Summary of the list: * Spoiler alert * 1 - Stone Age, Pillars of the Earth, Le Havre 2 - Alien frontiers, El Grande, Colosseum 3 - Ticket to Ride: Europe, The Manhattan Project, Empires: Age of Discovery 4 - Puerto Rico, Santiago de Cuba, Jamaica 5 - Agricola, Revolution, The new Era / 51st state 6 - Mykerinos, Colosseum, Shogun 7 - Vikings, Alhambra, Power Grid 8 - Tikal, Wasabi, Pillars of the Earth 9 - Yedo, Sylla, Catan geographies: Germany 10 - Pillars of the Earth, Dominaire, In the year of the dragon
magiCHRiS82 No mention of Eclipse??? Released 2011, and Tom was hesitant to call it best game of the year. Whats up with that, does that game actually suck?
These guys talk so much about so-called 'Eurogames', but got so much of their lists wrong. Stone Age and Pillars of the Earth are no Eurogames, they are worker placement games. Ticket to Ride definitely is not a Eurogame, wtf?! If you call TtR a Eurogame, you could call Pandemic also one. Ridiculous. So this list should absolutely be re-done.
Roaldy Sorry it took so long for me to respond. Honestly...I don't even remember what prompted me to make my original comment. I think it may have been Caverna: The Cave Farmers, Fields of Arle, Splendor, Istanbul, Alchemists, Imperial Settlers (is that Euro?), etc. I've been busy lately and have little time for board games :'(
KuddlyKisses I realized that my list would be totally different than theirs anyway. I play solo or with one other person most of the time and I HATE violence and/or extreme conflict in games (I find it too stressful). So I guess when I say it needs to be redone...I mean it doesn't fit my tastes, LOL. I was hoping that some of the new games that I was interested in would be added, but I doubt Sam, Tom, or Zee would change their opinions on their top ten in any significant way. My comment can be ignored.
***** Actually, I do watch him. He's great. I find his taste in board games much more to my own and I like seeing the game played before I buy it. I still like watching this channel for entertainment purposes. I love their friendship and easy banter. I also like hearing their different opinions, it's interesting ^_^
List in the format of Sam / Tom / Zee: 10. (4.27) Pillars of the Earth / Dominare / In The Year of the Dragon 9. (9.00) Catan: Germany / Yedo / Sylla 8. (13.40) Wasabi / Pillars of the Earth / Tikal 7. (16.54) Vikings / Power Grid / Alhambra 6. (22.26) Shogun / Colosseum / Mykerinos
List in the format of Sam / Tom / Zee: 5. (27.28) Revolution / Agricola / The New Era: 51st State 4. (32.46) Jamaica / Puerto Rico / Santiago de Cuba 3. (36.47) The Manhattan Project / Empires: Age of Discovery / Ticket to Ride: Europe 2. (41.33) Colosseum / El Grande / Alien Frontiers 1. (45.11) Stone Age / Le Havre / Pillars of the Earth
I really believe that, given many of the things Zee likes in games, he needs to try Castles of Burgundy. And these guys should redo this list, given the huge explosion of good Eurogames that have come out lately.
Wow, crazy how thin the eurogame selection was even just given years ago. I feel like most of the best eurogames of all time must have come out in the last 5 years
Best list ever. Great job guys. I really appreciate the love/hate relationship all three of you have with Euros. I love that you gave them their day in the sun.
Agricola is incredible. It's one of my favourite games, if not my favourite game. I love the different cards, I love the tightness of it - you NEED to feed your people - so you're playing against your opponent AND against the board itself. It's excellent.
Yo dude! I want your opinion on this: My friends & I LOVE eurogames, especially one that involves item management. So between Agricola, Caverna & Le Harve....which would you recommend? Thanks in advance!
khan507 I've not yet played Caverna, but between Agricola and Le Havre I still prefer Agricola. That said, if you're into resource management above all else, Le Havre might be the way to go because the entire game really centers around getting resources and applying them in increasingly efficient ways as opposed to Agricola which focuses more on diversified actions.
Yes! Would be nice to see a euro list made by people who don't try to put it full of clearly-not-eurogames, just because they dislike the genre. Seriously, this list is a great concept, but needs 1) an update and 2) people who actually play eurogames.
I think these guys are perfect and I didn't even think Tom was interrupting at all. They were just thinking if a game was considered Euro or not. I loved it and need more Top 10's!!
Tom, Zee and Sam, I love you guys. So much fun watching. Love the interuptions (should have put bandages on Tom each time). Thanks for all your work and for making me happy.
Another top episode, nice work guys. Great that you could talk with (some!) enthusiasm about games that aren't at the top of your lists. A win for BGs and the DT :)
Has a eurogamer: I accept your opinions on eurogames and I think that's why I watch your shows... To have a different point of view! I love you guys, thank you very much for doing this! :)
Was a great list for me since I feel pretty similarly about Euro games as you guys. I'll have to check out the ones on your lists that I haven't played yet. Also, agree that I enjoy this format much more. The surprise at not knowing eachothers picks, and not having to do the whole "mine is higher on someone elses list" thing.
