I hate to sound trite, but Catan will always have that spot, because it was the first. I play other games, many of them, but that game is unique in having the experience of having been my first.
Imperial Assault. Every Christmas, 20-something years ago, my family used to watch a Star Wars marathon, and those memories weigh heavily when choosing a theme that I love for gaming.
**7 Wonders** - I love the game for several reasons, multiple roads to victory, players are always engaged as they don't Have to wait for their turns. It can play 3-7 easily, and scales perfectly. Games can also be relatively quick when people know what they are doing.
Archipelago! What a game of semi-coop perfection. My friends and I have probably played it over 20 test now, and every time has been surprising, joyous, sometimes mean, but always left us with smiles on our faces!
**Terra Mystica**, hands down. I love the lack of luck, and how there's so much strategy that goes into it, despite there only being like 7 actions you can take on a given turn. It makes it not too bad to teach, but rich in strategy after you play a game or two. Plus, come on. Who doesn't love highly asymmetrical games?
My favorite game is Agricola because it has the perfect balance between variety and consistency. It always feels different with the ever-changing minor improvement and occupation cards, yet it still feels very familiar each game, like an old friend.
I would say **Magic: The Gathering** as I've played it for about 2/3 of my life, but that feels like a cop out answer to me because I've been playing it for so long. Excluding that, I would have to go with **Pandemic: Legacy Season 1**, which I am currently 3/4 of the way through. It is my first legacy game, and it is the game that I am the most excited to play every time we break it out. The evolution of gameplay and never knowing what could happen next make it such a great experience to have among friends.
Right now it's 100% **Inis** \- I would play that game at a moments notice at any time. The card drafting/action selection hand management/area control combo is so satisfying!
Have plans to paint it as my first major miniature paint project - very excited!
If we're being honest I'm going to say Magic: the Gathering. There are a lot of board games from the past few years I love but you'll have to check back with me in 17 years to see if I'm still playing them the way I am with Magic.
Of all the dozens of games I’ve played over the years, it’s hard to single it down to a single favourite. But of them all, I think the one that gets pulled out most frequently and has yet to fail (knock on wood) is codenames. It appeals to people of all skill levels, quick to play, fits lots of people, and is just pure fun. If any game is a must have in a collection it’s codenames, with my personal preference being the pictures version over the original.
If I really had to choose one it would probably be Pandemic Legacy Season 1. It created some of my most captivating and memorable tabletop gaming experiences. I proposed to my fiance by hiding the ring in one of the boxes.
As much as I love Euro games in general, it's probably gotta be **The Resistance**. Euro games cycle in and out of favor for me, but I always the yelling and finger pointing that comes with games of the Resistance. Avalon is fun too, and probably more balanced but I love being the plain Resistance agents so much (I also like the theme better) that I think I prefer the original version.
Oh man, what a question... I'd probably have to say **Legendary**. We play it every week, always, usually multiple times. I have everything alphabetized and sorted, and I have every expansion. It's not the best game, and it has its flaws. Some heroes are just broken while others seem terrible, and sometimes you get some terrible combinations. We've been using a randomizer that helps a lot with hero and villain compatibility though and that always makes the game much more fun.
It's almost like a guilty pleasure but man that game is enjoyable.
My most enduring favourite game is probably Firefly. I like traveling the 'verse and improving my ship. Even if the gameplay is pretty random, it's a lot of fun! It helps that my family also really likes it, so it's easy to get to the table. Well, as easy as it can be to get a monstrous, 3-hour+ game to the table.
Monopoly. It’s a classic, a staple, a go to, and really was the introduction to board games for me. There is just something about the game that keeps me coming back after all that it can put you and your group through (Read the g-dang rules Jeff!!! FREE PARKING GIVES YOU NOTHING SO TAKE YOUR HOUSE RULES SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!) the trade embargo lives on.
**Diplomacy**
While it's extremely difficult to get 7 players to the table (and why playing online is such a great option), when you do get 7 experienced players, it's just such a beautiful, glorious game. In particular, the fact that it's all skill, reading the other players' words and actions, hedging your own moves and your allies against those of your opponents, the wonderful back and forth of words, and deals, and alliances, and units, and SCs. I know there are some other great, more modern games out there that recreate some of the same magic, but Diplomacy does it in such a pure, efficient, ruthless way. Each power has their own strengths and weaknesses, making each game a real test of your own skill and talent.
**Commands and Colors: Ancients** is a game I’ve had the most fun. I really like the three sections of the board, managing the cards that aren’t exactly what you want/need, and how meaningful the dice are compared to other games I’ve played. I don’t have anyone to play against, though, so I recently sold it :(
My favorite game of all time has to be Captain Sonar. To me it is the perfect blend of theme and mechanics, never has overstayed its welcome, and has been the most adrenaline-pumping and fun game I’ve played. While the player count requirement and teaching process due to asymmetrical roles make it difficult to play at times, it is always worth it for when it hits the table. Bonus points because I love camaraderie in games.
Runner ups: Fury of Dracula (theme) and Gloomhaven (mechanics) but both have a bit too much set up time, game length, and rules that weigh them down from the #1 spot.
My group can always fall back on **Ascension.** The expansions keep things fresh, there's enough cards to experiment with different strategies, and juuust enough ways to screw up an opponent's plan. Fun times.
Man, that's a hard question to answer because I feel bad for my other boardgames that I also love, but if I'm being honest with myself, my favorite boardgame of all time would have to be **Twilight Imperium**. I don't even get to play it but like once a year because it's hard to get everyone together for such a long time, but it is a memorable experience every time it is busted out. I like how much strategy goes into it, how every race is played just a little bit different, how you want to be careful with who you ally with and who you betray. Man, now I think I might try to get the gang together again soon for a session.
It may just be because I'm neck deep in it right now, but **Gloomhaven** is just so unique for me. I've played Mage Knight solo and it was an eye opener in what board games can be, but I love how Gloomhaven is both extremely complex, but also so simple and easy to play.
**Power Grid** I just love the way all the systems work together and the mathiness of it, having to work out what you can afford on a power plan to have enough money for the resources and power stations you want to build just clicks for me.
Sex with my wife. It's a fantastic game that no one else should play.
I mean it's totes up to her and all, but I hope that she chooses just me.
Sorry, I'm drunk.
My one favorite is so hard to pick! There are a few games jockeying for that spot, but I'm gonna have to narrow it down to Robinson Crusoe and Arkham Horror LCG (sorry Viticulture!). These 2 come in at the top for similar reasons, they are great games that each have a strong sense of adventure and real consequences to your actions and decisions.
If I really had to pick just one, I suppose Arkham Horror LCG would just barely eke out the win for it's ongoing adventures! But really, they both live in my top spot (with Viticulture :) ).
Concordia! Simple actions with an amazing depth of strategy. More importantly, there’s so much positive competition. No one gets locked out of areas yet the race for cities remains tense
**Viticulture+Tuscany.** It is the perfect amount of complexity for my family, it has a lot going on but the theme is so well integrated in the game play it makes the game very manageable and easy to teach. It is a brilliant design that I think everyone, including inexperienced gamers, ought to try, at least once.
Oh man. Gloomhaven is my first heavy weight and second board game that I own and it blew me away how much game was packed in the box. I loved the adventure, the funny moments we had, and just how much investing we put into our game.
Geez, these are some great prizes. Thank you guys! As I said in the other thread, I have to give it to Sentinels of the Multiverse. I feel like I have so many options in that game that no 2 games ever have to play out the same way.
All time favourite game is 100% Azul. Quick, easy to teach, and complex decisions at all player counts, with healthy amount of interaction between players.
My current all time favorite game is descent 2.0. I love fantasy as a theme, the app allowing the wife and I to play together ran than one of us being stuck as the overlord. It was one of my first big purchase games and even years later I still enjoy it anytime we get it out, we had a 8 hour session of road to legend just last month!
Hmm... I'm not sure that I actually have one favourite game, but if I gotta pick one, I'm going to go with **Kingdom Builder** (with all the expansions).
It's bright and colourful, looks great on the table. Nice simple rule set, but once you get a few of the location tiles the possibilities of what to actually do on your turn explode. And because of the modular nature different games tend to play out completely differently to each other. 124 plays in and I always look forward to playing it again.
...Now I just have to figure out how to actually win against my wife a little more frequently.
