# What Board Games are you playing? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [December 6, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383 "2020-12-06T14:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/262 "2025-03-07T15:21:49Z")
We played some heavy really great games in the last few weeks. Civolution. A Civilization game that is heavy and has a lot of actions but once you start playing is very smooth and fun. Galactic Cruise. My favorite game of the year so far. Building and launching Cruise Ship rockets while vying to be the company’s next CEO. Played more SETI. Tried a two player variant I saw on line where you make all the sectors one smaller. It made the scanning work much better at two. Bringing out Unconscious Mind to play again this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![mastershuppet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mastershuppet/32/18715_2.png) [@mastershuppet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mastershuppet)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/263 "2025-03-11T11:27:05Z")
I have been playing Root. It is really nice that it has an digital version, because then I can just play over and over again. ---
**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:** [March 11, 2025, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/264 "2025-03-11T11:53:29Z")
Is that against other players, or does it have an AI? ---
**Author:** ![mastershuppet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mastershuppet/32/18715_2.png) [@mastershuppet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mastershuppet)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2025, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/265 "2025-03-11T12:33:03Z")
It has AI, I recommend the clockwork expansion if you end up needing a challenge. But it also has online play and there are always people waiting for new games to start 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/266 "2025-03-12T03:58:49Z")
I looked at that game, but cannot get over the cutesy characters! I have the same problem with Everdale, and the online version of Agricola. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2025, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/267 "2025-03-12T04:54:38Z")
So far this month I have played Age of Steam, Cartographers, The Castles of Burgundy, A Fake Artist Goes to New York, The Fox Experiment, Harmonies (twice), A Message From the Stars (twice), Rise of Tribes, and Windmill Valley (twice). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/268 "2025-03-12T11:26:10Z")
If you don’t like cute anthropomorphic animals the current trend in board game theming will annoy you. It’s all cute animals all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/269 "2025-04-12T21:42:35Z")
Sky Team A quick 2-player co-op. You and your co-pilot (or vice-versa) have to land a plane by completing pre-landing tasks as well as maintaining thrust/altitude/airspace via private dice rolls and limited communication. Plenty of fun and a good amount of replayability as preset scenarios increase with difficulty and variables. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/270 "2025-04-12T22:32:48Z")
Just an FYI, the current Tariff situation is really hurting the Board Game industry as the vast majority of them are made in China and the publishers are often smaller companies so many reprints and new games are being postponed or canceled. If there is a game you have your eye on, get it now. It may be a long time before it gets reprinted (if ever) and will probably be more expensive. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/271 "2025-04-13T04:07:32Z")
I played Le Havre today. I haven’t played it in a while. I found my unrequited love for this game continues. I enjoy playing it but I always finish in last place. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2025, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/272 "2025-04-13T11:08:06Z")
I really like Le Havre but think it is best with 3 players. With 4 (or 5 which is crazy talk) there are rounds where you have only 1 action. True the food requirements are less but our group only plays it with 3 (we rarely do 2 player games) Brian ---
**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:** [April 13, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/273 "2025-04-13T14:19:57Z")
I was playing a three player game. I just can’t find the right pace to play the game at. With most games of this type, I can think of general development as the main activity with basic food production as secondary. I need to learn that in Le Havre, basic food production is the main activity and general development is secondary. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/274 "2025-05-05T20:39:22Z")
I have been playing Galactic Cruise a bunch and it is quickly becoming my favorite game. I got the Kickstarter but it is starting to enter retail and the version is the same. If you like thematic euro games it should take a look. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2025, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/275 "2025-05-05T21:05:32Z")
I like GC but in my two full games (4 player) I narrowly came in second. The first game winner was 203 I was 202. The second game the winner and I had 208 but they had 8 progress cubes to my 7… Brian ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2025, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/276 "2025-05-06T03:24:29Z")
I got a chance to spend most of the weekend at a local board gaming convention and learn _Cities_ and _Forbidden Island_, both of which I’ll probably add to my collection at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/277 "2025-05-24T01:12:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I just can’t find the right pace to play the game at. With most games of this type, I can think of general development as the main activity with basic food production as secondary. I need to learn that in Le Havre, basic food production is the main activity and general development is secondary. My problem wasn’t food production. It was the whole strategy of using and building the buildings. In a single player game I’m fine. But the one time I played pvp, I had no problem getting food, but a lot of the time the building I wanted was already in use, yet the buildings that I built rarely got used themselves. That said, I believe I came in second behind an experienced player because the other players got into debt. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/278 "2025-05-26T18:12:27Z")
I have the entire Forbidden trilogy (Island, desert, and jungle). Of the three, I think that Island is the best and jungle is my least favourite. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/279 "2025-05-26T18:17:54Z")
It is an older game, but we have just started playing **Castle Panic** in my house. It is a cooperative game where you need to defend your castle from an approaching army of trolls, orcs, and goblins. It is easy to learn and good for kids 8 to 10+. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/280 "2025-05-26T21:49:50Z")
There is actually a forgotten stepchild of the Forbidden games: Forbidden Sky. Most people don’t like it but I thought it was not bad. ---
**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:** [May 27, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383/281 "2025-05-27T16:16:54Z")
We just came back from BGG Spring, the convention that features (among other things) the just-announced [Spiel des Jahres nominees](https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogpost/174264/spiel-des-jahres-nominations-for-2025-bomb-busters), where the SdJ judges & some additional trainees will teach you the nominated games on a bunch of set-aside tables. Of the nominees… Kennerspiel (I’d described this as games above the party-game level of difficulty, but not always by much): 1. [Faraway](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/385761/faraway): We liked this game a LOT and will buy it. Basically you draft 8 cards round-by-round and play them into a tableau one at a time left-to-right, but then you score them right-to-left one at a time. Winning requires some planning. 2. [Looot](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/410991/looot). Vikings on a map gaining resources and send them back home to satisfy set collection. Reactions ranged from _meh_ to _blech_. 3. [Endeavor: Deep Sea](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367966/endeavor-deep-sea). A worker placement game with some twists…you’re hiring sea experts, diving, conserving, and exploring deeper layers of the sea. We sucked at this and thought we’d try it again, but the jury is still out overall. Regular old Spiel des Jahres. 1. [Bomb Busters](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/413246/bomb-busters). I don’t like cooperative games, but this one was decent. You’re working together to cut the right wires (the blue ones, not the yellow or red ones) as a group. If you know the game Hanabi, it has some of the feel of that. We won’t buy it, but not bad. 2. [Flip 7](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/420087/flip-7). A simple press-your-luck game akin to blackjack, except you’re dealing cards that range from 1 to 12 to the players one at a time, & they will bust if a duplicate turns up, and their score if/when they stop will be the sum. The catch is, there are 12 12’s, 11 11’s, etc. There are also some other action cards that can turn up. Addictive, and we’ll buy it for the church game day. 3. [Krakel Orakel](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/419639/krakel-orakel). Kinda pictionary, except your drawing is limited to some loopy lines on a placard. We did not enjoy. We played a bunch of other games: Black Fleet, Captain Flip, FIXER, 12-Chip Trick, Wallenstein, Nestlings, PARKS, Wallenstein, Motor City, but one disappointment is that we didn’t get far in [Unconscious Mind](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/329500/unconscious-mind), the game where you and your fellow Freudians attempt to help cure patients through various means. It’s a technically-complex game, and it took too long for our first play to get up and running…still, intriguing. We might be done with board games for a day or two… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-board-games-are-you-playing/927383.md?page=15)