Obligatory 2017 Essen Spiel Post Part III: Honorable Mentions

Now let’s move on to the third post in my Essen Spiel 2017 series.  In this post I will take a look at the games that just missed going onto my top anticipations of the convention.  I am going to take a look at my honorable mentions of the conventions.  These are all games that I haven’t tried yet but would really like to give a go at some point.  While they didn’t make my list they are still interesting enough to keep an eye on.  Before we move on feel free to check out my previous two posts to catch up on even more games that I’m anticipating from Essen Spiel.

Essen Spiel 2017 Post Part I: Top 5 Game Expansions

Essen Spiel 2017 Post Part II: Top 5 Reprints/Re-implementations

Okay, now that we’ve caught up we can start trucking along with my top game anticipations of this year’s Spiel.  These are the games that just missed out of my top 10 list but I still think that they deserve a mention so here they are!  Enjoy your read!

The first game to make its way onto my honorable mentions list is Kitchen Rush.  This game is designed by Dávid Turczi and Vangelis Bagiartakis and published by Artipia Games.  It is a co-operative, worker-placement and real-time game where the players take on the role of a restaurant owner who inherited an old restaurant and must turn it into a successful business.  Players will work together against a timer in order to place orders, get food, cook the food and serve the customers in an efficient way.  The cool part of this game is where each of the workers is actually a sand timer which means that the players must wait until the timer is completely done before they can use them again.  This makes the game much more frantic and it looks like a ton of fun!  My wife and I have already helped to fund the Kickstarter and we should be receiving the game in the next month or two which is really exciting!

The next game to make it onto my honorable mentions list is Meeple Circus.  This game is designed by by Cédric Millet and published by Matagot.  It is a competitive dexterity game where each of the players takes on the role of circus performers attempting to put on the greatest show they can.  Players will draft cards which give them different meeples and other pieces which they will use to stack upon each other to score different patterns that are out on the table.  There are two rounds where the players do the stacking at the same time and then the third round they will put on their show while everyone else watches on with bated breath.  I think this looks like an amazingly fun game and would really like to add it to my collection when we just want a silly, fun time!

The third game to crack into my honorable mentions list is Merlin.  This game is designed by Stefan Feld and Michael Rieneck and published by Queen Games.  It is a dice-rolling game where each of the players will move their knights and Merlin around the board with the help of the dice they roll.  They will move their colored knights with the dice they roll but each player can use and move the Merlin pawn.  There is a ring with actions and this is the place where the players will move their pawn in order to use these spaces.  This is a pretty classic Feld game where there is a ton of points to get all over the board.  I think this looks like a super fun game and the theme really sets it over the top for me!

The next game to hit the list is Rescue Polar Bears: Data & Temperature.  This game is designed by Jog Kung and Huang Yi Ming and published by TWOPLUS Games.  It is a co-operative, action-point-allowance-system game where the players take control of a scientific organization that is working on gathering data about temperatures in the arctic to persuade their government to agree with the climate change and thusly change their ways with fuel consumption and energy policies.  While they are going about their mission the players also have to save the polar bears from sinking into the freezing waters.  I think this game looks like a great co-op game and has an awesome theme and components to really set it apart from others in the genre.

The final game (and thus the game that just missed the top 10 list) on my honorable mentions list is Indian Summer.  This game is designed by Uwe Rosenberg and published by Edition Spielwiese and Stronghold Games.  It is a tile-placement and pattern building game where the players will be laying down tiles on their boards that have little holes in them and cover up treasures.  The players want to completely cover up their boards and be the first to finish covering it with leaves.  This is actually the second game in Uwe’s puzzle series which started with Cottage Garden and continues with this game.  I think this just looks like another fun tile-laying game by Rosenberg and I’ll probably pick it up at some point in the near future.