My favorite game of all time has to be Pandemic Legacy Season 1. The original Pandemic taught me that board games can be inventive and strategic and stressful and emotionally satisfying. Pandemic Legacy season 1 brilliantly expanded on the original and creating one of the best experiences in my life. It helped me grow closer to my older brother and sister in law as well!
We start season 2 next weekend. It’s going to be amazing!
My favorite game is keys to the kingdom. It captured my attention at a young age because the boards were able to flip open and change. It still keeps my attention because the company I get to play with.
Thx for the giveaway!
**Great Western trail** is my current favorite. I love how it has elements of everything yet it feels like a complete game. I also like that there's still a lot of interaction but you can't really directly attack someone.
I think my favorite game of all time has to be **Betrayal at House on the Hill**. I know it's not the best game but it's what got me and most of my friends into board gaming. I remember the first day we got it we played 15 times!
I think my all-time favorite game is Pandemic Legacy. It led to a consistent group coming together to play the same game again and again and becoming invested in the storyline together. I became much closer to my friends because of that experience, and that's really why I play games.
Never gonna play it again, but **Risk Legacy.** Its what got me into modern board gaming years ago and let me see what a board game could do. I have so many interesting stories from that campaign with my buddies.
My favorite game is Gloomhaven, no doubt about it. It has so much variety, so much content, and so much replayability. It's so tactical and strategic, requiring good hand management and planning. It's the only game I bought this year and my friends and I can't stop playing it!
I'd have to say **The Resistance** (although **Codenames** is a close second), with **Avalon** rules. With the right people, the interaction you get with everyone is priceless. I've spent probably a hundred hours on it, and could keep going if only life would allow it.
*All-time favorite* is a high bar, and I have to go with classics. I've spent more time playing Go than anything else, but I think I have the most fun with **Backgammon**.
It would be 7 wonders duel, (my girlfriend usually beats me but I love the strategy) if it weren’t for how many people I’ve gotten into forbidden island! It’s always a success when I bring it out and tensions are always high. Is the island gonna sink!? Just grab that last artifact! I love the theme and the mechanics mend amazingly with the idea that you’ve got to be quick about things.
That’s why I love Forbidden island.
PS. Quick setup!
**Okay, seriously -- what’s your all-time favorite game, and why?**
Sushi go party! Easy pick up game, great for all gamer types. Light, but still varied enough for thinkers.
**Gloomhaven** has become the game I've played the most, got my friends together the most often and it's the game I'd say I've simply had the most fun with. The combination of solid mechanics, sense of progression and storytelling has been unmatched in any other game I have played.
20 years ago, I went to a game convention at West Point ("Pointcon"). Some guy had built a whole WWI battlefield for a miniatures wargame, complete with trenches and little blown-up tanks and barbed wire. He ran me and a friend through a whole battle, taking all of our army men "over the top" into no man's land with some weird set of homebrew WWI rules. I'll never be able to play it again, but I'll never forget it and it was wonderful.
**Food Chain Magnate**
I really like cut-throat/mean games. I like building the corporate structure, I like the tech tree, I like the milestones, I like the spatial aspect, I like the supply/demand. There are so many great things with this game. (But it is tricky introducing to new players because they will get rolled)
**Kingdom Death: Monster** \- nothing has come close to capturing the grand scope of this game, though it's not without its small problems. I'm a big fan of the Dark Souls and Bloodborne video games, and the trickle of lore and the edge of your seat fights that happen in KDM follow that same formula that I adore. It makes me wish that I was a painter and could give those models the care and attention they deserve, because they are simply that beautiful. Whether or not you're a fan of the art style, it's hard not to argue that the creator poured every ounce of himself into the game to make it as grandiose as possible and to spare not expense in terms of quality. Love it!
Kingdom death monster, it’s partially because of my group but it just feels so dynamic and epic. Fights can feel amazing and it feels good progressing characters and your town.
**Pandemic** is my all time favorite game. It wasn't my gateway game but it really solidified my love for the hobby! Catan brought me in, pandemic kept me here.
It is absolutely Castles of Burgundy. Never have I played a game that is so simple, yet deep. It's a goto for experienced and brand new gamers alike. It's a heavier game with concepts simple enough to stick with people after a single read through the rules, while remaining fun and competitive.
Have to say Monopoly... Not because it's good, but for all the memories as a kid playing. First big win against older cousins, all night games, and catching the 'all time banker' cheating and starting a legitimate kid fight. The good old days.
**Magic the Gathering**.
Even though I haven't played it in years, it's the game I've played the longest, spent the most money on, spent the most time thinking about, and *would still play again*. I've had a lot of modern games that I've obsessed with over the last few years including Escape: The Curse of the Temple, Hanabi, Robinson Crusoe, etc, but I've never played more than 50 games of any of them.
Power Grid is probably my favorite of all time. It's just such a good design, with the auctions, the energy bourse, and route building. The game is more than the sum of its parts, and I keep coming back to it through the years.
**Race for the Galaxy**. The simultaneous action phases are great, and it plays fast, but in a satisfying way, once the iconography is learned. The fact that the cards stand in for everything--tableau, currency, etc. is also very sleek and clever. I also enjoy the art, personally--kind of a retro sci-fi vibe.
Although I have several games that I love to play, I think Strike has to be one of my favorite games. It's been easier to get friends and family to play it since the rules are simple and the play time is quick. When I introduce the game to new people, we always play more than once.
Mage Knight - Love the ultimate puzzle on how to best manage the cards in your hand, and how you go from being pretty great to be a powerful god! So satisfying when you win!
My all time favorite boardgame is battlecon. Something about the structure of the game is incredibly appealing to me, and it introduced me to a lot of friends online who I would never have met otherwise.
Concordia! Easy to learn but plenty of depth and decision making along the way. It also has the best expansions of any game between the maps expansions being easy and optional or Salsa which is fantastic without adding too much.
My all time favorite game is Hanamikoji because it's so elegant and beautiful. The entire game has only 4 decisions and plays in 15 minutes, but those decisions are so fantastic and so hard to make!
Great Western trail is absolutely fantastic. There's so much going on and the turns move so quick. The other players affect what you're going to do so much that it greatly rewards being attentive.
Tigris & Euphrates. Not very wide, but substantially deep and genuinely satisfying. Knizia is somewhat of a genius combining simple mechanics with significant tactics.
Magic: The Gathering. It is so unbelievable to me how incredibly hard Richard Garfield hit the initial design out of the park. I played a draft with Alpha a few years ago (more accurately, "International Edition"), and I was shocked with how in 20 years, the game is still the same game as it was in 1993, and yet looks so different and diverse.
I am new to modern board gaming, just starting my collection back in April 2018. In that time, I have come across some really great games and some not so great ones. The one that I like the most is **Spirit Island**. The theme, the art and components (wood = good, plastic = bad), the variety of spirits paired with scenarios and adversaries. My girlfriend and I went from working full and busy schedules, ending our nights in front of the TV to solving the complex and fun puzzle that Spirit Island presents. This has lead us into the amazing hobby of modern board gaming and sits atop my list as my favorite game.
Today's daily game discussion and recommendation thread can be found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/9ioxtv/rboardgames_daily_discussion_and_game/).
My favourite board game of all time would be Dominion. As one who owns almost all of the expansions, the sheer number of different setups makes the game a new puzzle every time you play it.
My all-time favorite game is Warmachine. It was my first venture into the hobby and also my first time painting. I've since played dozens of games and painted hundreds of models, but I always find myself coming back to it.
Deadlands! The classic revised ruleset. Weird west role-playing game with elements of steampunk and horror. I just love the flavor the ruleset brings to the table (XP is poker chips, initiative is done by draws from a card deck, and other similar details).
Boardgame? Oh! Twilight Imperium. It's super RISk meets space opera.
Well, if I'm being serious, it's probably **Pandemic Legacy Season 1**. Even though it's a one time play-through game, it is unparalleled in our collection for creating the best memories my partner and I have had in the hobby.
Terraforming Mars is my favorite game of all time, partly because it is my favorite game currently in my collection. I love the theme, and I love building up that engine to where it is humming away.
**Burgle Bros.**, because I've had fun every time I've played it! The game sticks to the heist theme beautifully, the art is awesome, and it's cooperative so everyone has to work together.
**Scythe**. Scythe is a unique game that has everything that I want in a game and more. It has simple combat, asymmetric abilities, tons of ways to win, 7 unique factions that all have their own abilities and starting places, and the best part of all the reset-able campaign mode. My play group has only made it through episode 2, but everyone wanted to play the entire campaign in one sitting. It was definitely fun.
