What kind of monster would make me choose JUST three of my ‘favorite’ games? There’s a reason that I never asked my parents who their favorite was. I just couldn’t bear to hear them loudly exclaim “not you!” How could I do this to my beloved board games, you majestic boxes full of potential, fond memories, and lovely chits and bits? 

 

This was one heck of a challenge that made me feel like Charlie down in the mailroom. After much deliberation, I opted to turn my selections into a three-course meal. Rather, a three-course game day. An appetizer to share with friends, an entree to sink your teeth into followed by a light and refreshing dessert to send everyone home happy and looking forward to their next get-together.

 

Who’s hungry?!

 

Hors d’oeuvres

 

Today we will be starting with the game of cooperative settler destruction, Spirit Island. 

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You will be working together as spirits to slow the colonization of your home by either scaring off or destroying colonists who have arrived and are wreaking environmental havoc on your beloved island.

 

Spirit Island offers clever card play, tons of teamwork and a never say die attitude. It scales well at all player counts and keeps everyone involved right up to the last move. The variety of spirits keeps it fresh and if you want to spice it up add a dash of adversaries, scenarios, or an expansion or two! 

 

This is a combo platter meant to be shared.

 

The Main

 

With your starters off the table, you’re ready for the main course, Anachrony. I hope you’re hungry. This is by far my favorite game of all-time, it is a masterpiece of theme and mechanics seamlessly gelling for a brilliant game experience.

 

In a desolate future, you must prepare for the coming apocalypse. You’ll send various specialists into the barren wastes via powered exosuits to gather sparse resources, develop technologies or recruit new followers. Did I forget to mention you can travel through time to acquire resources but must send someone on a one-way trip to pay it back in a future turn? 

 

Those are just a few of the myriad difficult decisions you will have to make as you work to ensure a future for your people. Fists will be shaken and gaming memories will be made.

 

Consider pairing a nice red with this choice Euro cut.

 

Dessert

 

After you’ve finished your main course, you’ll want to end the day on a lighter note. Something quick, engaging, and light on rules. Enter Grandpa Beck's Cover Your A$$ets. This hidden gem is a card game that tasks you with acquiring the most wealth, by any means necessary.

 

You’ll be playing cards from your hand to either make a pair, discard or steal someone’s assets. From there, the soon to be former owner can try and block you from seizing their assets with a matching or wild card. Don’t worry though someone will steal your newly acquired cars or stocks in a turn or two and the cycle will begin all over again.

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Much like an affogato, this card game is sweet and bitter. The perfect dessert to end your game day.