A question for my board gaming friends...

[fleetfootmike]

Considering buying Anne a board game for XMas.

She likes Carcassonne, Settlers of Cataan, Ticket to Ride, Puerto Rico, Thebes,... so... any suggestions, bearing in mind I'd prefer not to duplicate anything folks we see regularly have :D

Comments

[billroper]

We always used to like Rail Baron, but that was a long time ago. :)

[sibylle]

Keltis or Pandemie perhaps?

[elfwhistletree.livejournal.com]

Have you seen "Dominion" - that's quite fun?

[lastalda.livejournal.com]

That's what I was going to suggest, being a big fan of Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne, too.
Oh, and "Pandemie" is lots of fun, too - the first time I have found a collaborative game to be satisfying and exciting.

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

plaid_dragon has Dominion and many expansions - it's on the list, but I'm after something new-to-Anne if possible.

How about?

[maverick-weirdo.livejournal.com]

Galaxy Trucker

Select parts (tiles) to assemble your spaceship, then see which ship can deliver the goods.

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

I'm a huge fan of Dominion, to the point where I'd almost always rather play another game of Dominion than any other game being offered.

7 Wonders seems to be very popular here in the US. There are certainly people who feel about it like I do about Dominion. I've played it a handful of times, and I'm not that hooked, but it's a solid game.

If she likes Puerto Rico but wishes it were deeper and more complex, check out Agricola.

One of my favorite quick little games is Incan Gold. It can take up to 8 players and a game takes 15 minutes or so.

Stone Age is a pretty decent resource development game. A little deeper than Catan, but not quite as much as Puerto Rico.

Red Dragon Inn is a nice party game -- it allows players a little bit of roleplaying without actually requiring it.

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

Go and have a look in The Works (or on their website) - they have some strategy games out right now very cheap. And you can look them up on board game geek: http://boardgamegeek.com/

[hrrunka]

I trust you saw DMM's piece on board games last Sunday...

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

Er.. no. Link?

[hrrunka]

http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/3205.html in the annotations...

[pola-bear.livejournal.com]

I would strongly echo the 7 Wonders suggestion. I am also a big fan of El Grande, and I think it has a similar feel to some of those you mentioned.

[nw1.livejournal.com]

Cosmic Encounter!

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

I might have known... :D

[nw1.livejournal.com]

I really wasn't kidding, you know - it's both a great game (that generally appeals to the same kind of players that like the games you mentioned above), and it's back in print.

[plaid-dragon.livejournal.com]

Goa and Fresco are both resource-management of varying types and quite good fun.

Seven Wonders is okay, one of the few games for 3-7 that actually plays just as well with any number of players because you only interact with those either side of you.

Small World is a fun conquest game with different races and traits, but essentially Risk Lite. Not sure that would be up Anne's street enough to buy it for her.

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

I tried the online Small World, and found it - yeah, Risk Lite, and a bit of a yawnfest TBH.

Toying with Shadows of Camelot or Colosseum at present.

BTW, when are you next up hereabouts?

[plaid-dragon.livejournal.com]

Probably heading up to do a Kiddicare run between Christmas and New Year, but not sure when. We'll let you know when we decide. Would be good to catch up for coffee even if we can't drop in because of the cats.

[filklore-on-lj.livejournal.com]

Coming to this a little late. :)

I have both Pandemic and Galaxy Trucker, and would recommend either.

Having said that, I have both Pandemic and Galaxy Trucker, so if you don't end up buying them, you are welcome to borrow them some time. Hey, I might even get to play you sometime - it's a long trip, but it'll be worth it. ;)

For people who like games like Carcasonne, Settlers and Ticket, I really like Portabello Market, which is about placing market stalls, and trying to grab the best sites.

Another game that has recently got some play with us is Chelsea - this has some low scores from some on BGG as a "kiddie game", which I don't think it deserves. It is certainly a kid-friendly game (as it is fairly easy to learn, and mainly involves matching/changing colours), but it is just as good with competitive gamers, in my opinion.

You can't really go wrong with Shadows over Camelot, in my opinion. Great game with or without the Merlin expansion.

Finally, I must mention Catan Histories: Struggle for Rome. Although a Catan variant, it somehow combines the familiar Catan mechanism for getting resources with a war game, with competing tribes of Barbarian Hordes trying to muscle in on a falling Rome. It is currently my favourite game that I have played, but don't actually own; so I urge you to get it, of course!

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

Shadows... and Struggle for Rome bought. Thanks for the advice! :D