Other honorable mentions of note:

- Agra (Quined Games)

- Clan of Caledonia (Karma Games)

- Coaster Park (Pandasaurus Games)

- Gaia Project (Z-Man Games)

- Harvest (Tasty Minstrel Games)

- Heaven & Ale (eggertspiele)

- InBetween (Board&Dice)

- Noria (Edition Spielwiese/Stronghold Games)

- Otys (Libellud/Pearl Games)

- Pioneer Days (Tasty Minstrel Games)

- Rajas of the Ganges (HUCH!/R&R Games)

- Santa Maria (Aporta Games)

Well, there you have it, post number three of my Essen Spiel series in the books!  The next two posts are my favorite of the series as they will be my top 10 games that are coming out at this year’s Essen Spiel and there are many in there that will make it onto my shelf fairly quickly!  Keep an eye out as the next post should be live in the next day or two.  As always, thanks so much for taking the time to read and I hope you enjoyed it!  Until next time, game on!

Obligatory 2017 Essen Spiel Post Part II: Top 5 Reprints/Re-implementations

Alright…more Essen Spiel posts!  It has been a crazy couple of months as my wife, child and I are moving to our first house.  That means that these posts are coming a little later than I prefer but I’m still gonna truck through them.  Okay, let’s move on to post number two.  This will focus on my top 5 reprints/re-implementations/new editions that are getting their release at this year’s Essen Spiel.  These games have either had a prior edition or been re-implemented from the original.  Before we move on feel free to check out the previous posts in this series.

Essen Spiel 2017 Post Part I: Top 5 Game Expansions

Alright…now that we’ve finished with the preamble let’s go ahead and move on to the main portion of the post.  These are some fun looking games and I wouldn’t be too surprised if at least one or two of the games end up on our shelf at some point.

#5 – Sakura Arms (Alderac Entertainment Group/BakaFire Party)

Sakura Arms is a dueling card-game that is designed by BakaFire and is being released at Essen Spiel 2017 by Alderac Entertainment Group.  This game is an English edition of the 2016 edition published by BakaFire Party.  This game has the players choose a megami (Japanese godess) and then choosing a small deck of cards before they go against each other.  The game then uses a token to represent different things depending on the area that it is in.  I’m looking forward to trying this one out as it looks like a quick and fun two-player card game.

#4 – Samurai Gardener (Osprey Games/OKAZU Brand)

Samurai Gardener is an abstract strategy game that is designed by Hisashi Hayashi and is being released at Essen Spiel 2017 by Osprey Games.  This game is a new edition of the 2013 game Edo Yashiki which was published by OKAZU Brand.  This game finds the players doing tile placement in order to get rows of similar areas in order to score the most points possible.  Hayashi has made some great games and this makes me take a look at any game that he puts out.

#3 – The Great Fire of London 1666 (Medusa Games)

The Great Fire of London 1666 is an action point allowance system game that is designed by Richard Denning and is being released at Essen Spiel 2017 by Medusa Games.  This game is a third edition of the 2010 game which was also published by Medusa Games.  This game finds players taking on the roles of the wealthy and highly placed citizens in the city who rise up and train a militia in order to put out the fires that are raging through London.  The players will be able to choose whether they save only their own land or go on the save as much property as possible.  This looks like a really good area control and action point allowance game.

#2 – Queendomino (Blue Orange Games)

Queendomino is a tile-laying game that is designed by Bruno Cathala and is being released at this year’s Essen Spiel by Blue Orange Games.  This game is a re-implementation of Kingdomino, the 2016 game and 2017 Spiel des Jahres winner also by Cathala and released by Blue Orange Games.  This game took the tile-drafting and placement of the original and adds on some more mechanisms in order to make a more “gamer’s game”.  I thought that Kingdomino looked good but this re-implementation looks even better.

#1 – Kepler 3042 (Renegade Game Studios/Placentia Games)

Kepler 3042 is a resource management game that is designed by Simone Cerruti Sola and is being released at this year’s Essen Spiel by Renegade Game Studios.  This game is a new English edition of the 2016 edition published by Placentia Games.  The game finds the players using resource management in the economic, space-exploration game as each opponent attempts to colonize the universe.  This game interested me when it came out last year and this edition, with Kwanchai Moriya’s artwork, looks to be an improvement on the original.

