Fair Play Games - Customer Reviews (Raves)

Customer Raves

Customer Raves
(Click on a game, person's name or game group to see other matching raves)

Cat Lovers Playing Card Deck (View Game)
Dog

I love cats, and I love this deck of cards. My nephew recently got me a copy for my birthday! I've begun to carry a different kitty card in my purse every day.

It's Alive (2nd Edition) (View Game)
Dog

It's Alive is a great little filler game with auction and memory elements. The production value is really nice for being the small, portable game it is, and the size let's you take it on the go. It's best with 3+ players. Try it out!

Wits & Wagers : 2nd Edition (View Game)
Dog

I've played this game with my very dedicated gamer friends... and also my in-laws. Both groups loved it. You can't go wrong with this one, even if you hate trivia!

The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow Special Edition (View Game)
Dog

This very nice special edition of Werewolves of Miller's Hollow has a new design with expansion cards. Definitely worth getting over the original!

The Werewolves of Millers Hollow expansion : New Moon (View Game)
Dog

This is an almost necessary expansion for Werewolves of Miller's Hollow. It adds a lot of new cards and generally livens up the game.

The Werewolves of Miller's Hollow (View Game)
Dog

This tiny little game fills all my giant group needs - if you have more than 8 people, there aren't many games you can play. This is one! It's a good one! It's a good version of the classic Werewolf/Mafia game, and has a very nice production style.

Ticket to Ride Map Collection Volume 3 The Heart of Africa (View Game)
Dog

I'm a big fan of all the Ticket to Ride map packs, this one being the best of them all! If you've tried and liked the others, definitely pick this up. If you haven't, get this one first!

Space Alert (View Game)
Dog

Think Pandemic meets RoboRally... and then put that game on a 10 minute timer. It took us a while to understand Space Alert (mainly because we learned it from the rulebook instead of the introductory guide...), but once it clicks with a group it really works! By far my favorite cooperative!

Space Alert (View Game)
Dog

Last Night on Earth: Survival of the Fittest Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Not every group will want to sup up their Last Night on Earth game to the limit... but some people understand. This expansion really adds a lot of fun and depth to the game, and we've enjoyed every minute of it!

Save Doctor Lucky Box Set (View Game)
Dog

Save Doctor Lucky brings back our favorite miserable doctor whom everyone wants to kill... except this time, you're out for glory. The goal of this game is to SAVE the doctor on the sinking Titanic, as long as someone else can see you. The catch is that the board constantly shrinks as levels of the ship sink under the ocean. Very fun!

Jungle Speed: The Extreme Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This expansion for Jungle Speed is fairly insane. You can look up the cards for it, while it's out of print, to get a quick idea of how much harder the game is! If you can find it, get it!

Jungle Speed: Rabbids (View Game)
Dog

This is the Raving Rabbids version of Jungle Speed... why they chose this branding, I have no idea! It's a fun version, though, and for how inexpensive it is there's no reason not to have both! Great game! Hilarious fun.

Jungle Speed (plastic totem) (View Game)
Dog

This popular party game is one of the few speed matching games (kind of like Set) that is actually really fun. This new version is the "safe" one, since people kept getting head injuries from the sharp-edged wooden totem. I GUESS this is wiser...

Jungle Speed (2003 Piatnik version) (View Game)
Dog

This popular party game is one of the few speed matching games (kind of like Set) that is actually really fun. The version here is the one you want - no plastic totems for us!

Hey! That's My Fish! (Pingvinas) (View Game)
Dog

If you've ever played Penguins or Penguin Soccer, you know that penguins are a dangerously inviting theme for a game. Luckily, this game is nothing like the aforementioned... it's a classic, simple yet strategic Knizia game about an increasingly shrinking board full of delicious fish. This is the lovely travel-sized version!

Hey! That's My Fish! Deluxe! (View Game)
Dog

Garibaldi: The Escape (View Game)
Dog

I got this game in a trade and was really surprised with how much I and my friends like it! It has a similar hide-and-go-seek play style as New York Chase, etc., but unique and with an attention to detail and love of design. Don't know who Garibaldi was or the events that took place in somewhere in 1849? Who cares!

Elchfest (Elk Fest) (View Game)
Dog

Ever played a precision flicking game about elk crossing bodies of water? I didn't think so. You should really give this one a go, if you run across a copy. Fun stuff.

Conquest of the Fallen Lands (View Game)
Dog

This game doesn't get a lot of love (probably at the assistance of its generic fantasy theme), but the mechanics behind it are surprisingly fun, fast-paced, and yet meaty. Its modular board ensures some unusual circumstances can arise every time you play.

Carcassonne: the City (View Game)
Dog

This beautiful wooden edition is really finely made, both in its normal cardboard components and fancy stuff. The game is possibly the best design for a Carcassonne as well: fresh yet almost classic in its style.

Bamboleo (View Game)
Dog

Ever tried really GOOD dexterity games? This is one of the best! It's not easy to find, but if you do I absolutely recommend picking it up!

At the Gates of Loyang (View Game)
Dog

This is a great but often overlooked game in the Uwe Rosenberg series with Agricola, Le Havre, and now Ora & Labora. A little less player interaction in this one, which may be a bad thing for some but a great thing for others. Fun and brain burning!

Survive: Escape From Atlantis - The Giant Squid Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This is a tiny little expansion that adds some nice squid figures. The squid add to the carnage, and additionally really make a 2 player game fun (whereas it was kind of boring before).

Survive: Escape From Atlantis 30th Anniversary Edition (View Game)
Dog

Really fun game, deserves its new place among fancy pants board games. Has a long and entertaining history of meeple murder! This edition is particularly well-made and beautiful. Get the 5-6 player expansion.

Survive: Escape From Atlantis *ND (View Game)
Dog

Really fun game, deserves its new place among fancy pants board games. Has a long and entertaining history of meeple murder!

Kingsburg (View Game)
Dog

My new favorite game! Kingsburg is best with 4-5 people, but we were surprised with how well and how easily it's modified to accommodate two. Definitely try it out!

Kingsburg: To Forge A Realm Expansion (View Game)
Dog

If you like Kingsburg, this expansion adds a lot of variability and strategy to the already great game! This is to Pandemic what On the Bring was! Five ways to tweak and improve the game - you can't go wrong. It all fits in the original box, too!

Crows (View Game)
Dog

Just got this game, and we're loving it! It's an excellent light, tile-laying game, inexpensive, made of really nice card stock and extra bits, and well-themed. Highly recommended.

Turn the Tide (a similar English version of the German (Land Unter) (View Game)
Dog

This game is under the radar for a lot of people, but it's truly great! The premise is a bit like hearts - avoid the worst cards, bid on the good ones. Sounds easy, but it's not at all. Perfect theme, too.

Hex Hex (View Game)
Dog

This is a fun opener or filler game, which fails to hurt feelings due to the inevitability that you will screw someone over. You can't help it, so it's okay! Funny, light, great game.

Race for the Galaxy : The Gathering Storm expansion (View Game)
Dog

I don't usually like game expansions (rather have a new game entirely), but Race for the Galaxy is great enough that you eventually want more. Between the expansions, this is our favorite addition - it adds a lot in many little ways and keeps an excellent game from getting stale. Also fits in the original game box!

Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring 2nd Edition (View Game)
Dog

You know, you can play this game with up to four players, but the events encapsulated are classic good vs. evil high fantasy, really a two player war game at heart. It's a fantastic game, strategic, elaborate, and intense.

Rattus (View Game)
Dog

Rattus is an excellent new game from Z-Man, sort of an unusual marriage between Pandemic and Citadels, with its own unique feel. After ten or so plays, we love this game and are excited about the new Pied Piper and Africanus expansions!

Rattus: Pied Piper Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This expansion is a bit like the Dark City expansion for Citadels - while the original game comes with six characters to choose from each turn (think unique player powers), double that number have been added to this. These guys make the game much more interesting and extend the replay value tremendously!

Bang! The Bullet (View Game)
Dog

We liked the original Bang! so much we traded it in for this extremely expanded edition (in a bullet, no less). Read the list of expansions included... I don't think they left anything out. Dodge City itself is enough of a reason to buy this copy, considering how inexpensive the bundle is.

Bang! Expansion - High Noon (View Game)
Dog

This mini-expansion isn't in print right now, but look out for it... it's a great set of rule-changing tweaks. Essentially, some basic rule of the game is altered or ignored every turn, even allowing players to come back from the dead for one round (a great touch, when player elimination is one of Bang!'s harder selling points). Definitely worth the few dollars they charge!

Robo Rally (RoboRally) -Slightly Damaged Box (View Game)
Dog

I'd rate this game complexity medium low, randomness medium high, fun very high. If you don't like the sound of those first two measures, you probably won't like the third either... but I've got to say, it's a frantic, hilarious game every time. Each time I play, I think we enjoy the game more and more.

Ora & Labora (View Game)
Dog

I'm a big fan of both Agricola and Le Havre, and it's hard not to like Ora & Labora if this describes you as well. It's very much a marriage of the two, a great economic engine game with the exhaustive playtesting and rule tweaking Rosenberg's previous games are known for (thinking of you, Shortened Version of Le Havre or setup tweaks between player counts). If you're trying to choose between some minuscule add-on to Agricola for $30 or this brand new game, there's no contest.

San Juan (View Game)
Dog

San Juan is something of a marriage between Race for the Galaxy (or the Catan Card Game, as another example) and Puerto Rico, its parent game. It's certainly worth having in addition to PR, and it's a very fun, fast game lasting under an hour. The sweet spot is 2-player. Lots of winning strategies.

Blokus Trigon (View Game)
Dog

There's a reason this seemingly cloned version of Blokus exists - it's so much harder! The rules of the game follow exactly from the original, but try figuring out the best formula for your insane triangular pieces... I love it. It's perfect with three players, obviously, as Blokus and Blokus Duo are perfect for 4 and 2, respectively.

