Welcome to Sarah’s fourth annual best board game Top 10 (does that make her eligible for ‘long suffering’ status yet? I expect so). It feels like we’ve played as many games as usual over the past 12 months. And, luckily for me, her enthusiasm to play hasn’t waned.
She’d like to play less new games (sorry!), but overall I think she’s still having fun. Or, as a mother of two (three including me) and a primary school teacher, she masks it well!
There are a record three new entries on this year’s list, plus one old favourite returns. And, for the first time, there are two games I’d consider euro games on the list. Who knows – this time next year, it could all be four-hour war games… Anyway, in her own words and categories but in no particular order (links go to my reviews):
Building some routes
- Ticket to Ride (2-5 players, 90 minutes, ages 8+) A longstanding Sunday morning favourite. Love trying to coordinate routes and aim to improve at winning the bonuses.
- Thurn and Taxis (2-4 players, 60 minutes, ages 10+) Another longstanding route building favourite. Love looking at maps of Germany showing the towns.
- NEW! Foothills (2 players, 45 mins, ages 10+) Not sure if it’s really route building, but I love the track and station building and the tricky decisions of which actions to use.
Building an area and nice art work
- Welcome To (2-4 players, 30 minutes, ages 10+) Fun constructing a little neighbourhood and trying to achieve the targets on the cards. And great to play the proper rules nowadays! (Oops… – Chris)
- NEW! Remember Our Trip (2-4 players, 45 mins, ages 10+) Again, it’s fun to construct a little area and enjoy the commentary on ‘remembering’ things. You should have placed a bet! (I flagged this on the 2021 list – Chris)
- Uptown (2-4 players, 45 minutes, ages 8+) Just a beautiful abstract. An ongoing challenge… and the anticipation and hope as you take your next tile…
Randoms
- NEW! Lost Ruins of Arnak (2-4 players, 60-90 mins, ages 12+) Another new entry that has really grabbed me and I aim to play enough so that I just know it and can avoid listening to rules!
- Oracle of Delphi (2-4 players, 90 minutes, ages 12+) Still my favourite more challenging (for me) game. I think I have improved at using the gods…
- Targi (2 players, 45 mins, ages 10+) Another one I just enjoy, and love being able to just get on and play.
- Codenames Duet (2 players, 30 minutes, ages 12+) Pleased to have it back on the list. If TTR is a Sunday morning favourite, this is a Friday evening favourite.
Some stats (by Chris, you know, just cos…)
Only four games are now ever-presents on Sarah’s list, having appeared all four times: Oracle of Delphi, Ticket to Ride, Thurn & Taxis and Uptown. Codenames Duet is the first game to appear back on the list after dropping off for a year.
There were a strangely low number of abstracts this year – just the ever-present Uptown, really. I have to say I was surprised to see Azul and Adios Calavera drop off the list, along with Kingdomino (abstract? Discuss).
My Top 40 will be along in May. And at a guess, six of these 10 will be on it. But which…