You often say that you're getting lots of hate in the comments, so I figured I'd give you some love (all of you - not just Zee). I LOVE all of your videos (reviews, news etc.), but Top 10's are by far my favourite. I love that they're so long, I love that they're subjective, I love it when you guys disagree, I love how your personalities mix and the technical difficulties ^^. I find it all very interesting and VERY entertaining and I always look forward to watch it. You're awesome :).
I agree. The best of their Top 10 lists are when Tom has seen all the lists & uses his magic formula to rank everyone's picks. It seems to make the flow of the show better.
Guys love all the top 10 lists and this one is not an exception. Please do one for 2 player games as I'm having a hard time deciding which ones to get!
Have you guys considered putting the name of the game (or its box pic) at the bottom or corner of the screen while you're talking about it? It would make keeping track of what's being discussed much easier. Love the Top Tens! :D
I've been in the hobby for a handful of years, now, and the biggest 'thing' that gets me is the phrase "euro". They are so many ways to define this non-discreet 'thing' that had roots, but there's so much blending now. 10 Pillars 9 Strassbourg 8 Ore et Labora 7 Village 6 Vinhos 5 Cinque Terre 4 Loyang 3 Wallenstein 2 Speicherstadt 1 Magnum Sal
Throughout the ages mankind has had the great questions arise..."To be or not to be?" , "What is the origin of existence?". Now they are being surpassed by the ultimate question - "Is it a Euro?" :)
The New Era is a GREAT euro-card-game. It's one of the best resources management game that I play. I love it. It must be in your top 10 of games with great theming.
Some of my favorite games are mentioned in the video, here are some that are missing: - Louis XIV: One of the most underrated games I know. Not as easy to get as some other games, but definitely worth the effort. - Castles of Burgundy: Amazing - Catan, the old card game: Too little opportunity to play it, but by far the best two-player game I know. - Kreta: Not much to say, it just works very well. Right now I would add my latest acquisition: - Amerigo: No surprises, so it plays into the all-Felds-are-alike song, but it works really well. - Lords of Waterdeep: I'm actually surprised that the D&D people can turn out a decent game. Must be the first.
I don't understand the hate for Puerto Rico. It was a new game at our table and we all learned it together. A simple strategy became clear quickly and then a slightly more complicated strategy became apparent. I messed up on some boat placements but knew that I'd be more aware in future games. Everyone at the table had a great time! Tom, you're right, this is a great game. Challenging and fun.
Great to see Yedo in Tom list! This means a lot to us. And the fact that others don't like it that much is realistic too... it's a game you like or you hate. And that's a good thing ;). Thanks a lot for the nice video's !!
Interesting way to present the games ( first time I watch the show ). May be the other users will appreciate putting this triple list in the info bellow the video :) With or without links.
Hello guys! I really like your top ten episodes. They are usually very helpful. Could you make an episode about underrated games? You know, a top ten of 'hidden gems'. Thanks!
Interesting and entertaining list - classic Dice Tower! Sure, euros may not be their bag, but at least they opened their minds to search for what they did like that also fit the euro style (to some degree, anyway). I'm fairly new to tabletop gaming, but it seems to me that this split - Ameritrash (stupid name, btw), vs. euro - is a little silly. I'm pretty sure most people enjoy a variety of styles of games, and it's great that there are so many to choose from! One last thing - it's kinda funny that with all the comments about how Zee, Sam, and Tom hate euros, they all sure seem to like things like area control, worker placement, etc. - so I would challenge the statement that they dislike euros - maybe they just don't like bad euros! ; ) Fun list - I'm going to look into a couple of these - thanks!
I felt quite the opposite. I give kudos to Tom for involving his kids so much in these videos. And I really enjoy seeing their opinion of these games. I have kids so I'm always on the hunt for good kids games. I personally love hearing Zee's and Sam's opinion and commentary (more Zee than Sam :D). The dice tower has grown quite a bit from its humble beginnings and has changed here and there. Some people may or may not like the changes, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's gone downhill.
Interesting discussion of what makes something a Eurogame. I don't think a Euro needs a board. Race for the Galaxy and Dominion are both definitely Euro games. I think one of the key features is Victory Points. Other features include low randomness and low direct interaction.
I appreciate your criticisms of Euro-game tendencies. I've been trying my hand at designing some, and all attempts have resulted in more-or-less compulsory (or to quote Sam, "cattle-prodded") actions that always results in more-or-less a tie game playtest ... and not in that "oh, that was a close game" sort of a way ... but in that "oh ... I guess YOU won" sort of a way. It's been exceedingly difficult designing in the Euro ideal to create a game where a player has a sense of strategy and control ... and therefore a sense of ownership and pride when he/she wins. What am I MISSING? Gah! Great video, though ... loving these Top 10s.
