Parks is stunning - but mainly because of the artwork. That’s why it didn’t make the list. I was generally highlighting games with a 3-dimensional component. I enjoyed Parks, but didn’t love it. On the basis of a single play-through I’d call it B tier :)
You’re definitely wrong about Colt Express. 😜 Using your system, my rankings would be… S. Colt Express, Tzolk’in A. Hamsterrole, Get Bit, Everdell, Hanabi Deluxe*, Terraforming Mars (Big Box edition) B. the Climbers C. Potion Explosion, Azul D. Cthulhu Wars (I don’t enjoy Area Control games), Wingspan (I know!!! I want to like it, on paper it ticks all my boxes, but it leaves me cold. I blame the artwork) *if you’re including Azul for its tiles, then Hanabi Deluxe deserves inclusion.
Cool list - and included most of my “wow factor” games. One more that I do really like is Wavelength - a party game with striking looking and wonderfully tactile dial mechanism.
Yeah, it certainly fulfils my desire for a “cityscape” game! But I haven’t played it, so I didn’t consider it. Just another to add to the list for the sequel: fifty MORE board games with great table presence :)
Thanks for the super fun list! Looking forward to trying a few of those out now. 👍👍👍 If you’re ever in Berlin, stop by for a round of Rescue Polar Bears with our game group, Cheers!
Great list Adam, I have several of those in your 50 as I too am drawn to games with great table presence. I've hankered after Arkadia for some years but finding a second hand copy in the UK (at a reasonable price) has so far failed. I think the stacking towers in the game were also used in Torres? Always enjoy your content whether on UA-cam or BGG. In fact thanks to your top 10 of 2016 video, I picked up Hanamikoji years ago when no one else was talking about it and introduced many friends to it who now have their own copies. Still my favourite 2 player card game. These games I bought purely having seen images of them and still enjoy playing are: (another one of your 2016 picks!) I do also have , which again deserves a re-print, but although I enjoy it, most others find it a bit too difficult with the 3D aspect (I'm an ex-mechanical engineer!) so it's probably going from my collection. One I'm also still trying to track down (again at a reasonable price) is - better than Tsuro I believe? Keep up the great work.
Ah, tried to be clever & made them bold - UA-cam can't deal with that apparently! Games I bought purely on great looks were: Airlines Europe Taluva Kanagawa (in your 2016 picks) Pueblo is the game I was also drawn too for it's table presence but will be leaving the collection. Indigo is the title I'd really like to buy at a reasonable price.
One of the things I love about watching your videos is that you mention games I’ve never heard of but now want to try and track down. I fear being in Australia makes it harder than I’d like. Bandu looks amazing, and I really want to try and track down Peek-a-Mouse. Ice Cool also looks fun.
Yes, it’s easy to forget that in every country the easily available games are totally different! That’s why I love visiting game stores when I’m in Germany - I find titles I’ve never heard of. That never happens in the UK!
Awesome list! Love the tier ranking! The one game I was hoping to see was Imhotep! I love it and it's always one that people stop to see whats going on with those chunky wooden blocks! Have you played it? Which tier would it fall on? Cheers!
Great list. One game I think you missed out on is Era: Medieval Age. Got lukewarm reviews, likely due to being a $80 roll and write. Worth checking out for sure.
I have. It’s a nice game. I don’t think marble dispenser is as attractive as Potion Explosion’s though. And the overall look is a bit dull. Gameplay wise, it’s a neat engine builder - Phil Walker-Harding never produces a dud!
Planet could have been so much better (especially for families - an obvious target market) with information about the animals and perhaps why/how they live in certain habitats. Without this it feel a little basic
I did think, after making the video, that the mass market has all the best “table presence” games. Even Pie Face is a cut above most hobby games! Haha.
Wow, love the video! What an extensive list of intriguing games. I love how dense this list was for inspiring designs. Impressed that you included 50 games!!!
Really surprised not to see Beasts of Balance here. I know I've mentioned it you you before. You MUST check it out! Fun, tense and with simple mechanics. Can be done solo without feeling 'lesser' for it. Still loving your channel Adam. Always looking forward to the next one
Yes, I’d love to play Beasts of Balance. Expensive to purchase though, and I haven’t come across a copy to try it out. So it’s a “one day maybe” game for me!
Great way of doing lists. I think it’s more interesting than a straight numerical list.
Thanks Dan - stolen from a million videogame UA-camrs, but still feels fresh in our little corner of the gaming community :)
No Keymaster games? Like PARKS? Those are gorgeous!
Parks is stunning - but mainly because of the artwork. That’s why it didn’t make the list. I was generally highlighting games with a 3-dimensional component. I enjoyed Parks, but didn’t love it. On the basis of a single play-through I’d call it B tier :)
Other games to consider: pangaia, chai, steam up, agueda, abducktion, beez, leaf
fantastic video. Thank you!
Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.
Very fun 😄 Thanks Adam
I'm surprised that Catacombs didn't make the list! Regardless, great video.
Yeah, it is very striking - I could have been convinced to include it. I guess I felt it’s all fairly “flat” aside from the bumper wall!
You’re definitely wrong about Colt Express. 😜
Using your system, my rankings would be…
S. Colt Express, Tzolk’in
A. Hamsterrole, Get Bit, Everdell, Hanabi Deluxe*, Terraforming Mars (Big Box edition)
B. the Climbers
C. Potion Explosion, Azul
D. Cthulhu Wars (I don’t enjoy Area Control games), Wingspan (I know!!! I want to like it, on paper it ticks all my boxes, but it leaves me cold. I blame the artwork)
*if you’re including Azul for its tiles, then Hanabi Deluxe deserves inclusion.
