20. Power Grid 19. Star Wars Rebellion 18. Splendor 17. Lord of Waterdeep 16. Dead of Winters: A Crossroad Game 15. King of Tokyo 14. Castles of Burgundy 13. Dominion 12. Five Tribes 11. Carcassonne 10. Codenames 09. Ticket to Ride 08. 7 Wonders: Duel 07. Viticulture 06. Terraforming Mars 05. 7 Wonders 04. Blood Rage 03. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 02. Pandemic 01. Scythe
Just want to say that I love this format for the People’s Choice top 100. It was a lot of fun to watch the three of you comment on all the games. I hope you’re able to do this every year.
Lords of Waterdeep was not a gameway game for me or my group. I got the game only a year ago. The reason we like it so much is because of the design. It's elegant and smooth. It plays fast. It starts off quick and simple, and becomes moderately thinky by the end. It scales well. And finally, it's easy to teach new people. Simply put, it's a fun game.
I think Viticulture has avoided self-cannibalization because the Essential editions (base game & Tuscany) have pretty well *replaced* the original versions. Stonemaier is not trying to sell both--they made some improvements and streamlined the expansion pool and ended up with a game they preferred and continue to support.
Fun list, thanks for putting this together. And it was smart commentary overall from you guys. Sad to see that none of my games made the top 20, bringing me to a total of five somewhere in the top 150. I think I remember you mentioning that there might be some stats at some point. I'd be really interested to see what games were mentioned by very few people for example.
Stats would be interesting. I like stats. For example- how many different games were voted for by at least 1 person? Of my 25 votes - 3 made the top 20 - Another 12 were between 21 and 100. Another 1 made the top 150. Of my remaining 9 I'd guess there's 2 or 3 where I was the only voter.
Exactly, I have no idea how many of mine I'd expect to be the only voter for (but with 20 that didn't appear in the top 150 I have decent odds I'd think of a few getting no other votes). I wonder how many votes the average game got too.
From this year: Gloomhaven will go up into the top 20s at least. 7th Continent will appear on the list, and Pandemic Legacy Season 2 will appear on the list but be lower than Season 1.
Oh god yes I would love to see that. However, I do think you would want to rethink playing as the Imperials, Zee. Playing as the Rebels for the first time is really fun. As a bonus, this way we can see Sam play as the Imperials! STAR WARS Reroll Of The Jedi COMING SOON TO A LIVESTREAM NEAR YOU!!!
Hear hear. Would love to see zees take. I don't usually watch playthrus because I find it hard to 'read the table', but i think Rebellion is actually really clear from afar. Question is...do you let fans in on where the base is or wait till the end??
Zee's got to try Castles of Burgundy! Yes, it looks dull, but it's great 2p and is pretty quick once you get to know it. It's well ranked for good reason. The card game pales in comparison!
I like it when you guys show the pics and pieces of the board games you talk about. Just a little nit pick but seriously love the channel thanks for all you guys do to introduce the hobby in such a simple and easy way!
LoW was my first worker placement game. It could be my imagination but I definitely think there is a strong thematic conection between the types of workers needed for each mission. I sometimes makes me laugh to picture some of them.
Pandemic...not the same as Pandemic Legacy...I totally agree! I like playing Pandemic much more than Legacy. I played Scythe for the first time last week...great game! A lot of the games I really like are on this top 20...Five Tribes, Castles of Burgundy, Carcassonne, King of Tokyo, Terrafrorming Mars, Dead of Winter...and of course Pandemic and Scythe. Not really a Splendor fan. (The game that got me started in gaming was Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn!)
I bought King of Tokyo 3 years ago and shortly after bought New York. I’ve played New York once, Tokyo more times than I can count. The simplicity of Tokyo makes it easier to teach and more fun to come back to, and it became my friend’s gateway game!
Zee and Sam barely had any worker placement games on their top 100 lists. It’s no surprise that they don’t “get” the appeal of Lords of Waterdeep: a simple but enjoyable worker placement, resource gathering, quest completion, light to light-medium game that families and gamers alike enjoy to play.
Lords of Waterdeep was the first worker placement game I was introduced to, so yes, that is partly the reason I like it so much (also, I haven't played that many worker placement games to begin with) ;).
Nicolas Zhang I've played quite a few other worker placement games, but yes, this was my gateway game as well. I also love it for its simplicity and that I have gotten more of my family to give this a try over Ticket to Ride or any of my other gateway games.
I really like Photosynthesis, and I think it has a wide enough appeal to hit the top 100 next year, for sure. It's also one of those games that gets people's attention when they see someone else playing it, and a game that my group was more interested in after the first play than they were initially.
Lords of Waterdeep wasn't a gateway game for me, but I do use it as a next step game. It's simplicity is where it's at, everything is straight forward. You explain a couple of spaces and then everyone completely understands the iconography. Finally got the expansion and it makes it a truly amazing game. I can play this with anyone in my family or game group.
Lords of Waterdeep wasn't my gateway but for an accessible worker placement it is the best. My wife, and friends really enjoy it, and it is complex enough to be fun and interesting for me. It's length of play, weight, and ease of play hit a sweet spot that no other worker placement game has hit. Personally I wouldn't mind a retheming.
Lords of Waterdeep is an available and affordable worker placement gateway level game. When I was looking for a first worker placement game it was the one everyone on BGG and the Facebook groups suggested. I decided to go with Fresco and then Stone Age because the D&D theme was a turn off for our group, but price and availability really count.
NICK Van DAM I’ve introduced LoW to many people and not once have I mentioned D&D. IMO it’s the best introduction to worker placement games mostly because it is very easy to teach.
I own Scythe, and I'm glad I do. My friend across the country asked if she should buy it, but I couldn't recommend it. I really like certain aspects of the game, the art, the player cards and how they are used, and it does a little bit of everything, but it doesn't do anything particularly great.
Glad to see 8 of 10 of my top 10 on the top 100 list. My number 1 wasn't going to make it for obvious reasons, and I think the Godfather is a bit too new/too niche, but the rest are great: 10. Clank! 9. Puerto Rico 8. Mechs vs Minions 7. Zombicide: Black Plague 6. The Godfather: Corleone's Empire 5. Dead of Winter 4. Star Wars Rebelllion 3. Blood Rage 2. Battlestar Galactica 1. Chess
No Camel Up? Really thought that'd be in the top 100. Not surprised by Scythe, my most frequently played heavy game, plus it has expansions keeping it fresh.
Lords of Waterdeep was absolutely my gateway game. We'd played Legends of Drizzt before and I wasn't wild about it. I honestly had no desire to play Waterdeep, but really enjoyed it. It's about time I teach my son.
I guess I have to play Scythe now. I have read the rulebook, watched the reviews, how-to-plays, playthroughs and ... I don’t see the appeal of it. I must be missing something.
I love Scythe, and I didn't Kickstart it. I played it, and thought it was pretty good, but it gets better with every play, till it is in my top 5. Personally, I don't think the rules convey the tension the game creates.
I played Scythe on Tabletopia a few times because I was hesitant to get it since it's pretty pricey. Turned out to be really fun. I haven't run out to get it yet but I do plan to. I would however recommend playing it before buying it because it does feel different than you might expect going in (to me feels very Euro-ey). For the right group it's a great game but I can also see it falling flat for people expecting something else.
