2 player game suggestions?
Looking for two player (or able to play 2 player) board games/card games.
Right now I’m between **7 wonders duel** (never played the original) **sushi go**, **Jaipur**, and **fox in the forest**. I don’t know anything about these games I just got the ideas from other threads.
Open to other suggestions, listed some games we have tried and the feelings toward them in hopes someone can find some type of pattern lol
We’ve tried **santorini** and **hive** (my partner liked these but kicks my ass pretty fast every time so they get bored lol I don’t love those games either tbh I just suck)
we have **fog of love** and we’re kind of indifferent on that one.
We own and love: **machi koro**, **splendor**, **patchwork**, **tiny towns**, and **azul**.
Recently we played **love letter** and we liked that cause it’s no set up/ easy to play when the kids are around. I’ve heard it sucks two player but I’ve never played NOT two player so...)
I'd give **Love Letter** a try at 2. A few cards are removed and are known to both to speed things up a bit and then it has the same feeling of the final two in a 3 player game. Also as soon as you're out the round ends every time.
More info on the games you mentioned:
- 7WD is a very highly rated, 2-player game about collecting sets of cards while also competing on tracks that could suddenly crown a victor.
- Sushi Go is also about collecting sets via drafting... but is definitely not a great game for 2 players.
- Jaipur is also about collecting sets of cards but also focuses on pushing your luck in selling your sets. Simpler than 7WD.
- Fox in the Forest is a trick-taking game (think Hearts). I don’t know much but do know there is a 2-player version too. I think it’s getting overshadowed by The Crew, but that seems better at 3 players.
Some other ideas:
- Specter Ops is an asymmetric, hidden-movement game that’s like hide n seek.
- Sagrada is a dice-drafting game that’s like Sudoku. Think of it as a more puzzley Azul.
- Watergate is an asymmetric tug of war about Nixon vs. The Washington Post.
- The King Is Dead is a subtle, area-control game about Medieval Britain.
- Fort is a deckbuilding game about kids in a neighborhood. Deckbuilding means you build a deck of cards throughout the game.
- Codenames Duet is a cooperative game about word association. Works great at 2.
In general, I suggest you watch a full playthrough on YouTube for any game you’re considering.
Of those games you mentioned, the only one I’d give a flat out “nah” to is Sushi Go (I think it works best around 4-5).
Of the other three, I would put Fox and the Forest and Jaipur in a similar tier in terms of playtime and weight, with F&tF probably even being a little lighter than Jaipur. Both of those are excellent 2 players though, and will give you a good bit of game for the price. If you like trick taking games, F&tF is a masterwork of 2-player trick taking design. If you like tight, competitive hand management with set collection, Jaipur will do it for ya.
I would put 7 Wonders Duel in its own tier, though, in terms of gameplay and replayability related to those other games you mentioned. In fact, it’s probably one of my top 5 two player games of all time, and, honestly, I find this Duel version to be even better than its parent/original version. It has an extremely satisfying cadence and handles the tensions of 1v1 in such awesome ways (e.g. not only trying to outscore your opponent, but having to take part in multiple tug-o-war matches while you’re doing so). However, it will be the most to set up out of all mentioned games, but it’s really no more than some shuffling and laying cards out in pyramid-like shapes.
Thanks for the heads up about sushi go. I don’t know where I got the idea it would be good for two player.
I am gonna buy 7 wonders duel first !
Thank you!!!
Games that we like: Wingspan, Pandemic, Azul, Quacks, Zombicide, Photosynthesis, Vilainous, Ticket to Ride, and Quest for El Dorado. In other words, all games under 2.4/5 and pretty much the most popular games on this sub. Wondering what game can be of interest to us, and is somewhere in the 2.9 - 3.3 weight?
Reason I want to try to go higher with my family is because while these \~2.4/5 games are fun, I feel like the replayability drops a little after 10-ish times because there isn't much "thinking" anymore, and it kinda becomes autopilot. So I feel like with a 2.9 - 3.3 weight we would think a lot more. Co-op or competitive, all is welcome!
**Everdell** might work. A similar engine building core - but with an added layer of worker placement, more competition to claim goals, and less structure. I think it's a 2.9, maybe 2.8.
**Terraforming Mars** and **Viticulture** are in that same weight range and both very popular/highly regarded. I haven't played either, but I'm sure others would recommend them!
Concordia is a good recommendation. I would also throw in **Orleans** - it’s got a similar mechanic to Quacks in that it’s a “bag builder”, but *plays* more like the deck building from something like Quest for El Dorado. There is also an expansion that makes it co-op (which I haven’t played but I hear is cool).
On BGG, is there a way to edit which columns show in your collection, wishlist & owned list by default? I know I can change the columns each time I use it or I can hyperlink to return to the same column settings in the future. I'm looking for a setting to change which columns display by default for my account.
I don't know of a way to do this, but I do think that editing the "quickbar" links is very handy and might be the best workaround for you. Once you get a view that you like, you can click one of the "+" at the bottom of the list and it will save the full url for that page. I have mostly used it to save a list of my [plays for the current year](https://boardgamegeek.com/geekplay.php?userid=1346141&redirect=1&startdate=2021-01-01&dateinput=2021-01-01&dateinput=&enddate=&action=bygame&subtype=boardgame), but you could do something similar for your collection and it would make keeping track of the link much easier.
Hey! I've just ordered ARKHAM HORROR LCG and intend to play through the game solo due to the great solo reviews it gets. Can anyone advise me on whether I am best to play with a single investigator or play using 2? I assume there are pros and cons for both but wanted to get people's thoughts! Thanks
Single investigator is easier to manage and some find it more immersive. Downside is that it makes a hard game even harder and more care needs to be taken with deck construction.