Want to see how to do them right? Play a grand strategy computer game. I strongly recommend Europa Universalis IV by Paradox Interactive. Basically, everything is in some way a tradeoff. You use the same resources for many things, and there's always a tradeoff in getting to the next tech level, or snagging that idea, or a more short-term thing like boosting your stability meter. If you are not up for a seriously hardcore grand strategy like this (though it's about as accessible as GS gets), you might want to listen to Three Moves Ahead's take on it. It's a podcast on wargames but also covers PC strategy games and host Troy Goodfellow (a wonderful chap) in particular is a fan of grand strategy. EUIV is genius. I think board games could learn so much from it and being build almost entirely on interesting tradeoffs. The biggest challenge lies in makin those tradeoffs transparant and obvious enough so players will think about them, but just enough to not drag the game down by too much thinking. There's the rub.
Great vid, but I would have prefered a top 10 worker placement list. Several were in this list (pillars, Yedo, stone age, manhatten project...), but then there's also caylus, tzolk'in, dominant species, lords of waterdeep, village, trajan, keyflower... Would have liked to see how those ranked with everybody. And then you could do top 10 auction games, top 10 racing games, and so on.
It`s funny how half the time they argue whether a game is eurogame or not. However, a funny video throughout and 3 very interesting top 10s that brought some new games to my attention.
Everyone loves theme in board games but if you don't have good mechanics you bought a box of colorful tokens and a "story", gameplay is what makes a game a GAME. Not sure how many people agree.
I want my Boardgame to have both. I find all mechanics and tacked on theme to be too dry and I just can't get into it. I find all theme and a lack of mechanics to be too boring.
Every individuals have their own way of laughing as well as voicing themselves. They are all friends and understand each other enough to not constrain one and another. There are times Tom has crossed the line a bit, and that's when Sam or Zee would let Tom know to make a step back. No harm done.
I was wondering if you guys had a top ten of games for ONE player. I just bought legendary, but I'm new to deck building games, in fact when it caomes to games I've only ever played the regular ones , scrabble, monopoly, etc. A game store recently opened up in our small town here in the blue mountains in Australia and I went an bought Pirate's Cove, I played it with some friends one niht, fumbled through the rules but still enjoyed it, it was really something different for us. Got a bit of a board game bug, now own camel up and legendary. Needles to say, my family and our friends are a busy lot, so I need a game thats interesting that i can sit down by myself and play whn my wife and son aren't around rather than veging in front of the telly. Cheers. PS DESPITE, the critics i really enjoy your top ten lists ,BECAUSE theyare a top 30 , I think it gives me mre of a chance to make a more informed decision on some games that i might buy, especially when you guys concur on a game.
Joseph Limbrick Hey man. I know you posted this comment 4 months ago, but if you're still looking for good games to play solo and don't know the channels check out Ricky Royal's UA-cam channel (called "Box of Delights" -- outstanding stuff) and callasmar's channel. callasmar (A Lonesome Gamer) is a bit twitchy with the camera and makes really long videos, but I really like his solo variants on things.
ha 1 thats a great tip thanks man. I'll be sure to check it out. I have collected a few more games since my post and watched numerous videos and listened to even more podcasts on my way to work and back.but there are many times when i need a solo game because everyone is just too busy! So once again , I'll go grab some tips from that channel you mentioned . cheers joe
Guys, your Top Ten are the best videos out of the Dice Tower IMO. I really like the dynamic conversations you have and the fact you don't always see eye to eye. On a side note, I'm I the only who think it's kinda weird how many people say the "love" Zee? Although I do like the three of you myself. Like... not love. :-p Also, I do believe Sam should get more love. Grumpa Dwarfs are fun, aren't they? Lol. (Just kidding, kinda) And Tom, make some more Top 10 for Designing games. Useful stuff.
Can't... stop... myself. Have to comment! Okay, first the positive thing I have to say: You managed to present your favourite 25 (or so) euro games without even mentioned Reiner Knizia. Cudos! On the other hand, where is Troyes? Trajan? Terra Mystica? Tzolk'in (and I just realized that almost all good euro games starts with a T). And why did only Tom mention LeHavre, which is not only the best euro game, but the best GAME of all times (period!)? Fun to watch though. Keep it up :)
I can't speak for Agricola or Puerto Rico, but I've played Settlers, and it's definitely more of a "sit back and watch what happens" sort of game than a "plan ahead and try to outwit your opponents" sort of game.
What this video and comments really show is that the whole idea of classifying games as either 'Euro' or 'American' within the gaming community is impossible considering how different people's perceptions are of the games in question. But, as so many of those in our hobby just love to categorize things I doubt people will stop trying. ;P
Eurogame is incredibly hard to define - what makes all the commenters on this video the right to dictate that they fully understand it and no-one else does. I have my definition for Eurogames and for example, Revolution doesn't fit it, but give these guys credit for putting together their list based on THEIR definition.
