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2018 Top 100 Games of All-Time - #10-1

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


Finally, my top 10 games when I ranked them in January 2018! Again, I know we're into 2019 and so much has changed, so shortly after this is posted I will be starting on my updated rankings, hopefully at a bit of a quicker pace than last time.

#10 - A Feast for Odin

This amazing, monstrous euro game will likely move farther up the Top 10 with more plays. This might be Uwe Rosenberg's masterpiece as he combines the worker placement mechanics he has classically been known for with the polynomial tile placement he has been toying with in recent years. Although intimidating at first with all the options available from the start, the game quickly narrows as you are generally guided to stick with one strategy, whether it be whaling, herding, or exploring.


#9 - Race for the Galaxy

My favorite card game, it combines role selection from Puerto Rico, great resource/hand management, and an engaging space theme. There are many expansions for this game to provide seemingly endless replayability and to help scale the depth based on the experience of the players. It has since spawned both a dice and board game, both of which I really want to play.


#8 - Ora et Labora

I think that this worker placement game by Uwe Rosenberg is a bit underappreciated, getting lost in the shuffle between his other big releases. It has a very enjoyable and strategic tile placement element as you try to expand your city and best utilize neighbouring bonuses. The production wheel is also very fun to manipulate and a better system than the piles of goods that build up in Le Havre.


#7 - Brass

The first few times I played this game on the app, I didn't really understand it, especially because the tutorial was not the greatest. The gorgeous Kickstarter production for the re-release convinced me to read the rules in full. Then, when I finally played the game with full understanding of the rules, the supply and demand mechanic of this cutthroat euro game amazed me. I think it could still rise higher.


#6 - Power Grid

Part auction, part network-building, part resource management - the sum of all these parts is a weighty, satisfying game. The theme is fantastic, especially for me, and all the different maps out there adds a lot of replayability. This is always going to be a classic.


#5 - Le Havre

This is another classic that focuses on you using a single worker to build a small port town. The chaining of buildings together to convert goods into other goods and shipping those out is so much fun - I sometimes wonder if I like this game more than Agricola.


#4 - Puerto Rico

This classic packs so much strategy into a relatively short amount of time - I had to spring for the Limited Anniversary version when it came out. I think it will steadily drop over time as it is older and I am really tempted by New Frontiers, which is the Race for the Galaxy re-implementation. Still, this game will always be a part of my collection.


#3 - Agricola

My favorite game using my favorite mechanic, worker placement, this classic Uwe Rosenberg game is so good because you need to feed, not despite it. I enjoy the stressful decision making that comes with balancing victory point production and feeding and all the occupations and minor improvements means that the replayability is very high.


#2 - Twilight Struggle

This amazing two-player card-driven area control game will force you to make the most difficult of decisions as you struggle to stay ahead of your Cold War opponent. I think that it really captures the tension of the Cold War and the stress of having to deal with multiple problems around the globe while always keeping an eye on what is happening in Europe.


#1 - Terra Mystica

Out of nowhere this increasingly intricate puzzle of a game claimed #1 from Twilight Struggle's five year reign. There is just something about the way players need to figure out the best course of action between their race ability, the bonus tiles, and the round scoring tiles that appeals to me. Although heavy on rules, the end result is amazing.

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