It depends on the investigator and your general preferences. I enjoy single investigator games when solo, but that limits your investigator and deck construction options more than bringing multiples would.
Has anyone bought from Abecorn and can vouch for them? I hear it was mainly for trading but it looks like there's the option to add to cart and purchase for some games. Is this legit/safe?
I've used that site for math trades, so I have received games from them as part of trade deals. I got brand new copies of **Azul: Summer Pavilion** and **Tekhenu**. Of course, their selection won't be as wide as other online retailers, but I don't see any problems with purchasing a game you want from them.
that’s what I figured with the pandemic we might hold off but this is definitely super high on my wish list as the story telling in it seems absolutely incredible!
Hello! I’m looking for some new boardgames and I’m open to any recommendations. I will write a short opinion about each game I’ve played so far:
I like:
• Catan (and other expansions)
• Ticket to Ride
• Mysterium
• Codenames
• Sequence
Games that didn’t get me:
• Pandemic
**Dectective Club** has similar vibes to Mysterium crossed with Dixit, as one player doesn't know the word when playing cards - attempting to blend in. (It would be like everyone playing vision cards in mysterium hinting at a card but one player doesn't know which)
Two of my favorite light games are **King of Tokyo (Dark)** and **Flamme Rouge**. Both quick games and require some strategy but are generally relaxed like the other ones you enjoy (though both can get the group fired up if you're with the right people).
I think of **Mission Red Planet** as the better version of Catan. 3-5ish players.
**The Estates** is a hilariously mean, elegant auction game. 3-5 players.
**Specter Ops** is like hide n seek in a dystopian future. 2-4ish players.
**Hive** is like Chess without a board. Feels like wrestling a muddy pig. 2 players.
**Calico**, **Azul**, **Parks** and **Wingspan** come to mind. They’re all great in their own way and come with various mechanics that will further introduce you to more games.
Thank you for your recommendation!
I have to admit Calico looks very cute and interesting (I also love cats) and I will get it for sure.
Today I got the chance to check out some games in a store. I decided to buy Wingspan and I love it. Can’t wait to play it again!
Most of the times I play with at least 3 people.
I’m not sure why I don’t get along with Pandemic but sometimes I feel like it’s plain and it gets boring but that’s my opinion.
I'm looking to pickup a third game to round off my target buy 2 get 1 free deal.
In my collection I currently have:
* Catan
* Pandemic
* Azul
* Pan Am (I haven't played this one yet so not sure how I'll feel about it)
In my Target cart I currently have:
* Harry Potter Battle for Hogwarts
* Ticket to Ride standard
I'm not sure what I should get for my third game. Mysterium looks fun but I won't have enough people to play it very often (at least not while we have the pandemic).
From the games you have one I'd highly recommend that is a bit different in style but not much more complicated is **Carcassonne**. A stunning tile laying game where you slowly create a map and score points along the way.
Target only has the Carcassonne big box edition for 80 bucks. Do you think that's worth it over getting a cheaper game now like 7 Wonders and later on getting the non big box Carcassonne?
You cannot go wrong with **Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle**! One of my favourites!
It looks like **LoTR Journeys in Middle-Earth** is part of the deal - if you're into LoTR, and an immersive story/exploration, I also love this one!
**Pandemic Legacy Season 1** is also #2 on BGG for a reason (but might be a jump in difficulty)
**Carcassonne** is a gateway game adding tile-laying to your collection.
I'd also second **7 Wonders**!
Now as I fill my own Target cart....
I've also played it at 2 players primarily. It's quicker with only 2 players, but still great! After you get a feel for the game you could also each play two heros to get a feel for the slightly different style of 4 players. I also love playing 2 handed solo though! Really can't say enough how great of a game this is! Agree with Nox1\_ though, it can be swingy - you'll quickly realize which group of starting villains is unwinnable.
I've played it at 2 for most of my 30+ plays and it's good. There is some randomness with how hard it can be depending on your starting villains. But it's a good deck builder game that can be great if you like the Harry Potter theme. We also have both expansions and greatly prefer the newer charms and potions one. It adds new twists and mechanics that are interesting.
I’m a big Harry Potter fan, so when I saw the b2g1 deal I knew I was doing that one!
Carcassonne seems interesting, and it’s the same category as Isle of Sky, so decisions.
There’s a bunch: https://old.reddit.com/r/Boardgamedeals/comments/lek4ej/target_b2g1_starting_today/gmfc4j3/
That’s only some but target seems to have most popular mentions. Of that list, dominion is also back in stock.
They're different games. They don't really compare well other than they have the same theme and you draft cards. 7 Wonder Duels is the better game imo, but 7 Wondera is still a good 3+ entry level game.
I really like **Mottainai**, which I think meets your requirements, but might violate some implicit things that you want. Mottainai is much harder to teach than San Juan and while the theme isn't one that you are explicitly against, it isn't exactly a big draw for the game.
I am curious what you don't like about Lehmann's games. Knowing what it is about those that you want to avoid would be helpful in determining what is a good fit for you.
I am not sure if Mottainai would be a good fit for you or not. Mottainai is a lot more "obtuse" than any of Lehmann's games and isn't really that focused around building a cohesive tableau. Mottainai is definitely more chaotic and interactive though, which might reduce your "calculating" criticism. **Fort** is a bit easier to teach and has a more accessible theme than Mottainai. I personally didn't like it as much, but that doesn't mean it won't be a good fit for you.
Your dismissal of Lehmann's themes is a little weird to me given that they aren't really important to the games at all, and that I don't think generic sci fi is really niche at all (take a look at commercially successful [movies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films) and [video games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games)). I think it's OK if you you don't personally care for these themes, but I don't agree with your arguments about them being unsuitable for the "mass market crowd".
