components look great. This is a game I’ve only heard good things about from those that have played it.

Jin

This category is also a difficult one for me, because I don’t play a lot of deduction games. One I have played and enjoyed is Deception: Murder in Hong Kong by Grey Fox Games. In the game players are trying to figure out the way a murder was committed and a piece of evidence related to the murder. Everyone gets eight cards in total in front of them; four means of murder and four evidence cards. Two players are the Murderer and the Accomplice and one is the Witness who knows who the other two are. The Murderer picks a means of murder and evidence card from their tableau while Accomplice and the Forensic Scientist watch. The Forensic Scientist then relays the identities of the Murderer and Accomplice to the Witness. The Forensic Scientist is unable to communicate by any means other than marking clues on some tiles to try to guide everyone to the truth. 

It’s a fun game that elicits accusations of who might be the murder based upon the clues given. There are some caveats though, the game is really better towards the higher player counts and the murderer has to do a good job of selecting the means of death and evidence, making sure to pick the choices that have decent similarities to other cards on the table. The Forensic Scientist is the most important role and their play can make or break the game. Nevertheless, it’s a good addition to my draft library.

 

Isaac

Next up is round 12 and Tableau/Engine Building. This mechanic allows you to build from your Tableau in front of you  that you are able to build from or change  that will affect the actions taken for the future rounds. Lots of great games use this as a mechanism in building up the game as you play though it. 

Picks for this round

Jin

JT

Isaac

Brian

 

Jin

FOOD CHAIN MAGNATE! FOOD CHAIN MAGNATE! Sorry, I was excited. Depending on the day, Food Chain Magnate is my favorite game of all time. In FCM, you’re the CEO of a fast food purveyor, on each turn you’re doing the actions of each employee in your tableau, hiring more employees, producing food, marketing food, and other various actions. It’s a Euro with high interaction level because every choice your opponents makes matters. Each choice your opponent makes will effect change in your long term strategy. This game is one where you always have to be aware of everyone else’s unit prices or production abilities. It’s an expensive game especially considering the production of the game which varies from awesome to bleh but when it comes to gameplay, few games can get to the level of FCM.

Joseph

FCM is definitely a worthy pick. So glad you introduced me to it, Jin!

I’m going with Endeavor: Age of Sail. This was an impulse Kickstarter for me. I can’t really explain why, except that it looked awesome! I’m so glad it lived up to the graphic design of the KS campaign and more. I had no exposure to the original publication of Endeavor, but this iteration is practically perfect for me. Each player acts as a trade magnate in the 15th-19th centuries, building a trade empire through clever area control, engine building, and action selection. Simple turn flow makes the game easy to learn and approachable. The exploits included in Age of Sail that were not in the original publication give the game tremendous replayability. The game lasts for 7 turns and then it’s over, so it really doesn’t overstay its welcome. The majority of endgame scoring comes from 4 attributes which are raised through acquiring cards, shipping to, or occupying locations on the board (those locations may alternatively provide bonus actions to be used later in the game at player discretion). Players build a tableau of actions (represented by buildings) that grows turn by turn and then take any of their available actions in turn order. The buildings available for your tableau are limited by your building attribute level. The number of actions players can take are limited by the workers they have available which is determined by another attribute level. The last two attributes determine how many cards you may hold and how many workers you may pay to reopen an action space on a building. There’s this great tension as you build your empire as to whether it will be through spreading out as far and wide as you can or by staying nimble and having options once the board is filled with player tokens.

This game is definitely more forgiving than FCM, but because of how interwoven the actions are, you still need to pay close attention to how you’re opponents are building and prioritizing. If you don’t, you’ll be left in the dust with no options to disrupt them or threaten your own overpowering strategy.

Isaac

I would have loved to add FCM also-what a great game. Haven’t pulled the trigger on it yet but I really enjoy it. 

I enjoy these types of games and I think here I will pick another one introduced to us by Jin and one that I have got a chance to play with friends and family who have all enjoyed it. The style of the game is stellar and one I highly recommend. For my pick I will take Terraforming Mars.

Brian

I actually thought Terraforming Mars might slip all the way down to the fourth pick, and I was really excited as it’s one of my top games.

