The past four years, we have celebrated Geek and Sundry’s International TableTop Day. We’ve led up to the day by showcasing a game a day for 12 days, in the days leading up to the day itself: the 12 Days of TableTop Day. You may have noticed we haven’t done that this year, and that’s because, well, most of our games are currently either boxed up or loaned to others. There’s a longer story there, but for now, the games aren’t around for us to do much with them!
I certainly don’t want to do nothing for TableTop Day, however, and also want to give some thoughts on games for you to check out for the big day as well! Finally, the idea hit me.
Here are 12 games from my Amazon Wishlist, that I want to play but haven’t picked up yet! I had to dodge through the huge volume of expansions to games we already own, but here’s a good list of games that look interesting that we haven’t highlighted yet in previous years!
Mascarade
First up is Mascarade! I guess I’m going in the order I found them in my Amazon wishlist… so this is one I found recently, and actually played recently! This is a social deduction game where everyone has a character card – but they swap cards, and then don’t get to look at who they have after doing so. Meaning you reach a point where you’ve just got no idea who has what, but you’re trying to guess. Then there’s a BS element where you have to claim to know who you are, and players can call you on it or not. A lot of fun, but it’s one for a larger group I think – not sure if we’ll invest in it soon, especially if our game group (hi guys, maybe we’ll come more often…) already has a copy.
Tiny Epic Galaxies
This game was on TableTop recently, and is also one I’ve heard about on podcasts and such. I think more than anything, I thematically like the exploration and colonization ideas. To be fair, that’s what we’re doing in Mass Effect Andromeda right now, so maybe that’s good. Still, a nice compact game is good to have.
Secret Hitler
I’ve heard this game is just a blast. It sounds a lot like The Resistance, but with a far less abstract theme. Nazis and liberals, oh my! The historian in me approves. Another good one for larger groups and party gaming, something we aren’t doing a lot of right now…
Project Dreamscape
After listening to enough of the Our Turn! Podcast, this game (designed by some of the hosts of the podcast) definitely made its way into my wish list. The theme of dreams, the short amount of time a game takes, all make it sound like a good one to add to a collection. And the fact that it might not be as well known as some of the others means maybe it’s one we could get that other folks don’t already have!
The Dragon & Flagon
Another one I heard about on a podcast, this one from The D6 Generation. You’re at a bar, and there’s a mythical drink in a flagon you want to drink. You, and everyone else. Bar fight! With actual 3D elements on the board as well as cards and such, I think that the visual additions to the theme do a lot to make this game just seem like fun.
Skull
Played this one at game night a while back, and it was a lot of fun – I seem to recall sneaking out a win! Yay beginners luck. It’s another social deduction game, with secret card selection and such. In an even more Poker-like aspect, players get eliminated and that increases your knowledge of what’s going on at the table and narrows the focus of the game down. Another great one with a large group.
Portal Uncooperative Board Game
Haven’t played it, haven’t seen or heard it played, don’t care. It’s Portal. Even just in the title, an “uncooperative” board game just amuses me. Meanwhile, if they capture much of the spirit of the games – the puzzles and problem solving and the wide range of things you can accomplish with a portal gun – then this one could be really good.
Locke and Key
I’m thinking that around the same time I must have found this game, another one based on an outside property, this time a graphic novel series. Maybe I found this and Portal while shopping for other things, maybe Christmas time… anyway, the graphic novels are amazing, and the horror and the possibilities and the enemies and the art all seem like they would adapt in interesting ways into a game.
Tokaido
Back in the realm of ones we saw on TableTop, Tokaido is another one that we know people who have the game, and have gotten to play it a few times. It’s funny; with so many new board games these days, and kinds of board games, somewhere in there the old school style of game was lost. But sometimes, a game where you’re literally traveling across the board with your pieces is fun – and this game is a great way to do so.
Takenoko
Similar in name to Tokaido, and one we’ve confused before. This is a game with great pieces, that help to enhance the theme of the garden tending. Its cute factor makes it seem like a game that we should pick up for playing with the Geek Baby – of all the ones on this list, this seems like the one that the Geek Baby could play first. We have some others that I would be interested in trying in a few years’ time, and I know we’ve lost Tsuro to a 3 year old before…
Libertalia
Okay, maybe there’s a theme of some of these Poker-like games being ones that I like, but that we don’t necessarily buy… these mechanics are definitely a part of my gaming past growing up, but not necessarily Holly’s. This game has a lot of luck elements, ways to harass opponents, and then all the social deduction elements, so it has a lot going on, and you can definitely feel like you’ve fallen behind pretty easily. But I liked it!
Shadow Hunters
And here, back to an early one we found at game night, and that frequently comes out as a game later on in an evening, when heading into something familiar and shorter to play. We’ve played it enough there that we’ve never picked it up, but we really like it. You are playing either the Shadow Hunters or the Shadows (or a neutral party), but everyone’s identities are secret (until revealed or discovered), so you move around the board and use actions and abilities to attack others – trying to figure out who is friend and who is foe. Different players have different win conditions, as well, and it’s an elimination game, so lots can happen!
…and so. many. expansions.
Oh man, there’s a lot on my Amazon wish list for board games and card games, and most of it is expansions – either to games we already have, or to games also on the list. Interestingly, I don’t think the games on this list have expansions, although I’m probably wrong and a few probably do. So maybe this is a list of one-off games that we’d be interested in getting, and it’s nice to be able to pick up a game and feel like it’s done. To be fair, it’s also nice to pick up a game and know you can grow it and expand it and breathe more life into it! Still, there’s only so much time and so much money, so there’s always going to be a games wish list – even if you’re Platypus Gaming and have a huge game library!
Comparative Geeks 