by sean johnson
I was thinking I wanted to do a five year look back post in 2017, and then I realized there was still time to do that for 2011 this year. In 2011 we had not yet started this blog, but this was the year that Game On Game Night got its beginnings. Back then Game On! With Cody and John was still going. The constant plugging on the podcast helped draw in a lot of visitors that first year. As a result of the game night I played a lot more new releases that year than I had up to that point.At this point I have played a little over eighty games released in 2011. There are a few games from that year that I have yet to play. Most notably are Ora et Laboraand Trajan. 2011 is also the year that we started to hit that too many game threshold. Several of the games we have from 2011 are underplayed with less than 10 plays. In 2009 and 2010 we tended to get less games to the table more often, but in 2011 we transitioned to playing more unique games less often. Now that we are five years removed from 2011, here are the games from that year that I enjoy the most.
10. Penny Arcade: The Game – Gamers vs. Evil
This was part of the big wave that deck builders that came out after Dominion. Like many of those games this tweaked the formula just a bit. This has two currencies like Ascension, a common pool of cards like Dominion, and bosses to fight like DC Deckbuilding game. We have this game and it’s expansion, but we have only gotten the cards out of the box a handful of times. However, we have played it a lot on phones. Whenever we are out and about and want to play a game together this is my wife’s go to game. It is a really by the numbers deck building game, but deckbuilding is fun and this game is fun enough for us to play over and over.
9. Fortune and Glory: The Cliffhanger Game
Back in 2011, $100+ were not as common as they are today. The price tag really scared me away, but this was a game I really wanted. I finally traded for it, and this game lived up to my expectations. A long set up time and fairly lengthy play time keeps this game from getting played as much as I would like it to. However, the game creates a fun pulp story. I am really on board with the kind of games that Flying Frog makes, and this one is no different.
8. A Few Acres of Snow
I know this game is marred because there is a dominant strategy (which I do not know how to execute, so it has not been an issue for me). However, I really enjoy the system. This was the first game to use deckbuilding in a really unique way. I have not played this game as much I would like, but I have enjoyed it every time it makes it out to the table.
7. Discworld: Ankh-Morpork
This is the second Martin Wallace on the list, and this game is also one of our most underplayed games. Both my wife and I like it, so it should get played more. This game has a lot going for it. I love the way the card play works in this game, and every turn has interesting choices. I like that this card interaction is combined with area control, and finally players have their own unique victory condition.
6. The Castles of Burgundy
This is a game that we traded for a couple of years ago, and one of the major reasons for doing so is that I know several people who really like this game. I believe this is the highest rated game from 2011 that I have included on this list. Despite having a color palate that just screams bland, this game is a lot of fun. This game captures that feeling of building something as the player board gets more and more full. This is also the quintessential point salad as it seems everything that is done yields points. The challenge is just squeezing more points out of the game than everyone else.
5. Yomi
I got the complete first edition when it came out. I have played this game quite a bit, but only a handful of plays have been in recent years. That is a shame because I like this game quite a bit and it is a game that benefits from playing a good deal. I know this game has an online client but I have yet to really spend anytime with it for reasons. I think I have tried just about every game that tries to capture a fighting video game in board game form, and I like this one the best (though Exceed might be really close).
4. Ninjato
This is one of the first games I got really excited about after discovering on BGG. In 2010 I learned that the designer is local and I tracked him down at a local con and asked if I could playtest it. The game changed a good deal between then and it’s release but this was a must get game for me in 2011. I really like how this game incorporates push your luck mechanisms. I also think this is one of the most thematic euro games I have played. If my wife picked her favorite game from 2011, I am fairly confident that this would be the winner.
3. King of Tokyo
This is my most played game from 2011. This is a great gateway game that is very accessible to people. It mixes pushing your luck with beating people down in a very engaging way. In 2015 I qualified for King of Tokyo tournament and promptly lost in the first round. This showed me that while this game is accessible, it has a bit more strategic depth than I ever thought possible.
2. Core Worlds
Of all the games on this list this is probably the one I want to play the most right now. I really adore this game and it has been way, way too long since I have played it. The game’s play time is deceptively long which might be one of the reasons why it does not make to the table as much as I want. This is probably my favorite deck building game. I really like the space conquest theme and artwork. I love the progression of this game. It feels like players are making a march to the core worlds. It is so much fun to watch my forces grow and my space empire expand.
1. Blood Bowl: Team Manager – The Card Game
This is my favorite game of 2011. I remember demoing the game at Gen Con that year. I was really liking it, and a FFG person came by and said that there were less than ten copies left. I immediately got up and bought it. I really enjoy the back and forth tactical play of this game. I like that this game gives the synergy of a CCG style game in a much more manageable and accessible game. This is a game that I am always willing to play and it is a great time every time. I am happy that it got two expansions, but I wish they made one more to include some of the good aligned factions like high elves and lizardmen.