For me, I am going with a more streamlined affair. Splendor is basically Engine Building: The Game. Everybody went crazy for this one when it debuted, mostly due to its great components. There’s something so satisfying about a good poker chip. The game itself, though, really is a wonder of efficiency and engine building. It’s easy to teach, quick to play, and doesn’t fall into the AP trap.

I will say one drawback is that Splendor is the most anti-social boardgame in my collection. It goes so quickly that when we play, almost no one talks!

Isaac

I like Splendor but I will take Century Spice Road Golem over this one. It’s replaced almost all requests for Splendor in my house

Brian

I like Century too, but it’s that little bit more involved. Splendor wins for me because it is so distilled.

 

Isaac

Family games are next. This is a category that can cover a lot of different games but ultimately they are games to play with the kids, adults and everyone sitting at the table to bring them together. A good family game showcases a lot of different aspects but ultimately fun with the people sitting around the table is the goal. 

Jin

JT

Brian

Isaac

 

Jin

Family games, to me, are very similar to gateway games, except that gateway games, from their name, imply the possibility of being a launching point on a journey of game discovery. Family games are about having a fun time with people of all ages. 

I think the best game of pure fun, is King of Tokyo. You’re rolling and rerolling dice, trying to find the best combination to heal or do damage or score points. It’s got a fun king of the hill thing going that can elicit a lot of laughs. It’s got more strategy that you might assume it has at first glance. I know I like to play a “just keep hearts to heal and reroll for points” strategy, trying to avoid going into Tokyo at all costs. It’s got vibrant art and cool characters. It’s a game that will stick around forever.

Joseph

There are so many games that my family loves to play. One of the first ones to get my daughters hooked on playing games was Tokaido. I rethemed it a little for them – “pretend we’re all on vacation and you get to choose to do whatever you want based on the picture by the spot on the path.” So the Temples became going to the movies or a museum, and I let them choose “how much to pay for their tickets.” I get that changing the theme or altering the game in this way can take away from part of the point of this entire drafting experience – adding games to these collections for the point of the exercise. But I will counter that Tokaido is probably our most played game as a family. And if contextualizing a game to suit younger players is too far a reach, well then I have lost my sense of “play” anyway.  

We love playing Tokaido. My eldest daughter loves completing the paintings. My middle daughter wants to meet all the interesting people she can. My youngest loves the free points from the hot springs. But despite the fact that they have worked out their own favorite parts of the game, they manage to surprise me at how willing they are to make a more strategic move if it’s available. and that behavior has only come with more plays; because at first, they would skip so many actions just to take their favorite. This is a game that is not only approachable for all ages, but people can have fun doing different things in the game, and it has been useful in teaching my daughters how to approach games to get “better” at them. Tokaido is far from my favorite game, but my family has had loads of fun playing it, and I never hesitate to pull it off the shelf when we’re sitting down for a family game night.

Isaac

Both very solid choices-King of Tokyo is a game we will see in various versions for quite some time I’m sure

Brian

My family game pick is Las Vegas. It’s a simple dice roller that’s easily accessible, even for younger kids. We often break this one out among the adults, but kids can easily jump in too.

We once played a five player game, my wife, myself, my brother, his wife, and their then five year-old daughter. She grasped the rules of placement quickly, and set about making sure that everyone had “friends” in their different casinos. We didn’t coach her or tell her where to go; she followed her own logic and went about her business. At the end of the fourth round, she had collected the most money and won!

A family game where anyone can win, and not just through dumb luck, is a good choice.

Isaac

Family games are definitely ones that bring everyone to the table for a good time. I like how Brian put it, you can win by more than just dumb luck and everyone has a chance. 

One of my favorite games to break out for family and friends of all ages that isn’t a “party game” does have some luck involved but you need to pay attention and run through in your head how the dice should affect the 4 legged racers. This is Camel Cup from PlanB Games. I love the betting and back and forth that can cause some very loud and audible gasps across the kitchen table. We often see people start to get a hang of this and then they start with a little more strategy against each other. This one recently got a redo with some new components and aspects and that version looks great as well.

 

Isaac

Next up is round 14 and Pick Up and Deliver. Let’s see what everyone’s favorite game is that utilizes this very popular mechanic. Time for the four of us to pick up and deliver one of these gems to our collection!

