This was my first year tracking my plays, so my 2018 H-Index and All-Time H-Index is 18. What an H-Index refers to is "N" number of games played "N" numbers of times, which in my case means I played 18 games at least 18 times. In this post, I'll just discuss the games that hit this magical number of being played 18 times, which in this case actually means 20 games
#11 (tie) - Race for the Galaxy (18 times)
For many years, Race for the Galaxy has been my favorite card game and that has not changed - yet. There is another game that I will mention in a bit that has been closing the gap, thanks to being able to play it online. Anyway, Race for the Galaxy is an excellent engine-building game set in space that for me always feels very thematic. The way the developments and planets combo together make sense and true to its name, the last few turns definitely feels like a race as players see that the game is ending and do what they can to snag those last few victory points. It helps that this game plays quickly, which is a common theme to a lot of games that have made it this far on my H-Index.
#11 (tie) - Concordia (18 times)
Or the game has to be really, really good if it is not quick. Then again, Concordia is not terribly long either, clocking in at under two hours in most cases. What makes this game great is how easy it is to learn and how elegant the mechanics are, which also helps shorten the playtime down. This was a new game to me in the last year and likely the highest ranking new game in my personal rankings to make the H-Index, which is quite a feat. I was quickly consumed by how good the game was, leading me to quickly play multiple games and resulting in a large number of plays. The theme might not be the strongest, but near perfect mechanics more than makes up for this weakness.
#10 - 7 Wonders (19 times)
If you told me a couple years ago that 7 Wonders would be making this list, I would not have believed you. Back then, I actively despised this game because of a few bad initial games. However, 7 Wonders: Duel changed my mind on the franchise, so I wanted to give it another chance. Then the app came out, along with the release on BoardGameArena, and my views on 7 Wonders have completely changed. This is a great gateway card drafting game and such quick fun. I've also played with the Leaders expansion which adds direction to your strategy in a big way. I think for people who like heavy euro games that this makes an excellent filler game.
#9 (tie) - Welcome To... (20 times)
As I mentioned before, this is the only game that consists of purely physical plays to make it into the list. This is quite an accomplishment and is a testament to how good this roll-and-write game is. There is actually a theme, unlike other roll-and-writes that will come up on this list, and it fits the game well. Though the scoring is a bit complicated at first, it makes sense after the first game and luckily the games play rather quick. It could also use a bit more interaction, but without it there is the potential for unlimited player count. Most importantly, the game exemplifies the roll-and-write staple of wanting to play just one more game to see if you can do better than your last game, never mind the other players involved. This makes it highly addictive and everyone I have played it with wants to keep playing, which is why it is on this list.
#9 (tie) - Tzolk'in (20 times)
I have played Tzolk'in a handful of times in real life, and each time the gears kept spinning in my head long after I played as I reflected on the strategies I pursued each time. Once I found that the games were available to play online, I thought at long last I could really dive deep into this unique worker placement game. I ended up playing this game 20 times and at first with all the plays I was getting in, I started to sour on the game, but lately my opinion has become a bit more positive. I think I was getting quite let down with all my early losses and I was never able to time the placement and removal of workers properly, but lately I think I have finally figured it out, making the game click mechanically in my head. I also really like the Tribes & Prophecies expansion, as the former gives each player a unique power and the latter provides a bit of direction for strategies. I am glad to have rediscovered this game.
#9 (tie) - Hive (20 times)
This game has always been on my radar, but the Shut Up & Sit Down review that came out in this past year really kicked my interest into high gear. So I eventually learned how to play it on the Hive with AI app, which I have already reviewed, and then saw that the game was available to play on BoardGameArena. It is a great, quick two-player abstract game that has a significant amount of depth, especially when adding the three mini-expansions in. I feel like I have got a pretty good grasp on strategies and mechanics, but there are always games in which the opposing player does something new to surprise me. This is a great game, perfect for travel as well since no board is required.