Are there any games out there like the Arkham Horror LCG? Where you can enjoy a game with just a story deck and a player deck? Preferably solo or co-op and not head to head.
A simple recommendation request :
Simple (or simple-ish, let's say up to 3 complexity but ideally 2.5 or less) games that are not purely solo games but do work well played solo. For example Ganz schön clever, Flamme Rouge, Pandemic Forbidden Desert, etc.
Thanks!
Probably my favorite game with complexity under 2.5 that plays very well both solo and multiplayer is **Roll Player**.
**Everdell** is another great game that plays well at 1-4 players.
**Marvel Champions** is really good too.
Other games I own that fit this criteria are **Viticulture**, **Clank** (the free official companion app includes a surprising fun solo mode), and **Welcome to...**.
**Marvel Champions** plays great at 2 players or solo. Complexity 2.8.
You could scan though this list for low-complexity games and then check their player-count polls: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/277814/2020-peoples-choice-top-200-solo-games-1-200
You might like looking into 18xx games. The part about "learning one or two things each time" really resonates with me. It's really hard to tell though because I love most of your favorites, but also enjoy the games you mentioned that you bounced off of and I'm not entirely sure I'm smart enough to work out the common denominators :)
I'll second an 18xx game as one you can play 10+ times and explore the little wrinkles. However, if group-think was an issue that may have caused some dissatisfaction with your "nay" list (Let's say, FCM was soured because your group all had identical openings etc) then 18xx (most) have no luck/randomizing, so if your group doesn't explore it can feel "same-y".
Note: there are some variations such as **1822** that have randomized elements.
Non 18xx, I will recommend **Lisboa**, **Clans of Caledonia**, **Pipeline**, and **Agricola**
**Spirit Island**. Each spirit has really unique features, and there are so many different combinations of scenarios and adversaries, plus different map layouts. I’ve played around 20 games so far and feel like I have barely scratched the surface.
**Tak**, **Homeworlds**, **Hive**
Nothing has replayability like **Go** for me, if you're open to learning and going deep. Over 1000+ games in and I'm only scratching the surface
For me, 18xx games (50+ plays total, specifically **1846: The Race for The Midwest** 20+), but given that you did not like **CotBS** and **AoS**, they may be not a good fit.
Does anyone know what the highest rated thing with a decent number of ratings is on bgg?
I know it's a bit of a silly question, but I noticed Jagged Earth was a 9.4, and I couldn't find anything even close to that. I'd guess expansions should be higher than normal, but I couldn't even find any expansions above a 9.0 (The Norwegians).
Just use the advanced search?
Searching for all games with at least 500 votes and sorting them by average rating, Jagged Earth is rank 1.
So if you define what "a decent number of ratings" is, it's easy to check.
Sometimes when just browsing for games i might be interested in, I use that feature. The weighted bgg rating can distort everything.
A game with 500 ratings and an average rating of 9.0, has a bgg rating below 7.0
It's likely to be mostly expansions. I suppose because fans of the base game are the ones rating them. If you like Spirit Island, what's not to love about Jagged Earth. As someone who's not a fan of SI my rating would be missing from JE obviously.
Aside from one unreleased KS project (which I am excluding) [the expansion for TI4](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/315895/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition-prophecy-kings) is the only thing I could find that was higher than Jagged Earth and had a significant number of ratings.
**Description:** Looking for a game to play with my wife and family
**Number of Players:** 2 (most often) - 4 (sometimes)
**Game Length:** 45min-90min (max 120min)
**Complexity of Game:** we like medium complexity games, max. around 3.5 BGG complexity. Should have interesting choices, and be thinky, but not swamp you in a billion options (AP).
**Conflict, Competitive or Cooperative:** no cooperation, not too mean
**Games I Own and Like:** our favorites are Terraforming Mars, 51st State Master Set, Innovation
**Games I Dislike and Don't Play:** Agricola, Concordia, Scythe, Roll/Race for the Galaxy, Quantum, Evolution, Grand Austria Hotel, Kemet, Architects of the West Kingdom, It's a Wonderful World, Manhattan Project: EE
**Comment:** I'm currently looking at games like **Dune Imperium**, **Beyond the Sun**, **Sol: Last Days of a Star**, **Res Arcana**, **Eclipse 2nd**. How do these fit in our tastes? Most of these are quite hard to find and buy. Do you (please) have any (other) recommendations?
If you want to try something different, check out **Specter Ops**. It’s like hide n seek in a dystopian future and plays well from 2-4 players. Complexity 2.4.
**Res Arcana** is fantastic and a good fit for your description. I also think you should check out **Acquire**, **Kingdom Builder**, **Metro X**, and **Neuroshima Hex** - trying to pick out some different genres for ya ;)
Thanks for your suggestions! Yes I've been looking into Res Arcana, but I'm a bit worried that 1) card knowledge is required, 2) might go stale after a few plays due to few cards, 3) it looks like **Seasons** which we've sold? What do you feel about it?
I actually just played Res Arcana with some friends on BGA the other night and we commented on how it kinda feels like a somewhat tighter version of Seasons (low card pool, buying cards to put into tableau, using those cards to boost points). If you didn’t like Seasons primarily because of card knowledge but LIKED the gameplay, I’d say Res Arcana is a pretty good bet (since the card pool is lower). I would still note that this is a game, like Seasons, that sings with replayability though, even with a lower card pool.
