1.
Board Game: Thebes
[Average Rating:7.26 Overall Rank:166]
Andy
United Kingdom
Stockport
Manchester
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2007 has been an awesome year for new games... with 96 distinct new games played... some of which got played more than any other games I'd played before - Give Me the Brain! I played 40 sessions of anywhere between 1 and 4 rounds, whilst Dancing Dice was played 36 times.
My favourite new game of 2007 though, has to be Thebes. Loads of fun, easy to teach, great for introducing potential gamers to the hobby.
A really great game!
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Dave L.
United States
Portland
Oregon
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I played my first modern game almost exactly one year ago when I joined a group in my town (so I guess I should be writing a geeklist soon). That first game was Himalaya on Dec 21, 2006 - every other game that I have played (other than wargames and Avalon Hill stuff from when I was young) has come in this calendar year. That makes it pretty easy for me - I can just check my top 10 and pretty much go with that. Except for Himalaya, which is still in my top 10.
I have to go with Age of Steam, even though I've only played the 2-player Scotland map, and several solo five-player games on the base map. The brutality of the game really appeals to me - you have both the opportunity to menace others and also wreck yourself, creating an amazing constant tension. Even though I haven't played the game optimally yet, I have it as my #1. The number of expansion maps helps too, giving the game a lot of replayability potential.
Just getting edged out were Serenissima and El Grande, two fantastic mid-length strategeries that I took to immediately. I enjoyed being new to everything this year - all the games others have played out are fresh experiences for me.
my top 10 new games of the year
1. Age of Steam
2. Serenissima
3. El Grande
4. In The Shadow of the Emperor
5. American Megafauna
6. Wallenstein
7. Borderlands
8. Power Grid
9. Tahuantinsuyu
10. Iroquoia
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If Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Then Actions x2 Speak Louder Than Actions
United States
Hutto
Texas
Chit Chat Hamstring!!!
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Tide of Iron? Easily.
ToI has the depth I was looking for and all of the aspects that I had wished other games had. The quality of the components and its accessibility really appeals to me. Cheers Tide of Iron!
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pronoblem baalberith
United States
Pleasantville
Massachusetts
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This was it for me.
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5.
Board Game: Agricola
[Average Rating:8.25 Overall Rank:2]
Carol Jones
United States
Maryland
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Agricola barely edges out my other two new favorites, Zooloretto (with expansions) and Bohnroschen.
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Mike Jones
United States
Gainesville
Florida
Yeah it's here! Really it's right here.
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Wow,
This one is a hard one. According the the Extended Stats, I've played 214 new games this year. I guess that's good, it means I'm trying to keep up with my buying habits  . But, I do wonder if I should have more repeat plays.
I went with Die Macher. It's one that is new and has had repeat plays. It's a solid 9 to me here. It's a long game, that somehow doesn't feel that long. I feel it will not get old over time.
As an example, also new this year was Pillars of Earth. I REALLY LOVED this game the first half dozen plays, but it got old fast.
I picked Die Macher, but close behind was Age of Empires III, Jenseits von Theben, and Thebes. Antiquity is interesting, but I don't think it's a GREAT game. An Honorable Mention has to go to Last Night on Earth. I also don't think it's a GREAT game, but it is a lot of fun. AND my 10 year old daughter LOVES playing it with me, so it gets a lot of play time.
So, what is the best game? Die Macher or should I change it to Last Night on Earth. Should your best game be the one you admire most or the one that hits the table most?
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7.
Board Game: Brass
[Average Rating:8.08 Overall Rank:8]
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Many decisions every turn. Good planning is rewarded. One of Martin's best offerings.
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8.
Board Game: Brass
[Average Rating:8.08 Overall Rank:8]
Paulo Soledade
Portugal
Caranguejeira
Leiria
Madeira - Pearl of the Atlantic - The Boardgame
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Best game of the year so far. No question about it.
Paulo
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Brent Gallmann
United States
Oshkosh
Wisconsin
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Being that this was my first full year being a geek, I have a lot to choose from. This past year, I've bought a LOT of games and unfortunately they didn't all get played. Therefore, I should have a lot of material for next year.
However, this one, Power Grid, has now replaced Monopoly as the game my kids choose when they want a long economic game where they can play with money. I've enjoyed this game every time I've played it this year, with them, or with other adults.
Honorable mention: Acquire and Goa
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Jeff Wolfe
United States
Columbus
Ohio
Permanent microbadges: Zendo fan, Columbus Blue Jackets fan, Dominion Fan (one of these days I'll make the background non-white)
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I must be getting jaded. I played over 100 new games in 2007, and none of them really blew me away. Fairy Tale was the most played and highest rated of the new games, so I suppose it wins.
