Visited Val and Chris for a pre-Xmas games session. We started
with an old game that we have not played for a while; Castles of Mad King
Ludwig. I love the theme of this game, so that even though I lost, the interest
and achievement in putting together a ‘nice’ castle complex makes the game
worthwhile. I feel we need to play more often so that I can start to understand
the strategic options open to the master-builder when placing tiles for
bidding. I’m sure I could make ‘better’ decisions during this phase. I also
struggled to achieve many of my in-game goals, so it was not a surprise that I
came last (but not too far behind).
Next we played Metro, basically Tsuro on steroids! Elaine
and I have recently played a few times as a 2-player game, so I thought we would
do well. Of course, Val and Chris romped home easily! We played the basic game,
but I am interested in trying some of the variants included in the game which
look as though they radically alter the game play.
We finished by breaking out Lords of Vegas. Again, not a
game we have played recently and my memories of it were vague. Really enjoyed
the experience as the board developed and players tussled for control of key
casinos. For a long time Elaine looked to have a commanding lead with stacks of
money, but her luck deserted her in the final turns as the ‘Dice Gods’ thwarted
every roll she made. The game was greatly enhanced by using some really nice
poker chips rather than the disappointing paper money supplied in the game.
Good poker chips are so tactile and fit with the theme of the game, and I’m
surprised the publishers did not go with this option from the start! Both
Elaine and I enjoyed this game so much that there is a good chance we will get
our own copy (we usually avoid buying games that Val and Chris own to avoid
duplication).
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