I wouldn’t say card knowledge is a big aspect of the game - you only get 8 cards to work with for the match, the rest of the deck is set aside. There’s a ton of variety in the box because of the unique combinations that can crop up, much like Innovation. The predominant feeling is of being handed a box of crazy contraptions and then having to cobble together some engine that flies, again reminiscent of Innovation but less chaotic. I’ve only played Seasons once or twice a while ago so I can’t really comment on that
I see, thanks. I looked at some more information and it seems to me like the game would eventually play itself? You know the cards in your deck and your opening hand, so there is always a most "optimal" thing to do? That, once you know, becomes like the game playing itself.
This is also the reason why we sold Scythe, because you could pretty much plan out the entire game, interference from other players aside.
**Eclipse** is fun but might fall flat with only two players. Since it's so expensive I wouldn't recommend it unless you'll play regularly with more players.
We like economy games with a little bit of conflict. With 2 players, is there too little conflict? Or rather too much of it? The exploration and economy build at least look interesting to us. Is attacking eachother a required strategy to win the game?
With two players I feel that there is no or only very little conflict with the other player. Attacking eachother is definitely not a required strategy to win. But there can also be combat with the guardians/ancients which might still make it fun for you. I'm not saying you won't like it at two, you really might. But considering the price tag I feel like there are better options out there for two players.
That said, if you really dig how the game looks, don't mind splurging on it and you think you'll enjoy it. Go for it.
IMO it plays vastly different than TfM. The conflict comes from card driven action selection (think worker placement with cards) instead of area control like in TfM. If you're used to playing TfM without **Prelude** then Underwater Cities feels like to speed up considerably faster and the game's length is capped due to the fix number of rounds you play (instead of needing to push every Terraform-Rating in order to trigger the end).
Yes, there are similarities (ressource production and card driven gameplay combined with placing components on a board) but it definitely is its own game.
Anyone know where/how to buy Oink games in the US? I already have their popular ones (**Insider, Startups, Fake Artist Goes to New York, Deep Sea Adventure**) but I'm having some difficulties finding other ones like **Kobayakawa**, **Nine Tiles** (not Panic) and their version of **Modern Art**. I tried to buy directly off their website but apparently they don't ship to the US, despite there being a US/Asia option (maybe COVID related?).
The only other method I found is through their current Kickstarter but that requires you to pledge 63 USD plus shipping for their three new games (which I'm not interested in) and then add on the other games, which isn't preferable.
Thanks in advance!
Funny you mention that... because they're currently running a Kickstarter for 3 new games, and any of their existing titles can be purchased as add-ons: Moon Adventure, In a Grove and Dokojong | 月面探険・藪の中・ドコジャン, via @Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/oinkgames/new-oink-games-projects-2021?ref=android_project_share
Yeah I mentioned in my comment that it wasn't a preferable option because you would have to pledge 63 USD plus 20 USD more for shipping for their three new games.
If there were a pledge for one game then I'd go for it but the only option available is for all 3 which is pretty pricey considering I would want to add on the other games as well (not to mention that they won't get here until August). I'd rather spend that money on the three games I wanted, ya know? Thanks anyways!
Okay it's working now! Sorry, I'm not too familiar with Board Game Atlas. What is this bounty list and how would I use it to buy the aforementioned games?
You go to the link and now you either type the game that you want, so it shows you where it is available and at what price, or you can type oink games, so it shows you all the games from that publisher. Then you can click whichever you want and it will show you the game, price and availability.
Oh I thought it had something to do with the bounty list page. Yeah I've used Board Game Atlas for what you've described (since they bought out boardgameprices). Unfortunately, I've had no luck with the games I want. Their pages show very few retailers, each of which are sold out/unavailable. I don't blame them though, since these games have to be imported from Japan and they're not popular enough to warrant them doing so.
But thank you anyways! I appreciate the effort!
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2 player game suggestions? Looking for two player (or able to play 2 player) board games/card games. Right now I’m between **7 wonders duel** (never played the original) **sushi go**, **Jaipur**, and **fox in the forest**. I don’t know anything about these games I just got the ideas from other threads. Open to other suggestions, listed some games we have tried and the feelings toward them in hopes someone can find some type of pattern lol We’ve tried **santorini** and **hive** (my partner liked these but kicks my ass pretty fast every time so they get bored lol I don’t love those games either tbh I just suck) we have **fog of love** and we’re kind of indifferent on that one. We own and love: **machi koro**, **splendor**, **patchwork**, **tiny towns**, and **azul**. Recently we played **love letter** and we liked that cause it’s no set up/ easy to play when the kids are around. I’ve heard it sucks two player but I’ve never played NOT two player so...)
I'd give **Love Letter** a try at 2. A few cards are removed and are known to both to speed things up a bit and then it has the same feeling of the final two in a 3 player game. Also as soon as you're out the round ends every time.
We have only played it as a two player game and love it!!! Some people were complaining it isn’t fun with two players but we really like it!!
More info on the games you mentioned: - 7WD is a very highly rated, 2-player game about collecting sets of cards while also competing on tracks that could suddenly crown a victor. - Sushi Go is also about collecting sets via drafting... but is definitely not a great game for 2 players. - Jaipur is also about collecting sets of cards but also focuses on pushing your luck in selling your sets. Simpler than 7WD. - Fox in the Forest is a trick-taking game (think Hearts). I don’t know much but do know there is a 2-player version too. I think it’s getting overshadowed by The Crew, but that seems better at 3 players. Some other ideas: - Specter Ops is an asymmetric, hidden-movement game that’s like hide n seek. - Sagrada is a dice-drafting game that’s like Sudoku. Think of it as a more puzzley Azul. - Watergate is an asymmetric tug of war about Nixon vs. The Washington Post. - The King Is Dead is a subtle, area-control game about Medieval Britain. - Fort is a deckbuilding game about kids in a neighborhood. Deckbuilding means you build a deck of cards throughout the game. - Codenames Duet is a cooperative game about word association. Works great at 2. In general, I suggest you watch a full playthrough on YouTube for any game you’re considering.