JT

Jin 

Isaac

Brian

 

Joseph

I have to give an Honorable Mention pick here. I’m not sure you guys would even be familiar with it since it is such a small project. Galactic Contract is a recent Kickstarter small box with absolutely fabulous minimalist art. The designers are brothers who borrowed money from their other brothers to publish the game. It’s simple, but tremendous for what it does. If you can find it, it’s worth your time to give it a shot.

My pick is Jonathan Gilmour’s classic, Wasteland Express Delivery Service (design credits also to Ben Pinchback and Matt Riddle). WEDS has it all for me. Big game ending objectives, minor ones along the way, upgrading your truck and trailer with mods to improve your ability to ship or survive attacks are all vying for your attention and prioritization… The game has great tension and solid mechanics that draw you in. And that’s all without even mentioning the art in this game. The setting is post-apocalyptic, the drivers all appear to have a screw or two loose, and the neon colors that permeate the game are icing on the cake. I nabbed this game on a ridiculous sale, but once I opened it and saw the game trays, the organization layout, the instructions to save punchboards and stow them under the box insert, the scenarios included? There are so many little details to love here. Wasteland is my pick without hesitation.

Isaac

Solid pick. Haven’t played it yet but really want to try it out. Theme has kept it from my personal collection only in I’m not sure how well the kiddos would like it. But with at the helm you cannot go wrong!

Jin

My pick is a solid game from a well known designer that’s definitely under the radar. The designer is Uwe Rosenberg and the game is Merkator. It’s a pretty great pick up and deliver game. You’ve got contracts for cities that want specific goods. There’s one Merkator token that the players on their turn will move to a location either major or minor. If you move it to a major location, you take any of the cubes for that location and convert to the goods of that color, making sure you gain at least one of each good. If you move to a minor location you don’t get goods but instead you populate goods at the major locations. At the major location you populate goods at the adjacent major locations. Then if you have a contract matching the location the Merkator token is at and have the necessary goods you fulfill the contract, allowing you to get a higher level contract (the higher the level of the contract, the more end game victory points you get). If other players have contracts matching the location and the goods they can join the journey, and fulfill their contracts, by paying you time tokens. Time tokens are a really unique part of the game, moving to certain locations lets you gain time tokens, moving to others costs you time tokens. The tokens also act as the game timer, if the last token is taken, or a player fulfills a level 10 contract, the game ends and the players have one more round and the game ends. 

It’s a really unique pick up and deliver game, that’s relatively unknown and has been passed over by the board game community. Part of that might be due to the box, it’s very ugly and boring looking. Unfortunately, it had one printing and it’s out of print now but there are copies available on the BGG Market.

Brian

I remember seeing this on the shelf years back, and getting scared off by bad reviews on bgg. I love Uwe, so probably worth a shot after all

Isaac

This is a tough category for me, the more I looked at my personal collection the more I saw this isn’t the genre I play very much in. 

There are some popular titles that fit in this category and ones that would probably round out my collection, but I am going to go with one I own from a designer I really like. Emerson Matsuuchi’s second game in the Century series-Century: Eastern Wonders. This game takes some familiar aspects of Century: Spice Road and introduced the pick up and deliver of little spice cubes as goods around to the corners of the board  to fulfill objectives. I really look forward to seeing what the third in the series brings to the table as well.

 

Brian

I waffled a little on this pick. Like Isaac, I don’t have a ton of games in this category. I like Century: Eastern Wonders, and I enjoyed my one play of WEDS. I had the Firefly game, but sold it after a couple of plays. In the end, I’m going with a smaller game that “delivers” (rimshot) the pu&d experience in a tidy package: The Great Heartland Hauling Co. it’s the first game I played from Jason Kotarski (now owner of Green Couch Games). It’s not a “long haul” like some games if this genre, but is welcome to my table any time.

 

Isaac

Round 15 is up and it’s time to see how well balanced our collections can become. This time the category is Dexterity and with a lot of really good picks out there, this should give us a great addition to stack on to the collection

Brian

Isaac

JT

Jin

 

Brian

Dexterity games, also known as the biggest blind spot in my collection. My wife and I lean into strategy games pretty heavily, as it turns out we’re both rather clumsy. Ice Cool was ice cold for us, and Flick Em Up got flicked to the curb. Animal Upon Animal is the only dexterity game still in our library.

