3.9

Graham Charlton 17/01/2012 16:59:38

So what was everyone's best game(s) of 2011?

Feel free to intepret the question any way you like.

Nick Hughes (17/01/2012 20:37:58)

I refer the honourable gentleman to the thread I started a couple of weeks ago on the same topic.  In short, 7TV.  The merger between tabletop miniatures and role playing, a good genre to game and it deservedly won all the awards it got.

Gary Yam (17/01/2012 20:49:13)

 The merger between tabletop miniatures and role playing

Is that not a fair description of 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons?

Nick Hughes (17/01/2012 21:35:20)

There's more role playing in 7TV than 4th ed.

Ian Pearson (18/01/2012 12:33:16)

In a year with very little to offer, here are two an opposite ends of the spectrum.

Kings of Tokyo.

VERY light, with a few simple tactics. Great fun.

Urban Sprawl.

A controversial choice.

The game is about managing chaos and squeaking a few points more than your opponents at every opportunity. It is NOT about building a town, that is just the mechanism/environment.

I suspect that this how the complaints are generated, a misunderstanding of what the game is about. If you accept that you any plan is essentially ephemeral then you get the game.

Que 'Flaming' - donning fire proof pants !

Graham Charlton (18/01/2012 16:16:10)

Nick:

Sorry, must have missed the original thread. Ah well, it didn't get the attention it deserves. Let's revive it here.

I didn't realise 7TV was a roleplay game too to be honest, I assumed it was just the miniature combat rules.

Ian:

Definitely agree on King of Tokyo. Fantastic game, although not quite top for me (will come to that in a moment).

Disagree on Urban Sprawl. I like the game, but it has a little too much chaos for it's length. Enjoyable, will happily play it many times, but there are lots better this year.

Graham Charlton (18/01/2012 16:27:26)

Lots of good board games last year. Best two (couldn't narrow it down futher):

Airlines Europe

The epitome of a good euro game. Reminds me of Stone Age in that there's a lot going on but the mechanics are very simple. Can play this with just about any level of skill and have an enjoyable game.

Star Trek Fleet Captains

Other end of the spectrum, probably the most thematic game I've ever played. It actually feels like Star Trek, you're exploring new worlds, seeking out new life and new civilizations, etc. A masterpiece.

Some almost rans:

Eclipse

Very strong contender. I suspect it needs an expansion to add a little more flavour, but this'll get lots of play in 2012.

King of Tokyo

Very replayable, always entertaining. Finally caved in and bought myself a copy of this one.

The Castles of Burgundy

Another very strong eurogame - shame about the presentation. Can drag a bit with 4 players but is very good with 2 or 3.

Ben Gander (22/01/2012 17:32:51)

Graham and Ian are, of course, both wrong. Eclipse is clearly the best board game released in 2011, though I'm happy to accept King of Tokyo as second best. I guess that Mage Knight or Ascending Empires could displace either (or, less likely, Dungeon Pets or Urban Sprawl) once I get round to playing them.

ETA: Or Risk: Legacy.

Ben Gander (22/01/2012 21:38:49)

Also, Graham appears to have forgotten about Merchants and Marauders.

Graham Charlton (22/01/2012 22:30:53)

You've not played Star Trek Fleet Captains. Definitely better then Eclipse. I won't try to change your mind about Airline Europe though, I know it's not quite the sort of game you go for.

I hadn't forgotten about Merchants & Marauders. Very good game but occasionally you get a bland game of it. It's a little below the ones I listed.

Played "Ora et Labora" this weekend, which is a 2011 game. That was very good too and might join Eclipse etc in my "almost by not quite".

Ben Gander (25/01/2012 18:37:46)

Ora Et Labora is a touch too fiddly to be a best of year for me, but I've only ever thought of Le Havre as "quite good" .

Nick Hughes (25/01/2012 20:27:11)

Do any of these games have tanks?

Graham Charlton (25/01/2012 23:37:57)

King of Tokyo has tanks.