My brother only occasionally plays a board game with me, but his favorite joke is to find exactly the right time while we’re playing to ask “So is this a worker placement game?” of literally any/every game.
Happy to see Oak mentioned as it's one of my favorites as well. I also love Rococo Deluxe, Lost Ruins of Arnak, Abomination: the Heir of Frankenstein, and Darwin's Journey.
One of my favorite worker placement games is definitely Whistle Mountain. The ability to create the worker placement spots throughout the game is incredible to me.
Ora et Labora is my number 1. I particularly love how you can spend money to place other player's workers and how the game encourages you to travel along long production trees to get the best results.
Favorite worker placement game for me is Anachrony. The mech suits are incredible! Different worker types that can do different actions is fun. Needing to refresh your worker after work or force them to work but lose morale is a fun decision. I also enjoy the split between private locations only you can go to and public locations anyone can make it to. It’s chalk full of fun decisions 😊
Federation! We definitely have to play that one sometime! Possibly next Geekway if we can't get a game going on BGA before hand! I think my top 3 would be Federation, Viticulture, and Honey Buzz!
I have a top 10 worker placement list: 10. Beyond the Sun 09. Keyflower 08. Expeditions /w Gears of Corruption 07. Apiary 06. Tzolkin: the Mayan Calendar 05. Lost Ruins of Arnak 04. Caverna: the Cave Farmers 03. Everdell 02. Dominant Species 01. A Feast for Odin /w Norwegians Honorable mentions: Stone Age, Underwater Cities, and Dune: Imperium. I have got Darwin’s Journey and Barrage in my collection but haven’t had a chance to learn and play them yet.
The Gallerist highlights bumping workers quite well. It also manages to put a lot of thought into a very small number of spaces. It's on the heavier side, but the thematic integration makes it pretty understandable.
I love Lord of Water Deep, I would have to pick a classic Uwe Rosenburg game for my favorite worker placement game. Though if you ask me today, you'll get a different answer than if you ask me tomorrow. Caverna: The Cave Farmers A Feast for Odin Fields of Arle Agricola Atiwa You just can't go wrong with his work.
Coincidentally, Tom, Zee, and Mike from the Dice Tower just did a top 10 list on worker placement games (Tom had Viticulture and Charterstone on his list). Zee had an interesting definition of WP as a game in which placing in a space changed the way that space worked for other players. This definition is broad enough to include complete blocking or increased cost or lower benefit. He used it to justify Istanbul, which I'm not sure I would call WP, but it is true that if you are on a location in Istanbul another player who goes there must pay you. (It's a worker movement game, which might be a different category.) My top 10: 1. The Voyages of Marco Polo (dice placement), 2. Marco Polo II (dice), 3. Lost Ruins of Arnak, 4. Lords of Waterdeep, 5. Anachrony, 6. Underwater Cities, 7. The Artemis Project (dice), 8. Wayfarers of the South Tigris, 9. Alien Frontiers (dice), 10. Rajas of the Ganges. I've just started playing Bitoku and that could make my list.
Additionally, Tom had Federation on his list so you can learn a bit more, Jamey. It’s definitely one of my favorites but Apiary is still my top Worker Placement game.
Tapestry has that Everdell action economy feel to it. Trying to stretch your age as far as you can before collecting income. Federation is great. Not much in the ways of how to play videos but the rule book is not hard to get through.
My top 7 worker placement games: 1) Anachrony, 2) Dune Imperium, 3) Robinson Crusoe, 4) Lords of Waterdeep, 5) A Feast for Odin, 6), Viticulture, 7) Lost Ruins of Arnak. Only ones I've played.
1. Pan Am 2. Viticulture Played a handful of others but nothing I've been super impressed with yet. Sounds like Lords of Waterdeep might be up my alley though.
Might be on the lighter side but recently played the remake of Harvest and while there are a few mechanics, it’s got some great worker placement decision making in it - trying to maximize resources and points. Would be an honorable mention for me among so many you guys have listed here
Worker placement is one of my favorite mechanisms. I think you have the wrong intro though, you said top favorite games of all time. It's nice to see Creature Comforts mentioned on a list and Lockup. Viticulture is one of my favorites, as is Everdell. We are planning this list down the line at some point. And Apiray is currently my top solo game.
"I think you have the wrong into though, you said top favorite games of all time." I'd like to fix this, but I'm not sure what this refers too. The video description and title look correct to me.
@@jameystegmaier At the very beginning of the video before the transition you said you are looking at your top 10 games of all time as of September 2024. It's the first 10 seconds of the video. It's like the wrong intro was added in. There is even a different shirt on.
Apiary have really been growing on me this year. More recently I've really enjoyed Wondrous Creatures. If I were to make a top 9 worker placement games just off the top of my head it would probably be something like Wondrous Creatures, Apiary, Lost Ruins of Arnak, White Castle, Bitoku, A feast for odin, Beyond the Sun and Wishland. Based on what I feel most excited about playing at this moment. DI for me, feels a bit too long. I own it, but I usually pick Arnak above it. I usually see myself as the heavy gamer in my group, but for some reason DI feels a bit slow and don't excite me enough to keep my interest for as long as it lasts.
