Introduction
Another year of gaming and Traverse City life has passed. It was definitely one to remember and reflect on. I’ve been going over all the details that I had written over the past year and it’s amazing how far this group has come since last year. We have made several subtle changes to how we operate our game nights and communicated within the group. We have also have seen nice growth of infrequent members since the start of our meetup page which speaks to its relevance. I’m happy to see that we, at times, need more space and maybe need to look into a more proper facility. Of course that is in the future but we will dive into that later.
What I want to focus on here is what this piece will be covering. I’m hoping to accomplish here is an in depth look into what happened over the course of 2016. I’ll be writing down any thoughts on how things went in 2016 and even some changes I hope to implement in 2017. We will be looking into a compilation of all my data collected over the year and a few more pieces of data I added to the bunch.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Thoughts on 2016
I came into 2016 with a sense of urgency when it came to the game group. I knew things could be better but I didn’t know exactly what to do to implement that. Given that I feel that 2016 will be the year of trial and error. Many things over the course of 12 months were attempted and just watched to see what sticks. Several things seemed to have worked out with only a few things falling flat. I imagine a lot of that has to do with myself placing too much on my plate at once. Managing this at times felt like a second job. Not to imply that was a bad thing as I do like a challenge and the work it requires. What I’m trying to say is that at times I get a bit scatterbrained with everything that I want to do and somethings get done half-heartedly. This obviously isn’t something I’m proud of but it happens.
One thing that got a fix was the small problems with our setting that seemed to amount to one big problem. I’m speaking specifically of the picnic tables, noise, lighting, drinks, and games. All of these problems came up at different times but were relieved over the course of the year. The first was the picnic table issue which was built like a picnic table with long holes between the boards. You could imagine the problem if you were to drop anything. Right Brain Brewery was nice enough to let us alter our game space to cater to our needs so we laid down table cloths with clips to fasten. Immediate fix and cheap as well.
The noise in Right Brain has been a probably inconsistently so is not a pressing issue. I’ve been slightly lax in solving this solution though the staff has been very gracious in making sure that the music is not overly loud and difficult to play games. I have had to save certain games from this play space as they do not work for this environment. This is a minor problem that will be solved through small victories.
The lighting wasn’t much of a problem in the summer months as the sunset later but as our winter set in the issue of lighting arose. We have set the gaming space up to have clip on desk lamps to help with the darker hours for extended game time. We simply run extension cords to accommodate for this and seem to be working quite well. I will be expanding our lights as the attendance rises for the event. This became more apparent just a few weeks ago when our attendance rose to around 30 gamers.
I am constantly worried about our games for game night. They are my games and fall onto me to replace. We have established a charter that requires gamers to replace any games that are damaged but is difficult to enforce. This has not become an issue as I have only had four total spills and two direct hits. The hits were to games that I wasn’t too concerned with so not additional actions were taken. We addressed my stress by making drink holders that sit on the table. These drink holders are 2×2 square boxes made of wood that I place in between the various play spaces. They work great and I remind all gamers to use them actively. I’m currently trying to get a few more made that are a 1×4 design. These are some of the best modifications to our game night.
Requests for games and game sessions are very difficult to manage. I know this shouldn’t be an issue but it is for someone who likes to make sure everyone is getting the most enjoyment out of game night. I’ve tried to implement some solutions like a request book and schedule book. I feel like this was used so sparingly that it simply phased out over time. I would like to have some digital solution where people can manage this through an application. This would obviously take quite a bit of work so it hasn’t been implemented as of yet. I’m open to more solutions on this one to make everything more streamlined so there is not disappointment when a certain game doesn’t make it game night.
My overall opinion of the group is that everything seems to be falling into place nicely. Little issues pop up from time to time but never ones that require too much effort to solve. The group is growing at a steady rate which is very promising. I’m excited to see what opportunities arise from this group that can really benefit our community of gaming and the community of Traverse City. What those may be I do not know but things in 2017 are already looking expansive. More on this as the months push forward.
Changes for 2017
Some of the changes I have planned for the group have already started to take shape. I was planning on getting a more consistent small game night to facilitate gamers that couldn’t make our normal Sunday night game night. I wanted a location that was different than our normal setting in multiple ways. I was looking for a location that would reserve seating for us that also could accommodate for games (tables, noise, etc). I also wanted a game night to feature games that normally don’t see the table enough at our normal game night. This was found in a new brewery in town called Earthen Ales. They are gamers that displayed an interest to me about running a game night. This came as quite the surprise as I was expecting to have to be the one to approach. They offered up exactly what I was looking for and also have been the most gracious hosts I could have imagined. We are having our game nights there on Wednesday to help break up the week. I’m really happy to be moving forward with Earthen Ales to host game nights.
We are currently seeing a huge influx of gamers coming for game night. I cannot confirm whether this is just a fluke but something that I do need to be ready for if the time should occur. I’ve decided that the role of game night coordinator should take on a role of that nature. They will be available to answer any questions of the group and to make sure the games are coming back in one piece. This job will more than likely fall upon one person that may not get a lot of gaming in and mostly be a spectator. I will gladly take on the role whenever necessary. This may be molded and changed as the year moves on but only time and attendance will tell the tale.
