Can I just lament about BGStats share image, your options are often 3×3 image 4×4 or 5×5 images. I feel like if you could do something like 4×5 or stuff in between it may make it so much better. Instead we crop things! Well anyway lets get on with the show.
Everything I played!
My Initial thoughts staring at this is that it was a lot of kids games this month but some definite good stuff that I enjoyed and glad I got out.
The Good:
Clans of Caledonia: I got Clans of Caledonia back to the table with the expansion. Now we didn’t use all the expansion features (because I haven’t played the game in like 2 years), but there were some modules that integrated very well, mostly in getting to see what contracts were coming up and additional player powers/start cards. Overall the game was quite close with all of us finishing within 3 points of each other (and me taking the win). Now the real issue was one player getting a little tunneled in his goal and not realizing overdoing it on some objectives to win by the settlement count bonus at 12 to the rest of us having like 6 or 7. If he had shifted in his priorities he would have been able to put together another contract or some points elsewhere to easily get 10-20 points more than us. But then again, never stop an opponent when they are making a mistake!
Zoo Vadis: This was my Secret Santa gift from the 2025 secret Santa. I got to play it with my wife my 9 year old and a friend the day we got it. I have been eyeing Zoo Vadis since the reprint but was unable to spring for it, mostly because my local store doesn’t carry it and I only really like to make orders from others stores for “significant purchases” (IYKYK) so it was relegated to my wishlist and finally after all these years someone actually went and got it for me. The game ended up working quite well. The system really does help that deal making is to your advantage and helps you and a player out. You almost want to spread the help out to others as helping only one person makes them a threat to you in points. While my 9 year old didn’t participate as much in the co-operation (you know how those pre-teens are) I think he saw the value of it by the end. The game ended with me not having the most points, but winning due to actually getting a person in the final spaces, the other two players in the final spaces didn’t have a chance to get as many points as me so that helped out.
So Clover: This is the word game I ultimately end up coming back to the most. It feels like a lot of game and lets people be quite clever, the funniest thing is watching the same group get almost perfect points followed by some of the worst score imaginable. That being said we can always blame the alcohol….
Dropolter: Continues to be a fun game to remind me of how incredibly bad I am at finger dexterity. Won’t stop me from suggesting it though, people always have a riot with this one.
Hot Streak: Nothing new to add but its great every time. Stupid mascot races are great!
The Bad:
Snowdonia: Ughh….so look man, Snowdonia is a fine game, in fact I think it has a really clever timing mechanism with the way that the event cubes work and the bag as a whole, but I can just never get into this. This game in particular was played because I (and several others) were at least a bit tempted by the new crowdfunding effort so I whipped out the ol’ game to try it out. Looking at it, I appreciate the system but I don’t see myself needing more of it in my life. This is going on the “for sale” pile and I hope it can leave my house at some point because I just don’t need it anymore in my collection.
Minecraft Portal Dash: I thought we were done with this game, my kid literally asked me to sell it for him (and give him the proceeds…i’m not a monster). Then went out several months later to rebuy it. I don’t think it is so bad as it is just too long for what it is and the dice are too….wacky for what they are. A few badly times rolls and you can lose before you even have any real decisions to make. The other thing is sometimes just getting from point A to point B is the harder part of the game as opposed to just having to deal with the actual monsters and attacking.
The Rest (A.K.A. Kiddy Corner):
Monopoly Pokemon: I am consistently proven that Hasbro can make a mostly painless monopoly game. The Pokemon variant actually has very little money (or in this game pokeballs) in the system and very very few ways for money to enter the system and several ways for it to leave. It also has a win condition that completely ignores money! (This is a good thing trust me). The game is interesting and pushes forward some fun trade opportunity and a lot of actually selling back locations for the pokeballs they offer. My kiddo got it as a birthday gift and I have definitely played worse. It also plays faster than the Mario Gamer Monopoly which is a plus.
Rami Romi: The “namesake” game as I call it is still a fun Rummy variant that has quite a bit of luck but does have some interesting choices mixed in and plays sufficiently quickly. Good for a “our brains are kinda dead” kinda evening.
Hopes for next month:
Ohh this one is a toughie. December is a mess usually of family commitments and birthday parties for the kids and the holidays. I am not anticipating much gaming. Maybe some small things with friends but I feel like the next month will be a sparse one….though I am sure there will be some kiddo games in there so it won’t be completely empty. Who knows maybe I will be surprised!
Till next month!