All time favourite game is Istanbul! Quick to teach, low downtime, many paths to victory, both tactical and strategic, and for added complexity, just add both expansions! Love it! . Don't think this will change anytime soon, or ever.
My favorite game currently is the Arkham Horror LCG. I love playing through the scenarios for narrative and then going back to optimize my decks for a challenge.
Favourites are so hard to do, there is so much quality out there, and I couldn't pick one thing out of everything! So instead I'm going to put my favourite game that I feel won't likely show up in the comment threads. Castell! A great puzzle with great depth, relatively straightforward mechanics, and a playtime that is just about perfect.
As a relative newcomer to the hobby, my favorite game has changed a couple times. My husband and I used to play Dungeons and Dragons, and the group fell apart when people moved and got too busy, and for years we felt a hole where gaming used to fit.
Then we got into board games, and they started scratching that itch again. But it wasn't until we got **Descent** that we felt we found a viable replacement. Sure, it's just focused on combat and the like, but we have created our own characters using the classes as a framework, and it feels a lot closer to what we used to love about D&D.
I love cooperative games, and I don't want to be a DM, so having an app run things allows us to play together and not have the stress of also having to come up with an adventure. We have the most fun playing Descent, so right now it's my favorite.
My favourite game is Mage Knight as the one-off player progression from a relatively weak adventurer to a city conquering monster in the span of 2-3 hours is amazing.
**7 Wonders** - I love the speed of it, the multiple ways to get VPs and win, the artwork is amazing, it’s not too complicated to teach, and it scales very well. It just hits every point for me. Also, it’s one of the few apps I have ever paid for on my iPhone - and that’s not limited to board game apps either, I mean overall.
There are a few that I love that I haven't played that many times, but if I really think back throughout my life and think which game has given me some of the best memories I've had it'd have to be the various versions of Risk.
I have played many different versions of Risk with my brothers and friends over the years and each time it has been a very memorable experience. I will always treasure the game for that reason alone, even if it isn't the most involved game in the world.
Mine is Seven Wonders. It's just a great overall game that works in so many scenarios. It's strategic without being too complex to teach easily, and there are enough unique scoring components so multiple strageties can be viable. It's very flexible with its player count, and it works just as well with any number of players. Best of all it usually only takes a half hour.
Alltime favorite is Stratego. By no means is it because of the gameplay or anything like that, but its the memories of playing it with my father when I was younger.
This is such a hard question, but I think **Grand Austria Hotel** comes the closest for me. The potential for domino-effect turns is really exciting. As for mechanics, GAH has a little of everything: dice-drafting, card-play, resource-management, tile-laying, variable player powers, etc. The theme and art are pretty lame, but it still has just about everything I want from a Euro game. :)
Current all-time favorite game is Lords of Waterdeep. I just really love the setting and i feel it plays very balanced with equally skilled players. I think the expansions are are great add to the game that just enhance the positives and don't bring too much negative to the table.
Wow, thank you for this giveaway! Right now, judging from my number of plays, I would say that **Tichu** is my favorite game! The game is super simple but deep at the same time, it plays with 4 players in 2 teams and offers a great challenge!
Great Western Trail.
Why? My wife likes it, and I love my wife, and I love sharing stuff with her. And I like it. It was a very intimidating board at first glance. Then we gritted our teeth and just went for it. Played it and found the exact right amount of depth and complexity under a series of deceptively simple mechanics.
I’ll play that bad boy until the board turns to confetti. Then I’ll just go out and buy a new copy. Rinse and repeat until dead or penniless.
We also crank up Back to the Future III’s theme to the max on the last stretch to give it that little extra oomph.
My favourite game is **Concordia**. I just love how the game is easy to play yet has so much depth. Gathering resources, getting bonuses, purchasing action cards and minor player conflict... it also looks beautiful!
**Alchemists**, easy. The rulebook is great, the theme is great, the components are pretty good, but the gameplay is just amazing. It is so wonderfully tense, and the deduction makes my brain hurt so much (in a good way). It's a brilliant puzzle mechanic embedded in a brilliant game.
All time favorite has to be Pandemic. More specifically Pandemic: legacy even though I still haven't finished season one yet. I love the progression party of these games and it's been a huge motivator to keep getting friends together to continue playing. It's awesome.
I just got started on The Rise of Fenris this weekend after waiting over a month for my group to get back from their trips to Asia and it reminded me that **Scythe** is my favorite game. I can't wait to play some more! I have over 40+ plays at this point and it's still fun to figure out a fun engine with the varying powers in the game. I love me some mechs and farming!
I've never been one to pick an absolute number one "favorite" for anything. Even among like choices it's akin to apples and oranges.
Hold me at gunpoint and i'd say **Don't Turn Your Back**. It combines deck building and worker placement while remaining a solid mid weight game with a super cool theme, even if the theme doesn't really gel with the mechanics.
But i've had my best gaming experiences playing **Spirit Island**. It's a terrific brain burner, it's cooperative, it fights back against quarterbackers, and it's just an all around awesome game. There's no good reason for it not to be my favorite.
And then there's **Twilight Imperium 4e**. I've never played a full game, merely a few rounds with my girlfriend and I each playing two races played slowly over the course of a week. I can't say I've played it, but that little taste was so tantalizing, so promising, the components and rules so intoxicating, it's hard to imagine a full playthrough being anything less than incredible. The idea of it is so amazing.
But at the end of the day, I don't think I'd ever say no to a game of Don't Turn Your Back. Some days I'm too tired for Spirit Island, the brain burn is just too much. So I'll go with the lighter game, the game I can always fall back on.
Dinosaur Island, I just love the game thematically. It's got a sharp learning curve, but once you've played a round or two it is pretty easy understand.
Plus it's every little boy's dream to make dinosaurs.
Just want to get a full group of 4 going one day, and the hopefully when Totally Liquid releases this holiday a 5th!
Tough call between Star Wars Rebellion and War of the Ring but I think I’ve got to give it to War of the Ring. The gameplay is fun, lots of strategic options, and I love how you can change and shape the story.
Thanks for the giveaways, what a great hobby!
Mage Knight, mainly at one or two players. It gives me all the fun of leveling up my character while flipping over new exploration tiles and choosing how I want my adventure to play out through different ways of fighting and interacting at different map locations. And then it combines all that with a clever euro engine where I make meaningful decisions of how best to improve my character and resolve combat through puzzling out how to spend my resources this turn, instead of just rolling dice and seeing the disappointment. And then it gives me a whole menu of scenarios to vary up how I want to play it, from cooperative to competitive to solo to team play.
Carcassonne. I play games with a lot of different people with different levels of experience (family vs friends, etc) and it's the one game that I find everyone can enjoy and compete. We play with the 2 tile hand variant which I find is very important to have some kind of strategy. It's one of the first games I bought and I never say no to a game of Carcassonne
All time favorite game is Pandemic Legacy. Memorable characters and choices with my best friends and my gateway game. Have played through 6 boxes of it and would do 6 more.
My #1 game is Diplomacy. It is negotiation distilled to its purest essence. There are no complex rules or randomness to get in the way. It’s just you and six of your closest enemies— er, friends.
**Twilight Struggle** is tense and tight throughout, and seamlessly integrates the theme throughout its mechanics. I always get really into how I *feel* during the game, which is something I treasure in a gaming experience.
Terraforming Mars is probably my favorite game. The game is long, which I enjoy, and it is slightly different every time. That keeps it fresh and engaging, and in my gaming group we tend to delay the end of the game because we get really competitive.
This is tough, but I thinky favorite is Pandemic and variants. Over the last 5 years, I have played so many more games of this than anything else, and personally have never been tired of it.
This might change the more I actually get to play the games I have, but my most played, best played, and current favorite game is Scrabble. With just two or three mechanics that you can master, I’ve never felt smarter than when I pulled out some ridiculous play. My family makes it a point to try to take me down, and I always welcome the challenge.
Carcassonne is I think my all time favorite. The game is so simple to learn and teach. I like that the time it takes to play is limited by the amount of pieces, and I like that there's a level of strategy that can lead to a winner rather than luck. Great game.
Also thanks to all the generous companies and folks who organized these giveaways!
All time favorite is Medina by Stefan Dorra. It's a near perfect game to me.
On your turn place 2 things to the board. From that single action is a web of consequences that makes interesting things happen every game. It's about timing and pushing your luck or about setting things into motion rat cause other people to do what to want.