That might change soon, though. I recently got to play a few games of Klask, and it was surprisingly enjoyable. Kind of like a magnetic wooden air hockey, Klask is a well-crafted game that is a lot of fun, even for an uncoordinated oaf like me. It’s on the pricey end of the scale, but it sure is attractive in the table. That makes it my pick for the Dexterity category.

Isaac

Klask is a fun one. Played it this weekend. Definitely a pricey game though. 

Dexterity plays well at family and friend getogethers and especially with young kids. It seems to even the playing field along with adding some hilarity and genuine belly laughs. 

I really, really like Kung-fu Zoo. I’m tempted to make it my pick but the fact that it only plays up to four limits it. So I’m going to go with Ice Cool 1&2. This game is a blast, takes up a lot of table space and makes for some genuinely happy gaming moments. There are a lot of “wow” shots across the ages and skills of players. I love how much table presence it has and how easily it stacks together in one box. The penguins are cute, the alternate gameplay options make it fun also because there are a variety of different ways to play.

Joseph

Dexterity games are not my jam. However. Dino Dunk from Twin City Games is an exception. In Dino Dunk, players control 2 teams of dinosaurs playing basketball. Some dinos are different sized discs, making bumping other dinos really interesting. Each dino has its own special ability, but you can pass, shoot, or dribble down the court (playmat). On defense you can move into a better positron, steal the ball, or knock other dinos out of the way – just be careful not to commit a foul!

The game is a hit with my daughters, but it’s also very tactical turn by turn which has been a key factor for my adult friends who have enjoyed this game.

Jin

If you’ve seen my Crokinole board, you’d think my pick would be locked in. And your reasoning would be sound, my board is beautiful. It cost a pretty penny and sometimes I think maybe I should have kids just so I can have someone to pass it onto when I pass on. 

But my pick is Seal Team Flix by WizKids. I haven’t played it yet but the boards are all assembled and the rules have been internalized. If you’ve ever played the old computer game series Jagged Alliance, you’d understand the appeal. It’s a coop game where you outfit your character with weapons and gear. You’ve got an objective and enemies to face. You move squares based upon your movement value and when it’s time to bust some guns, here comes the dexterity element, you accomplish that by flicking different size disks based on what weapon you’ve equipped. I can’t wait to get this thing on the table. They’ve already announced an expansion is coming and it’s an automatic pick up for me.

 

Isaac

The next category is card games-these are games that are based around a deck of cards in some fashion. A lot of games have cards but these are ones that revolve around that mechanic. 

Isaac

Brian 

JT

Jin

 

Isaac

For my first pick, there are a few card games I really like. Recently I started playing Lightseekers and love it, but as a CCG it isn’t as appealing to add to my collection here.

So after surveying all of the card games I have, I have to go with one that has become an instant classic an addition to my “always read to play” bag. That is Grandpa Beck’s game Skull King. This euchre-like game is one that has been a hit for everyone who has played it. The key is that you don’t have to have the best hand, you can try for the worst hand each turn also and score big points either way. I love the table talk, the hilarity that ensues and the fun times this game always brings to the table.

Brian

I’ve heard good things about that one, Isaac, but I haven’t gotten to play it myself.

My pick for card game is Carl Chudyk’s legendary classic, Glory to Rome. I lucked into a copy of the black box edition at a FLGS years ago, buying it without even knowing what it was. Multi-use cards, killer minimalist artwork, and combo-heavy gameplay make it an easy choice for me.

Joseph

For Sale! Bidding and trick taking with a real estate theme. It’s all about buying low and selling high with homes represented by art from a cardboard box to double wide trailer to a mansion to a space abode. When I played with my family over the holidays, my sister (who rarely plays games) wanted to play again right away. Any game that pulls people in like that is a winner for me.

Jin

My pick is The Grifters by Indie Boards & Cards. It’s a nice filler where you start out with a handful of cards, each representing a different skill and criminal role. You have a personal board with three slots each representing a different night, on your turn you shift each stack to the right, with the last stack going off the board. Then you play either a single card or a team of cards. Playing a single card lets you use the ability of that card. Abilities can range from stealing money from the coffers or the other players, abducting cards from your opponents, and drawing new cards. If you play a team, you can complete one of the job cards as long as you match the skill types. Having sets of cards gets you money at the end of the game. The winner is whoever has the most money. It’s really thematic and has great take-that elements. The best filler game in my opinion. The stand alone expansion just fulfilled and hit retail, get it. You will not be disappointed.