And there you go, another Essen Spiel post in the bag.  I have a feeling that I’ll end up getting at least one of the games on this list.  Next up on the docket is the honorable mentions of this year’s Essen Spiel.  These will be the games that just missed my top 10 list which will be the two successive posts.  Thanks so much for taking the time to read and I hope you enjoyed!  Until next time, game on!

Obligatory 2017 Essen Spiel Post Part I: Top 5 Game Expansions

Time for my yearly look at one of the largest boardgame conventions, Essen Spiel 2017!  Gen Con 2017 is in the rearview mirror and now we come up to the convention that seems to have the most new releases each year.  This year is no different as there are over 900 entries on W. Eric Martin’s Spiel ’17 Preview at BoardGameGeek.  These entries range from expansions to full-fledged games to demos that aren’t being released yet but have at least prototype level components so Spiel-goers can check them out.  This post will specifically take a look at the game expansions that I’m most interested in (that I haven’t played/tried yet) that have a first-time English release at the convention.  Much of this list could be subject to change depending on what actually makes it to Spiel, but it seems as though at least most of these expansions will make it.  Enjoy the read!

Honorable Mention – The Bloody Inn: The Carnies (Pearl Games)

The Bloody Inn: The Carnies is an expansion to the 2015 Pearl Games game, The Bloody Inn by Nicolas Robert.  The Carnies is designed by Robert as well and is going to see its release at this year’s Essen Spiel.  The Bloody Inn is a macabre card game that has heavy hand-management, card-drafting and tableau-building in the competitive game.  This expansion will add three new modules that add some different experiences to the game.  The first module adds in the carnies that can also add in event cards if you want to do so.  The second module adds in notables which replace the nobles from the original game.  Lastly, the final module adds in tips and tricks from your Aunt Ginette who (for a price of course) will give you things to help with your twisted plan.  This expansion looks to add more variability to a game I’ve been interested in for some time and now am even more interested in.

#5 – Fabled Fruit: The Lime Expansion (2F-Spiele/Stronghold Games)

Fabled Fruit: The Lime Expansion is an expansion to the 2016 2F Spiele/Stronghold Games game, Fabled Fruit by Friedemann Friese.  The Lime Expansion is also designed by Friese and will be released at Spiel 2017.  Fabled Fruit is a worker -placement, hand-management and set-collection game where the action spots consistently change.  This expansion adds in 20 new locations for worker placement, the lime cards and gambling tokens which will add new wrinkles to the current gameplay.  We really enjoyed the original game and are looking forward to adding this new content in and going through it all over again!

#4 – Isle of Skye: Journeyman (Lookout Games/Mayfair Games)

Isle of Skye: Journey man is an expansion to the 2015 Kennerspiel des Jahres winner, Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King released by Lookout Games/Mayfair Games and designed by Alexander Pfister and Andreas Pelikan.  Journeyman is also designed by Pfister and Pelikan and will be released at Spiel 2017.  Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King is an auction, tile-laying and set-collection game where each player is building up their own territory in order to score certain changing goals each round.  This expansion will have new player boards to track strength, popularity and prosperity.  There is also a new pawn which will travel the board and activate the tiles as well as some new scoring tiles.  I can’t wait to try this one out!

#3 – Oh My Goods!: Escape to Canyon Brook (Lookout Games/Mayfair Games)

Oh My Goods!: Escape to Canyon Brook is an expansion to the 2015 Lookout Games/Mayfair Games game, Oh My Goods! by Alexander Pfister.  Escape to Canyon Brook is also designed by Pfister and will be released at this year’s Essen Spiel.  Oh My Goods! is a fantastic card game which uses hand-management, multi-use cards, resource management and push-your-luck as each player is trying to get the most points while building up their personal tableau.  This expansion will continue on the footsteps of the prior expansion, Longsdale in Revolt, where Pfister added in a campaign and story mode to the already great gameplay.  I can’t wait to pick this up and add it to the base game and first expansion and look forward to what is to come in the story!

