It’s that time of the year again when I actually sit down to write a blog with the Top Ten Games I’ve played this year. The hobby slump hit again this year in October thanks to life getting in the way but I’ve managed to play a few games at the regular D&D session when we’ve had a shortage of numbers. So far this year, I’ve only played 45 games but many of those have been played multiple times (I’m looking at you Star Wars Unlimited and Gloomhaven). Many of the games on the list been acquired this year with a couple of older games showing their faces. Of course, there are a few honourable mentions that got played but just missed out on the list for one reason or another.
This year’s honourable mentions have either appeared on the list before, another version or similar game appears on the list or I just haven’t played it enough. Once again, this is my personal preference and people may agree or disagree with my selections but let me know what you think. Again, Gloomhaven appears in the honourable mentions list even though it has been heavily played recently but there is another game from the “Haven” series that appears on the list. In no particular order, those games are:-
Gloomhaven
Elder Sign (a staple choice for games night),
Planet Unknown (a favourite from last year’s list),
The Old World (GW’s newest Fantasy Battle release),
Masters of the Universe Battleground (it’s He-Man, what can I say),
Flamecraft (it’s got dragons).
10. Star Wars Unlimited – Fantasy Flight Games
How could I not include this Star Wars TCG in this list especially as it has been my most played game this year? It’s such a simple TCG to play and can become very addictive (especially opening booster packs). Deck building is also a fun part of the game coming up with combos and different strategies to take down your opponent’s base. All your Star Wars favourites are there from the films and new extended universe of TV shows and comics such as The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars. With the recent release of the the third set and it’s popularity, I can’t see this game going away for some time.
9. Books of Time – Board and Dice
This game was on my wish list for UK Games Expo 2023 but couldn’t get a copy as it had sold out. Fast forward to Christmas and there it was being unwrapped. This civilisation building game lets you write the pages of history (literally) by adding them to your book which is a small ring binder and those with the highest score wins. Collecting different pages and activating them to give you bonuses build up your score and unlocks combinations which help later in the game. The look and feel of the game is fantastic with the ring binders and pages adding to aesthetic of the game. I thoroughly enjoyed this game as it reminded me a little of Tapestry.
8. Doomlings – Doomlings LLC
A random (and cheap) purchase from UK Games Expo this year, this simple yet fun card game hurtles you to the end of the world. Your hand of trait cards or Doomlings are added to the table each turn allowing you to gain points, trade or steal cards and help you win the game over a series of ages before catastrophes strike and the end of the world comes. This has been a popular game to play at game nights with its simplicity and funny cards, like the different kidney cards. There are a few little expansions which I will try and get soon and see what they add to the game but until then I will still be having lots of fun with this.
7. Terraforming Mars: The Dice Game – Stronghold Games
Here we are again with another version of Terraforming Mars this time with The Dice Game. The goal is still the same to make Mars habitable but with cards and dice. It’s fairly simple use the dice that represent different resources to build cities, plant forests and raise the oxygen and temperature levels. I found this a simpler version of the game but also a lot quicker to play with the dice rolling and card mechanics. The strategy is still there and the solo version was hard to beat. I can see playing this with others will be a little harder to win too as the resource dice are limited.
6. Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps – Gale Force Nine
Finally, a game based on the film Aliens where you guide the Colonial Marines through various scenarios taken from events in the film. The gameplay is very reminiscent of Space Hulk from GW (which was loosely based on Aliens) where you fight off hordes of Xenomorphs whilst completing objectives. The gameplay is simple enough and card/dice driven to determine outcomes from combats and movements. I have got one of the expansions which adds more to the campaign which we have been playing through as well as more Xenomorphs and the Queen. You get to play as all the characters from the movie (with different expansions) but you can also use the miniatures for the Alien RPG. There is a mission generator mode that I want to try out and maybe use as a basis for the Alien RPG when I get round to writing a one-shot or campaign.
5. Ark Nova – Feuerland Spiele
My top game from last year was Earth so I felt that Ark Nova would be an excellent addition to my collection and it was a good choice. The idea is to build and manage a zoo and populate it with the different animals drawn from a deck of cards. There are objectives to complete to help you build the best zoo compared to your opponents and different strategies you can use to gain the most points.
Like Earth, the cards show detailed pictures of all manner of creatures from the animal world which is a big draw of the game. The gameplay is not too complicated and there are many options to choose from throughout the game. There are different map packs and the Marine Worlds expansion which add more options to the game for you to adapt your strategy. This is one I would like to hopefully play at games night as it offers something different than our usual selection.
4. Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs – Cephalofair Games
Even though I’ve played Gloomhaven to death this year, it’s the standalone solo version Buttons and Bugs (or as I’ve nicknamed it Tiny Epic Gloomhaven) that makes the list. This version of Gloomhaven fits into the palm of your hand and plays a lot quicker than previous iterations. There are fewer cards to use as they get recycled and even the miniatures are small which fits the storyline of being shrunk. I managed to play three scenarios in less than an hour and having dice instead of cards for attack bonuses is a nice addition. There are lots of characters to use making replayability for this game high as you would need to use different strategies for them like in the main game.
3. Wyrmspan – Stonemaier Games
The first of the Stonemaier Games games to appear on the list is Wyrmspan. Explore caves and find dragons to live in them in the “sequel” to the ever popular Wingspan. I chose this over Wingspan for my collection as it got dragons rather than birds although Wingspan will be added to the collection at some point. The components are well produced as I expect from Stonemaier Games and the booklet detailing all the dragons is a good addition for quick reference. Having played this both solo and with others, I found both equally as enjoyable. This will be getting a lot of replays at games nights as everyone enjoyed playing it.
2. Heat: Pedal to the Metal – Days of Wonder
I had been after this game for a while and when I finally picked it up it did not disappoint. Heat: Pedal to the Metal is a racing game where you control the speed of your car and stop it from overheating using the cards you play each turn. The base game boasts four tracks with different degrees of difficulty for you to negotiate round in individual races or as a championship/campaign. The cars can be customised with different modifications and cards for more experienced players giving you more options. The Heavy Rain expansion adds another two tracks and options for another player as well as more customisation options for your car. I’m looking forward to doing a solo campaign next year and maybe a multiplayer championship too.
1. Scythe Expeditions – Stonemaier Games
When this game got announced, I was intrigued to see what it was like and the differences there would be from Scythe. The premise of the game is to explore the Siberian wasteland in your mech and discover what effect a meteorite has had on the environment as well as recover artefacts and claim all the glory. The mechanics are very different to Scythe making it a whole new gaming experience for Scythe fans like me. The overall theme is darker and has some elements of the supernatural added to the mix. Cards are played to gain power, guile and worker abilities and moving your mech unlocks other cards and abilities you can use to win the game. Having played this a few times, it was definitely going to appear on this list as I really enjoyed Scythe and I just need to play the Gears of Corruption expansion now.
So that’s the ten games that I’ve enjoyed playing this year. What will appear on next year’s list? Will Gloomhaven finally appear on the list? Where was Arkham Horror this year? Only time will tell…
Tabletop Tales 