# Anyone playing the new generation of board games? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 1, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143 "2015-12-01T20:33:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/21 "2015-12-03T17:08:05Z")
It’s a little humorous to me reading these described as “new generation.” I suppose they’re newer than Monopoly, but Settlers of Catan was released in 1995 and it wasn’t the first of such games. We were mostly calling them “German board games” back then. I just looked up some dates and was surprised to see Acquire came out in the 1960’s… back in high school, I built a JavaScript web-based version of it I do still play them occasionally. I have a copy of Settlers that I pull out a couple of times a year and I think I ought to get a commission on every friend who ran out and bought their own copy afterward. That said, I always saw these games as a compromise - pen and paper RPGs were always my schtick. I haven’t had time (or a group) to play an RPG in ten years, though, so I do a lot of compromising. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/22 "2015-12-03T19:24:11Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > It’s a little humorous to me reading these described as “new generation.” I suppose they’re newer than Monopoly, but Settlers of Catan was released in 1995 and it wasn’t the first of such games. We were mostly calling them “German board games” back then. I just looked up some dates and was surprised to see Acquire came out in the 1960’s… back in high school, I built a JavaScript web-based version of it. I am by no means an expert on board games, but I see essentially two modern ages of board games. The games that are now called ‘classics’ like Chess, Go, Monopoly, Scrabble and Clue that you might find in Toys R Us and are what most people think of when you say ‘Board Game’ and then everything after that. I understand that many of these games could be called ‘old’, but they are newer than the classics and so I called them new. Let’s now get buried in semantics here, I just wanted to clarify that I had no interest in talking about the ‘classics’. The Pandemic Legacy game is very intriguing. I’ve played Pandemic and enjoyed it. It’s nice to play a cooperative game every now and then. I love all the mechanics around how you can lose. I’ve already mentioned it, but I am in love with the playthroughs available on YouTube. There’s one with a father, a son and daughter that’s terrific (I looked it up - Watch it Played!). These sorts of videos have sped up my group’s ability to learn a game immensely. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/23 "2015-12-03T19:47:26Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > What’s your take on Agricola? That seems like it would be right up my alley. Agricola is fun, but it is a punishing game. One bad choice and your score might plummet below zero. I like Caverna a little better, and Lords of Waterdeep and Brew Crafters (different designers from Agricola and Caverna, but similar games) significantly better. All of these are expensive enough that you probably don’t want to buy them on a lark. Do you have a game store near you where you can play games before you buy them? Or a gaming club? Those might be a good idea to try it out. Agricola and Lords of Waterdeep are also available on iOS phones/tablets for a more reasonable price (a little steep for a phone game - they’re $7 or $9, IIRC - but a lot cheaper than the box o’ cardboard for trying it out). ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/24 "2015-12-03T20:21:57Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > What’s your take on Agricola? That seems like it would be right up my alley. > > Is anybody watching any of the board game YouTube shows like Tabletop? What about podcasts? Agricola is one of my favorites, there are a ton of potential paths to victory (especially if you play with all the Improvements and Occupations) and the game changes with every play. I agree it can be frustrating, but I don’t feel like a mistake can shut you out…the challenge is to keep adapting. We’ve watched all the Tabletop episodes, and we also watch Dice Tower. ETA: Lords of Waterdeep is great, we also play that from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![merrick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@merrick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrick)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/25 "2015-12-03T21:20:59Z")
