I have been playing games for quite a while, mostly with my regular gaming group but also making visits to gaming clubs every now and then. The game circulation has been rapid… not that many games get more than 2-3 trials after they are forgotten. Not because they would not be fine games… but with limited time tough choices has to be made.
So which games do get onto the table again and again? Luckily, I have been gathering statistics over the years:
- Love Letter: A guess and bluff game which I do not like.
- For Sale: A game with open bidding and blind bidding. This is ok, but not necessarily my first pick for a filler.
- Nexus Ops: A dice fest with building troops, fulfilling missions, and sneak attacking opponents… and again a game I’m not a huge fan of.
- Trans Europa+: Building railroads and profiting from others’ hard work. I quite like this one!
- Coloretto: A simple set collection game that just works.
My favorite games are not on the list… and I guess the conclusion is that I like games that are not fun. Or let’s rephrase it: I like games with little or no luck after the setup (“let the best player win”) and non-direct player interaction (“no kingmaking, please”)… these games are enjoyable and fun when you are playing with players of equal skill.
From the board game design perspective, I have probably been avoiding luck too much. The common nominator in the list above is that every player has a chance of victory, but there is a decent amount of skill involved in the success. So beware Fun, I know you are lurking around the balance point between skill and luck, and I’m gonna get ya!