Sam, you got my eternal respect when you said that Dune is like a eurogame. I'm almost always a great fan of american games, and nevertheless Dune is between my favourite games of all times.
Personally I think the term "German Games" is more descriptive. French Games are not the same as German Games are not the same as Eastern European Games. Cranio creations games aren't anything like Agricola. 7 wonders may be a bit euroish, but by the 3rd expansion Ghost stories is almost a dungeon crawl. The theme in Theseus may be a bit abstract, but it's got nothing in common with a Feld.
Drake Depew In my opinion the pure worker placement games (agricola, trajan, etc) should be defined as "german" while the "eurogame" is something more (hyperborea).
I was one of the playtesters for Dominaire (and the other games in that series). Excellent game. My top 3 are 1: Pillars of the Earth, 2: Alien Frontiers and 3: Tribune. I completely agree with Zee about Stone Age. You can have the best plan in the world (which are a staple for Euro games), and then you have to roll dice for resources and be completely hosed for the game. It's a good game, but that specific mechanic can absolutely ruin it for some people.
Gotta agree with some of the comments here that Sam's definition of e Eurogame is a bit off, and to a lesser extent Zee's. But that probably stems from Sam's self-admitted dislike of Euros in general.
Even disagreeing with most of Zee's choices, his comments are just awesome. My list would have included fresco, caylus, lancaster, terra mystica, myrmes and tzolkin, among the stuff not mentioned, and le havre, manhattan project, el grande and power grid, among the stuff mentioned.
I'm so with Zee on Stoneage. When I play a euro game I want to be able to plan in advance to go a certain route. At the very least maybe have an outlook on what I will get. In Stone Age it was way too random for me. I'm terrible at dice chucking and managed to come back with no wood while I send 3 people in the woods two times in a row. That just throws a whole spanner-factory in your works. I say, good games don't need a random element as the deciding factor. Long live the Iron Throne!
This list needs to be obvious redone... But I would like to see it with just Tom, Sam and Zee (as opposed to bringing new hosts like other people suggested). There were just so many good Euros since 2013 that I am sure they would totally change this list.
I'm curious what you guys think of Dominant Species? I've heard pretty good things about it and it's quite highly rated on BGG. With the action points and cubes it looks like a Eurogame, so what say you?
what do you guys think are the best dungeon crawler games. So far I've seen dungeon quest, descent, adnd board games like ravenloft, dungeon lords, and a couple others i can't remember the names of.
This is the #1 list that needs to be redone!
Summary of the list:
* Spoiler alert *
1 - Stone Age, Pillars of the Earth, Le Havre
2 - Alien frontiers, El Grande, Colosseum
3 - Ticket to Ride: Europe, The Manhattan Project, Empires: Age of Discovery
4 - Puerto Rico, Santiago de Cuba, Jamaica
5 - Agricola, Revolution, The new Era / 51st state
6 - Mykerinos, Colosseum, Shogun
7 - Vikings, Alhambra, Power Grid
8 - Tikal, Wasabi, Pillars of the Earth
9 - Yedo, Sylla, Catan geographies: Germany
10 - Pillars of the Earth, Dominaire, In the year of the dragon
magiCHRiS82 No mention of Eclipse??? Released 2011, and Tom was hesitant to call it best game of the year. Whats up with that, does that game actually suck?
@@trickykid3000 I feel like it's not a eurogame.
These guys talk so much about so-called 'Eurogames', but got so much of their lists wrong. Stone Age and Pillars of the Earth are no Eurogames, they are worker placement games. Ticket to Ride definitely is not a Eurogame, wtf?! If you call TtR a Eurogame, you could call Pandemic also one. Ridiculous. So this list should absolutely be re-done.
Not enough line breaks in your spoiler comment, fool!
This list should be redone. There have been a lot of new "Euro Games" released recently that are really interesting ^_^
KuddlyKisses I agree!!!!
KuddlyKisses Which ones?
Roaldy Sorry it took so long for me to respond. Honestly...I don't even remember what prompted me to make my original comment. I think it may have been Caverna: The Cave Farmers, Fields of Arle, Splendor, Istanbul, Alchemists, Imperial Settlers (is that Euro?), etc. I've been busy lately and have little time for board games :'(
KuddlyKisses I realized that my list would be totally different than theirs anyway. I play solo or with one other person most of the time and I HATE violence and/or extreme conflict in games (I find it too stressful). So I guess when I say it needs to be redone...I mean it doesn't fit my tastes, LOL. I was hoping that some of the new games that I was interested in would be added, but I doubt Sam, Tom, or Zee would change their opinions on their top ten in any significant way. My comment can be ignored.
***** Actually, I do watch him. He's great. I find his taste in board games much more to my own and I like seeing the game played before I buy it.