Quoridor - Classic (View Game)
Dog

My friends and I always played this game as a fast, light filler - until I was challenged by someone who took it very seriously. Let it be known, this game can be EITHER. I never thought I'd take such a pounding. Great game, the essence of deceptive simplicity.

7 Wonders (View Game)
Dog

This game deserves its high BGG rank - it's great fun to play, not too slow yet rife with difficult decisions. Plays very well 3-7 players, though I think 5 is the sweet spot. Finally back in production!

Tigris and Euphrates (View Game)
Dog

This game is often placed in Knizia's "tile laying trilogy" or quadrilogy, depending on the commentator. Though the theme is not as accessible to a non-gamer, Tigris and Euphrates is absolutely as catchy and entertaining as Samurai (and I think even better). Don't get it because it was designed by a minor celebrity in the field, certainly don't get it for the historical theme, get it because it's a great game, very sneaky and consistently intriguing.

Settlers of Catan - Portable Edition - 2nd Edition (View Game)
Dog

Not only is this version of the new classic inexpensive, it's portable and very faithful to the original game. The only significant differences are slight fixation of board elements, such as the centralization of the desert. It really changes the game little, if only to keep the board balanced and slightly more familiar. Otherwise, same great Catan, very well constructed.

Ingenious Travel Edition (View Game)
Dog

This two player miniaturization of Ingenious is... kind of ingenious in its own right. This is a game I've always loved two player, now in a dedicated two-player format. For a game this inexpensive and portable, it's extremely hard to pass up.

Ingenious (English version of Einfach Genial) (View Game)
Dog

Great game, one of my favorites by Knizia! If you've played and liked Samurai, Through the Desert, or other Knizia classics, you'll definitely love this one.

Tongiaki (View Game)
Dog

Theme is rather appropriate in this game about pacific islanders sailing off into the unknown - it's hard to know if you'll be blessed or cursed with each sail, and the greater the risk the greater the rewards (of sharing points with opponents). While this may seem unpredictable, experienced players can work to gain influence in already charted islands. All in all, it's light and fun, full of chance yet deceptively ripe for strategy. Also accommodates anywhere from two to six players deftly.

Hex Hex Next Card Game (View Game)
Dog

Recently played this excellent card game, a fast and furious take-that game about deflecting curses onto your opponents. It's a very fun, entertaining game with lots of luck and surprise in each round.

Tongiaki (View Game)
Dog

Hex Hex Next Card Game (View Game)
Dog

Fauna (View Game)
Dog

A great educational game for kids, Fauna is its own unique game as well as a method for learning about the animal kingdom and biological diversity. My kids love it!

Dominion Big Box (View Game)
Dog

My biggest complaint with the original Dominion release was the lack of variability in the base game - without expansions, it's not that great of a game (though it's still good). This big box is precisely what I would reach for in terms of initial expansions, and it's a great price for the three games bundled together. I highly recommend this version and Dominion as a gaming system in general!

Ticket To Ride Map Collection Volume 2 : India & Switzerland (View Game)
Dog

I've been waiting for this map pack for Ticket to Ride for some time; the maps are excellent 2 or 3 player versions, having both this newest India map as well as a rerelease of the now OOP Switzerland map. If your main issue with Ticket to Ride is lack of participants, these maps are even better than the expensive, standalone Nordic Countries. Great buy for any owner of a Ticket to Ride base game.

Puerto Rico Anniversary Edition (View Game)
Dog

This is an extremely nice edition of possibly my favorite board game; I highly recommend the upgrade (or new purchase, if you've never played). Yes it's pricey, but if you need justification beyond the lovely components the expansion comes as part of this edition! Try it out!

Eminent Domain (View Game)
Dog

I was lucky to play this game at my FLGS recently; everyone who played took to it easily and addictively. I agree with the suggestion: if you like Race for the Galaxy and Dominion, you'll like Eminent Domain... but don't think it's just a blend of the two. All three are unique and awesome games to have!

Ticket to Ride Map Collection Volume 1 : Asia (View Game)
Dog

This is a great map pack - two new maps, both best with 4+ players - for $10 per map. Very nicely done, challenging, and I appreciate the way Days of Wonder grouped map pack 1 for one range of player numbers while the forthcoming pack 2 will feature 2-4 player maps. Definitely worth purchasing if your game group is medium sized!

7 Wonders (View Game)
Dog

I don't really classify 7 Wonders in with Dominion or RftG, as in the general description... if you like either of these games, you'll definitely like 7 Wonders, but the comparison ends there. This is a really fun, medium length card-based game. I wish it was 2+ players rather than 3+, but if you've played the game you'd know why that can't be. Definitely one of the best games to come out last year!

Dominion: Hinterlands Expansion (View Game)
Dog

The theme of this expansion is one-time effects, but the overall flavor of the game fits in beautifully with the base game and its previous expansions. This is definitely a great one to check out. Great variety.

Navegador (View Game)
Dog

Fair Play Games is selling Navegador at a great price - this fantastic eurogame is definitely worth even the retail price! I'm not a huge fan of euros myself; Puerto Rico and Le Havre are about all I have left in my collection. This one, though, spans the gap for me... there is a little luck, but it's of the quantity that's exciting, not discouraging. Anyway, try it out!

Twilight Struggle Deluxe Edition - 2011 Reprint (View Game)
Dog

Recently received an advance copy of this game by GMT - rest assured the new 3rd edition is just as beautiful and lovingly crafted as their recent 2nd edition run. Definitely pick this one up, even if its the only game of its genre you own.

Dwarf King (View Game)
Dog

I love this game! Bruno Faidutti makes some excellent and games. It's essentially a trick-taking card game, based on barbu, It's 3-5 player, though I find it best with 4, the theme is entertaining and implemented very well, and the cards themselves are great stock and look really nice.

Tannhauser: Itami (View Game)
Dog

Well, it's about time. You've waited for it, you've wanted it... here he is! Hellboy! Oh wait, I mean Blue Hellboy! Also known as Itami, a hoofed demon assigned by the Shogunate to Iroh Minamoto's 3rd Division. Itami is a very interesting and beautifully made addition to the Tannhauser troops and he makes an interesting addition to the squads you can assemble. I find Itami engaging and worth the purchase.

Twilight Struggle Deluxe Edition - 2011 Reprint (View Game)
Dog

It's become a popular enough title that people who would normally run in fear from it are still quite interested. I fit this description myself, and I consider Twilight Struggle to be a great afternoon game for two guys (or girls, maybe, nobody I know!) - it's actually fairly light in terms of depth and reliance on skill. There is a moderate luck element to the card aspects of the game. It's very fun, very entertaining, and VERY well made.

Ticket To Ride - Europe - Slightly Damaged Box (View Game)
Dog

Ticket to Ride: Europe is my favorite of the series, and let me tell you why. In their second attempt, Days of Wonder added just enough to the mechanics of this game to make it really interesting. Fair Play Games also does a great job of picking virtually unblemished games to sell as "Slightly Damaged" stock - I pick these up when I can, and it's never been a mutilated copy.

Puerto Rico for the PC (View Game)
Dog

This is a fair digital adaptation of the original and I think it's great for hot seat or online play. When I lived overseas, this game was a great way to keep up old times with friends back home. If you aren't familiar with Puerto Rico the game yet, check it out - it's my favorite Eurogame to date. Worth it if you're looking at it!

Survive: The 5-6 Player Mini-Expansion (30th Anniversary Edition) (View Game)
Dog

Thank you, Stronghold! I'm very happy with this new 5-6 player expansion; I've often had to reach for a shorter and less engaging game like Bang! when a larger group has been involved. Survive is a really fun game to play with larger groups; it scales excellently, and my only fault with the revamped game is that they didn't add this capacity in the original game box. At least it's a cheap and easy to find addition!

Ice Dice (View Game)
Dog

It's absolutely worth the money. Icehouse games are highly versatile, easy to teach, and of such great quantity that you almost can't run out of new games to learn. You'll have great enjoyment of wrapping your head around unusual and unique abstract concepts. Many Icehouse games are among the best and most challenging abstract strategy games I've ever encountered. Icehouse games also come in the 2 and 3+ variety.

Blokus (View Game)
Dog

Blokus is absolutely the best four player abstract game I own - among the small number that scale up to four. Each piece is unique, and knowing when and where to play it is key to doing well. This is a fun, competitive game of limited resources (space) that everyone I've tried it on enjoys. My spacial thinking has never been better.

Carcassonne - The Mini Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This little expansion is not only $4, it adds new tile configurations you can't play in the base game. You get more tiles of an appropriate amount without any rule tweaks or changes - Carcassonne is supposed to be straightforward and light!

Arkham Horror: Miskatonic Horror Expansion (View Game)
Dog

If you have more than two expansions to your Arkham Horror game, this might be something worth investing in. Miskatonic Horror is basically an expansion expansion: Finally you can add more to your game without adding rules and mechanics!

Fluxx (v4.0) (View Game)
Dog

We got this game as a sweetener in a trade, decided to try it out, and loved it more than the thing we thought we wanted. Bottom line? Don't overlook this game. Light and entertaining.

Zombie Fluxx Deck (View Game)
Dog

Zombie Fluxx adds a decidedly horror theme to Fluxx, but I wouldn't be too frightened. Mechanically, this is much in the same vein as the original Fluxx - the win conditions are constantly changing, and hand management is about the only hope you can have for strategy. What you're really doing is laughing your way through a zombie apocalypse, looking for the right Creepers or Keepers or maybe something else altogether. Fun, lightest of the light games!

Star Fluxx (View Game)
Dog

Star Fluxx is no different! The mechanics are essentially intact from our ancient predecessor, but the cards all have a hilarious sci fi theme. It's great!

Gloom : Unwelcome Guests Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This expansion adds, among the slew of new regular cards, two new elements to Gloom. Persistent effects are cards whose effects do not get covered up by successive cards. The guests - after whom the expansion is named - are characters that float around the board, following triggers, until they are murdered. This might mean that all those negative points you've been putting on your guest leave out the door with him suddenly, or maybe the opposite. In one game, my opponents were giving me the happiest guest imaginable... until he left the house right before I murdered him. This is my favorite Gloom expansion, as the elements it brings to the base game keep it light and entertaining, without confusing the game in mechanics. Highly recommended!