Don't get me wrong, lots of the new games were fun; but as I looked back at the list, I didn't see any that made me think, "That's an awesome game!" On the other hand, there weren't too many truly awful games either, so it could be worse.
So I'd say, all in all a good year, notwithstanding the lack of a standout game.
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Bryan Pravel
United States
Austin
Texas
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AoE III has a fantastic rule system that blends perfectly with its "Age of Discovery" theme. Additionally, there is an amazing amount of depth, strategy, and replayability thanks to its tightly integrated and amazingly balanced mechanics. Add in the game's great components and a small dash of randomness to keep games fresh and you end up with the best game that I've played in years.
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Ben Lott
United States
Mason
Michigan
It's time to play the music, It's time to light the lights...
Wocka Wocka Wocka!!
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This is the best new game I've played in 2007. (I've received some others this year that haven't hit the table, and they could be awesome.) This game contains the one game mechanic that I enjoy more than any other...cooperative play. I love the group vs. the game. It's just been so enjoyable to play, and we've only started dabbling in the traitor aspect of the game.
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13.
Board Game: Pit
[Average Rating:6.42 Overall Rank:903]
Daniel Cain
United States
Olympia
Washington
Board Game Villian
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This much fun in such an old game, and a little package? You bet your sweet ass it is!
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Luis Paulino Mora Lizano
Costa Rica
Asunción de Belén
Heredia
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If new means published in 2007, I have to go with La Città . This game was reprinted this year by RÃo Grande Games with minor changes from the original edition of 2000. Basicly, they modified the text on the cards and put symbols instead.
An effort was made in order to have official rules in Spanish included in the box ( http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/155833), but the new edition only comes with English and German instructions.
La Città reminds of Catan, because the look of its board and the set up phase, and Citadels, because of the theme. Anyhow, it take another step to make it a better game than the other two, a great game speaking clearly.
In La Città you are a Prince who rules cities in the Renaissance. Nevertheless, the citizens would migrate to those cities that offer them better services. So players have to compete to feed their people, look to fullfil their basical necesities and offer them the most atractive cities in order to win.
Nevertheless, if new means realesed for the first time in 2007, I should go with Age of Empires III: The Age of Discovery.
Despite, Glenn Drover was known as one of the most famous designers of Ameritrash games, he has surrender to the dark side of Eurogames.
The game is not very original. It takes from lots of sources like Caylus, Pillars of the Earth and even Puerto Rico, between others. Nevertheless, the result of the addition is an excelent game.
This game, together with Railroad Tycoon, are the best of Drover designs that I've tried.
And speaking of the devil, if new means new to me, the best game that I've played for the first time in 2007 was Railroad Tycoon.
This game is, dominoes apart, the best game that I have ever played. I look forward to get its expansion, Rails of Europe, and the new edition of Age of Steam to see if this great game gets even better.
Despite its easy rules, the game develops an epic feeling. Players are Railroad Tycoons in the Eastern half of USA. They build rail networks in order to get the most profitable commercial routes. The money is always an issue, so you have to know where and when to spend to get the most victory points out.
For some people, the gameboard is an issue, but not for me. It is huge, and contributes to the epic feel of the game. Besides, the Spanish edition, which I own, doesn't present the warping and the blue-purple cities problems that the original edition had.
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Chaddyboy
United States
Olathe
Kansas
Bloooooop.
Bluuuuuurp.
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No doubt my favorite "new to me" game this year was TurfMaster! I'm a sucker for racing games, so it's no surprise that I'd love it. I was also fortunate enough to get a 7 player game going at BGG.CON which was just plain awesome.
If we're going for 2007 releases, I'd say my favorite had to be Age of Empires III. The main thing I liked is that there are so many ways to go about winning. I've won three times, each with a completely different strategy. With so many games appearing to have multiple ways to win at first blush, it was cool to see that this game actually delivers.
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I suck at Bingo .... but I don't mind
Belgium
Mol
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I discovered boardgaming in 2007.
I have bought many games since the discovery of this site and have a lot of playing to do in 2008.
The game I was very eager to get after reading user comments is Power grid. I'm very impressed with it.
There are quite a few surprises to me. I don't think I will really like this game but I'm curious to give it a try.
Biggest surprise here is Can't Stop Possibly the best filler there is.
and another mention goes to Through the Desert While playable with more than two it is one of the very best 2 player games I have played.
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17.