I still like watching this channel for entertainment purposes. I love their friendship and easy banter. I also like hearing their different opinions, it's interesting ^_^
List in the format of Sam / Tom / Zee:
10. (4.27) Pillars of the Earth / Dominare / In The Year of the Dragon
9. (9.00) Catan: Germany / Yedo / Sylla
8. (13.40) Wasabi / Pillars of the Earth / Tikal
7. (16.54) Vikings / Power Grid / Alhambra
6. (22.26) Shogun / Colosseum / Mykerinos
List in the format of Sam / Tom / Zee:
5. (27.28) Revolution / Agricola / The New Era: 51st State
4. (32.46) Jamaica / Puerto Rico / Santiago de Cuba
3. (36.47) The Manhattan Project / Empires: Age of Discovery / Ticket to Ride: Europe
2. (41.33) Colosseum / El Grande / Alien Frontiers
1. (45.11) Stone Age / Le Havre / Pillars of the Earth
I am surprised that nobody had "Castles of Burgundy" on their list
I really believe that, given many of the things Zee likes in games, he needs to try Castles of Burgundy. And these guys should redo this list, given the huge explosion of good Eurogames that have come out lately.
Wow, crazy how thin the eurogame selection was even just given years ago. I feel like most of the best eurogames of all time must have come out in the last 5 years
Best list ever. Great job guys. I really appreciate the love/hate relationship all three of you have with Euros. I love that you gave them their day in the sun.
Agricola is incredible. It's one of my favourite games, if not my favourite game. I love the different cards, I love the tightness of it - you NEED to feed your people - so you're playing against your opponent AND against the board itself.
It's excellent.
Caverna is muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch better
Xavier Febrero Torner I've heard. I have to check it out! I'm waiting until they print or distribute more where I live cause it's pricey right now.
Well, I'd got much fun with caverna (but it also could be for my game partners). I wish you enjoy it as much as I did!
Yo dude!
I want your opinion on this: My friends & I LOVE eurogames, especially one that involves item management. So between Agricola, Caverna & Le Harve....which would you recommend?
Thanks in advance!
khan507 I've not yet played Caverna, but between Agricola and Le Havre I still prefer Agricola.
That said, if you're into resource management above all else, Le Havre might be the way to go because the entire game really centers around getting resources and applying them in increasingly efficient ways as opposed to Agricola which focuses more on diversified actions.
"Dad, what's a Euro game?"
"Wooden cubes, son."
Don't forget the weird middle ages/colonial man staring at you ominously 🤣
One has to agree that all the interaction and arguing is not only fun to watch, but brings up great discussion topics. Keep it up guys!
could I put a formal request in that you guys please redo this list? please. possibly with Jason...
+Errol Wilde I completely agree with you there
and with ryan metzler
Yes, so many great ones have come out since this list was made!
Yes! Would be nice to see a euro list made by people who don't try to put it full of clearly-not-eurogames, just because they dislike the genre. Seriously, this list is a great concept, but needs 1) an update and 2) people who actually play eurogames.
YES! With Jason and Ryan!
I think these guys are perfect and I didn't even think Tom was interrupting at all. They were just thinking if a game was considered Euro or not. I loved it and need more Top 10's!!
Great list...full of surprises and most of the games seem to merit their place I think. You guys are terrific!
Tom, Zee and Sam, I love you guys. So much fun watching. Love the interuptions (should have put bandages on Tom each time). Thanks for all your work and for making me happy.
I like this format better, when you do not know each others' lists beforehand. Makes for more genuine surprises :)
It’s time for an updated list guys!
Great show. Love the way the lads bounce od each other. Top notch!.
Another top episode, nice work guys. Great that you could talk with (some!) enthusiasm about games that aren't at the top of your lists. A win for BGs and the DT :)
Thank U Tom, Le Havre is my favorite game of all times. It's just hard finding people willing to do the time.
Has a eurogamer: I accept your opinions on eurogames and I think that's why I watch your shows... To have a different point of view! I love you guys, thank you very much for doing this! :)
Was a great list for me since I feel pretty similarly about Euro games as you guys. I'll have to check out the ones on your lists that I haven't played yet.
Also, agree that I enjoy this format much more. The surprise at not knowing eachothers picks, and not having to do the whole "mine is higher on someone elses list" thing.
The technical difficulty interludes were humorous.
Really appreciated the quick picture of the game's board.
"Fishsticks!"
You often say that you're getting lots of hate in the comments, so I figured I'd give you some love (all of you - not just Zee). I LOVE all of your videos (reviews, news etc.), but Top 10's are by far my favourite. I love that they're so long, I love that they're subjective, I love it when you guys disagree, I love how your personalities mix and the technical difficulties ^^. I find it all very interesting and VERY entertaining and I always look forward to watch it. You're awesome :).
This list should be redone this year.
I agree. The best of their Top 10 lists are when Tom has seen all the lists & uses his magic formula to rank everyone's picks. It seems to make the flow of the show better.