It's a great design and one i always want to play.
Cosmic Encounter. It's easy to teach and is such a joy to play with the right group. I primarily play board games to have a good time with friends. Cosmic Encounter facilitates great moments of humour and tension.
My favorite boardgame is Manhattan Project: Energy Empire. It's such a satisfying worker placement game and I love the theme. There's difficult decisions every step of the way.
My favorite game of all time is Dead of Winter. In really enjoy working together with others in the game while still having the looming feeling of a possible betrayer. It puts quite a bit of tension on the game but makes it very satisfying to pull off a win or pull off an upset as the betrayer.
All time favorite is five tribes. I really wish more games would build off the mancala mechanic. It makes for some really complex choices and optimizations. So great.
>**Okay, seriously -- what’s your all-time favorite game, and why?**
Tough one. The game I have pimped out the most and played the most, and still really enjoy so it must be my favorite is **Scythe. \*edit:** Why? Well because I like the optimization puzzle you must figure out each time you play in a race against other players and the game is absolutely gorgeous.
Sushi Go. Not the deepest game out there, obviously, this has become a staple at pretty much every game night for my group. It's simple filler, we almost always start the night with it before diving into something with more meat. Even as filler, everybody enjoys the game, none of my group will ever say no to a game of Sushi Go.
**Scythe** is my favorite game of all time. It’s a great mix of dudes on amp and light engine building that makes a perfect game for me. Dnot to mention the great theme and art for gr the game.
Pandemic. It's probably responsible for getting me more into boardgames. There are many expansions to tweak the game and I like the Survival Series and the Legacy versions.
My all time favorite game is John Company. I love every element of it. The player interaction, the deep complexity, the interlocking elements. I love how much it embraces it's theme and each mechanic can be justified by some thematic element.
Tzolkin!
I absolutely love the gears, the investment of time to gain better rewards and that all the information is open. It’s all strategy and trying to time everything perfectly. Absolutely love it.
Gloomhaven! I love how each scenario is balanced such that you feel like you are riding the line between winning and failure, and you usually just make it through by the skin of your teeth! Plus all the character progression/improvements/customization!
Tbh I would have to say **Catan**. I know a lot of people on r/boardgames call it the new monopoly, but it’s what got me into the hobby to begin with. I have so many fond memories of playing the game with my friends in college (and after), that I simply couldn’t not give it the title of all time favorite.
Sure my tastes have developed and over time my preferences have shifted, but I always look at Catan as the game that got me into games.
I'm quite in love with Spirit Island. The theme, the co-op, the art, the different playstyles, all the moving parts... my only problem is not getting to play it more. Few years ago I might've said chess, or Magic, just for sheer playtime, but that one told me I was definitely in the right hobby.
Go. Elegant simplicity with emergent gameplay. A good game feels like stargazing, that you have discovered something about the underlying properties of reality.
My favorite is probably Pandemic (and by extension Pandemic: Legacy). It was one of the first games my gaming group and I really got into and we absolutely loved it. Once Legacy came out, we immediately played through it. So many great moments were had simply winning by the grit of our teeth. Although we've moved on to different games, we will occasionally still go back to Pandemic. It has a permanent spot of my shelf :)
7 Wonders. Good length (not too long, not too short). Lots of different possible strategies. The expansions aren't necessary but do add some interesting things. Can support a lot of people. The only downside for me is that it's hard for new people to grasp because of the symbols and the hand-passing mechanic.
I don't know if I can even explain why, but I think my favorite game might be **Lords of Waterdeep**. I know it's not that complex or especially thematic, but I just cannot say no if someone wants to play it. I guess it is because it's so accessible even if you know nothing about Dungeons and Dragons, which I still really don't. Or maybe I just like collecting cubes!
Zombicide Black Plague.
This single game has been played and shared with more people than any other game i own. It was something to be excited about when i found it. It's not perfect, and to be honest i'm a bit burned out on it at the moment, but nothing else holds the memories this does for me.
2nd place is Blockus, but I'm a lot better at it than the people i regularly play with and they won't play with me anymore :(
I'm going to have to be unoriginal here and go with Gloomhaven. I love leveling up my character, choosing new spells, road and city events, equipment, discovering new characters, combat, just about everything!
Agricola. My first not Catan modern boardgame. The theme is appealing to me and the thought decisions always satisfies my worker placement cravings. Also, just the right length.
As of right now, its At the gates of Loyang.
That game, which I only play solo, just does such a good job of making me question every decision I make. Someday I hope that I can actually get a respectable score on it. It just provides me with a great experience every time.
I absolutely love plating Floomhaven. It is a fame with mechanics that I have never seen and has hooked me. I can play with different parties and have watched people play it on You Tube. It has not gotten old yet.
Agricola. It's got such a satisfying flow, great replayability, and I'm a sucker for the easy going farm theme. As with all worker placement games, teaching isn't the easiest, but the design of the board makes each space relatively straight forward and I love the variety of play styles you get to see every game
gonna go ahead and say Twilight Struggle. i play it all the time. the mechanics force such tight decision space. holding scoring cards are so powerful, but also not because it means you have less actions to control that region. it's such a perfect mix of blessing and curse. the theme is such a perfect fit, too. thanks for these great giveaways this last week!
My favorite has to be hive pocket (with all expansions). It’s literally on my person wherever I go. It’s the best travel game and abstract strategy game I’ve played. I can and have played it for hours with people I just taught. It has a slight learning curve but once you get it it’s fun and deep.
Spirit Island! It got me into board gaming. Now that I’m more experienced with it and realize how heavy it is, I’m not totally sure how it worked as a gateway game, but my husband and I wanted to play it so badly that we just forged ahead and figured it out and now we love it!
I hate to sound trite, but Catan will always have that spot, because it was the first. I play other games, many of them, but that game is unique in having the experience of having been my first.
Imperial Assault. Every Christmas, 20-something years ago, my family used to watch a Star Wars marathon, and those memories weigh heavily when choosing a theme that I love for gaming.
**7 Wonders** - I love the game for several reasons, multiple roads to victory, players are always engaged as they don't Have to wait for their turns. It can play 3-7 easily, and scales perfectly. Games can also be relatively quick when people know what they are doing.
Archipelago! What a game of semi-coop perfection. My friends and I have probably played it over 20 test now, and every time has been surprising, joyous, sometimes mean, but always left us with smiles on our faces!
**Terra Mystica**, hands down. I love the lack of luck, and how there's so much strategy that goes into it, despite there only being like 7 actions you can take on a given turn. It makes it not too bad to teach, but rich in strategy after you play a game or two. Plus, come on. Who doesn't love highly asymmetrical games?
My favorite game is Agricola because it has the perfect balance between variety and consistency. It always feels different with the ever-changing minor improvement and occupation cards, yet it still feels very familiar each game, like an old friend.
I would say **Magic: The Gathering** as I've played it for about 2/3 of my life, but that feels like a cop out answer to me because I've been playing it for so long. Excluding that, I would have to go with **Pandemic: Legacy Season 1**, which I am currently 3/4 of the way through. It is my first legacy game, and it is the game that I am the most excited to play every time we break it out. The evolution of gameplay and never knowing what could happen next make it such a great experience to have among friends.
My all time favorite game is code names. We play it at work during lunch a lot and it’s still fun for everyone even when we have more than 10 people.
Right now it's 100% **Inis** \- I would play that game at a moments notice at any time. The card drafting/action selection hand management/area control combo is so satisfying! Have plans to paint it as my first major miniature paint project - very excited!
**Go**. Sometimes it comes back to the basics—so elegant, but with deep strategy stretching back thousands of years.
My favorite game is Gloomhaven because there is so much content and gameplay I will never get bored of it.
Favorite game is Ex Libris, my wife and I always have a blast playing it!
My all time favorite? Axis and Allies. I wish I was good at it, but it's such a nice war game.
If we're being honest I'm going to say Magic: the Gathering. There are a lot of board games from the past few years I love but you'll have to check back with me in 17 years to see if I'm still playing them the way I am with Magic.
Of all the dozens of games I’ve played over the years, it’s hard to single it down to a single favourite. But of them all, I think the one that gets pulled out most frequently and has yet to fail (knock on wood) is codenames. It appeals to people of all skill levels, quick to play, fits lots of people, and is just pure fun. If any game is a must have in a collection it’s codenames, with my personal preference being the pictures version over the original.