Board Game: Agricola
[Average Rating:8.25 Overall Rank:2]
Dave Kudzma
United States
Gumboro
Delaware
Muffins.
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Oh how much everyone in our GCOM chapter loves this game; so much so that 5 of them preordered after their first play. The reasons are simple: There are so many avenues to victory, and the game never plays the same way twice. Couple that with more synergy than most other games have, not to mention the fact that you have to "make the farm work", and it's a winner.
It's seen 15 plays in front of me, and 30 total. It'll get played at least twice tonight...
My Top 10 of 2007 (New to Me):
1. Agricola
2. Antiquity
3. Princes of the Renaissance
4. Die Handler
5. Battlelore
6. Twilight Struggle
7. Harte an der Grenze
8. Through the Ages
9. Marracash
10. Burg Appenzell
Other games of note:
Vikings (often overlooked after players try the basic game)
Shogun (another game with a cube tower!)
Galaxy Trucker (more of an adventure than a puzzle)
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Dean Rekich
United States
Lyndora
Pennsylvania
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Schnäppchen Jagd was the best new to me game I played in 2007. It quickly became one of my all time favorite games and was one of my most played games of 2007 as well. I was very happy to hear the Valley Games is going to reprint this game in 2008. If you like card games and/or play a lot of three player games, you owe it to yourself to get a copy when it becomes available.
My runners up are:
24/7
Take It To The Limit!
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Mike King
United States
Wilder
Kentucky
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This has been a great year for games. My son and I love Tide of Iron, but since that's already up, I'll place my vote for this fantastic game. This game has all the strengths of the CDG system, with a decade or two of refinement, but it has a quality unique to this type of game--a playing time of between 90 minutes and 2 hours.
It was a good year for Z-Man--Duel in the Dark was another great one from them this year.
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Huzonfirst
United States
Manassas
Virginia
For the second time in five years, the G-Men are Super Bowl champs! Woo hoo!!!!!
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Well, because my other two favorite 2007 titles (Agricola and Brass) are already listed here, let me cite the other entry in my personal top three: Phoenicia. Very deep, very well designed, and, if you can play it with experienced players (a problem for me), quite fast.
Still haven't figured out which of the three is my Game of the Year. Guess I'll have to play them all again! 
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Stan Mamula
United States
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
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Through the Ages is the best game I've played all year. Fantastic civilization card game. Unfortunately, I only played it once. Cannot wait to play again.
Runners-up:
Goa, which I rate a 10. Played six times.
Die Macher, played only once and rated a 9.
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Play Games - Interact - Have Fun!
United States
California
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It was a reallly close call for me too. I based my criteria on games I've actually played and discounted those I own but have not yet hit the table - this leaves out games like:
1960: The Making of the President I REALLY think this would have been the one had I played it yet.
Notre Dame Such great reviews and high praise... I need to try this.
- both of which I recieved for Christmas.
Games new to me this year that made my short list:
Tide of Iron Have only played once otherwise this might have been the one.
Shogun Only 2 plays but loved both of them.
Taluva Of the bunch, this has been played the most. I think it's very subtle, yet deep.
Struggle of Empires A very interesting game with some odd quirks to it - time will tell.
Reef Encounter After owning this for awhile, JUST played for the 1st time a week ago!
Colosseum (Added) Almost forgot about this one! It seems to not get played as much as before, but this is still an awesome game.
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John Hilla
United States
Ferndale
Michigan
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This was my favorite new game of 2007 ... It was a big hit at my 4-day game-o-palooza in August, where it was played multiple times--one of the only games to be played more than once that weekend--despite the presence of over 300 other games.
I know it gets lots of comparisons, some favorable and some not, to Princes of Florence, but I've never played that game and really enjoyed the combination of auction and other mechanics, the acceptable luck factor, and the showmanship factor in "presenting" the shows you put on to the other players. One of the most outright fun games I've played, period.
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Ryan Olson
United States
Topeka
Kansas
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I went with this one, narrowly over Thebes & Blue Moon City.
I played ALOT of new games this year, and I loved the mechanics, the strategy, and the time it takes to play this one.
It beats a few others due to it's quick playing time .
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Ryan M.
Canada
Regina
Saskatchewan
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So many great games this year. I've got to give the nod to Yspahan though. Although demand has quieted a little recently (Race for the Galaxy has been taking up a lot of table time), it was consistently requested by friends and family for many consecutive months early in the year. Good times.
~Ryan
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Hutto
Texas
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/27666
Pleasantville
Massachusetts
http://www.hardcore-ludography.com/?p=158