The Perfect Board Game

Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
318
Reaction score
1
Location
Minnesota
Country
llUnited States
What 's your idea of the perfect board game? At the link below, you'll find a definition and a list of candidates for "perfect game" status.

http://tinyurl.com/7yabb

One thing that's interesting to me is that many of the games listed have at least a vague "wargameyness"--even some of the abstract games.
 

Tom DeFranco

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2004
Messages
435
Reaction score
0
Location
Norridge, IL
To be honest, the only games listed there that even remotely appeal to me are Diplomacy and Civilization. And I'd never played either.
 
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
318
Reaction score
1
Location
Minnesota
Country
llUnited States
Originally posted by Tom DeFranco
To be honest, the only games listed there that even remotely appeal to me are Diplomacy and Civilization. And I'd never played either.
I've played both, and Diplomacy is one that I don't like seeing on the list. Not that it doesn't belong there; I just don't like it personally.

Some of the other games on the list are the kind of games I can practically worship. (If I don't particularly enjoy them, it just means I'm not refined or worthy enough for them.) Go, shogi, and xiang-qi (as well as the missing Western chess) in particular.

A few others are just somebody's pet games (e.g., Titan: The Arena).

I agree with the list author's definition of what constitutes a "perfect game" (just wish English were his first language, so that his points would be clearer).
 

jguritza

Member
Joined
May 1, 2004
Messages
462
Reaction score
0
Location
Akron, Ohio
Country
llUnited States
Originally posted by Patrick Carroll
I've played both, and Diplomacy is one that I don't like seeing on the list. Not that it doesn't belong there; I just don't like it personally.

Some of the other games on the list are the kind of games I can practically worship. (If I don't particularly enjoy them, it just means I'm not refined or worthy enough for them.) Go, shogi, and xiang-qi (as well as the missing Western chess) in particular.

A few others are just somebody's pet games (e.g., Titan: The Arena).

I agree with the list author's definition of what constitutes a "perfect game" (just wish English were his first language, so that his points would be clearer).
I have no problem seeing Diplomacy on the list. I like seeing Go on the list as well. That is one game that I really think qualifies in your terms Patrick as a great game. It has a deep and rich history and is played around the world.

I do like to see DBA on the list. That has been a great set of miniature rules but I can hardly say they are perfect. They are simple and I have enjoyed countless hours because of the game but it has its flaws too.
 
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
318
Reaction score
1
Location
Minnesota
Country
llUnited States
Originally posted by chrisvalla
How can chess not be on the list?
I'm not a member of the "boardgamegeek" group, but it looks like if you join you can add any game you like to the list.

Chess is there indirectly, anyhow. Shogi is Japanese chess, and under the shogi entry are several comments arguing that xiangqi (Chinese chess) is a better game. It kinda goes without saying that Western chess falls right in with these others.
 
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
318
Reaction score
1
Location
Minnesota
Country
llUnited States
Originally posted by Patrick Carroll
I agree with the list author's definition of what constitutes a "perfect game" (just wish English were his first language, so that his points would be clearer).
However, upon reflection, I'd add another criterion:

A perfect game is widely popular.

What's missing from the original criteria is any suggestion that the game is fun, enjoyable, emotionally satisfying. Unfortunately, that's completely subjective, so it'd be pointless to include "fun" as a criterion (what's fun to you may be misery to me). But popularity is objective enough to serve as an indicator of how fun the game is to most people.

For myself, I'd add one other criterion: the game must be suitable for solitaire. If a game's not fun to play by oneself, in my opinion it's automatically a second-rate game. And the more players the game requires, the worse it is. But I realize I'm in a tiny minority here, so this is just my own individual criterion.
 

PanzerElite

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2004
Messages
80
Reaction score
0
Country
llUnited States
I took a look at that list....What!! no historical wargames?...I can't say ANY of the games appealed to me...
 
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
318
Reaction score
1
Location
Minnesota
Country
llUnited States
Originally posted by PanzerElite
I took a look at that list....What!! no historical wargames?...I can't say ANY of the games appealed to me...
They don't have to appeal to you; they just have to be perfect. ;)
 

Mike Duffy

Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2004
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
Location
Chicago
Country
llUnited States
Patrick Carroll said:
What 's your idea of the perfect board game? At the link below, you'll find a definition and a list of candidates for "perfect game" status.

http://tinyurl.com/7yabb

One thing that's interesting to me is that many of the games listed have at least a vague "wargameyness"--even some of the abstract games.
Tic-tac-toe
beautiful map, easy to read counters, but the rules are a but gamey.
:cheeky:
 

Tom DeFranco

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2004
Messages
435
Reaction score
0
Location
Norridge, IL
Mike Duffy said:
Tic-tac-toe
beautiful map, easy to read counters, but the rules are a but gamey.
:cheeky:
I don't know, Mike. Most of the Tic Tac Toe maps I've seen look suspiciously like the "#" symbol. You think the guy who invented that symbol gets royaltes? :nuts:

Plus I like the tactile sensation of being able to lift the pieces from the map. I don't get that with my standard T-T-T game.
 

mentis

Recruit
Joined
Dec 9, 2003
Messages
18
Reaction score
0
Location
North Carolina, USA
Country
llUnited States
I am not sure if it perfectly matches your criteria, but Titan: The Arena gets high marks from me. I can get everyone to play it: wargamers, eurogamers, non-gamers -- and everyone likes it.

The game was just released within the past month by Fantasy Flight under the name Colossal Arena. New artwork, four additional creatures were added (you still only play with eight at a time), and just one small rule change (if the card stack runs out then the game ends).
 
Last edited:
Top