Mr. Jack in New York (View Game)
Dog

After playing Mr. Jack dozens and dozens of times and recently acquiring Mr. Jack in New York, I have to say this is a brilliant upgrade and alternative to the original game. If you really love the first, this is worth getting - in my humble opinion. I'm pretty surprised with the number of people who don't get into the game. If you like deduction and trying to outsmart your opponent, if you like the theme if Jack the Ripper, don't be put off by lukewarm reviews. This game is GREAT.

Tannhauser: Asteros (View Game)
Dog

Asteros is a pretty ridiculous character - I mean, if you step back for a minute and remember you're playing a Great War alternate history commando game... Nazis versus Americans... this character pack is a minotaur. He's a very fun, unique addition, truly pushing the envelope for extreme character usage and close-up tactics. Comes with everything you need and an 8-page book.

Dixit (View Game)
Dog

This is a light party game in the same vein as Balderdash... for art students, rather than English. The basic premise is that one person makes up a phrase or story based on a card in his or her hand (each card in the deck shows a surrealist painting, specifically designed for the game). Everyone else must choose a card in their hand they believe that phrase could apply to. Voting then takes places to determine who knows the right answer, and who's substitutes were guessed on. It's bad for the storyteller to make his answer too easy or hard (everyone else will score), best if only one person is clever enough or on the same wavelength. This is a very fun game that stays fresh for a long time, and two expansions have added to the deck since the original's release. I love this game and highly recommend it!

Dixit 3: Odyssey (View Game)
Dog

Dixit Odyssey can be played as either a standalone game or an expansion of the original Dixit. The new box design is made to encompass everything: if you own the cards for Dixit and Dixit 2, you can combine them all comfortably here. The new cards are great, quite in the same vein as the previous releases, and a lot of nice little touches have been made to tweak the ease of the game. A new pegboard scoring card is provided, which allows up to twelve players, and the board has been simplified to eliminate confusion when moving the rabbit pieces around the board. If you're new to Dixit, this is a great place to start; if not, you're probably sold already!

Apples to Apples - Party Box Expansion # 2 (View Game)
Dog

Like the previous expansion, this party box expansion #2 is great for adding new cards and life into a game so many people are familiar with. What we'd do is toss the cards NOBODY liked, eventually coming up with a deck about 1.5 times the original party box size with replacements from the expansions. Makes every hand better!

Animeeples: Deluxe Euro Token Set (View Game)
Dog

I love the way Mayday brands these replacement pieces... 90% of them are obviously, unequivocally Agricola bent. These pieces really liven up the game. Along with the animeeples, you'll actually feel like you're farming crops and eating food... not farming discs and eating cylinders. Very nicely made set!

Animeeples: Wooden Farmer Set (View Game)
Dog

I really like Mayday's Agricola upgrades (I'm sure there's another game you could use them in, but 99% of the audience wants to pimp out their Agricola set). Sure it's a little expensive, but it's a luxury item!

Vegimeeples Wooden Vegetables (View Game)
Dog

Hmm, what could these be for? It says "vegimeeples" but I only see yellow grain and orange carrots... Obviously, these are substitutes for the discs in Agricola. I've seen several versions of these, and I do think Mayday makes the best Agricola pimpin's out there. Very pleasing.

Hare and Tortoise (View Game)
Dog

This is one of the best children friendly games I know of and can definitely played to a high level of skill. The great thing about this race game is that there are several wildly different tactics to choose from... one can try to stay in the front, using carrots regularly or hang back, saving your carrots for a huge windfall. The more saving you do, the more difficult and ridiculous it becomes to meet the strict win conditions (you can't win with too many carrot reserves!). Everything about this game is fun, and though the box says 3+ it also works well with two players (each player controls two racers).

Small World: Tales & Legends (View Game)
Dog

I find that the base game of Small World by itself gets slightly humdrum at times... what this expansion does is add global effects to the game that modify the rules and force players to adapt to changing circumstance. To defray the chaos that might sound like, you get a peek at the effect coming in the next round. It's a great expansion, and I highly recommend playing with it!

Gloom: Unfortunate Expeditions Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This expansion adds another new family (naturally), 55 new cards (my personal main reason for picking up the deck), and a new game mechanic: expeditions! These tweak the rules of the game for as long as they remain in effect... some are minor changes, and some are more affecting. They're all fun, and the cards are great additions. I also really enjoy the Unwelcome Guests expansion - check it out!

Apples to Apples Junior (View Game)
Dog

This version of the game simply differs in offering a goofier and less knowledge-based version of the game. Kids don't know what could be funny about the Pittsburg Steelers or Kubla Khan, nor do they know the meaning of 4-syllable adjectives. If you're trying to educate kids while having fun you may want to stick with Apples to Apples "regular", but this Junior editioin is fantastic for family entertainment.

Carcassonne: The Phantom Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Recently picked up this new mini-expansion to Carcassonne. These pieces work with any version of the game you want (as far as any of the Carcassonnes I've ever played go), and the tweak is simple. As long as you have your phantom piece in your "stash" of placeable meeples, you can put him down at the same time as another in a second feature of a tile play. For example you might put your phantom in a castle tile just played and, simultaneously, drop a regular meeple as a farmer outside. As soon as the castle is complete, you get your phantom to replay. The phantoms come in a molded translucent plastic to easily differentiate them from the rest of the game, and they really allow some hyped up combos for higher scoring by all players. A very fun little expansion and, for a couple of dollars, definitely something to pick up!

Agricola: The Goodies Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Never got any of the extra decks that came out over the past few years? Didn't upgrade your cubes? This is everything in one box, along with stickers for your family members and new boards. I really recommend some of the card decks in terms of expanding the variability and life of the game, while other aspects are aesthetic and just for fun... luckily, the decks and animeeples/vegemeeples cost about as much as this whole expansion, so you get the rest for free!

Agricola: The Legen*dairy Deck (Tannenbaum Deck) (View Game)
Dog

LegenDAIRY? Agricola designers kind of went insane with their deck designs... like the alien abductions edition or this German fairy folk deck. I don't know what they were thinking, but for $3 this is a fun little deck that tweaks the game rules as you play... it's definitely amusing, fun, and ought to be picked up by any fan!

Agricola: Farmers Of The Moor Expansion (View Game)
Dog

If you've played Agricola 20+ times and are still enjoying it greatly, this expansion is probably right for you. It adds more options, more requirements to fulfill, and more cards to spice up the variety of the base game. I highly recommend it!

Nanuk (View Game)
Dog

Nobody's reviewed this game?? This is a really great game for 5+ (really 6+, I'd recommend) players. It's all about pressing your luck and auctioning, fun mechanics when it comes to large groups of players. It's really an overlooked game, something I reach for as often as other great party games like Bang!

Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Conflict (View Game)
Dog

This game provides all the additional expansion to Cosmic Encounter you might ever want! I'm not sure every group will want to add all the decks together each time they play, but one truly indispensable element in this expansion is the assembly of new races! Some of them are very fun and disruptive, and we've all enjoyed these surprises greatly!

Torres (View Game)
Dog

I recently received this game in a math trade and couldn't be more pleased with it! It wasn't first on my want list, and it may have been some time before I got around to purchasing the game on my own initiative, so I really appreciate the soul who made that trade possible. It's very clever, very sneaky, and can get cutthroat if you enjoy that! It also scales well from two to four players, making a contemplative two player abstract or a four player tactics match. Great design and great implementation!

NY Chase (View Game)
Dog

First of all, if you've never played Scotland Yard you might want to start there - N.Y. Chase is a fantastic sequel to the classic game which basically adds a few new elements and a new game board. They're both excellent games! One of the things I love about N.Y. Chase is the level of difficulty Mr. X has in escape. I think this game is and ought to be weighed towards the detectives: it makes victory for X all the sweeter when you pull it off! I also take it that Scotland Yard and N.Y. Chase are the inspiration for Mr. Jack and, of course, its sequel: Mr. Jack in New York. Also great games, also well worth the purchase. Enjoy!

Scotland Yard (View Game)
Dog

There are a few newer games that complicate the great formula behind Scotland Yard, such as Fury of Dracula or Nuns on the Run. Those are great and all... but Scotland Yard is a classic, and actually a really good one at that. Very fun, tense, and clever.

Tales of the Arabian Nights (View Game)
Dog

This game really falls into its own category, almost more of a role-playing game that everyone can enjoy than a board game with competition and win conditions. It's got a great system with huge replayability, and every person I've played with has always come away wanting to play again. For a game that takes 3+ hours to finish, that's saying something!

Small World Underground (View Game)
Dog

Great new races, new board, and new game elements to draw focus to particular areas of the board. A few races share a lot with the original Small World races, but it's altogether a very fun new version of the game! I highly recommend it!

Stratego (View Game)
Dog

What a great classic game... hide your best army units and bombs in this capture the flag game, and try to out-think and out-remember your opponent's arrangement and development. It's been remade and ripped off of so many times, thanks to the simple, entertaining formula.

Tannhauser Revised Edition Rulebook * not dis (View Game)
Dog

If you're playing with the original rulebook, you may not enjoy Tannhauser very much. I understand why. This new, revised edition is definitely worth the extra expense - it steamlines the game and is said to slant the market towards Eurogamers, rather than War Gamers. I personally don't see the huge dichotomy in terms of one ruleset to the other; I just think this is a huge improvement, really helping out a game that needed reworking. Get it!

Tannhauser Board Game (includes revised rules) (View Game)
Dog

This is a relatively pricey and counter-intuitive game to get into, but once you do it's absolutely worth it! The only downsides to the base game are not including more options, but they've thankfully complimented the original game with an entirely new army (Soviet) and many additional small additions. The goal is to play a game in the suggested 60 minute time frame... once you can do that, you really enjoy things and come back many times. Great system, and one of the best themes I've ever enjoyed in a board game!

Settlers of Catan Card Game (View Game)
Dog

This is an amazing card game adaptation of the Settlers of Catan now classic new generation board game. Is it a clone of the original, modified to fit cards? Not in the slightest! There are elements of gameplay adopted from the original, giving it a Catan "feel", but this is a two player city development game, and its quite its own thing. I love this game, and I recommend it to anyone interested in deep, repeatedly enjoyable games for adults.

Through the Desert (View Game)
Dog

What a great game! I worry about games being too long to ever get a group to play... or being too short to ever get a group to care about. Through the Desert is really short (an hour including setup and break down) but gripping, often a game we'll choose to play a second time when we've finished. The gameplay is great, and the scoring system is balanced. Altogether, TtD is my top Knizia game alongside Samurai, and though I'll go for the 100+ pastel camels any day.

In Limbo (View Game)
Dog

This is not a BAD game, The rebranding (originally known as Diabolo) features the good versus evil nature of the game.

Civilization: The Board Game (View Game)
Dog

This is quite a good civilization building game loosely... LOOSELY related/descended from Sid Meyer's classic video games such as Civ II. Its only downfall in sheer length of gameplay, but for many purchasers this won't be seen as a negative whatsoever.

Le Havre: Le Grand Hameau Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This pack of new Special Cards for Le Havre adds extra variability and life into an already great game. I definitely recommend these buildings - between them and the originals, you can remove any the group finds boring and still have surprises.

Le Havre (1st edition) (View Game)
Dog

This excellent economic engine game by Uwe Rosenberg comes follows in series to Agricola, one of the top-rated board game of all time, and builds on the complexity and entertainment of its predecessor. It's a truly great game, most enjoyable for three or four players though scalable between one and five. Its only downfall is sheer length of play (I tend to prefer shorter games) with 2.5 to 4 hours being a reasonable expectation.

Saboteur 2 (View Game)
Dog

It's about time... this is a great addition of new cards, coins, etc., as stated up in the description. Purchased from my local game store when it recently came out and not regretting it.

Card Sleeves - Standard USA 56 x 87mm Clear Sleeves (100) (View Game)
Dog

These are nice for inexpensive card sleeves. I'd definitely recommend sizing them to individual games before purchasing them (look at the dimensions if a game isn't on the list).

Dixit 2 (View Game)
Dog

Dixit is a great game, but it does suffer from a limited deck. These new cards really add to the variability and longevity of a great game.

Zombies!!! Bag O' Zombie Dogs (View Game)
Dog

Pet Cemetery? This is a great collection of 100 zombie dogs for Zombies!!! (or for any other purpose)... you really do need more zombies of one form or another than the base game provides. Why not make them the canine variety?

Hive: Mosquito Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Very cool little piece for Hive - if you like the base game, add this to it. It's not a game changing piece, but it's definitely worth the order!

Hive Ladybug Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This isn't a blow-you-away, change-the-game type piece, simply something to add a little more strategy and thoughtfulness to the play of the game. The Ladybug is a nice, tactical little piece. Great addition!

Bang!: Dodge City Expansion (View Game)
Dog

I owned Bang! for a long time and considered it a fairly complete game, one that didn't need the burden of an expansion. These cards, however, are truly great and really up the entertainment of the game. If you don't own the Bullet, pick this up.

Last Night on Earth: Zombies with Grave Weapons Miniatures Set (View Game)
Dog

Flying Frog makes some nice miniatures for their best thematic game (if you ask me!) - the crawling zombie is a priceless accessory.

Ticket to Ride Nordic Countries (View Game)
Dog

While this game is a bit more of an investment than the new Switzerland map, it's a great and challenging 2 to 3 player version of the game. Glad it's back in print!

Ticket to Ride - Märklin (Marklin) Edition (View Game)
Dog

This game is enough of a variant for those who really enjoy the previous editions (original and Europe) to invest in. It's a great game with added complexity and a nice, new map of Germany.

Ticket To Ride: Swiss (Switzerland) Map Expansion (View Game)
Dog

This very nice new map is designed for 2 to 3 players, the perfect number for our games. We've always played TtR:E with two, and it's not the most thrilling... definitely worth the extra investment.

Carcassonne: The City 2 (View Game)
Dog

Very nice, more affordable version of the previously wooden only Carcassonne: The City! This is possibly the most enjoyable of all in the series, though it obviously cannot be combined with the original's expansion packs.

Tannhauser Board Game : Yula Kšrlitz Figure Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Yula is a close quarters combatant for the Reich team, using a (slightly ridiculous) set of knife-fingers, called the Krueger, which can disarm as well as injure an opponent. Very nice little character!

Tannhauser: Union Troop Pack (View Game)
Dog

This may appear redundant and useless to buy, but there are various scenarios in which having double or more copies of the Union troops is great! They were also kind enough to make these troopers immediately distinguishable from the original two.

Dungeon Twister (View Game)
Dog

This is a pretty unique game, and while the theme is well-chosen and meshes well with the gameplay, it does not feel like parties exploring a dungeon. It's much more like two teams of combatants working through a torturous maze to get at each other or escape through the cracks. Lots of thinking here!

Zendo Rule Cards (View Game)
Dog

Very handy little rule summary cheat sheet for Zendo (not really the box game, just played with Icehouse pieces). I like Looney Labs' little reminder cards - look up Ice 7 as well.

Icehouse Pieces - Blue (View Game)
Dog

This stash of blue Icehouse pieces is all you need for several games, about half of what you'll need for dozens and dozens, and a quarter of literally hundreds of Icehouse games. This is my favorite abstract set of all time, as the pieces are immensely versatile and aesthetically pleasing. Get them where you can!

Robo Rally (RoboRally) (View Game)
Dog

This game applies the most basic commands (forward, turn left, turn right, back up...) to a death trap map board on little robots. It sounds simple and orderly, but when you flip over your command actions... and your robots start ramming one another... all Hell breaks loose. It's very fun and a great example of chaos and unpredictability without a surfeit of randomness. A very fun group game for 2 to 8 players.

Forbidden Island (View Game)
Dog

I've heard the phrase "Pandemic Lite" attributed to Forbidden Island, and that's quite what it is. This isn't a BAD thing, and the game does play out differently due to the random board, differing goals, and differing individual player powers... I just wouldn't recommend owning both games. The game is more straightforward, easier to teach, and plays in 30 minutes for those who prefer their cooperative games to be more of an opener or filler.

Qwirkle (View Game)
Dog

Imagine a language-independent version of Scrabble... perhaps picture the hybrid offspring of Scrabble and Set. This is one of the best games you can find and quite fun for many different groups.

Terra Nova (View Game)
Dog

The best game in its series, in my opinion, and a great little area control game for 2-4 players. I definitely recommend trying this one out.

Icehouse Pieces - Black (View Game)
Dog

These pieces are the best items in my entire collection... to a deserted island, I'd definitely bring along these versatile little pieces as my only entertainment.

Livingstone (View Game)
Dog

A very nice light Eurogame, which gives players several constant decisions about strategies for victory point conversion (and little treasure chests).

Saboteur (View Game)
Dog

Great game for parties or larger game groups - light, quick, yet enough meat to be quite fun.

Reef Encounter (View Game)
Dog

This is one complicated game, but it's excellent once you swallow the nature of it. I love the mechanics, the complexity, and the theme.

Lord of the Rings-The Duel (View Game)
Dog

This game has the most pasted-on theme in a long history of similar games... the actual gameplay is all about hand management, and it's not a terrible game at that. It's alright, definitely worth picking up for a few dollars. Don't expect a paragon of card games, however.

Mancala (View Game)
Dog

Mancala is a very simplistic game with surprising complexity, and many, many games have been based around its mechanics. I find that people either love it or hate it, not a lot of middle ground.

Mr. Jack Pocket Edition (View Game)
Dog

This is a great idea - take a game that's of a... leisurely size for its components - and shrink it down into not only a more portable game but a more affordable one. I love Mr. Jack and have probably played it 40+ times - I highly recommend this to everyone.

Sahara (View Game)
Dog

This is an alright abstract strategy game which, I think, could have been done better. I'm willing to play it from time to time.

Settlers of Catan Card Game Expansion (View Game)
Dog

The base game is enough, to be quite honest, yet this and two other expansions now exist for the game. I own this with the Barbarians & Traders upgrade kit, and for some it might be splendid to put it all together, may not be necessary. In summary, it's not really my thing, but it IS well done, and the right kind of player could get very addicted to this game (+ expansions).

Tzaar (View Game)
Dog

I'm sorry, but if TZAAR has uprooted TAMSK (the strangest and therefore most interesting GIPF game)... I cannot stand behind it. It saddens me, as I do like TZAAR apolitically, but I don't see any hourglasses in here... just discs. How novel are discs?

Tamsk (View Game)
Dog

I guess the arbitrators of GIPF have cast out their unquestionably strangest abstract, TAMSK, in favor of the newer TZAAR game. Part of the logic in here is that GIPF series games are supposed to be mixable in some way (winner of previous game brings a piece from game #1 to game #2, borrowing rules from game #1 and allowing that piece to move in otherwise illegal ways). The second part is a mechanical issues with hourglasses (many sets were plagued by moisture clumping the hourglass sand), and the third part is obvious - "What were we thinking??" I love this game, though.

Zertz (View Game)
Dog

I like to give a little specific advice with my reviews, but when it comes to ZERTZ I'm a beginner - I wouldn't even know where to begin! I do really enjoy the play of this game, though I don't often win.

Yinsh (View Game)
Dog

This GIPF series game is one of my personal favorites... as always, it rings vaguely of other abstract games one's played - but reliance on external sources of strategy is almost always fatal. Underneath, this is really a unique game.

Pound of Dice (assorted) (View Game)
Dog

Wow, this is an awful lot of dice... no matter what you need dice for - how many or of what size - you are probably going to be safe with this package.

Connect Four (View Game)
Dog

This is (hopefully) a kids game but does get children to think strategically and plan ahead.