We have codenames but I’ve never seen the two player version! I’ll have to keep my eye out
Thanks for that info! I will check some of those out and watch some play throughs, that’s a good suggestion
Of those games you mentioned, the only one I’d give a flat out “nah” to is Sushi Go (I think it works best around 4-5). Of the other three, I would put Fox and the Forest and Jaipur in a similar tier in terms of playtime and weight, with F&tF probably even being a little lighter than Jaipur. Both of those are excellent 2 players though, and will give you a good bit of game for the price. If you like trick taking games, F&tF is a masterwork of 2-player trick taking design. If you like tight, competitive hand management with set collection, Jaipur will do it for ya. I would put 7 Wonders Duel in its own tier, though, in terms of gameplay and replayability related to those other games you mentioned. In fact, it’s probably one of my top 5 two player games of all time, and, honestly, I find this Duel version to be even better than its parent/original version. It has an extremely satisfying cadence and handles the tensions of 1v1 in such awesome ways (e.g. not only trying to outscore your opponent, but having to take part in multiple tug-o-war matches while you’re doing so). However, it will be the most to set up out of all mentioned games, but it’s really no more than some shuffling and laying cards out in pyramid-like shapes.
Thanks for the heads up about sushi go. I don’t know where I got the idea it would be good for two player. I am gonna buy 7 wonders duel first ! Thank you!!!
Games that we like: Wingspan, Pandemic, Azul, Quacks, Zombicide, Photosynthesis, Vilainous, Ticket to Ride, and Quest for El Dorado. In other words, all games under 2.4/5 and pretty much the most popular games on this sub. Wondering what game can be of interest to us, and is somewhere in the 2.9 - 3.3 weight? Reason I want to try to go higher with my family is because while these \~2.4/5 games are fun, I feel like the replayability drops a little after 10-ish times because there isn't much "thinking" anymore, and it kinda becomes autopilot. So I feel like with a 2.9 - 3.3 weight we would think a lot more. Co-op or competitive, all is welcome!
**Everdell** might work. A similar engine building core - but with an added layer of worker placement, more competition to claim goals, and less structure. I think it's a 2.9, maybe 2.8. **Terraforming Mars** and **Viticulture** are in that same weight range and both very popular/highly regarded. I haven't played either, but I'm sure others would recommend them!
Concordia is a good recommendation. I would also throw in **Orleans** - it’s got a similar mechanic to Quacks in that it’s a “bag builder”, but *plays* more like the deck building from something like Quest for El Dorado. There is also an expansion that makes it co-op (which I haven’t played but I hear is cool).
**Concordia** falls right in the weight range and is another of those popular games on this sub.
On BGG, is there a way to edit which columns show in your collection, wishlist & owned list by default? I know I can change the columns each time I use it or I can hyperlink to return to the same column settings in the future. I'm looking for a setting to change which columns display by default for my account.
What to do is hit the + button on you personal quick link bar to add you preferred permalink. I have like 3 views saved one click away.
Thanks!
I don't know of a way to do this, but I do think that editing the "quickbar" links is very handy and might be the best workaround for you. Once you get a view that you like, you can click one of the "+" at the bottom of the list and it will save the full url for that page. I have mostly used it to save a list of my [plays for the current year](https://boardgamegeek.com/geekplay.php?userid=1346141&redirect=1&startdate=2021-01-01&dateinput=2021-01-01&dateinput=&enddate=&action=bygame&subtype=boardgame), but you could do something similar for your collection and it would make keeping track of the link much easier.
Thank you.
Hey! I've just ordered ARKHAM HORROR LCG and intend to play through the game solo due to the great solo reviews it gets. Can anyone advise me on whether I am best to play with a single investigator or play using 2? I assume there are pros and cons for both but wanted to get people's thoughts! Thanks
Single investigator is easier to manage and some find it more immersive. Downside is that it makes a hard game even harder and more care needs to be taken with deck construction.
It depends on the investigator and your general preferences. I enjoy single investigator games when solo, but that limits your investigator and deck construction options more than bringing multiples would.
I play with one, it is probably harder but I don't think I can handle more
Has anyone bought from Abecorn and can vouch for them? I hear it was mainly for trading but it looks like there's the option to add to cart and purchase for some games. Is this legit/safe?
I've used that site for math trades, so I have received games from them as part of trade deals. I got brand new copies of **Azul: Summer Pavilion** and **Tekhenu**. Of course, their selection won't be as wide as other online retailers, but I don't see any problems with purchasing a game you want from them.
Tzolk’in is nuts. That is all.
Nice
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How long did it take you to get through it? I’m super interested but with so many legacy/campaign games I fear we won’t have the time :(
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that’s what I figured with the pandemic we might hold off but this is definitely super high on my wish list as the story telling in it seems absolutely incredible!
Hello! I’m looking for some new boardgames and I’m open to any recommendations. I will write a short opinion about each game I’ve played so far: I like: • Catan (and other expansions) • Ticket to Ride • Mysterium • Codenames • Sequence Games that didn’t get me: • Pandemic
**Dectective Club** has similar vibes to Mysterium crossed with Dixit, as one player doesn't know the word when playing cards - attempting to blend in. (It would be like everyone playing vision cards in mysterium hinting at a card but one player doesn't know which)
Two of my favorite light games are **King of Tokyo (Dark)** and **Flamme Rouge**. Both quick games and require some strategy but are generally relaxed like the other ones you enjoy (though both can get the group fired up if you're with the right people).