#2 – Fields of Arle: Tea & Trade (Z-Man Games)

Fields of Arle: Tea & Trade is an expansion to the 2014 Z-Man Games hit, Fields of Arle by Uwe Rosenberg.  Tea & Trade is also designed by Rosenberg along with help from fellow designer Tido Lorenz and will be released at Spiel 2017.  Fields of Arle is a worker-placement, resource-management and economic farming game where each player is building up their personal board in the German area of East Frisia.  This expansion will give players even more things to do as they may expand to trading in the north regions along with more buildings, actions and abilities.  Lastly the game also adds in the ability for a third player to join in the fun!  I can’t wait for this expansion as it will be a personal insta-buy!

#1 – Ticket to Ride: Map Collection Volume 6: France & Old West (Days of Wonder)

Ticket to Ride: Map Collection Volume 6: France & Old West is an expansion to the 2004 Spiel des Jahres winner, Ticket to Ride released by Days of Wonder and designed by Alan R. Moon.  Map Collection Volume 6: France & Old West is also designed by Moon and will be released at Essen Spiel 2017.  Ticket to Ride is a classic set-collection, hand-management and route-building game where each player is gaining points by laying down their personal trains in order to connect certain cities to each other.  This expansion will add in a double-sided map, one side of France and the other of the Old West.  The France side of the map will add in double tracks that aren’t yet colored where the players need to place a tile when they draw a card in order to create places to go.  The Old West side of the map gives each player a starting location where they will need to build and continue on in the network they have already built.  This is one of our favorite games and we will absolutely pick up everything that comes out for it.

Well, there you have it!  These are my top 5 expansions (plus 1 honorable mention) that are coming out at this year’s Essen Spiel.  Most of these expansions will be in my collection soon as they are already to games that we adore.  So what are your most anticipated expansions?  Keep an eye out as my next post will be on my top 5 anticipated reimplementations/reprint/new editions that are coming out at Essen Spiel 2017.  Thanks for your time and I hope you enjoyed the read.  Until next time, game on!

Obligatory “What I Played In…” Post Part XXVII: September 2017

And we’re done with another month!  September flew by quickly and I see October doing the same.  We are actually in the process of buying a house and finishing up and will hopefully close in October which means we’ll be in the new digs soon!  Even with all of that craziness going on this month included our highest amount of plays for the year at 63!  I look forward to seeing all the awesome games we get to play this coming month as well!  Let’s see where I’m at on my 10x10 stats and then we’ll move on to the main part of this post.

10x10 Challenge:

Arkham Horror: The Card Game (4 plays in September, 6 total plays for 2017)

Cottage Garden (0 plays in September, 8 total plays for 2017)

Five Tribes (2 play in September, 6 total plays for 2017)

Gloomhaven (1 play in September, 12 total plays for 2017)

Great Western Trail (0 plays in September, 6 total plays for 2017)

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game (2 plays in September, 11 total plays for 2017)

Ticket to Ride (2 plays in September, 15 total plays for 2017)

Tokaido (0 plays in September, 5 total plays for 2017)

Too Many Bones (2 plays in September, 13 total plays for 2017)

Unfair (1 play in September, 8 total plays for 2017)

Alright, let’s move on to the games that I’ve played this past month.  As I said, it was another good month of gaming and we were able to get a whole bunch of really good games to the table!  Read on to check out what these games were and I hope you enjoy!

Statistics:

Total plays in September 2017 – 63

Total unique games played in September 2017 – 31

New games played in September 2017 – 3

New games acquired in September 2017 – N/A

New expansions acquired in September 2017 – 1

Most plays of a single game in September 2017 – 7

Red7

Designer – Carl Chudyk/Chris Cieslik

Publisher – Asmadi Games

Last play before September 2017 – 3/25/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 7

Em and I pulled this game out a few different times this past month and were able to get in a bunch of plays which actually put us over 100 total plays!  This is pretty cool since it is the first game that we’ve broken 100 plays with since I’ve started keeping track.

