Fun fact, at PAX I saw their new game coming out….very similar to LNOE but it’s a Martians invading a Circus theme. awesome.

As an example, the early buzz around the game was that Guild Hall (big building giving bonus for each production building) was the key card in the game, but I have beaten that approach many times.

I do like where San Juan sits in the hierachy of the Puerto Rico type games though, certainly easier to play than PR itself or Race for the Galaxy.

@Curious, if game nights start to become popular with your family, you could also look into many of the games that Jay recommends. Let us know how it goes!

I’d actually recommend Matt Leacock’s Pandemic rip-off Forgotten Islands. It has the same mechanics, the same co-operative play, but is much simpler to play and explain.

Ticket to Ride, Carcasonne and Settlers are great gateway drugs….er…games of course. You could also throw Alhambra, Bohnanza, Through the Desert, Elfenland into the mix as games that are easy to explain and to play (though strategies might require more experience!)

Jay

I’m another one who, while I didn’t hate it, thought it meh at best at first. The more plays, the better I (we) like it.

I also share your thought on Stone Age. I already have PR and other similar games, so I have no overwhelming desire to try it.

http://www.yurock.net/incredible-warhammer-40k-giant-dreadnought-case-mod/#more-1117

But, when there must be winners and losers, I think its best to play to win. When everyone is on their “A” game, I think the game tends to be a lot more fun.

The only time I play “just for fun” rather than to win according to the given rules of the game is Scrabble. I play to make the most interesting or clever words, regardless of how many points they score, or where on the board they should go. But that only screws over myself, and everyone else can carry on scoring however they want. I’ve never won at Scrabble, but I still make the best words.

Maybe I’ll give it a try, though, if it helps with the less gamey gamers.

Stone Age, which has some similar mechanics but is a much simpler game, goes over much much better with that group. It also plays a bit quicker…personally a big fan of Stone Age, although obviously it lacks some of the depth/complexity of Puerto Rico.

Hmmm. This time, anyway.

I saw a fun thread in a forum recently where people were picking one of the Title-O-Tron titles and then writing five sentences to describe the story. That was a such neat idea that I’m thinking about ways to make an embeddable version for just that use.

I got stuck getting the Edge Games trinket (pictured above) because the acceleration lag made my character too slow to complete the puzzle. Turning acceleration off in full-screen (or playing in windowed mode) made the game a much more enjoyable experience for me.

I just do not see the appeal in Seafarers. It’s the same as the base game, but now you build boats on water tiles instead of roads. And, whether the island you come to has a resource you need isn’t that big of a reward. The best reward is the bonus VP you get for being the first to build there. So it’s always a good idea to invest in ships – so everyone has the same strategy in every game.

As for C&K, it is no easier to get locked out in C&K than it is in the base game. And, there’s a lot more depth between which direction you’re attempting to build your civilization. It also adds strategy with the knights – especially since they can bounce the robber if he is on your land.

Most of the Traders modules are compatible with seafarers (but not C&K), so if you get the opportunity, I’d recommend a play through some of the scenarios. Fishermen of Catan, in particular, would likely be up your alley. But some of the bigger modules do add additional mechanics – like barbarians taking over hexes and rendering them useless – so if you like the simpler (more elegant?) Catan, you may want to avoid those particular variants.

Seafarers adds exploring uncharted territory, which creates a dynamic between those who stay on the known islands and tech to cities and those who head into the ocean, increasing their risk (find nothing, waste resources) but also their rewards (get free stuff, find gold, get bonus points for settling on the island).

Cities & Knights, by contrast, adds the ability to get locked out of the game in the first 2-3 cycles around the board and adds much more complexity without adding much more strategy. Priorities change, but it doesn’t increase the depth very much.

Can’t speak about Traders, haven’t played it.

Time will tell if Galaxy Trucker was worth the $70 (Ouch!) that it cost

http://www.seizeyourturn.com/2010/02/how-to-budget-for-game-purchases/

She has expressed interest in picking up Dixit which is similar to Apples to Apples, but with amazing artwork.

She’s going to PAX with me and I hope to expose her to some wider variety. She has even expressed an interest in getting into a beginner’s D&D game!!!!

It’s going to be a very interesting weekend.

i’m new here, and just want to say hello!

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mexico blog

Like the from behind close up of the guy entering the girl. The last thing I need is 3d taint and balls right up in my face.

i’m new here, and just want to say hello!

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WP video blog

Great first post, Nina! Glad you’re part of the site.

Terriers I’m looking forward to, because Donal Logue has the comedy chops to make it pretty darn interesting.

I’m not excited for the Abram’s show (I never liked Alias) or for The Event.

Rosalind
Girls Are Geeks

I disagree with both points. As a family man, I think board games are very good for the family. Both as a social bonding venue, and because they are VERY educational and developmental for minds under 16.

I do agree that once you pass teen years, game are pretty much social recreational fun at that point.

Rosalind
Girls Are Geeks

My daughter’s been a tougher sell on gaming. She loves sci-fi and fantasy, but she’d rather play electronic games than tabletop ones. I’m going to attack that when she gets back from camp this month by getting her friends interested, because they seem to be some of the way toward being tabletop gaming enthusiasts already.