Game Night

AHHHH, it’s almost like the “Good Ole Days.” Back in Cigar Town when I was a young pup in CC and working part-time, me and the guys (just 2, maybe 3) had Gaming Tuesday (or was it Thursdays?). We started out with Dungeon & Dragons but we got lazy and turned to board games. While it was the height of the collectable card game craze, the other guys weren’t really into playing and collecting (besides I suck at Magic: The Gathering). We played Dragon Dice (a collectable dice game, but I had all the dice), Cosmic Wimpout and lots of Robo Rally. One guy wanted to play Wooden Ships and Iron Men but we resisted. It has so many charts, forms and tiny, tiny ship tiles. I like bits and pieces but this was just too much. Games shouldn’t require more effort than taxes. We did play once, but it was horrible.

All my gaming stopped when I when to University (say it in your head with a British accent). My roommates didn’t play any games and neither did any of my friends. Though I did get a few people to play Before I Kill You, Mr. Bond. I went to the local game store for game day once and played Mississippi Queen, a great game of riverboat racing, but I never went back. It all seemed too dorky and for some reason I was determined to leave my gaming behind. I was at University now! I didn’t even play video games: I had sold my Nintendo 64 and my computer was to craptacular to play anything good.

While I’ve gotten back in to video games, I hadn’t started to game again. No one that I know seems to be up for RPGs, but more casual games are a different story.

A few weeks ago I picked up Carcassonne. I’m not to sure why I bought it. I think some blog mentioned it then I saw it in a store. I brought it home and begged The Cat to play with Cecil, Barnelia and myself, whom are open to board games. Everyone but The Cat loves it (it isn’t her bag) and we play a game most times we get together. We’ve even been able to rope some others into playing. I’m thrilled that C & B (especially Barnelia) enjoy playing. It’s great to be able to play some games again with people that are eager to play.

Carcassonne a quality game; great rules with a good balance of luck and skill and great construction (Meeples are just so cute). I love games that you can add to with expansions and Carcassonne has some great ones. So we’ve added to the game making a bit more complex, adversarial and fun. It’s the mark of a well designed game that you can add so much to it and it still remains the same game with out “breaking.”

I dug out my copy of Settlers of Catan and we liked that too. Well, we only played one game, but I think everyone is up for another. They are both medieval building games and are similar but not the same. I like Catan but prefer Carcassonne.

Almost any board game searches on the Internet lead you to boardgamegeek.com. I’ve been poking around looking for “the next game.” Both Catan and Carcassonne are German-style board games and winners of the Spiel des Jahres award. The 2005 winner, Niagara, looks just perfect: wooden canoes, a movable board, hot gem mining action and an expansion that involves a plastic beaver. Now that sounds like a fun game.

I don’t plan to buy as many games as I used to but a few couldn’t hurt. I no longer buy crap video games (read reviews before you buy kids) and have been happier for it. The same can hold true for board games.