I have written a series of posts looking at the Board Game Geek (BGG) top 100 games, checking to see if I had the game in my collection and talking a little bit about each one, if I could. At the end of the first eighty games covered I owned 32 for a 40% ownership rate. I also have had four games that I formerly owned but had sold, so they didn’t get counted. Today I will cover games ranked from 20 up to 11.
For all posts in this series check for the BGG Top 100 tag.
20: Wingspan
Released 2019
This is a beautiful game that was a raging success in the year it was released. The initial print run sold out almost immediately, resulting in folks clamoring (and paying high dollar prices) for copies. The second print run sold out. Part of a later print run somehow ended up being sold through Bed, Bath and Beyond, so I know they got a lot of new customers when that news high the gaming discussion boards. It seems now that the publisher has things well in hand and it’s no longer in short supply.
And yes, I have a copy. I bought and sold my copy several times as prices went up, only to turn around and buy it again once it became readily available once more.
19: Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Released 2016
I own Elder Sign and Eldritch Horror so I didn’t think I needed to add this one to my personal collection. It’s a card game, with tons of expansion packs, and given that I already had several large card-driven games (Dominion) as well as the aforementioned Cthulhu themed games, I gave this one a pass.
18: Brass: Lancashire
Released 2007
I know a little bit about this game (I think it’s a steam-punk theme) but don’t own it.
17: Concordia
Released 2013
I don’t know anything about this one, and do not own it.
16: 7 Wonders Duel
Released 2015
7 Wonders appeared earlier on this list (I own it). This is a slimmed-down two-player version based on the same game concept. I probably would not own it but I found a pristine used copy in Half Price Books so I picked it up.
15: Terra Mystica
Released 2012
You can’t watch the “Shut Up and Sit Down” review of this game and not end up buying it. Or at least I could not…
14: The Castles of Burgundy
Released 2011
I know this game has a spin-off that’s a card game (or is it a dice game? both?) but I don’t know any of the versions.
13: Spirit Island
Released 2017
This is another cooperative game that plays really well solo. I picked it up via a Board Game Geek auction at a really great price.
12: War of the Ring: Second Edition
Released 2012
Again you would think that this is a natural fit for my collection, being that it has a Tolkein theme and all. But I don’t…I do have some Tolkein games in my collection, they just seem to be less popular.
11: Scythe
Released 2016
Scythe was a Kickstarter star when it came out. It had everything people wanted. Tokens made of wood! Plastic miniatures! Area control! Worker placement! Giant robotic mechs! At one point this was at or near the top of the BGG rankings, but it has fallen all the way down to 😯 11 as I started this series. I think it’s top-ten for me definitely. I really enjoy the game.
How can I tell?
After I played the first time I was still replaying the game days / weeks later in my head, thinking of new strategies or decisions that I could make the next time I played. I came in dead last in my first game (I think I had 11 coins, and the winner had over 50, so it wasn’t even close) and I could not wait to play again. I haven’t written much about the game here on my blog yet, but I plan to. Fantastic game.
Games Mentioned: 90
Games Owned: 37 (41%)
Games Previously Owned: 4
After 90 games I own 37, which brings my cumulative percentage up to 41%! At this point the cat is out of the bag, and there is no way that I can get to 50%. I would need to own 13 of the next 10 games, which presents a little bit of a mathematical challenge! Despite that, I will press on.
Given what you have seen of my tastes so far, how many of the top ten BGG-ranked games do you think I own? Post your thoughts as a comment below, and we’ll see how close you are when I publish the conclusion of this list at the end of the year. Thanks for reading so far!