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1. Shadows Over Camelot
For 3 to 7 players, ages 10 and up. Designed by Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala, published by Days of Wonder.Players each take on the role of a Knight of the Round Table in this game, seeking honor and glory by completing various quests. However, it's possible (but not certain) that one is a traitor -- so although this is a cooperative game, you can never be entirely sure of the other players' motivations. The traitor wins if everyone else loses; otherwise, the players win collectively. Shadows Over Camelot takes about 90 minutes per game.More »
2. Caylus
For 2 to 5 players, ages 12 and up. Designed by William Attia, published by Ystari Games and Rio Grande Games.Players must manage money, allocate workers, construct buildings, collect resources, build the castle and collect victory points. Money's always too tight, and there are never enough resources to do everything you want to. Plus, the other players tend to place their workers where you wanted to place yours. Caylus is full of tense decisions; it's a strategy game masterpiece. Caylus takes about 120 minutes per game.More »
3. Diamant
For 3 to 8 players, ages 8 and up. Designed by Alan R. Moon and Bruno Faidutti, published by Schmidt Spiele.Players dig through mines, trying to find gems while avoiding dangers like cave-ins and explosions. Diamant is all about managing risk -- should you leave the cave with the gems you have, or should you keep digging for more? Taking big risks can win you the game, but it can also assure a last-place finish. The theme also appeals to me -- Diamant conjures a little bit of an Indiana Jones vibe. Diamant takes about 30 minutes per game.More »
4. Monsters Menace America
For 2 to 4 players, ages 12 and up. Designed by J.C. Connors and Ben Knight, published by Avalon Hill.Giant lizards, apes, eyeballs and other assorted creatures compete for supremacy in this rambling thrill ride of a game. The U.S. military also gets involved, trying to protect our major cities. Another great game published by Avalon Hill this year: Nexus Ops, which features 164 plastic figures, including humans and giant bugs. Monsters Menace America takes about 90 minutes per game.More »
5. Cash 'N' Guns
For 4 to 6 players, ages 10 and up. Designed by Ludovic Maublanc, published by Repos Production.Players are all criminals trying to divide the loot from a robbery. Players simultaneously point their guns at each other and are then given a chance to run away and avoid wounds -- but doing so also means they won't share in the loot. Adding to the tension is the fact that one player is an undercover cop trying to notify the police to raid the gang's hideout. Cash 'N' Guns takes about 30 minutes per game.More »
6. Elasund: The First City of Catan
For 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up. Designed by Klaus Teuber, published by Mayfair Games and Kosmos.This is the second in the Catan Adventures series of games, following Candamir: The First Settlers. In Elasund, players compete to be the first to reach 10 victory points by contructing buildings and walls. Doing so is a challenge, as players must balance both income and influence, manage building permits, and watch out for opponents who may want to destroy their buildings. Elasund takes about 90 minutes per game.More »
7. Railroad Tycoon: The Boardgame
For 2 to 6 players, ages 10 and up. Designed by Martin Wallace and Glenn Drover, published by Eagle Games.Based on the brilliant Age of Steam, Railroad Tycoon is a big game, literally. It includes 150 locomotives, 125 wooden goods cubes and dozens upon dozens of other components. The oversized board is a map of the U.S. circa 1830, and players compete to build track and deliver goods from city to city. Railroad Tycoon takes about 120 minutes per game.More »
8. Caribbean
For 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up. Designed by Jens-Peter Schliemann and Michail Antonow, published by Rio Grande Games and Winning Moves.The waters off the shores of these Caribbean islands are not safe; they're filled with six bloodthirsty pirate ships. During each turn of this quick, fun game, players simultaneously bribe the pirates (with rum) to work for them. Successful players will collect treasure, but being successful involves predicting what your opponents are likely to do. Caribbean takes about 30 minutes per game.More »
9. The Motley Fool's Buy Low, Sell High
For 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up. Designed by Reiner Knizia, published by Uberplay.The stock market's not a place for fools to play, even when it's boiled down to just three types of stock, as it is here: technology, oil and retail. Players invest in the three kinds of stock, watching for the inevitable changes in the market that will make each type more or less valuable. Oil tends to be stable, but technology can produce wonderful profits. Where will you invest? The Motley Fool's Buy Low, Sell High takes about 45 minutes per game.
10. Polarity
For 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up. Designed by Douglas Seaton, published by Temple Games.Ah, the beauty of magnetic fields. First published in 1986, Polarity was republished this year. Play begins with a series of "foundation" magnets being placed on the playmat. Subsequent magnets are placed so that they "lean" on the magnetic field caused by the foundation magnets. When one player causes magnets to snap together, they're captured by the opponent. Polarity takes about 20 minutes per game.More »
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