I work for a tech company - lots of boardgamers. Some great games already mentioned - I’d second _Small World, Power Grid, Castles of Burgundy, Pandemic, Seven Wonders & Carcassonne_. I prefer _Caverna_ to _Agricola_ because it has more options and is less likely to hit you with a need-two-things-and-blocked-out-of-both-of-them situation. _Ora et Labora_ is another one with a similar theme. I’m not a big fan of _Battlestar Galactica_ - too big and slow for what it is and the hidden-traitor tends to end up as a disappointment for one side or the other. Some others that haven’t been mentioned - _Tzolk’in_ is worker-placement with a twist; _Puerto Rico_ is a classic Eurogame; _Race for the Galaxy_ is a good card-based game (don’t go crazy with the expansions - they loaded so many new gizmos on it that it eventually broke). My local group is nuts over _One Night Ultimate Werewolf_, which is very different from most of the games above, but great fun. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/26 "2015-12-04T16:54:56Z")
My buddy has Puerto Rico, but we haven’t had a chance to play it yet. I’m very optimistic about it. I also have a few apps. Some of the best are: [ul] [li]Ticket to Ride[/li][li]Pandemic[/li][li]Small World 2[/li][li]Carcassonne[/li][/ul] I always play single player games. I wonder what they would be like playing against someone. I also wonder why more games don’t make apps. They play so much faster and cleaner than the actual game. However, at least in my case, the social element is lost in an app. ---
**Author:** ![rooostra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@rooostra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rooostra)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/27 "2015-12-04T17:35:02Z")
Can anyone suggest any boardgames that are fun for two adult players? My wife and I have two kids (2 and 5) who we hope will eventually be into family game night but aren’t quite there yet. Given working two demanding jobs (in addition to having two demanding kids), we don’t get out a lot or have folks over often, so it would be great to find a game or three we can play in the evening. Thanks for any suggestions! ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/28 "2015-12-04T18:20:12Z")
> [@rooostra](#): > > Can anyone suggest any boardgames that are fun for two adult players? > > My wife and I have two kids (2 and 5) who we hope will eventually be into family game night but aren’t quite there yet. Given working two demanding jobs (in addition to having two demanding kids), we don’t get out a lot or have folks over often, so it would be great to find a game or three we can play in the evening. > > Thanks for any suggestions! I don’t play a lot of two player games, but: I have heard a lot of good things about [7 Wonders: Duel](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/173346/7-wonders-duel) [Lost Cities](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50/lost-cities) is a classic [Agricola: All creatures Big and Small](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/119890/agricola-all-creatures-big-and-small) is a good mini version of the full game I think [Castles of Burgundy](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/84876/castles-burgundy) scales well (2-4) [St Petersburg](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9217/saint-petersburg) is a local favorite (not so great at 3, but good at 2 or 4) (there is a [second edition](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/156943/saint-petersburg-second-edition) – works well) Brian Check out Rahdo’s videos - he plays two player 95% of the time ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/29 "2015-12-04T20:33:36Z")
I can recommend [Castles of Mad King Ludwig](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/155426/castles-mad-king-ludwig) for two players. It’s also a pretty good one for the kids to watch as you build cool buildings and they can use the pieces to build their own imaginary castles outside the game (but no chewing the pieces!) ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/30 "2015-12-04T21:17:09Z")
Of a limited time use, Amazon has a bunch of games as part of their daily deals for the holidays today. [Amazon Link](http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=lp_12693418011_gbps_img_s-3_4322_7043c5b0?rh=i%3Atoys-and-games%2Cn%3A12693418011%2Cn%3A12693418011&ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&node=12693418011) ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/31 "2015-12-04T21:42:00Z")
Forgot to link to Rahdo’s videos: > **[Rahdo Runs Through... Games!](https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/140177/rahdo-runs-through-games)** > > url=http://www.youtube.com/subscription\_center?add\_user=rahdo\]\[floatright\]\[IMG\]http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic1593664\_t.png\[/IMG\]\[/floatright\]\[/url\]Hi everybody. I'm Rahdo, and these are my boardgame runthroughs! You can click the logo on the... Brian ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/32 "2015-12-04T23:00:12Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > Looks like I need to put Battlestar Galactica on my list. If you like the “unknown allies” aspect of BSG but are (justifiably) concerned about the game length, there are options that scratch a similar itch in less time. Dark Moon (which was originally