Top ten games you would never trade, sell, or give away.
Best episode ever! I almost laughed my lungs out! The Revolution part is a blast!!
Guys love all the top 10 lists and this one is not an exception. Please do one for 2 player games as I'm having a hard time deciding which ones to get!
Have you guys considered putting the name of the game (or its box pic) at the bottom or corner of the screen while you're talking about it? It would make keeping track of what's being discussed much easier. Love the Top Tens! :D
I've been in the hobby for a handful of years, now, and the biggest 'thing' that gets me is the phrase "euro". They are so many ways to define this non-discreet 'thing' that had roots, but there's so much blending now.
10 Pillars
9 Strassbourg
8 Ore et Labora
7 Village
6 Vinhos
5 Cinque Terre
4 Loyang
3 Wallenstein
2 Speicherstadt
1 Magnum Sal
Throughout the ages mankind has had the great questions arise..."To be or not to be?" , "What is the origin of existence?". Now they are being surpassed by the ultimate question - "Is it a Euro?" :)
"Excel: The Spreadsheet" is one of the best Eurogames!
Can confirm. Flops with my American brethren but is a hit with my buddies in Germany.
The New Era is a GREAT euro-card-game. It's one of the best resources management game that I play. I love it. It must be in your top 10 of games with great theming.
Some of my favorite games are mentioned in the video, here are some that are missing:
- Louis XIV: One of the most underrated games I know. Not as easy to get as some other games, but definitely worth the effort.
- Castles of Burgundy: Amazing
- Catan, the old card game: Too little opportunity to play it, but by far the best two-player game I know.
- Kreta: Not much to say, it just works very well.
Right now I would add my latest acquisition:
- Amerigo: No surprises, so it plays into the all-Felds-are-alike song, but it works really well.
- Lords of Waterdeep: I'm actually surprised that the D&D people can turn out a decent game. Must be the first.
I don't understand the hate for Puerto Rico. It was a new game at our table and we all learned it together. A simple strategy became clear quickly and then a slightly more complicated strategy became apparent. I messed up on some boat placements but knew that I'd be more aware in future games. Everyone at the table had a great time! Tom, you're right, this is a great game. Challenging and fun.
We want to try pillars of the earth so much.
Great video 👌
Tzolkin, it's a great game. And Caverna, which I prefer over Agricola
I would love an updated version of this
Sam! I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely agree with you on Revolution! I think it is both great fun and a Euro game.
Great to see Yedo in Tom list! This means a lot to us.
And the fact that others don't like it that much is realistic too... it's a game you like or you hate. And that's a good thing ;).
Thanks a lot for the nice video's !!
Who knew that the top ten Eurogames would be the most violent list?
Zee... Buddy, that comedic timing is stellar.
Interesting way to present the games ( first time I watch the show ).
May be the other users will appreciate putting this triple list in the info bellow the video :)
With or without links.
Hello guys! I really like your top ten episodes. They are usually very helpful. Could you make an episode about underrated games? You know, a top ten of 'hidden gems'. Thanks!
Interesting and entertaining list - classic Dice Tower!
Sure, euros may not be their bag, but at least they opened their minds to search for what they did like that also fit the euro style (to some degree, anyway). I'm fairly new to tabletop gaming, but it seems to me that this split - Ameritrash (stupid name, btw), vs. euro - is a little silly. I'm pretty sure most people enjoy a variety of styles of games, and it's great that there are so many to choose from! One last thing - it's kinda funny that with all the comments about how Zee, Sam, and Tom hate euros, they all sure seem to like things like area control, worker placement, etc. - so I would challenge the statement that they dislike euros - maybe they just don't like bad euros! ; )
Fun list - I'm going to look into a couple of these - thanks!
I felt quite the opposite. I give kudos to Tom for involving his kids so much in these videos. And I really enjoy seeing their opinion of these games. I have kids so I'm always on the hunt for good kids games. I personally love hearing Zee's and Sam's opinion and commentary (more Zee than Sam :D). The dice tower has grown quite a bit from its humble beginnings and has changed here and there. Some people may or may not like the changes, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's gone downhill.
This list needs to be updated
Thanks for cutting your top 10 down to 1 hour guys. Effective..
Euro games also tend to feature victory point tracks and end game scoring, designed to disguise who's in the lead during the game.
Interesting discussion of what makes something a Eurogame. I don't think a Euro needs a board. Race for the Galaxy and Dominion are both definitely Euro games. I think one of the key features is Victory Points. Other features include low randomness and low direct interaction.
I love your guys Top 10 Lists so much! P.S. lots of love to poor weeping Zee ;P
It was indeed on XKCD, the comic is named "Standards".
Holy cow there were so many games on those lists that weren't Eurogames. I agree with Tom.
I find it hilarious that seeing them change the hat made it look like the were playing a live action version of the game "Space Maze".