Chess and Checkers Set (View Game)
Dog

Although it's often unnecessary to buy an inexpensive Chess/Checkers set, if you're looking for one this has the advantage of combining both games.

Chess - Classic Series Tin (View Game)
Dog

Yes, there are - in my opinion - much better games than Chess, ones that don't have a steep learning curve and often unbalanced skill levels. Chess, however, is a game that everyone should know how to play. It's an excellent game in its own right and well-known.

Blokus - Travel Edition (View Game)
Dog

There are three essential Blokus games for people who really like the system - the original, Trigon, and Travel. Travel (or Blokus Duo) is the 2-player game which also happens to have a more mobile construction, rather than many travel versions of games which perfectly mimic the base game. It's quite fun and worth purchasing.

Hive Carbon (View Game)
Dog

This version of the game is extraordinarily nice, inexpensive, and comes with the two expansion pieces additionally. I would absolutely recommend it! Hive is one of my top abstract strategy games, can be taken along anywhere, and is relatively indestructible.

Knightmare Chess Set 2 (View Game)
Dog

There's no reason to get this deck prior to the original Nightmare Chess deck, but if you do like NC go ahead and spring for the expansion! It's just as good and, at times, even more unusual.

Knightmare Chess 2nd Edition (View Game)
Dog

I haven't picked up a new copy of this game yet, but I did play many, many games of Nightmare Chess as a teen. Chess itself is often an unbalanced game, given the importance of experience among players and the prevalance of experience (who hasn't played chess?). Throwing in this deck of cards adds chaos, new blood, and an evening hand to the game. Even a highly inexperienced player can do impressive things with the cruch of an overly powerful and well-played card; similarly, an experienced player who manages his cards poorly can easily find himself in a losing position.

Narnia Stratego : The Game of Narnian Battlefield Strategy : The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (View Game)
Dog

Now I do like Stratego, but this particular brand has one up on the classic French troops theme. This game is in the spirit of high fantasy, making one side the holiest Good army and the other curdling Evil. It's a well-produced copy of the game and every bit Stratego.

Star Wars Stratego (View Game)
Dog

A theme is a theme is a theme... this game is still Stratego, and I wouldn't judge it by any aesthetic means. If you like Stratego and were looking for a copy - and if you're a Star Wars fan - why not pick up this version? If you've never played it, I'd recommend trying it. It's a fun, light little game.

Lord of the Rings - Stratego (Trilogy Edition) (View Game)
Dog

The LotR edition of Stratego doesn't alter anything major to the play of the game, but the retheming itself is nicely done and adds a layer of entertainment to the metagame. Of classic board games fit to a popular new release, Stratego would always be one of my top picks.

Gipf (View Game)
Dog

This abstract is first in the Project GIPF series and a very solid, complex game. Players begin by placing GIPF pieces on the board as stacks of two normal pieces. Once a player chooses to play normal pieces alone, no further GIPF pieces may ever be played. One looses when either all GIPF pieces of one's color are eliminated or no further move may be made. The game is played on a hexagonal board with a piece-pushing mechanism: players place pieces around the periphery, forcing other pieces along their respective lines. Any line of four pieces of a color will be returned to a cache, while opponent's pieces along that line are struck from the game. I hear other games in the Project may integrate with one another, producing one absurd mega-abstract.

Battle Line (View Game)
Dog

This game is well out of print and probably always will be, but it's still worth the time to recommend. The theme here is completely irrelevant but harmless - what's really going on is more like battle lines being drawn out between nine evolving hands of poker, with a continual hand management system and a fancy "tactics deck" for added spice.

Vikings (View Game)
Dog

Vikings is a gem among games with lighter weight and shorter playing time. Players each compete to build the best tableau of islands, invading ships, and viking-eeples by purchasing tile/meeple combos in a marketplace. Very much like being a proud viking warrior? No, but still a very entertaining and stimulating game.

Nuns on the Run (View Game)
Dog

I was surprised by how much I liked this game - it's basically the board game format of Hide and go Seek, but it plays very entertainingly. Those who like Scotland Yard or NY Chase should love this game, as it's essentially a reversed version with many hiders/runners and one seeker using two pawns.

Hive (View Game)
Dog

This is a fantastic abstract strategy game - I couldn't recommend anything more. While fun and easy to pick up, a few games will demonstrate how much more there is to Hive. The new bakelite production is also amazing, and the game comes with its own little bag for easy storage and travel. I love this game.

Clue (Scooby Doo) (View Game)
Dog

A pretty simple themeing - Scooby and the gang have arrived at a mansion for a Clue character impersonation. One goes missing, and everyone chooses a character to discover who killed the victim, with what, and where. Good for fans of Scooby Doo.

Liar's Dice (View Game)
Dog

This is an extremely old bluffing game, which lives on due to its simplicity, entertainment, and ability for drunk people to play and gamble with it. You can play the game with regular dice and cups - five dice and one cup per individual - but this is a nice set for those more discriminating.

The Settlers of Zarahemla (View Game)
Dog

How many spin-offs can there be? The Settlers of Catan game family has really flourished in a cancerous bloom over the past decade, but perhaps the most unusual game to emerge was the Settlers of Zarahemla - a Mormon retheming of the game! Interesting to say the least.

Settlers of Canaan (View Game)
Dog

This is a historical/religious version of the Settlers of Catan and, though it may be interesting and novel as such, almost lives up to the original's gameplay. I do recommend playing this game, but it isn't quite as good as its progenitor.

Glen More (View Game)
Dog

This is one of my favorite games of 2010, which simply hasn't received the attention it deserves. While Glen More doesn't bring anything amazingly new to the table, it does integrate a number of game elements seamlessly into a memorable, enjoyable unit. There's rondel, tile placement, marketplace, worker placement, and multiple scoring point systems at work, all squeezed into a light to moderate weight, 90 minute game. Decent design and theme as well!

Clue (The Simpsons) (View Game)
Dog

This is too convenient. Half of my friends enjoy Clue, and half enjoy the Simpsons. They overlap almost perfectly...

Clue (View Game)
Dog

As I point out about most Classics, you can have the best game ever made on your shelf... if nobody is interested in learning something, you'll never enjoy it. Sometimes you just need to compromise and play an old favorite. Clue has its merits, and I do enjoy playing it. There are much better whodunnit games out there these days, but Clue is still on my shelf!

Upwords (View Game)
Dog

This game was born when some game designers were sitting around a Scrabble board, and one of them really, REALLY wanted to change something already played. Everyone who's been frustrated and wanted more leeway and creativity during a Scrabble game should smile during their first game of Upwords. There isn't much else to say, however.

Star Wars Risk Clone Wars Edition (View Game)
Dog

This is a surprisingly fun version of Risk, though I don't care for the subject. Most people who simply like the original Star Wars trilogy will be surprised by the unfamiliarity of most of the areas under dispute - I certainly didn't know, nor could pronounce, most of it. I rarely got anybody to play this game, thanks to the theme and board, but the actual game plays well.

Risk (View Game)
Dog

Risk is an enjoyable light "war game" with players beginning more or less randomly, depending on which rules/house rules they choose to play with, and seeking world domination. Risk CAN go on for more hours than any players desire, often after the exclusion of drop outs, but we all know what we're getting ourselves into.

Lord of the Rings Risk (View Game)
Dog

For fans of Risk, this is an excellent variant that changes much of the core rules and adds a lot of thematic entertainment. Lord of the Rings Risk is a four player max game where two players control "good" armies and two control "evil" armies - a three player game can also be good fun, with compensation integrated for the shorthanded side. Comes with ring.

Lifeboats (View Game)
Dog

This is an entirely open information game for 3+ players. Each player chooses locations for his pieces, then it's a voting/negotiation to kick one another off and make it over to the winning islands alive. Very fun, if contentious, game, entirely reliant on people skills and not making people want to flip the table over.

Zendo (View Game)
Dog

It's a real shame you can't get this or other Icehouse pieces easily anymore - Zendo is a great deduction game that I highly recommend anyone with an Icehouse set to set up.

Star Wars Trivial Pursuit w/DVD (Saga Edition) (View Game)
Dog

This game is sadly based on the six Star Wars films, which could have been split up into two separate games: the one I'd want to play, and the one about some very mediocre blockbuster sequels. I'm sure Lucas is interested in coming out with an Indiana Jones quadrilogy edition as well. All the same, I'm always up for a Trivial Pursuit game.

Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit (View Game)
Dog

The box says it's based on the "feature-length" trilogy, implying the movies rather than the books, but plenty of the questions here can go either way, as the films remained fairly faithful to their inspiration. Fun as usual!

Trivial Pursuit: 20th Anniversary Edition (View Game)
Dog

In my opinion, the best editions of Trivial Pursuit are the older versions - early to mid 1980's - as they seem to demand a little more true trivia and less pop culture. I can't stand getting a literature question about a comic strip. I'll play any version of the game, however - it's always fun!

Call of Cthulhu: Unspeakable Words (View Game)
Dog

This is a very fun, light filler game with a startlingly pasty theme - Cthulu, of course! Basically, the real game here is a push your luck betting game, where each person has five "saves" - statuettes that ward off insanity - from poor die rolling. To control the risk of success or failure, players choose the value of the words they lay down - if a player plays a word worth 5 points, they only need to roll a 5 or higher to pass. If a player plays a word worth 18, they'll have a much higher chance of losing a statue, but at greater reward. I recommend it.

Court of Medici (View Game)
Dog

This is a fantastic light and compact card game about accumulating the highest rack of cards, negating and eliminating individual cards or stacks of cards along the way. The theme is entirely superfluous but well-done and adds to the mood of the gameplay. For two player games as well as card games, this is a great little addition to pick up.

Ice Flow (View Game)
Dog

In Ice Flow, each player controls a team of three explorers crossing the Bering Straight from Alaska to Russia - and also controls the movements, rotations, and appearances of new slabs of ice to cross on! Players will use a questionably appropriate joint backpack for all explorers full of rope and fish and need to find more of these items on the various chunks of ice to successfully cross. However, each player faces two obstacles: hungry polar bears as well as one another. All in all, this makes for a fun game of about one hour, appropriate for two to four players, with great theme and manufacture. Highly recommended!

