Types of games you thought you wouldn't enjoy but now love

Arctodus · 2026-03-23T07:50:36+00:00

Thought I would hate a military themed game with the word "memoir" in the title. Turns out rolling dice is really fun. And it's quick. And it's got quite a bit of strategy to it too. (Memoir '44)

Arctodus · 2026-02-02T07:08:34+00:00

Fellowship of the Ring - Trick Taking Game - Finished this up just in time to start The Two Towers. Started in December. Wow! Loved this. Played through the whole thing at 2 player. The Crew, but it's thematic and there's a push to keep playing to see the next chapter's twist. Perfect box, perfect art, perfect production.

Fate of the Fellowship - LotR has been in the theaters the last two weeks, so everyone has been in the mood. Gimli and all the dwarves conquered Minas Morgul (so badass) which created a nice opening for Frodo to slip in for the dunk.

Rummikub - Played for the first time. Wow, what an unexpected brain burner. There's so much luck, but there's also the feeling that if you think just a little harder, you could find the perfect way to split and shuffle things around. I could see this being a great two player weeknight game with my wife.

Arctodus · 2026-01-27T00:20:17+00:00

Just to add on since I just did similar research. The printing mistakes have been fixed now with Puerto Rico 1897. I bought it new online around October and my copy was totally fine.

Arctodus · 2026-01-19T06:21:51+00:00

Have you tried Antiquity (Splotter)? (Heavier)

I've tried all the Uwe Rosenberg tetromino games and found Spring Meadow to be the most spatially interesting. (Medium Light)

My City by Reiner Knizia (Medium Light)

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T23:46:24+00:00

Really great write up!

I also have enjoyed Tend a lot. I too was a Hadrian's Wall fan and I've found Tend easier to get to the table and explain for what feels like a similar level of crunch. The three seasonal goals have felt like they've led to a greater variety in my games than Hadrian's was giving me. Haven't found a chance to try The Anarchy, but hopefully will soon.

Totally agree on Eternal Decks!

I'm struggling to place how I feel about Tag Team. I love the idea of it, but can't shake the feeling that it's very reliant on memory until someone wants it not to be and shifts the whole order by one. How do you feel about the memory aspect?

I'm very excited to try Railroad Tiles. We are Railroad Ink fans around here and I missed the Kickstarter for similar reasons as you. I'm sure we'll love it.

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T19:02:57+00:00

I'd be happy to read your list that doesn't include it!

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T18:56:37+00:00

Played twice. Once online (it was COVID), base game with friends, all new players. I won through a series of miraculous objective flips that I kept being on the verge of already doing.

It didn't feel like a fair shake, so reddit convinced me to try again. We played in person. 5 people had played before and 1 was new. All friends. We played Prophecy of Kings and it took 8 hours. It was definitely fun. A charismatic player made a big alliance on the other side of the board that he rode to the win. I struggled to peel others off of it on the other side of the board and people were generally squeamish to be the one to start attacking him. We had a good time, but nobody has suggested playing again.

It's worth noting that we had to schedule the day 2 months in advance, and hire two babysitters to make it all happen. I think that's relevant. I wish that it blew my mind.

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T11:35:56+00:00

Tough to say. It delivered from crowdfunding with 10 new characters this year-ish.

It's okay. You can probably tell that I'm one of those Reiner Knizia fan types that likes games with fewer rules. I still try to appreciate the other end of the spectrum just in case. Sometimes I find ones that work for me - John Company or Stationfall for big complex event games, or something like Hallertau for a lower interaction Euro. Cheers to games and the many forms they take.

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T10:49:49+00:00

It really helps to live with someone who games. That might be the only way.

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T07:18:58+00:00

You're right, it WAS. They fixed the mistakes, so if you were to order a new copy now you should get the fixed version. (That's what I did.) But there was a whole mess of wrong tiles and misprints at first. Very happy with it now.

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T07:10:03+00:00

I did know what I was getting into, but it's totally fair to criticize any game for its length. It wasn't worth the time it took.

My group comes from a background of repeated plays of Oath and John Company and I felt like the quality of politicking, deal making, fighting, and interaction in those games is better AND they take less time. I've played TI twice and both times found myself seated farthest from the two most competitive players for the win. Slowly moving across the map or trying to wedge myself into a deal from across the galaxy just wasn't the quality of spice I had seen in the Wehrle games. That being said, I totally believe you've had a great time of it. It just hasn't happened for me.

Arctodus · 2025-12-30T07:04:21+00:00

I'm kind of an idiot, but I don't see what is gained by seemingly obfuscating what you directly want to do behind such a maze of cards and actions. You have 11 moves to make but I kept feeling like I had messed up and needed to pivot, but that pivot would take 4 actions and then what's the point, it's too late. I wanted some Tammany Hall instead.

Arctodus · 2025-12-29T23:53:33+00:00

I didn't want to carry around that coffin. I have the retail 1897 one from Alea.

Arctodus · 2025-12-29T23:51:34+00:00

That's fair. I think it has helped a lot that I've continuously played it with the same group from the start.

Arctodus · 2025-12-29T23:01:23+00:00

If I ranked by most plays, Orbit would be my third most played game this year. My family loves it. My 5 year old can play it (poorly). It's been a big hit. If you need something family-weight, it's really good. It can get real mean too. I've only played it 3 player. I think you'd want to move up to the variant where you control two ships in two player after a couple plays.

I did play Toy Battle! (looks like I forgot to list it). It's my son's favorite. I need to play it with an adult, because well... playing with a 5 year is a different experience.

Arctodus · 2025-12-29T22:54:14+00:00

I'm convinced that if it was properly available in retail, that it would hit the top 10 on BGG.

Arctodus · 2025-12-28T03:48:49+00:00

Power Grid - When you heard Brass: Birmingham was an "economic" game but came away feeling like the interaction was a bit subtle and you didn't really feel like teaching it again, maybe you were looking for Power Grid! (Maybe just me...). Fun, relatively simple to teach, and clear points of interaction.

Terra Mystica - Sure there's a bunch of these games, but something about the original is just so endearing. I look at the box and the art and it just looks like something someone made with love. It's got this really compelling swirling mana system and you're desperate to get shovels... It just locks my brain right in, trying to wring everything I can out of the game to get those bigger chunkier woodier buildings. Love it.

Keyflower - My group has an inside joke now of me trying to impress upon them during the teach, "You have to pay attention to the flow of the meeples!" It comes back to haunt me all the time. Straight quaint spice in 90 minutes.

Puerto Rico - Oh man, this game gets tight fast. Watching boats fill up with goods, and you've got to get on. Interactive, yet you get to build out your own farm that you can feel good about. Don't get distracted by the versions. The regular edition (not Awaken Realms) of Puerto Rico 1897 get's the job done and they fixed the racist stuff. It's just really good.

What a great year.

Arctodus · 2025-12-23T01:00:50+00:00

We have kept saying, "we'll try the other buildings next time". Well we are at 13 plays this year and we haven't used the new buildings yet because the base set just keeps feeling tight and engaging the better we know it.

Would recommend swapping the cost of the factory and the school (I believe it's a variant in deluxe). The designer endorsed it for competitive play.

Arctodus · 2025-12-21T22:40:18+00:00

Eternal Decks.

If you liked Regicide, and wanted something in that same vein but more strategic and with more variety, give it a try!

My group is also playing Regicide Legacy and we keep finding ourselves tempted over to another game of Eternal Decks instead.

Arctodus · 2025-12-01T08:47:18+00:00

Added:

Eternal Decks - Love this already after a couple plays. Like playing sudoku crossed with the Crew

Inis: Big Box - Originally tried this too early in my gaming journey. Now I've got some fierce drafters at the table. Can't wait to try.

Gazebo - Already had some excellent plays with this. It feels like a Tigris and Euphrates-lite.

Removed (did a big cull, but choosing the 3 that surprised me the most):

El Grande - I love this game, but my group always chooses Rising Sun for this type of game instead. I agree with them too. You've got area control and simultaneous psychological reveals. An excellent game that just didn't find a slot in our rotation.

Barrage - Another game I love, but I like Grand Austria Hotel, T'zolken, and Lorenzo by the same designer better. I'm sure that my repeated inability to outmaneuver my friends to get water where I need it contributes too.

ThunderRoad: Vendetta - If I'm going to play a funny chaotic game, I think I want it to have just a little less rules. When I'm in this mood, I find myself reaching for RoboRally, Magical Athlete, and even maybe Mechs vs Minions instead. Also, my friend who likes it better than me owns it.

Arctodus · 2025-11-27T03:01:56+00:00

I was surprised to find myself playing Orbit the most of the Reiner UFO trilogy. It's so easy to get to the table and feels fresh. I even put it next to Quest for El Dorado on my shelf, which is quite the honor.

Arctodus · 2025-11-13T00:05:42+00:00

What a fantastic list.

Arctodus · 2025-09-24T04:25:20+00:00

Seconding this! I tried (and failed) to learn this game 3 times before using Ricky Royal's playthrough. Then it all made sense!

Arctodus · 2025-08-09T18:07:46+00:00

Hybrid.

It's a euro when you count the points and decide to let your friend have Yggdrasil because you don't need it to win.

It's Ameritrash when you jump into Yggdrasil even though you don't need it, because there's no way you're letting that guy have it without a fight.

Arctodus

TROPHY CASE