Flamecraft
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/336986/flamecraft
We played the Kickstarter version of this game, so it had nicer components, but this is a really cool game. You have two types of dragons that you can play, either a fancy or an artisan dragon and to play them you with place your dragon (a figurine) on a storefront (you start with a 6 storefronts and new ones are added as the old ones become full) then take one of 2 options:
Gather or Enchant.
Gather – you collect all the resources shown on the shop, each artisan dragon within it and enchantments attached to it. You then have the option to place another artisan dragon as long as it matches the type of dragon allowed on that empty slot. You can then activate any one of the played cards on that shop, i.e. that dragon. Each type of dragon (there are 6 to match the number of resources) has an unique ability.
Enchant – you select one of the face up enchantments, and if it matches the type of storefront, pay the indicated resources and attach it to a storefront. Each enchantment has bonuses that you get immediately. Then, and this is the biggest benefit, you activate each and every one of the dragons in that storefront. In any order.
This was a really nice game – the artwork is exquisite and the version that we had used a neoprene playing mat rather than an actual board. Definitely worth playing!!
Saboteur
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9220/saboteur
I was roped into playing this game at 1:45am when leaving the convention. I am so glad that I was! This, essentially, is a card version of Secret Hitler.
So, in this game, we each get dealt a dwarf card – nobody knows what you are. You are either a normal dwarf or a saboteur. On the table are 3 brown mine cards, face down. Exactly 7 card spaces away, is the starting location. In turn order, we each have to play a card, which is either a path, which is played on the table, connecting to what is already there, or an impediment to someone who we suspect is a saboteur. Oh, you can also play a sabotage card, which basically blows up a section of the path – usually not played until we are getting closer to the brown cards. Now in those mine cards, 2 of them are coal and one of them is gold. The aim of the game is to get to the gold card – for the regular dwarf. If you are a saboteur, you don’t want that to happen. There is also a special card that lets you look at one of the brown mine cards (there is a similar action in Secret Hitler where you get to look at someone’s party card). Once you have played a card, you then draw two cards and we keep playing until either you can’t play a card anymore (discarding a card face up is also a possible action) or there is no way for us to win. I really enjoyed this game and ended up buying it because I believe that I have a board game addiction problem
Colorful
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/268252/colorful
This is a really cool game that comes in a small package and can play up to 6 players.
Essentially, every player gets a deck of different card colors. One player (at random) picks 5 cards and we each draw the same colored card and that becomes our hand.
We then pick a category card, place it on the table, and then in turn order, go through each category. So let’s say that the category is Meals. The first one would be breakfast, the second lunch, the third a snack and the fourth dinner. Player one says one word to describe the breakfast that they are thinking about and plays one of the color cards face down. The other players then have to guess what the first player was thinking of and place their selected color cards face down too. Once they are all done, we move to lunch and player two says a word and so on and so forth. It does wrap around so let’s say that we had 6 players and the 4 categories that I had mentioned, player five would be back on breakfast and player six would do lunch. Conversely, if we had 6 categories and only 4 players, player 1 would take category 5 and player 2 would take category 6.
This is a very likeable game and the size of the box means that it can easily fit into a bag or even a pocket so taking it around is easy and it is fun to play!
Here to Slay
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/299252/here-slay
This game may be considered borderline Medium
This is a role-playing game where each player has a party leader, each one has a different ability. You then play cards from your hand that are heroes or equipment that aid your heroes or hinder your opponents (yes, you can play cards against other players).
There are also monsters in the middle of the table and to fight them, there are 2 dice that you roll. Each monster has 3 requirements:
- The number of heroes required to fight the monster
- The minimum roll of the dice that prevents you from taking a penalty
- The minimum roll of the dice that kills the monster and gives that card to you
Defecting the monster gives you another benefit at the bottom of that card.
The first person to have 6 different kinds of heroes in front of them or to have slayed 3 monsters wins. This can prove difficult because some of the cards let you steal heroes from other players, while others can change the type of hero they are.
Either way, there are some really good options here. There are also a lot of expansions for this, despite it being a relatively new game.