The request and collection notebook needs to become a reality. This would be the group’s entire collection in one place that is easily accessible to all members so they can make a more informed decision of what to request. This will also include a means to schedule a game session with the players that you want to play with. I feel that it will be easily and more widely used if the notebook was physical. I’ve posted my Boardgamegeek account collection but have had little interaction. I‘m unsure of the end result but I think the work put in will streamline the entire process of setting up the games I bring to game night.
The collection is getting to critical mass levels now. I feel the need to purge some of it at times. I don’t as my ambitions with it have been shifting to a game café for Traverse City. This being said I want to start being more strategic with the games that I purchase for game night. I want to get different games for game night which means more discretion when I buy new games. This is a minor change but one that my wallet and the group will appreciate.
The final change that I’m looking for is having more events. I want to start up some kind of grand event other than our annual Ticket to Ride Tournament. Perhaps we could hold a convention or attaching our group to a local comic book convention. The latter seems more reasonable. We have the Cherry Capital Comic Con which may be able to host such an endeavor. The logistics of such a thing is still being pieced together and may not be possible this year. This may be too ambitious but is a possibility.
My Top 5 Favorite Games of 2016
I just wanted to state a few criteria before I get started here. This is going to be games that were printed in 2016. I didn’t include expansions on this list save only one that I will explain when it comes up. This is not my top 5 games of all time although a couple of these would probably make my top 50 of all time. Let’s get started.
- Kanagawa
This game really surprised me as I wasn’t expecting much from it. I really enjoy Bruno Cathala games but this one I was assuming since he had a co-designer that it may not have his touch enough. I was wrong and I couldn’t be happier about that. The game looks very pretty and has a lot of strategy going into it. The cards have many different attributes that you must contend with to make certain sets which make for a very challenging experience. The components also add a lot to the game play which I come to expect from iEllo. Definitely one to check out if your ever at our game night.
- Sushi Go Party!
This is a standalone game which is based off of the original Sushi Go. The difference here is really the reason for my admiration. In fact, I don’t understand why this wasn’t the game to begin with as it is simply better. I don’t intend to even play the original ever again. This game takes the original sushi cards of 7 different types and expands it to over 20 types. It also features a’ la carte style of play that you choose which cards to play with in each game giving it a custom and unique experience each time. This took an already wonderful drafting game and gave it legs that can run for years to come. I love this game for new comers and veterans alike.
- T.I.M.E Stories: A Prophecy of Dragons
I added this to the list as each expansion to T.I.M.E Stories really is a completely different game that just happens to use all the same components and mechanics as the previous games. That is why it is here. It’s not my top game though as I really can’t see myself playing it again but it still deserves to be on this list. This expansion adds a really neat Dungeon and Dragon element to the system that fits really well. It really felt like a small dungeon crawl experience. The amount of playable character was very diverse and exciting. Nothing unfortunately has lived up to the first scenario, Asylum, but this one is really close.
- Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
I love the Lovecraft mythos. It’s a lovely playground to set your imagination off into. This is that in a box. The game will have players working together to destroy whatever occult scenario they set up for the players. It will throw monsters, puzzles, deduction, and mystery all at you in order to thwart the players. The best part of this is that the game does all of this for you as an App will be direct players on everything. It sets up the board, monsters, events, story, and the timing of the game. All the players has to do is do what they are directed to do. I hardly needed to read the instructions the first time we played as the app took care of 80% of the games mechanics. I honestly wanted to put this into the number one spot but one this holds it back for me. The app is needed so you need to be able to read it and hear it. The game also requires a lot of time to complete a story. Our first game took quite a while to finish. It is simply hard to get to the table.
- Islebound
I’m a big fan of Ryan Laukat games. They are well put together as a production and as a game. They contain a certain whimsical quality that few I’ve played can achieve. This one does so flawlessly. The game itself is almost like a mancala style game where players will be moving their ship island to island collecting fish and wood to build buildings, negotiate with towns, or destroy those towns. The game also comes with an interesting story element when players venture around which really brings the narrative out. I quite enjoy this one.
