A friend if mine did an experiment a couple of years ago. He only listened to music from musicians and bands starting with the same letter for a month. Starting with “A” going all the way to “Ö”, which is the last letter of the swedish alphabet.

I wass thinking about doing something similar, but alot different. Trying to play a new game from every letter instead of playing only from that letter each month.

Every other week I will ask my followers on Instagram what game they think I should play. Of course it has to be a game that I can get a hold of. And hopefully something new. I was thinking at first which game and then from that list ask again and the one with most votes is thr game that I will play.

Hopefully this will be a fun little thing that people will like. I might find a real gold nugget and maybe someone who sees it will find one too.

This is atleast the goal.

Just so I am clear. If you have not played Clank! Legacy and wish to do so. Do not read any further if you don’t want any spoilers. If you have not played it and Don’t wish to do so. Do as you wish, but it is a good game and we had super fun!

On to talk about the game! I never played a Clank! game until I played this. I knew what it was and knew roughly what to expect. I did take a chance though on buying the legacy version. But I wanted a legacy game to play with my fiancé. And a legacy game that actually wasn’t too long. This was perfect for that!

After we played a game of “regular” Clank!, with just the starter cards and so on she was intrigued. And so was I. After we played it with the story… It did not leave the table until we played atleast 2 games of it, often more.

Clank! is a deckbuilder in which you also have a huge board on which you move your characters and try to get treasuers and go back to you tavern, and in this game expands ALOT of the board and change what happens on different locations. Some towns are destroyed, other places become volcanoes and the board becomes a mess. But a good mess! There is so much to do and so many different things that happen.

I’ve read some of the negative things about this game, that when something happens you have to stop, read and sticker up the board or cards. But honestly, that is a small thing compared to what you get out of it. The story is pretty fun. I listened to the Acquisitions Incorporated adventures many years ago when they started and I did follow alot of what Penny Arcade did, so to me this was also a welcome trip down memory lane for me.

Expanding the board was super fun and expanding the other side of the board was even more fun! We met, elces, dwarves, vampires, ghosts, dragons and unknown horrors. Regular Clank has the big dragon as their “nemesis” and Malathrex in this game wreaks havoc on the towns and players. But… after awhile there is someone new introduced. Zrog Mogolth. A horror from another dimension that wishes to destroy our world. He has mind control powers and wishes to engulf our world. So the mission becomes a little different. We have to stop him!

I loved it! As I said before, I have not played regular Clank! before. But they have shrines in thisbgame that gices youba permanent boost in some way, you always have one step, one gold, don’t have to fight monsters on the road and more. That was really interesting. To be honest, there is not much new and or revolutionary about this game. But it is damn good. It will be interesting to play this without the story behind it. But maybe not as fun. I will playbit with new people and see what they think. But to me and my fiancé I think there will be something missing from now on… But we will always have Thormiel Thunderclap and Dianthe as our characters. But now… there will be more of a struggle in the game. We wanted to unlock as much as possible, so we played pretty nice. I did try to kill her the last two turns, because she was stealing my spotlight (literally). But she always managed to get in with 1 or 2 life left…

Oh! I forgot to tell you that. You lose life by drawing cubes from a bag. If you make Clank! You put your colored cubes on a board and when the dragon attacks, by drawing a card with the dragon on, in the buy row, you put all those cubes in a bag and draw from it. Some cubes are black which do nothing unless all are drawn and the game ends. Otherwise there are white cubes, if you raid a haunted place, the white cubes hurt all players and go back into the bag. Then youbhave purple cubes in this game that are interns, you can chose to chuck an intern instead of your own cubes in the bag, which means he dies but you do not get hurt.

It all fits the Acquisitions Incorporated world so well. We had a blast and I am really happy I bought the game. It is a big box, but there is alot of fun in there. 11 missions may not sound as so much, but you will probably finish this game! That was, atleast for me, a good thing.

What legacy games have you conpleted?

Play more games!!!

Well. Like I said up there… skip the next paragraph to get to the board games.

There has been a lot going on in the world since I last wrote here. And what tjat has done to the world is making it somewhat harder to do our hobby. I love in Sweden where the restrictions are pretty easygoing because of the rulesystem we have. You cannot order the public to stay at home but our politicians are very apparent that they want us to stay at home and have done what they can within the ruleset they habe to work with. Then there are the people that I think are in every country, the idiots, that still go on vacation and wpnder why there is such a problem coming home. Having parties, one party hade 70 people and 50 came out having corona… Sooo… yeah… not brightest bulbs in the kitchendrawer.

But still! There has been times where some board games have seen the light of day. I bought Clank! Legacy, Aqcuisitions Incorporated, which has been the game we have mostly played when we come home from work. This has made my instagram pretty empty too, because as it is a legacy game, it’s hard to take pictures and talk about it without spoiling it. But man is it fun! The game is aalmost everything I want. The only downside for me is that it is a legacy game and not a campaign game. I am one of those people who don’t like ripping my cards or burning witches and stuff like that, so we keep everything but away from everything else. But why not make a campaign game where you have the option to exchange cards instead of burning or ripping them?

