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Maracaibo [Game=12][/Game]
My go-to strategy game. It became an instant favorite for me after the first game. I just knew that this was going to see a lot of play!
Run around the Caribbean while visiting cities, villages, build cards from your hand, explore the jungle for rewards, combat alongside any of the 3 colonizing nations for mutual rewards, and much more. Every game can be very different, and I never feel like I don't have solid options to go for. Sometimes in TM I can feel "card dead" and not getting the right cards. I don't feel card draw is as punishing in Maracaibo. It also helps that you have an active display that you can draw cards from, expand your hand size, use cards you don't need for quests/trading goods or selling them to assistants. Even if we reach 200+ points, we usually find it is extremely close at the end!
I also like that you can dictate the round length! If someone is trying to build up a huge engine, you can advance more quickly through the map, which forces them to miss some of their actions (or prioritize which ones to take). So it isn't necessarily always the best choice to go heavy engine if the others don't. Pay attention to what the others are doing!
It became even better with the expansion, which added lots new cards and interesting mechanics. I would definitely pick up the expansion if you liked the base game.
Terraforming Mars [Game=1][/Game]
Classic. This is probably our most played board game, and it still holds on very strongly to this day. With all the expansions it is becoming a long game (4 hours at 4p for us, although we do have a bit of AP), but I don't really feel bored at any time. The game has gotten a lot of flack for the production quality, but in my eyes it is "decent".. The gameplay is stellar, and that's what matters. TM is a traditional engine builder, and you need to lay out your strategy depending on your starting corporation, prelude boost cards and your start hand. Then you will have countless of options during the game to adjust and specialize your engine. Will you push for early TR/VP (terraforming) for increased income and VPs, or will you focus more on building your production of resources and going "longer"? Little or a lot of map presence? With all expansions it's a bunch of options to chose from, so make sure the player turns don't take too much time. This is where TM is lacking a bit compared to Maracaibo. The card draw can be frustrating as mentioned above, and It's longer to play, with more downtime between players. And if you pass early on (either to save funds or because you bought something expensive), the others can sit there and do lots of more rounds before you all advance to the next generation. Use hour glasses!
This game is still a must for serious strategy gamers!
Waste Knights: Second Edition [Game=7][/Game]
A bit different from the other two entries. This was more of an acquired one that grew on me from each game. Coop/comp game (depending on scenario, although I've only played the coop ones) where you are set in a dystopian Australian wasteland. You will select a character, that you have to develop to stay alive! Finding items and gadgets, fending off monsters and bad thugs, helping your friends with healing/items, and trying to advance the story of the scenario you've chosen. It's a lot of fun, although it can be really punishing if you are not careful! (like we were for our first games!)
Pay attention to the story, as you need to be able to pick up clues from the "fluff" story to make the right choices. Sometimes you will choose as a group, sometimes you are alone and will have to decide on your own. Some scenarios have been awesome, while others have been "meh".
To increase replayability and add new cards/mechanics/stories, there is an expansion coming in a few months, which I can't wait to test out!
My go-to strategy game. It became an instant favorite for me after the first game. I just knew that this was going to see a lot of play!
Run around the Caribbean while visiting cities, villages, build cards from your hand, explore the jungle for rewards, combat alongside any of the 3 colonizing nations for mutual rewards, and much more. Every game can be very different, and I never feel like I don't have solid options to go for. Sometimes in TM I can feel "card dead" and not getting the right cards. I don't feel card draw is as punishing in Maracaibo. It also helps that you have an active display that you can draw cards from, expand your hand size, use cards you don't need for quests/trading goods or selling them to assistants. Even if we reach 200+ points, we usually find it is extremely close at the end!
I also like that you can dictate the round length! If someone is trying to build up a huge engine, you can advance more quickly through the map, which forces them to miss some of their actions (or prioritize which ones to take). So it isn't necessarily always the best choice to go heavy engine if the others don't. Pay attention to what the others are doing!
It became even better with the expansion, which added lots new cards and interesting mechanics. I would definitely pick up the expansion if you liked the base game.
Terraforming Mars [Game=1][/Game]
Classic. This is probably our most played board game, and it still holds on very strongly to this day. With all the expansions it is becoming a long game (4 hours at 4p for us, although we do have a bit of AP), but I don't really feel bored at any time. The game has gotten a lot of flack for the production quality, but in my eyes it is "decent".. The gameplay is stellar, and that's what matters. TM is a traditional engine builder, and you need to lay out your strategy depending on your starting corporation, prelude boost cards and your start hand. Then you will have countless of options during the game to adjust and specialize your engine. Will you push for early TR/VP (terraforming) for increased income and VPs, or will you focus more on building your production of resources and going "longer"? Little or a lot of map presence? With all expansions it's a bunch of options to chose from, so make sure the player turns don't take too much time. This is where TM is lacking a bit compared to Maracaibo. The card draw can be frustrating as mentioned above, and It's longer to play, with more downtime between players. And if you pass early on (either to save funds or because you bought something expensive), the others can sit there and do lots of more rounds before you all advance to the next generation. Use hour glasses!
This game is still a must for serious strategy gamers!
Waste Knights: Second Edition [Game=7][/Game]
A bit different from the other two entries. This was more of an acquired one that grew on me from each game. Coop/comp game (depending on scenario, although I've only played the coop ones) where you are set in a dystopian Australian wasteland. You will select a character, that you have to develop to stay alive! Finding items and gadgets, fending off monsters and bad thugs, helping your friends with healing/items, and trying to advance the story of the scenario you've chosen. It's a lot of fun, although it can be really punishing if you are not careful! (like we were for our first games!)
Pay attention to the story, as you need to be able to pick up clues from the "fluff" story to make the right choices. Sometimes you will choose as a group, sometimes you are alone and will have to decide on your own. Some scenarios have been awesome, while others have been "meh".
To increase replayability and add new cards/mechanics/stories, there is an expansion coming in a few months, which I can't wait to test out!
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