The first strategy board game I got introduced to is called Ticket to Ride where the objective is to earn the most points by claiming railway routes that connect cities. The longer the routes, the more points you earn. But it isn’t that easy because the routes are limited so any player can claim the routes which you’re eyeing or they can block your route.
Photo source: alexwilgus.wordpress.com
There are several map versions like Europe, US and Nordic countries. So far, I’ve played the German map on a board game and I have the US version on my iPad. It’s easier to play on the iPad though because your target destinations are highlighted so you can easily spot all possible routes. :)
A fun card game to play is 6 Nimmt! All players are given equal number of cards at the start of the game and the objective is to get rid of all your cards. It’s not that easy to get rid of the cards because every round, you have to pick 1 card to play and lay it down on the table next to the card it’s closest to (in ascending order). If your card happens to be the 5th card on the row, you have to take all the cards of that row! That’s when everyone gets a good laugh.
Photo source: Wikipedia
Winning in 6 Nimmt is a combination of both luck and strategy (although I think it’s more luck!). It’s a great game to play if you just want to have fun and don’t want to think too much. Haha…
It’s been a long while since I went to a board game night so last Friday, I joined and got introduced to 2 new games. I was late for the first game called Mansions of Madness but saw enough to understand a bit. As my friends say, it’s similar to Cluedo because you need to uncover clues to solve a mystery. But the setting takes place in haunted mansions, monasteries, crypts and your opponents are monsters and cultists!
Photo source: boardgamegeek.com
I must say, Mansions of Madness is the most overwhelming board game setup I’ve ever seen and it even came with an eerie background music! And honestly, I’m not sure if I’ll ever learn this one. There are so many types of cards and actions. But what I like about is that players don’t compete but collaborate to solve the mystery.
The other game we played is called Settlers of Catan. The objective is to build settlements in an island by acquiring and trading resources (lumber, brick, ore, sheep, wheat). Players are rewarded points as their settlements grow and the first to reach a set number of points (e.g 10 points) is the winner.
Photo source: amazon.com
The board looks a bit complicated but you’ll get the hang of it after a few turns. The fun part comes when you’re trading and guessing who might be leading in terms of points so the rest can stop trading with him/her and possibly cut his/her resources. I also got Settlers of Catan on my iPad and hopefully play when I have time.
Whether as a kid or an adult, it’s always fun to play games! And I realized one more thing that hasn’t changed in me – until now, I still don’t care if I win or lose because I feel the same way whether I win or lose! Haha… In fact, I‘d rather lose especially if I know someone wants to win so badly. :)