Rhino Hero

Designer – Scott Frisco/Steven Strumpf

Publisher – HABA

Last play before September 2017 – 10/1/16

Total plays in September 2017 – 6

I pulled this game out in the beginning of September and taught it to some buddies of mine from work.  I’m happy to say that they loved the game and can’t wait to play it again!  This will always remain one of our favorite dexterity, filler games!

Triplock

Designer – Adam Carlson/Josh Carlson

Publisher – Chip Theory Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/27/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 6

Yay!  We pulled out this fantastic little abstract game a few times this month and played it 6 times!  This is such and quick and fun game and is beautiful to boot!  I’d recommend this to anyone who loves great components and fun, quick gameplay.

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Designer – Nate French/Matthew Newman

Publisher – Fantasy Flight Games

Last play before September 2017 – 7/29/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 4

Oh man do I love this game!  Em and I finished up the base box playing as a couple characters and I decided to go back through it playing solo.  I picked up the Dunwich Legacy expansion and started using another investigator for my solitaire play.

Flip Ships

Designer – Kane Klenko

Publisher – Renegade Game Studios

New to me

First play – 9/4/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 3

Josh picked this game up at Gen Con 50 and we pulled it out and tried it out this past month.  I really like this game and think that it may be my current favorite dexterity game.  If you’re looking for Space Invaders the co-op dexterity game then look no further!

Unearth

Designer – Jason Harner/Matthew Ransom

Publisher – Brotherwise Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/20/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 3

This small dice game is one that I picked up at Gen Con and I very pleased that I did.  This game is going over very well with people as it is super simple to teach and a lot of fun to play.  I love the dice rolling and placement and the using of different types of dice.  I hope they eventually release an expansion to give it even more variability.

Welcome to the Dungeon

Designer – Masato Uesugi

Publisher – IELLO

Last play before September 2017 – 5/3/16

Total plays in September 2017 – 3

We grabbed this small-box game and took it to the park with us one day when we were taking our daughter out to play.  While she was running around the playground we broke this out and played 3 rounds of it.  This is still a quick, fun and simple game and we enjoy it occasionally.

Bottom of the 9^th (w/ Clubhouse expansion)

Designer – Darrell Louder/Mike Mullins

Publisher – Greater Than Games/Dice Hate Me

Last play before September 2017 – 1/18/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 2

We finally got our copy of the new expansion from a Kickstarter campaign last year and we love it!  This expansion adds a whole bunch of new cards and some interesting new gameplay mechanisms that are tacked onto an already great game.  This is one of our favorite two-player-only fillers and this just makes it even better.

Century: Golem Edition

Designer – Emerson Matsuuchi

Publisher – Plan B Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/22/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 2

This game is awesome!  I was excited to see that they were releasing this version of the game at Gen Con 50 and I’m really happy that I decided to pick it up.  This is one of those games (much like Ticket to Ride for us) that is really easy to teach and play but gives the players different decisions and has a surprising amount of depth.

Five Tribes

Designer – Bruno Cathala

Publisher – Days of Wonders

Last play before September 2017 – 8/5/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 2

Em and I picked up this game twice this past month and they were some amazing rounds!  In both games the winner (Em won once and I won once) ended up getting 241 points and the defeated lost by less than 10 points!  This is just a great game and we love it!

Kanagawa

Designer – Bruno Cathala/Charles Chevallier

Publisher – IELLO

Last play before September 2017 – 7/9/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 2

Em and I grabbed this one off the shelf and played it a couple of times this past month.  This is such a simple and fun card drafting game and it looks absolutely beautiful as well.  This game won’t be leaving our shelf anytime soon.

Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords

Designer – Mike Selinker/Chad Brown/Tanis O’Connor/Paul Peterson/Gaby Weidling

Publisher – Paizo Publishing

Last play before September 2017 – 3/16/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 2

Em and I broke out our characters (Merisiel and Kyra) and played a couple of scenarios in the Spires of Xin-Shalast adventure deck which is the last of this box.  It has been a long run but we are only one scenario away from finishing up the Rise of the Runelords box and moving on the Skull and Shackles box.

Ticket to Ride

Designer – Alan R. Moon

Publisher – Days of Wonder

Last play before September 2017 – 6/23/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 2

We took a day during the weekend and decided to break out Ticket to Ride with the Switzerland and India maps.  I was able to just barely beat Em on the Switzerland and won pretty heftily on the India map keeping my winning streak on that expansion alive!

Too Many Bones

Designer – Adam Carlson/Josh Carlson

Publisher – Chip Theory Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/19/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 2

Anytime I get to play Too Many Bones is a win in my book!  Josh and I were able to break it out and play a good two player game on a Friday night and then we played it with four players a week later!  Em, Josh and I taught the game to Dustin and we had an absolute blast.  I love this game and can’t wait for the Undertow expansion to go live on Kickstarter in a couple of weeks!

51^st State: Master Set

Designer – Ignacy Trzewiczek

Publisher – Portal Games

Last play before September 2017 – 1/21/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

I taught Josh how to play this great card game this past month and he really enjoyed it.  I would love to get more people into the act and get a good 3-4 player game started sometime in the near future as I think it’d be a blast!

Burgle Bros.

Designer – Tim Fowers

Publisher – Fowers Games

New to me

First play – 9/15/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Josh pulled this one out one Friday game night and we played it with our friend Mary Beth.  This was the first time I’d played this game and it is a really good co-op game.  I like the movement and different powers that the characters have and it makes for quite a fun and interesting puzzle.

Champions of Midgard (w/ The Dark Mountains and Valhalla expansions)

Designer – Ole Steiness

Publisher – Grey Fox Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/5/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

So we picked up the expansions to this game and played them this past month and all I have to say is wow!  These expansions don’t just make the game a little better, they make it leaps and bounds better!  This game had only one thing I didn’t love about it and that was the fact that if you lose a battle and your dice warriors die, then they are gone and serve no purpose.  The Valhalla expansion changes that and makes the game so much more interesting!  This is now, in my opinion, a necessary expansion.

Clank! In! Space!

Designer – Paul Dennen

Publisher – Renegade Game Studios

New to me

First play – 9/4/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Josh picked this one up at Gen Con 50 so we tried it out.  I’ve been wanting to try out Clank! and when Renegade Game Studios announced this one I wanted to play!  We had a good time although I think I enjoyed it more than Em or Josh.  This is the type of deck builder that I like, something different.

The Climbers

Designer – Holger Lanz

Publisher – Capstone Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/25/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Josh and I went to a local game meet-up and played this game with three other people.  This is an interesting abstract style game where you’re trying to get the highest.  I raced out to the lead but couldn’t hold it in the end.  This game is much better with more people as the options become more interesting

Game of Trains

Designer – Alexey Konnov/Alexey Paltsev/Anatoliy Shklyarov

Publisher – Brain Games

Last play before September 2017 – 5/2/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Em and I were able to get away for an afternoon when Fiona went to a get-together at the YMCA.  While we were sitting in a café we pulled out this game and got in a quick play of it before we had to go and pick her back up.  This is a fun, filler game.

Gloomhaven

Designer – Isaac Childres

Publisher – Cephalofair Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/10/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

September was a busy month so sadly we weren’t able to meet up for our Gloomhaven night as much as usual.  That being said, we were at least able to meet up once and it was a great session!  This particular scenario had us splitting up the group in order to push down pressure plates to continue on and find a disembodied voice.  We still love this game and I don’t see that love ever waning!

Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King

Designer – Alexander Pfister/Andeas Pelikan

Publisher – Lookout Games/Mayfair Games

Last play before September 3027 – 1/22/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

We decided one night that it had been too long since we’d played this Kennerspiel des Jahres winner.  I absolutely love this game and Em quite enjoys it as well.  While this has become a favorite tile-laying game we still haven’t played it with more than two so that is our next goal.