 

Isaac

Next up: abstract. This category can really cover a lot of different games, but mainly these games don’t rely on theme and do not have hidden information or randomness as their main drives of play.  

Isaac

JT

Brian

Jin

 

Isaac

Abstract games come in a variety of shapes and styles. There are a few out there I would love to list and add but I think I am going to go with one Randy introduced to me a while ago and I instantly wanted to add it to my collection. 

It has dice-oh so many dice. The theme works but it is simple. I would take this in about any flavor or style-the dice drafting and set-up is great. The Floodgate Games produced title Sagrada. This and the expansion with it play smooth and allow most players to jump right in with minimal confusion to gameplay.

Brian

Sagrada is a great game. I consider it one of my best Kickstarter pickups.

Joseph

I’m going full cult of the new for this one. And while I am confident the new Next Move release, Tuki, will be loads of fun, I am most looking forward to Yanaguana’s next Kickstarter project, Blume.

I got the chance to demo this very briefly at Pax Unplugged with the designer, Stevo Torres. All I can say is I’m going to love this game. Tile laying to build a garden of flowers, pruning completed flowers (with the hopes of being able to score them again), recipe fulfillment for bonuses, special actions for achievements… It’s a rich design and beautiful art and this was all prototype months ahead of the KS campaign. I cannot wait for this to hit KS. Yanaguana has said they want their latest KS, Re-Chord, fulfilled or in fulfillment before taking the Blume project live, so I don’t think they have a set date yet, but I expect it this spring. This is one of my most anticipated games of the year (even though fulfillment is likely to be 2020). I can’t wait!

Brian

Abstract games are usually a bit of a tough sell for me. I love a dry Euro, but I need that thin veneer of theme to pull me in and engage me a bit. Even if the mechanics feel detached from the theme, I prefer a game that looks like more than a pile of discs or dice.

That being said, there are some abstracts that I really enjoy. My pick is the unfortunately named NMBR 9. Each player gets a collection of tiles in the shapes of pixelated numbers, 0-9 (two each). A deck of cards determines the order in which the tiles must be placed, so all players are trying to create their own puzzle stacks. The twist is that tiles score points equal to their number, but only if they are on the second level or higher. In order to place a tile on a higher level, it must be completely supported underneath with no gaps. This creates very interesting decisions, prioritizing between scoring now on a low level vs. planning for later. 

It’s easy to teach and doesn’t overstay its welcome, making it a great filler between meatier games.

Joseph

NMBR 9 is a hit with our family. My daughters love it, and my wife enjoys it as a puzzle-y exercise. Solid pick.

Jin

Abstracts are probably my least favorite category as well. One recent one that I’ve enjoyed and have in collection is The Climbers by Simply Complex. There’s no theme besides the name and I don’t really understand why the game even needed a name that tries to paste on any theme but the game is pretty fun. Trying to advance your pawn while giving everyone else a dwindling array of options is great. I really enjoy the game for an abstract. It’s not something I’ll suggest very often but if someone else wants to play it, I’m always game.

Isaac

Next up is round 18 and Dungeon Crawler games. Grab your sword and shield, potions and spellbooks and lets see who comes our on top with their pick!

Brian

JT

Jin

Isaac

 

Brian

I’m a big D&D nerd from back in the day, so I have a lot of love for dungeon crawlers. I’ve played quite a few of them, and for my money nothing beats Gloomhaven.

I know that I’m not alone in this: it’s the number one game on boardgamegeek, and has been for a while. Thought the price is pretty high, at over $100, the game itself provides a campaign with over 100 scenarios, each of which can take an hour or two to complete. On a cost-benefit analysis alone, it’s a winner.

Obviously there’s a lot more to it, but Gloomhaven delivers in almost every way. It’s got a great campaign, with some neat unexpected twists. It’s got amazing character development and customization options. It’s got a cool combat system that is randomized, but doesn’t use dice and allows for mitigation. It’s got tons and tons of cardboard in the box. It’s got unlockable content that shows real progression, and legacy elements that make every campaign unique.

If I have a complaint with Gloomhaven, it’s with the miniatures. As Kickstarter gets more flooded with miniature games, it’s clear that a better job could have been done here. While they don’t change the game much, I was a little let down by some of the sculpts. As a backer of the first edition, there were also a lot of issues with the rulebook. This has been cleaned up since, but it was a little rough at the outset. To be fair, Cephalofair Games was a one-man operation until more recently, so it’s not that surprising that there would be a few trouble spots.

