Hold onto your meeples, folks, because last week was a whirlwind of cardboard and competition! We tallied 28 games across 19 different titles. We played six out of seven days. Most of our games were two player games, but we did play with two different groups of a total of four players twice last week.
NEW TO US GAMES
Three exciting newcomers found their way onto our table: The Gugong Rolling Realms promo pack, The Game on Fire, and Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest. My favorite game is The Game, so when I saw that Millennium Game had a used copy of the Game on Fire, I had to get it. It is very similar to the original game, the difference? You can’t leave the 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, or 77 uncovered. It added an extra level of anxiety to the original, but we managed to win it. I will pat myself on the back since I Had 4 out of the 7 on fire cards.
Gugong Rolling Realms promo pack was so difficult yet fun, and Libertalia introduced a delightfully cutthroat twist that makes me wonder if I will ever be able to be loyal while playing that game.
RECENT ADDITIONS
Deep Dive (1-6 players, ~15 minutes): Press your luck in this set-collection game by diving deeper into the sea. Beware of the predators. They may slow you down. Taught this game to friends, and really enjoyed it at four players. I did not win. I am blaming that on first time luck.
Mists over Carcassonne (2-5 players, 30 minutes): Expansion or standalone Carcassonne that adds fog tiles and hidden features, creating a more mysterious and tactical experience. Played at 4 players and finally beat level 4
Knarr (2-4 players, ~30 minutes): Assemble your Viking crew to explore and take over the world of trade. Tried this game for the second time this week, lost at a player count of two–AGAIN!!
Romi Rami (2-4 players, 30 minutes): new card game that feels like it’s been around since we were kids. Played the game at 2 and 4 players this week. The game is fantastic at two, and I was afraid to try it at four, but I was blown away. The only downside is that it can play a bit slower since people are plotting ahead and things tend to change more since there are three turns before yours
Terraforming Mars: The Dice Game (1-4 players, ~45 minutes): Like Terraforming Mars but shorter. We tried this game at four this week. I was surprised how quick it was to teach since my friends are familiar with the original. The game lasted close to an hour, but it went by so quickly! I thought I had the win, but I lost by two points when counting the card end of game points
Tucana Builders (1-5 players, ~30 minutes): Lay tiles to connect the appropriate animals to their respective colored huts. We’ve only enjoyed this game at two, and I love it more and more each time. I was on the fence the first time since I was expecting it to be close to the Trails of Tucana. I think this game is a bit of an acquired taste if you’ve played the original. I feel that we are finally getting the strategy and are scoring more than 10 points per color. Can’t wait to teach it to my friends, so we can play it at different counts
OLD FAITHFUL
Fox in the Forest (2 players, ~30 mins): Spade like game where you are taking tricks. You must win more or less than your rival. Gotta be careful! If you get too greedy, you will not score points in the round. This is what happened to me, AGAIN! Long story short, I did not get revenge. Maybe next week?
Lucky Numbers (1-4 players, ~20 minutes): Think bingo but in a grid. Need to fill the numbers in order one at a time. This is one of my favorite quick games when playing one round. It is a great way to be like, who will decide the next game? I won once and lost once
Rolling Realms (1-6 players, ~30 minutes): the lure of epic adventures can sometimes clash with the reality of limited time (boohoo, adulting sucks!). That's where Rolling Realms by Stonemaier Games swoops in. This compact box game delivers a satisfyingly complex puzzle that changes depending on what combination of the realms you choose. We tried a new promo pack this week, and I loved it!
Space Base (2-5 players, ~45 minutes): Dice, ships, and simultaneous play. In this game you race to build the most profitable spaceport before your opponents reach 40 points. We enjoyed a game of 4, I did not win!
Spots (1-4 players, ~25 minutes): roll and place dice to complete the most adorable dog cards. I kept farkling, I know that’s not the right game, but I think I broke a record for being almost ready to score my sixth dog. I kept rolling the wrong number, so I lost a game of four. I love this game!
Trails of Tucana (1-8 players, ~15 minutes): Jungle trails, clever maps, flip and write game where you are trying to get the most points in either two or three rounds. This game scales well at any player count. I barely won at a two-player count
Welcome To… (no player max, ~20 minutes): Design the best gossipy neighborhood in this flip and write game. Enjoyed losing at a four player game
Great Western Trail (2-4 players, ~2 hours): Herd your wealth by hiring cattle, cowboys, train conductors, and construction workers. Make sure to navigate the danger with your cattle on the way to Kansas City. I. . . While farm life isn't my thing, this game? Oh boy, do I love it! We had a thrilling four-player match, and I came agonizingly close to victory for the first time ever. Teaching it only took about 30 minutes, and even though our newcomer was initially lost, it quickly clicked for her. We were all eager for another round, if only time allowed.
SHELF OF SHAME
This week’s theme for the shelf of shame reemergence is games that we played so much when we first got them, that they needed to take a break.
Dollars to Donuts (1-4 players, ~30 minutes): Place tiles and make half donuts whole to serve the most customers. We played this game so much when we first got it, so it was nice to return it to the table. Did terribly at a game of 2
Curios (2-5 players, ~15 minutes): Use bluff and deduction in order to be the most prolific rogue archeologist. This game is also a game that we played over and over again, so it was nice to bring it back. Loved it at four. Did not win! I hear that Wonder Woods is the reimplementation, and I am curious; however, I don’t know if the new version will ever be added to my collection
My Shelfie (2-4 players, ~30 minutes): Think connect four, but you can pick up to three tiles at a time. The catch? You have to place them in one vertical line at a time. I came very close, but nope. Not my week
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