With so many stellar games released last year we wanted to see what everyone’s favorites are!
In the comments below please share your top five favorite board games released in 2012.
(note: I say “board games” in the general sense… card games, miniatures games, RPGs, etc. are all welcome!)
1 Android-Netrunner
2 Star Wars Card Game
3 Puerto Rico 10th Anniversary Edition
In 2012 I discovered:
Tension!
Ankh-Morpork
Catan: Traders & Barbarians
Grass
But my favourites have to be:
Axis & Allies 1942 (2nd Edition)
Axis & Allies 1941
Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 (2nd Edition)
Axis & Allies Europe 1940 (2nd Edition)
For me the list is pretty clear:
#1 Terra Mystica
#2 The Great Zimbabwe
#3 Pax Porfiriana
#4 1989
The first is a asymmetric and intricate euro; the second a rather brutal economic game; the third a delightfully historically informed card tableau game; the last either an incredibly light wargame, or a particularly thematic area majority game. I’ve really enjoyed all of them (and all significantly more than other 2012 titles I’ve tried.)
I have been hearing a lot of good things about Love Letter. I will start looking for that now.
My vote has to go to Lords of Waterdeep. It always makes it to the table in our group. I would give a second to Castles of Burgundy. Thats this year, right?
1. Giza (runaway #1 pick)
2. Four Taverns
3. Catan Junior
4. Catan Star Trek
10. Village
9. X-Wing Miniatures Game
8. Ora et Labora
7. Merchant of Venus (FFG reprint)
6. Zombicide
5. Mice & Mystics
4. Mage Knight
3. War of the Ring (Second Edition)
2. Eclipse
1. Lords of Waterdeep
Honorable Mentions: Fleet, Seasons, Agents of Smersh, Viva Java
I included several board game titles on the Ogre Cave Christmas List 2012. My favourites were:
Lords of Waterdeep
Glory to Rome
Snowdonia
1) Lords of Waterdeep (The building mechanic reminded my of Caylus…but this game is actually fun)
2) Pergamon – Love the bidding/worker placement!
3) Love Letter – Every time I play this game I see subtle strategy.
Love Letter!
Star Wars: X-Wing the Miniatures game Was easily my favorite game of 2012. It delivered everything I was expecting and then some. As a close second, I have to nominate Android: Netrunner for making cyberpunk cool again. For the rest of my top five (in no particular order), I’ve loved – Rex: Final Days of an Empire, Lords of Waterdeep and Descent: Journeys in the Dark (2nd Edition)
I’ve not played very many games released in 2012, but of those I have, I would probably rate Lords of Waterdeep at the top by some way. I’d also like to give an honourable mention to Catan Junior, which is a great addition to the Catan franchise which works extremely well with youngish kids and is still pretty good fun for adults.
It’s tough, but here is my list of favorites: