O.K. I've gotten into the board game hobby over the last few years and have been making a collection of games. It occurred to me this Christmas that if I wanted to play more often, I should add a few dedicated 2-player games to the mix. With that in mind, my wife received Lost Cities for Christmas. It took me into January to get my wife to play her first game of Lost Cities, but after that first game, there has been no stopping her. Lost Cities has easily become our most played game. In fact, for the first time, my wife is the one proposing we play. I'm taking a moment to reflect on why.

Playing Time:
Lost Cities is a short game. We typically finish a single game in 10 minutes. We play 3 games to determine a session winner, so victory usually occurs within 30 minutes. The 3 game format means that we can "pause" the game to get dinner on the table, or for any of the many other reasons any busy family household may have. Unlike a game with a significant game board, Lost Cities can be easily set aside in the middle of a session with no danger of "knocking things about".

Balance:
After more than 80 games, our record against each other is roughly 50/50. We love a game that neither of us can dominate, and a victory is often only 30 minutes away, even after the most humbling defeat. The strategies of Lost Cities seem easy to grasp within a few games, so that neither of us has significant "grasp of the game advantage". The random draw of cards can obviously tip the scales, but we find the game provides enough scope that this is rarely overwhelming. Even if it is, the 3 game sessions format means that there are plenty of opportunities for the luck of the draw to swing the other way. Even with some luck involved, we have found plenty of clever strategies to apply in the face of less than perfect card draws.

Presentation:
The illustrations on the board and the cards are attractive and detailed. The card values are clear and easy to read, although my wife suggests it would be more convenient to have the numbers on both ends of the cards. We have taken the time to lay out the complete set of cards for each expedition just to see the journey unfold. After more than 80 plays, the cards continue to hold up, showing only the most minor wear on the edges. That said, while the game uses its theme to provide attractiveness, we don't really feel the theme during play. Fortunately, that has not hampered our enjoyment of the game.

Engagement:
We tend to play Lost Cities quickly. We don't feel the need for extended delays for analysis. Yes, there are times we stop and count cards and weigh the next steps in the balance, but the dreaded Analysis Paralysis does not rear its ugly head. I suspect we both do most of our planning during the other's turn, so we rarely ever experience any downtime. Some have suggested that the "math" involved in the scoring detracts from the game. I suppose as an engineer, I hardly consider a little addition, subtraction, or simple multiplication to be significant math. And neither does my nurse/teacher wife; she often just pulls 20 points out of the expedition during the scoring to avoid the subtraction step altogether. Lost Cities has a high degree of replayability for us. I'm sure we'll wear it out eventually, but for now the feel is a lot like any classic card game (hearts, spades, euchre, etc.): we are quite happy to sit down for another play.

Special Consideration:
As the BoardGameGeek of the family, I really appreciated finding a game where my wife asks me to play. She is usually quite willing to play a game at my suggestion, but it is so refreshing for me to be asked to play.

Great review. My experiences with the game are similar.

My wife likes the game too -- it's one of the few that she'll play.

Here's what I do with decks that start to get worn: I give 'em away to non-gamers that I've taught the game to.

Stuck someplace for a while, like a hospital waiting room? Teach someone how to play, get in a few games/hours, then give it away.

Then get yourself a new copy (or have one still in shrink like I do). You've earned a fresh deck and a possible new opponent.

I've given 2 copies away so far, with current set starting to see a little bit of wear...

Great idea, Jim! What a great way to "spread the joy".

Definitely a fun game, great because it's quick and 2 players.

Everyone's wife loves Lost Cities

Let me add my name to the rolls of BGG Husbands trounced by their wives in this game. Crushed 2 times in a row.