conceived as BSG Express) and Shadow Hunters both play up the “who do i trust” paranoia that BSG does very well. There are also various incarnations of Mafia or Werewolf. Some other games that I particularly enjoy: Shadowrift: a cooperative deckbuilder in which you are tasked with protecting a village against a horde of marauding monsters who will march in, kick you in the teeth, and kill your citizens. Lost Legacy (or it’s ancestor, Love Letter): a quick little deduction game playable in 10 minute rounds. Good stuff. Smash Up: want to find out whether your army of zombies and pirates can beat your opponent’s aliens and robots? Of course you do. Hardcore Eurogamers tend to hate this, but ignore them. It’s good fun if overly fiddly. Defenders of the Realm: Take Pandemic, put it in a fantasy world, and replace the diseases with armies of orcs and demons. Coup: a quick game of pure bluffing and lies Sentinels of the Multiverse: a cooperative superhero themed game with unique decks for each hero, villain and environment. I’ve also had the chance to play the Giant Black Box of Unmedicated Schizophrenia known as Kingdom Death: Monster, which is amazing and horrifying and costs $300 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/33 "2015-12-04T23:56:56Z")
Some of my favorites: Alien Uprising; Castles of Mad King Ludwig; CV; Fidelitas; Flip City; Fluxx; Innovation; Istanbul; Kingdom Builder; Le Havre; Machi Koro; Panamax; Roll for the Galaxy; Smash Up; Splendor; Suburbia; Troyes; Zombicide. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/34 "2015-12-05T03:35:55Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > I’ve also had the chance to play the Giant Black Box of Unmedicated Schizophrenia known as Kingdom Death: Monster, which is amazing and horrifying and costs $300 or so. I watched the Kickstarter progress for that from the sidelines and I still have hard time believing the game is actually done and people have it now. Maybe if I saw a box with my own two eyes but I don’t have any boardgaming friends quite that rich and/or crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/35 "2015-12-05T03:59:57Z")
Great selections of games of this type can be found at the following three sites: > **[Play board games online from your browser](https://en.boardgamearena.com/)** > > The world's #1 platform for playing board games online. Play hundreds of board games from your browser for free. [http://yucata.de](http://yucata.de) > **[boiteajeux.net • the online boardgaming portal](https://www.boiteajeux.net/)** > > Online boardgames web portal, where you can play 50 different games for free, including Agricola, Castles of Burgundy, Concordia, Dixit, Myrmes and Trajan. I am called “Speusippus” on each site. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/36 "2015-12-05T04:01:19Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Some of my favorites: Alien Uprising; Castles of Mad King Ludwig; CV; Fidelitas; Flip City; Fluxx; Innovation; Istanbul; Kingdom Builder; Le Havre; Machi Koro; Panamax; Roll for the Galaxy; Smash Up; Splendor; Suburbia; Troyes; Zombicide. Troyes I count as the best game I know how to play. Do you have the Ladies of Troyes expansion? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/37 "2015-12-05T07:24:55Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Do you have the Ladies of Troyes expansion? Unfortunately no. I’ve been looking for a copy for over a year. So far, I’d either have to pay a lot for a foreign language edition or an awful lot for an English language edition. Or keep hoping I get lucky and find somebody who has a copy for sale at a reasonable price. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/38 "2015-12-05T07:30:33Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Great selections of games of this type can be found at the following three sites: > > [boardgamearena.com](http://boardgamearena.com) > > [http://yucata.de](http://yucata.de) > > [http://boiteajeux.net](http://boiteajeux.net) > > I am called “Speusippus” on each site. Are you involved with the Tabletopia site? I didn’t join the Kickstarter but I’m keeping an eye on it. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/39 "2015-12-05T13:57:19Z")
I’m N9IWP on yucata (and boit-a-jeux but much less active) as well Brian ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143/40 "2015-12-05T17:25:26Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > I watched the Kickstarter progress for that from the sidelines and I still have hard time believing the game is actually done and people have it now. Maybe if I saw a box with my own two eyes but I don’t have any boardgaming friends quite that rich and/or crazy. I can safely verify that it does exist. Imagine if HP Lovecraft, the Chaos Powers from Warhammer, and an overly-caffinated 13 year old boy made a game together. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-the-new-generation-of-board-games/739143.md?page=3)