I think you guys answered the question of "Why is Lords of Waterdeep so high on the list?" later on when talking about gateway games. It's easy to teach and get. I had never played it before and it was taught to me in 10 minutes or less and within a turn or turn, I had a good idea of what I was doing. I would consider it a gateway game to heavier worker placement games.
Gloomhaven, 7th Continent, Photosynthesis and Rising Sun seem like some top contenders to make next year's Top 20. Scythe has really earned its spot, now with one big final expansion on the horizon it'll be hard to beat. Scythe is going to be the real deal in board game legacies.
Lords of Waterdeep was my gateway game. Its allure is the easy decision making while having some medium-weight mechanics with lots of replay value. It still works well as a gateway game even if its not something Id bring to the table over a more complex worker placement game.
Great top 100... I love this lists every year... I was wondering WHERE and WHEN can I vote? Do they anounce it somewhere? Been subscribe for a WHILE now and never heard anything T_T. I would like to have the chance to give my 2 cents for next year, if I have the chance
Yeah, i listed to many videos of the dice tower but noticed the voting was up just 2 days before it was finished via facebook. Maybe they should annouce it (more than once) in Board game breakfast
They are not consistent with the ppl choice top 100. As soon they started their own top 100 I wanted to vote but there was no link available but than after they were done with their own top 100 they mentioned in last video about voting so I went on website to vote and do found the link. But they decided to publish the list in 2 weeks only so that’s not good enough time for most ppl to vote.
As of this writing you can still vote for your top 2017 games on the Dice Tower web site, even though the voting is technically over. In fact, I voted immediately before finding this video, which frustrated me somewhat. For some reason the Dice Tower web site still hasn't published the 2017 People's Choice top 100 games yet.
My best gaming experience in 2017 is Arkham Horror the card game. It has a lot of potential and FFG is digging it with every expansion out. The only downside is the fact that it's a LCG so you have to keep hunting for those small expansions.
I can't remember if it was on this year's list in an earlier episode, but i really think Wasteland Express has a strong chance to make next year's list. Fantastic game with amazing components and an even better organization system. Very impressed with it.
Five Tribes was featured on one of Wil Wheaton's TableTop episodes and looks very different and refreshing from the other games there (I really like it also), this is why people have voted it so much. Also Lords of Waterdeep was on TableTop and even if the game seemed good enough compared to other games there, this episode was one of their most impactful due to player interaction, I could say this might be the reason some people choose it as a getaway game. Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game also was on the show and even if it's a really awesome game it would not be as high on the list without TableTop. This might be a strech but this could be the reason why both Ticket to Ride and Ticket to Ride: Europe are on the list. It is amazing how every time someone especially Zee cannot understand why a game is so high on the list, TableTop is the answer :D. Also as you have said you have influenced the vote of some games on the top 100 like Jamaica and BANG! The Dice Game and Shut Up & Sit Down have influced the vote of games like Concordia and Captain Sonar.
Lords of Waterdeep didn't get me into the hobby, but it was the game that got me into euro games. I still have a soft spot for the game, but I hardly play it for meatier worker placement games. The theme was what drew me in to try it (I know it is pasted on).
Zee, I feel you when you said that Castles of Burgundy doesn't *look* appealing. It was shrinkwrapped on my shelf for over a year. But it is easily one of the top 2 games in our cabinet. PLAY IT!!!
LoWD was my gateway game. The theme did draw me in and disappoint me in that regard. But it did show me what modern board games can do. Streamlined and easy to teach, but a good depth of strategy. It has lost some of it’s shine, but it is still a solid game for me. I like to come back to every once in awhile for easy teaching or really relaxed playing.
Splendor gets a bunch of hate but it's got a number of marketing plusses. First, it plays at multiple levels. You can play it simple or deep. You can play it aggressive or passive. Second, the poker chips were genius. It's an easy to acquire component yet it adds a huge tactile characteristic; who doesn't like handling hefty chips. Third, you can easily add house rules that can add or subtract complexity. Fourth, I can teach it to my mother-in-law in 5 minutes and she'll love it. If you're a hard-core gamer you'll grow out of it quickly but you are not the target demographic for huge sales. They have a winner here! It'll come up every time the fam comes over and we'll play it two or three times while Scythe and Gloomhaven stays on the shelf.
is this based on what ppl play or what you think is a good game? and where do you find what ppl play?, couldent see battle for greyport or RDI in ther, id say battle for greyport is better then dominion tho
Thanks for the video... great stuff as usual. Out of the top 20 I have only played 14 of them. 11 I didn't enjoy and 3 I did. Of the three games I enjoyed playing I own 2 of them. I guess my tastes are just different from the majority of Dice Tower fans. Then again, it would be a sad old world if everyone had the same preferences. Thanks again guys.
Sam's right. A person only has so much time. So when I play a game it's not the specific game but the player count, experience, and mechanics that I use to choose what we play. I have no reason to play Pandemic the Cure or base Pandemic any more because I get my Pandemic fill by playing Season 1 and Season 2. I've no reason to play Pandemic again until Season 3. If they stop making Legacy, then maybe I'll buy Pandemic and play it then. It makes the list harder to curate and rank, but I almost feel like some games need to be grouped.
Gloomhaven will make it next year. Maybe 7th continent too. It'd be cool if Brass made it too, with the large kickstarter printing coming out early next year.
Photosynthesis will probably make the next list if the publisher can keep it in print and maybe get it into wide distribution - it would probably be a good seller in the bookstores. Wasteland Express Delivery Service could be a contender, but the high cost and obnoxious graphic design & artwork might stop a lot of people from trying it.
Games that will make the list next year: 7th Continent, Season 2, Gaia Project, Photosynthesis, Altiplano, Azul, Charterstone, Clans of Caledonia, Batman, Rising Sun
Trevor Just Batman won't be out yet (it's great though, demo'ed it at Essen) and Altiplano is getting lukewarm receptions. I agree with the rest though
Good guess Tom, Lords of Waterdeep is what got me into this hobby a couple years ago. Still rate it higher than I probably should. I haven't bought (and dont have any way to try) Champions of Midgard because I feel like it would be a case of having one or the other, and I've already got a deluxed version of waterdeep
LoW is probably popular because it was a gateway for a lot of people, but it's also just a simple and determininistic puzzle with a splash of luck and variability that is easy to wrap your head around. It allows for confrontation without relying on violence and it has a theme that attracts nerdfolk but is applied conservatively enough to avoid alienating normal people. It offers a great intersection for a lot of people, but easily disappoints hardcore gamers who expect a theme-focused DnD product. The fact that it's DnD-based is fun, but the thing that's really fun about the game is that it almost offers a more controllable and calculated Monopoly experience. You get the feeling of running around a city snatching up locations and modifying the game board while working towards set collecting and denying other players all without the frustration of dice and bankruptcy. Great game.
Common thread through most of the top 20 is that theme is not that important to people. The masses prefer streamlined mechanics, high replayability, good components and artwork and ease of entry.