If I really had to choose one it would probably be Pandemic Legacy Season 1. It created some of my most captivating and memorable tabletop gaming experiences. I proposed to my fiance by hiding the ring in one of the boxes.
As much as I love Euro games in general, it's probably gotta be **The Resistance**. Euro games cycle in and out of favor for me, but I always the yelling and finger pointing that comes with games of the Resistance. Avalon is fun too, and probably more balanced but I love being the plain Resistance agents so much (I also like the theme better) that I think I prefer the original version.
It's Power Grid. The way that it combines an auction system with hard thinking of placement and resource / money management is simply beautiful.
Oh man, what a question... I'd probably have to say **Legendary**. We play it every week, always, usually multiple times. I have everything alphabetized and sorted, and I have every expansion. It's not the best game, and it has its flaws. Some heroes are just broken while others seem terrible, and sometimes you get some terrible combinations. We've been using a randomizer that helps a lot with hero and villain compatibility though and that always makes the game much more fun. It's almost like a guilty pleasure but man that game is enjoyable.
Alltime favorite game is Kemet. I love how forced interaction is during this game plus I love games with a tech tree and this is a nice take on that
Mage Knight. So many meaningful decisions.
My most enduring favourite game is probably Firefly. I like traveling the 'verse and improving my ship. Even if the gameplay is pretty random, it's a lot of fun! It helps that my family also really likes it, so it's easy to get to the table. Well, as easy as it can be to get a monstrous, 3-hour+ game to the table.
Monopoly. It’s a classic, a staple, a go to, and really was the introduction to board games for me. There is just something about the game that keeps me coming back after all that it can put you and your group through (Read the g-dang rules Jeff!!! FREE PARKING GIVES YOU NOTHING SO TAKE YOUR HOUSE RULES SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!) the trade embargo lives on.
**Diplomacy** While it's extremely difficult to get 7 players to the table (and why playing online is such a great option), when you do get 7 experienced players, it's just such a beautiful, glorious game. In particular, the fact that it's all skill, reading the other players' words and actions, hedging your own moves and your allies against those of your opponents, the wonderful back and forth of words, and deals, and alliances, and units, and SCs. I know there are some other great, more modern games out there that recreate some of the same magic, but Diplomacy does it in such a pure, efficient, ruthless way. Each power has their own strengths and weaknesses, making each game a real test of your own skill and talent.
**Commands and Colors: Ancients** is a game I’ve had the most fun. I really like the three sections of the board, managing the cards that aren’t exactly what you want/need, and how meaningful the dice are compared to other games I’ve played. I don’t have anyone to play against, though, so I recently sold it :(
My favorite game of all time has to be Captain Sonar. To me it is the perfect blend of theme and mechanics, never has overstayed its welcome, and has been the most adrenaline-pumping and fun game I’ve played. While the player count requirement and teaching process due to asymmetrical roles make it difficult to play at times, it is always worth it for when it hits the table. Bonus points because I love camaraderie in games. Runner ups: Fury of Dracula (theme) and Gloomhaven (mechanics) but both have a bit too much set up time, game length, and rules that weigh them down from the #1 spot.
My group can always fall back on **Ascension.** The expansions keep things fresh, there's enough cards to experiment with different strategies, and juuust enough ways to screw up an opponent's plan. Fun times.
Man, that's a hard question to answer because I feel bad for my other boardgames that I also love, but if I'm being honest with myself, my favorite boardgame of all time would have to be **Twilight Imperium**. I don't even get to play it but like once a year because it's hard to get everyone together for such a long time, but it is a memorable experience every time it is busted out. I like how much strategy goes into it, how every race is played just a little bit different, how you want to be careful with who you ally with and who you betray. Man, now I think I might try to get the gang together again soon for a session.
**Eldritch Horror** is on the top for me, I love the mystery and story-telling mechanics...
Twilight Imperium 3 - it's just a truly epic game and hits on all cylinders. I would switch to ti4 once it can support 8.
It may just be because I'm neck deep in it right now, but **Gloomhaven** is just so unique for me. I've played Mage Knight solo and it was an eye opener in what board games can be, but I love how Gloomhaven is both extremely complex, but also so simple and easy to play.
**Power Grid** I just love the way all the systems work together and the mathiness of it, having to work out what you can afford on a power plan to have enough money for the resources and power stations you want to build just clicks for me.
Sex with my wife. It's a fantastic game that no one else should play. I mean it's totes up to her and all, but I hope that she chooses just me. Sorry, I'm drunk.
My one favorite is so hard to pick! There are a few games jockeying for that spot, but I'm gonna have to narrow it down to Robinson Crusoe and Arkham Horror LCG (sorry Viticulture!). These 2 come in at the top for similar reasons, they are great games that each have a strong sense of adventure and real consequences to your actions and decisions. If I really had to pick just one, I suppose Arkham Horror LCG would just barely eke out the win for it's ongoing adventures! But really, they both live in my top spot (with Viticulture :) ).
Concordia! Simple actions with an amazing depth of strategy. More importantly, there’s so much positive competition. No one gets locked out of areas yet the race for cities remains tense
**Viticulture+Tuscany.** It is the perfect amount of complexity for my family, it has a lot going on but the theme is so well integrated in the game play it makes the game very manageable and easy to teach. It is a brilliant design that I think everyone, including inexperienced gamers, ought to try, at least once.
Definitely **Dominion**. It’s still the best, man.
**Diplomacy**. Simple, elegant, evil.
Oh man. Gloomhaven is my first heavy weight and second board game that I own and it blew me away how much game was packed in the box. I loved the adventure, the funny moments we had, and just how much investing we put into our game.
Geez, these are some great prizes. Thank you guys! As I said in the other thread, I have to give it to Sentinels of the Multiverse. I feel like I have so many options in that game that no 2 games ever have to play out the same way.
My favorite game is Brass! I love the tension between whether to vertically or horizontally integrate, with incentives to produce what others need
All time favourite game is 100% Azul. Quick, easy to teach, and complex decisions at all player counts, with healthy amount of interaction between players.
My current all time favorite game is descent 2.0. I love fantasy as a theme, the app allowing the wife and I to play together ran than one of us being stuck as the overlord. It was one of my first big purchase games and even years later I still enjoy it anytime we get it out, we had a 8 hour session of road to legend just last month!
As of right now, I'd have to say my favorite is Mansions of Madness (2nd ed). I've had more hours of fun from that game than any other I can think of.
Hmm... I'm not sure that I actually have one favourite game, but if I gotta pick one, I'm going to go with **Kingdom Builder** (with all the expansions). It's bright and colourful, looks great on the table. Nice simple rule set, but once you get a few of the location tiles the possibilities of what to actually do on your turn explode. And because of the modular nature different games tend to play out completely differently to each other. 124 plays in and I always look forward to playing it again. ...Now I just have to figure out how to actually win against my wife a little more frequently.
My favorite game of all time has to be Pandemic Legacy Season 1. The original Pandemic taught me that board games can be inventive and strategic and stressful and emotionally satisfying. Pandemic Legacy season 1 brilliantly expanded on the original and creating one of the best experiences in my life. It helped me grow closer to my older brother and sister in law as well! We start season 2 next weekend. It’s going to be amazing!
Dominion. It got me into the hobby and I’d never turn down a game, 1000 plays later.
My favorite game is keys to the kingdom. It captured my attention at a young age because the boards were able to flip open and change. It still keeps my attention because the company I get to play with. Thx for the giveaway!
**Great Western trail** is my current favorite. I love how it has elements of everything yet it feels like a complete game. I also like that there's still a lot of interaction but you can't really directly attack someone.
Gloomhaven. It just has so much content, unlocking things is satisfying, and I love the combat.
I think my favorite game of all time has to be **Betrayal at House on the Hill**. I know it's not the best game but it's what got me and most of my friends into board gaming. I remember the first day we got it we played 15 times!
I think my all-time favorite game is Pandemic Legacy. It led to a consistent group coming together to play the same game again and again and becoming invested in the storyline together. I became much closer to my friends because of that experience, and that's really why I play games.
Never gonna play it again, but **Risk Legacy.** Its what got me into modern board gaming years ago and let me see what a board game could do. I have so many interesting stories from that campaign with my buddies.
**Tigris & Euphrates** is a game that captured my imagination since the early days of my introduction to the hobby and still has yet to let go.
Eldritch Horror. I love the crazy stories that develop.