The Stats for 2016
Games Played by Month
| Month | Plays |
| January | 52 |
| February | 40 |
| March | 40 |
| April | 44 |
| May | 85 |
| June | 80 |
| July | 66 |
| August | 61 |
| September | 51 |
| October | 50 |
| November | 60 |
| December | 46 |
January Plays
| Game | Qty |
| Dice City | 4 |
| Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 | 4 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | 3 |
| Codenames | 3 |
| 7 Wonders Duel | 2 |
| Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | 2 |
| Deus | 2 |
| For Sale | 2 |
| Monopoly Deal Card Game | 2 |
| Mysterium | 2 |
| Pandemic | 2 |
| T.I.M.E Stories | 2 |
| Blokus | 1 |
| Camel Up | 1 |
| Cribbage | 1 |
| DC Comics Deck-Building Game | 1 |
| Elder Sign | 1 |
| Exploding Kittens | 1 |
| Firefly: The Game | 1 |
| Forbidden Island | 1 |
| Jolly Roger: The Game of Piracy & Mutiny | 1 |
| King of New York | 1 |
| Lanterns: The Harvest Festival | 1 |
| Mancala | 1 |
| Pandemic: Contagion | 1 |
| Patchwork | 1 |
| Scrutineyes | 1 |
| Sheriff of Nottingham | 1 |
| Star Realms | 1 |
| Steam Park | 1 |
| Ticket to Ride | 1 |
| Tides of Time | 1 |
| Tokaido | 1 |
| Welcome to the Dungeon | 1 |
February Plays
| Game | Qty |
| Birds of a Feather | 4 |
| Love Letter | 4 |
| Pandemic: The Cure | 4 |
| Bananagrams | 2 |
| Between Two Cities | 2 |
| Blokus | 2 |
| Machi Koro | 2 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | 1 |
| Castles of Mad King Ludwig | 1 |
| Caverna: The Cave Farmers | 1 |
| Dixit | 1 |
| Exploding Kittens | 1 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 1 |
| Jaipur | 1 |
| Lanterns: The Harvest Festival | 1 |
| LIE | 1 |
| Medieval Academy | 1 |
| Mice and Mystics | 1 |
| Mysterium | 1 |
| Pairs | 1 |
| Patchwork | 1 |
| Shakespeare | 1 |
| Snake Oil | 1 |
| Splendor | 1 |
| T.I.M.E Stories: The Marcy Case | 1 |
| Takenoko | 1 |
| Zombicide | 1 |
March Plays
| Game | Qty |
| Codenames | 3 |
| Coloretto | 3 |
| Mice and Mystics | 3 |
| Pandemic: The Cure | 3 |
| Patchwork | 3 |
| ...and then, we held hands. | 2 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | 1 |
| Battle Line | 1 |
| Between Two Cities | 1 |
| Blueprints | 1 |
| Bohnanza | 1 |
| City of Iron: Second Edition | 1 |
| Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | 1 |
| Deus | 1 |
| Dice City | 1 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 1 |
| For Sale | 1 |
| Hanabi | 1 |
| Libertalia | 1 |
| Lords of Waterdeep | 1 |
| Lost Legacy: The Starship | 1 |
| Love Letter | 1 |
| Medieval Academy | 1 |
| Niya | 1 |
| RoboRally | 1 |
| Splendor | 1 |
| Ticket to Ride | 1 |
| Tsuro of the Seas | 1 |
| Viticulture | 1 |
April Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| One Night Revolution | 5 |
| Mice and Mystics | 3 |
| Above and Below | 2 |
| Coloretto | 2 |
| Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | 2 |
| Fidelitas | 2 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 2 |
| LIE | 2 |
| Star Realms | 2 |
| T.I.M.E Stories: The Marcy Case | 2 |
| Zany Penguins | 2 |
| 7 Wonders | 1 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | 1 |
| Carcassonne | 1 |
| City of Iron: Second Edition | 1 |
| Deus | 1 |
| Discoveries | 1 |
| Forbidden Island | 1 |
| Here, Kitty, Kitty! | 1 |
| King of New York | 1 |
| Munchkin: The Nightmare Before Christmas | 1 |
| Mysterium | 1 |
| New York 1901 | 1 |
| Shadows over Camelot | 1 |
| Shakespeare | 1 |
| Splendor | 1 |
| Stone Age | 1 |
| T.I.M.E Stories | 1 |
| Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar | 1 |
May Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Cat Tower | 7 |
| Splendor | 7 |
| Codenames | 4 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | 3 |
| Blokus | 3 |
| HUE | 3 |
| Pairs | 3 |
| T.I.M.E Stories | 3 |
| Tsuro | 3 |
| Above and Below | 2 |
| Birds of a Feather | 2 |
| Coloretto | 2 |
| Concept | 2 |
| Morels | 2 |
| No Thanks! | 2 |
| Orléans | 2 |
| Ticket to Ride | 2 |
| Zombie Dice | 2 |
| The Ancient World | 1 |
| …and then, we held hands. | 1 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | 1 |