Wow, I can't believe Sam and Zee haven't played Castles of Burgundy. Yes, Sam would hate it. Zee, you might like it. True, it's not pretty on the table, but there's something very satisfying about getting points, points, and more points for every single thing you do. :) It's definitely in our top 10 games (hubby and me).
FranzBinder20 not necessarily, couple of my friends love terra mystica and it’s their fav of all time but don’t even want to buy Gaia project. They don’t like the space theme
For next year I believe the safe bets would be as you said Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition and Queendomino I would add codenames duet. Also I really hope awesome games like This War of Mine and Anachrony will make the cut. Maybe it's too late but Runebound Third Edition could be on the list because many will use it as a gateway game (for pc gamers especially). I don't know a lot about them but Clans of Caledonia, Nusfjord, Noria, Otys, Merlin, Space Freaks also The Masters' Trials: Wrath of Magmaroth (if it's not broken), Ticket to Ride France & Old West, Mountains of Madness , Kitchen Rush and/or A Tale of Pirates might have a chance (Starfall a small abstact game will probably not get discovered or maybe it's just me who likes it this much :D). Unfortunately it will probably be too soon for the Dice Hospital to be there (I already love this game) the same goes for RWBY: Combat Ready unless Rooster Teeth send their people to vote, in this case Tom you will see a lot of lists with only this game :P. I am pretty sure there are more games who are good canditates but I just cannot remember all of them right now.
Imo Meeple Circus could be very well on this list next year and if it comes out in german on time be also a front runner for Spiel des Jahres. Its that kind of game where everyone says: Yeah I dont like dexterity games normally but this one is really cool. Meeple Circus could be the next big gateway game.
LoW was the first worker placement game I ever played, and I loved it. I've begun to grow bored of it and want to play more complex worker placements more often. I've bought a couple as well, but I have the small problem that my 'gamer group' shied so far from complex games that LoW was too much for them. I need to find more gamers where I live so that I can actually get these games to the table.
I dare you guys - Play SW:Rebellion 4 players Sam & Zee vs Tom & Jason. This is easily my no 1 even before expansion, and I was strongly believing that it is 2 player only game, but I gave it a try and it was one of the best coop experience I've ever had. Playing 4 players adds additional layer of planning cause of the way the order of players is set.
I never played Champions of Midgard, I only saw videos of how it plays. Taking this: honestly, I think the big difference between the two is the preference between euro or ameritrash games. The dice luck has an impact on the game, where in Lords you manage your things and your objective with what you have. The only luck is the intrigue cards. LoW was not my gateway game, but it was one of my first worker placement gateway games and I still love it. But I see myself more as a euro gamer, whereas Sam (for example) is more of an ameritrash gamer.
I enjoy Waterdeep a lot. It was one of the first modern style board games I played and still is.my go to to.introduce people to worker placement games even though I prefer games like Tzolkin now.
Lords of Waterdeep replaced Stone Age as the gateway worker placement game for a lot of people, myself included. It came out just around the time when the boom really started getting steam and it's still a great, simple, quick, worker placement game.
Lords of Waterdeep is the game that ultimately got me engrossed in the hobby. Still own it, still love it (but will never play with the expansion). By the way, I'm not a D&D guy - in fact, I've never played D&D.
Scythe!? Wauw that's insane. Great game but wauw! In top 20, I voted for: Star Wars Rebellion Five Tribes 7 Wonders Duel Terraforming Mars Blood Rage Scythe I have played 90 games of the ones in the top 100
When I first started playing Scythe it was a 9 for me (8 solo), these days I think it's a 10 (9 solo), not many games improve for me as I play it - they tend to either start to feel repetitive to me and I wane on them or my opinion of them stays fairly static, so can really see why it would improve on the rankings aside from just getting into the hands of more people.
Lords of Waterdeep was the gateway euro game for me i've been playing it for years now, love the game, the art on the cards is fantastic, its a solid strategy game with simple enough mechanics to get other people into the game. Again, for sure my gateway game to the euro genre, basically my first love and it difnetaly have the legs.
I got into games because of TableTop and the first two games I bought were Pandemic and Lords of Waterdeep because of that show. It's cooled for me somewhat, but it was an important gateway game for me.
Yes, LoW was my gateway game, but it is also a SOLID game. Families and gamers both play it a lot. In Champions of Midgard I dislike the use Dice to decide on quests. I would LOVE it if CoM was a DICE PLACEMENT game instead. Also, the blame token mechanism is stupid, inelegant and tacked on.
LoW has a lot of issues. I feel like games like LoW make the list because we don't all play as many games as reviewers play. When every reviewer asks 'why is LoW still really popular?' its because the average gamer hasnt played the 20+ worker placement games that are better.
Clayton Weaver Your comment applies to any game really: we don’t play as many games as reviewers, period. Why would LoW fare differently in that sense to any other in the list? The truth is that there’s not that many gateway, family weight, good **worker placement** games. Most of the high rated ones are a bit heavier than LoW. A good chunk of viewers/voters also play with the family, which explains the positions of games like Sushi Go! and Mechs v Minions.
I still play quite a few gateway games. Sushi Go is still in the regular rotation with my group. Lords of Waterdeep just feels outdated. Raiders of the North Sea and Viticulture Essential Edition are much more visually impressive as a gateway and arguably better mechanically.
Clayton Weaver Those are both good worker placement games. But I own Raiders (original Kickstarter) and I can’t imagine using it as a gateway game. It IS gorgeous, but not as straightforward as base LoW. It is simply not something a new gamer would enjoy. Viticulture has the same “problem”: too heavy as an entry level. Also, telling young family members or friends to play a game about a vineyard is a hard sell.
All time?! popular in recent memory til the next one walks by is more like it lol I see those titles pop up all the time and hardly any of them look to interest me to be fair I'd have to play them but it's not too difficult to get a feel of what they are whether they're resource management worker placment with player boards and lot 'o wooden cubes etc (man theres a lot of those now) but interesting that so many people fancy them these days
Lords of waterdeep seems to have the accessibility of a gateway game but the depth of a good mid-weight strategy euro. Better skilled players will win and despite the randomness in the decks, the game is mathematically pretty balanced and varied.
Power Grid is a good game, it is my 47th favorite game. And like Sam I don't like math but still enjoy this. I usually ask for help in pricing out my choices. I will keep plugging Power Grid the Card game as better though, as that is my 15th favorite game. It needs more love! Power Grid has a strong universal appeal in my board game meetup, and thus gets semi-regular play. It's length may keep it from more plays. But the card game is so much shorter it gets played more. But most others in my meetup still prefer the board game, but still play the card game more as its much shorter and still fun. Star Wars: Rebellion was a good game, and I beta tested it. I will play it, but it isn't on my top 100. Splendor was quite enjoyable to me, until I played it 3 times in a row and got burned out fast. Now its not even on my top 100. Lords of Waterdeep was defined by Zee brilliantly, collect cubes and get points. But unlike Zee I am a fan of D&D but still dislike the game and find the game thin on theme. I would play the game again, but reluctantly. Dead of Winter is my 28th favorite game. Fun game. King of Tokyo has beaten out New York for me. Its simplicity just makes it shine. It is my 99th favorite game. Castles of Burgandy was a game I played once, early in my board game meetup experience and needs another play. I thought it okay at best. Five Tribes was not a game I cared for. It is not on my "do not play" again list, therefore I would play it again, but its one I would avoid and never request. Carcassonne as I have shared before I prefer Hunters & Gatherers as its my 15th favorite game. I liked it so much I went out to find a copy of this OOP game a couple months ago, and even got an expansion, which is only okay at best. Ticket to Ride like Catan I got burned out on. But did not explain, I played these games solo on the Xbox. However I didn't play this one as much so my burning out didn't get as bad, therefore am more willing to play this and thus like it more, but is still not on my top 100. Although Catan with an expansion is better. Terraforming Mars is a great game, but gets knocked down a bit due to its length. It is my 43rd favorite game. If it was shorter it would be higher on my list. 7 Wonders does not get much love from me, although each time I play it, I like it a bit more, but it is not on my top 100 at all.
