Category Archives: Inspiration

Most Played Games in 2008

January 17, 2009 – 10:37 am

I’ll admit it—I’m a boardgame geek. According to those closest to me, I have borderline obsessive tendencies, but, all things considered, I suppose if I’m going to be into something, it might as well be something that teaches strategic thinking, encourages cooperation, and provides enjoyable social interaction like boardgaming does.

In 2008 I played over 300 games. You might wonder, “Where does someone find the time for that?” Well, most holidays are dominated by hours of gaming—this past Christmas and New Year’s found me in 30+ gaming sessions. Add in a few pick-up games on the weekend, the occasional weeknight, and the Gathering of Strangers game convention and you’ll have the rest of my plays for the year.

Here are the twenty boardgames I played the most this year. Some are my personal favorite games, some are my family’s favs—regardless, they are the ones that got the most play.

Dominion (62 plays)
Dominion is one of the most hyped games of 2008. I’m usually on the skeptical side of hyped stuff (whether music, movie, or games), but this game lives up to it. I learned this game in person from the publisher/owner of Rio Grande Games, Jay Tummelson, at this year’s “Gathering of Strangers” in SLC. Since playing that black and white, photo-copied prototype, I was anxiously waiting for its release. When it finally came in November, I snatched it up, then held onto it (unopened) until Christmas. In the meantime, I played BrettSpielWelt‘s excellent online version. I logged probably 40-50 of my plays online until Christmas, at which time the real game was in steady rotation with my son, nephews, and mom. I’ll leave a more in-depth review to some future post, but suffice it to say that this is a great game. Go get it.
R-Eco (19 plays)
This one caught my son Nate’s attention one day we were at Game Night Games in SLC. The illustrations on the box and the name weren’t great, and I hadn’t heard of it, but it was cheap and Nate was interested, so we picked it up. Score one for serendipity—this game is a hit with me and my family. I can actually get my wife to play this one. My parents liked it so much I bought a copy for them. The price is right and the game play is simple, fast, and fun—definitely recommended. I’m not surprised to see it in the top twenty of my plays for this year.
Agricola (12 plays)
This is my favorite game. It’s another game that received a ton of hype during the 2007 Spiel gaming convention in Essen, Germany. Nate and I play this once a month. It has a ton of components, so setup time can be a bit lengthy, especially compared to Dominion or other card games. More details on this game will have to wait for another day.
Hive (11 plays)
Another one of my favorites. This game is simple enough to learn that my five-year-old Abbey joined has played. Imagine chess without a board, and you’d be getting pretty close to what Hive is like.
Bacchus’ Banquet (10 plays)
Light, fast bluffing game. Depending upon the character you are, your objective is either: A. Kill Caligula (by dagger or making him overeat); B. Collect the cards your character needs; or, C. Kill three other players (if you’re Caligula).
Cloud 9 (9 plays)
This family “press your luck” game is all about trying to decide when you exit the balloon—stay too long and roll the wrong dice/have the wrong cards, you’ll crash with the balloon and get nothing. Leave at the right time, and you can slowly build up an insurmountable lead towards victory. This game was inexpensive, the components are simple and effective, and the kids like it. Definitely a great family game.
Hoity Toity (9 plays)
Germans are world-renowned game designers and players. This game won the “German Game of the Year” (Spiel des Jahres) a decade or so ago—from the games I’ve played, you can’t go wrong buying any game that has won the coveted game design award. This game definitely proves that true. I’m actually surprised this only got nine plays this year—I expect to play this short, tense bluffing/bidding game more next year.
Niagara (9 plays)
Another Spiel des Jahres winner and family favorite. The components are so fun that my seven-year-old daughter Jasmine often has this out, playing it by herself. At my home, if you can find a game that both the adults and kids enjoy playing, then it will get played a lot. Niagara is such a game.
Boomtown (8 plays)
This bidding/bluffing game is about having the most mines and money at the end of the game. It’s quick, has great bidding tension, and good quality cards. Other than having some illustrations that needed some well-placed stickers, this game is quite good.
Felix: The Cat in the Sack (7 plays)
I’m sensing a trend here—seems most of the games that get played a lot using bidding/bluffing and are fast. Felix is another such game. I’d take Boomtown or For Sale (not on this list) over Felix, but it is a good game nevertheless.
Jambo (7 plays)
Jambo is one of several two-player games orginally published by Kosmos. Two-player games get a lot of play in my home because it’s rare that I can get the three or more players needed for other games. Of the two-player games, I like this game best—it’s wide variety of cards make the game different every time. It’s a great value and fun to play.
Kill Doctor Lucky (7 plays)
Consider this a prequel to Clue—instead of trying to solve the murder, you’re trying to commit it. With everyone else trying to do the same thing, it can get tricky to accomplish your goal. This game is available in a free, black-and-white, printable format on the web, but I’d just pay the $20 to get this version. It’s worth it.
Odin’s Ravens (7 plays)
Another Kosmos two-player game. Nate and I have had a good time playing this quick-paced game. The objective of the game is really simple, but the opportunities to thwart your opponent make it quite challenging.
RattleSnake (7 plays)
Another favorite of my kids. The objective of this game is to place rattlesnake eggs on an adult snake without touching or knocking off previously-laid eggs. Sounds simple, right? Wrong—these “eggs” are the most powerful magnets I’ve ever seen. Placing the eggs is a fun challenge. This game gets used like Niagara—Abbey and Jasmine like to pull it out and just play with the magnets when they can’t get enough people to play it for real.
Bohnanza (6 plays)
If boardgames were taught in school, this would be in the 101 class. I’m sure it wasn’t the first, but Bohnanza is certainly the most popular of the trading/set-collection games, and has been very influential for other game designers. This is a must-have for any collection.
Jamaica (6 plays)
Fundamentally, this is simply a more advanced version of Candyland. There is nothing new about the game play and mechanics—it’s a standard race game. That said, the production-values—from the illustrations to the components to, even, the box itself—are the pinnacle of the games I own. It’s those virtues that make this game a fun family game.
To Court the King (6 plays)
This is Yahtzee, just with the ability to change/influence your dice rolls with cards you acquire through the course of the game. Diana is the reigning queen of To Court the King.
Treasures and Traps (6 plays)
This is Nate’s game, bought and paid for by him. The illustrations and box don’t look like something I would buy, but, fortunately, my son has a knack for gravitating towards really good games. This game plays somewhat like Jambo, but accommodates more players. I think the fantasy theme is what my son found interesting. Like Jambo, the wide variety of cards maximizes replay-ability.
The aMAZEing Labyrinth (5 plays)
Another classic. This game is very simple, but engaging enough for adults. My daughter Abbey loves to play it, and pulls it out often.
Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game (5 plays)
I won my copy of this game at A Gathering of Strangers this year. It’s a good two-player/two-team game. The game play is dominated by lucky card draws, but it’s fun nevertheless. Nate likes this one quite a bit.