| Blueprints | 1 |
| Bohnanza | 1 |
| Cacao | 1 |
| Camel Up | 1 |
| Castles of Mad King Ludwig | 1 |
| Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | 1 |
| Diamonds | 1 |
| Dice City | 1 |
| Discoveries | 1 |
| Elder Sign | 1 |
| Exploding Kittens | 1 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 1 |
| For Sale | 1 |
| Lanterns: The Harvest Festival | 1 |
| Lords of Waterdeep | 1 |
| Love Letter | 1 |
| Mice and Mystics | 1 |
| Mysterium | 1 |
| Patchwork | 1 |
| The Prodigals Club | 1 |
| Red7 | 1 |
| Risk | 1 |
| Rummy | 1 |
| Shakespeare | 1 |
| Star Realms | 1 |
| Takenoko | 1 |
| Timeline: Inventions | 1 |
| Zany Penguins | 1 |
June Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Animal Upon Animal | 8 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 6 |
| Codenames | 4 |
| Patchwork | 4 |
| Blokus | 3 |
| Dixit | 3 |
| Niya | 3 |
| Splendor | 3 |
| Tsuro of the Seas | 3 |
| Wits & Wagers | 3 |
| Cat Tower | 2 |
| Evolution | 2 |
| Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King | 2 |
| Quarriors! | 2 |
| Spyfall | 2 |
| T.I.M.E Stories: A Prophecy of Dragons | 2 |
| Tokaido | 2 |
| Above and Below | 1 |
| The Ancient World | 1 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | 1 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | 1 |
| Boss Monster: The Dungeon Building Card Game | 1 |
| Carcassonne | 1 |
| Catan | 1 |
| City of Iron: Second Edition | 1 |
| Concept | 1 |
| Cranium Scribblish | 1 |
| Deus | 1 |
| Dice City | 1 |
| Lords of Waterdeep | 1 |
| Machi Koro | 1 |
| Medieval Academy | 1 |
| Monopoly Deal Card Game | 1 |
| Nippon | 1 |
| The Prodigals Club | 1 |
| Qwirkle | 1 |
| RoboRally | 1 |
| Scrabble | 1 |
| Smash Up | 1 |
| Stone Age | 1 |
| Ticket to Ride | 1 |
| Viticulture | 1 |
| Welcome to the Dungeon | 1 |
July Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Splendor | 5 |
| Sushi Go Party! | 5 |
| Animal Upon Animal | 3 |
| Blokus | 3 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 3 |
| Ticket to Ride Map Collection: Volume 2 – India & Switzerland | 3 |
| Ticket to Ride: Europe | 3 |
| Animals on Board | 2 |
| Coloretto | 2 |
| Discoveries | 2 |
| Mysterium | 2 |
| Pirate’s Cove | 2 |
| Qwirkle | 2 |
| 13 Dead End Drive | 1 |
| 7 Wonders Duel | 1 |
| Above and Below | 1 |
| Artifacts, Inc. | 1 |
| Biblios | 1 |
| Bohnanza | 1 |
| Cacao | 1 |
| Catan | 1 |
| Caverna: The Cave Farmers | 1 |
| Champions of Midgard | 1 |
| Checkers | 1 |
| Chess | 1 |
| Concept | 1 |
| Deus | 1 |
| Elysium | 1 |
| Five Tribes | 1 |
| Forbidden Island | 1 |
| GEM | 1 |
| Liar’s Dice | 1 |
| Love Letter | 1 |
| Nippon | 1 |
| Pandemic: The Cure | 1 |
| Patchwork | 1 |
| Shakespeare | 1 |
| Snake Oil | 1 |
| Spyfall | 1 |
| Stone Age | 1 |
| Timeline: Inventions | 1 |
| Tsuro | 1 |
August Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | 5 |
| Sushi Go Party! | 4 |
| Codenames | 3 |
| Lords of Waterdeep | 3 |
| Qwirkle | 3 |
| Splendor | 3 |
| …and then, we held hands. | 2 |
| Artifacts, Inc. | 2 |
| Blueprints | 2 |
| Evolution: The Beginning | 2 |
| Jaipur | 2 |
| Mice and Mystics | 2 |
| Patchwork | 2 |
| Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords – Base Set | 2 |
| Steam Park | 2 |
| Above and Below | 1 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | 1 |
| Blokus | 1 |
| The Castles of Burgundy | 1 |
| Castles of Mad King Ludwig | 1 |
| Catan | 1 |
| Chess | 1 |
| Discoveries | 1 |
| Elder Sign | 1 |
| For Sale | 1 |
| Imperial Settlers | 1 |
| Kittens in a Blender | 1 |
| Mysterium | 1 |
| Orléans | 1 |
| Sheriff of Nottingham | 1 |
| Spyfall | 1 |
| Stone Age | 1 |
| T.I.M.E Stories: Under the Mask | 1 |
| Ticket to Ride | 1 |
| Tokaido | 1 |
| Viticulture | 1 |
| Wits & Wagers | 1 |
September Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Jaipur | 4 |
| Patchwork | 4 |
| Coloretto | 3 |
| …and then, we held hands. | 2 |
| Carcassonne | 2 |
| Islebound | 2 |
| Once Upon a Time: The Storytelling Card Game | 2 |
| Potion Explosion | 2 |
