Saturday, January 27, 2024

My top 10 games of 2023


 

I have put together my top 10 games for 2023.  Note that these are games that I have played for the first time in 2023, not necessarily games that were released in 2023.  With all the games that I already have, I got another x games plus expansions last year.  Some were gifts, some were purchased at the thrift stores, and some were new.

 

The new games were: Chosen Men, Don’t Look Back – second edition, Gelatinous, Marvel Splendor*, Marvel Villainous: Twisted Ambition, Marvel Villainous: We Are Venom, Scooby Doo: Betrayal at Mystery Mansion, Silver Bayonet, Spectre, Star Wars Villainous: Scum and Villainy, Unmatched – Brains and Brawn, Unmatched – For King and Country, Unmatched – Teen Spirit, Unmatched Adventures: Tales to Amaze, Warhammer 40,000 – tenth edition - Leviathan.

 

The ones I picked up not new were:

 

 

A lot of these did not hit the table this year.  Some games from previous years were finally played.

 

Games that I played for the first time that did not make my list were:

10 – Boggle Jr – a very simple version of the regular game for young kids. 

 

9 – Stay Alive – I had seen this one as a child but had never played it.  You have to move sliders and try to drop your opponents’ balls while keeping your balls from falling into the holes.  It does play pretty well. 

 

8 – Draftosaurus – is a quick drafting game using dinosaur shaped meeples instead of cards.  You draw 6 dinos from a bag and place them on your own board to score depending on the areas and number of dinos in them.

 

7 – Trash Pandas – a quick card game for up to 4 players where you play as a raccoon digging through trash cans for leftovers.  It combines set collecting with push-your-luck.

 

6 – Cover Your Assets – a card game for 4-6 players where you try to make sets of assets cards but your topmost pile can always be stolen.

 

5 – Gelatinous – is basically a gamer version of LCR.  There is no decision making or strategy involved, you just roll your dice, move them depending on what you rolled, and then continue until someone wins.  The green sparkly dice are very pretty though.

 

4 – Pokemon Jr Adventure Game – a very simple RPG for young kids, with a very preprogrammed path.  It would have been much better enjoyed if we had been able to get to this ten years ago, but was still fun.

 

3 – Munchkin – The Nightmare Before Christmas – it is our first Munchkin game played.  It is a dungeon crawl kind of game with a heavy take-that element.  It was a bit slow to start but picked up as we got the hang of it.  I don’tknow if it is different from the regular Munchkin but the rest of us were at level 9 when someone won.

 

2 – Dust Tactics Revised Core – I was finally able to play the introductory scenario.  The rules seem pretty basic once we got the hang of it.  I was glad to finally play this as I keep buying forces for it.  It seems like there will be enough depth to satisfy that miniatures battle need.

 

1 – Blitz Bowl – I also got to play this with someone who had only played Blood Bowl online.  The players and rules are somewhat similar to Blood Bowl but a lot more simplified.  It took me a few turns to get used to the differences but then it really played quickly.

 

Saturday, January 20, 2024

Books Read - September to December 2023

 Sept

No Phule Like an Old Phule by Robert Asprin and Peter J Heck

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

 

Oct

Halloween II by Jack Martin

Halloween III by Jack Martin

The Field Guide to Tiki Decorating volume  one by Trader Brandon with Tiki Tony and Typhoon Tommy

 

Nov

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

Memoirs of a Winnipeg Cab Drver by E Eddy Proulx

Boldly Go by William Shatner with Joshua Brandon

 

Dec

Chosen Men: Military Skirmish Combat Games in the Napoleonic Wars by Mark Latham

Frostgrave: The Wizards’ Conclave by Joseph A. McCullough

So You Want To Be a Wizard by Diane Duane

The Silver Bayonet by Joseph A McCullough

The Silver Bayonet – The Carpathian: Castle Fier by Joseph A McCullough

Deep Wizardry by Diane Duane

 

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Figure Painting Total - December 2023

 I ended up losing momentum partly into this year when I cleaned up my basement set up.  While it was time to clean it up, not having the paints out to add a quick step really dampened my enthusiasm for painting.

My big order from Black Site Studios came in with the new figures from the updated set.  With the special relaunch order, I ended up getting a bunch of extras above the new heroes and killers.  I also got The Goonies for Christmas.  I wasn’t sure about the Unmatched Adventures, but we picked that up as well. 

I was finally able to play Dust Tactics, and Blitz Ball.  We’ll see if this translates into added interest in painting again for the new year.

 

 

Bought

The Goonies: Never Say Die – 8

The Goonies: Under the Goondocks – 4

Unmatched Adventures – Tales to Amaze – 6

DLB: Bloody Depths – 3

DLB: The Faculty – 1

DLB: The Heroes – 8

DLB: The Killer – 2

DLB: The Quorum – 1

DLB – Pack Killer – Possessed Patients – 3

DLB – Pat – 1

DLB – Super Mutant De’Graw – 1

DLB – The Heroes – alternate prom sculpts – 8

DLB – The Judge of Hanging Rock – 1

DLB – Tokens – 8

 

 

Painted

 

 

 

Dec total – 55 figures bought, 0 figures painted

Running total 2023 – figures bought 213, figures painted 26