"This will be a short video"
*Zee Garcia shakes head*
I loooove Yedo, we play it so often!
I appreciate your criticisms of Euro-game tendencies. I've been trying my hand at designing some, and all attempts have resulted in more-or-less compulsory (or to quote Sam, "cattle-prodded") actions that always results in more-or-less a tie game playtest ... and not in that "oh, that was a close game" sort of a way ... but in that "oh ... I guess YOU won" sort of a way.
It's been exceedingly difficult designing in the Euro ideal to create a game where a player has a sense of strategy and control ... and therefore a sense of ownership and pride when he/she wins. What am I MISSING? Gah!
Great video, though ... loving these Top 10s.
Want to see how to do them right?
Play a grand strategy computer game. I strongly recommend Europa Universalis IV by Paradox Interactive.
Basically, everything is in some way a tradeoff. You use the same resources for many things, and there's always a tradeoff in getting to the next tech level, or snagging that idea, or a more short-term thing like boosting your stability meter.
If you are not up for a seriously hardcore grand strategy like this (though it's about as accessible as GS gets), you might want to listen to Three Moves Ahead's take on it. It's a podcast on wargames but also covers PC strategy games and host Troy Goodfellow (a wonderful chap) in particular is a fan of grand strategy.
EUIV is genius. I think board games could learn so much from it and being build almost entirely on interesting tradeoffs. The biggest challenge lies in makin those tradeoffs transparant and obvious enough so players will think about them, but just enough to not drag the game down by too much thinking. There's the rub.
johnanth EU is based off of a board game.
Agricola revolution: the new era, seems a title instead of three different games XD
Great vid, but I would have prefered a top 10 worker placement list. Several were in this list (pillars, Yedo, stone age, manhatten project...), but then there's also caylus, tzolk'in, dominant species, lords of waterdeep, village, trajan, keyflower... Would have liked to see how those ranked with everybody. And then you could do top 10 auction games, top 10 racing games, and so on.
I like how the cover of Age Of Empires uses the same cover art as Age of Empires as in the video game
Any chance we can get an update to this? Sooo many fantastic euros have come out since mid 2013...
It`s funny how half the time they argue whether a game is eurogame or not. However, a funny video throughout and 3 very interesting top 10s that brought some new games to my attention.
Ooh, Zee's on my wavelength. I love In the Year of the Dragon, Alhambra AND Sylla is a new one to me that I must check out. Thanks, Zee!
The thing you did with the hat was amusing :D
Everyone loves theme in board games but if you don't have good mechanics you bought a box of colorful tokens and a "story", gameplay is what makes a game a GAME. Not sure how many people agree.
i totally agree
I want my Boardgame to have both. I find all mechanics and tacked on theme to be too dry and I just can't get into it. I find all theme and a lack of mechanics to be too boring.
Sam pulls that hat off! He has the attitude!
Every individuals have their own way of laughing as well as voicing themselves. They are all friends and understand each other enough to not constrain one and another. There are times Tom has crossed the line a bit, and that's when Sam or Zee would let Tom know to make a step back. No harm done.
I was wondering if you guys had a top ten of games for ONE player. I just bought legendary, but I'm new to deck building games, in fact when it caomes to games I've only ever played the regular ones , scrabble, monopoly, etc. A game store recently opened up in our small town here in the blue mountains in Australia and I went an bought Pirate's Cove, I played it with some friends one niht, fumbled through the rules but still enjoyed it, it was really something different for us. Got a bit of a board game bug, now own camel up and legendary. Needles to say, my family and our friends are a busy lot, so I need a game thats interesting that i can sit down by myself and play whn my wife and son aren't around rather than veging in front of the telly. Cheers. PS DESPITE, the critics i really enjoy your top ten lists ,BECAUSE theyare a top 30 , I think it gives me mre of a chance to make a more informed decision on some games that i might buy, especially when you guys concur on a game.
Joseph Limbrick Hey man. I know you posted this comment 4 months ago, but if you're still looking for good games to play solo and don't know the channels check out Ricky Royal's UA-cam channel (called "Box of Delights" -- outstanding stuff) and callasmar's channel. callasmar (A Lonesome Gamer) is a bit twitchy with the camera and makes really long videos, but I really like his solo variants on things.
ha 1 thats a great tip thanks man. I'll be sure to check it out. I have collected a few more games since my post and watched numerous videos and listened to even more podcasts on my way to work and back.but there are many times when i need a solo game because everyone is just too busy! So once again , I'll go grab some tips from that channel you mentioned . cheers
joe
Guys, your Top Ten are the best videos out of the Dice Tower IMO. I really like the dynamic conversations you have and the fact you don't always see eye to eye.
On a side note, I'm I the only who think it's kinda weird how many people say the "love" Zee? Although I do like the three of you myself. Like... not love. :-p
Also, I do believe Sam should get more love. Grumpa Dwarfs are fun, aren't they? Lol. (Just kidding, kinda)
And Tom, make some more Top 10 for Designing games. Useful stuff.
surprised Castles of Burgundy was not mentioned
Yea, me too.