| Scoville | 2 |
| T.I.M.E Stories: The Marcy Case | 2 |
| Artifacts, Inc. | 1 |
| Basari | 1 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | 1 |
| The Big Book of Madness | 1 |
| Bohnanza | 1 |
| Bring Your Own Book | 1 |
| Catan | 1 |
| Caverna: The Cave Farmers | 1 |
| Champions of Midgard | 1 |
| Clusterf**k! | 1 |
| Colt Express | 1 |
| Cosmic Encounter | 1 |
| Dice City | 1 |
| Elysium | 1 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 1 |
| Fury of Dracula (third edition) | 1 |
| Hanabi | 1 |
| Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King | 1 |
| Lanterns: The Harvest Festival | 1 |
| Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game | 1 |
| Luna | 1 |
| Mastermind | 1 |
| Menu Masters | 1 |
| Onitama | 1 |
| Pirate’s Cove | 1 |
| Splendor |
October Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Codenames: Pictures | 5 |
| Potion Explosion | 4 |
| …and then, we held hands. | 3 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | 3 |
| Jaipur | 3 |
| King of Tokyo | 3 |
| The Oregon Trail Card Game | 3 |
| Pandemic | 3 |
| Blood Rage | 2 |
| Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | 2 |
| Deus | 2 |
| Ghost Stories | 2 |
| Castles of Mad King Ludwig | 1 |
| Discoveries | 1 |
| Five Tribes | 1 |
| Fleet | 1 |
| Fury of Dracula (third edition) | 1 |
| Islebound | 1 |
| Joking Hazard | 1 |
| Kittens in a Blender | 1 |
| Liar’s Dice | 1 |
| Mysterium | 1 |
| Patchwork | 1 |
| Scoville | 1 |
| Ticket to Ride | 1 |
| Tiny Epic Western | 1 |
| A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game | 1 |
November Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Ticket to Ride | 13 |
| Splendor | 5 |
| Jaipur | 4 |
| Karuba | 4 |
| Animal Upon Animal | 3 |
| Patchwork | 3 |
| Potion Explosion | 3 |
| Above and Below | 2 |
| Discoveries | 2 |
| No Thanks! | 2 |
| The Ancient World | 1 |
| Blokus | 1 |
| Cacao | 1 |
| Deus | 1 |
| Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia | 1 |
| Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King | 1 |
| Jenga | 1 |
| Lanterns: The Harvest Festival | 1 |
| Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game | 1 |
| Love Letter: Batman | 1 |
| Nippon | 1 |
| Origin | 1 |
| Orléans | 1 |
| Pandemic: The Cure | 1 |
| The Pursuit of Happiness | 1 |
| Scotland Yard | 1 |
| Scythe | 1 |
| SeaFall | 1 |
| Stone Age | 1 |
December Plays
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 3 |
| The Pursuit of Happiness | 3 |
| Talisman | 3 |
| Artifacts, Inc. | 2 |
| Dixit | 2 |
| Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia | 2 |
| Jaipur | 2 |
| JunKing | 2 |
| Kanagawa | 2 |
| Mansions of Madness: Second Edition | 2 |
| Potion Explosion | 2 |
| Scoville | 2 |
| Ticket to Ride: Europe | 2 |
| Above and Below | 1 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | 1 |
| Bohnanza | 1 |
| Burano | 1 |
| Deus | 1 |
| Discoveries | 1 |
| Dominion | 1 |
| Fairy Tale | 1 |
| Five Tribes | 1 |
| Joking Hazard | 1 |
| Lords of Waterdeep | 1 |
| Mr. Jack Pocket | 1 |
| Pandemic | 1 |
| Scotland Yard | 1 |
| Stone Age | 1 |
| Takenoko | 1 |
| Zany Penguins |
Top 25 Most Played Games
| Game | Qty |
|---|---|
| Splendor | 27 |
| Patchwork | 21 |
| Ticket to Ride | 20 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 18 |
| Codenames | 17 |
| Jaipur | 16 |
| Animal Upon Animal | 14 |
| Blokus | 14 |
| Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game | 13 |
| Coloretto | 12 |
| Potion Explosion | 11 |
| Above and Below | 10 |
| …and then, we held hands. | 10 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | 10 |
| Deus | 10 |
| Mice and Mystics | 10 |
| Cat Tower | 9 |
| Discoveries | 9 |
| Mysterium | 9 |
| Pandemic: The Cure | 9 |
| Sushi Go Party! | 9 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | 8 |
| Dice City | 8 |
| Lords of Waterdeep | 7 |
| Love Letter | 7 |
Top 5 Most Played Games from our Regulars
| Player | 1st Most Played Game | 2nd Most Played Game | 3rd Most Played Game | 4th Most Played Game | 5th Most Played Game | Total Plays in 2016 |
| Abby | Animal upon Animal
6 plays |
Codenames
5 plays |
Ticket to Ride
5 plays |
Blokus
3 plays |
Kittens in a Blender
2 plays |
29 |
| Adam | Mice and Mystics
7 Plays |
One Night Revolution
3 Plays |
T.I.M.E Stories
3 Plays |
Pandemic: The Cure
2 Plays |
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
2 Plays |
41 |
| Amanda | Codenames
11 Plays |
Splendor
9 Plays |
Dead of Winter
8 Plays |
Discoveries
7 Plays |
Patchwork
6 Plays |
201 |
| Amy | Codenames
3 Plays |
Codenames: Pictures
2 Plays |
The Pursuit of Happiness
2 Plays |
Splendor
2 Plays |
Lords of Waterdeep
1 Play |
28 |
| Andrew | Flash Point: Fire Rescue
8 Plays |
Splendor
6 Plays |
T.I.M.E Stories
5 Plays |
Jaipur
5 Plays |
Deus
4 Plays |
162 |
| Candis | Splendor
5 Plays |
Codenames
4 Plays |
Patchwork
4 Plays |
Dixit
3 Plays |
Pirate’s Cove
3 Plays |
75 |
| Caroline | Ticket to Ride
3 Plays |
Stone Age
2 Plays |
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
2 Plays |
Codenames
2 Plays |
Bohnanza
2 Plays |
21 |
| Craig W | Flash Point: Fire Rescue
4 Plays |
Codenames
4 Plays |
Discoveries
1 Play |
Lanterns
1 Play |
Splendor
1 Play |
20 |
| Dakotah | Evolution
2 Plays |
Blokus
2 Plays |
Pandemic
1 Play |
Betrayal at House on the Hill
1 Play |
Bang! The Dice Game
1 Play |
10 |
| David | Splendor
2 Plays |
Cat Tower
2 Plays |
Jolly Roger
1 Play |
Dice City
1 Play |
Dead of Winter
1 Play |
8 |
| Drew | Coloretto
2 Plays |
Scotland Yard
1 Play |
Catan
1 Play |
Spyfall
1 Play |
Timeline
1 Play |
9 |
| Emmie | Cat Tower
3 Plays |
Niya
3 Plays |
Tsuro of the Seas
3 Plays |
Birds of a Feather
2 Plays |
HUE
2 Plays |
31 |
| Eric B | Splendor
8 Plays |
Cat Tower
6 Plays |
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
4 Plays |
Qwirkle
4 Plays |
Spyfall
4 Plays |
102 |
| Eric H | Ticket to Ride
5 Plays |
Bang! The Dice Game
5 Plays |
Catan
4 Plays |
Dixit
4 Plays |
Blokus
4 Plays |
91 |
| Esther | Codenames
12 Plays |
Ticket to Ride
11 Plays |
T.I.M.E Stories
9 Plays |
Mice and Mystics
9 Plays |
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
8 Plays |
274 |
| Greg | Stone Age
2 Plays |
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
2 Plays |
Ticket to Ride
2 Plays |
Carcassonne
2 Plays |
JunKing
2 Plays |
18 |
| Harrison | Splendor
9 Plays |
Codenames
9 Plays |
Blokus
8 Plays |
Cat Tower
4 Plays |
Betrayal at House on the Hill
4 Plays |
94 |
| Jessica | T.I.M.E Stories
9 Plays |
Mice and Mystics
7 Plays |
Splendor
7 Plays |
Codenames
5 Plays |
Ticket to Ride
5 Plays |
138 |
| Joe | Scoville
2 Plays |
Codenames: Pictures
2 Plays |
The Pursuit of Happiness
1 Play |
Spyfall
1 Play |
Potion Explosion
1 Play |
17 |
| Kate H | Codenames
7 Plays |
Ticket to Ride
7 Plays |
Animal upon Animal
6 Plays |
Lords of Waterdeep
4 Plays |
Blokus
4 Plays |
84 |
| Kenz | Flash Point: Fire Rescue
4 Plays |
Karuba
3 Plays |
Pandemic: The Cure
3 Plays |
Patchwork
2 Plays |
Mysterium
2 Plays |
23 |
| Kyle | Codenames
12 Plays |
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
11 Plays |
Patchwork
10 Plays |
Mice and Mystics
9 Plays |
T.I.M.E Stories
9 Plays |
417 |
| Matt | Potion Explosion
4 Plays |
Qwirkle
3 Plays |
Jaipur
3 Plays |
Scotland Yard
2 Plays |
Betrayal at House on the Hill
2 Plays |
46 |
| Ramon | T.I.M.E Stories
8 Plays |
Mice and Mystics
5 Plays |
Codenames
5 Plays |
Deus
4 Plays |
Pandemic: Legacy
4 Plays |
125 |
| Russel | Burano
1 Play |
Lords of Waterdeep
1 Play |
Seafall
1 Play |
Above and Below
1 Play |
Pandemic: The Cure
1 Play |
8 |
| Sara | Codenames
3 Plays |
Caverna
1 Play |
Champions of Midgard
1 Play |
Elysium
1 Play |
Tokiado
1 Play |
12 |
| Sophia | Codenames
9 Plays |
Splendor
8 Plays |
Bang! The Dice Game
8 Plays |
Discoveries
6 Plays |
Mysterium
6 Plays |
175 |
| Steve | Ticket to Ride
2 Plays |
Splendor
1 Play |
Isle of Skye
1 Play |
Castles of Mad King Ludwig
1 Play |
Above and Below
1 Play |
7 |
| Jordan | Potion Explosion
5 Plays |
Splendor
3 Plays |
King of Tokyo
3 Plays |
Betrayal at House on the Hill
3 Plays |
Quarriors!
2 Plays |
47 |
| Kate G | Talisman
3 Plays |
Ticket to Ride
2 Plays |
Potion Explosion
1 Play |
Pursuit of Happiness
1 Play |
Above and Below
1 Play |
9 |
Champions of the Games
(Most wins with the tie going to the highest win percentage)
| Champion | Champion’s Stats | |
| Game | Most Wins (Kyle Excluded) | wins/plays |
| 13 Dead End Drive | James A | 1/1 |
| 7 Wonders | – | – |
| 7 Wonders: Duel | Ramon | 1/2 |
| Above and Below | Andrew | 3/4 |
| The Ancient World | Esther | 1/2 |
| …and then we held hands | Esther | 4/4 |
| Animal Upon Animal | Jessica | 2/2 |
| Animals on Board | Harrison | 1/1 |
| Apples to Apples | – | – |
| Artifacts, Inc. | Andrew | 2/3 |
| Ascension: Dawn of Champions | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Attila | – | – |
| Bad Beets | Esther | 1/2 |
| BANG! The Dice Game | Sophia | 5/8 |
| Bananagrams | Esther and Jessica | 1/3 |
| Basari | Eric H | 1/1 |
| Battle Line | James P | 1/1 |
| Betrayal at House on the Hill | Sophia | 3/3 |
| Between Two Cities | Esther | 4/6 |
| Bezzerwizzer | – | – |
| Biblios | James A | 1/1 |
| The Big Book of Madness | – | – |
| Birds of a Feather | Esther | 5/9 |
| Blokus | Abigail | 2/3 |
| Blood Rage | Eric H | 1/1 |
| Blueprints | Andrew | 2/2 |
| Bohnanza | Esther | 2/7 |
| Boss Monster | Candis | 1/1 |
| BraveRats | Esther | 1/1 |
| Break the Safe | – | – |
| Bring Your Own Book | – | – |
| Burano | Esther | 1/1 |
| BUS | – | – |
| Ca$h ‘n Guns | Esther | 3/6 |
| Cacao | Amanda | 2/4 |
| Camel Up | Amanda | 1/1 |
| Carcassonne | Greg | 2/5 |
| Cards Against Humanity | – | – |
| The Castles of Burgundy | Sophia | 1/1 |
| Castles of Mad King Ludwig | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Cat Tower | James P | 2/2 |
| Catan | Eric H | 2/4 |
| Catan Dice Game | – | – |
| Caverna: The Cave Farmers | Esther | 1/4 |
| Champions of Midgard | Sophia | 1/1 |
| Checkers | – | – |
| Chess | – | – |
| City of Iron | Ramon | 2/2 |
| Clusterf**k | Eric B | 1/1 |
| Codenames | Sophia | 6/9 |
| Codenames: Pictures | Amanda | 2/3 |
| Coloretto | Esther | 5/13 |
| Colt Express | – | – |
| Concept | Jessica | 1/1 |
| Cosmic Encounter | – | – |
| Coup | Eric H | 2/3 |
| Cranium | – | – |
| Cranium Scribblish | – | – |
| Cranium Zigity | Kenz | 1/3 |
| Cribbage | Amanda | 1/1 |
| DC Comics Deckbuilding Game | – | – |
| Dead of Winter | James P | 3/4 |
| Deus | Ramon | 3/5 |
| Diamonds | Ramon | 1/4 |
| Dice City | Esther | 3/4 |
| Discoveries | James A | 3/4 |
| Dixit | Eric H | 3/4 |
| Dominion | Esther | 1/1 |
| Dragonwood | – | – |
| Elder Sign | Amanda | 3/3 |
| Elysium | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Euphoria | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Evolution | Amanda | 2/2 |
| Evolution: The Beginning | James A | 1/1 |
| Exploding Kittens | Jessica | 2/3 |
| Fairy Tale | Esther | 1/1 |
| Fidelitas | Ramon | 2/3 |
| Firefly: The Board Game | ||
| Five Tribes | Kenz | 1/1 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | Andrew | 5/9 |
| Fleet | Jordan | 1/1 |
| For Sale | Esther | 2/7 |
| Forbidden Island | Esther | 2/2 |
| Fury of Dracula | Andrew and Ramon | 1/2 |
| Game of Thrones: The Card Game | – | – |
| GEM | Kenz | 1/1 |
| Ghost Stories | Esther | 1/1 |
| Gloom | – | – |
| Gubs | – | – |
| Haggis | Esther | 1/1 |
| Hanabi | Esther and Ramon | 3/3 |
| Le Havre | Kyle Harvitt | 1/1 |
| Here, Kitty, Kitty! | Esther | 1/1 |
| HUE | Esther | 3/6 |
| Imperial Settlers | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Isle of Skye | Emmie | 1/1 |
| Islebound | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Jaipur | Esther | 5/11 |
