Top Games of 2012

With the end of 2012 imminent, it is time to sum up the games of year. This year saw my collection balloon greatly, mainly due to the fact that I have a local dealer ... err I mean game store ... in the area. I cannot say enough good things about The Giddy Goblin. Great store, Great Owners, Great supply of games, Great group of people who play there. Enough of the love fest and onto my top board games of 2012.

1. Trajan - A Stefan Feld design and  probably one of his best to date. This game has a little of everything game mechanic wise but the belle of the ball is the mancala. It will truly make your head spin trying to figure it out and get it to do what you want. The game is punishing if you make a mistake but yet you are never truly out of the running. This is what I like though, a good and meaty board game which takes several plays to learn and many more to master. Looking forward to playing this a lot more in 2013.

2. Village - In Village, you control one of several families vying for fame in a simple village. This is a worker placement game at its core but with a twist. That twist shows up in how you handle family members. This game comes with 4 generations of one family and as the time track makes one full circuit then a family member must die. Depending on where that family member is on the board, he/she will go in the town records or an unmarked grave. That is where this game becomes great. Not only trying to maximize points through the worker placement but also through managing which family member will die and when is so important. It really feels like you are trying to bring honor and fame to your family.

3. Seasons - In seasons, you are competing against up to 3 other spell slingers to become the best sorcerer in a 3 year competition. How this is done is through rolling dice and collecting mana from the four seasons to power magical items and familiars. However, what really makes this game so great is the card draft at the beginning of the game. You start with 9 cards and keep one then pass the our 8 to the next player. You continue to draft one card at a time until you have 9 cards. Afterwards, you must take the 9 cards and split them into three piles of 3 cards to be used in each of the 3 years. This card draft really does have a way of making every game feel different and for that I am thankful.

4. Eclipse - Eclipse is an economics game hidden behind an space exploration/extermination theme. It is simple in its design and elegant in it play. It is big and epic and sits lots of people. On the the downside, it needs a very big table to play 6 players and it does bog down towards the end. However, with experienced players who try to plan when waiting for there turn this game really does shine.

5. Mice and Mystics - I bought this game because of the promise. That promise was a co-operative game with a narrative story arc centering around a prince and his cohorts turned into Mice to escape the evil spreading through the castle. This game has not disappointed. It comes with two books, a rulebook and a storybook containing all the scenarios. The kids and I have only played twice but we are looking forward to playing through the entire story in 2013. Hopefully, another story will be released in the new year as well.

As for 2013, I am looking forward to 2 new games from Stefan Feld (Rialto and Bora Bora), Suburbia (a city building tile laying game a la Simcity), Terra Mystica and Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar. And those are just the ones from late 2012 or early 2013. Add on top of that a road trip to Gen Con in August and 2013 is shaping up to be a great year.

Hope to see you at the table in 2013!

The quest for the family Tradition ...

Ever since my wife and I got married, we have tried to reconcile our different upbringings and Christmas traditions into one for our newly formed family going forward. This became even more important once we started to see little ones join the family. Needless to say, we have had many failures along the way. But finally after more than a decade of trying, we have hit gold.

It started a few years ago, when Marie and I started to give the kids PJ'S and a book for Christmas eve. But something was always just off therefore I began to believe that this was another failed attempt. There was no joy or magic to the tradition  It was simply go to Christmas eve service then come home and let the kids open a gift then have them put on new gift and go read new gift and wait until morning. Ugggh!!!

This year, however, the missing ingredients were added to the soup. The first ingredient was buying a likewise gift to the kids' for both parents (which Marie did not know about). Before leaving home, the second ingredient was added, which was a game of Ticket to ride after church, before opening any presents, accompanied by hot cocoa and coffee. Then off to the Christmas eve candlelight service we went. As we were driving home, the third ingredient was added in the form of a challenge. The winner of a game of Ticket to Ride would get first crack at gift opening. Needless to say, this idea was not completely formed yet but like all ideas you have to ride it out and see what happens. The game was fun and created a spirit of joy and closeness in the family. Once final placements were set with yours truly on top and my lovely wife second, the fourth ingredient was added. I opened my mouth, which is not always a good thing, and decreed that each person in order would pick up the bagged and wrapped gift of the person they choose and present them with the gift accompanied by some nice words in regards to the recipients value to our family and life in general.

So off to opening presents, which was magical, fun and amazing. The kids had huge grins and us parents had ones to revival the kids, along with some tears of joy. Once we all willing piled into out PJ's, the final ingredient was added, a Christmas movie with pop and snacks. The entire evening was very stirring and intimate. What family time at Christmas should be about. I am starting believe that traditions never just start but they evolve out time into something great and cherished which ours has now become.

Merry Christmas to you all!!!!

Boardgaming + friends = happiness

Life has been very busy for me this past year. Between working three different jobs, being married and being a father to 3 great kids, there is not much time left in the day. On the other hand, I love bookkeeping more than I ever loved my previous job and working at a Boardgame store is like working at Willy Wonka's candy factory. So I would agree that life is good if I were to stop there.

But I wont ....

What makes life really great is the times of boardgaming with family and friends at the end of a busy day or weekend that really fills up the ol' love tank. I appreciate the smack talking, the agonizing choices to be made every turn, the laughs over a horrible roll of the dice and the jeers and cheers at the end of every game.

I love playing a friendly game with my kids or losing a 2 player game to my wife. I love sitting with a good friend , drinking coffee and playing a game at the kitchen table. I love playing a game with new faces, and not so new ones, on a Monday or Wednesday evening at the store. I love the hard fought battles of Saturday and Sunday evening with the guys from the game group.

These things make life complete. They make me a better person everyday when life is hard or demanding. They are the rewards to life. They are engaging and relational.

I just wish I could win more ;)