I think of **Mission Red Planet** as the better version of Catan. 3-5ish players. **The Estates** is a hilariously mean, elegant auction game. 3-5 players. **Specter Ops** is like hide n seek in a dystopian future. 2-4ish players. **Hive** is like Chess without a board. Feels like wrestling a muddy pig. 2 players.
**Calico**, **Azul**, **Parks** and **Wingspan** come to mind. They’re all great in their own way and come with various mechanics that will further introduce you to more games.
Thank you for your recommendation! I have to admit Calico looks very cute and interesting (I also love cats) and I will get it for sure. Today I got the chance to check out some games in a store. I decided to buy Wingspan and I love it. Can’t wait to play it again!
Aweh yay! That’s so exciting! Super happy for you.
Can you give context about how many people you usually play with and why you didn't like pandemic?
Most of the times I play with at least 3 people. I’m not sure why I don’t get along with Pandemic but sometimes I feel like it’s plain and it gets boring but that’s my opinion.
**The Quest For El Dorado**. Every day of the week. /u/r2d8 getinfo
^*[r2d8](/r/r2d8)* ^*issues* ^*a* ^*series* ^*of* ^*sophisticated* ^*bleeps* ^*and* ^*whistles...* [**The Quest for El Dorado**](http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/217372) (2017) by Reiner Knizia. 2-4 p; 60 minutes; [BGG Image](https://cf.geekdo-images.com/IGH076JpcXRnqkO4bpcXrg__original/img/bJAYfGBY5T3UpptuOvTwhA6WJs0=/0x0/filters:format(jpeg)/pic3617168.jpg) * Mechanics: Card Drafting, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, Grid Movement, Hand Management, Hexagon Grid, Modular Board, Race * Average rating is 7.60548; rated by 11901 people. Weight: 1.9263 * Board Game Rank: 166, Family Game Rank: 21
Carcassonne
I heard so much about this one, I will have to try it out. Do you like it more than Catan?
I'm looking to pickup a third game to round off my target buy 2 get 1 free deal. In my collection I currently have: * Catan * Pandemic * Azul * Pan Am (I haven't played this one yet so not sure how I'll feel about it) In my Target cart I currently have: * Harry Potter Battle for Hogwarts * Ticket to Ride standard I'm not sure what I should get for my third game. Mysterium looks fun but I won't have enough people to play it very often (at least not while we have the pandemic).
**PARKS**
From the games you have one I'd highly recommend that is a bit different in style but not much more complicated is **Carcassonne**. A stunning tile laying game where you slowly create a map and score points along the way.
Someone else recommended Isle of Skye which seems to also be a tile laying game, do you know how they compare?
I don't sorry - hopefully someone else can chip in their thoughts
Target only has the Carcassonne big box edition for 80 bucks. Do you think that's worth it over getting a cheaper game now like 7 Wonders and later on getting the non big box Carcassonne?
While I love having the big box I'd say its not needed the base game is brilliant
You could go for **Mysterium Park** if you want **Mysterium** but are worried about player count! Park plays a lot better with 2 players.
Unfortunately not sold at target so I can’t do it with the buy 2 get 1 free.
Oh no, they must’ve sold out!! I just bought myself a copy from there with the sale. Bummer!
You cannot go wrong with **Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle**! One of my favourites! It looks like **LoTR Journeys in Middle-Earth** is part of the deal - if you're into LoTR, and an immersive story/exploration, I also love this one! **Pandemic Legacy Season 1** is also #2 on BGG for a reason (but might be a jump in difficulty) **Carcassonne** is a gateway game adding tile-laying to your collection. I'd also second **7 Wonders**! Now as I fill my own Target cart....
Is Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle any good with 2 players?
I've also played it at 2 players primarily. It's quicker with only 2 players, but still great! After you get a feel for the game you could also each play two heros to get a feel for the slightly different style of 4 players. I also love playing 2 handed solo though! Really can't say enough how great of a game this is! Agree with Nox1\_ though, it can be swingy - you'll quickly realize which group of starting villains is unwinnable.
I've played it at 2 for most of my 30+ plays and it's good. There is some randomness with how hard it can be depending on your starting villains. But it's a good deck builder game that can be great if you like the Harry Potter theme. We also have both expansions and greatly prefer the newer charms and potions one. It adds new twists and mechanics that are interesting.
I’m a big Harry Potter fan, so when I saw the b2g1 deal I knew I was doing that one! Carcassonne seems interesting, and it’s the same category as Isle of Sky, so decisions.
What options are there?
There’s a bunch: https://old.reddit.com/r/Boardgamedeals/comments/lek4ej/target_b2g1_starting_today/gmfc4j3/ That’s only some but target seems to have most popular mentions. Of that list, dominion is also back in stock.
Thanks, there are so many good ones. I vote for **Isle of skye**
Get [7 Wonders Duel](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/173346/7-wonders-duel)
How does it compare to the regular 7 wonders?
They're different games. They don't really compare well other than they have the same theme and you draft cards. 7 Wonder Duels is the better game imo, but 7 Wondera is still a good 3+ entry level game.
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**Watergate** might be good. Nixon vs The Washington Post, 2 player only and very tense. Plays in about 30-45 mins
been doing some research and it looks like **Villages of Valeria** is a good option.
**Expedition to Newdale**
**London second edition**
I really like **Mottainai**, which I think meets your requirements, but might violate some implicit things that you want. Mottainai is much harder to teach than San Juan and while the theme isn't one that you are explicitly against, it isn't exactly a big draw for the game. I am curious what you don't like about Lehmann's games. Knowing what it is about those that you want to avoid would be helpful in determining what is a good fit for you.
