The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Games of 2016

It’s been a great year for new games, and it was pretty tough for me to narrow down my list to just five. It probably doesn’t help that I’m something of an omnigamer so I had a lot of games to decide between. But I had to be ruthless, and so here are my top…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Games I Learned in 2016

Given that I’m restricted by what I or my friends happen to have around, I don’t always learn games right when they release. This list represents my favourite games that I was introduced to during 2016 that were actually released prior to the last year. #5 – Endeavour (2009) I was introduced to this game…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Co-operative Games

Sometimes I’m not in the mood to compete for glory against my friends. At those times, co-op games allow us to team up against a common enemy, be it virulent disease, the forces of evil, or just a challenge to count to & from 100 (twice). #5 – Pathfinder Adventure Card Game This game would…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Two-Player Games

Two-player games are a staple in our house and so it’s been a joy to watch the veritable explosion of dedicated two-player games that seems to have recently hit. We especially enjoy those games that can be played at our local bar accompanied by a good beer and great food; everything on this list has…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Games to Play Solo

Solo gaming only occupies a smallish portion of my overall gaming time, but I do enjoy playing a game by myself when chances to get to the game store get slimmer due to work or personal commitments. The games I’ve listed still offer a satisfying experience when played alone that’s equal to the experience you’d…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Games with Great Components

Just like with art, while great components don’t make up for poor game design, they can enhance the experience and make a good game even better. Opening any of the games below can truly impress when people see what’s included in the box. #5 – Mythe: Pop-up board & sacred cheese For a small box…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Dice Games

People either love or hate dice, or more specifically, they love or hate the randomness they add to gaming. I personally find that rolling dice can bring some of the most exciting and satisfying moments in gaming, full of either celebration or dismay depending on how they fall. #5 – Dice Heist I watched my…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Card Games

In my mind there is apparently a distinction between “card games” and “games that use cards”; a fact I was unaware of prior to making this list. Each of the games that made the list is either entirely cards, or close to it, with just the occasional appearance of tokens or dice. These are the…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Games with Great Card Art

Great art doesn’t make up for mediocre game play, but it can make a good game into a great overall experience. Yesterday I listed games that are beautiful on the outside, but there are other ways publishers can show off the work of their amazing artists. Games that use cards provide plenty of opportunities for…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Games with Great Box Art

While many gamers do their browsing and shopping online, some of us do still browse the shelves of our local game stores. And even on BGG, a great piece of box art can grab attention and prompt further research into a previously unknown title. Each of the following games are stunning to look at on…

The 12 Lists of Christmas – Top 5 Spiel de Jahres Winners

The announcement of a Spiel de Jahres winner can be controversial, and people tend to start debating the criteria and the choices as soon as candidates are announced. But in general, the games that win the prize represent solid games ideal for a budding collection. More intense gamers might be more interested in the Kennerspiel,…

The 12 Lists of Christmas

The twelve days of Christmas, or Twelvetide, run from December 25th through January 5th. As a kid growing up in a secular-Christmas celebrating, religious-adjacent household (we weren’t Christian, but both sets of grandparents were), the 2 main things I knew about the twelve days were that a) it was a super annoying song that made…