2020 In Review: Joel's Top 10 Games

2020 was a year like no other, and whilst lockdown has meant I’ve played very few games in RL, thanks to Tabletop Simulator (TTS) I have more than made up for it with online gaming.

My intention with this list is to capture the Top 10 games that I played for the first time in 2020 (regardless of their original publication date).

As I continue to expand into the hobby I am keenly focused on playing a wide array of games from current and previous years. And whilst the majority of games mentioned below are from the past few years, the oldest game mentioned below was originally released in 1959!

So let’s get started with my honourable mentions:

Spicy (2020) - Released this year, Spicy has the feel of an instant classic. From just two plays, I am already confident this game will be a mainstay on the scene for years to come.

Orléans (2014) - My first experience with Orléans this year was a 3 player game on TTS. The mod was well put together with some clever scripting, however I am keen to give this a game a go in real life to get a better feel for it.

Diplomacy (1959) - A date with destiny that has been 61 years in the making… this year I finally played the classic game of Diplomacy. I was drawn as Turkey in a 7 player game… and in an unexpected twist, I won! (Winning is not why I play games, so I don’t win very often). I’m definitely keen to give this another try, even if I do feel out of my depth when playing it.

Can’t Stop (1980) - The Sid Sackson classic push your luck game still holds up some 40 years later. I played Can’t Stop online at least 20 times this year and it’s always been fun, with plenty of laughs!

Nyet (1997) - Nyet was a real surprise packet for me. I am a big fan of trick taking games, but I knew very little about this one. Unlike other auction trick takers, in Nyet you bid on what you don’t want rather than what you do want. It’s an ingenious twist and well worth checking out if you’re into trick takers.

And now for the main course!

10 / Wavelength (2019) by Alex Hague, Justin Vickers & Wolfgang Warsch

Conflict Low / Strategy Low / Immersion Low / Socialness High

Wavelength is almost the perfect game in my books. It takes just seconds to teach players the concept and get started, it is easy to play with groups varying from just 2 to 12 players, it can be played competitively or cooperatively, it can be played as single players or in teams, players can come and go during the game without impacting the fun for others and it effortlessly generates interesting and hilarious conversations. And all of this affordance is punctuated so perfectly by the payoff - that moment when the guess has been made and the reveal happens to gasps of amazement, high fives and rapturous laughter.

9 / The Crew (2019) by Thomas Sing

Conflict Low / Strategy High / Immersion High / Socialness Medium

From the first time I played The Crew there was no doubt in my mind that it would win the Kennerspiel in 2019. This game grabs you from the very first hand and then refuses to let go. This is my most played game in 2020 by far. Sure, now that I’ve finished the 50 missions (almost twice through) its hold over me is a little less intoxicating; but it’s a solid game that will see plenty of play in 2021.

8 / Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: Carlton House & Queens Park (2017) by Raymond Edwards, Suzanne Goldberg & Gary Grady

Conflict Low / Strategy Medium / Immersion High / Socialness Low

This is the first game I’ve played from the Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective series, originally published all the way back in 1983 - and it has reshaped my views about what I enjoy in boardgaming; and the fun that can be had through storytelling in games. I grew up reading and listening to Sherlock Holmes and this game has recaptured some of that boyish wonder and amazement for me. I have already purchased another installment, The Baker Street Irregulars to work on over the Christmas holiday season.

7 / Watergate (2019) by Matthias Cramer

Conflict High / Strategy High / Immersion High / Socialness High

I have discovered a profound love of two player games in recent years and, despite knowing very little about the titular scandal, this game intrigued me. The quite literal ‘tug of war’ in this game is tense, captivating and well worth the price of admission. I have a woeful win-loss record in this game (1-6), but it doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of it at all. As a bonus, the rulebook includes a full history lesson into the scandal which is a classy addition.

6 / Carnival of Monsters (2019) by Richard Garfield

Conflict Medium / Strategy Medium / Immersion Medium / Socialness Medium

Richard Garfield invented drafting, and now he’s gone and re-invented it too. Carnival of Monsters is a clever design that takes drafting to a new level by allowing players to simultaneously draft from a pool of dozens of distinct cards and card types and then choose whether to play the card now or keep it for later. This game recaptures some of the magic of Magic, and is complemented by beautiful artwork and a fun theme. This is a real crowd pleaser.

5 / El Grande (1995) by Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich

Conflict High / Strategy High / Immersion High / Socialness High

El Grande is the grandfather of area control games, which is one of my favourite mechanics in gaming. I’m a big fan of games like Blood Rage, The King Is Dead and The Godfather - and El Grande is not just a predecessor to these more modern games, it stands firmly on its own two feet in the pantheon of great board games. Importantly, the Castille may be my single favourite component and rule I’ve ever seen in a board game. If you like area control, this game is a must play. If you haven’t played many (or any) area control games, this is a great place to start.

4 / Stone Age (2008) by Bernd Brunnhofer

Conflict Medium / Strategy High / Immersion High / Socialness Low

Stone Age has that terrific quality in gaming in that it gets better the more you play it. This game is tense throughout and short enough that you’re always left wanting more. As I write this, I realise that I want to play this game again. If it sounds interesting to you, there’s a good version of it available on Board Game Arena.

3 / The Quest for El Dorado (2017) by Reiner Knizia

Conflict Medium / Strategy Medium / Immersion Medium / Socialness Low

This game just oozes class. The Quest for El Dorado is a simple deck building game that is accessible by a much wider audience than other classics in the genre such as Dominion and Star Realms. Not only does this game have a nice amount of depth to it, it has an impressively low barrier to entry (it’s not just for gamers). Almost everyone I know could play this game and - more importantly - enjoy this game. And, in fact, I’ve played this game a half dozen times with different groups and everyone who has played it has enjoyed it. It’s important to have a few crowd pleaser games in your collection, and this is certainly one of them.

2 / Incan Gold / Diamant (2005) by Bruno Faidutti & Allan R Moon

Conflict Medium / Strategy Low / Immersion Medium / Socialness High

I’m late to the party for this Faidutti / Moon classic but I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere. There are many superlatives I could write about this game, but ultimately there is only one that really matters: This game is fun. Like, a lot of fun. If you’re into fun, give this game a go.

1 / Downforce (2017) by Rob Daviau, Justin Jacobson & Wolfgang Kramer

Conflict Medium / Strategy Medium / Immersion Medium / Socialness Medium

Downforce is a game I was keen to play due to my growing man crush with Wolfgang Kramer, and this one did not let me down. This game hits all the sweet spots; there’s just enough depth to keep gamers interested, yet it’s simple enough for casual players. There’s also just enough spite to entertain those so inclined, but not so much as to rub players the wrong way.

The game is both captivating and comical and, like many of my favourite games, it masterfully blends a healthy amount of luck with a good amount of skill, ensuring players are engaged from start to end. Restoration Games have done an incredible job with this high-spec production; the cars and the racetrack are stunning.