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This Week’s Explorable Games
This round of Explorable Favorites is from BoardGaming.com member BosGrono. The games selected from their Favorites shelf were:
- Telestrations
USAopoly | Published: 2009 - Mascarade
Asmodee, Repos Productions | Published: 2013
These games will be explorable until next Monday, November 24th.
After you’ve explored these games, let us know what you think about them in the comments below!
While I enjoy the concept of the game Telestrations, I did not enjoy it as much as other people in my group. I’d played the same game before, just using paper and pencel, and found it interesting that a company had produced Telestrations out of the same concept.
I have yet to play Mascarade, but it certainly looks interesting. I’d love to give it a try sometime, but it probably won’t hit my personal library to for a while.
Just my two cents on the explorables sets: I feel repeating some games is a good idea because some of us don’t visit the site as often as we’d like and occasionally miss the opportunity to explore them. That, and some games deserve to be in the spotlight more often.
I’d also love to see lists that are specific to a specific number of players, but not limited to 2-players. For example, what games play best with 5-6, or 7-8? Sometimes finding games that hit the “sweet spot” with a higher player number can be a bit trickier than the typical 3-4 player group.
“A few months ago everyone was a-shouting about redundant explorables which a) is going to happen if you hang out long enough and b) people do pick like minded games when building a favorites list. I personally don’t have a problem when ‘redos’ pop up because there are usually new reviews to read or tips to grade. The whole point of Explorables in my book being to not only shine a light on entries, but breathe some fresh life in them with activity. But much like @Jeff will be doing with his occasional focused Game Updates, it might be fun and interesting if The Explorables could once every month or two be slightly larger (3-5) and be grouped around a theme arc, game mechanic, or game company rather than a member picked by the Sorting Hat.”
The nail hath been struck upon thine head! Revisiting games 1. Allows new users a chance to explore the game (which helps the ultimate goal…! site growth!) and 2. Allows the vets to take a look back at old favorites and possibly add new insight or learn new rules variants/tips which could revitalize the game for our tables. I have no problem with occasional redos.
I also think 2 player games as a category has enough content and player interest to warrant it’s own subsection. That AD was already on the ball is a positive sign for 2015 😉
@Hai EXACTLY! Always play the judge. Which results in more points and more laughs 😉
@Account *eep* Sorry friend! I was just doing my standard chatterbox ‘muddy stream o consciousness’ spewing forth. 😛 Great minds think alike. Now I am filled with intrigue about what is in store! 😉
@Hai – you’re spilling my beans here! I hope to have an announcement on something new shortly after the holiday. But the Explorable Favorites will continue!
If anybody has other ideas, I’d love to hear them!
@Bobb33z3r Agreed. Especially in those ‘Play the Judge’ type games. If we play Apples to Apples or Cards Against it is always more about playing to the person giving out the points than randomly creating a funny or bizarre response. Anyone who knows me knows to hold ‘Carl Sagan’ until I’m up – he’s an instant win!
@Account I do think the site would benefit from permanent ‘2-Player’ showcase (much like Co-op it is a game ‘type’ people look for rather than just a mechanic). I also like that some ‘classics’ are secret explorables hidden among the shelves.
A few months ago everyone was a-shouting about redundant explorables which a) is going to happen if you hang out long enough and b) people do pick like minded games when building a favorites list. I personally don’t have a problem when ‘redos’ pop up because there are usually new reviews to read or tips to grade. The whole point of Explorables in my book being to not only shine a light on entries, but breathe some fresh life in them with activity. But much like @Jeff will be doing with his occasional focused Game Updates, it might be fun and interesting if The Explorables could once every month or two be slightly larger (3-5) and be grouped around a theme arc, game mechanic, or game company rather than a member picked by the Sorting Hat.
Really good to see this running again. I have been introduced to several good games through the exploration system and I look forward to finding more!
@BitBot Those types of games, Apples to Apples, Cards Against Humanity, etc always do much better when inside jokes and long family/friend histories are at play. Adds new dimensions to the game. 🙂
If you can get 8 good friends or family members together, Telestrations is even better thanks to the inside jokes everyone is in on. I don’t get to play it often, but it is always a good time when we have enough people.
Thanks AD! Way to step up!
Mascarade looks like a lot of fun. I’ll have to give this one a try.
Agreed @Jeff, congrats @AD!
Thanks Jeff!
Awesome to have you join the contributors, @AD! “If you build it, they will come” to this fun gaming site. 😀
@Hai Sadly (or thankfully) I missed that convo. 🙂
And @Hai, that @Sir G / @Paladin conversation was a headache to follow! If we can get a Sentinels group avatar, @SirG has vowed to switch – so we could spare ourselves from future atrocities!
@All, my pleasure!
I’m also going to look into @Kassidy’s request for a 2-player game collection from the BG.com discussion page. I don’t think we’ll be doing anything as big as the 18-game cooperative collection, but @Jim has an idea for several smaller themed collections, and 2-player games could fit right in!
@Bobb33z3r Well at least it is easier than the time @Paladin and @SirGamesalot had a conversation 😛
Double Dealers 😉 One’s Orange, one’s Red. Pretty easy 🙂
Thanks @AccountDeletion! Was waiting for 1 more game to hit 50 games explored! WootWoot
@AD did a thing! Woot woot! 😀