MJ's Games Played in 1998 | Back to MJ's Games Played in ...
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Ah yes, the second time I've managed to put together a "Games Played" listing for the prior year. I thorougly enjoy reading through everyone else's lists, be they long or short, using whatever format or ranking system. I'm doing mine a little different from last year's, hopeful that this will be more useful for other readers (comments one way or the other are appreciated).
I've split my list into wargames (consims) and all the rest. I know there are some games such as History of the World that blur this distinction, but it's still clear and meaningful enough to me. For both lists, I show the name of the game, the number of times I played it in 1998 (with a + symbol if I played it at least once last year, too--supposed to give some crude measure of a game's staying power), an A-F letter grade, and a one-liner comment. On the latter, of course there's no way to say something particularly insightful in such a small space, but at the least it could spark further conversation (public or private). Oh, and for those of you that prefer 1-10 ratings, figure A=9, B=7, etc.
I know I played some hearts, cribbage, and poker so on during the year, as well, three classic games that I thoroughly enjoy (A ratings, all). Mexican Train dominoes gets special mention since it's something I get to play with my in-laws! :-)
P.S. In case you're wondering, the games are sorted first by wargame/non-wargame, then letter grade, times played, and finally title.
Wargames
Game
|
Times Played
|
Rating
|
Comment
|
Gettysburg ('88 ed.)
|
4+
|
A
|
Just a great light hexmap wargame
|
Napoleon
|
1
|
A
|
Might not withstand replay, though
|
Victory
|
1
|
A
|
Shot onto my wishlist in a heartbeat
|
|
|
|
|
We The People
|
3+
|
B
|
Xmas present! Will probably rise to A
|
Olympica
|
2
|
B
|
Microgame! Often overlooked
|
Black Hole
|
1
|
B
|
Another micro, gamey but fun
|
Down In Flames (campaign)
|
1+
|
B
|
Where this game really shines
|
Guerilla
|
1
|
B
|
I enjoy card-based wargames
|
Starship Troopers
|
1
|
B
|
As light as fluff, but still fun
|
Storm over Arnhem
|
1
|
B
|
I wish Breakout Normandy was this quick
|
Up Front
|
1+
|
B
|
Only once?!? Must do better next year
|
|
|
|
|
Down In Flames (dogfight)
|
2+
|
C
|
Less real, more gamey (but quick)
|
Austerlitz
|
1
|
C
|
Dated, but still enjoyable
|
Lee vs Meade
|
1
|
C
|
More interesting than good
|
Scotland the Brave
|
1
|
C
|
A little top-heavy on the chrome
|
Shapeshifters
|
1
|
C
|
Would improve with for better scenarios
|
The Castle
|
1
|
C
|
Fun for what it is
|
Victory in Normandy
|
1
|
C
|
Good ideas, but looped over & over
|
|
|
|
|
Twilight's Last Gleaming
|
1
|
F
|
Computer game minus the computer
|
Note: + means I want to play the game again soon
Board/Party/Card Games
Game
|
Times Played
|
Rating
|
Comment
|
Bohnanza
|
18+
|
A
|
A bit played out, but still popular
|
En Garde
|
9+
|
A
|
My favorite filler of all
|
Entdecker
|
9+
|
A
|
Less luck than many think, I feel
|
Mississippi Queen
|
5+
|
A
|
see above
|
Can't Stop
|
2
|
A
|
Classic!
|
Euphrat & Tigris
|
2
|
A
|
A rare mind-bender I enjoy
|
Marracash
|
1
|
A
|
Colors! Bidding! Colors!
|
Medici
|
2+
|
A
|
Overshadows Modern Art
|
Settlers of Catan
|
2+
|
A
|
Still has some life left
|
Survive!