Hamsterrolle is one I’ve wanted to try for a long time. Another Zoch classic!
I’m sorry to hear that you don’t enjoy Colt Express. The chaos is, to me, the appeal, and the more players, the more chaos-and the more fun I have.
Yes, I’ve seen many players having loads of fun with it! I’ve very rarely enjoyed any programming game - just my personal taste.
Cool list - and included most of my “wow factor” games. One more that I do really like is Wavelength - a party game with striking looking and wonderfully tactile dial mechanism.
Yeah, it’s a nice looking party game :)
Surprised Era didn't make it in. The peg board gives a lot of volition to the visually impaired.
Yeah, it certainly fulfils my desire for a “cityscape” game! But I haven’t played it, so I didn’t consider it. Just another to add to the list for the sequel: fifty MORE board games with great table presence :)
Thanks for the super fun list!
Looking forward to trying a few of those out now.
👍👍👍
If you’re ever in Berlin, stop by for a round of Rescue Polar Bears with our game group,
Cheers!
I really want to try it! It’s just so cute!! :D
@@AdaminWales super cute!, really nice ceramic bears. At times, also tragically sad (you can‘t always save them all 😢)
Great list Adam, I have several of those in your 50 as I too am drawn to games with great table presence.
I've hankered after Arkadia for some years but finding a second hand copy in the UK (at a reasonable price) has so far failed.
I think the stacking towers in the game were also used in Torres?
Always enjoy your content whether on UA-cam or BGG. In fact thanks to your top 10 of 2016 video, I picked up Hanamikoji years ago when no one else was talking about it and introduced many friends to it who now have their own copies. Still my favourite 2 player card game.
These games I bought purely having seen images of them and still enjoy playing are:
(another one of your 2016 picks!)
I do also have , which again deserves a re-print, but although I enjoy it, most others find it a bit too difficult with the 3D aspect (I'm an ex-mechanical engineer!) so it's probably going from my collection.
One I'm also still trying to track down (again at a reasonable price) is - better than Tsuro I believe?
Keep up the great work.
None of the game names are showing up in your comment! So now I’m intrigued to fill in the blanks! Haha.
Ah, tried to be clever & made them bold - UA-cam can't deal with that apparently!
Games I bought purely on great looks were:
Airlines Europe
Taluva
Kanagawa (in your 2016 picks)
Pueblo is the game I was also drawn too for it's table presence but will be leaving the collection.
Indigo is the title I'd really like to buy at a reasonable price.
One of the things I love about watching your videos is that you mention games I’ve never heard of but now want to try and track down. I fear being in Australia makes it harder than I’d like.
Bandu looks amazing, and I really want to try and track down Peek-a-Mouse.
Ice Cool also looks fun.
Yes, it’s easy to forget that in every country the easily available games are totally different! That’s why I love visiting game stores when I’m in Germany - I find titles I’ve never heard of. That never happens in the UK!
If you talk about table presence, Return to Dark Tower should definitely be on the list.
Awesome list! Love the tier ranking!
The one game I was hoping to see was Imhotep! I love it and it's always one that people stop to see whats going on with those chunky wooden blocks!
Have you played it? Which tier would it fall on?
Cheers!
Yes, that’s a good one. Nice table presence, and really fun game. I don’t return to it often though. B+ :)
Hahaha... B+ is still a pass... It can surely get a bit cutthroat and put some people off...
Pleased to see you gave Agricola its rightful S 😀
It’s an S-plus!!! :)
Great list. One game I think you missed out on is Era: Medieval Age. Got lukewarm reviews, likely due to being a $80 roll and write. Worth checking out for sure.
Have you played Gizmos?
I have. It’s a nice game. I don’t think marble dispenser is as attractive as Potion Explosion’s though. And the overall look is a bit dull. Gameplay wise, it’s a neat engine builder - Phil Walker-Harding never produces a dud!
I own and love Cuzco! What about Pueblo?
I hadn’t heard of that one - but it’s by Kramer & Kiesling so I’m sure I’d enjoy it!
Planet could have been so much better (especially for families - an obvious target market) with information about the animals and perhaps why/how they live in certain habitats. Without this it feel a little basic
No mention of Operation nor Hungry, Hungry Hippos? 💔😜
I did think, after making the video, that the mass market has all the best “table presence” games. Even Pie Face is a cut above most hobby games! Haha.
I’ve yet to play my copy of Tzolk’in as I want to paint the wheels before I assemble it.
I’ve seen some stunning examples of painted Tzolkin wheels online :)
Well done. 👍
Wow, love the video! What an extensive list of intriguing games. I love how dense this list was for inspiring designs. Impressed that you included 50 games!!!
Loved your awkwardness with Azul placement! :D
if you don't mind 3D trees that are awesome but kind of get in the way, Yggdrasil Chronicles is a great game
Really surprised not to see Beasts of Balance here. I know I've mentioned it you you before. You MUST check it out! Fun, tense and with simple mechanics. Can be done solo without feeling 'lesser' for it.
Still loving your channel Adam. Always looking forward to the next one
Yes, I’d love to play Beasts of Balance. Expensive to purchase though, and I haven’t come across a copy to try it out. So it’s a “one day maybe” game for me!