Top 50 Games: 30-21
Welcome to the third installment in my top 50 Games of All Time. In this post we are looking at games 30-21. If you have not seen the first set from this list it can be found here, Top 50 Games: 40-31. I hope you enjoy the list and comment below if you have played any of them before.
30. Spirit Island
Designer: R.Eric Reuss
Publisher: Greater Than Games
Player Count: 1-4
Skulk Hollow is a 2-player only game where one player controls a giant guardian and the other controls the villagers of the near by town. This is an asymmetrical game where each player wins differently. The player controlling the guardian wins by killing the villager player's leader. The villager player wins by taking down the monster. I love the way the combat works in this game. There is a secondary board which shows the guardian that is being played that game. The villager player must jump to different points on that board to attack certain locations of the guardian. This will disable some of the abilities the guardian can trigger for the rest of the game. The guardian player is trying to kill and thrown the villagers off his body to get to the leader and win the game. Such a unique game that brings a breath of fresh are to two player combat games.
29. Thunder & Lightning
Designer: Richard Borg
Publisher: Z-Man Games
Player Count: 2
This is an amazing two player only card game. Thunder & Lightning puts Thor against Loki in a game of wits. Each player is trying to locate a specific card within their opponents deck. This card either needs to be discarded or defeated in battle over the course of the game. Cards will be played onto the table in 3 columns of up to 4 rows. Battling takes place between the first cards in each column. Each card has an attack value, and most have a special ability that can be played during attack or from the player's hand. Once either player draws the game winning card it becomes a tense bluffing battle which is what makes this game so good. One of the best two player games we own.
28. Unmatched
Designer: Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson
Publisher: Restoration Games
Player Count: 2-4
Who would win out of a battle between Bigfoot and Bruce Lee? In Unmatched you get to play out this battle. The game uses a board to track movement and line of sight and a deck of cards for each here to determine the actions that can be taken. There have been a number of different expansions for this which has helped keep this one higher up on my list. Each character plays slightly differently and adds just enough to the game to keep me coming back. While this one does say it plays up to 4 players I like it best at 2. It seems like new characters are going to keep releaseing for this and I am excited to see what they will come out with next.
27. Chronicles of Crime
Designer: David Cicurel
Publisher: Lucky Duck Games
Player Count: 1-4
Chronicles of Crime takes take the drama from crime tv shows and puts it into a one of a kind board gaming experience. This app driven game puts players in the shoes of detective trying to solve different crimes. Each scenario plays out a different story that will keep you guessing the entire time. As the story unfolds you will find new clues, meet new people, and some crimes will develop into bigger crimes as you are playing the game. The box says 1-4 but you could play this with as many people as are willing to sit around and listen to the story play out. This recently had a few new expansions come out which will no doubt move this higher up my list as I play them.
26. Great Western Trail
Designer: Alexander Pfister
Publisher: Eggertspiele
Player Count: 2-4
Great Western Trail is a game that I wish I could play more of. This one is a bit more complex than most of the other games on my list. While I don't think it is hard to play, it might be harder to pick up for newer gamers who have not seen as many game mechanics as seasoned gamers have. In this game, you are trying to collect and sell cattle at different locations to gain points throughout the game. In order to sell these cattle you must first travel along the board, performing actions on spaces as you go until you reach the train, which will take you to a certain city depending on how you have played the game up to that point. You will also be unlocking new abilities for your character that will makes parts of the game easier. I would expect this one to be higher if I could get it to the table more often.
25. Atlantis Rising (Second Edition)
Designer: Galen Ciscell, Brent Dickman
Publisher: Elf Creek Games
Player Count: 1-7
Another co-op game for this list. Atlantis Rising (Second Edition) is a new edition of an older game of the same name. I have not played the original, but have heard that this second edition has taken a good game and made it great. The art in this game is great. The way the board connects together and looks as if it is being covered by water as the game progesses is so cool. As a worker placement game it allows for higher player counts without being detrimental to the flow. This game is not easy and does involve a bit of luck, but it makes for an incredible feeling when you get a win.
24. The Quacks of Quedlinburg
Designer: Wolfgang Warsch
Publisher: North Star Games
Player Count: 2-4
Each players is a crazy doctor trying to make a sepcial brew with different ingredients. This is done by adding different ingredient chips to their bags which they will then pull out to be placed in their cauldron. Each players starts with a bag of the same ingredients, but throughout the game will add ingredients of different types in an effor to score the most points over 10 rounds. Players will push their luck as far as they can without making their pots explode by adding too many white cherry bombs to their mixture. Each round the bags will get better and better chips allowing for higher and higher scores. A really great family game that has a ton of replayability.
23. Orleans
Designer: Reiner Stockhausen
Publisher:TMG
Player Count: 2-4
Orleans is the second bag builder on this list. In this game you are pulling chips which denote different worker types. Those workers are then sent out on your board to peform different activities. These activities might allow you to score points, or gather resources, or collect more workers of certain types. This game gets better each time I play it. If you like deck builders then you will most certianly enjoy Orleans. Another game that is a tiny bit heavier than family weight, but after a few plays I am confident anyone would be well on their way to being an expert.
22. Tiny Towns
Designer: Peter McPherson
Publisher: AMG
Player Count: 1-6
I always describe this game to new players as the "easiest game to learn, but the hardest game to do well in." Tiny Towns at its core is a very simple game. All you do is collect the resource named that round and place it somewhere on your grid. This grid represent your town and placing recources in a certain pattern will allow you to build a building out of those resources. This game goes from "oh neat I get to place a building here" to "oh no, I don't want anymore wheat" very quickly. I love Tiny Towns because of this and will always use this a game to introduce new players to modern board games.
21. Flip Ships
Designer: Kane Klenko
Publisher: Renegade Game Studios
Player Count: 1-4
The fourth co-operative game on this section of the list. Flip Ships brings the old video game Space Invaders to board games. The Mothership is attacking the city with her ships and it is your job to stop it. This dexterity game involves flicking cardboard ships onto oncoming enemy ships to destroy them. The enemy ships are represented by cards which have different movement speeds, attack values, and sometimes special abilities. After dealing with all of the smaller ships trying to destroy the planet the Mothership must be dealt with. The Mothership is a small cardboard box that players must flick their ships into in order to deal damage to it. Destroy all the enemy ships and the Mothership and you win, but fail and Earth will be destroyed. Such a fantastic game that will definitely gain an audience as you play it.