There you have it—my top twenty most-played games for 2008. I’ll dig deeper into a few of the games listed above in future posts, but until then, try a few out. (If you’re in the Utah County or Salt Lake County areas, a great resource for trying-before-buying is Boardgame Revolution. You can rent games there for a week or two, then they’ll credit the cost of the rental towards the purchase of any game.)

Tags boardgames | Permalink | Comment (1)

Inspiration

Best Music of 2008

December 24, 2008 – 11:41 am

2008 wasn’t packed with great albums, but there were a few that I really liked. Here they are (other than the first three, in no particular order):

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today by David Byrne and Brian Eno.
By far, this album has gotten the most listens by me this year. Love it. Best of David Byrne since Talking Heads. I’m looking forward to more collaborations with Brian Eno—hope they come.
Furr by Blitzen Trapper.
This was a late entry—it wasn’t until I saw it on All Songs Considered‘s “Best of 2008” that I listened to them. Loving the retro ’70s sound of this band.
Viva La Vida by Coldplay.
I’ve never been a huge Coldplay fan, but this album was blasting in my car stereo a lot this year.
Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes.
Haunting folk music. Can’t say that I’m in the mood for this all the time, but when I want some good folk harmonies, I can’t go wrong by the Foxes.
Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket.
About five great tracks on this one. Not nearly as good as “Z”, but My Morning Jacket is always interesting to listen to. I think the creative process for this album was akin to eating ginger at your local sushi-ya—I look for MMJ’s next album to be a bit of a “return to form.” But, who knows? I guess that is what makes them so interesting…
For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver.
I’ll admit it—I’m giving into the crowd on this one (seems like it is on every “Best of” list), but it is a good listen. Not in steady rotation by me, but solid.
Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend.
I tend to hate stuff that gets too hyped. This band was definitely hyped, but, by and large, lived up to it. I still prefer my African sounds a la Paul Simon’s Graceland…
The Symphonies: Dreams Memories and Parties by Emily Wells.
I saw her, along with a handful of other women singer-songwriters, at a concert in SLC this year. She was a one-woman tour-de-force. I like her blending of hip-hop and classical music.

