Top 10 Board/Card Games of 2009
Like movies most of the new games I played in 2009 were not published in 2009. However, I did play more 2009 games than I watched 2009 movies. This list also includes board game expansions as the good expansions add a lot to gameplay. I know that for most people these games do not mean much to people, so I included pictures. You probably will not be able to figure out what is going on in the pictures, but at least they add context.
10. Race for the Galaxy:Rebel vs. Imperium
Race for the Galaxy is the favorite for Abigail and I to play together. We played the game together well over 100 times in 2009. This expansion came out this year, and we got it immediately. We did not care for some of the new rules that were added, but the new cards to add to the deck were well received.
9. Castle Panic
Abigail and I like to play co-op games together because we get to be on a team together. My personal favorite co-op game is Ghost Stories, but for some reason we do not play that one as much. We do play Castle Panic a good amount though because it plays fairly quickly. Plus, the rules of Castle Panic are fairly simple, and I have a feeling that one day it will make an outstanding family game.
8. Arcana
I got this game at Gen Con in August after playing it. Arcana has some deck building in it, some bluffing, and deck building. Most of the games I have played with this have been two players. I think that three players would be the ideal number for this game but I have not played it that way yet.
7. Memoir 44: Campaign book vol 1
Memoir '44 is one of my favorite games. I really like how it combines luck, strategy, and versatility in a WWII combat game. A while ago I thought one of the coolest way to play this game would be to have scenarios that affect each other and lead into each other, creating a campaign. That is exactly what this expansion provides.
6. A Touch of Evil: Something Wicked
A Touch of Evil is a really fun "adventure game", where players control heroes trying to save a Colonial village from horror movie monsters. The base game is fun, but this expansions really, really adds a lot to the game. It doubles the size of the board, adds new heroes, new monsters, and much more variety. One of the reasons I really like this game is that it playing it naturally creates a narrative, as the session report I wrote about the game shows.
5. Endeavor
This is the only game on the list, that we do not have. We have both played and liked this game, but we do not have it because can only be played with three or more players. This game's theme is European Colonization, but it is slightly abstracted. One of the things I like about it is that there are multiple paths to victory.
4.Tobago
This is a game that I got for Christmas, and along with being a pretty game it is fun. This is a treasure hunting game, where players play cards that narrow down where the treasure is hidden. Players race for the treasure and after it is dug up, they push their luck to get the most treasure. We have only played the game with two players, and I really want to play with more people.
3. Dominion: Seaside
Dominion is a really fun game, that is all about building a deck while the game is being played. Seaside is an expansion for this game, that really adds a lot to the game. Plus with Seaside the possible combination of cards to play with each time is in the billions.
2. Warhammer Invasion
Warhammer Invasion is a Living Card game, which means there are regular optional expansions for it. This is different than a collectible card game, because there are no blind purchases. This game allows me to get the fun of building and crafting decks like I use to do with the Star Wars card game, but it is not a massive money sink. I also really like that while this is a card game, the resource management makes it feel a lot like a board game.
1. Small World
Small World is without a doubt my favorite game of the year, and one of my favorite games ever. In small world players control a fantasy civilization and use the special abilities of that civilization to conquer the world. the problem is that there is not enough space for everyone, hence the name of the game. There is a lot of conflict, but no player elimination. Plus the races and special abilities change every game, so each game is different and exciting.
So who wants to play a game?
10. Race for the Galaxy:Rebel vs. Imperium
Race for the Galaxy is the favorite for Abigail and I to play together. We played the game together well over 100 times in 2009. This expansion came out this year, and we got it immediately. We did not care for some of the new rules that were added, but the new cards to add to the deck were well received.
9. Castle Panic
Abigail and I like to play co-op games together because we get to be on a team together. My personal favorite co-op game is Ghost Stories, but for some reason we do not play that one as much. We do play Castle Panic a good amount though because it plays fairly quickly. Plus, the rules of Castle Panic are fairly simple, and I have a feeling that one day it will make an outstanding family game.
8. Arcana
I got this game at Gen Con in August after playing it. Arcana has some deck building in it, some bluffing, and deck building. Most of the games I have played with this have been two players. I think that three players would be the ideal number for this game but I have not played it that way yet.
7. Memoir 44: Campaign book vol 1
Memoir '44 is one of my favorite games. I really like how it combines luck, strategy, and versatility in a WWII combat game. A while ago I thought one of the coolest way to play this game would be to have scenarios that affect each other and lead into each other, creating a campaign. That is exactly what this expansion provides.
6. A Touch of Evil: Something Wicked
A Touch of Evil is a really fun "adventure game", where players control heroes trying to save a Colonial village from horror movie monsters. The base game is fun, but this expansions really, really adds a lot to the game. It doubles the size of the board, adds new heroes, new monsters, and much more variety. One of the reasons I really like this game is that it playing it naturally creates a narrative, as the session report I wrote about the game shows.
5. Endeavor
This is the only game on the list, that we do not have. We have both played and liked this game, but we do not have it because can only be played with three or more players. This game's theme is European Colonization, but it is slightly abstracted. One of the things I like about it is that there are multiple paths to victory.
4.Tobago
This is a game that I got for Christmas, and along with being a pretty game it is fun. This is a treasure hunting game, where players play cards that narrow down where the treasure is hidden. Players race for the treasure and after it is dug up, they push their luck to get the most treasure. We have only played the game with two players, and I really want to play with more people.
3. Dominion: Seaside
Dominion is a really fun game, that is all about building a deck while the game is being played. Seaside is an expansion for this game, that really adds a lot to the game. Plus with Seaside the possible combination of cards to play with each time is in the billions.
2. Warhammer Invasion
Warhammer Invasion is a Living Card game, which means there are regular optional expansions for it. This is different than a collectible card game, because there are no blind purchases. This game allows me to get the fun of building and crafting decks like I use to do with the Star Wars card game, but it is not a massive money sink. I also really like that while this is a card game, the resource management makes it feel a lot like a board game.
1. Small World
Small World is without a doubt my favorite game of the year, and one of my favorite games ever. In small world players control a fantasy civilization and use the special abilities of that civilization to conquer the world. the problem is that there is not enough space for everyone, hence the name of the game. There is a lot of conflict, but no player elimination. Plus the races and special abilities change every game, so each game is different and exciting.
So who wants to play a game?
posted by SeanXor at 7:12 AM
1 Comments:
I do!!!
The Memoir '44 scenario building sounds exactly like your bag.
I can't wait to play Small World sometime...
As for Castle Panic, it sounds almost just like Stronghold, only co-op. Am i wrong?
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