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I'm looking into getting some boardgames to play with my wife and some friends. I like card games like Citadels or Guillotine as well as boardgames like Carcasonne, Game of Thrones, and Settlers of Catan. My wife loves co-op games, she wants to pick up Pandemic and maybe Red November. I'm trying to avoid any games that cost over $50 so that eliminates most of Fantasy Flight's stuff.
Anyone have any other suggestions?
I'm looking into getting some boardgames to play with my wife and some friends. I like card games like Citadels or Guillotine as well as boardgames like Carcasonne, Game of Thrones, and Settlers of Catan. My wife loves co-op games, she wants to pick up Pandemic and maybe Red November. I'm trying to avoid any games that cost over $50 so that eliminates most of Fantasy Flight's stuff.
Anyone have any other suggestions?
Small World from Days of Wonder Games
I'm looking into getting some boardgames to play with my wife and some friends. I like card games like Citadels or Guillotine as well as boardgames like Carcasonne, Game of Thrones, and Settlers of Catan. My wife loves co-op games, she wants to pick up Pandemic and maybe Red November. I'm trying to avoid any games that cost over $50 so that eliminates most of Fantasy Flight's stuff.
Anyone have any other suggestions?
Knizia's Lord of the Rings game is one of the best cooperative games I've played.
We're also quite enjoying both Ticket to Ride and Kill Dr. Lucky.
if you like D&D and card games; try Munchkin; the cards are a hoot; is a fast and fun game; we play it sometimes waiting for players to arrive; the object is to get to level 10 as fast as you can; kill a monster; gain a level; whine to the gm; gain a level; has cards only for female characters and all kinds of fun stuff like "the monster the GM made up himself" ahhh ;fleee.
hehe I like it; takes a fun sense of humor; I am collecting all the decks because they are just darn funny and I love the art work.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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Ones that my wife likes particularly, are:
Queen's Necklace by Days of Wonder
Key Largo by Paizo
Niargra by Rio Grande Games
Bean Trader by Rio Grande Games
Elixir by Mayfair Games
Other games that I would recommend are:
Ninja Burger by Steve Jackson Games
Fist of Dragonstones by Days of Wonder
Betrayal at House on the Hill by Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast
Our Son's favorites are:
Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot by Playroom Entertainment
Hex Hex by Smirk and Dagger
Cuthroat Caverns by Smirk and Dagger
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Thanks guys! I actually own Knizia's Lord of the Rings and I can't find Kill Doctor Lucky as it's sold out.
Some thoughts:
1) Can Key Largo be played with two players, someone mentioned something in a review that that was not possible.
2) How complicated is Small World? (It looks cool!)
3) I really wanted Betrayal at House on the Hill but it's out of print and sooooo expensive! Anyone know if this will be re-released?
4) And has anyone played Falling?
co-op game:
Shadows Over Camelot
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15062
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 16
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Thanks guys! I actually own Knizia's Lord of the Rings and I can't find Kill Doctor Lucky as it's sold out.
Some thoughts:
1) Can Key Largo be played with two players, someone mentioned something in a review that that was not possible.
2) How complicated is Small World? (It looks cool!)
3) I really wanted Betrayal at House on the Hill but it's out of print and sooooo expensive! Anyone know if this will be re-released?4) And has anyone played Falling?
I love Falling but it can be tricky at first.
I also like the Order of the Stick Boardgame.
Thanks guys! I actually own Knizia's Lord of the Rings and I can't find Kill Doctor Lucky as it's sold out.
Some thoughts:
1) Can Key Largo be played with two players, someone mentioned something in a review that that was not possible.
2) How complicated is Small World? (It looks cool!)
3) I really wanted Betrayal at House on the Hill but it's out of print and sooooo expensive! Anyone know if this will be re-released?4) And has anyone played Falling?
If you manage to find Betrayal, make sure you find the errata. It's almost as long as the rulebook. I bought it when it was pretty new though, so they may have fixed things in later prints.
I'm a big fan of Runebound. boardgamegeek has it for around $30. Don't remember how much it retails for. Also, Arkham Horror is probably my all time favorite board game. If you're a Lovecraft fan, I'm sure you'll like it too.
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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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I've tried Falling, and wasn't a big fan. Not that it isn't a good game necessarily, but it's largely dependant on the player's reaction speed when playing cards, somewhat similar to Set or Blink (though completely different mechanics of what you play). That's just not my cup of tea, personally.
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Falling also requires at least four players. It also takes several games before people 'get' it. And that can be frustrating for some players.
I wouldn't think Key Largo would work all that well with 2. There's a lot of interaction that will really only kick in with three players or more as you won't be crowded out so much. I wouldn't recommend it for two, although I would generally recommend it.
Small world isn't especially complicated. It is a good game, but it helps if you've memorised the various combinations and the rules so you can realise which race/feature combinations that crop up will be the best.