They hate Feld games, no idea why but they do.
Can't... stop... myself. Have to comment!
Okay, first the positive thing I have to say: You managed to present your favourite 25 (or so) euro games without even mentioned Reiner Knizia. Cudos! On the other hand, where is Troyes? Trajan? Terra Mystica? Tzolk'in (and I just realized that almost all good euro games starts with a T). And why did only Tom mention LeHavre, which is not only the best euro game, but the best GAME of all times (period!)?
Fun to watch though. Keep it up :)
I can't speak for Agricola or Puerto Rico, but I've played Settlers, and it's definitely more of a "sit back and watch what happens" sort of game than a "plan ahead and try to outwit your opponents" sort of game.
We need a 2017 version of all these top 10 lists
As an avid and stereotypical Eurogamer, I'd love to see Eric and Ryan's Top 10 Euro lists.
I love that whenever the "technical difficulty" screen goes down someone else is wearing the hat.
What this video and comments really show is that the whole idea of classifying games as either 'Euro' or 'American' within the gaming community is impossible considering how different people's perceptions are of the games in question. But, as so many of those in our hobby just love to categorize things I doubt people will stop trying. ;P
Also, please do more to make Zee laugh. He has an awesome laugh :)
Eurogame is incredibly hard to define - what makes all the commenters on this video the right to dictate that they fully understand it and no-one else does. I have my definition for Eurogames and for example, Revolution doesn't fit it, but give these guys credit for putting together their list based on THEIR definition.
Sam, you got my eternal respect when you said that Dune is like a eurogame.
I'm almost always a great fan of american games, and nevertheless Dune is between my favourite games of all times.
Personally I think the term "German Games" is more descriptive. French Games are not the same as German Games are not the same as Eastern European Games. Cranio creations games aren't anything like Agricola. 7 wonders may be a bit euroish, but by the 3rd expansion Ghost stories is almost a dungeon crawl. The theme in Theseus may be a bit abstract, but it's got nothing in common with a Feld.
Drake Depew In my opinion the pure worker placement games (agricola, trajan, etc) should be defined as "german" while the "eurogame" is something more (hyperborea).
I was one of the playtesters for Dominaire (and the other games in that series). Excellent game.
My top 3 are 1: Pillars of the Earth, 2: Alien Frontiers and 3: Tribune.
I completely agree with Zee about Stone Age. You can have the best plan in the world (which are a staple for Euro games), and then you have to roll dice for resources and be completely hosed for the game. It's a good game, but that specific mechanic can absolutely ruin it for some people.
Would love this updated for 2019
Or 2020. Greetings from quarantine!
Lots of love for New Era. Great great game.
When Sam started taking about Vikings coming down your throat it kind of confused me. I thought this was about board games.
You guys should do a Top Ten Dexterity Games list. Like so Tom can see!
Gotta agree with some of the comments here that Sam's definition of e Eurogame is a bit off, and to a lesser extent Zee's. But that probably stems from Sam's self-admitted dislike of Euros in general.
Even disagreeing with most of Zee's choices, his comments are just awesome. My list would have included fresco, caylus, lancaster, terra mystica, myrmes and tzolkin, among the stuff not mentioned, and le havre, manhattan project, el grande and power grid, among the stuff mentioned.
Drum Roll is my current favourite with Le Havre on a close 2nd :)
I love eurogames and never understood why the dice tower gang don't like them that much. super competitive and 'one mistake can cost you' = super fun!
Love these guys, great content and funny also!
Wow. Sam and Zee havent aged a day. i think Tom may have gotten younger.
Mage Knight deserves a spot. Possibly the best solitaire game there is.
I'm so with Zee on Stoneage. When I play a euro game I want to be able to plan in advance to go a certain route. At the very least maybe have an outlook on what I will get. In Stone Age it was way too random for me. I'm terrible at dice chucking and managed to come back with no wood while I send 3 people in the woods two times in a row. That just throws a whole spanner-factory in your works.
I say, good games don't need a random element as the deciding factor. Long live the Iron Throne!
This list needs to be obvious redone... But I would like to see it with just Tom, Sam and Zee (as opposed to bringing new hosts like other people suggested). There were just so many good Euros since 2013 that I am sure they would totally change this list.
I really want to see their Top 10 Ameritrash Games list... that one should be really interesting.
Jamaica?!?! You're crazy! No way is that euro.:-)
I'm curious what you guys think of Dominant Species? I've heard pretty good things about it and it's quite highly rated on BGG. With the action points and cubes it looks like a Eurogame, so what say you?
what do you guys think are the best dungeon crawler games. So far I've seen dungeon quest, descent, adnd board games like ravenloft, dungeon lords, and a couple others i can't remember the names of.