Well I got try out a game with one of my childhood heroes in it that is just that, yesterday! A friend of mine told me a coupele of hisbfriends are working on a game that is coming out on kickstarter may 1st. The Phantom the card game. That is a campaign deckbuilder for 1-2 players that lets you build your deck and takes you through some adventures on the way. I will talk about that more in the coming week, since I only had time to try it once so far.

I also played some It’s a wonderful world. This game is so easygoing and I was reeaally happy that my fiancé liked it, because I am an all-in backer for the heritage edition on kickstarter… I love building things. I am just that simple. Give me a gale where i build, or even better, build an engine and I am Hooked! There is almot always a good puzzle in there for the brain to figure out. But this game also have enough cards that it makes it interesting enough to play again and again. There are so many different cards, some of which there are only one, in the deck of 182 cards. So that is really fun and replayable.

I played more Monumental, a game that is so much fun but still some funky things tonwork out. It is so beautiful that you almost forget it though. But I have not decided if I should buy it or not when it comes back on Kickstarter… It really is that fun and beautiful either way.

Between al this I have played Final Fantasy remake so there has been some time going in to that also.

Next time I will write about some fun stuff instead of just doing an update of what i played. But today you get what you got… sorry.

What have you been playing during these special times?

Play more games!!!

But back to the point. I prefer to go to the shelf, pick out a game and spend minutes setting up the game, play one game, if I want to play more, do another setup, then pack everything down and put it back on the shelf. Instead of double clicking on a game and then play it, stop playing and then do to something else.

I have been thinking about this for a while. I have always played games. But it’s only the last 3 years that I have really been getting into board gaming. Before that I have been gaming on a computer or on some kind of console. But lately I have even started to prefer to play solo in a board game rather than a computer game. There are of course exceptions to this, when there comes a game I have been looking forward to for years, I might actually play it. Or even just do that for a couple of days…

But back to the point. Instead of double clicking on an icon on my computer, I find myself going to the shelf, pick out a game, put it down on the table, spend minutes to do a setup, play a game, maybe do another setup, play again and then pack everything up and put it back on the shelf. Why is that?

I understand it when we have friends over or even if we are just playing the two of us. The social interaction is worth so much to everyone, whether we knownit or not. A little anecdote. A couple of years ago, a friend and I talked about what we were going to do that day, he had not met a friend in over a week and I had not been in a room alone for over 2 weeks. He invited me and some friends over for some board games, I declined because I desperately needed to be alone when I had the chance. The next day we met up, both renewed. Both were smiling and happy. For very different reasons, but still. You need social interaction in your life (and in my case, sometimes you need to be able to be alone too).

But solo? Some games I play solo doesn’t even have a regular solomode! I find some player made online.

So this made me wonder. Why? I think it may be the ritual of it. Taking something out. Placing everything on the right spot, dealing out cards, do the things that need to be done and when you are done you put it away. There is something calming about that.

Or maybe it is the thing I love about sunday breakfasts. Sitting down and having time to do something. Or really just having time. Not taking it.

Or is it because there is some kind of order? You need to know the rules when playing a board game. In a computer game you abide by laws you cannot read. They are just there. You don’t need to learn them, just trial and error.

I would love to know what you like or love about board gaming! Write a comment and tell me.

And as always. Play more games!!!

So… I have been pretty cautious about kickstarter for a long, looong time. I actually just recently bought games for the first time. I both like and dislike it. I really like getting exclusives and I really dislike not getting them… I can’t possibly buy every game I want to on kickstarter, which is fine.

But it kinda sucks when a game wont even come to retail at all afterwards. Even if I do get it. I recently played a game that I really loked that was… lets just say, more than expensive. But even if I wanted to buy it, I can’t. It wont ever come out to retail and looking at the prices of second hand editions is just making me sad. This is such a non problem really. But if I find something I really like, that I can’t play… it’s frustrating.

I have been looking for a game that have been out of print for a while. Then I saw that a store took it in. I had no money at the time… as a student, it is sometimes hard to find the money for some games… but when I finally got the money, it was sold out. They got 7 copies of the game and it was sold out in a couple of days…

But then again. It’s a non problem in way. But When I see a game as “kickstarter only”, it looks more like an investment than something I should play. And that’s not right to me.

Just needed to vent a little bit. 🙂

What is your stand on Kickstarter only games?

Play more games!!!

Usually when I play a game, I do it by myself. Just to learn the game so it’s easier to teach later on. When I teach a game the first play never counts either way. I need to see that some of the mechanics click for people. Because I alsp need to see that first game and feel some things click for me too.

I recentlt palyed Santa Maria for the first time with my fiancé. She kicked my behind and won, but man was it a good game. Many things to keep track of but never feeling overwhelmed. Using blue dice to activate building left to right, white dice to activate up to down and maybe uae some coins to activate specific buildings. Lets just say that some of the reason I lost was my wheat empire… It was not a solid strategy! Who woulda thunk?