Tags music | Permalink | Comments (2)

Inspiration

Perspective

February 17, 2008 – 8:51 am

Okame Hachimoku

Okame hachimoku. My favorite Japanese proverb. One translation is “The bystander sees more than the player.” I first learned of it during my two years living on the island of Hokkaido in Japan as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s stuck with me ever since.

During my undergraduate English studies at BYU, this simple proverb’s underlying philosophy became manifest as literary critical theories. In genres ranging from Native American books to African-American studies to modern British literature, my professors encouraged me and my classmates to seek understanding and meaning using different critical theories; we were to peer through the so-called “lens” of a particular critical theory, and write about what we saw. Certainly, there are limitations to this endeavor—spending the proverbial moment in “someone else’s shoes” doesn’t make us that person. Our vantage point, while temporarily that person’s, is still borrowed. But, rather than discourage us from trying, that understanding should temper what we see with a bit of humility (even after years of study and doctorate degrees and how much we think we understand a person or people).

Notwithstanding the inherent difficulties, I’ve found it to be challenging, humbling, and—ultimately—enlightening to at least try to shift my perspective.

Tags life, philosophy | Permalink | Comment (1)

Inspiration

Thoughts on President Hinckley

February 8, 2008 – 8:48 am

As others have noted, much has been said about President Hinckley over the past couple of weeks. I’d like to add my thoughts.

In Numbers 11 is one of my favorite verses in the scriptures:

“…Would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!” (verse 29)

Moses said these words thousands of years ago, but in recent times President Hinckley put it this way during the General Conference in which he was first sustained as prophet and leader of the Church:

Now, my brethren and sisters, in conclusion I wish to leave with you one thought which I hope you will never forget.

This church does not belong to its President. Its head is the Lord Jesus Christ, whose name each of us has taken upon ourselves. We are all in this great endeavor together. We are here to assist our Father in His work and His glory, “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Your obligation is as serious in your sphere of responsibility as is my obligation in my sphere. No calling in this church is small or of little consequence. All of us in the pursuit of our duty touch the lives of others. To each of us in our respective responsibilities the Lord has said: “Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (D&C 81:5).

“And in doing these things thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings, and wilt promote the glory of him who is your Lord” (D&C 81:4).

Further, “And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father” (D&C 81:6).

All of us in this great cause are of one mind, of one belief, of one faith.

You have as great an opportunity for satisfaction in the performance of your duty as I do in mine. The progress of this work will be determined by our joint efforts. Whatever your calling, it is as fraught with the same kind of opportunity to accomplish good as is mine. What is really important is that this is the work of the Master. Our work is to go about doing good as did He.

Per his wish, I have not forgotten the above passage. How could I? Even now, as I reread the talk this passage comes from, This is the Work of the Master, I am buoyed up and inspired by President Hinckley’s counsel. The tears that I’ve managed to choke down since his passing flowed as I read this talk again.

This world has seen much of false prophets. The media, often interested in exploiting the fantastical and outrageous in life just to scintillate viewers and keep their advertisers happy, provides a disproportionate amount of air time to them. Consequently, I fear, the word “prophet” has taken on a negative connotation in the world. What a shame. Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was a good man of God. He was a prophet.

I’ve known people who, through word and deed, helped me to feel the Savior’s love. President Hinckley was such a man. He inspired me to be a better husband, a better father, a better son of God. I pray my life, as limited in its circle of influence as it may be, might be as good and well-lived as Gordon B. Hinckley’s.

Tags religion, spirituality | Permalink | Comment (1)

Inspiration

Great “Beginning-to-End” Albums

January 5, 2008 – 7:10 pm

Much has been written/said of late about the demise of the album. The typical suspects are the aural wonder twins, iTunes and the iPod. Since the early days of rock in the 50′s, singles have a been a part of the record biz. The mass purchasing via iTunes of the best songs from an album does not a death knell sound for the full album. Certainly, singles are popular, but full albums, that are best purchased and listened to as a contiguous whole, will continue to be made and enjoyed. Here are a few of my favorite beginning-to-end albums (not all are conceptual albums, but have few, if any, weak singles):