#8 (tie) - Tokaido (21 times)
This is another game that has gone up and down for me over the past little while. Again, a bit of overexposure early on might have worn on me, but I have since warmed up to how simple and relaxing this game is. Compared to all the other heavy games I have been playing online, in a way this game serves as a break for my brain as I move my figure down a path to take actions and collect sets of cards. In most cases there isn't a hard decision to make in terms of which space to move to and because of this the game moves along at a decent pace. This is likely why it has been played over twenty times this past year and I feel like it is time for me to get the physical version.
#8 (tie) - In the Year of the Dragon (21 times)
A middleweight Stefan Feld game that I have hyped up over the years in anticipation of playing it, I already mentioned in a previous post that in general I was a bit disappointed by the game. However, that did not stop me from playing it many times. In general, I would attribute that to multiple early plays to try to figure out strategies and get a feel for the game. The game is not too heavy either, with there usually being a couple action options for you to take if you don't have enough money to copy other players, but I do feel that there is a point in the game where you feel like you are so far behind that you won't catch up. It also sometimes feels like if you make one mistake, such as not having enough rice tiles in the round you need them due to miscalculation, it can really hurt you for the rest of the game. In fact, I think many of my plays have been the result of me trying to rectify mistakes from previous plays.
#8 (tie) - The Castles of Burgundy (21 times)
This is the other Stefan Feld game on my list and according to BoardGameGeek, and myself I guess, the better one. Similar to In the Year of the Dragon, I was a bit underwhelmed by this game and there has not been much of a rebound, such as what I experienced with Tzolk'in. I think the core of this feeling is that the theme feels absolutely non-existent and the mechanics do not impress me enough to make up for it. But the game is easy to learn and play, which is why I have played it so many times. Maybe I am still hoping for a turnaround in my thoughts on the game - it is really, really high on BoardGameGeek. Perhaps the new edition will help? The app was recently released as well, but for once I might not purchase it.
#7 (tie) - Puerto Rico (22 times)
A classic game and one of my favorites, I was very happy to see Puerto Rico available to play on BoardGameArena. Compared to many games now, it feels much more middleweight but still offers good strategy and depth and does not burn the brain that some of the heavier games on this list do. BoardGameArena also offers the two expansions for the game, which helps to add variability to the game, even though I have mentioned in a previous review that I don't think they are essential to the game and I still feel that way. I haven't grown tired of Puerto Rico yet and perhaps never will.
#7 (tie) - Agricola (22 times)
Another classic and at one point my favorite game of all-time, it was great to be able to re-visit this worker placement classic through Boiteajeux. With all the new releases, such as A Feast for Odin and Caverna, it would be difficult to set aside time to play some his older games, such as this one, since I played it so many times before. But after one or two plays online, I quickly remembered why it is a favorite of mine. In some ways, it is a reminder of a simpler time with simpler worker placement rules. The farming theme is fun and the wide swath of occupation cards keeps things fresh from game to game. I was also able to use the drafting variant, which is something I have always wanted to do and would likely not play again without.
#6 (tie) - Troyes (23 times)
In a previous post, I had mentioned that this was a game that again I had a lot of hype for but did not click for me. Regardless, I played it even more times than perennial favorites. Perhaps one reason was me trying to get enough plays in to convince me that it was better than my first impression. Another was to correct mistakes I made when playing older games. There is a lot going on in Troyes and many times I would get distracted in terms of where I was going to focus my dice allocation on. Do I use tradesman, or play them on event cards? What about the buildings? Or the cathedral? With the secret role that each player is assigned, it is important to pay attention to what others are doing to try to guess what you might need to accomplish, which is hard to do online. Because of this, it is possible that some physical plays of the game will help this game climb my rankings.
#6 (tie) - Innovation (23 times)
I finally got a chance to play this game multiple times this year. In the past, it was a game here and a game there and though it was enough to give me a taste of how the game played, only now do I really feel like the game is truly showing itself to me. And it is amazing. It has slowly begun its climb and possibly could overtake Race for the Galaxy one day. Although the terminology and rules is a bit difficult to get used to the first time, after a couple games most things click together and you can just focus on the cards. It is a very unique tableau building game where the cards become progressively stronger until the entire game feels unbalanced. But it is through this imbalance that the game is balanced and it makes every move exciting as you cannot wait to play that one card from your hand that will win the game for you or you hold your breath waiting to see what your opponent will play next.