Revolution! (View Game)
Dog

Revolution! is a simultaneous blind bidding game which picked up on the fact that some games are only best with 3 or 4 players - and published it as such! It's a much better choice than to extend the suggested player count to suit larger groups, and thanks to this limit the game always plays enjoyably. Players have influence in the forms of wealth, blackmail, and force, each type trumping the one before it and each type being harder to acquire. Depending on what each player bids on and wins, they will receive a new supply of bidding tokens for the next round, cubes of control in varoius buildings on the map (to award lump sums at the game's end), or immediate movement along the victory track. It's a well-balanced game and very fun, but don't take it personally if one player tends to end up screwed. It does happen, but we still like to play it again!

Samurai (View Game)
Dog

Samurai is one of my favorite Knitzia games, in that it's an interestingly-themed and well-designed abstract strategy, area control game which can be scaled from two to four players. While the mechanic used is tile placement, this game has equal proportion bidding. The game can be played with a greater amount of randomness in its setup to no randomness whatsoever, and is easy to play in 30 to 45 minutes. Very fun and worthwhile.

Dominion (View Game)
Dog

Dominion is an extremely popular new card game with the interesting mechanic of using one's deck to buy cards to add to this same deck. At the end of each player's turn, the deck is reshuffled with the new cards and another hand dealt. Having the right cards in the right proportions in the right stage of the deck's development is the key to success (as well as a little luck when drawing your hand!). Each game takes under an hour - the box suggests even less - and several games can be played in quick succession. What's better, only 40% of action cards are used in each game of Dominion, which leaves a huge amount of room for variability between games. Once you feel a mastery of all these decks, Rio Grande has already produced four expansions on the game.

Pandemic - 2013 Edition (View Game)
Dog

This is one of my favorite cooperative board games: it's light, fun, and scalably difficulty to win. Players work together to eradicate four widespread diseases from the globe which threaten mankind. Each player starts the game with a variable speciality, such as treating diseases or building research stations, yet this game suffers less from the leader syndrome of many cooperatives, where the player who knows the game best essentially tells everyone else what to do to succeed. This is also one of the most well-manufactured board games I've ever seen. Very nice!

Arimaa (View Game)
Dog

Arimaa is a gem of an abstract strategy game. Two players each control a Chess-sized and distributed collection of pieces, each represented by an animal from rabbit to elephant size. They are placed in any distribution in the two hindmost rows of a standard 8x8 board, but four "pits" are evenly distributed across same board into which pieces can disappear. Every pieces has the same movement, but larger pieces can push and pull smaller ones around the board. The goal is to get one one's rabbits (think pawns) to the opposite wall. This might be a confusing abstract of the game's rules, but to consider that a profoundly deep game emerges from such a simple concept is simply grand. Another new classic along the lines of Abalone or Khet, highly recommended!

Penguin (View Game)
Dog

For a light family game for children, Penguin is decently themed and designed but marred by production quality. Knitzia designed this game as a themeless card game, initially, and when it was repurposed into a children's game the penguin theme and stacking mechanims were tacked on. Stacking is a fun experiment but ultimately fails: the penguins are designed to slot into one another but rarely do so. For adults, this flaw is bothersome. Players have to tediously force one penguin's arm into the ear of its subordinate, and should penguins elsewhere come apart the rules remain vague. For children, however, the flaw is infuriating. "MY PENGUINS WON'T STACK!" is a typical outburst and summary of gameplay. Fortunately, the penguins don't need to stack whatsoever - they can just be placed in a recumbant pyramid, rather than a vertical one. All the same, it's a shame...

Zombies!!!: Midevil Deluxe (View Game)
Dog

This game might have been called Evil Dead or Army of Darkness: The Game, but it's also fun in its own right! Shares a lot with other Twilight Creations games. The Deluxe edition is worth the extra!

Bag o' Zombies: Glowing Babes (View Game)
Dog

The lady zombies are a nice touch, as is these glow-in-the-dark pieces. You'll need them, and even if you don't there are a million other uses for them.

Zombies!!! (Widescreen Edition) (View Game)
Dog

There is a lot of similarity between Zombies!!! and your favorite horror flick - it's hard to say who's going to die, but don't be surprised if you find yourself low on health and missing your bullets. The Director's Cut of this game features a clarified ruleset, lady zombies, and is engorged with improved art. Getting one or more of the expansions (which are thankfully inexpensive) will greatly enhance the game.

The Great Dalmuti (View Game)
Dog

If you've ever played the drinking game (take a look at the rules and you may make the connection!), this card game shares much in common. It also improves upon the US playing card game - and looks nice - so I recommend picking up a copy.

Runebound: Shadows Of Margath Pack (2nd edition - 2006) (View Game)
Dog

This little expansion pack comes with a new stack of encounter cards. Most of them are well worth the additional variation, so I do recommend this as one of the better small expansions!

Pirate-Opoly (View Game)
Dog

This Monopoly variant is pirate themed! It's almost pointless to review a game as universally known as Monopoly, but they did do a good job with this one. Fun as always.

Midevil (Zombies!!! Midevil) (View Game)
Dog

Fans of Twilight Creations' Zombies!!! tile-laying game will love this (slightly better, in my opinion) spin off, shamelessly based on Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness. It's a solid game with a skeleton horde.

Zombies!!! Bag O' Zombies (Non-glowing) (View Game)
Dog

These are your run-of-the-mill zombie tokens, used in Twilight Creations' Zombies!!! tile-laying game. At $0.07 a zombie, can you go wrong?

Bag O' Zombies!!!: Glowing Clowns (View Game)
Dog

Personally, I don't need the entire clown-themed expansion, but I DO like zombie clowns. Anyone whose played Zombies!!! also knows the need for a few supplemental zombie figures!

Apples to Apples Expansion Set 1 (View Game)
Dog

Obviously this expansion will only appeal to Apples to Apples fans, and the largest problem with Apples to Apples itself is the limited number of words to pop up. This expansion alleviates this issue, though it does lessen portability.

Apples to Apples (View Game)
Dog

This is a fun party game that's more about knowing your opponents than matching nouns to adjectives. In fact, matching nouns to adjectives would be a pretty poor game and a pretty dull strategy.

Game of Life (View Game)
Dog

Ah, Life. It's more like the game of the '50s American stereotypical life - sometimes altered into the modern age by design updates - but it's still a fun family game. Part of the enjoyment of The Game of Life is game-driven nostalgia, and some is nostalgia for the game itself. Spin the spinner.

Zombies!!! 7: Send in the Clowns (View Game)
Dog

Debatably the most ridiculous of Twilight Creations' members of the Zombies!!! franchise, this expansion adds a circus to the horror-themed base game. And yes, that means adding an uncanny quantity of clown zombies. I believe one of these was featured in Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland...

Mr Jack - Slightly Damaged Box (View Game)
Dog

Mr. Jack was one of my first "designer game" purchases and remains one of my favorites. Among strictly two player games, it is perfectly unique in that much care has been put into the theme (and a great theme it is). I highly recommend this to anyone who likes two player games, strategy games, and games of deduction.

Humans!!! - Slightly Damaged Box (View Game)
Dog

Fans of the Zombies!!! series and Twilight Creations as a whole will enjoy this bizarro twist on the game. Though we haven't tried integrating the two games together (as the box suggests), it apparently can be done. Humans!!! features similar gameplay and more of the fantastic artwork that probably keeps Twilight Creations in business.

Android - Slightly Damaged Box (View Game)
Dog

Android is a complicated game. It is a very, very long game; I'd consider the suggested duration short of real play time. It is a bit like burning your brain without letup for five hours. On the other hand, you can rephrase that as an extremely well-designed and thematically enriched game which makes you think. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, but for some it's a fantastic, engrossing game.

Puerto Rico (View Game)
Dog

I picked up this game about a month ago and only regret not doing so earlier. It's not an intimidating game, and though the box may appear dry it's easy to pick up on the first game. Each successive game we've played has revealed additional depth. In fact, I want to play it right now.

Set! (View Game)
Dog

This game is a bit like taking a multi-player IQ test. It's abstract and equally fun for youths or adults. You can also scale up or down your IQ with alcohol to balance things out.

Carcassonne Big Box*ND (View Game)
Dog

This compilation of the Carcassonne base game plus expansions is an affordable way to get all the Carcassonne you'll ever need. If you've never played Carcassonne before, see if you have any friends with the game - it might not be for you! Carcassonne is fun for many gamers, but some people consider it too light. It's meant to be light and fun, and I personally like all the expansions contained within.

Farm-Opoly (View Game)
Dog

Monopoly is a fairly entertaining classic board game centered on the theme of buying and renting out properties. The thing that makes Monopoly endure is its universal recognition - if nobody is interested in learning a game, and you're in a room of non-gamers, you might resort to playing a good ol' game of Monopoly. This particular board is barnyard themed, so suited for younger audiences or those with rural passion.

Denver Broncos Monopoly (View Game)
Dog

Monopoly is a fairly entertaining classic board game centered on the theme of buying and renting out properties. The thing that makes Monopoly endure is its universal recognition - if nobody is interested in learning a game, and you're in a room of non-gamers, you might resort to playing a good ol' game of Monopoly. This particular board has an Denver Broncos theme, which as a Denver resident is an added bonus!

American Chopper Monopoly (View Game)
Dog

Monopoly is a fairly entertaining classic board game centered on the theme of buying and renting out properties. The thing that makes Monopoly endure is its universal recognition - if nobody is interested in learning a game, and you're in a room of non-gamers, you might resort to playing a good ol' game of Monopoly. This particular board has an American Choppers theme, which is an added touch of entertainment.

Apples to Apples - Party Box (View Game)
Dog

Apples to Apples is a fun party game, best with five or more players, that's more about knowing your opponents than appropriate matching. For that reason, however, this game doesn't really work with newly introduced people - so don't use it as an ice breaker!

