1. 1960: The Making of the President
Image courtesy of Z-Man Games
The 1960 U.S. presidential election was a contest between two dramatically different personalities: John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. Kennedy won the real-life election, but this brilliant game allows players to recreate the contest. Everything about this game is top-notch. The gameplay is superb, while the components perfectly evoke the feeling of a mid-20th century election. 1960: The Making of the President takes 90 to 120 minutes per game.
2. Zooloretto
Image courtesy of Rio Grande Games
The winner of the 2007 Spiel des Jahres, Germany's award for Family Game of the Year, Zooloretto is a game in which players compete to build the best zoo while everyone acquires animals from the same supply. Each zoo enclosure can only be filled with a single type of animal, and animals which don't fit into an enclosure must be placed in the barn. These animals count as negative points if they remain there when the game ends. Players make interesting decisions on almost every turn. Zooloretto takes 40 to 60 minutes per game.
3. Agricola
Image courtesy of Z-Man Games
The users of BoardGameGeek.com rate Agricola as the best new game of 2007, and the 10th best game of all time. Designed by the creator of Bohnanza, the delightful bean-farming card game, Agricola also has a farming theme. At the start of the game, each player has a spouse, a shack and not much else. From there, everyone tries to build a successful farm through the game's 14 turns and six harvests. Agricola takes about 120 minutes per game.
4. Notre Dame
Image courtesy of Rio Grande Games
Notre Dame challenges players to increase the power and prestige of their families in 15th-century Paris, near the famous Notre Dame cathedral. Each player has a mat divided into eight areas, most of which represent actions that can be taken. One of the areas, however, represents the plague. Players who are not careful might be overrun with rats. Over the course of nine turns, players use action cards (making tough decisions nearly every turn) to increase their standing and earn victory points. Notre Dame takes 60 to 75 minutes per game.
5. Galaxy Trucker
For 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up. Designed by Vlaada Chvatil, published by Czech Games Edition.Although the theme of this game is delivering goods to far-flung planets, and you have to do that in order to win, Galaxy Trucker is really all about construction. The first task players face is to build a spaceship that can withstand hits from asteroids and enemy lasers. If your ship is too weak, you won't deliver any goods. Ships are built in real-time; that is, everyone is building their own spaceship simultaneously, pulling tiles from a shared pool with the added pressure of a sand timer. Galaxy Trucker takes about 60 minutes per game.
6. The Pillars of the Earth
For 2 to 4 players, ages 12 and up. Designed by Michael Rieneck and Stefan Stadler, published by Mayfair Games / Kosmos.The winner of the 2007 Games Magazine Game of the Year, The Pillars of the Earth is based on Ken Follett's best-selling historical fiction novel about the construction of Kingbridge Cathedral during the 12th Century. The Pillars of the Earth also won the Deutscher Spiele Preis in Germany, a prestigious award voted on by gamers. The Pillars of the Earth takes 90 to 120 minutes per game.
7. Thebes
Image courtesy of Rio Grande Games
Competitive archeology is the order of the day with Thebes. The track that handles the passage of time is among several interesting mechanisms. Each player moves along the track at his own pace, but the player in last always goes next. So if Al and Betty are tied when Al goes on a nine-week expedition and Betty decides to spend two weeks studying, Betty is still seven weeks behind Al and moves again. It's better to explore the five sites early while they remain full of undiscovered treasure, but going early will mean that you won't be able to dig as much as you might like. Thebes takes about 60 minutes per game.
8. Amuse Amaze
For 2 to 6 players, ages 8 and up. Designed by Ethan Goffman, published by HL Games.In Amuse Amaze, players compete to form words as they maneuver through a hedge maze and try to block their opponents from doing the same. Words are formed by moving your pawn across the letters printed on the board and each player's letter tiles, which are played on the board. Landing on a colored target space earns you a card of that color, and the first player to collect the appropriate number of cards and reach the finish line is the winner. Amuse Amaze takes about 45 minutes per game.
9. Letter Roll
For 2 to 8 players, ages 8 and up. Designer uncredited, published by Out of the Box Publishing.About 30 minutes per game. Players roll three Qwix dice, each of which is covered in letters, and flip over the timer. (Some of the dice are light blue and dark blue; those contain more tough letters than the white dice.) They then race to list words containing the three letters identified on the dice. Only words listed by a single player score points, so players are rewarded for creativity. Letter Roll takes about 30 minutes per game.
10. If Wishes Were Fishes
For 2 to 5 players, ages 10 and up. Designed by Peter Sarrett and Michael Adams, published by Rio Grande Games.Games Magazine's Best New Family Board Game for 2007, If Wishes Were Fishes is an excellent mid-weight strategy game. Players try to buy and sell fish at the best times, sometimes using a fish's wish (special power) and setting that fish free instead. The game comes with plenty of wooden fish and 30 purple rubber worms. If Wishes Were Fishes takes about 45 minutes per game.