If you like Guillotine, I'd recommend Family Business, which is like Guillotine but has more inter-player interaction. The downside is that after the game, you'll have to play something else so that the loser can get revenge on the winner. ;-)
Personally, I like Dominion, which is a deck construction game like a CCG without the collectible bit, but that's also a game that really rewards game knowledge and so probably shouldn't be heavily recommended for a low-level gamer.
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I like Dominion as a time killer, and man is it addictive - once it clicks it just flows. The problem for me is that there is little interaction in the game which puts me off asking to play (I only play if I'm offered a place in a game).
+2 for Small World - its funky, just don't be afraid to put your current empire into decline.
And for my favourite game: Galaxy Trucker. If you want a tactical, serious game which involves planning your moves, play something else. Galaxy Trucker is pure chaos. Imagine Carcassonne where players are grabbing tiles at the same time and trying to legally place them on their individual boards as fast as possible to be the first to finish their ship. Then you cross your fingers send them through space and hope for the best. 2-4 players though the expansion adds a confusing 5 player variant as well as some horrible extra cards.
Cheers! :D
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I like Dominion as a time killer, and man is it addictive - once it clicks it just flows. The problem for me is that there is little interaction in the game which puts me off asking to play (I only play if I'm offered a place in a game).
+2 for Small World - its funky, just don't be afraid to put your current empire into decline.
And for my favourite game: Galaxy Trucker. If you want a tactical, serious game which involves planning your moves, play something else. Galaxy Trucker is pure chaos. Imagine Carcassonne where players are grabbing tiles at the same time and trying to legally place them on their individual boards as fast as possible to be the first to finish their ship. Then you cross your fingers send them through space and hope for the best. 2-4 players though the expansion adds a confusing 5 player variant as well as some horrible extra cards.
Cheers! :D
+several for Galaxy Trucker. Incredibly fun game.
I'm another one of the fans of The Arkham Horror and of most of the expansions. Did you play with a set from the first print-run of the FFG version, or from the second print-run, Callous Jack? I know FFG are supposed to have cleaned up some of the cards and rules with the second print-run of the basic set.
Huh, I've never heard this. I bought this around when it first came out. Is there an errata available?
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I'm another one of the fans of The Arkham Horror and of most of the expansions. Did you play with a set from the first print-run of the FFG version, or from the second print-run, Callous Jack? I know FFG are supposed to have cleaned up some of the cards and rules with the second print-run of the basic set.
Not sure, it was my friends but I think it was the first print run.
Illuminatii however it is spelled is a great game; least I like it; each player is a faction with a game mission; like accumulate money or collect certain political groups and the like; the expansion really is worthwhile. I think I read that this is going to be rereleased or has been. takes an hour or two to play; is fun with a few or a handful; think you can have up to 10 with the expansion. The cards poke fun at everything as groups you can control or destroy like mothers against drunk drivers; the pta; the irs; the fed; the mob; trekkies, ufo watchers, hollywood; each adds some value to some player; so you try to get your winning combo and stop others from getting theirs.
if you just want a basic fun one; Solor Quest is a bit like monopoly where you try to own all the moons and most of the planets in the solor system; is very much like monopoly in space; but you have to buy gas to move away from a gravity well like a planet and if you use the advanced rules you can shoot at other players tokens.
for a more complex space game: Merchants of Venus; you buy and trade from planet to planet; goal to make enough credits to win; fun; but longish game.
one game everyone should own: Acquire; is a bookshelf game; is awesome fun for like ages 8+ though younger kids take a couple games to catch on. there is a tiled board with columns and rows as numbers and letters and chits with each such as A-7 or g-3; when two chits come together that play can start a hotel chain and buy stock in it; then other players buy stock in it; keep building chains and figure out where best to buy stock; smaller chains get absorbed by larger chains with some exceptions; if a fast fun game with no dice rolling; some luck of drawing chits involved; but mostly it is just which stock you buy and how it grows and when you sell or trade it.
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one game everyone should own: Acquire; is a bookshelf game; is awesome fun for like ages 8+ though younger kids take a couple games to catch on. there is a tiled board with columns and rows as numbers and letters and chits with each such as A-7 or g-3; when two chits come together that play can start a hotel chain and buy stock in it; then other players buy stock in it; keep building chains and figure out where best to buy stock; smaller chains get absorbed by larger chains with some exceptions; if a fast fun game with no dice rolling; some luck of drawing chits involved; but mostly it is just which stock you buy and how it grows and when you sell or trade it.
I saw the Avalon Hill version of this and considered picking it up but I thought it would be too dry if you didn't like stock markets and money games.
Well; there are about 6 hotel chains if I remember right; the exspensive one is the Imperial down the the cheap one named like Fiesta. It is not dry at all and goes fast; just place a chit; buy stock; the fun comes in competing for the highest or second highest in stock you hold and trying to get absorbed to make money; you run out of money fast; so keep you on edge; I highly recommend it as a game everyone should have in their closet; wish I had invented it; is simple and fun.