Bang! 4th Edition (View Game)
Dog

Bang! is a great party game for 4+ friends, and the only bad thing I can say about it is that - while it's top of the list for six or seven people - it inherently can't be scaled down.

Puerto Rico (View Game)
Dog

Puerto Rico is one of the most highly praised board games out there - and rightfully so. Unlike Agricola (and these games aren't similar enough to fret about getting both of them), Puerto Rico gives you the flexibility to choose between various good choices each turn, rather than the lesser of evils. We've just begun to play it, but it will definitely be a perennial favorite.

Tikal (View Game)
Dog

An under-appreciated gem, Tikal is about worker placement, tile placement, and area control. The game has a small, easy-to-learn list of rules which generate a lot of fascinating mechanics. As such, I put it in with Settlers of Catan or Carcassonne - hidden depth in the guise of a light, accessible game. Couldn't recommend it more!

Taj Mahal (reprint 2006) (View Game)
Dog

This is an excellent and under-appreciated game of area control through bidding. Don't be intimidated by the dry theme, as it's as pasted on as they come. The actual gameplay is really superb, easy to grasp and enjoy, with a lot of depth and replayability.

Scrabble Deluxe (View Game)
Dog

This is a nice Scrabble board with a turntable base, wooden letters, and fanciness all around. I have an older edition of this same design - it's nice! Get it!

Small World: Be Not Afraid... Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Five new races and five new banners - a bit more expensive than the Grand Dammes or Cursed! expansions, but a few well-spent dollars (in my mind) go towards a new sorting tray that solves the problem of where to put all those races! You can ask Tom Vasel about that.... The races themselves are fun and balanced; this is a great expansion!

Small World: Cursed! (View Game)
Dog

This is a great little expansion for Small World - and while it doesn't give players a huge assortment of new features, it's also a $6 expansion! Two new races and five new banners - your stack of banners is starting to look pretty tall, all of a sudden. They're all solid, fun additions to the game, no banner or race unbalancing the game.

Sorry! (View Game)
Dog

This roll-and-move (it uses cards) game is a modern imitation of Parcheesi, where each of your pieces is scrambling towards their end zone one revolution away from the start, and every opponent may knock your pieces back to start by landing on it. You're safe in the end zone. Sorry!

Trouble (Pop-O-Matic) (View Game)
Dog

Trouble is another Parcheesi-esque board game of moving (controlled by a dice, oddly embedded in the gameboard) and bumping. Each player is attempting to amass their pieces in an end zone next to the starting positions, ensuing a full revolution of the board for each piece. They are then safe.

Trouble (Pop-O-Matic) (View Game)
Dog

Sorry! (View Game)
Dog

This game is a sort of Parcheesi with a modern redesign. You move your pieces fairly randomly around the board to your end zone, bumping other players' pieces back to start as you go. It's not bad for kids or drunks. I recommend it.

Cranium (View Game)
Dog

This is a great game for a party, because it rips off of a bunch of different games most people already know how to play! There's Pictionary, charades, impersonations, anagrams, modelling clay-Pictionary, simplified Trivial Pursuit, etc. It's also pretty recognizable in its own rights today, so even easy to teach and play with guests.

Card Sleeves - 50 green mini card sleeves for non-standard card games (View Game)
Dog

These sleeves are great for protecting non-standard card stock, like Yu-Gi-Oh! cards! I really recommend these!

Small World: Grand Dames (View Game)
Dog

This is a great but small expansion for Small World, introducing 3 new races and 2 new banners. Races and banners tend to influence declined races. A solid addition, bringing fresh life into the game!

Balderdash (View Game)
Dog

Balderdash is a great game to play among good friends, where each person needs to come up with a reasonably plausible (or implausible!) definition for a word that doesn't trigger recognition of the author. It isn't easy to not sound like yourself or apply your own specific knowledge to your bullsh... er, balderdash.

Parcheesi : The Classi Game of India (View Game)
Dog

Parcheesi is an extremely light game that any cognizant human being can play. It's basically a roll of the dice game, a simplified Sorry, in which two adjacent pieces of a color create a "wall" blocking opponents. That's all there is to it... Parcheesi.

Checkers (View Game)
Dog

Checkers. Nobody has reviewed Checkers. You know, Checkers isn't bad whatsoever - think about how long Checkers has been around in human history. There is a lot of computational complexity involved (though not nearly as much as in Chess) and like many classic board games has the additional merit of being virtually universally understood. I still have a Chess/Checkers set in my collection, and you should, too.

UNO (View Game)
Dog

A fun family game and worth its own deck of cards. Don't play Crazy Eights... play Uno.

Yetisburg: Titanic Battles In World History Volume 1 Card Game (View Game)
Dog

Yetisburg is a great opening game, lasting about an hour at most. There is a lot of randomness in the game, with a background hum of tactics in the card placement. This might turn off some, but a lot of entertainment is to be found in the insanity and mayhem of the battlefield. One look in any soldier's eyes, and you know they feel that same fatalism charging forward...

Betrayal At House On The Hill (View Game)
Dog

The second edition of Betrayal at House on the Hill has a lot of rule simplifications and clarifications, really aiding the accessibility of this game. It's very fun and has great replayability (given 50 "haunt" scenarios to select from!). The only hinderance to this game is Avalon Hill's production quality - tile pieces easily warp, and there's not much you can do about it. Still, it's good for the company, and I still recommend picking it up!

Carcassonne (View Game)
Dog

There are a ton of expansions and variants of this game. You may or may not want to pick any of them up, but one thing is evident: the original was a huge success, widely popular among gamers and nongamers alike. The mechanic is simple, brilliant, and repeatably enjoyable. Highly recommended!

Ticket to Ride (View Game)
Dog

I learned on the Europe edition, which has a greater ruleset beyond the different map, but the original Ticket to Ride is still great! This is a fun game for gamers and nongamers alike and very easy to pick up and enjoy.

Scrabble (View Game)
Dog

There's a lot of people today who prefer designer games to the old Hasbro/Milton Bradley classics, but Scrabble will never leave my shelf. Not only is it challenging and intriguing but very few people have never played the game.

Othello (View Game)
Dog

Amongst strategy games, Othello is an old favorite - it's amazing how deep a game can become with so few rules! Othello has been popular for well over a century and can take ten minutes or hours to complete any game.

Android (View Game)
Dog

Whodunnit? More like who can we blame... Nobody is guilty or innocent by default in this game. The guilty party is, obviously, whoever appears guilty, and the innocents most innocent. This is a great futuristic film noir game, where everyone is trying to pin the murder on whomever they please, link them to an evil conspiracy, and stop themselves from going broke/insane/lonely/having their entire genotype eradicated from a Japanese corporation's cloning vats. In summary, Android is a lot to summarize: a highly challenging, nonlinear, and environmental game.

Arkham Horror: Lurker At The Threshold Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Every Arkham expansion is a good development to the game, with new cards in all the decks you want them in. For that alone I recommend Lurker, but the new gate markers (that move, devour, etc.) and the herald himself add to the chaos that you might think you've finally mastered. Great job!

Boggle (View Game)
Dog

I'm a lover of well-designed games, but some things you never get tired of. It's such a simple, brain-burning exercise, and the player interaction (discovering letter combinations nobody else will think of) heighten the experience from a solitaire "who's quick with a big vocabulary" game.

Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Incursion (View Game)
Dog

This expansion is certainly worth purchasing, for any lover of the base game. The new races are intriguing, sometimes infuriating, and often game changers, and the new rewards deck is a very welcome incentive to defensive players. Highly recommended.

Kill Doctor Lucky Board Game (Revised Edition) (View Game)
Dog

This is a great light game, a sort of anti-Clue, in which each player is attempting to murder the clueless Doctor Lucky (and prevent his murder by others' hands). The production value is wonderful, as well as entertaining, as players' cards either bring themselves and the doctor into isolated murder spots or foil these same murders. Highly recommended!

Mystery of the Abbey (Includes Pilgrims Expansion) (View Game)
Dog

Enjoyed Clue as a child? How about a grown-up version? Mystery of the Abbey is very much that, with a great deal more involved. The premise is similar - who killed the monk - but combined with an intriguing map, global effects, and an infinite realm of player questioning. This is a beautiful and fun game that promotes deep thinking and entertainment.

Small World Board Game (View Game)
Dog

Some games hit the nail on the head when it comes to combining great strategy/tactics with a fun and seemingly light atmosphere. Case in point is Small World - while everyone feels like they're enjoying a light entertainment, everyone is planning, watching their opponents, and making sneaky tactical moves each turn. Really fun and enjoyed by all.

A Touch Of Evil: The Supernatural Game (View Game)
Dog

Though the skill level is medium, this game is a very well-designed and enjoyable monster hunt. The object is to be the first player to search out and kill an evil Villian (the vampire, werewolf, spectral horseman, or scarecrow in the base game), much like a noncooperative Arkham Horror - where the enemy can actually be beaten. To do this, the characters need to search around for items and investigation tokens (think clue tokens) to use for upgrading stats and making purchases. There's a doom track much like in Flying Frog's previous release, Last Night on Earth, as well as other superficial similarities to the previous game. Very much, however, is unlike Last Night on Earth - again, a stronger comparison is made to Arkham or Runebound. Enjoyable, a bit fiddly, and fairly light. I'm told the expansion adds much to the game if you enjoy it, and two additional villans are already downloadable from the company's website.

Animeeples Wooden Farm Animals (View Game)
Dog

Well it obviously has no bearance on the game itself, but Agricola's substitute animeeples are pretty cute. They're pretty popular, too, so it just goes to show you that people love putting a little form to an abstract concept. Agricola's base pieces are little cubes.

Agricola (View Game)
Dog

This is one of the best board games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. It's extensively tested and balanced out with a number of strategies to winning. In the end, it comes down to finely tuned timing each turn of the game, and were it not for the interactions in turn selections would make a solid multiplayer solitaire. Those interactions, though, bring the difficulty of the game way up and create a high tactical element to turn choices. Then you have the variable card decks, and... there's a lot to this game. As an aside, it's easy to see where the money went into this game: excellent construction!