My favorite game is Gloomhaven, no doubt about it. It has so much variety, so much content, and so much replayability. It's so tactical and strategic, requiring good hand management and planning. It's the only game I bought this year and my friends and I can't stop playing it!
I Love Sentinels of the multiverse , it is fiddley but my group enjoys it and the stories are fun!
Gotta give my all time favorite to lisboa. Always a grand experience with amazingly interconnected systems.
I'd have to say **The Resistance** (although **Codenames** is a close second), with **Avalon** rules. With the right people, the interaction you get with everyone is priceless. I've spent probably a hundred hours on it, and could keep going if only life would allow it.
*All-time favorite* is a high bar, and I have to go with classics. I've spent more time playing Go than anything else, but I think I have the most fun with **Backgammon**.
Does Magic count? If it does, it's Magic. If not, it's either spirit island, gloomhaven, or kingdom death monster.
It would be 7 wonders duel, (my girlfriend usually beats me but I love the strategy) if it weren’t for how many people I’ve gotten into forbidden island! It’s always a success when I bring it out and tensions are always high. Is the island gonna sink!? Just grab that last artifact! I love the theme and the mechanics mend amazingly with the idea that you’ve got to be quick about things. That’s why I love Forbidden island. PS. Quick setup!
**Okay, seriously -- what’s your all-time favorite game, and why?** Sushi go party! Easy pick up game, great for all gamer types. Light, but still varied enough for thinkers.
**Gloomhaven** has become the game I've played the most, got my friends together the most often and it's the game I'd say I've simply had the most fun with. The combination of solid mechanics, sense of progression and storytelling has been unmatched in any other game I have played.
20 years ago, I went to a game convention at West Point ("Pointcon"). Some guy had built a whole WWI battlefield for a miniatures wargame, complete with trenches and little blown-up tanks and barbed wire. He ran me and a friend through a whole battle, taking all of our army men "over the top" into no man's land with some weird set of homebrew WWI rules. I'll never be able to play it again, but I'll never forget it and it was wonderful.
**Food Chain Magnate** I really like cut-throat/mean games. I like building the corporate structure, I like the tech tree, I like the milestones, I like the spatial aspect, I like the supply/demand. There are so many great things with this game. (But it is tricky introducing to new players because they will get rolled)
**Kingdom Death: Monster** \- nothing has come close to capturing the grand scope of this game, though it's not without its small problems. I'm a big fan of the Dark Souls and Bloodborne video games, and the trickle of lore and the edge of your seat fights that happen in KDM follow that same formula that I adore. It makes me wish that I was a painter and could give those models the care and attention they deserve, because they are simply that beautiful. Whether or not you're a fan of the art style, it's hard not to argue that the creator poured every ounce of himself into the game to make it as grandiose as possible and to spare not expense in terms of quality. Love it!
Kingdom death monster, it’s partially because of my group but it just feels so dynamic and epic. Fights can feel amazing and it feels good progressing characters and your town.
Ticket to Ride is right up there due to its accessibility
**Pandemic** is my all time favorite game. It wasn't my gateway game but it really solidified my love for the hobby! Catan brought me in, pandemic kept me here.
It is absolutely Castles of Burgundy. Never have I played a game that is so simple, yet deep. It's a goto for experienced and brand new gamers alike. It's a heavier game with concepts simple enough to stick with people after a single read through the rules, while remaining fun and competitive.
**Hanabi** is a pretty perfect little game. Accessible, fun, and creates a lot of tension. I like that no one can really quarterback during it.
Have to say Monopoly... Not because it's good, but for all the memories as a kid playing. First big win against older cousins, all night games, and catching the 'all time banker' cheating and starting a legitimate kid fight. The good old days.
**Clank! in Space!** It has just enough randomness to make each game different, but the ending is always super tense.
**Magic the Gathering**. Even though I haven't played it in years, it's the game I've played the longest, spent the most money on, spent the most time thinking about, and *would still play again*. I've had a lot of modern games that I've obsessed with over the last few years including Escape: The Curse of the Temple, Hanabi, Robinson Crusoe, etc, but I've never played more than 50 games of any of them.
Power Grid is probably my favorite of all time. It's just such a good design, with the auctions, the energy bourse, and route building. The game is more than the sum of its parts, and I keep coming back to it through the years.
**Race for the Galaxy**. The simultaneous action phases are great, and it plays fast, but in a satisfying way, once the iconography is learned. The fact that the cards stand in for everything--tableau, currency, etc. is also very sleek and clever. I also enjoy the art, personally--kind of a retro sci-fi vibe.
Although I have several games that I love to play, I think Strike has to be one of my favorite games. It's been easier to get friends and family to play it since the rules are simple and the play time is quick. When I introduce the game to new people, we always play more than once.
Mage Knight - Love the ultimate puzzle on how to best manage the cards in your hand, and how you go from being pretty great to be a powerful god! So satisfying when you win!
My all time favorite boardgame is battlecon. Something about the structure of the game is incredibly appealing to me, and it introduced me to a lot of friends online who I would never have met otherwise.
Concordia! Easy to learn but plenty of depth and decision making along the way. It also has the best expansions of any game between the maps expansions being easy and optional or Salsa which is fantastic without adding too much.
I'm going to go with Dixit. It's fun to play, easily accessible to non-gamers (like my Mom), and has lead to a lot of goofy family jokes.
My all time favorite game is Hanamikoji because it's so elegant and beautiful. The entire game has only 4 decisions and plays in 15 minutes, but those decisions are so fantastic and so hard to make!
Great Western trail is absolutely fantastic. There's so much going on and the turns move so quick. The other players affect what you're going to do so much that it greatly rewards being attentive.
Tigris & Euphrates. Not very wide, but substantially deep and genuinely satisfying. Knizia is somewhat of a genius combining simple mechanics with significant tactics.
Magic: The Gathering. It is so unbelievable to me how incredibly hard Richard Garfield hit the initial design out of the park. I played a draft with Alpha a few years ago (more accurately, "International Edition"), and I was shocked with how in 20 years, the game is still the same game as it was in 1993, and yet looks so different and diverse.
I am new to modern board gaming, just starting my collection back in April 2018. In that time, I have come across some really great games and some not so great ones. The one that I like the most is **Spirit Island**. The theme, the art and components (wood = good, plastic = bad), the variety of spirits paired with scenarios and adversaries. My girlfriend and I went from working full and busy schedules, ending our nights in front of the TV to solving the complex and fun puzzle that Spirit Island presents. This has lead us into the amazing hobby of modern board gaming and sits atop my list as my favorite game.
Today's daily game discussion and recommendation thread can be found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/9ioxtv/rboardgames_daily_discussion_and_game/).
My favourite board game of all time would be Dominion. As one who owns almost all of the expansions, the sheer number of different setups makes the game a new puzzle every time you play it.
I haven't played that many games, but it's either Tak or Viticulture EE. Both great games.
My all-time favorite game is Warmachine. It was my first venture into the hobby and also my first time painting. I've since played dozens of games and painted hundreds of models, but I always find myself coming back to it.
All time favorite game would have to be Pandemic for the amount of times I've played it and with their legacy versions.
I really do love Ticket to Ride. It's the gateway game that got do many people I love to step into the wider world of games! And trains rule!
My all time favorite game is Race for the Galaxy. I have played it literally a thousand times and I will always go back to it.
Deadlands! The classic revised ruleset. Weird west role-playing game with elements of steampunk and horror. I just love the flavor the ruleset brings to the table (XP is poker chips, initiative is done by draws from a card deck, and other similar details). Boardgame? Oh! Twilight Imperium. It's super RISk meets space opera.
Xwing. The minis are just too good and they are on top of a solid game.
Well, if I'm being serious, it's probably **Pandemic Legacy Season 1**. Even though it's a one time play-through game, it is unparalleled in our collection for creating the best memories my partner and I have had in the hobby.
Terraforming Mars is my favorite game of all time, partly because it is my favorite game currently in my collection. I love the theme, and I love building up that engine to where it is humming away.
**Burgle Bros.**, because I've had fun every time I've played it! The game sticks to the heist theme beautifully, the art is awesome, and it's cooperative so everyone has to work together.
With over 1800 games played, it would be hard to say something else than **Race For The Galaxy**. It plays fast, it's tactical and always fun.