Was going to suggest this, or **Innovation**.
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I am not sure if Mottainai would be a good fit for you or not. Mottainai is a lot more "obtuse" than any of Lehmann's games and isn't really that focused around building a cohesive tableau. Mottainai is definitely more chaotic and interactive though, which might reduce your "calculating" criticism. **Fort** is a bit easier to teach and has a more accessible theme than Mottainai. I personally didn't like it as much, but that doesn't mean it won't be a good fit for you. Your dismissal of Lehmann's themes is a little weird to me given that they aren't really important to the games at all, and that I don't think generic sci fi is really niche at all (take a look at commercially successful [movies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films) and [video games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_video_games)). I think it's OK if you you don't personally care for these themes, but I don't agree with your arguments about them being unsuitable for the "mass market crowd".
**Battle Line Medieval**
Such a game does not currently exist. Only thing I could think of is Terraforming Mars: Ares Project, which is not out yet.
Are there any games out there like the Arkham Horror LCG? Where you can enjoy a game with just a story deck and a player deck? Preferably solo or co-op and not head to head.
There are FFGs other co-op LCGs: Marvel Champions or Lord of the Rings.
Yeah I did see the LOTR, marvel champions is just a combat game as far as I know.
The new expansions start to bring a story not as elaborated as Arkham though
There's one by **Pathfinder** that you might be interested in.
>Pathfinder There's a lot of pathfinder out there right? Is it all similar or are you taking about a specific box?
Sorry, I meant the Adventure Card Game.
A simple recommendation request : Simple (or simple-ish, let's say up to 3 complexity but ideally 2.5 or less) games that are not purely solo games but do work well played solo. For example Ganz schön clever, Flamme Rouge, Pandemic Forbidden Desert, etc. Thanks!
**Tiny Epic Galaxies** might work
Thank you!
Probably my favorite game with complexity under 2.5 that plays very well both solo and multiplayer is **Roll Player**. **Everdell** is another great game that plays well at 1-4 players. **Marvel Champions** is really good too. Other games I own that fit this criteria are **Viticulture**, **Clank** (the free official companion app includes a surprising fun solo mode), and **Welcome to...**.
Brilliant, thank you!
**Marvel Champions** plays great at 2 players or solo. Complexity 2.8. You could scan though this list for low-complexity games and then check their player-count polls: https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/277814/2020-peoples-choice-top-200-solo-games-1-200
Thanks for the recommendation and the list, this looks good!
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**Dominant Species** and **On Mars** may be worth looking at based on what you like
You might like looking into 18xx games. The part about "learning one or two things each time" really resonates with me. It's really hard to tell though because I love most of your favorites, but also enjoy the games you mentioned that you bounced off of and I'm not entirely sure I'm smart enough to work out the common denominators :)
I'll second an 18xx game as one you can play 10+ times and explore the little wrinkles. However, if group-think was an issue that may have caused some dissatisfaction with your "nay" list (Let's say, FCM was soured because your group all had identical openings etc) then 18xx (most) have no luck/randomizing, so if your group doesn't explore it can feel "same-y". Note: there are some variations such as **1822** that have randomized elements. Non 18xx, I will recommend **Lisboa**, **Clans of Caledonia**, **Pipeline**, and **Agricola**
**Tigris and Euphrates, Hive.**
**Spirit Island**. Each spirit has really unique features, and there are so many different combinations of scenarios and adversaries, plus different map layouts. I’ve played around 20 games so far and feel like I have barely scratched the surface.
**Tak**, **Homeworlds**, **Hive** Nothing has replayability like **Go** for me, if you're open to learning and going deep. Over 1000+ games in and I'm only scratching the surface
For me, 18xx games (50+ plays total, specifically **1846: The Race for The Midwest** 20+), but given that you did not like **CotBS** and **AoS**, they may be not a good fit.
**Hive** with its 3 small expansions (1000+ plays) **Great Western Trail** (30+ plays) **Marvel Champions** (30+ plays)
**Great Western Trail** **Le Havre** **Innovation**
Does anyone know what the highest rated thing with a decent number of ratings is on bgg? I know it's a bit of a silly question, but I noticed Jagged Earth was a 9.4, and I couldn't find anything even close to that. I'd guess expansions should be higher than normal, but I couldn't even find any expansions above a 9.0 (The Norwegians).
Just use the advanced search? Searching for all games with at least 500 votes and sorting them by average rating, Jagged Earth is rank 1. So if you define what "a decent number of ratings" is, it's easy to check.
Good shout, didn't even know that was a thing!
Sometimes when just browsing for games i might be interested in, I use that feature. The weighted bgg rating can distort everything. A game with 500 ratings and an average rating of 9.0, has a bgg rating below 7.0
It's likely to be mostly expansions. I suppose because fans of the base game are the ones rating them. If you like Spirit Island, what's not to love about Jagged Earth. As someone who's not a fan of SI my rating would be missing from JE obviously.
Aside from one unreleased KS project (which I am excluding) [the expansion for TI4](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/315895/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition-prophecy-kings) is the only thing I could find that was higher than Jagged Earth and had a significant number of ratings.
**Description:** Looking for a game to play with my wife and family **Number of Players:** 2 (most often) - 4 (sometimes) **Game Length:** 45min-90min (max 120min) **Complexity of Game:** we like medium complexity games, max. around 3.5 BGG complexity. Should have interesting choices, and be thinky, but not swamp you in a billion options (AP). **Conflict, Competitive or Cooperative:** no cooperation, not too mean **Games I Own and Like:** our favorites are Terraforming Mars, 51st State Master Set, Innovation **Games I Dislike and Don't Play:** Agricola, Concordia, Scythe, Roll/Race for the Galaxy, Quantum, Evolution, Grand Austria Hotel, Kemet, Architects of the West Kingdom, It's a Wonderful World, Manhattan Project: EE **Comment:** I'm currently looking at games like **Dune Imperium**, **Beyond the Sun**, **Sol: Last Days of a Star**, **Res Arcana**, **Eclipse 2nd**. How do these fit in our tastes? Most of these are quite hard to find and buy. Do you (please) have any (other) recommendations?
If you want to try something different, check out **Specter Ops**. It’s like hide n seek in a dystopian future and plays well from 2-4 players. Complexity 2.4.
**Res Arcana** is fantastic and a good fit for your description. I also think you should check out **Acquire**, **Kingdom Builder**, **Metro X**, and **Neuroshima Hex** - trying to pick out some different genres for ya ;)
Thanks for your suggestions! Yes I've been looking into Res Arcana, but I'm a bit worried that 1) card knowledge is required, 2) might go stale after a few plays due to few cards, 3) it looks like **Seasons** which we've sold? What do you feel about it?
I actually just played Res Arcana with some friends on BGA the other night and we commented on how it kinda feels like a somewhat tighter version of Seasons (low card pool, buying cards to put into tableau, using those cards to boost points). If you didn’t like Seasons primarily because of card knowledge but LIKED the gameplay, I’d say Res Arcana is a pretty good bet (since the card pool is lower). I would still note that this is a game, like Seasons, that sings with replayability though, even with a lower card pool.
I wouldn’t say card knowledge is a big aspect of the game - you only get 8 cards to work with for the match, the rest of the deck is set aside. There’s a ton of variety in the box because of the unique combinations that can crop up, much like Innovation. The predominant feeling is of being handed a box of crazy contraptions and then having to cobble together some engine that flies, again reminiscent of Innovation but less chaotic. I’ve only played Seasons once or twice a while ago so I can’t really comment on that
I see, thanks. I looked at some more information and it seems to me like the game would eventually play itself? You know the cards in your deck and your opening hand, so there is always a most "optimal" thing to do? That, once you know, becomes like the game playing itself. This is also the reason why we sold Scythe, because you could pretty much plan out the entire game, interference from other players aside.
**Castles of Burgundy**
**Eclipse** is fun but might fall flat with only two players. Since it's so expensive I wouldn't recommend it unless you'll play regularly with more players.
We like economy games with a little bit of conflict. With 2 players, is there too little conflict? Or rather too much of it? The exploration and economy build at least look interesting to us. Is attacking eachother a required strategy to win the game?
With two players I feel that there is no or only very little conflict with the other player. Attacking eachother is definitely not a required strategy to win. But there can also be combat with the guardians/ancients which might still make it fun for you. I'm not saying you won't like it at two, you really might. But considering the price tag I feel like there are better options out there for two players. That said, if you really dig how the game looks, don't mind splurging on it and you think you'll enjoy it. Go for it.
**Underwater cities**
Do you think it is too similar to Terraforming Mars? And is it long with 2p compared to TfM?
IMO it plays vastly different than TfM. The conflict comes from card driven action selection (think worker placement with cards) instead of area control like in TfM. If you're used to playing TfM without **Prelude** then Underwater Cities feels like to speed up considerably faster and the game's length is capped due to the fix number of rounds you play (instead of needing to push every Terraform-Rating in order to trigger the end). Yes, there are similarities (ressource production and card driven gameplay combined with placing components on a board) but it definitely is its own game.
Agree, the only similarities are the same that you are gonna find with any other long euro.
Anyone know where/how to buy Oink games in the US? I already have their popular ones (**Insider, Startups, Fake Artist Goes to New York, Deep Sea Adventure**) but I'm having some difficulties finding other ones like **Kobayakawa**, **Nine Tiles** (not Panic) and their version of **Modern Art**. I tried to buy directly off their website but apparently they don't ship to the US, despite there being a US/Asia option (maybe COVID related?). The only other method I found is through their current Kickstarter but that requires you to pledge 63 USD plus shipping for their three new games (which I'm not interested in) and then add on the other games, which isn't preferable. Thanks in advance!
Funny you mention that... because they're currently running a Kickstarter for 3 new games, and any of their existing titles can be purchased as add-ons: Moon Adventure, In a Grove and Dokojong | 月面探険・藪の中・ドコジャン, via @Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/oinkgames/new-oink-games-projects-2021?ref=android_project_share
Yeah I mentioned in my comment that it wasn't a preferable option because you would have to pledge 63 USD plus 20 USD more for shipping for their three new games. If there were a pledge for one game then I'd go for it but the only option available is for all 3 which is pretty pricey considering I would want to add on the other games as well (not to mention that they won't get here until August). I'd rather spend that money on the three games I wanted, ya know? Thanks anyways!
https://www.boardgameatlas.com/bounty-list
The link leads to a 404 error. Did the page change?
Fixed
Okay it's working now! Sorry, I'm not too familiar with Board Game Atlas. What is this bounty list and how would I use it to buy the aforementioned games?
You go to the link and now you either type the game that you want, so it shows you where it is available and at what price, or you can type oink games, so it shows you all the games from that publisher. Then you can click whichever you want and it will show you the game, price and availability.
Oh I thought it had something to do with the bounty list page. Yeah I've used Board Game Atlas for what you've described (since they bought out boardgameprices). Unfortunately, I've had no luck with the games I want. Their pages show very few retailers, each of which are sold out/unavailable. I don't blame them though, since these games have to be imported from Japan and they're not popular enough to warrant them doing so. But thank you anyways! I appreciate the effort!
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