When I need to play with players that are no hardcore gamers the followings are a must:
Pandemic: an excellent cooperative game about finding cure to sickness that are spreading through the world.
http://www.zmangames.com/boardgames/pandemic.htm
Arkadia: Easy to learn (only two page of rules) but hard to master.
http://www.ravensburger.com/canada_english/products/family_games/arkadia_26 433/index.html
Thurn & Taxis: Simple historical game about being the first to establish postal services in germany
http://www.riograndegames.com/games.html?id=188
I'm not sure of availibility in the USA, but you should at least have a look on boardgamegeek for comments from other players.
I'm looking into getting some boardgames to play with my wife and some friends. I like card games like Citadels or Guillotine as well as boardgames like Carcasonne, Game of Thrones, and Settlers of Catan. My wife loves co-op games, she wants to pick up Pandemic and maybe Red November. I'm trying to avoid any games that cost over $50 so that eliminates most of Fantasy Flight's stuff.
Anyone have any other suggestions?
Dominion. Easily the best game I have played in the last 2 years. Works well as a 2 player game too!
Roborally.
A lot of fun (but not for spatially-impaired people). Also, you can find a lot of free maps on the internet.
Cosmic encounter.
FF game, but well worth the price. You'll never play the same game twice.
Ghost story is a good coop game, if a tad difficult to win. Castle panic is also a very fun one.
Google for The dice tower, Board games with Scott, and Boardgamegeeks. You'll find good video and written reviews there.
A few other games that are quite good
Power Grid
Pirate's Cove
Blockus
Last Night on Earth
Sounds like we have a similar taste (Im pretty much addicted to Settlers and Carcassone with my family and friends).
The game thats really taking my board gaming by storm is Agricola, its another quasi-resource management type game, that is fun from one player (yeap, single player) to the max the game will allow. Plus you can get it under $50!
If you want a quick sci-fi fix, try the Race for the Galaxy card game (basic box plus two expansions so far) by Rio Grande Games.
I just got Agricola, but I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I'm looking forward to it.
Sounds like we have a similar taste (Im pretty much addicted to Settlers and Carcassone with my family and friends).
The game thats really taking my board gaming by storm is Agricola, its another quasi-resource management type game, that is fun from one player (yeap, single player) to the max the game will allow. Plus you can get it under $50!
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA!!
Agricola
Settlers of Catan (Cities and Knights preferably)
Puerto Rico
Power Grid
Princes of Florence
Game of Thrones
Citadels
Dominion
Small World
Cash N' Guns
Vikings
Village
Last Night on Earth
Race for the Galaxy
The list goes on, that's off the top of my head. I've played all of the above and they're all fun.
I like boardgames like (...) Settlers of Catan. My wife loves co-op games (...)
Anyone have any other suggestions?
I'm a big fan of Dungeon Lords, which resemble Galaxy Trucker insofar as while it isn't a co-op game, players aren't in direct competition against each other like in Catan or Carcassone. It has an interesting mechanics, good humour and beautiful art.
Besides, who wouldn't want to get its Evil lord's license from the Ministry of Dungeons?
'findel
Lords of Waterdeep is pretty good. Played it twice and came in last both times, but I had fun. Plays 2-5 people, well balanced for the whole range of players. The first game takes about 90 minutes, but once everyone knows it, it speeds up to around 50-60 minutes. Only complaint is the box is built kinda funny. It looks neat, but not the best design.
Twilight Struggle is a longer two player game. Takes about 2-4 hours to play a game. The concept of the game is the Cold War, one player is the Soviet Union, the other is the US and they struggle to influence and control different parts of the world. The mechanics are very interesting and it's a pretty deep strategy game. It also sets up well if you don't have time to finish it, but have room to leave it out (there are markers for who's turn it is and what round/turn you're on). The game is very well constructed with quality materials and good art all around. Each card is an historical event and the book even includes a paragraph explanation of each one.
Just wanted to pop in and mention something about Acquire:
I totally love the game myself - some friends and I picked it up as an impulse buy around ten years ago and we had a great time with it. I recently purchased my own copy, but I was GREATLY distressed at the drastic change in component quality.
The original version has a big, hard plastic grid with tiles that cap on to the spaces in a secure, pleasant way. There were also a number of physical towers/buildings that fit on to the those tiles that were really fun to place and look at. All of the stock certificates were durable thin plastic cards, and all of the stocks and buildings were in bright, easy to distinguish colors.
The current version has dispensed with all of the plastic, settling for flat, cheap cardboard and washed-out, difficult-to-distinguish colors, making a once visually-appealing game something that gives me headaches as I try to tell certain pieces apart. The gameplay remains the same, but I had some serious buyer's remorse after getting my "new" copy. If you can, try and snag an older version of the game.