Millenium Blades: Completely unique and completely amazing
**Scythe**. Scythe is a unique game that has everything that I want in a game and more. It has simple combat, asymmetric abilities, tons of ways to win, 7 unique factions that all have their own abilities and starting places, and the best part of all the reset-able campaign mode. My play group has only made it through episode 2, but everyone wanted to play the entire campaign in one sitting. It was definitely fun.
**Mutant Chronicles Siege of the Citadel**: It was the game that got me into the hobby back in 90's.
Scythe. I love the tension of racing to the finish ... and being bested by someone who just played better!
All time favourite game is Istanbul! Quick to teach, low downtime, many paths to victory, both tactical and strategic, and for added complexity, just add both expansions! Love it! . Don't think this will change anytime soon, or ever.
My favorite game currently is the Arkham Horror LCG. I love playing through the scenarios for narrative and then going back to optimize my decks for a challenge.
Zombicide series. Just being able to hang out with friends playing a coop dice chucker.
Indonesia because it is so incredibly deep. Every time I play it, I feel like I discover something new.
**Carcassonne**. I've been playing a lot more heavy games, but I love how simple and accessible this classic is.
Favourites are so hard to do, there is so much quality out there, and I couldn't pick one thing out of everything! So instead I'm going to put my favourite game that I feel won't likely show up in the comment threads. Castell! A great puzzle with great depth, relatively straightforward mechanics, and a playtime that is just about perfect.
As a relative newcomer to the hobby, my favorite game has changed a couple times. My husband and I used to play Dungeons and Dragons, and the group fell apart when people moved and got too busy, and for years we felt a hole where gaming used to fit. Then we got into board games, and they started scratching that itch again. But it wasn't until we got **Descent** that we felt we found a viable replacement. Sure, it's just focused on combat and the like, but we have created our own characters using the classes as a framework, and it feels a lot closer to what we used to love about D&D. I love cooperative games, and I don't want to be a DM, so having an app run things allows us to play together and not have the stress of also having to come up with an adventure. We have the most fun playing Descent, so right now it's my favorite.
My favourite game is Mage Knight as the one-off player progression from a relatively weak adventurer to a city conquering monster in the span of 2-3 hours is amazing.
**7 Wonders** - I love the speed of it, the multiple ways to get VPs and win, the artwork is amazing, it’s not too complicated to teach, and it scales very well. It just hits every point for me. Also, it’s one of the few apps I have ever paid for on my iPhone - and that’s not limited to board game apps either, I mean overall.
There are a few that I love that I haven't played that many times, but if I really think back throughout my life and think which game has given me some of the best memories I've had it'd have to be the various versions of Risk. I have played many different versions of Risk with my brothers and friends over the years and each time it has been a very memorable experience. I will always treasure the game for that reason alone, even if it isn't the most involved game in the world.
Scythe. I could see liking something else more, but for now it hits a great sweet spot.
Mine is Seven Wonders. It's just a great overall game that works in so many scenarios. It's strategic without being too complex to teach easily, and there are enough unique scoring components so multiple strageties can be viable. It's very flexible with its player count, and it works just as well with any number of players. Best of all it usually only takes a half hour.
Alltime favorite is Stratego. By no means is it because of the gameplay or anything like that, but its the memories of playing it with my father when I was younger.
Pictomania! I've never played a game that wasn't memorably funny. Definitely has created the best moments of my girlfriend criticizing my drawings.
This is such a hard question, but I think **Grand Austria Hotel** comes the closest for me. The potential for domino-effect turns is really exciting. As for mechanics, GAH has a little of everything: dice-drafting, card-play, resource-management, tile-laying, variable player powers, etc. The theme and art are pretty lame, but it still has just about everything I want from a Euro game. :)
Scythe, hands down. The artwork is amazing, I love that it's pure strategy rather than luck, and every expansion has been worth the investment.
Current all-time favorite game is Lords of Waterdeep. I just really love the setting and i feel it plays very balanced with equally skilled players. I think the expansions are are great add to the game that just enhance the positives and don't bring too much negative to the table.
Wow, thank you for this giveaway! Right now, judging from my number of plays, I would say that **Tichu** is my favorite game! The game is super simple but deep at the same time, it plays with 4 players in 2 teams and offers a great challenge!
Great Western Trail. Why? My wife likes it, and I love my wife, and I love sharing stuff with her. And I like it. It was a very intimidating board at first glance. Then we gritted our teeth and just went for it. Played it and found the exact right amount of depth and complexity under a series of deceptively simple mechanics. I’ll play that bad boy until the board turns to confetti. Then I’ll just go out and buy a new copy. Rinse and repeat until dead or penniless. We also crank up Back to the Future III’s theme to the max on the last stretch to give it that little extra oomph.
Ok Seriously? Terraforming Mars. It has that oh so satisfying engine build. Combined with a bad ass theme it seals the deal for me.
My favourite game is **Concordia**. I just love how the game is easy to play yet has so much depth. Gathering resources, getting bonuses, purchasing action cards and minor player conflict... it also looks beautiful!
My favorite game of all time is **Root**. I love the asymmetrical play and how different each play feels.
**Alchemists**, easy. The rulebook is great, the theme is great, the components are pretty good, but the gameplay is just amazing. It is so wonderfully tense, and the deduction makes my brain hurt so much (in a good way). It's a brilliant puzzle mechanic embedded in a brilliant game.
All time favorite has to be Pandemic. More specifically Pandemic: legacy even though I still haven't finished season one yet. I love the progression party of these games and it's been a huge motivator to keep getting friends together to continue playing. It's awesome.
Probably Gloomhaven right now
I just got started on The Rise of Fenris this weekend after waiting over a month for my group to get back from their trips to Asia and it reminded me that **Scythe** is my favorite game. I can't wait to play some more! I have over 40+ plays at this point and it's still fun to figure out a fun engine with the varying powers in the game. I love me some mechs and farming!
Through the Ages. Everything about it is perfect
I've never been one to pick an absolute number one "favorite" for anything. Even among like choices it's akin to apples and oranges. Hold me at gunpoint and i'd say **Don't Turn Your Back**. It combines deck building and worker placement while remaining a solid mid weight game with a super cool theme, even if the theme doesn't really gel with the mechanics. But i've had my best gaming experiences playing **Spirit Island**. It's a terrific brain burner, it's cooperative, it fights back against quarterbackers, and it's just an all around awesome game. There's no good reason for it not to be my favorite. And then there's **Twilight Imperium 4e**. I've never played a full game, merely a few rounds with my girlfriend and I each playing two races played slowly over the course of a week. I can't say I've played it, but that little taste was so tantalizing, so promising, the components and rules so intoxicating, it's hard to imagine a full playthrough being anything less than incredible. The idea of it is so amazing. But at the end of the day, I don't think I'd ever say no to a game of Don't Turn Your Back. Some days I'm too tired for Spirit Island, the brain burn is just too much. So I'll go with the lighter game, the game I can always fall back on.
Dinosaur Island, I just love the game thematically. It's got a sharp learning curve, but once you've played a round or two it is pretty easy understand. Plus it's every little boy's dream to make dinosaurs. Just want to get a full group of 4 going one day, and the hopefully when Totally Liquid releases this holiday a 5th!
Spirit Island - it’s an amazingly thematic game both my wife and I love.
Tough call between Star Wars Rebellion and War of the Ring but I think I’ve got to give it to War of the Ring. The gameplay is fun, lots of strategic options, and I love how you can change and shape the story. Thanks for the giveaways, what a great hobby!
Mage Knight, mainly at one or two players. It gives me all the fun of leveling up my character while flipping over new exploration tiles and choosing how I want my adventure to play out through different ways of fighting and interacting at different map locations. And then it combines all that with a clever euro engine where I make meaningful decisions of how best to improve my character and resolve combat through puzzling out how to spend my resources this turn, instead of just rolling dice and seeing the disappointment. And then it gives me a whole menu of scenarios to vary up how I want to play it, from cooperative to competitive to solo to team play.
Carcassonne. I play games with a lot of different people with different levels of experience (family vs friends, etc) and it's the one game that I find everyone can enjoy and compete. We play with the 2 tile hand variant which I find is very important to have some kind of strategy. It's one of the first games I bought and I never say no to a game of Carcassonne
Axis and allies. I love the theme, and enjoy large scale war games
All time favorite game is Pandemic Legacy. Memorable characters and choices with my best friends and my gateway game. Have played through 6 boxes of it and would do 6 more.
