Are you referring to the types of games that TH-camrs and Instagrammers make that usually only have a deck or two of cards with simple mechanics you can master within two games?
Some of those might fit the definition. Some games I've played that I would call "Ameritrash" are Nemesis, Killer Bunnies, Cosmic Encounter, Munchkin, and Betrayal at House on the Hill. I'd also categorize Monopoly, Risk, and Uno as mainstream Ameritrash. From the BoardgameGeek Glossary ( boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Ameritrash ): " Ameritrash is "a catchphrase for 'American style boardgames.' In general, this means games that emphasize a highly developed theme, characters, heroes, or factions with individually defined abilities, player-to-player conflict, and usually feature a moderate to high level of luck." There is a great deal of dispute over what Ameritrash means, even when it is accepted as a meaningful term. Many gamers would never call the "old" Avalon Hill a producer of Ameritrash. Ameritrash means something to most hobby gamers, but what it means still varies somewhat across communities. In sum, the concrete definition of "Ameritrash" is considered by some to be hazy. "
I think one of the hallmarks of an Ameritrash game is that they tend to emphasize theme more than gameplay. I think this is why I like Euro games, because I'm ALLLLLL about the mechanics of a game, and couldn't care less about its theme. Probably my favorite "board" game of all time, Dominion, has one of the weakest themes I've ever seen in a game, but I don't even care because the mechanics are so dang juicy, it keeps me coming back for more CONSISTENTLY.
Are you referring to the types of games that TH-camrs and Instagrammers make that usually only have a deck or two of cards with simple mechanics you can master within two games?
Some of those might fit the definition. Some games I've played that I would call "Ameritrash" are Nemesis, Killer Bunnies, Cosmic Encounter, Munchkin, and Betrayal at House on the Hill. I'd also categorize Monopoly, Risk, and Uno as mainstream Ameritrash.
From the BoardgameGeek Glossary ( boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/Ameritrash ):
"
Ameritrash is "a catchphrase for 'American style boardgames.' In general, this means games that emphasize a highly developed theme, characters, heroes, or factions with individually defined abilities, player-to-player conflict, and usually feature a moderate to high level of luck."
There is a great deal of dispute over what Ameritrash means, even when it is accepted as a meaningful term. Many gamers would never call the "old" Avalon Hill a producer of Ameritrash. Ameritrash means something to most hobby gamers, but what it means still varies somewhat across communities.
In sum, the concrete definition of "Ameritrash" is considered by some to be hazy.
"
I think one of the hallmarks of an Ameritrash game is that they tend to emphasize theme more than gameplay. I think this is why I like Euro games, because I'm ALLLLLL about the mechanics of a game, and couldn't care less about its theme. Probably my favorite "board" game of all time, Dominion, has one of the weakest themes I've ever seen in a game, but I don't even care because the mechanics are so dang juicy, it keeps me coming back for more CONSISTENTLY.
Amen!