Games for the Almost Adventurous
by Larry Levy ©2002 HuzonFirstGames.com

One of the nice things about the new games coming out of Germany is that there is something for every type of player. Simple games, complex games; short games, long games; studious games or games with lots of laughs. No matter what your interest is, there's bound to be some game that deals with it. Of course, one problem with all this variety is that it can be difficult figuring out which game is the one you'll love. So to help you out, we've summarized some of the most popular of the new games, particularly those that are good for beginning gamers. Here are some of the latest and greatest:

The Settlers of Catan - This is the game that introduced many Americans to the new world of German games. Players are developing a fertile new land, which has a different setup with every game. You build settlements, cities, and roads, but the resources to construct these come from trading with your fellow players. A wonderfully social game, this is a great mixture of skill, luck, and trading acumen. Monopoly may be king in the U.S., but Settlers and its many expansions are without question the most popular commercial game in the rest of the world.

Bohnanza - This makes a great introductory game. It's a card game, with each of the cards showing a different type of bean. The players have to plant the beans from their hands, but they must do so in the order the cards were picked. Therefore, in order to plant the right beans, you have to trade with the other players. In fact, trading is what this game is all about, which makes for great interaction with your fellow players. This is a terrific family game--kids are on an equal footing, but adults still enjoy the play and feel challenged. Games usually only take about 45 minutes.

Lord of the Rings - This is a new game in which the players are Hobbits trying to defeat Sauron, following the same basic script as the classic Tolkien books. Though this is played principally with cards, fans of the trilogy will be pleased with the storyline and beautiful illustrations. What makes the game special, though, is that it is a cooperative game. The players all win together or lose together, essentially banding together to try to defeat the game system. It works amazingly well and has proved popular even with experienced and highly competitive gamers. Where it really shines, though, is with families and groups who prefer friendly games. If the competitive aspect of boardgames turns you off, you may really want to give this one a try.

Lost Cities - Although this two player game comes with a small board, it's really a card game. Players are conducting expeditions to find five fabled lost cities of the world. The rules are simple: play a card, pick a card. But there are deep and subtle strategies hidden beneath. This has proven to be a very popular title and is an excellent introduction for less experienced gamers.

Tikal - The players are exploring Mayan ruins, uncovering temples and discovering treasures. While a little more complicated than some of the other games listed here, this is a very easy game to learn and can be enjoyed by a wide variety of gamers. The theme is marvelous and fits the gameplay very well, and the components are absolutely gorgeous. The basic game is very enjoyable and there are also advanced rules that eliminate most of the luck. This is a rich and engrossing game experience.

Tycoon - For some reason, financial games aren't that popular in Germany. This is one of the rare recent ones. Players travel between nine cities of the world building hotels and factories. Having the most hotels in a city gives you payoffs from the bank, but hotels can become obsolete, so it's a challenge maintaining a lead. To move between cities, players must buy airline tickets, which can be quite expensive. If you yearn for the financial challenges of Monopoly without the high luck factor or long playing time, this is a good game to check out.

Get the Goods - This is a simple card game of collecting sets that plays in less than an hour, but is nonetheless very entertaining. Players strive to play the highest number of cards in each set. There's all sorts of interesting rules here that make this game challenging. For example, when you draw cards, you have your choice of three face up cards to choose from, rather than just the top card of a face down stack. Easy to learn, this game requires good judgement, rather than brainbusting analysis. Plays well with older children as well.

Vinci - If you have fond memories of Risk, but you want more variety and can't stand all the dice rolling, try out Vinci. The idea of world conquest is similar, but there's no random elements in the combat. Each civilization you play also has two different advantages. These are drawn randomly in pairs and the players get to choose which civilization they want. Thus, no two games are alike and you're always playing with different combinations. You will also put your current civilization in decline and pick a new one several times during the game, so there's even more variety. This is the European idea of a wargame and it's proven very popular with many Americans.

Elfenland - The players are elves trying to travel to twenty elven cities and return home. There are different types of terrain between the cities and different means of transportation (Giant Pigs, Unicorns, etc.) to get you there. Unfortunately, not every transport is equally effective on every terrain type. You've got to plan your way around the beautifully illustrated board. Your opponents have similar ideas and their plans can help you or (perhaps deliberately) make your life miserable. This is a fine family game, with a delightful theme, that strikes a nice balance between luck and skill. There are also expansions available that make the game more challenging to serious gamers.