My Top 10 Games of 2008 (plus top 10 older games discovered in 2008)
Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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This is the fourth year I've used a Geeklist to record my favorite games of the year; for the previous incarnations see 2005, 2006, and 2007. I hate to run it early, but I currently have no owned-but-unplayed games that might sneak on, and so I'm fairly certain that there won't be any late changes. The only question remaining with an answer coming soon was whether or not my #1 game for the year would change; now that it has, I don't anticipate any further movement for some time.
At this point, 2008 looks to have been an historically bad year. As Le Havre has grown on me, it's gotten a little less dreadful, but still - for the years I've recorded (1990-present), 2008 had the lowest average rating, is tied for the fewest games I rate 9 or 10, is tied for the fewest games owned, and solely owns the lowest percentage of games played owned. In a normal year - say, 2005 or 2007 - my 10th best release for the year is one I own and enjoy, but am not sure about the long term prospects for. In a good year - say, 2006 - it's a game I really enjoy; in a great year - 2004 - it's a game I love, and I have to keep other top notch games off the list. In 2008, my #10 game is a game I don't own, and don't necessarily expect to play ever again.
UPDATEUnexpectedly, I got to play one of the games I was curious about before the year ended - and enjoyed it enough to add, provisionally. The items which moved have been noted.
To give an idea of what I was choosing from, the full list of 2008 releases I've played to date (full games only; I don't track expansions played):
…aber bitte mit Sahne, Age of Scheme: Routes to Riches, Amerigo, Arktia, Battleship Express, Beim Jupiter, Big Points, Blox, Borneo, Boss Kito, Burgen Land, Byzanz, Cavum, Cities, Clue Express, Code Omega, Comuni, Confucius, Deukalion, Dominion, Dry Gulch Junction, Fluch der Mumie, Ghost Stories, Giants, Hab & Gut, Hanging Gardens, Heads of State, Ice Flow, Le Havre, Manoeuvre, Metropolys. Middle Kingdom, Monastery, Nefertiti, Pandemic, Planet Steam, Powerboats, Rapscallion, Senji, Shanghaien, Sodbusters, Sorry Express, Sorry Sliders, Steel Driver, Stone Age, Surf's Up, Dude!, Sushizock in Gockelwok, Ticket To Ride Card Game, Tinners' Trail, Toledo, Ubongo Das Duell, Wie Verhext!
And the older releases I played for the first time in 2008:
1841, 1825 Unit 1, 1829 Mainline, 18GL, 18West, Adams Ahn, Airships, Alhambra Dice Game, Allerley Spielerey, Anno 1701, Asterix & Obelix, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Blindes Huhn, Burn Rate, Caveman, Central Pacific, Chang Cheng, Command & Colors: Ancients, Container, Convention!, Cowboys: The Way of the Gun, Das Erbe des Maloney, Dawson City Barbers, Double or Nothing, Dschunke, Dungeon Twister, Energie Poker, Fibonacci, Fraud Squad, Game of High Spirits, Goldraub in London, Gondoliere, Guatemala Café, Helunken Spelunken, Hexad, HysteriCoach, Kojit-8, Liebe & Intrigue, Magdar, Marrakech, McMulti, Minen Räumer, Montage, Mother Sheep, Mr. Who?, Newtown, Novo Dice, Octi, Oraklos, Orient Express, Panda, Gorilla & Co., Das Spiel, Perikles, Phoenix, Pick & Pack, Pròxima Obertura, Rail Baron, Rapa Nui, Räuber, Revolte, Risk Express, Shadow Hunters, Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, Shogun, Sid Meier's Civilization: The Card Game, Sioux, Star System, Starfarers of Catan, Station Master, Stymie, Sweep!, Terrace, The Battle for Hill 218, The Generals, The Mother Lode of Sticky Gulch, The Penguin Ultimatum, Titicaca, Tribun, Trini, Volle Wolle, Wicked Witches Way, Wits & Wagers, Zanzibar, Zauberzeit
I've played all the 2008 releases of greatest interest, though there are three (Diamonds Club, Tintenherz - Das Spiel zum Film, and Uruk - Weige der Zivilisation) of enough interest that I've got them on order. Given the weakness of what I've seen so far, I'll be thrilled to find another keeper from the 2008 crop.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#10 (was #9) for 2008 - Planet Steam
Odds of moving up: high
Odds of moving down: high
I'm of many minds about Planet Steam. I can see a path whereby this becomes a mild favorite of mind - the comparison to Outpost is almost inevitable. And I can see a path whereby my interest in the game completely deteriorates. And for that matter, just about any path in between. I've ordered the game in hopes of the first path - and that it will be a popular item to trade for if that doesn't happen.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#9 (was #8) for 2008 - Ubongo - Das Duell
Odds of moving up: low
Odds of moving down: low
In direct contrast to Planet Steam, I'm rather certain of what I think of Ubongo - Das Duell; I like the game, and would be happy to play it more, but don't feel any need to own it.
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3.
Board Game: Pandemic
[Average Rating:7.63 Overall Rank:37]
Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#8 (was #7) for 2008 - Pandemic
Odds of moving up: low
Odds of moving down: moderate
Pandemic remains my favorite cooperative game of all time. Which, I've come to realize, is more of an indicator that I'm not a big fan of cooperative games than anything else. I do enjoy Pandemic, and would be happy to play again. But even though I haven't been on the winning side since the game's publication, I feel no great drive to play it more.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#7 for 2008 - Steel Driver
Odds of moving up: moderate
Odds of moving down: moderate
Unexpectedly, I received another 2008 release before the year ended, got it to the table - and have to move it on to the list since I enjoy it. This is a very provisional placement - while the odds of moving in a particular direction aren't overwhelming, I very much doubt it will remain at #7.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#6 for 2008 - Tinners' Trail
Odds of moving up: low
Odds of moving down: moderate
I love the theme of Tinners' Trail. And I'm really impressed by how Wallace has carried off the theme with the mechanisms he's chosen. But there's just not enough to do in the game - and I suspect that will be a killer for me in the end. I haven't played the game in a few months now, and I'm not missing it nearly enough...
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#5 for 2008 - Big Points
Odds of moving up: low
Odds of moving down: moderate
Big Points is my favorite filler of 2008; it's too abstract, but it's very simple and fast, and works quite well.
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7.
Board Game: Giants
[Average Rating:7.13 Overall Rank:394]
Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#4 for 2008 - Giants
Odds of moving up: moderate
Odds of moving down: low
There's a fairly big gap here - Giants is the first game on this list I'm reasonably sure I'll own at the end of 2009. A fascinating game; I remain particular taken by how well it manages the tricky matter of cooperative competition.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#3 for 2008 - Dry Gulch Junction
Odds of moving up: low
Odds of moving down: low
In most years, Dry Gulch Junction would be an afterthought - a good game, played now and again, but nothing like my third favorite game of the year. This is a nice little game, however, and well worth seeking out; the balance between selling valuable buildings and additions versus building them is well done, and the theme is well carried out. It's worth noting - this is an entirely independent game from Dry Gulch. I happen to enjoy both, but I know a number of people who don't particularly enjoy Dry Gulch who do enjoy this.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#2 for 2008 - Hanging Gardens
Odds of moving up: low
Odds of moving down: moderate
For a long time, this has been my favorite 2008 release - which was rather depressing. Not because I don't enjoy the game - I do enjoy it - but because I don't enjoy it a lot. It's not clear to me that I'll be playing the game in five years - there's a chance, sure, but it's by no means certain.
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10.
Board Game: Le Havre
[Average Rating:8.09 Overall Rank:6]
Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#1 for 2008 - Le Havre
Odds of moving up: moderate
Odds of moving down: moderate
I was really wary about Le Havre - having seen Agricola fail to live up to my expectations after playing it more, I was naturally slow to warm up to Le Havre. And I did have concerns about the game - for that matter, I still have some. But I've now played Le Havre more - in just over a month - than I've played Agricola in total, and most of my concerns are fading. Better, I'm seeing the kind of variety I look for in a game of this sort to become a long-term favorite.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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Honorable Mention (was #10) for 2008 - ...aber bitte mit Sahne
Odds of moving up: moderate
Odds of moving down: low
A very simple filler, pleasantly themed, and well suited to play with five. Below my purchase list, but I'd not be unhappy to play it again.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#10 discover in 2008 - Star System
I think it's telling that I own more than twice as many games that I played for the first time in 2008, but were published earlier, than those published in 2008.
Star System is a clever little deduction game; I'm not sure yet exactly where it will fall for me - I need to play it more - but it's off to a good start.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#9 discovery in 2008 - Energie Poker
Another game I'm not yet entirely certain of - but I was very glad to play it, and am looking forward to my next go.
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14.
Board Game: 18GL
[Average Rating:7.46 Overall Rank:2466]
Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#8 discovery in 2008 - 18GL
Oddly, this game might last in my collection a shorter time than others - not because I don't enjoy it (I do), but because I'm not convinced that I need as many 18xx games as I currently own, and I'm fairly sure 18GL isn't at the top of the list.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#7 discovery in 2008 - Minen Räumer
One of a few shocks for me in 2008 - a boardgame adaptation of Minesweeper shouldn't really interest. And with Colovini's name on the cover, it _really_ shouldn't interest. But I must admit - I like it.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#6 discovery in 2008 - McMulti
I've heard of this game for ages, but had never managed to play it. I finally did - and was very glad I did, since it's quite enjoyable. I'll be curious to see how different the game is from play to play.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#5 discovery in 2008 - Novo Dice
A beautifully produced dice game; this one came as a shock mostly because I'd never have imagined that a game that effectively simulates a slot machine would ever catch my attention. But Novo Dice does...