#5 (tie) - The Voyages of Marco Polo (24 times)
As much as I have said I prefer Concordia, I started playing The Voyages of Marco Polo first, which is why it has a few more plays. However, I still really like this game. There is a lot of good crunchy decision making - do I focus on traveling around the board or try to complete contracts? The special power that each player is given is also very exciting and changes your strategy from game to game. In turn, I want to come back again and again to try out different strategies with each characters. Because the expansion is not available online, this also makes me want to play the physical version more to try out the characters that have been added through the expansions. I feel that the game is slowly getting better each time I play it, and even though I don't think there's much room on the rankings to move up, it might be enough to solidify its position as it stands now.
#5 (tie) - The Great Zimbabwe (24 times)
I was quite shocked to see that this game was played so many times, but then again also not surprised. It is a really good Splotter Spellen game that is also much quicker than their other game I have played, Food Chain Magnate. Some of the mechanics in the game seem very unique, especially the varying victory point requirement that changes based on the strategy you pursue in the game. Similar to The Voyages of Marco Polo, the gods that you can select to alter some of the rules seem game-changing. Often, I will play one game and see someone obtain a victory using a god in one way, so the next game I try that same path but lose to a different god and different strategy. This is probably why I have played it so many times as I come back to test out each god to see how its powers affect the game.
#5 (tie) - Food Chain Magnate (24 times)
This was the game that jump-started my play of games online. I may have mentioned before that I had played a couple of games of Food Chain Magnate in real life and the second one disappointed me quite a bit, so I was very happy to find the game online and be able to play more games and see what strategies there were to escape the price war. Even though the games are long, since I have been playing it the longest I have been able to get in as many plays as shorter games, such as The Great Zimbabwe. There is also an ongoing tournament that I have been playing in, which keeps me playing on a regular basis. This is a fantastic game, but also a very heavy and time consuming experience. It burns my brain like no other, but sometimes that is a good thing.
#4 - Can't Stop (26 times)
#3 - Takenoko (32 times)
I was surprised at how high this gateway game was up on my list, and by quite a significant margin compared to the second highest full board game, Food Chain Magnate. This large quantity of plays may also have contributed to my mixed feelings on this game or simply the realization that I am not good, but then why do I come back so many times? Perhaps I think I can do better or figure out a winning strategy. It is also a fairly quick game, so similar to Can't Stop I tend to always have one on the go and because of the shorter length I have been able to play more games. But it is longer than Can't Stop, so it is a bit odd that this game has more plays. This is anomaly for sure and it will be interesting to see where it places next year.
#2 - Noch Mal! (97 times)
Roll-and-write games are addictive and even more so when weaponized in app form with a solo mode, as evident by this game tripling the number of plays over Takenoko. Noch Mal! is a simple game where you are trying to fill in colored squares based on number and color combinations from two pairs of dice. The solo mode sees you trying to beat your high score within a set number of rounds. In general, I find this game to be very swingy. I feel like over time, I have not really been able to get better at the game, whereas in the game that occupies my #1 spot I feel like I have steadily improved over time. Some games I will even not enter positive territory for my final score! Maybe I'm just not good at it?
#1 - Ganz Schon Clever (142 times)
#11 (tie) - Race for the Galaxy (18 times)
For many years, Race for the Galaxy has been my favorite card game and that has not changed - yet. There is another game that I will mention in a bit that has been closing the gap, thanks to being able to play it online. Anyway, Race for the Galaxy is an excellent engine-building game set in space that for me always feels very thematic. The way the developments and planets combo together make sense and true to its name, the last few turns definitely feels like a race as players see that the game is ending and do what they can to snag those last few victory points. It helps that this game plays quickly, which is a common theme to a lot of games that have made it this far on my H-Index.