But back to the topic. I feel many games are hard to really grasp before completing a game that uses points as a winning factor. Before you see potential multipliers, negatives and so on. The first time new players play 7 wonders it is especially clear to me. Even if you say it, people tend to forget what goves points, how they gain multipliers, that depending on which age you are in you get more and more points for military victories and so on.

This is why I have adapted the “session zero” idea from role playing games. The first time you play a game, it does not count. After that… You are on your own. Well, not really, if I see someonenmake a wierd move I usually ask. Maybe the see something I don’t. Maybe they want to try something out. If not, I try to be helpful. Depending on who I play with and what game it is. If it’s a cutthroat versus game I might be less inclined to help. 🙂 But at the same time, a friend of mine wants to learn how to fly in formation in X-Wing, of course I let him redo his turns to a certain degree. But when he has learned it better he will be a huge threat and I will use his mistakes against him. As he will use mine against me.

Then we gave the games that can’t have a session zero. For example Twilight Imperium. A game that takes that long can not have this. You will have to learn during. I have only plsyed it once, I loved it, I know some of the mistakes I made. I will be better next time. That is one cutthroat game… player elimination can ve a harsh mistress. And in this game she can be more harsh than in most other. It feels wrong to eliminate a player in this game, that is basically the only reason not to do it. A game that can take 12 hours the first time you play and maybe get eliminated after 3 hours… Oh the joy. Let us play this again please. It was so much fun sitting there watching you play…

Or the first time I played Wingspan. We were 5 people, but the game does not take that long to play. None of us had played ut before and we all sat down and listened to the rules as we went on… Even though it is far from the mhe most advanced games any of us had played, it was clear that this is not the way to play. 🙂 Still decided to buy the game afterwards… after spending 4 hours on one game of it… because it was obvious that we liked it.

This is why I sit down by myself and play the game by myself. Even if it does not always work and my head almost explodes for all the possibilities that two players can do (Cooper Island). That and you can easier see how many points something can give. Even if I read it, it does not stick until the points are counted.

How do your first impressions of a game look?

Play more games!!!

I have not had a lot of time for a while. Where didnit go? It’s still 24 hours in a day right?

I have taken out a box from the shelf and opened the box but haven’t had the energy to actually set it up and play… until yesterday! Yesterday I was told to get into the shower while the food was finished and after that, I should go upstairs and do a setup while she did the dishes. I decided that we should play a game we both know and like after that. I decided on Wingspan.

Every time we play it we realise how much we like it. It’s not a hard game, it’s not complicated, but man is it fun, beautiful and high quality.

After trying to play a single game for a week and not having the energy, this just put a smile on my face. Just as simple as that. There are a few, simple things that doea that. Playing a board game. That means we have time to spend together. And having breakfast together. Not the one when you sit down for 10 minutes, chug a coffee that burns your throat and throw in a piece of bread in your mouth swirling it with the coffee and run out the door. I mean when you sit down for ATLEAST 30-40 minutes and eat in peace. Talk and all that. Those things are really precious to me. That is one of the reasons I love boardgaming.

I think I’ve talked about it before. But it is worth saying again.

Play more games!!! And spend time with the people you love.

We all have a guilty pleasure. Something we like that we really should’nt, or feel ashamed that we like. We all have a movie or music that we listen to behind closed doors. Atleast I know I have…
But what about a guilty pleasure board game? What game do you like that you maybe not will proclaim to the world? Since not very many people read this I thought I would give you an example of mine. The Game of Life. If anyone has played it, you know it’s not all that super deep or anything like that. But… If you play it with someone that enjoys it. Atleast I can find it funny. It is so simple, and let us talk a little bit about the realism of the game, of which there are… none.

I bought it for basically no money, it would be hard for me to motivate it for me and even harder to motivate it for my fiancé! But after being a lawyer that was fired for sleeping on the job and becoming an actor, she actually found it a little entertaining. I was a veterinarian who brought my cat to work and got fired… The stories and twist and turns of this game, makes it hilarious. That and the fact that you, I think, sell your kids at the end of the game. Which I actually find kind of wierd and maybe not a really good part of the game… Selling people might not be a thing we should teach our kids… And I see this game as a kids game. And the fact that I sold all my four kids and still didn’t win made me feel sad…

Other than that I actually am pretty proud of the games in my library. Maybe not all of them deserve a spot in the “Boardgame top 100” but all of them makes me happy to play. I tried to think of which game I would sell to buy another one and actually had a hard time deciding. Some games don’t get played as much as I would like. But when I looked over the games, I didn’t know which one it would be! Maybe one version of Munchkin? But then it would be harder to play if we were more people and they wanted to play it. Even though I don’t really know when the last time we played it was. It’s a game that’s fun to pull out from time to time, but not to often.

But do you have a guilty pleasure game? Which one?

Play more games!!!