1. Tikal 2. Trias 3. Tomb & Tomb: Cryptmaster 4. Cutthroat Caverns 5. Bang! The Bullet with BANG! The Valley of Shadows 6. Alien Frontiers 7. Above and Below 8. Cosmic Encounter 9. Colt Express 10. Three Dragon Ante
I don't get why Scythe is always mentioned like it's a some sort of evil villain that cheated it's way to glory. It has some of the best first game experiences, many approaches to the game, you build an empire on the board, it has no dice, if you absolutely need to win a fight 100% you can do it and everyone knows that but don't know if you actually can, you can play it over and over with different factions and player boards, different numbers of players vastly change the game, it's extremely intuitive and games rarely look the same. I made my new playgroup play Blood Rage and Eclipse, in both of them players complained that they felt that those games were too luck based or just not as good. Like, I have been rubbing my nose and I just don't get it. Why do I feel like the game is just actually really good but I have to feel bad for really liking it because it had a successful kickstarter? One game my playgroup liked was Kemet, and I kind of feel that this game fills the same niche that nobody thought existed and something I can't name.
If your game group feels Eclipse is too random, try getting hold of Hegemonic from Minion Games. Far less random (you modify strengths with cards from your hand, not dice), quicker and simpler.
Levente Domonkos I can see that the card drafting is luck based. The last game I played I received only one Clan upgrade in the first two Ages. Only two made it round the table to me and I had to pass up one of them. I mean that doesn’t mean you lost, I came second of five, but if you get the right combo in the draft (say Fenris to guarantee deaths and a card to gain extra Glory from Valhalla) you start the game with a major advantage.
I see what you mean but still, I feel like there is so much ways to get score in the game that this shouldnt be a problem and also in drafting the chances that someone can get the perfect combo are nearly zero, I would never say that a drafting game is luck based, its just not
Levente Domonkos When we play four or five player it seems that at least two or three get a really good combo going. In fact the deciding factor isn’t so much whoever gets a good card combo comes first, but that the one or players who don’t get a good draft are guaranteed to come last. Also if you get two quest cards for the same zone that’s lucky. It’s not that all your points come from a lucky draft but it can provide a healthy top up.
While not a Gateway game for me Lords of Waterdeep is a very enjoyable game. As for theme, for a long term D&D (forgotten realms) player it is there in spades. The factions are important in world factions and many of the quests are very thematic. Domesicating Owlbears FTW!!!!
I have never understood how the DT crew consider Spice Road a replacement for Splendor. Different mechanics, no? Spice Road turns are a single card play to swap cubes, whereas Splendor has gems used as currency to buy property cards without the need torecover your discards.
I don't know what makes you decide to combine or not combine games but if you combined Pandemic: Iberia with Pandemic would Pandemic be #1? For me Iberia "replaced" Pandemic on my list as it is a single box version that is like playing with an expansion. I really like the differences (and the beautiful art) but the play is still incredibly similar to Pandemic. Given that Iberia was 142 or whatever I'm guessing this happened for a lot of people. At least speaking for myself I think you should've combined them because this is basically like a new edition of Pandemic that is super popular with Pandemic fans. For me it livened it up and not only replaced Pandemic on my list but brought it up a few places (from 13 to 9).
I still use Lord Of Waterdeep as a gateway game for non gamers or as a demo game for rare gamers who are not familiar yet with the worker placement mechanic. My interest in it dropped significantly since I started playing Champions Of Midguard which is really what LoW should have been in the first place. My girlfriend enjoys playing it also so.... :)
Jochen De Vriese I agree with Azul, but it doesn't seem like Altiplano is as well recieved. I have mostly heard 'multiplayer solitaire' and 'procedural'.
Joel Petersen thanks for info. Didn't have a chance to play it yet and it was sold out on day 1...so i was guessing on the fact that it was immensely popular.
20. Power Grid
19. Star Wars Rebellion
18. Splendor
17. Lord of Waterdeep
16. Dead of Winters: A Crossroad Game
15. King of Tokyo
14. Castles of Burgundy
13. Dominion
12. Five Tribes
11. Carcassonne
10. Codenames
09. Ticket to Ride
08. 7 Wonders: Duel
07. Viticulture
06. Terraforming Mars
05. 7 Wonders
04. Blood Rage
03. Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
02. Pandemic
01. Scythe
hero
Spoilers
I saw this comment but still watched the video :)
Lords of Waterdeep was my gateway game 3+ years ago and I still play it. Voted for it, too.
Just want to say that I love this format for the People’s Choice top 100. It was a lot of fun to watch the three of you comment on all the games. I hope you’re able to do this every year.
Lords of Waterdeep was not a gameway game for me or my group. I got the game only a year ago. The reason we like it so much is because of the design. It's elegant and smooth. It plays fast. It starts off quick and simple, and becomes moderately thinky by the end. It scales well. And finally, it's easy to teach new people. Simply put, it's a fun game.
I think Viticulture has avoided self-cannibalization because the Essential editions (base game & Tuscany) have pretty well *replaced* the original versions. Stonemaier is not trying to sell both--they made some improvements and streamlined the expansion pool and ended up with a game they preferred and continue to support.
Fun list, thanks for putting this together. And it was smart commentary overall from you guys. Sad to see that none of my games made the top 20, bringing me to a total of five somewhere in the top 150.
I think I remember you mentioning that there might be some stats at some point. I'd be really interested to see what games were mentioned by very few people for example.
I was thinking the same thing! Stats please! (As long as it doesn't take so long that it takes time away from your other work.)
Stats would be interesting. I like stats. For example- how many different games were voted for by at least 1 person?
Of my 25 votes - 3 made the top 20 - Another 12 were between 21 and 100. Another 1 made the top 150. Of my remaining 9 I'd guess there's 2 or 3 where I was the only voter.
Exactly, I have no idea how many of mine I'd expect to be the only voter for (but with 20 that didn't appear in the top 150 I have decent odds I'd think of a few getting no other votes). I wonder how many votes the average game got too.
From this year: Gloomhaven will go up into the top 20s at least. 7th Continent will appear on the list, and Pandemic Legacy Season 2 will appear on the list but be lower than Season 1.
Yeah, Gloomhaven definitely will climb now that it is more available. I just played my first game yesterday and it is truly an excellent design.