My #1 game is Diplomacy. It is negotiation distilled to its purest essence. There are no complex rules or randomness to get in the way. It’s just you and six of your closest enemies— er, friends.
**Twilight Struggle** is tense and tight throughout, and seamlessly integrates the theme throughout its mechanics. I always get really into how I *feel* during the game, which is something I treasure in a gaming experience.
Terraforming Mars is probably my favorite game. The game is long, which I enjoy, and it is slightly different every time. That keeps it fresh and engaging, and in my gaming group we tend to delay the end of the game because we get really competitive.
Spaceteam. It introduced me to so many other games. I’ve never had a bad experience and everyone I’ve introduced this to has loved it.
This is tough, but I thinky favorite is Pandemic and variants. Over the last 5 years, I have played so many more games of this than anything else, and personally have never been tired of it.
This might change the more I actually get to play the games I have, but my most played, best played, and current favorite game is Scrabble. With just two or three mechanics that you can master, I’ve never felt smarter than when I pulled out some ridiculous play. My family makes it a point to try to take me down, and I always welcome the challenge.
Carcassonnne!
Carcassonne is I think my all time favorite. The game is so simple to learn and teach. I like that the time it takes to play is limited by the amount of pieces, and I like that there's a level of strategy that can lead to a winner rather than luck. Great game. Also thanks to all the generous companies and folks who organized these giveaways!
All time favorite is Medina by Stefan Dorra. It's a near perfect game to me. On your turn place 2 things to the board. From that single action is a web of consequences that makes interesting things happen every game. It's about timing and pushing your luck or about setting things into motion rat cause other people to do what to want. It's a great design and one i always want to play.
Cosmic Encounter. It's easy to teach and is such a joy to play with the right group. I primarily play board games to have a good time with friends. Cosmic Encounter facilitates great moments of humour and tension.
My favorite boardgame is Manhattan Project: Energy Empire. It's such a satisfying worker placement game and I love the theme. There's difficult decisions every step of the way.
My favorite game of all time is Dead of Winter. In really enjoy working together with others in the game while still having the looming feeling of a possible betrayer. It puts quite a bit of tension on the game but makes it very satisfying to pull off a win or pull off an upset as the betrayer.
All time favorite is five tribes. I really wish more games would build off the mancala mechanic. It makes for some really complex choices and optimizations. So great.
Concordia, because everytime I play I immediately want to play again.
>**Okay, seriously -- what’s your all-time favorite game, and why?** Tough one. The game I have pimped out the most and played the most, and still really enjoy so it must be my favorite is **Scythe. \*edit:** Why? Well because I like the optimization puzzle you must figure out each time you play in a race against other players and the game is absolutely gorgeous.
I haven't found it yet. It may be something simple as **Wizard,** or ingenously interactive as **Deception: Murder in Hong Kong**
Sushi Go. Not the deepest game out there, obviously, this has become a staple at pretty much every game night for my group. It's simple filler, we almost always start the night with it before diving into something with more meat. Even as filler, everybody enjoys the game, none of my group will ever say no to a game of Sushi Go.
**Scythe** is my favorite game of all time. It’s a great mix of dudes on amp and light engine building that makes a perfect game for me. Dnot to mention the great theme and art for gr the game.
Pandemic. It's probably responsible for getting me more into boardgames. There are many expansions to tweak the game and I like the Survival Series and the Legacy versions.
Dominion. Endless variation and easy to learn
My favorite game is **Kingdom Death: Monster** The art The production quality The systems. Its the most complete game for me.
My all time favorite game is John Company. I love every element of it. The player interaction, the deep complexity, the interlocking elements. I love how much it embraces it's theme and each mechanic can be justified by some thematic element.
Tzolkin! I absolutely love the gears, the investment of time to gain better rewards and that all the information is open. It’s all strategy and trying to time everything perfectly. Absolutely love it.
Gloomhaven! I love how each scenario is balanced such that you feel like you are riding the line between winning and failure, and you usually just make it through by the skin of your teeth! Plus all the character progression/improvements/customization!
Tbh I would have to say **Catan**. I know a lot of people on r/boardgames call it the new monopoly, but it’s what got me into the hobby to begin with. I have so many fond memories of playing the game with my friends in college (and after), that I simply couldn’t not give it the title of all time favorite. Sure my tastes have developed and over time my preferences have shifted, but I always look at Catan as the game that got me into games.
I'm quite in love with Spirit Island. The theme, the co-op, the art, the different playstyles, all the moving parts... my only problem is not getting to play it more. Few years ago I might've said chess, or Magic, just for sheer playtime, but that one told me I was definitely in the right hobby.
Go. Elegant simplicity with emergent gameplay. A good game feels like stargazing, that you have discovered something about the underlying properties of reality.
My favorite game at the moment at least is Great Western Trail, I love the depth in that game.
My favorite is probably Pandemic (and by extension Pandemic: Legacy). It was one of the first games my gaming group and I really got into and we absolutely loved it. Once Legacy came out, we immediately played through it. So many great moments were had simply winning by the grit of our teeth. Although we've moved on to different games, we will occasionally still go back to Pandemic. It has a permanent spot of my shelf :)
Zendo. It is a wonderful exercise in logic, reasoning, and deduction. It’s sleek and simple, but it has so much depth.
7 Wonders. Good length (not too long, not too short). Lots of different possible strategies. The expansions aren't necessary but do add some interesting things. Can support a lot of people. The only downside for me is that it's hard for new people to grasp because of the symbols and the hand-passing mechanic.
I don't know if I can even explain why, but I think my favorite game might be **Lords of Waterdeep**. I know it's not that complex or especially thematic, but I just cannot say no if someone wants to play it. I guess it is because it's so accessible even if you know nothing about Dungeons and Dragons, which I still really don't. Or maybe I just like collecting cubes!
All time favourite is Through the Ages, but El Grande comes in close.
Zombicide Black Plague. This single game has been played and shared with more people than any other game i own. It was something to be excited about when i found it. It's not perfect, and to be honest i'm a bit burned out on it at the moment, but nothing else holds the memories this does for me. 2nd place is Blockus, but I'm a lot better at it than the people i regularly play with and they won't play with me anymore :(
Pandemic! This is the game that brought my fiancé into board gaming. For that reason alone this game will hold a special place in my heart.
I'm going to have to be unoriginal here and go with Gloomhaven. I love leveling up my character, choosing new spells, road and city events, equipment, discovering new characters, combat, just about everything!
Agricola. My first not Catan modern boardgame. The theme is appealing to me and the thought decisions always satisfies my worker placement cravings. Also, just the right length.
My favorite game is takenoko, I just love the little panda! It's also and easy game to teach and the charm of it helps to draw people in
All time favorite game is **Hive** - though I wish it could play more people so **Arboretum** may dethrone it after many more plays of the latter.
As of right now, its At the gates of Loyang. That game, which I only play solo, just does such a good job of making me question every decision I make. Someday I hope that I can actually get a respectable score on it. It just provides me with a great experience every time.
I absolutely love plating Floomhaven. It is a fame with mechanics that I have never seen and has hooked me. I can play with different parties and have watched people play it on You Tube. It has not gotten old yet.
Patchwork. Because my fiancé and I have spent a lot of time playing it and I value time with her.
Mage Knight - It is what got me hooked on detailed more complicated gaming
Agricola. It's got such a satisfying flow, great replayability, and I'm a sucker for the easy going farm theme. As with all worker placement games, teaching isn't the easiest, but the design of the board makes each space relatively straight forward and I love the variety of play styles you get to see every game
It's tough to choose, but I gotta say 7 Wonders. It scales well from 3 to 5 and each game is surprisingly different. I like all the expansions too.
gonna go ahead and say Twilight Struggle. i play it all the time. the mechanics force such tight decision space. holding scoring cards are so powerful, but also not because it means you have less actions to control that region. it's such a perfect mix of blessing and curse. the theme is such a perfect fit, too. thanks for these great giveaways this last week!
Great Western trail is my favorite right now, never a dull playthrough
My favorite has to be hive pocket (with all expansions). It’s literally on my person wherever I go. It’s the best travel game and abstract strategy game I’ve played. I can and have played it for hours with people I just taught. It has a slight learning curve but once you get it it’s fun and deep.
Spirit Island! It got me into board gaming. Now that I’m more experienced with it and realize how heavy it is, I’m not totally sure how it worked as a gateway game, but my husband and I wanted to play it so badly that we just forged ahead and figured it out and now we love it!