#11 (tie) - Concordia (18 times)
Or the game has to be really, really good if it is not quick. Then again, Concordia is not terribly long either, clocking in at under two hours in most cases. What makes this game great is how easy it is to learn and how elegant the mechanics are, which also helps shorten the playtime down. This was a new game to me in the last year and likely the highest ranking new game in my personal rankings to make the H-Index, which is quite a feat. I was quickly consumed by how good the game was, leading me to quickly play multiple games and resulting in a large number of plays. The theme might not be the strongest, but near perfect mechanics more than makes up for this weakness.
#10 - 7 Wonders (19 times)
If you told me a couple years ago that 7 Wonders would be making this list, I would not have believed you. Back then, I actively despised this game because of a few bad initial games. However, 7 Wonders: Duel changed my mind on the franchise, so I wanted to give it another chance. Then the app came out, along with the release on BoardGameArena, and my views on 7 Wonders have completely changed. This is a great gateway card drafting game and such quick fun. I've also played with the Leaders expansion which adds direction to your strategy in a big way. I think for people who like heavy euro games that this makes an excellent filler game.
#9 (tie) - Welcome To... (20 times)
As I mentioned before, this is the only game that consists of purely physical plays to make it into the list. This is quite an accomplishment and is a testament to how good this roll-and-write game is. There is actually a theme, unlike other roll-and-writes that will come up on this list, and it fits the game well. Though the scoring is a bit complicated at first, it makes sense after the first game and luckily the games play rather quick. It could also use a bit more interaction, but without it there is the potential for unlimited player count. Most importantly, the game exemplifies the roll-and-write staple of wanting to play just one more game to see if you can do better than your last game, never mind the other players involved. This makes it highly addictive and everyone I have played it with wants to keep playing, which is why it is on this list.
#9 (tie) - Tzolk'in (20 times)
I have played Tzolk'in a handful of times in real life, and each time the gears kept spinning in my head long after I played as I reflected on the strategies I pursued each time. Once I found that the games were available to play online, I thought at long last I could really dive deep into this unique worker placement game. I ended up playing this game 20 times and at first with all the plays I was getting in, I started to sour on the game, but lately my opinion has become a bit more positive. I think I was getting quite let down with all my early losses and I was never able to time the placement and removal of workers properly, but lately I think I have finally figured it out, making the game click mechanically in my head. I also really like the Tribes & Prophecies expansion, as the former gives each player a unique power and the latter provides a bit of direction for strategies. I am glad to have rediscovered this game.
#9 (tie) - Hive (20 times)
This game has always been on my radar, but the Shut Up & Sit Down review that came out in this past year really kicked my interest into high gear. So I eventually learned how to play it on the Hive with AI app, which I have already reviewed, and then saw that the game was available to play on BoardGameArena. It is a great, quick two-player abstract game that has a significant amount of depth, especially when adding the three mini-expansions in. I feel like I have got a pretty good grasp on strategies and mechanics, but there are always games in which the opposing player does something new to surprise me. This is a great game, perfect for travel as well since no board is required.
#8 (tie) - Tokaido (21 times)
This is another game that has gone up and down for me over the past little while. Again, a bit of overexposure early on might have worn on me, but I have since warmed up to how simple and relaxing this game is. Compared to all the other heavy games I have been playing online, in a way this game serves as a break for my brain as I move my figure down a path to take actions and collect sets of cards. In most cases there isn't a hard decision to make in terms of which space to move to and because of this the game moves along at a decent pace. This is likely why it has been played over twenty times this past year and I feel like it is time for me to get the physical version.
#8 (tie) - In the Year of the Dragon (21 times)
A middleweight Stefan Feld game that I have hyped up over the years in anticipation of playing it, I already mentioned in a previous post that in general I was a bit disappointed by the game. However, that did not stop me from playing it many times. In general, I would attribute that to multiple early plays to try to figure out strategies and get a feel for the game. The game is not too heavy either, with there usually being a couple action options for you to take if you don't have enough money to copy other players, but I do feel that there is a point in the game where you feel like you are so far behind that you won't catch up. It also sometimes feels like if you make one mistake, such as not having enough rice tiles in the round you need them due to miscalculation, it can really hurt you for the rest of the game. In fact, I think many of my plays have been the result of me trying to rectify mistakes from previous plays.