I will also caution that the campaign is daunting, and even dedicated groups can lose steam. Our playgroup has not finished, nor have we played in months. Eventually the new hotness drew our attention away, and we haven’t picked Gloomhaven back up. Still, it’s one of the most-played games in my collection, and one I heartily recommend to any lover of dungeons, crawling, or some combination of the two.

Joseph

Dungeon crawlers rarely do it for me. I get excited to try them and then I always find myself enjoying it less than I expected to. To be fair, there are some big ones I haven’t played. And I’ve never done a D&D campaign. Maybe it’s the fantasy setting (but I love many books and movies with a fantasy setting) or maybe it’s the mechanics (but I love character building and missions in a number of video games). I can’t point to a specific reason that I find myself disappointed in dungeon crawler games. All that said, I do have a pick for this style game that I can get excited about.

I’m going with Exodus: A Z-War One Game. I was able to review a pre-production copy before the Kickstarter went live in the fall of 2018. The game comes with stand alone scenarios to play, but it has this amazing campaign mode that’s driven by a comic book. You might guess by the name this is a zombie game. The combat is easy to grasp where many games have overly complicated systems and rules. The waves of baddies never stop coming. And despite having to follow the game’s system to drive those waves and combat between player turns, it really didn’t feel like the system slowed the gameplay. The story pulled me in despite the fact that this isn’t my normal cuppa.  There’s a lot to love in this one. I would gladly play another campaign of Exodus, and long before I would consider getting involved in many other dungeon crawler campaigns.

Jin

For my pick I’m going with Two Many Bones. It fills the two things I need from a dungeon crawler, character customization and an interesting narrative. TMB doesn’t have any kind of map that builds through the gameplay, you’re journeying through a stack of cards, each one offering the potential of combat or rewards. It’s a neat system. Each Gearlock plays very differently and can be customized based on the choices you make, do you use your points to add to dexterity, allowing you to roll a larger pool of dice or do you add it to your attack stat, ensuring you roll enough attack dice to really do some damage. Then again, you could just train up one of your special dice. 

It’s a game with a lot of decisions and even more dice. It’s expensive and you can’t buy it at retail, only direct from Chip Theory Games but if you ever get the chance to try it, don’t pass it up.

Isaac

I’m going to go with one of the smallest Dungeon Crawl games I have ever played- it is quick and easy to set up and gives me the experience without being too overwhelming and detailed in minis and components- it’s Dungeon Hustle from Wizkids and designed by Ben and Tim Eisner. Run the dungeon, beat up on monsters, quest for treasures, wash and repeat. 

I enjoyed this game and the design to get my dungeon fix in-it is a highly under-rated game and one I would recommend getting to the table if you like this style of game.

 

Isaac

Round 19 finds us at worker placement games. Take your meeple, put him out to work and reap the benefits. Let’s see where the games we pick are placed this round!

Jin

Isaac

JT 

Brian

 

Jin

Oh the riches! There are a ton of worker placement games I could pick. It’s one of the most used and well loved categories of games. I love Anachrony, Trickerion, Viticulture, Stone Age, Champions of Midgard, Voyages of Marco Polo, Carson City, and Agricola—which was once upon a time my favorite game. 

I could have picked any one of those games and been very happy. But to me, the three games that belong in the highest tier are Agricola, Viticulture, and Voyages of Marco Polo. 

The first game to fall out of this fatal three way is Agricola. It’s still a great game but these days, I play it exclusively on the app. I’ve played it so much, I don’t feel the desire to pull out the physical copy.

Among the final two, if I was picking for universal appeal, the choice would be clear; it would be Viticulture. It’s got a great and pretty unique theme. It’s easy to explain and the expansion makes it a phenomenal game. I would never play without Tuscany. I’ve got a specific recipe of modules I enjoy. Extended board, Mamas & Papas, Property tiles, and Specialists: in case you were wondering what my favorite configuration is. 

But this is a library that I need to really want to play. And the game that I really love playing is Voyages of Marco Polo. I love the dice worked placement, the traveling to different cities to get bonuses and new action spaces. It’s a great game. It always feels like you have a ton of things to accomplish and little time and moves to accomplish them. Those are the kind of games that really feel satisfying to me.