Runebound Board Game (2nd Edition) (View Game)
Dog

This is a great base game with plenty of options for expansion to enhance the experience! I recommend this game for 2 to 4 players max, 3 preferable: until the end of the game, when things come down to the wire, each person can basically disinvolve him or herself during the opponents turns. In a three player game, this means the others talking not necessarily about anything related - but when you get upwards of 4 players everyone waits a considerable amount of time before taking another turn. It bogs the game down. If you play with the right number of players, it's a fun adventure game for anyone who enjoys fantasy settings in a board game form.

Conquest of Pangea (View Game)
Dog

This is a very abstract game pasted onto a somewhat bizarre rendition of geological history. Each player controls a species running rampant on Pangea as the supercontinent begins to break up, and dominating a particular region (in the ecological sense) grants bonus card abilities to that species. I can't exactly explain how these nonspecific species have the Power of Sky Magic or Fire, as a scientist, so the theme is a tough nut to swallow. The underlying mechanics, however, are interesting and enjoyable to play with three or more players (I don't recommend two!).

A Touch Of Evil: The Supernatural Game (View Game)
Dog

Carcassonne: Wheel of Fortune (View Game)
Dog

Another great Carcassonne game, this is a good supplement to buying the original. One can play with or without the wheel, which adds an element of randomness (as well as strategy), making the wheel-free game a mirror of the original Carcassonne game. How can you go wrong? It's very fun, as its popularity and runaway success illustrate, and suitable to all players.

Carcassonne: the Castle (View Game)
Dog

Some Carcassonne games, such as Hunters & Gatherers, work well for two players, but this version is exclusively designed for two. The borders of the playing area are fixed, and players build inward towards the center of the castle. This is possibly my favorite Carcassonne and also stands out as the most dissimilar version to other games in the line. Very fun, fast-paced, and well-balanced.

Carcassonne: The New World (View Game)
Dog

In this interesting variation upon the standard Carcassonne game, players must expand ever westward or have their meeples swiped from the board. The unidirectional nature of the game as well as the element of timing make this game a worthy collection and set it apart from other Carcassonne variants. I like it and recommend it for its gameplay and theme.

Arkham Horror: Dunwich Horror Expansion (View Game)
Dog

The Dunwich Horror expansion takes the game to a rural village setting that borrows from the Lovecraft tale of the same name. This is a great expansion that adds a number of tweaked effects, my favorite of which being the injury and madness cards (permanent detriments to avoid a character's death). Between the extra board, extra monsters, extra cards, and the Dunwich Horror himself, a lot is added to the base game. Highly recommended.

Citadels Expansion :The Dark City Expansion (View Game)
Dog

The new edition of Citadels comes with this expansion included, but if you have the first edition these cards extend replayability and expand variety in the game. The Dark City expansion adds a number of cards to be shuffled into the original deck at will. This includes district cards - all purple - and character cards that replace existing characters, should you choose to use them. Definitely worth getting if you own the older edition! One note - if your card backs are scuffed, everyone will recognize the new cards immediately.

Arkham Horror: Dunwich Horror Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Citadels Expansion :The Dark City Expansion (View Game)
Dog

Race For The Galaxy (View Game)
Dog

The operating word in the title here is "race" - Race for the Galaxy is a fun, fast game with a lot of strategy and a lot of rules. For a card game, it is very number heavy; just look at the crib sheets, and you can see the immediate complexity of the game. Again in reference to the racing aspect of the game, there is not a lot of player interaction present in RFTG; it is nearly a 2+ player solitaire styled game. That being said it is a very good one and a very enjoyable one. Compare this game to a broader and more mathematical Citadels, without the variable player powers.

Taboo (View Game)
Dog

This is a great party game in the vein of Pictonary or Scattergories, in which players attempt to clue their team into a key word without using a list of the most obvious clues. It's fun, fast-paced, and infuriating when you hear that buzzer! Give this game a second look if you want to liven up a dull get-together.

Scattergories (View Game)
Dog

Scattergories is a great party game for twenty minutes or an hour. Its ability for group voting and wild interpretation allows for a great deal of creativity in an already fast-thinking brainstorm game. Not to be underrated!

Chess (View Game)
Dog

It's almost absurd to review chess, one of the most successful and most studied games to grace the western world. Instead, I'd rather encourage anyone who has never attempted to learn chess to do so. This game requires some study to attenuate to, in part due to the amount of time other people spent doing the same. Many abstract strategy games have equal depth as this classic, but very few are as widely known and practiced. The ultimate in playtested games, chess would never be with us today were it not a rich and satisfying entertainment.

Arkham Horror: Curse Of The Dark Pharaoh Expansion (Revised Edition) (View Game)
Dog

Curse of the Dark Pharoah is a good second expansion to the base game - it's easy to integrate and rather than adding a new core mechanic to the game adds a new deck of item cards (exhibition items) as well as new additions to many preexisting decks. If you're concerned about overloading your game with expansions, this is a safe way to expand your cards and add a few new little things as bonus. I believe the Curse of the Dark Pharaoh expansion allows for a drastically alternate game as well as the standard add-on play, but we've always used it in the conventional method.

Arkham Horror Board Game (View Game)
Dog

The game might be amazingly complex - utilizing an entire table, an hour in set-up time, and thrice that to play - but it somehow grips even nongamers in its abominable fun. Who can resist a slumbering Elder God? Arkham Horror was a runaway success upon its rerelease, and an abundance of expansions continue to revitalize the base game. Playtested through its earlier incarnation, recrafted with a host of card decks, and lovingly crafted and illustrated, Arkham Horror is a unique, engrossing, and terrifying game.

Carcassonne: Hunters & Gatherers (View Game)
Dog

Differences between Hunters & Gatherers and classic Carcassone aren't enormous, but general consensus is this version is better balanced, being Wrede's follow-up to the original. This version eliminates one of the four scorable meeple types (no crossover of abbeys) in favor of river system "village" pieces and a set of bonus tiles with special abilities. Quick to pick up and quite fun!

Mr Jack (View Game)
Dog

This game can be played in half an hour, and you'll like that as both players want to play again. Mr. Jack is very well-balanced and well-planned, allowing a surprising amount of replayability, and as much subterfuge and deduction as players are willing to administer. Any tweaks to the original (such as the expansion) seem to unbalance the elegant simplicity of the setup. The theme here is an added bonus, as is the fine quality of the board and pieces.

Gloom (View Game)
Dog

Gloom is a theme-heavy game of misanthropy and doom, and possibly the only card game in which having misfortune and death befall you gains you points. Each family is unique and enjoyable, and though they don't change the game mechanics it's often difficult to choose between the Brain in a Box, Creepy Clown, or Unfaithful Hound. Each card is a morsel of Edward Gorey fan fiction. The game itself is innovative, social, and take-that oriented. Great for any number of players from 2 to 4.

Battleship (View Game)
Dog

Everyone loves Battleship. This game isn't very strategy-heavy - if you can psych out your opponent, position ships, and understand a grid system, you can play Battleship. This game is excellent for children and for very light entertainment.

Abalone (View Game)
Dog

This is a very nice abstract strategy game and Mensa Select winner in which each player attempts to push the opposing player's marbles out of the borders of the board. Marbles move according to a simple set of can-push/can't-push rules, and the hexagonal shape of the board calls for cunning to eliminate pieces without avoidance or exposure. I recommend trying alternative starting positions, such as the Belgian or German daises. Highly recommended!

Khet - The Laser Game (View Game)
Dog

Khet borrows a lot from classic board games like Chess or Xiangqi, with the obvious laser addition. Most pieces are mirrored on one more more sides, allowing each player's laser to rebound and continue its torturous path towards the opposing Pharaoh. Unmirrored pieces caught in the beam are destroyed as the game progresses, making the Pharaohs increasingly vulnerable to clever attacks. This is a challenging and deep abstract strategy game, yet more intuitive than any chess match.

Zombies!!! 2nd Edition (Director's Cut) (View Game)
Dog

Zombies!!! 3: Mall Walkers (2nd Edition) (View Game)
Dog

This is my favorite Zombies!!! expansion, as it adds an entirely new tile set to the board (the mall) as well as new cards and new rules. I wouldn't recommend getting more than one or two expansions to play with the base game, but this is definitely one to choose!

Last Night On Earth - The Zombie Game (View Game)
Dog

This is by far the best zombie themed game I've played. It's well-constructed, highly replayable, and above all fun. Last Night on Earth even comes with a soundtrack - how many games grant that? Here's something for people who whine about pasted-on themes - this game is all about the setting, and it's as fun as your favorite horror film.

Bag o' Zombies: Glowing Dogs (View Game)
Dog

Why no comments on the dogs? It's hard to not run out of zombies from the original game, and zombie dogs are the natural go-to source of undead fodder. The zombie dogs glow in the dark, though I've never tried to play Zombies!!! with the lights out.

Settlers of Catan Board Game (View Game)
Dog

I played Settlers long before becoming aware of the variety of complex, modern board games... but SoC is as enjoyable as ever. Settlers is well-rounded, strategic, and social, and it's the most likely game beyond the department store shelf to be met with recognition and enthusiasm.

Ticket To Ride - Europe (View Game)
Dog

This is a intuitive and playable game for virtually anyone, but it retains enough complexity - especially with the added Europe rules - for serious gamers alike. A very well-made and playable game. I also recommend downloading and printing fan-designed maps promoted by Days of Wonder via their website.

Citadels - (Includes The Dark City Expansion) (View Game)
Dog

An extremely replayable game that works equally well for 2 players as it does 8 or more. The dynamics (and to some extent the ruleset) change drastically according to the number of players, which really adds to the versatility of the game. Lots of deception and player interaction.

Cosmic Encounter (View Game)
Dog

This is our favorite new game, out of the box has a lot of ability to scale complexity up or down. Fantasy Flight has added a lot of new races and an entire new component (technologies) to the game. Fun from the first time you play it.

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