#8 (tie) - The Castles of Burgundy (21 times)
This is the other Stefan Feld game on my list and according to BoardGameGeek, and myself I guess, the better one. Similar to In the Year of the Dragon, I was a bit underwhelmed by this game and there has not been much of a rebound, such as what I experienced with Tzolk'in. I think the core of this feeling is that the theme feels absolutely non-existent and the mechanics do not impress me enough to make up for it. But the game is easy to learn and play, which is why I have played it so many times. Maybe I am still hoping for a turnaround in my thoughts on the game - it is really, really high on BoardGameGeek. Perhaps the new edition will help? The app was recently released as well, but for once I might not purchase it.
#7 (tie) - Puerto Rico (22 times)
A classic game and one of my favorites, I was very happy to see Puerto Rico available to play on BoardGameArena. Compared to many games now, it feels much more middleweight but still offers good strategy and depth and does not burn the brain that some of the heavier games on this list do. BoardGameArena also offers the two expansions for the game, which helps to add variability to the game, even though I have mentioned in a previous review that I don't think they are essential to the game and I still feel that way. I haven't grown tired of Puerto Rico yet and perhaps never will.
#7 (tie) - Agricola (22 times)
Another classic and at one point my favorite game of all-time, it was great to be able to re-visit this worker placement classic through Boiteajeux. With all the new releases, such as A Feast for Odin and Caverna, it would be difficult to set aside time to play some his older games, such as this one, since I played it so many times before. But after one or two plays online, I quickly remembered why it is a favorite of mine. In some ways, it is a reminder of a simpler time with simpler worker placement rules. The farming theme is fun and the wide swath of occupation cards keeps things fresh from game to game. I was also able to use the drafting variant, which is something I have always wanted to do and would likely not play again without.
#6 (tie) - Troyes (23 times)
In a previous post, I had mentioned that this was a game that again I had a lot of hype for but did not click for me. Regardless, I played it even more times than perennial favorites. Perhaps one reason was me trying to get enough plays in to convince me that it was better than my first impression. Another was to correct mistakes I made when playing older games. There is a lot going on in Troyes and many times I would get distracted in terms of where I was going to focus my dice allocation on. Do I use tradesman, or play them on event cards? What about the buildings? Or the cathedral? With the secret role that each player is assigned, it is important to pay attention to what others are doing to try to guess what you might need to accomplish, which is hard to do online. Because of this, it is possible that some physical plays of the game will help this game climb my rankings.
#6 (tie) - Innovation (23 times)
I finally got a chance to play this game multiple times this year. In the past, it was a game here and a game there and though it was enough to give me a taste of how the game played, only now do I really feel like the game is truly showing itself to me. And it is amazing. It has slowly begun its climb and possibly could overtake Race for the Galaxy one day. Although the terminology and rules is a bit difficult to get used to the first time, after a couple games most things click together and you can just focus on the cards. It is a very unique tableau building game where the cards become progressively stronger until the entire game feels unbalanced. But it is through this imbalance that the game is balanced and it makes every move exciting as you cannot wait to play that one card from your hand that will win the game for you or you hold your breath waiting to see what your opponent will play next.
#5 (tie) - The Voyages of Marco Polo (24 times)
As much as I have said I prefer Concordia, I started playing The Voyages of Marco Polo first, which is why it has a few more plays. However, I still really like this game. There is a lot of good crunchy decision making - do I focus on traveling around the board or try to complete contracts? The special power that each player is given is also very exciting and changes your strategy from game to game. In turn, I want to come back again and again to try out different strategies with each characters. Because the expansion is not available online, this also makes me want to play the physical version more to try out the characters that have been added through the expansions. I feel that the game is slowly getting better each time I play it, and even though I don't think there's much room on the rankings to move up, it might be enough to solidify its position as it stands now.