Please do a video of Zee and Sam playing Star Wars Rebellion! :) :) :)
It's an almost 2 hour game. Wow, the new Star Wars movies must be even worse than I thought! :)
Oh god yes I would love to see that. However, I do think you would want to rethink playing as the Imperials, Zee. Playing as the Rebels for the first time is really fun. As a bonus, this way we can see Sam play as the Imperials!
STAR WARS
Reroll Of The Jedi
COMING SOON TO A LIVESTREAM NEAR YOU!!!
second this!
Yep echo this. Perfect play through!
Hear hear. Would love to see zees take. I don't usually watch playthrus because I find it hard to 'read the table', but i think Rebellion is actually really clear from afar. Question is...do you let fans in on where the base is or wait till the end??
Zee's got to try Castles of Burgundy! Yes, it looks dull, but it's great 2p and is pretty quick once you get to know it. It's well ranked for good reason. The card game pales in comparison!
I like it when you guys show the pics and pieces of the board games you talk about. Just a little nit pick but seriously love the channel thanks for all you guys do to introduce the hobby in such a simple and easy way!
LoW was my first worker placement game. It could be my imagination but I definitely think there is a strong thematic conection between the types of workers needed for each mission. I sometimes makes me laugh to picture some of them.
Pandemic...not the same as Pandemic Legacy...I totally agree! I like playing Pandemic much more than Legacy. I played Scythe for the first time last week...great game! A lot of the games I really like are on this top 20...Five Tribes, Castles of Burgundy, Carcassonne, King of Tokyo, Terrafrorming Mars, Dead of Winter...and of course Pandemic and Scythe. Not really a Splendor fan. (The game that got me started in gaming was Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn!)
LoW was one of my first games (and first worker placement) and still after 4 years of hobby - my favorite game among 100+ games in collection.
I bought King of Tokyo 3 years ago and shortly after bought New York. I’ve played New York once, Tokyo more times than I can count. The simplicity of Tokyo makes it easier to teach and more fun to come back to, and it became my friend’s gateway game!
I love this format. Thanks!
Zee and Sam barely had any worker placement games on their top 100 lists. It’s no surprise that they don’t “get” the appeal of Lords of Waterdeep: a simple but enjoyable worker placement, resource gathering, quest completion, light to light-medium game that families and gamers alike enjoy to play.
Lords of Waterdeep was the first worker placement game I was introduced to, so yes, that is partly the reason I like it so much (also, I haven't played that many worker placement games to begin with) ;).
Nicolas Zhang I've played quite a few other worker placement games, but yes, this was my gateway game as well. I also love it for its simplicity and that I have gotten more of my family to give this a try over Ticket to Ride or any of my other gateway games.
Also you can turn LoW into Champions of Midgard by adding a die whenever you try to complete a quest - on an 1-2 result you fail... :)
It's also much better with the expansions. The corruption component adds so much more depth to the game
Hmmm......maybe Photosynthesis or Downforce will show up next year?
I was just checking to see if anyone said Photosynthesis. Good call.
Good predictions.
I really like Photosynthesis, and I think it has a wide enough appeal to hit the top 100 next year, for sure. It's also one of those games that gets people's attention when they see someone else playing it, and a game that my group was more interested in after the first play than they were initially.
Nah, Photosyntheiss is not good enough I think. I think bunny kingdom will.
I sort of thought Photosynthesis would make it this year. A lock for next year.
Lords of Waterdeep was indeed my gateway game Mr. Vasel
Not only was lords of water deep my gateway but it was also a gateway to component replacement as well. I love this game!
Lords of Waterdeep wasn't a gateway game for me, but I do use it as a next step game. It's simplicity is where it's at, everything is straight forward. You explain a couple of spaces and then everyone completely understands the iconography. Finally got the expansion and it makes it a truly amazing game. I can play this with anyone in my family or game group.
Lords of Waterdeep wasn't my gateway but for an accessible worker placement it is the best. My wife, and friends really enjoy it, and it is complex enough to be fun and interesting for me. It's length of play, weight, and ease of play hit a sweet spot that no other worker placement game has hit. Personally I wouldn't mind a retheming.
Lords of Waterdeep is an available and affordable worker placement gateway level game. When I was looking for a first worker placement game it was the one everyone on BGG and the Facebook groups suggested. I decided to go with Fresco and then Stone Age because the D&D theme was a turn off for our group, but price and availability really count.
NICK Van DAM I’ve introduced LoW to many people and not once have I mentioned D&D. IMO it’s the best introduction to worker placement games mostly because it is very easy to teach.
I own Scythe, and I'm glad I do. My friend across the country asked if she should buy it, but I couldn't recommend it. I really like certain aspects of the game, the art, the player cards and how they are used, and it does a little bit of everything, but it doesn't do anything particularly great.
Glad to see 8 of 10 of my top 10 on the top 100 list. My number 1 wasn't going to make it for obvious reasons, and I think the Godfather is a bit too new/too niche, but the rest are great:
10. Clank!
9. Puerto Rico
8. Mechs vs Minions
7. Zombicide: Black Plague
6. The Godfather: Corleone's Empire
5. Dead of Winter
4. Star Wars Rebelllion
3. Blood Rage
2. Battlestar Galactica
1. Chess
No Camel Up? Really thought that'd be in the top 100. Not surprised by Scythe, my most frequently played heavy game, plus it has expansions keeping it fresh.
Lords of Waterdeep was absolutely my gateway game. We'd played Legends of Drizzt before and I wasn't wild about it. I honestly had no desire to play Waterdeep, but really enjoyed it. It's about time I teach my son.
Lords of Waterdeep was first euro I taught my fiance, so it was definitely a gateway for us!
I guess I have to play Scythe now. I have read the rulebook, watched the reviews, how-to-plays, playthroughs and ... I don’t see the appeal of it. I must be missing something.
TheMrE I've watched a ton of reviews. I don't see the appeal at all. but i can't seem to shake the feeling of wanting to try it. it's a weird feeling.
I love Scythe, and I didn't Kickstart it. I played it, and thought it was pretty good, but it gets better with every play, till it is in my top 5. Personally, I don't think the rules convey the tension the game creates.
I played Scythe on Tabletopia a few times because I was hesitant to get it since it's pretty pricey. Turned out to be really fun. I haven't run out to get it yet but I do plan to. I would however recommend playing it before buying it because it does feel different than you might expect going in (to me feels very Euro-ey). For the right group it's a great game but I can also see it falling flat for people expecting something else.
I felt the same way - played it - and still feel like i'm missing something... terra mystica much better game in that genre imo.
It's overhyped. If it doesn't excite you then you probably won't enjoy it so give it a miss.
photosyntheses, dragon castle, viral, bunny kingdom, charterstone and ex libris maybe. Not sure about this war of mine.
I miss the images of the games, great work too
I think you guys answered the question of "Why is Lords of Waterdeep so high on the list?" later on when talking about gateway games. It's easy to teach and get. I had never played it before and it was taught to me in 10 minutes or less and within a turn or turn, I had a good idea of what I was doing. I would consider it a gateway game to heavier worker placement games.
Please have a liveplay with Zee in SW Rebellion. Please. Please?
It's an almost 2 hour game. Wow, the new Star Wars movies must be even worse than I thought! :)
"almost a 2 hour game"...lol! You notice how Sam didn't correct him when he said "90 minutes". It's easily 4 hours your first playthrough.
