I have always enjoyed playing Board games, but over the last decade I have played a lot more than I used to! It all sort of came by chance when I started attending a board game group in 2012; and from there the flood gates of joy opened up as I discovered how many more board games there were outside of playing Cluedo, Risk, and Monopoly. Since then my collection has just blossomed.
As the last decade has been a major milestone to my enjoyment of playing Board Games, I thought I would share with you a collection of these awesome gaming treats. Now, much like the other entries in this series, the list below isn’t a ranking of my favourite games from the decade, more just a collection of 10 awesome games. Simply put; they are all awesome! Enjoy!
10. Russian Railroads – Russian Railroads is a game about building railways across Russia; but it’s not as simple as that! You need to invest in infrastructure, upgrade the rails, buy new and better trains to run on the route, plus build up industry to benefit the railway’s construction. It’s not a difficult or complex game, it’s just very detailed. But it’s rather ironic too, as nearly everything you do, every move you make, and possibly even every breath you take, scores you points. It’s even possible to not do anything at all on your turn, and still score a big bundle of points. In that respect, it’s a very daft game, and always a fun one!
9. The Manhattan Project – You could probably and accurately guess what this game is about from the title! Yes, it’s a game about building nuclear weapons! You play as a nation, building your infrastructure up, hiring skilled workers, and gathering the required resources to build a nuclear weapon. Once built, you can score points depending on what type of bomb it is (Uranium or Plutonium), or you can implode it, scoring less points; but scoring a load more on later bomb designs!
8. Machi Koro – Machi Koro is very similar to Catan; but in many ways is much simpler. You are trying to build a Japanese City out of nothing but a Bakery and Corn Field. You roll dice each turn in the hope of activating cards in front of you, but your rolls may also affect other player’s cards too. Once you have gained income, you can then buy cards to increase the size of your city. Once you have built all four of the cities major landmarks, you win instantly. It’s a quick and easy game to play, with play time usually lasting no more than half an hour!
7. The Networks – The Networks is a game where you get to control your own prime time TV station. You have command of what shows air during the three hour prime time slot. You need to sign stars to shows, gain money from finances, and attract the most viewers possible. It’s not about making the most money though, it’s about scoring the most viewers. The game comes with several varieties of gameplay options, and a nifty mini calculator system to work out how many points you score at the end of each round!
6. Lotus – Lotus is a game about flower petals. Every turn you lay down flower petal cards according to the flowers rotation (printed on the card). If you complete the flower, you get all the petals. If you have control (dictated by stamps on the flower, or the presence of a guardian), you get either 5 points, or a bonus ability. The person with the most points at the end of the game wins. It’s lovely and simple!
5. Pay Dirt – Have you ever watched an episode of Gold Rush, and wanted to give it a go; but couldn’t afford any of that expensive machinery? Well, now you can both experience it, and save quite a lot of money! Pay Dirt is a game about digging for gold in the modern age of gold mining. You need to buy equipment, keep the machines in working condition and assign workers to different areas of the mine. There are pitfalls to watch out for, and the only way to make money is to sell your precious gold for cash. But this can be a double edged sword, as when the game ends, it’s not how much money you have, its how much gold you have that wins!
4. Dice Forge – You know when you’re playing a dice game; it can get frustrating when you’re not rolling what you want to roll! You wish you could just change the sides of the dice; well, with Dice Forge, you can! Dice Forge is a deck building game, where players get to craft their own dice. Using some of the resources available to you, you can purchase better dice faces, and immediately craft them onto your dice. You can then roll these better dice to try and gain cards, defeat monsters, and score enough points to win the game!
3. King of Tokyo – King of Tokyo is a game where players take on the persona of a giant monster, and battle each other in the hope of becoming the King of Tokyo. The game is very simple, and uses big friendly dice to decide what players can do on their turn; whether it be attacking other opponents, healing themselves, or scoring big points. The game can be won in two main ways. One way is by scoring 20 points; the alternative is just to be the last monster standing! It’s a fun game for everyone!
2. Dice Throne – Dice Throne is a dice game featuring superb and fun artwork, where players battle each other. Unlike similar games such as Pokémon TCG, or Magic: The Gathering; Dice Throne is played with mostly dice. Each player has a board, and on that board are a list of special moves unique to that player. During the game these moves can be upgraded to enhance their effectiveness. The combat though is decided using dice, dice featuring symbols and numbers, and all players need to do is roll them, and try to match the symbols with a move on their board, and then send the attacks hurtling at their opponents! It’s a lot of fun!
1. Dojo Kun – Dojo Kun is an exciting game featuring battles between martial arts masters! You play as the head of a Dojo, and you are looking to hire, train, and send combatants into a major martial arts tournament. The game has two phases, one where you hire fighters, train them and improve your dojo. The second phase comes in the form of the tournament. There are two tournaments in the game, and the combat looks complicated, but is actually both understandable and fun! It gives the fights a dynamic and fluid gameplay which is as fun to watch, as exciting to play!
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