| Jenga | Amanda, Esther, and Jessica | 1/1 |
| Joking Hazard | Eric H | 1/1 |
| Jolly Roger | Caroline | 1/1 |
| Kanagawa | Esther | 2/2 |
| Karuba | Kenz | 2/3 |
| King of Tokyo | Jason | 2/4 |
| King of New York | Eric H | 2/2 |
| Kittens in a Blender | Abigail | 1/2 |
| Lanterns | Eric H and Sophia | 1/1 |
| Last Night on Earth | James A | 1/1 |
| Legendary | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Liar’s Dice | Jordan | 1/2 |
| Libertalia | Kenz | 1/2 |
| LIE | Esther | 3/6 |
| Lords of Waterdeep | Esther | 4/9 |
| Lost Legacy | – | – |
| Love Letter | Esther | 4/11 |
| Luna | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Machi Koro | Esther | 6/8 |
| Mancala | – | – |
| Mansions of Madness | Andrew and Sophia | 1/1 |
| Mars Attacks: The Dice Game | – | – |
| Marvel Dice Masters | – | – |
| Mastermind | Joe | 1/1 |
| Medieval Academy | Bryan | 1/1 |
| Monopoly Deal Card Game | Sophia | 1/1 |
| Morels | – | – |
| Mr. Jack Pocket | Esther and Jessica | 1/1 |
| Munchkin | Greg | 1/1 |
| Mysterium | Esther | 7/10 |
| New York 1901 | Kenz | 2/2 |
| Nippon | Ramon | 1/2 |
| Niya | Emmie | 2/3 |
| No Thanks! | Amanda | 2/3 |
| Once Upon a Time | Eric B and Jessica | 1/2 |
| One Night Revolution | Amanda | 4/5 |
| One Night Ultimate Werewolf | Aaron | 2/3 |
| Onitama | Andrew | 1/1 |
| The Oregon Trail Card Game | Emmie, Andrew, and Sophia | 1/1 |
| Origin | – | – |
| Orleans | Esther | 3/7 |
| Pairs | Jessica and Amanda | 3/3 |
| Pandemic | Esther | 4/6 |
| Pandemic: The Cure | Jessica | 3/3 |
| Pandemic: Contagion | James P | 1/1 |
| Pass the Pigs | – | – |
| Patchwork | Amanda | 5/6 |
| Pirate’s Cove | Andrew | 2/2 |
| Pixel Tactics | – | – |
| Potion Explosion | Ramon | 3/5 |
| The Prodigals Club | Andrew | 1/2 |
| The Pursuit of Happiness | Ramon | 3/3 |
| Quarriors! | Eric B and Jordan | 1/2 |
| Quiddler | Esther | 1/1 |
| Qwirkle | Eric B | 4/4 |
| Red7 | Esther | 2/7 |
| The Resistance | Craig and Aaron | 2/2 |
| Risk | James P | 1/1 |
| The Rivals of Catan | – | – |
| Robo Rally | Andrew | 2/2 |
| Roll for it! | Kenz | 1/1 |
| Rummy | Sophia | 1/1 |
| Sail to India | – | – |
| Scotland Yard | Matt | 2/2 |
| Scoville | Andrew and Joe | 1/2 |
| Scrabble | Jessica | 1/1 |
| Scythe | Terry | 1/1 |
| Shadows over Camelot | Harrison | 1/1 |
| Shakespeare | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Sheriff of Nottingham | Eric H | 1/1 |
| Small World | – | – |
| Smash Up | Adam | 1/1 |
| Snake Oil | Esther | 1/3 |
| Splendor | Esther | 8/15 |
| Spyfall | Eric B | 2/4 |
| Star Realms | Ramon | 3/3 |
| Steam Park | Caroline | 1/1 |
| Stone Age | Esther | 5/6 |
| Sushi Go! | Greg | 1/1 |
| Sushi Go Party! | Andrew | 3/4 |
| Tail Feathers | – | – |
| Takenoko | Amanda and Sophia | 2/4 |
| Tailisman | Kate G | 4/4 |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Pizza Power Game | – | – |
| Terror in Meeple City | Ramon | 1/1 |
| Ticket to Ride | Esther | 6/16 |
| Ticket to Ride: Europe | Andrew | 2/4 |
| Tides of Time | – | – |
| Timeline | Sophia | 1/1 |
| Tiny Epic Western | – | – |
| Tokiado | Amanda | 1/1 |
| A Touch of Evil | – | – |
| Tsuro | Candis | 1/2 |
| Tsuro of the Seas | Greg | 1/1 |
| Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar | – | – |
| Ultimate Werewolf | – | – |
| Viticulture | Esther | 2/5 |
| The Walking Dead: The Board Game | – | – |
| Welcome to the Dungeon | James P and Sophia | 1/1 |
| Wits and Wagers | Eric H | 1/1 |
| Yahtzee | – | – |
| Zany Penguins | Amanda | 1/2 |
| Zombicide | – | – |
| Zombie Dice | Eric B | 1/2 |
Happy Gaming and we will see you in 2017!