Isaac

No question for me here I have to pick one of my all time favorite games. I also cut my teeth on Agricola for worker placement and really enjoy a good game of that still (or the 2.0 version of Caverna). 

But as Jin mentioned, Viticulture is a gem and is my pick here. I love the theme and how well it flows. Essential and Tuscany edition are the only way to play this game. The expanded board made a good game even better and really opened up the options. There is a smooth nature to this game that is hard to describe-but it plays so well, dripping with theme and strategy. You can really tell the love and attention put into this game. The artwork is stellar from the amazing Beth Sobel. I love Stonemaier games and this one is near the top if not the best for me.

Joseph

Worker placement, as Jin noted, is a wealth of riches from which to choose. And so many of these games are well loved among so many players. One thing that really opened my eyes with games of this mechanism is the realization that worker placement games are really just drafting games where the things you draft are the actions available when you make your selection. With that in mind, the best draft experiences are the ones where every selection feels important. For me, that will eliminate a couple great games because some selections feel more forced and less dramatic (sorry Agricola and Champions of Midgard). 

And with Marco and Viticulture off the board, that really leaves me between a couple games that are all deserving, but Trickerion takes the cake. Every choice in this game feels meaningful. It is beautiful. It hits on thematic measures too. Which magician (player) will be the most famous? Which can develop the greatest illusion? Which will plan for behind the scenes needs or gathering supplies most efficiently? Which will utilize their ability and their assistant’s ability to the greatest extent? All of these competing objectives are critical. Which one is selected when will determine which magician (player) is the greatest. That tension, of being able to balance priorities in ways that matter for every choice in the game is what brings me back. It’s so satisfying. Every time.

 

Collection update: 

Isaac

Codenames 
Orleans
Legendary 
Welcome to your perfect home
Mechs v Minions
Dice Throne
Spector Ops
Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Azul
Root
Fury of Dracula
Terraforming Mars
Camel Cup
Century Eastern Wonders
Ice Cool
Skull King
Sagrada
Dungeon Hustle
Viticulture 

 

Jin

A fake Artist Goes to NY 
Vinhos Deluxe 
Great Western Trail
Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age
Ghost Stories 
Summoner Wars
Letters from Whitechapel
Roll Player
Lords of Waterdeep
El Grande
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
Food Chain Magnate
King of Tokyo
Merkator 
Seal Team Flix
The Grifters
The Climbers
Two Many Bones
Voyages of Marco Polo

 

Brian 

Decrypto 
Terra Mystica
Hive
Quixx
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game 
Seven Wonders Duel
Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space 
Spirits of the Rice Paddy
Ticket to Ride
Dominant Species 
One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Splendor
Las Vegas
Great Heartland Hauling Co
Klask
Glory to Rome
NMBR 9
Gloomhaven

 

JT

Captain Sonar 
Scythe 
Clank! In! Space!
Tag City
Battlestar Galactica 
Quarto
Scotland Yard
Railroad Rivals
Drop It
Cerebria
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Endeavor: Age of Sail
Tokaido
WEDS
Dino Dunk
For Sale
Blume
Exodus A Z-War One Game
Trickerion

 

Brian

Worker placement is one of the defining mechanics of modern board games. As others have said, we’re spoiled for choices here.

For my pick, I turn to the grandmaster of WP games, Uwe Rosenberg. I’m a huge fan of many of his games, and I may or may not own a T-shirt with his likeness. I adore Agricola and it’s successor, but my money’s on Le Havre.

In this harbor building game, you’re limited to a single worker. Even so, you’ve got a wealth of options and strategies as you collect, convert, and deliver resources to earn money. There are many paths to victory, and each game feels tight and tense.

 

Isaac

Pick #20 is the wild card. Each of us get one more shot at the draft to add a game to our collection. Let’s see how everyone decides to round out their personal collection!

JT

Jin

Isaac

Brian

 

Joseph

Well, my pick goes to a game that has given me more than any other game. It’s also a game I’ve given more to than any other. Without it I likely would not have met any of you, and without it, I certainly wouldn’t be involved in any sort of collection draft like this. It’s the reason I started writing about games and the reason I was willing to record podcasts. It’s given me the opportunity to meet new friends literally around the world and it will always hold a special place in my heart no matter how it changes moving forward.