#5 (tie) - The Great Zimbabwe (24 times)
I was quite shocked to see that this game was played so many times, but then again also not surprised. It is a really good Splotter Spellen game that is also much quicker than their other game I have played, Food Chain Magnate. Some of the mechanics in the game seem very unique, especially the varying victory point requirement that changes based on the strategy you pursue in the game. Similar to The Voyages of Marco Polo, the gods that you can select to alter some of the rules seem game-changing. Often, I will play one game and see someone obtain a victory using a god in one way, so the next game I try that same path but lose to a different god and different strategy. This is probably why I have played it so many times as I come back to test out each god to see how its powers affect the game.
#5 (tie) - Food Chain Magnate (24 times)
This was the game that jump-started my play of games online. I may have mentioned before that I had played a couple of games of Food Chain Magnate in real life and the second one disappointed me quite a bit, so I was very happy to find the game online and be able to play more games and see what strategies there were to escape the price war. Even though the games are long, since I have been playing it the longest I have been able to get in as many plays as shorter games, such as The Great Zimbabwe. There is also an ongoing tournament that I have been playing in, which keeps me playing on a regular basis. This is a fantastic game, but also a very heavy and time consuming experience. It burns my brain like no other, but sometimes that is a good thing.
#4 - Can't Stop (26 times)
This isn't a great game by any means, but it is a decent filler and it plays quick. I usually have one game on the go at all times on Yucata and because the games are short, I have been able to play many. As I don't normally talk about this game, I'll just explain the basics here. In short, it is a push your luck game where you are rolling dice to move your player pieces up columns. On your turn, you can keep rolling for as long as you like, but there are limitations to your ability to move and if at any time you cannot move, you forfeit your entire turn and lose all progress you made. Alternatively, you can opt to stop moving after one of your rolls and "save" your progress. This gives the game its name "can't stop", since it is a race to see who can reach the top of a certain number of columns depending on the number of players and as the game nears, players push their luck further and further. There are also a lot of variants to this game, such as the "jumping" variant where pieces will jump over each other and "forced play" where pieces are not allowed to share the same spot and you must keep rolling if they do.
#3 - Takenoko (32 times)
I was surprised at how high this gateway game was up on my list, and by quite a significant margin compared to the second highest full board game, Food Chain Magnate. This large quantity of plays may also have contributed to my mixed feelings on this game or simply the realization that I am not good, but then why do I come back so many times? Perhaps I think I can do better or figure out a winning strategy. It is also a fairly quick game, so similar to Can't Stop I tend to always have one on the go and because of the shorter length I have been able to play more games. But it is longer than Can't Stop, so it is a bit odd that this game has more plays. This is anomaly for sure and it will be interesting to see where it places next year.
#2 - Noch Mal! (97 times)
Roll-and-write games are addictive and even more so when weaponized in app form with a solo mode, as evident by this game tripling the number of plays over Takenoko. Noch Mal! is a simple game where you are trying to fill in colored squares based on number and color combinations from two pairs of dice. The solo mode sees you trying to beat your high score within a set number of rounds. In general, I find this game to be very swingy. I feel like over time, I have not really been able to get better at the game, whereas in the game that occupies my #1 spot I feel like I have steadily improved over time. Some games I will even not enter positive territory for my final score! Maybe I'm just not good at it?
#1 - Ganz Schon Clever (142 times)
Ridiculously addictive - I think that is the only way to explain it. Sure, I did play a few extra games towards the end of the year to get to the thousand play count, but that does not take away from this game at all. The solo game is a constant push for a personal high score and the app makes it very easy to play. There are many times when I will just play game after game. However, I have also been able to play the physical version with multiple players and it is just as good. I don't know if any game will ever catch up to this number. The sequel, Doppelt So Clever came out in early 2019 and might end up being the leader for 2019, but I am doubtful it will reach triple digits since the game takes a bit longer due to the higher complexity. I think the key is having a solo mode, as it is the only way I will log app plays. If other roll-and-writes, such as Roll to the Top, came out with a solo mode, I could see them making this list as well.
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