My top 10… 1. Dune Imperium/Uprising 2. Barrage 3. Federation 4. Marco Polo II 5. Lancaster 6. Agricola 7. Dungeon Petz 8. Trickerion 9. Shakespeare 10. The Great Wall
I wonder why Abomination isn't mentioned more often in this context. It's super thematic and the worker placement mechanism is exceptionally implemented.
Yedo b/c of special powers of workers, tight gameplay, theme/setting DS b/c you program and see what happens, the tight gameplay, wild actions and sneaky clever plays Bus b/c tight gameplay, spots for a single player, spots that claim first but fire last, the breaking/stopping time space
Equally could shout out Tzolk’in for the timing and decision space; Architects b/c it’s fun placing that fourth worker in the same spot and snagging four bricks and temping someone to arrest you; Trickerion b/c you program where you want to send your workers, then when you place them each worker has a different value, it’s a tight game, fun theme/setting; Village b/c while worker placement doesn’t happen at the typical pace we think of for the mechanism, it’s unique here similar to Tzolk’in b/c you want certain workers to be in certain areas to score, and the provide a cheaper discount; Star Wars: Rebellion b/c Star Wars haha but the tactics and tension battling for hope or the destruction of the Rebellion haha; Yokohama b/c the way you have to plan and place your workers is neat.
btw, ad mentioned charterstone, which i like a lot and have full 2 playthroughs irl and about 20 in digital version - i think there should be minor change to items - either after completing remove the card from given "scenario" completelly or move time tracker by 1 - reason is that i did experienced game where everyone was just over and over making items for points and the game didnt moved forward at all
Nobody included any Vital Lacerda games? I particularly like Kanban EV where you also have to consider the worker placement for the Sandra character, in how she will block out some spots and also how you need to do your actions in anticipation of her placement.
I totally agree with Kanban EV. Absolute corker of a game, and I love how Sandra gets in the way and makes everyone’s life needlessly difficult. Very thematic to management! 😂 Between that and On Mars, I have all the worker placement I would ever need. So much meat on those bones!
Nice to see Lords of Waterdeep getting props. It's one of the first worker-placement games I ever played and still love it.
My brother only occasionally plays a board game with me, but his favorite joke is to find exactly the right time while we’re playing to ask “So is this a worker placement game?” of literally any/every game.
Happy to see Oak mentioned as it's one of my favorites as well. I also love Rococo Deluxe, Lost Ruins of Arnak, Abomination: the Heir of Frankenstein, and Darwin's Journey.
One of my favorite worker placement games is definitely Whistle Mountain. The ability to create the worker placement spots throughout the game is incredible to me.
I agree that Whistle Mountain is an excellent game!
Ora et Labora is my number 1. I particularly love how you can spend money to place other player's workers and how the game encourages you to travel along long production trees to get the best results.
Favorite worker placement game for me is Anachrony. The mech suits are incredible! Different worker types that can do different actions is fun. Needing to refresh your worker after work or force them to work but lose morale is a fun decision. I also enjoy the split between private locations only you can go to and public locations anyone can make it to. It’s chalk full of fun decisions 😊
Federation! We definitely have to play that one sometime! Possibly next Geekway if we can't get a game going on BGA before hand!
I think my top 3 would be Federation, Viticulture, and Honey Buzz!
I have a top 10 worker placement list:
10. Beyond the Sun
09. Keyflower
08. Expeditions /w Gears of Corruption
07. Apiary
06. Tzolkin: the Mayan Calendar
05. Lost Ruins of Arnak
04. Caverna: the Cave Farmers
03. Everdell
02. Dominant Species
01. A Feast for Odin /w Norwegians
Honorable mentions: Stone Age, Underwater Cities, and Dune: Imperium.
I have got Darwin’s Journey and Barrage in my collection but haven’t had a chance to learn and play them yet.
The Gallerist highlights bumping workers quite well. It also manages to put a lot of thought into a very small number of spaces. It's on the heavier side, but the thematic integration makes it pretty understandable.
I love Lord of Water Deep, I would have to pick a classic Uwe Rosenburg game for my favorite worker placement game. Though if you ask me today, you'll get a different answer than if you ask me tomorrow.
Caverna: The Cave Farmers
A Feast for Odin
Fields of Arle
Agricola
Atiwa
You just can't go wrong with his work.
Coincidentally, Tom, Zee, and Mike from the Dice Tower just did a top 10 list on worker placement games (Tom had Viticulture and Charterstone on his list). Zee had an interesting definition of WP as a game in which placing in a space changed the way that space worked for other players. This definition is broad enough to include complete blocking or increased cost or lower benefit. He used it to justify Istanbul, which I'm not sure I would call WP, but it is true that if you are on a location in Istanbul another player who goes there must pay you. (It's a worker movement game, which might be a different category.)
My top 10: 1. The Voyages of Marco Polo (dice placement), 2. Marco Polo II (dice), 3. Lost Ruins of Arnak, 4. Lords of Waterdeep, 5. Anachrony, 6. Underwater Cities, 7. The Artemis Project (dice), 8. Wayfarers of the South Tigris, 9. Alien Frontiers (dice), 10. Rajas of the Ganges. I've just started playing Bitoku and that could make my list.