Secret Hitler
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/188834/secret-hitler
Since I mentioned this earlier, it makes sense that I would talk about this game. This is an excellent party game that can cause some rifts because the aim of the game is to bluff. Players are assigned a party card (fascist or liberal) and then a role card (fascist, liberal or Hitler). Everyone closes their eyes and then the fascists alone open their eyes. Then, Hitler is asked to put his/her thumbs up. That way the fascists know who Hitler is, but Hitler doesn’t know who their fellow fascists are.
There are polices (both liberal and fascists) that need to be implemented. Going around the table, each player becomes a President. They then recommend a chancellor and everyone votes on it. If approved, the President then takes 3 policies, examines them and then gives 2 of them to the Chancellor. The Chancellor then plays one of them – either liberal or fascist (there is a board for each). Once the Chancellor plays, then the debate begins. Why did they play that? What were they given? This is where you have to determine who is telling the truth and who is lying.
On the board there are added actions, based upon when a policy is played. They range from being able to see any players party card or assassinating someone they choose. Oh, and if, after the 3rd fascist policy is implemented, we pick Hitler as Chancellor then the fascists win. If we get to implement 5 fascist policies, then the fascists win. If we get to implement 5 liberal policies then the liberals win.
This is a great party game, nomenclature notwithstanding, and something you will enjoy.
Splendor
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/148228/splendor
This is a very good gateway game – to get into something other than the standard Monopoly, Connect 4, etc. In this game, you have to build up collections of gems by collecting gem discs to buy gem cards. As the cards get more expensive (in terms of playing discs or cards to “buy” them), you will see that they also include victory points. The first person to reach a set number of victory points wins. It really is as simple as that. They do have variants of this game – I believe that there is a Marvel version. I taught this to my friend’s daughters (8 and 10) and they love it. My description doesn’t do it justice – this is a really good game!
Coup
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/131357/coup
This is a very simple game in a small form factor. Each player is dealt 2 character cards and then based upon the ability of each card, when it is their turn, they take an action. Here’s the thing – you can bluff! For example, I could say that I have a Duke and via his special ability, I am taking 3 coins from the treasury. If someone doesn’t believe me, they can challenge me. At that point, if I have a Duke, I reveal it and then they have to place one of their character cards face up on the table. It is now out of the game. I then place my Duke back in the deck and draw a fresh one to replace it. If I didn’t have a Duke, I then have to place one of my character cards face up in front of me. Here’s another kicker – when you reach a certain amount of money, you have to kill an opponent, i.e. force them to place one of their character cards face up in front of them. This is a really cool game with bluffing and lots of intrigue.
Mysterium
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/181304/mysterium
This is getting a little more complex now, but just as much fun. Mysterium is like a more complex game of Clue or “Who done it”. In this game, one player is the “Ghost” or facilitator, and they basically run the game. They will place a tableau of 3 sets of cards. One is a location, the second is a person and the third is a weapon. Now for each of the players, the Ghost has selected a person, place and object for each of them, i.e. who was killed, where they were killed and what was used to kill them. The game is cooperative, i.e. we only win together. But I have gone too far. How does this game work? Well, the Ghost gives each player a set of up to 7 cards that they believe will help the player identify the card that they are looking for, one at a time. Once you have your cards, we can start discussing which ones they most likely match. Once everyone has their cards, the clock starts (2 minutes). You have to pick your most likely card that is face up by placing a token on it. Other folks can then bet on that by either placing a token on the one that you have selected, or if they feel that you have made a mistake, place the token on another card. Then once everyone has placed, the Ghost reveals which ones are correct. They get to take those face up cards and move up to the next level ( I believe it is person, place and object). What is the benefit of voting? Well, you get points on a little chart at the top of the game and it comes in useful later.
There are 7 or 8 hours for each player to identify their character, where they were killed and with what. If that doesn’t happen, the game is over and we all lose. If we all do make it, then the Ghost at random picks one set from us and makes that the final challenge. He will then take 1 card each for person, place and object. and place them face down in front of us. Now, based upon the points that you have accumulated by betting, you will get to see either 1, 2 or 3 of the cards. Then, without discussion, you must bet on which set is the final set. If the majority guesses correctly then we all win! If there is a tie, then the tie is broken by the player with the most points.
The artwork is really nice in this game and the fact that we can discuss it for most of the game makes it more inclusive.
Try. these for now, and see if you like them. I can add more complex ones once you tell me which of these you like! Sorry it took me so long to put this together!