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2018 Top 100 Games of All-Time - #20-11

For a brief recap of how I came up with my list, refer back to my previous post:


Here we go with #20-11! Now we're into 2019 so I'll try to wrap up this last 20 quickly so I can move onto all that has happened in this last year!

#20 - Steam

 The best train game I have played so far by a longshot. There are so many mechanisms at play - network building, pick-up and deliver, bidding -it all adds up to one satisfying experience. With now five map expansions available, there is plenty of content to work with.

#19 - Caverna: The Cave Farmers

 With significantly less plays than Agricola and more interest in the other, more different Uwe Rosenberg games, this one has fallen a bit. Still, the gameplay is solid and I see why the wealth of choices this game presents is appealing. Players aren't tied down to any one strategy and going on expeditions is a lot of fun.


#18 - Castles of Mad King Ludwig

This game has fallen quite in comparison to the rest of the top games on my list, but is still a very enjoyable spacial experience. I love the room interactions and the twisted layout of each castle that is created which most of the time varies wildly from player to player and game to game. The auction portion can drag on a bit, but it is still an interesting mechanic.


#17 - Dominant Species

 Although it has been awhile since this game has last been played, I have very fond memories of this very cutthroat and heavy, area control game. It could definitely use a deluxe edition as the components and art were not eye-catching at all, but the gameplay is fantastic and the different abilities of each of the species seemed like it would have been a perfect game to expand. Time for a Kickstarter?


#16 - Tzolk'in

After every play of this now seemingly classic worker placement game, I see the gears spinning in my head long after. The mix of worker placement and time is still unique and presents an interesting puzzle which I still feel I don't understand too well, but it keeps me coming back again and again.


#15 - Food Chain Magnate

Arguably the heaviest and easily the most cutthroat game I have played, this game is unlike any other. The retro theming is wonderfully combined with unique supply and demand mechanics and an innovative employee structure system that is used to determine what actions you take during each round. It is as fun as it is unforgiving.


#14 - Viticulture

This is a wonderful worker placement game with very straightforward rules and an engaging vineyard theme. Although it leans on the heavier side, the intuitive gameplay has made it a successful gateway worker placement game a few times. The Tuscany expansion is one of those rare expansions that I would not play without.


#13 - Twilight Imperium

No other space-themed game can come close to matching the sweeping, epic scope of this monster - maybe with the new edition I'll finally be able to finish a game. Still, even without finishing a game I can see the potential in the limited amount of play I have gotten in and from reading the rules. The politics, the warfare, the alien species - all of it is screaming at me to play it some more.


#12 - Through the Ages

This is the computer game Civilization completely transformed into a board game. I thought that without a map it would not work, but I was very wrong. It somehow has captured all the finer points of what makes Civilization great, from happiness to science, and although there is a lot of book-keeping, it comes together amazingly well.


#11 - Terraforming Mars

This card-driven engine-building game is terrific with its gripping theme and multiple paths to victory. I have yet to try drafting the starting cards, which I heard minimizes the impact of starting with a poor hand, which was my minor quibble with the game, and I really want to try the Prelude expansion. Perhaps after that it will be able to climb a few more spots?

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