Additionally, Tom had Federation on his list so you can learn a bit more, Jamey. It’s definitely one of my favorites but Apiary is still my top Worker Placement game.
Tapestry has that Everdell action economy feel to it. Trying to stretch your age as far as you can before collecting income. Federation is great. Not much in the ways of how to play videos but the rule book is not hard to get through.
My top 7 worker placement games: 1) Anachrony, 2) Dune Imperium, 3) Robinson Crusoe, 4) Lords of Waterdeep, 5) A Feast for Odin, 6), Viticulture, 7) Lost Ruins of Arnak. Only ones I've played.
1. Pan Am
2. Viticulture
Played a handful of others but nothing I've been super impressed with yet. Sounds like Lords of Waterdeep might be up my alley though.
Might be on the lighter side but recently played the remake of Harvest and while there are a few mechanics, it’s got some great worker placement decision making in it - trying to maximize resources and points. Would be an honorable mention for me among so many you guys have listed here
Worker placement is one of my favorite mechanisms. I think you have the wrong intro though, you said top favorite games of all time.
It's nice to see Creature Comforts mentioned on a list and Lockup. Viticulture is one of my favorites, as is Everdell. We are planning this list down the line at some point. And Apiray is currently my top solo game.
"I think you have the wrong into though, you said top favorite games of all time."
I'd like to fix this, but I'm not sure what this refers too. The video description and title look correct to me.
@@jameystegmaier At the very beginning of the video before the transition you said you are looking at your top 10 games of all time as of September 2024. It's the first 10 seconds of the video. It's like the wrong intro was added in. There is even a different shirt on.
@@Ian-R-Wilz Thanks! Must be an editing mistake.
@@jameystegmaier No worries. Was just a bit confused. Good list of games though. One of my favorite mechanics.
Apiary have really been growing on me this year. More recently I've really enjoyed Wondrous Creatures. If I were to make a top 9 worker placement games just off the top of my head it would probably be something like
Wondrous Creatures, Apiary, Lost Ruins of Arnak, White Castle, Bitoku, A feast for odin, Beyond the Sun and Wishland. Based on what I feel most excited about playing at this moment.
DI for me, feels a bit too long. I own it, but I usually pick Arnak above it. I usually see myself as the heavy gamer in my group, but for some reason DI feels a bit slow and don't excite me enough to keep my interest for as long as it lasts.
My top 10…
1. Dune Imperium/Uprising
2. Barrage
3. Federation
4. Marco Polo II
5. Lancaster
6. Agricola
7. Dungeon Petz
8. Trickerion
9. Shakespeare
10. The Great Wall
Great lists! Apiary is my new favorite worker placement game--and my favorite game as well. It's just fun.
I wonder why Abomination isn't mentioned more often in this context. It's super thematic and the worker placement mechanism is exceptionally implemented.
I'd like to play that someday!
1st - Champions of Midgard
Tzolkin is fantastic. it's the only game i know that uses time as a resource.
Yedo Deluxe, Dominant Species, and Bus.
Yedo b/c of special powers of workers, tight gameplay, theme/setting
DS b/c you program and see what happens, the tight gameplay, wild actions and sneaky clever plays
Bus b/c tight gameplay, spots for a single player, spots that claim first but fire last, the breaking/stopping time space
Equally could shout out Tzolk’in for the timing and decision space; Architects b/c it’s fun placing that fourth worker in the same spot and snagging four bricks and temping someone to arrest you; Trickerion b/c you program where you want to send your workers, then when you place them each worker has a different value, it’s a tight game, fun theme/setting; Village b/c while worker placement doesn’t happen at the typical pace we think of for the mechanism, it’s unique here similar to Tzolk’in b/c you want certain workers to be in certain areas to score, and the provide a cheaper discount; Star Wars: Rebellion b/c Star Wars haha but the tactics and tension battling for hope or the destruction of the Rebellion haha; Yokohama b/c the way you have to plan and place your workers is neat.
btw, ad mentioned charterstone, which i like a lot and have full 2 playthroughs irl and about 20 in digital version - i think there should be minor change to items - either after completing remove the card from given "scenario" completelly or move time tracker by 1 - reason is that i did experienced game where everyone was just over and over making items for points and the game didnt moved forward at all
Nothing has topped Agricola for me! Caylus 1303 and Keyflower are also solid picks.
Agricola is a masterpiece.
My list of top WP games would be boring because it would consist of 6-7 Uwe games lol, with Agricola at the top.
Nobody included any Vital Lacerda games? I particularly like Kanban EV where you also have to consider the worker placement for the Sandra character, in how she will block out some spots and also how you need to do your actions in anticipation of her placement.
I totally agree with Kanban EV. Absolute corker of a game, and I love how Sandra gets in the way and makes everyone’s life needlessly difficult. Very thematic to management! 😂 Between that and On Mars, I have all the worker placement I would ever need. So much meat on those bones!
I love Meadow, but I wouldn't call it a worker placement game.
It seems the intro was for a different video
Yedo