Gloomhaven, 7th Continent, Photosynthesis and Rising Sun seem like some top contenders to make next year's Top 20. Scythe has really earned its spot, now with one big final expansion on the horizon it'll be hard to beat. Scythe is going to be the real deal in board game legacies.
Lords of Waterdeep was my gateway game. Its allure is the easy decision making while having some medium-weight mechanics with lots of replay value. It still works well as a gateway game even if its not something Id bring to the table over a more complex worker placement game.
Clayton Weaver and then there's the skullport expansion
Great top 100... I love this lists every year... I was wondering WHERE and WHEN can I vote? Do they anounce it somewhere? Been subscribe for a WHILE now and never heard anything T_T. I would like to have the chance to give my 2 cents for next year, if I have the chance
I think I heard about it in the other top 100 series, Google searched it a few days later and that's how I found it.
Yeah, i listed to many videos of the dice tower but noticed the voting was up just 2 days before it was finished via facebook. Maybe they should annouce it (more than once) in Board game breakfast
They are not consistent with the ppl choice top 100. As soon they started their own top 100 I wanted to vote but there was no link available but than after they were done with their own top 100 they mentioned in last video about voting so I went on website to vote and do found the link. But they decided to publish the list in 2 weeks only so that’s not good enough time for most ppl to vote.
I think Tom just waits for 2000 ppl to vote and than stops which is not right as there are more ppl watching his show and want to vote
As of this writing you can still vote for your top 2017 games on the Dice Tower web site, even though the voting is technically over. In fact, I voted immediately before finding this video, which frustrated me somewhat. For some reason the Dice Tower web site still hasn't published the 2017 People's Choice top 100 games yet.
Have to agree with #1. My house is hooked on the game and we keep sharing it with others and they all love it also.
Please do a Backtalk about what makes or defines a gateway game? Sounds like y'all have tons of good stuff to say about this!
Thanks to Sam, we bought Mystics and Gods expansions for Blood Rage and the game experience improved a lot. THKS
My best gaming experience in 2017 is Arkham Horror the card game. It has a lot of potential and FFG is digging it with every expansion out. The only downside is the fact that it's a LCG so you have to keep hunting for those small expansions.
I can't remember if it was on this year's list in an earlier episode, but i really think Wasteland Express has a strong chance to make next year's list. Fantastic game with amazing components and an even better organization system. Very impressed with it.
I cant believe so many of these games are ranked higher than Rising Sun
I had someone walk out while trying to teach 7 Wonders. Not a gateway game.
I love this format please keep it every year
Five Tribes is unique by its gameplay. And I play it a lot with non gamers and all of them like it.
Don Demol I really like that Five Tribes is one of the few games that uses the mancala mechanic. I hope more games use that!
And it is simple enough to be popular with non gamers and deep enough to be popular with heavy gamers
Five Tribes was featured on one of Wil Wheaton's TableTop episodes and looks very different and refreshing from the other games there (I really like it also), this is why people have voted it so much. Also Lords of Waterdeep was on TableTop and even if the game seemed good enough compared to other games there, this episode was one of their most impactful due to player interaction, I could say this might be the reason some people choose it as a getaway game. Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game also was on the show and even if it's a really awesome game it would not be as high on the list without TableTop. This might be a strech but this could be the reason why both Ticket to Ride and Ticket to Ride: Europe are on the list. It is amazing how every time someone especially Zee cannot understand why a game is so high on the list, TableTop is the answer :D. Also as you have said you have influenced the vote of some games on the top 100 like Jamaica and BANG! The Dice Game and Shut Up & Sit Down have influced the vote of games like Concordia and Captain Sonar.
Lords of Waterdeep didn't get me into the hobby, but it was the game that got me into euro games. I still have a soft spot for the game, but I hardly play it for meatier worker placement games. The theme was what drew me in to try it (I know it is pasted on).
I love these videos! But I would love them more if there were ninjas moving about in the tree behind these guys, coming closer and closer... ;O)
Zee, I feel you when you said that Castles of Burgundy doesn't *look* appealing. It was shrinkwrapped on my shelf for over a year. But it is easily one of the top 2 games in our cabinet. PLAY IT!!!
LoWD was my gateway game. The theme did draw me in and disappoint me in that regard. But it did show me what modern board games can do. Streamlined and easy to teach, but a good depth of strategy. It has lost some of it’s shine, but it is still a solid game for me. I like to come back to every once in awhile for easy teaching or really relaxed playing.
Splendor gets a bunch of hate but it's got a number of marketing plusses. First, it plays at multiple levels. You can play it simple or deep. You can play it aggressive or passive. Second, the poker chips were genius. It's an easy to acquire component yet it adds a huge tactile characteristic; who doesn't like handling hefty chips. Third, you can easily add house rules that can add or subtract complexity. Fourth, I can teach it to my mother-in-law in 5 minutes and she'll love it. If you're a hard-core gamer you'll grow out of it quickly but you are not the target demographic for huge sales. They have a winner here! It'll come up every time the fam comes over and we'll play it two or three times while Scythe and Gloomhaven stays on the shelf.
is this based on what ppl play or what you think is a good game? and where do you find what ppl play?, couldent see battle for greyport or RDI in ther, id say battle for greyport is better then dominion tho
The Next year the games that hope will make my top are Barenpark, Thunderstone Quest, Batman TBG, Azul, Dragon Castle, Sagrada, TI4.
Thanks for the video... great stuff as usual. Out of the top 20 I have only played 14 of them. 11 I didn't enjoy and 3 I did. Of the three games I enjoyed playing I own 2 of them. I guess my tastes are just different from the majority of Dice Tower fans. Then again, it would be a sad old world if everyone had the same preferences. Thanks again guys.
Sam's right. A person only has so much time. So when I play a game it's not the specific game but the player count, experience, and mechanics that I use to choose what we play. I have no reason to play Pandemic the Cure or base Pandemic any more because I get my Pandemic fill by playing Season 1 and Season 2. I've no reason to play Pandemic again until Season 3. If they stop making Legacy, then maybe I'll buy Pandemic and play it then. It makes the list harder to curate and rank, but I almost feel like some games need to be grouped.
I sold pandemic because of the same reason
Rob Daviau has said Pandemic Legacy's a trilogy.
Gloomhaven will make it next year. Maybe 7th continent too. It'd be cool if Brass made it too, with the large kickstarter printing coming out early next year.
Photosynthesis will probably make the next list if the publisher can keep it in print and maybe get it into wide distribution - it would probably be a good seller in the bookstores. Wasteland Express Delivery Service could be a contender, but the high cost and obnoxious graphic design & artwork might stop a lot of people from trying it.
Surprised not to see Magic Maze on the list. Maybe next year? I would expect Photosynthesis on the list next year as well.