The Lost Expedition

Designer – Peer Sylvester

Publisher – Osprey Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/22/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

This is another game I pulled out and played with some of my buddies who are just getting into some games.  This is a great (yet highly mean) co-operative experience where players are working together to get the icons they need to move ahead in the jungle and eventually find El Dorado.

Mansions of Madness: Second Edition

Designer – Nikki Valens

Publisher – Fantasy Flight Games

Last play before September 2017 – 10/9/16

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

One night this past week I got an urge to play this incredibly thematic adventure-style game.  Josh came over and played this round with us and it was awesome!  We weren’t able to win the scenario but it didn’t matter as we had a ton of fun!  This play has just made me want to get another play in soon!

Near and Far

Designer – Ryan Laukat

Publisher – Red Raven Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/16/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Em and I continued our character quests in this game and continued on to the next map in the book.  This game is absolutely great and we are having a ton of fun in the plays we’ve had so far.  I’m looking forward to finishing these characters and trying out some of the others.

Oh My Goods! (w/ Longsdale in Revolt expansion)

Designer – Alexander Pfister

Publisher – Lookout Games/Mayfair Games

Last play before September 2017 – 1/26/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Em and I pulled this out during a breakfast date and played it along with the first expansion.  I love this game and I think the expansion adds even more coolness to the mix.  Now we have a wonderful Euro-style card game that deals with resource and hand management while also having a story connected to the mechanisms.

Port Royal

Designer – Alexander Pfister

Publisher – Pegasus Spiele

Last play before September 2017 – 6/9/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Em and I played this game during a breakfast date this past month and it is awesome.  I love this game as a simple, filler, push-your-luck card game that is both easy and fun to play.  This is just one of those games that cements Pfister as one of my favorite game designers.

Spirit Island

Designer – R. Eric Reuss

Publisher – Greater Than Games/Fabled Nexus

Last play before September 2017 – 8/29/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

One night this past month Em decided that she wanted to play this fantastic co-op game so we pulled it out and set it up.  We chose some spirits that we hadn’t tried yet and played and were able to win the game!  It is hard for me to explain how very good this game is but I will say that it has a good chance of being in my top 10 and possibly even my top 5!

Trambahn

Designer – Helmut Ohley

Publisher – Lookout Games/Mayfair Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/20/16

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

Wow, it has been quite a while since we had played this game!  We brought it one day when we were dropping baby Knives off at the YMCA and we went out for some lunch.  We just ended up in a café and pulled this out and Em proceeded to just barely edge me out!

Unfair

Designer – Joel Finch

Publisher – Good Games Publishing/CMON

Last play before September 2017 – 8/6/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

I grabbed this game and brought it over to Josh’s house one night when we had some time to play games.  This was the first time he played it and although it isn’t his favorite he did enjoy the play.  I continue to really like this game and find it to just be fun every time we play.

Wasteland Express Delivery Service

Designer – Jonathan Gilmour/Ben Pinchback/Matt Riddle

Publisher – Pandasaurus Games

Last play before September 2017 – 8/26/17

Total plays in September 2017 – 1

This past month marks the second play of this absolute gem of a pick-up-and-deliver and resource management game!  I brought it to a game night with Josh and Jeff and taught them the game.  This was an absolute blast and we loved every minute of the game!  I can’t wait to play again and hopefully with even more players!

New game acquisitions in September 2017:

N/A

New expansion acquisitions in September 2017:

Bottom of the 9^th: Clubhouse

Well there you have it, another wonderful month’s worth of gaming!  This past month was great and I can’t wait to see what we get to the table this coming month.  Keep an eye out on the blog as my next series should be my Essen Spiel posts.  I can’t wait to really pour through the games that are coming out at this year’s convention and really see what I’m interested in.  Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed!  Until next time, game on!