- Das Regeln wir schon!
(Moskito) Easily the best of show. Absolutely
brilliant. Karl-Heinz Schmiel discards the "every other year" theory with
this one, since I also loved Was Sticth last year. Game is about making and
changing the rules of the game, all through the play of cards and taking of
chips. I've played it three times and it gets better each time. Will
probably wind up being one of my four all-time favorite games.
Unfortunately, the whole game is in German, including many cards with lots
of writing on them. But if you have a translation, the cards are only a
problem during the first game. Besides, you can make up an English card
deck if you really like it, like I'm doing. Self-balancing game, with lots
of ways to catch up or stay in the lead. Has some action elements too
(don't speak at a certain time, knock on the table at a certain time, stand
up as you play a card, etc.), which I usually hate, but they work in this
game. In fact, I may add some more action rule cards of my own. Of course,
if you don't like this kind of stuff, you can leave out these cards. There
is one which concerns knocking at a certain time which should be left out
because it doesn't really work. Lots to think about but not too much as in
Extrablatt. Lots of laughs with all the strategy and tension. (AM)
- Falsch Fuffziger
(Friedemann Friese) May be the second best business game
ever, second only to Schoko & Co. Might even be as good except for a small
luck element that may not be as significant as I think. I played it twice.
Subject is counterfeit money. Lots of clever mechanics within the overall
system. Not as long as it appears. (AM)
Falscher Fuffziger: a game about counterfeit money. I didn't play it, but
someone described it to me as the best game of the show.(DM)
- Wucher
Friedemann Friese) Great little card game about apartment houses.
Double sided cards drive the system. Quick, possibly too quick with 5 or 6,
but you can easily extend it. A hassle the first time through because of
all the different cards, but worth it, and the second game is much easier. (AM)
- Terrain Vague
(Ludodelire) A game that everyone likes when they play it,
but no one seems in a rush to play again. Probably because it is very
chess-like and involved. Great system with lots of interaction and lots of
clever balancing elements. The subject is teenage gangs at war in a
junkyard. Sort of an abstract wargame. I only played it once, but I'd try
it again. (AM)
- Wurmeln (Blatz) Worm race
game that is simple but lots of fun. Some people
I didn't think would like it because of the mechanics and/or the theme, did
like it anyway.(AM)
- Volle Lotte
(Abacus) Great little card and dice game. Sort of Yahtzee and
Can't Stop with cards. Don't pass it up. (AM)
- Traumland
(Piatnik) Terrific trick taking card game. The twist is that a
trick can be any number of cards from 1-30, depending on what's played
when. I played it a bunch of times. I liked it better with 3 than 4, but it
was still okay with 4. Probably overpriced since all you get is a card deck
in a much too large box, but the play value is real. By Hartmutt Witt,
designer of Koalition among others. (AM)
- Last Paradise
(Franckh) This one was really new last year, but I just got
to play it for the first time. A great 20 minute game with just enough
strategy to keep you interested. Great bidding system. Unfortunately, it
just isn't worth the 90-100 DM price. Reiner Knizia design. (AM)
- Big Boss
(Franckh) After the first game, I thought this was better than
Acquire. But I've changed my mind now, after the second game. A good
Acquire Variant, but again, probably not worth the 100 DM price, even
with the nice components. (AM)
Described to me as a poor man's Acquire and Shark. (DM).
- Tuefel, Tuefel
(Salagames) Abstract game with a very unusual system. I'd
try it again, but I can't decide what the replay value is yet. By Hartmutt
Witt. (AM)
- Ausgebremst (ASS) Uses the same basic system as Ave Casear
by Ravensburger,
excep the theme this time around is auto racing. Everyone seems to like it.
Adds more strategy to the system and gives you a lot more variety with more
tracks and various difficulty levels. (AM)
An Ave Caesar clone with a motor racing rather than chariot
racing setting. Has some interesting optional rules and a total of
8 circuits. Quite good. (DM)
- Kohle, Kies, Knete (Schmidt) Terrific Sid Sackson
game about making deals.
I played it twice, both times with 6 players, and each game took about 3
hours. So 6 players may not be the best number. With 4 players, it should
only take 1 1/2 hours. There are periods in the game, a couple of minutes
long, where everyone just draws cards. But these slight lulls are necessary
because the rest of the game is played a frantic pace. If you like loud,
fast-moving games with lots of diplomacy and manipulation, this one is for
you. I can't wait to play it again. (AM)
- Fugger ..... Medici
(Doris & Frank) Three people called me yesterday after
I posted the first part of this listing. All three asked me about this
game. Unfortunately, I haven't played it yet. Sure looks beautiful though. (AM)
- Hobbits (Ringgeister)
Didn't get to play this one either, because there
isn't an English translation yet. Looks beautiful. Iron Crown is supposedly
publishing an English version soon. (AM)
- Verkehrschaos (Kleespiele):
players struggle to get their cars through the
traffic jams in a town. My favourite game of the show. (DM)
Klee game about Traffic jams - I can't remember the title. Lots of good
word of mouth about this one since I've gotten back from Germany. Game is
about traffic jams in the city. There is a problem with the way the game
ends, but apparently there are homemade rules to correct this already. This
is the one I completely missed at Essen. Last year it was Zankapfel. (AM)
- Mush (White Wind):
a husky race from Anchorage to Nome. Not as good as some
previous White Wind games (e.g. Elfenroads and Santa Fe), but better
than last year's (Freight Train). (DM)
- Phantoms of the Ice (White Wind):
not an Alan Moon game, but the ice-hockey
game, Slapshot, reproduced. (DM)
- Manhattan
(Hans im Gluck?): a sky-scraper building game in which players
strive to have the top story on as many sky-scrapers as possible.
Ok but not brilliant. Was being sold in huge quantities so will
probably be available at known-down prices in a year or two. (DM)
[Manhattan was actually out by Essen last year, and shows up at Gaming Club
every now and then, and more members are getting copies.]
- Auf Heller und Pfennig (Hans im Gluck?):
players place customers, vandals and
market stalls onto a board in an effort to get as much income from
their own stalls as possible while at the same time sabotaging their
opponents. Excellent game, but pricy. (DM)
[Another one that has shown up at gaming club. I don't like it that much.
-- Brian.]
- Neue Spiele im Alten Rom
(Piatnik): a collection of 14 games using common
components set in ancient Rome and depicting various events in its
history. Looks very good, but probably not attractive to anyone
who does not speak some German as there's a lot of rules to read
(fortunately mostly fairly straightforward). (DM)
- Auru Poku (Blatz?): a game
with an African setting. I didn't get to play this but was told that
it looked interesting. (DM).
- Zankapfel (VSK): an apple harvesting game.
I didn't play it, but heard some good reviews of it.(DM)
[Mark Delano has a copy. This is a very interesting game, but I only
got to play it once. -- Brian.]
- Waldmeister:
another game I didn't play but heard mostly good reviews of.
Something to do with forestry management. (DM)
- 1856 & 1870 (Mayfair): almost ready for sale, but not quite, damn it! (DM)