Games that will make the list next year: 7th Continent, Season 2, Gaia Project, Photosynthesis, Altiplano, Azul, Charterstone, Clans of Caledonia, Batman, Rising Sun
Trevor Just Batman won't be out yet (it's great though, demo'ed it at Essen) and Altiplano is getting lukewarm receptions. I agree with the rest though
Good guess Tom, Lords of Waterdeep is what got me into this hobby a couple years ago. Still rate it higher than I probably should. I haven't bought (and dont have any way to try) Champions of Midgard because I feel like it would be a case of having one or the other, and I've already got a deluxed version of waterdeep
LoW is probably popular because it was a gateway for a lot of people, but it's also just a simple and determininistic puzzle with a splash of luck and variability that is easy to wrap your head around. It allows for confrontation without relying on violence and it has a theme that attracts nerdfolk but is applied conservatively enough to avoid alienating normal people. It offers a great intersection for a lot of people, but easily disappoints hardcore gamers who expect a theme-focused DnD product. The fact that it's DnD-based is fun, but the thing that's really fun about the game is that it almost offers a more controllable and calculated Monopoly experience. You get the feeling of running around a city snatching up locations and modifying the game board while working towards set collecting and denying other players all without the frustration of dice and bankruptcy. Great game.
Common thread through most of the top 20 is that theme is not that important to people. The masses prefer streamlined mechanics, high replayability, good components and artwork and ease of entry.
Wow, I can't believe Sam and Zee haven't played Castles of Burgundy. Yes, Sam would hate it. Zee, you might like it. True, it's not pretty on the table, but there's something very satisfying about getting points, points, and more points for every single thing you do. :) It's definitely in our top 10 games (hubby and me).
I think Gaia Project could be in there next year. I think that almost every person, who liked Terra Mystica will like this (maybe even more than TM).
FranzBinder20 not necessarily, couple of my friends love terra mystica and it’s their fav of all time but don’t even want to buy Gaia project. They don’t like the space theme
Kolejka should be up there. Awesome game done with so much charm. In my top 20 of all time.
"Because... shut up!" :) Valid point.
For next year I believe the safe bets would be as you said Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition and Queendomino I would add codenames duet. Also I really hope awesome games like This War of Mine and Anachrony will make the cut. Maybe it's too late but Runebound Third Edition could be on the list because many will use it as a gateway game (for pc gamers especially). I don't know a lot about them but Clans of Caledonia, Nusfjord, Noria, Otys, Merlin, Space Freaks also The Masters' Trials: Wrath of Magmaroth (if it's not broken), Ticket to Ride France & Old West, Mountains of Madness , Kitchen Rush and/or A Tale of Pirates might have a chance (Starfall a small abstact game will probably not get discovered or maybe it's just me who likes it this much :D). Unfortunately it will probably be too soon for the Dice Hospital to be there (I already love this game) the same goes for RWBY: Combat Ready unless Rooster Teeth send their people to vote, in this case Tom you will see a lot of lists with only this game :P. I am pretty sure there are more games who are good canditates but I just cannot remember all of them right now.
Imo Meeple Circus could be very well on this list next year and if it comes out in german on time be also a front runner for Spiel des Jahres. Its that kind of game where everyone says: Yeah I dont like dexterity games normally but this one is really cool. Meeple Circus could be the next big gateway game.
LoW was the first worker placement game I ever played, and I loved it. I've begun to grow bored of it and want to play more complex worker placements more often. I've bought a couple as well, but I have the small problem that my 'gamer group' shied so far from complex games that LoW was too much for them. I need to find more gamers where I live so that I can actually get these games to the table.
Clans of Caledonia could end up in the Top 100 next year. Scratches the Terra Mystica itch for a lot of people but seems a little more accessible
7th Continent I'm guessing, maybe Downforce. I like the format of the top 100 :)
I dare you guys - Play SW:Rebellion 4 players Sam & Zee vs Tom & Jason. This is easily my no 1 even before expansion, and I was strongly believing that it is 2 player only game, but I gave it a try and it was one of the best coop experience I've ever had. Playing 4 players adds additional layer of planning cause of the way the order of players is set.
I never played Champions of Midgard, I only saw videos of how it plays. Taking this: honestly, I think the big difference between the two is the preference between euro or ameritrash games. The dice luck has an impact on the game, where in Lords you manage your things and your objective with what you have. The only luck is the intrigue cards.
LoW was not my gateway game, but it was one of my first worker placement gateway games and I still love it. But I see myself more as a euro gamer, whereas Sam (for example) is more of an ameritrash gamer.
I enjoy Waterdeep a lot. It was one of the first modern style board games I played and still is.my go to to.introduce people to worker placement games even though I prefer games like Tzolkin now.
Lords of Waterdeep replaced Stone Age as the gateway worker placement game for a lot of people, myself included. It came out just around the time when the boom really started getting steam and it's still a great, simple, quick, worker placement game.
2 Stonemaier Games in the top 20. Yes please. Congratulations to you. Side note: Euphoria and Between Two Cities are also fantastic.
Lords of Waterdeep is the game that ultimately got me engrossed in the hobby. Still own it, still love it (but will never play with the expansion). By the way, I'm not a D&D guy - in fact, I've never played D&D.
Scythe!? Wauw that's insane. Great game but wauw!
In top 20, I voted for:
Star Wars Rebellion
Five Tribes
7 Wonders Duel
Terraforming Mars
Blood Rage
Scythe
I have played 90 games of the ones in the top 100
When I first started playing Scythe it was a 9 for me (8 solo), these days I think it's a 10 (9 solo), not many games improve for me as I play it - they tend to either start to feel repetitive to me and I wane on them or my opinion of them stays fairly static, so can really see why it would improve on the rankings aside from just getting into the hands of more people.
I'm 100% on board with Zee's criticism of Lords of Waterdeep.
Lords of Waterdeep was the gateway euro game for me i've been playing it for years now, love the game, the art on the cards is fantastic, its a solid strategy game with simple enough mechanics to get other people into the game.
Again, for sure my gateway game to the euro genre, basically my first love and it difnetaly have the legs.
Sagrada will make the list next year for sure.
I got into games because of TableTop and the first two games I bought were Pandemic and Lords of Waterdeep because of that show. It's cooled for me somewhat, but it was an important gateway game for me.
Takenoko was actually a gateway game for me. I saw it on Tabletop and thought it looked cool.
Yes, LoW was my gateway game, but it is also a SOLID game. Families and gamers both play it a lot. In Champions of Midgard I dislike the use Dice to decide on quests. I would LOVE it if CoM was a DICE PLACEMENT game instead. Also, the blame token mechanism is stupid, inelegant and tacked on.
LoW has a lot of issues. I feel like games like LoW make the list because we don't all play as many games as reviewers play. When every reviewer asks 'why is LoW still really popular?' its because the average gamer hasnt played the 20+ worker placement games that are better.
Clayton Weaver Your comment applies to any game really: we don’t play as many games as reviewers, period. Why would LoW fare differently in that sense to any other in the list? The truth is that there’s not that many gateway, family weight, good **worker placement** games. Most of the high rated ones are a bit heavier than LoW. A good chunk of viewers/voters also play with the family, which explains the positions of games like Sushi Go! and Mechs v Minions.
You might want to look into Waggle Dance which is an excellent dice placement game! One of my favourite takes on worker placement!
I still play quite a few gateway games. Sushi Go is still in the regular rotation with my group. Lords of Waterdeep just feels outdated. Raiders of the North Sea and Viticulture Essential Edition are much more visually impressive as a gateway and arguably better mechanically.
Clayton Weaver Those are both good worker placement games. But I own Raiders (original Kickstarter) and I can’t imagine using it as a gateway game. It IS gorgeous, but not as straightforward as base LoW. It is simply not something a new gamer would enjoy.
Viticulture has the same “problem”: too heavy as an entry level. Also, telling young family members or friends to play a game about a vineyard is a hard sell.
Will Phtosynthesis make it next year?
Near and far will definitely show up next, also 7th continent, Azul, charterstone, season 2
All time?! popular in recent memory til the next one walks by is more like it lol I see those titles pop up all the time and hardly any of them look to interest me to be fair I'd have to play them but it's not too difficult to get a feel of what they are whether they're resource management worker placment with player boards and lot 'o wooden cubes etc (man theres a lot of those now) but interesting that so many people fancy them these days
My gateway game was Ascension.
Lords of waterdeep seems to have the accessibility of a gateway game but the depth of a good mid-weight strategy euro. Better skilled players will win and despite the randomness in the decks, the game is mathematically pretty balanced and varied.
Power Grid is a good game, it is my 47th favorite game. And like Sam I don't like math but still enjoy this. I usually ask for help in pricing out my choices. I will keep plugging Power Grid the Card game as better though, as that is my 15th favorite game. It needs more love! Power Grid has a strong universal appeal in my board game meetup, and thus gets semi-regular play. It's length may keep it from more plays. But the card game is so much shorter it gets played more. But most others in my meetup still prefer the board game, but still play the card game more as its much shorter and still fun.
Star Wars: Rebellion was a good game, and I beta tested it. I will play it, but it isn't on my top 100.
Splendor was quite enjoyable to me, until I played it 3 times in a row and got burned out fast. Now its not even on my top 100.
Lords of Waterdeep was defined by Zee brilliantly, collect cubes and get points. But unlike Zee I am a fan of D&D but still dislike the game and find the game thin on theme. I would play the game again, but reluctantly.
Dead of Winter is my 28th favorite game. Fun game.
King of Tokyo has beaten out New York for me. Its simplicity just makes it shine. It is my 99th favorite game.
Castles of Burgandy was a game I played once, early in my board game meetup experience and needs another play. I thought it okay at best.
Five Tribes was not a game I cared for. It is not on my "do not play" again list, therefore I would play it again, but its one I would avoid and never request.
Carcassonne as I have shared before I prefer Hunters & Gatherers as its my 15th favorite game. I liked it so much I went out to find a copy of this OOP game a couple months ago, and even got an expansion, which is only okay at best.
Ticket to Ride like Catan I got burned out on. But did not explain, I played these games solo on the Xbox. However I didn't play this one as much so my burning out didn't get as bad, therefore am more willing to play this and thus like it more, but is still not on my top 100. Although Catan with an expansion is better.
Terraforming Mars is a great game, but gets knocked down a bit due to its length. It is my 43rd favorite game. If it was shorter it would be higher on my list.
7 Wonders does not get much love from me, although each time I play it, I like it a bit more, but it is not on my top 100 at all.
Doma, what are your top 10?
1. Tikal
2. Trias
3. Tomb & Tomb: Cryptmaster
4. Cutthroat Caverns
5. Bang! The Bullet with BANG! The Valley of Shadows
6. Alien Frontiers
7. Above and Below
8. Cosmic Encounter
9. Colt Express
10. Three Dragon Ante
I don't get why Scythe is always mentioned like it's a some sort of evil villain that cheated it's way to glory. It has some of the best first game experiences, many approaches to the game, you build an empire on the board, it has no dice, if you absolutely need to win a fight 100% you can do it and everyone knows that but don't know if you actually can, you can play it over and over with different factions and player boards, different numbers of players vastly change the game, it's extremely intuitive and games rarely look the same.
I made my new playgroup play Blood Rage and Eclipse, in both of them players complained that they felt that those games were too luck based or just not as good. Like, I have been rubbing my nose and I just don't get it. Why do I feel like the game is just actually really good but I have to feel bad for really liking it because it had a successful kickstarter?
One game my playgroup liked was Kemet, and I kind of feel that this game fills the same niche that nobody thought existed and something I can't name.
If your game group feels Eclipse is too random, try getting hold of Hegemonic from Minion Games. Far less random (you modify strengths with cards from your hand, not dice), quicker and simpler.
Blood Rage luck based? :D I mean which part? I just can't see how it is too luck based.
Levente Domonkos I can see that the card drafting is luck based. The last game I played I received only one Clan upgrade in the first two Ages. Only two made it round the table to me and I had to pass up one of them. I mean that doesn’t mean you lost, I came second of five, but if you get the right combo in the draft (say Fenris to guarantee deaths and a card to gain extra Glory from Valhalla) you start the game with a major advantage.
I see what you mean but still, I feel like there is so much ways to get score in the game that this shouldnt be a problem and also in drafting the chances that someone can get the perfect combo are nearly zero, I would never say that a drafting game is luck based, its just not
Levente Domonkos When we play four or five player it seems that at least two or three get a really good combo going. In fact the deciding factor isn’t so much whoever gets a good card combo comes first, but that the one or players who don’t get a good draft are guaranteed to come last.
Also if you get two quest cards for the same zone that’s lucky.
It’s not that all your points come from a lucky draft but it can provide a healthy top up.
While not a Gateway game for me Lords of Waterdeep is a very enjoyable game. As for theme, for a long term D&D (forgotten realms) player it is there in spades.
The factions are important in world factions and many of the quests are very thematic. Domesicating Owlbears FTW!!!!
I have never understood how the DT crew consider Spice Road a replacement for Splendor. Different mechanics, no? Spice Road turns are a single card play to swap cubes, whereas Splendor has gems used as currency to buy property cards without the need torecover your discards.
I don't know what makes you decide to combine or not combine games but if you combined Pandemic: Iberia with Pandemic would Pandemic be #1? For me Iberia "replaced" Pandemic on my list as it is a single box version that is like playing with an expansion. I really like the differences (and the beautiful art) but the play is still incredibly similar to Pandemic. Given that Iberia was 142 or whatever I'm guessing this happened for a lot of people. At least speaking for myself I think you should've combined them because this is basically like a new edition of Pandemic that is super popular with Pandemic fans. For me it livened it up and not only replaced Pandemic on my list but brought it up a few places (from 13 to 9).
YES! Scythe is So Amazing!
I still use Lord Of Waterdeep as a gateway game for non gamers or as a demo game for rare gamers who are not familiar yet with the worker placement mechanic. My interest in it dropped significantly since I started playing Champions Of Midguard which is really what LoW should have been in the first place. My girlfriend enjoys playing it also so.... :)
That intro music is pretty Zappa-esque
I think next year we might see Stuffed Fables make the list.
Altiplano should be I guess and Azul (sold so many copies in Essen only) and the new Portal game Detective that will come out next year
Jochen De Vriese I agree with Azul, but it doesn't seem like Altiplano is as well recieved. I have mostly heard 'multiplayer solitaire' and 'procedural'.
Joel Petersen thanks for info. Didn't have a chance to play it yet and it was sold out on day 1...so i was guessing on the fact that it was immensely popular.
Jochen De Vriese Mind you, I haven't played it myself, it is just what I was hearing at the show.