Dice Masters quickly became one of my favorite games when I learned it in the spring of 2015. By April or May of that year I had won my first of 2 national championships and began meeting a group of people I will consider lifelong friends. It’s the only collectible game I’ve ever played. The team building, thematic dice abilities, the IPs involved – the game had it all as far as I’m concerned. I even had the opportunity to add a character to the game… Such fond memories. It’s different now that I’m spending time at conventions playing other games instead of DM competitively. Not better or worse, just different. And it seems as though the publisher – sponsored competitive events outside of conventions are a thing of the past. But Dice Masters will always be an important part of my gaming story, and my collection would be incomplete without it.

Jin

This is difficult. There are so many games deserving of being in my library. An exercise like this, really shows the abundance of quality games that we have in this hobby. I feel more analysis paralysis in making this final choice than I have in playing any game. 

I think for my choice, I’m going to default to picking a game by my favorite designer, Vital Lacerda. I love his games and anyone of them would be a solid choice but I’m going to go with Lisboa. 

In Lisboa, you’re helping to rebuild Portugal’s capital city after its been decimated by an earthquake, floods and fires. Gameplay is simple in theory. You play a card to either your personal board or the main board and then you draw a card. Sounds easy but where the card is placed and what type of card it is can enable a multitude of different actions, all of them intertwined in trademark Lacerda fashion. It’s a beautifully complex game and I’ve got to add it into my collection.

Isaac

After reading through all of our lists and seeing the amazing games we’ve included on them there’s one game that sits on my must have list that I didn’t quite know where to put it in and now I’m happy to throw it in here. This is one of the biggest kickstarters I went in on and it was based on designer, based on the art that although polarizing I loved, and based on the theme. Once I started playing it it instantly became one of my favorites. It takes a long time to set up and a long time to tear down but once you are in the game, you’ll love every aspect of it. The extreme edition is a must, and you got to get that new expansion for all the cool stuff. I was lucky enough to be able to help playtest the expansion and I love having pieces of aspects of the game I got to test and retest and see the changes.

My pick at number 20 is Pandasaurus Games monster of a game Dinosaur Island. Gilmour and Lewis put together a great game that gives you dice rolling, card-playing, building up your island, making some amazing dinosaurs, placing your workers, and so many awesome coins. I love getting this one to the table and see it being a prominent member of my collection for years to come. It’s visually and component busy yet still not very complicated to play once you get into the swing of it. Dinosaur Island is my final pick of the draft and one I am happy to steal away in the last round.

Brian

A final pick to round out my collection. I’m looking at my favorite games, my go-tos, my old workhorses that have been hitting the table regularly for years. A lot of my top games have already been drafted! I’d love to swoop in on a Terraforming Mars or an Orleans, or even a Lords if Waterdeep. Sadly, they’re all gone.

Reviewing our four lists, I see that we’ve each drafted an amazing collection. All four of them would satisfy me for years of play. The one thing that all of us are missing, though? Feld.

Stefan Feld was one of the first designers whom I started to recognize. After playing a few of his games, I realized that I wanted to get everything that he put his name on; it might not be the best game ever, but each was guaranteed to bring in some clever, engaging mechanics. At our table, when playing one of his games, we often have this exchange. “I want to do all of the things.” “Feld!”

From his extensive catalog, there are a couple of standouts. Since I have to pick just one, I will go with the popular favorite, The Castles of Burgundy. This is a great dice rolling, tile placement game that has a lot of variability and replayability, two cornerstones of the Feld experience. While the artwork is, um, bland (to out it nicely), the gameplay is superb. It’s definitely one of the most-played games in my collection. Plus, there’s a forthcoming 10th anniversary edition that promises a new look, so hopefully my biggest complaint will be dealt with.

Isaac

Sadly a game I still have not played. Look forward to trying out the 10th anniversary edition for sure!

With that, we have finished the draft. You know, most gamers, because of the explosion of this hobby, tend to have large collections, bookshelves stuffed full of cardboard boxes, if we’ve proven anything here today, it’s that you can have a nice collection with only twenty games. A collection capable of bringing a lot of joy into you and your loved ones’ lives.

So how did we do? Whose collection would you most excited to play? Let us know in the comments or on our social media. Here are the final collections: