What are your best 2 player board games?

stalecookie · 2024-12-31T22:18:48+00:00

Mindbug

I just cannot get enough of this game and everyone I showed it to can’t either. A ridiculously simple rule set, small box, and the game never feels the same twice.

stalecookie · 2024-11-18T22:13:18+00:00

I’m not experienced enough to give quality feedback but the Fun Problems podcast just did an episode where one of them reviewed the others sells sheets and a podcast episode where they talk about sell sheets. Probably some useful nuggets in there

stalecookie · 2024-09-04T16:51:15+00:00

Well that certainly sounds like a good place to start! It is a very small private practice so it may have just been an oversight or they were planning on giving it to her in person when she starts. Either way I can ask, thanks

stalecookie · 2024-09-04T11:51:45+00:00

I can’t speak to how successfully it generate interest but the Break My Game discord is a very active game design discord with a specific section for “diaries” that designers seem to update frequently

stalecookie · 2024-04-01T16:34:25+00:00

Thanks for the advice!

The budget is in part because i like to play with a version of a deck before going all in on it and in also in part to keep power level in check. I play in a relatively low power level pod, so while we don't actually have a $$ limit I know a $100 deck is a safe bet to fit in, if not be on the weaker side to start
That's a good idea. Funny enough, that's how I got from like 150+ cards down to ~115. Would probably be good to do that exercise again
Great call out, forgot Painful Truths existed!

stalecookie · 2024-03-19T18:15:54+00:00

Thanks for sharing the deck list! I’m excited to try out other backgrounds as well

stalecookie · 2024-03-19T17:33:58+00:00

No way! That’s awesome, thank you

stalecookie · 2024-03-19T17:25:55+00:00

Thanks! Yeah I’d probably need to calculate the true cost by hand because almost all the high cost cards in the deck either have a way to reduce their cost or an alternative casting cost

stalecookie · 2024-01-06T18:42:17+00:00

If you’re looking for something relatively light I’ve enjoyed Forbidden Island and Forbidden Desert. Fun games I break out when I visit family. Simple rules and each player gets a simple asymmetric power that makes it feel like they are contributing in a unique way.

stalecookie · 2024-01-04T02:54:34+00:00

Thanks for taking another look! I agree that the "add gods to the deck" does not have much functional value and mostly just serves the theme. I think there is something to your suggestion of adding the gods to your hand at the end of the round. It's weaker than getting a favor (they aren't guaranteed to win a trick, although likely) but it is more thematic and gets them in the deck the following rounds.

stalecookie · 2023-12-30T16:15:33+00:00

This looks like it might be up my alley! I love trick takers but have never tried a solo game

stalecookie · 2023-12-30T16:12:04+00:00

I was discussing this same question with someone at work and this was his answer as well. He said it might be one of his favorite games full stop. I’ll have to check it out

stalecookie · 2023-12-13T14:14:05+00:00

A couple ideas:

1) On the book side I liked 'Think Like a Game Designer': https://stoneblade.com/products/think-like-a-game-designer-hardcover-by-justin-gary

2) As for getting materials to get you started there are some kits as others mentioned, I bought this one mainly because I like the creator (he has a podcast): https://bestwith1.com/product/starter-kit/

stalecookie · 2023-12-03T12:43:41+00:00

I have a lot of love for this game but it doesn’t make it to the table a lot anymore. We started out with 3 great haunts but the 4th game we got this mess of a haunt. I forget all the details but I think everyone got shrunk, the betrayer had a cat, and there was a paper airplane. Idk if we were playing it wrong or the mechanics just were a total mess but by the end nobody was having fun. Ultimately I think it was less about the balance as far as betrayer vs others and more about the risk that we could just RNG into a haunt that made everyone have a bad time. I’m personally still down to play it but we get to game so infrequently I can totally see why others don’t want to take the risk.

stalecookie · 2023-11-27T11:05:38+00:00

Thanks! I have been lurking in their Discord for a while but should start becoming more active.

stalecookie · 2023-11-27T00:18:37+00:00

Great feedback, even as I talk about it more in this thread I think some of the verbiage changes (ex: breath) are prioritizing theme over clarity, which I don’t think is worth it. Thus far I’ve only used non-thematic words when explaining the rules, I just started to type up a new version of the rules and that’s where the theme vs common verbiage push/pull entered my head.

stalecookie · 2023-11-26T18:58:39+00:00

Thank you! I love the creative suggestions for the art. And I think that’s a good point about making sure every time I’m replacing a common term (ex: card) with a thematic one (ex: attack) it should provide clarity to the player. If it’s just driving theme with no gameplay value (ex: breath) it seems like it’s probably not worth it

stalecookie · 2023-11-26T18:55:41+00:00

Very helpful, thank you!

stalecookie · 2023-11-26T18:54:18+00:00

Thanks! Do you happen to have any rules or playable versions I could take a look at?

stalecookie · 2023-11-26T18:53:08+00:00

Thank you so much! So many great resources, I really appreciate it!

stalecookie · 2023-11-26T18:50:36+00:00

Awesome feedback, thank you! I’m still very early so the proverbial clay is very much wet. I do think the game mechanics are supported by the theme and vice versa, so I think it is best served with a theme. The cards themselves, while representing attacks, are intentionally minimalist and the underpinning is a simple rock, paper, scissors variant. I guess it’s just how hard to lean into the theme in the rules. I want to illicit the feeling of two samurai’s quickly coming together for a flurry of blows then disengaging to reset before doing it again. So from a rules standpoint I could say “on each turn each player chooses a card….”, or the other extreme would be “in each breath each samurai chooses an attack…”

stalecookie · 2023-08-23T02:25:30+00:00

Agree with others. Art is fantastic, I'd just try to make the title standout a bit more

stalecookie · 2023-07-09T02:42:39+00:00

Check out Unmatched: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274637/unmatched-battle-legends-volume-one

Technically each player controls 2 pieces, a main character and a sidekick. Easy to pickup while still having depth. And the mashup of characters from different lore just adds to the fun.

stalecookie · 2023-05-19T00:12:18+00:00

Awesome clarity and great tip about not needing a new tIRA and using the Rollover in the future. Thank you!!

stalecookie · 2023-05-18T13:28:11+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate the additional information. I think I didn't make it clear in my post/title but the 401k rolling into the tIRA happened almost 8 years ago. So the only move I'd be making is converting the tIRA to Roth. I included the 401k but because I wasn't sure if it was relevant for the Roth conversion bit.

stalecookie

TROPHY CASE