Yet another measure of 2008 - while I'm not certain about the futures of the bottom six games on my discovery list, I'm far more intrigued by the group than by my bottom six 2008 releases. And there was far more competition for the slots...
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18.
Board Game: Rapa Nui
[Average Rating:7.00 Unranked]
Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#4 discovery in 2008 - Rapa Nui
A Wittig game that manages to capture the supposed theme extremely well, Rapa Nui is easily my favorite abstract discovery for the year; it's beautifully produced, and is a great example of a good Wittig game.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#3 discovery in 2008 - Montage
Yes, I tried a lot of classics in 2008. And this one shocked me most of all - I'm not a fan of word games at all, but for some reason this one works for me. Even though I seem to have a knack for giving clues that everyone _except_ my partner can get...
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20.
Board Game: Sweep!
[Average Rating:6.00 Unranked]
Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#2 discovery in 2008 - Sweep!
Yea, math trades! Sweep! was a game I picked up via such a trade - and I believe I was the only one tempted by the game. But I'm glad I was - it's a great little game, capturing the sense of curling to an even greater extent than I understand the sport, but still providing a really enjoyable, fast-paced game in the process.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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#1 discovery in 2008 - Airships
OK, on the high end of the discoveries, my interest doesn't quite stack up with the 2008 releases. But I do find Airships very enjoyable; it's always tricky to predict the future of dice games, but I do have hope for Airships.
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Joe Huber
Westborough
Massachusetts
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Honorable Mention discoveries:
1829 Mainline
Gondoliere
The Generals
Wicked Witches Way
Fibonacci
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Posted Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:53 pm
Silicon Valley
California
2008 has not been a stellar year. It doesn't have the amazing quality and depth of 2004. It doesn't have the half dozen great games of 2007. It doesn't even have the greatness 2006 had by virtue of the single design Through the Ages.
But I think 2008 can hold its own.
Le Havre is a fine game, if possibly flawed in the ways you mentioned. Dominion packs a lot of game into a 6 minute stop over at BSW. Pandemic, probably my favorite game released this year, combines simple rules with fun gameplay and seems to be leading to a trend toward development of cooperative games. Stone Age is good. I have not yet played Planet Steam, Cavum, or Diamonds Club enough times to be certain, but they all seem to me to be deep and worthy games. Winsome did some nice work this year. I might even end up liking Confucius at some point.
What did 2005 have beyond Caylus and Kaivai?
Westborough
Massachusetts
I'm sure that comes as a shock...
But I think 2008 can hold its own.
Perhaps it will, in the long term. No year looks best - as I examine them - up close. As time goes by, 2008 could become much better for me. Planet Steam could become a favorite. ...aber bitte mit Sahne could grow on me. Big Points and Hanging Gardens could hold up better than I expect.
But looking at 2008 right now, it looks really bad.
For me, parts of Dominion are fine - not great, but very playable. Other parts just bug me, by enough for me to stay away.
Stone Age, for me, is poor; not awful, but on the borderline.
It's possible; I have had almost no luck with Winsome games, and so I don't seek them out. Age of Scheme didn't do anything for me at all...
I actually didn't (and don't) care for Caylus, and found Kaivai forgettable.
For me, 2005 has:
Great: Indonesia
Really good: 1846, Verflixxt!, Ark, Louis XIV, Heckmeck im Bratwurmeck, Robber Knights, Control Nut, Kreta
Good: Just4Fun, Origin of Falling Water, RailRoad Dice 2, Rapa Nui, 1829 Mainline, 18GL, Deflexion, Diamant, Roma, Alpenexpress, Cherubim, Fjords, O'Kudos, Spinnentwist, Play Gauss
If I simply used these labels with 2008 games, I'd have 0 great, 2 really good, and 6 good, for comparison sake. It is worth noting that I hadn't discovered all of these games in 2005 - but I had found ~2/3 of them...
Silicon Valley
California
For me, 2005 has:
Great: Indonesia
Really good: 1846, Verflixxt!, Ark, Louis XIV, Heckmeck im Bratwurmeck, Robber Knights, Control Nut, Kreta
Good: Just4Fun, Origin of Falling Water, RailRoad Dice 2, Rapa Nui, 1829 Mainline, 18GL, Deflexion, Diamant, Roma, Alpenexpress, Cherubim, Fjords, O'Kudos, Spinnentwist, Play Gauss
Clearly we disagree on a number of these. No way I put Verflixxt!, Louis XIV, or Ark in any kind of Really Good category. Indonesia is more defensible even if I disagree.
But what is more interesting to me is how many of the above games I have not played. How many I had not even heard of prior to reading your list. I have some reading to do...