|
1
|
A
|
Might drop, but has wife-potential
|
|
|
|
|
Get The Goods/Reibach & Co
|
10
|
B
|
The distillation of several good ideas
|
Musketiere
|
9+
|
B
|
Semi-brainless, mucho fun
|
For Sale
|
5+
|
B
|
Best strategy/minute game around
|
Dragon Dice
|
3
|
B
|
A surprise gift, and surprisingly fun
|
Detroit/Cleveland GP
|
2+
|
B
|
Gotta play this more, could be an A
|
Durch Die Wuste
|
2
|
B
|
Best bits of 1998
|
El Caballero
|
2
|
B
|
My friends groan, but I like it
|
Lamarckian Poker
|
2+
|
B
|
I think there's something to this one
|
Modern Art
|
2
|
B
|
A more cerebral Medici
|
Schnappen Jagd
|
2
|
B
|
Will go A or C with more plays
|
Wildlife Adventure
|
2+
|
B
|
Great theme/presentation, ok game
|
Air Baron
|
1+
|
B
|
Under played! Very competitive
|
Bohnanza (La Isla Bohnita)
|
1
|
B
|
Too much of a good thing, perhaps
|
Elfenlands
|
1
|
B
|
Played the old -roads game with it
|
Fossil
|
1
|
B
|
Kind of dry, but looks & plays nice
|
Hattrick
|
1
|
B
|
Unassuming, but worthwhile
|
Hornoschen
|
1
|
B
|
Take 6 and then some
|
Kohle, Kie$, & Knete
|
1
|
B
|
A good 'un, will probably go up
|
Liar's Dice
|
1
|
B
|
Another classic
|
Member's Only
|
1
|
B
|
Better than I'd thought
|
Palmyra
|
1
|
B
|
Got creamed, gotta try again
|
Razzia
|
1+
|
B
|
Dropping, but useful for big groups
|
Samurai
|
1
|
B
|
Randomness makes the game
|
Streetcar
|
1+
|
B
|
Underrated? Maybe
|
Svea Rike
|
1
|
B
|
Problems? Yea, but what a great game!
|
The Great Dalmuti
|
1+
|
B
|
Great for what it is
|
WizWar
|
1
|
B
|
Getting creaky? Still interesting
|
Zum Kuckuck
|
1
|
B
|
Replayed hands make game good, long
|
|
|
|
|
Dominoes (Mexican Train)
|
7
|
C
|
A favorite of my in-laws
|
Airlines
|
3
|
C
|
A little dry & drawn-out for me
|
Dune
|
2
|
C
|
Recent games have been weird
|
Katzenjammer Blues
|
2
|
C
|
I'd rather play Lamarckian Poker
|
Settlers (Stadte & Ritter)
|
2
|
C
|
Way too much of a good thing
|
Take It Easy
|
2
|
C
|
More puzzle than game, for me
|
12 Caesars
|
1
|
C
|
Not bad for mainstream America
|
Auf Asche
|
1
|
C
|
Better than crayon rails, at least
|
Auf Heller und Pfennig
|
1
|
C
|
Nice-looking, but flavorless
|
Ben Hvrt
|
1+
|
C
|
Mucho problems, mucho fun (tweak it)
|
Blockade
|
1
|
C
|
A good abstract is only so-so w/ me
|
Condotierre
|
1
|
C
|
Can go loooooooooong
|
El Grande
|
1+
|
C
|
It just doesn't work for me
|
Groo
|
1+
|
C
|
Too darned random, yet worthwhile
|
Iron Horse
|
1
|
C
|
Makes my eyes hurt, but pretty good
|
Junta
|
1
|
C
|
Very dated, still has great ideas
|
Lowenherz
|
1
|
C
|
Water! Water! It's so dry!! :-)
|
Manhattan
|
1
|
C
|
As above, really
|
McGartlin Motor Sport
|
1
|
C
|
Good card-race game (with 3-4)
|
Monster Derby
|
1
|
C
|
Clunky game--almost works great
|
Quarter Latien
|
1
|
C
|
A bit too thin
|
Raj
|
1
|
C
|
Good bits, good price
|
Screaming Eagles
|
1
|
C
|
Fluffy, but wait til my son grows up!
|
Settlers (card game)
|
1
|
C
|
I didn't like the tenor of play
|
The Last Paradise
|
1
|
C
|
Neat theme+mechanics <> a neat game
|
Titan: The Arena
|
1
|
C
|
Too long for what it is
|
Tractix
|
1
|
C
|
Good bits, good abstract
|
Tutanchamun
|
1+
|
C
|
Dryness can't kill a unique game
|
Ursuppe
|
1
|
C
|
Spot-on theme for me, but mechanical
|
Venture
|
1
|
C
|
Mid & end-game are too calculating
|
Viva Pamplona
|
1
|
C
|
Too random? Fun anyway.
|
Waldmeister
|
1
|
C
|
Great green theme, but clunky
|
|
|
|
|
Der Ausreisser
|
3
|
D
|
I don't understand the appeal
|
Express Chess
|
2
|
D
|
I didn't give it much of a chance
|
Give Me The Brain
|
3+
|
D
|
Good until the jokes run out
|
Cathedral
|
2
|
D
|
Competitive puzzle--no thanks
|
Before...Mr. Bond
|
1+
|
D
|
See Brain, above
|
Honor of the Samurai
|
1
|
D
|
6 players = long & boring
|
Kill Dr. Lucky
|
1
|
D
|
More strategy, fewer jokes
|
Princess Ryan's SM
|
1
|
D
|
Total blowout, should try again
|
Undercover
|
1
|
D
|
There are better fillers around
|