The 28 Games i got rid of in 2022

[@johnratigan3931]

I love your videos mostly because they are honest, broad and unique. Also because you’re not just one more person reviewing or doing a playthrough of the new game that everyone else is reviewing or doing a playthrough for. That’s so tired. Go 3MBG! Stay original

[@monomundo]

Thank you Jarrod. As you I live on a kind of island with high costs for bringing in boardgames - Turkey which applies unhuman levels of custom duties for imports. So, I have to ponder each of my purchases. I ended up not buying up most of those games due to lukewarm reviews. And I am happy to see that I was right. I have Alien Frontiers (which I could not bring to the table yet) and Roll Player (which I am selling soon). As you have implied, it is getting increasingly difficult to fit a new game in your collection as so many paths in our hobby have been already explored. Anyhow, it is nice to see you back. Stay well and safe.

[@joseg.6187]

Thanks for sharing! I would never pick Sagrada over Roll Player. But base Roll Player is not super "fun" the minions expansion greatly improves it and kept the game in my collection.

[@ellomate..]

oh wow i’ve watched many of your videos to decide if i buy or not but never seen one with your face. cheers mate thanks for your hard work, it is influential and helpful.

[@MrRudyRiot]

Terrific rundown. Some of the games that flopped for me this past year (but I haven't gotten rid of yet) were Ready Set Bet and Longshot Dice. I like racing and betting games but they both were duds with a lot of hype surrounding them. Oh well. I need to be more proactive about ditching stuff that doesn't work for me. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@VoidVerification]

Re "Fort": I bought "Fort" on a whim for the cool art and was intrigued by the mechanisms. Played it with a friend and we both now refer back to it as an example of a game we both hated (for pretty much the same reasons as you mentioned in the video). Culled it immediately. Re "Roll Player": I did get some enjoyment out of the solo mode in "Roll Player" but ultimately sold it because it was getting stale and samey rather quickly. However, the feeling of grabbing into a bag full of dice is just so satisfying! Re "Ares Expedition": I don't really get what you mean when you say the game is "cynical". I guess people who love the TM base game are just not the intended audience. I feel it is a streamlined, entry-level friendly TM variant that is meant for people who find the main game too big to get into. I am one of those people and I enjoy it because of the streamlined nature.

[@3MBG]

The cynical thing is covered in the longer video. But in short, and i wont say more on this comment thread. I cannot see a scenario where Ares Expedition was made that doesnt start with the designers looking at race for the galaxy and saying "lets do this, but tweak it slightly and call it our game"

[@pilotvc]

This was surprisingly pleasant to watch, not overly negative but fair. I preferred the Anno 1800 video game, one of my favourites. I thought the board game was ok, but it is hard to sell these adaptations to fans of the video games, much like movie adaptaptations of books.

[@AndrewJohnEgan]

I enjoyed this video, having sold a whole bunch of games recently, it’s interesting to hear what the logic other folk have for offloading v certain games is. Often for me now, it’s not about them being bad games. More that there’s been other games that do the thing better, or carry a theme I appreciate more. My group is really into Anno at the moment, and I enjoy it, but I agree that it’s a really odd experience that can feel like it’s on rails once you are up and going. I think I’d rather sink our time for meatier games into Messina 1347, which has been on my shelf for a month now, staring me down.

[@brendonpilott1688]

I’ve played your copy of “welcome to the moon” at Bobby’s so thanks for gifting it to him 😁

[@3MBG]

Hahahaha, love it

[@michaeltaylor7953]

Really enjoy your videos. Quick question on Alien Frontiers. You said it was ok. What games are better that have similar themes or mechanisms, or was it just really that it was just not a stand out...

[@3MBG]

For dice placement, Circadians first light is a whole next level for me. And another game that escapes me right now.

[@TheLomdr]

Yeah, I had that same exact encounter when I got the Anniversary edition of COB when I already had the original: the original left my collection. The same exact thing is going to happen to 51st State Master Edition once I get my copy of 51st State Ultimate

[@boazdror]

Always love your measured explanations and descriptions of games! Thanks for giving us a glimpse into some of the behind the scenes considerations of being a board game reviewer!

[@3MBG]

Ha, cheers. Yeah, it's not all "ha ha, hee hee" and sometimes you have to choose between letting someone down or lying.

[@JohnSebastienTaylor]

I finished a solo game of Waste Knights recently and for Solo I think there it works. Much as you described the luck wasn’t in my favour but it just barely evened out and I eked out a win but it was down to the wire, but I could see the luckiness of the game really ruining the experience in a multiplayer setting. As for Roll Player I did find the expansions really helped, though I do always come away from sessions of the game feeling like I should have enjoyed it more given the theming etc.

[@ArnieHorta]

I am one of those who actually likes Ares Expedition. It does have one strange quirk…it actually gets shorter the more players you have. With 2 or 3 I can get a game of TM done quicker but with 4 AE is faster, plus it scratched my Race for the Galaxy itch without having to remember what all the icons do. Therefore that is a place where you and I disagree. As for other Fryx games…have you tried Angel Fury? Maybe that breaks the mold?

[@3MBG]

Actually never heard of Angel Fury until now, will take a look

[@peterixon8708]

Before the pandemic in 2020, a friend of mine dropped by to help me sort what was then an overwhelming collection. Rather than dump stuff straight away, he sent me to buy some plastic boxes and then sort what I hadn't played or touched in 2018 or 2019 into those boxes, which then had to be stored in the garage. One year later, I was to review what was there and, if still untouched, I had to sell them. That's his process. OK, the pandemic bought me extra time, so I only had to make a decision in Jan 2023, but the chap who advised me was right. I hadn't touched them, despite my seeing them every night when I drove into the garage and parked right in front of those boxes, so I sold them at our annual war game convention. Darn good decision.

[@manic2360]

Cool that Call to Adventure got a mention, I still enjoy getting that one out, every now and again for the fun of rune throwing and creating beautifully illustrated stories..

[@3MBG]

I played it again at the end of a session recently, and everyone found it very pleasant. You just cant treat it like a very competitive game.

[@Paul-ro6py]

As always thanks for the effort in making these videos. You came across as a little fatigued. Hope you are getting enough rest. As to your opinions on the games, their yours and that's great. We have been playing Wonderlands War and Zombicide Undead or Alive and loving them! And thats our opinion 😀

[@3MBG]

Oh, as mentioned in some videos from the last few weeks. I'm getting over a really bad illness from Christmas, and with a toddler at home all day and only doing the channel at nights, it quite tiring.

[@fredlepage460]

Very good video. You seemed to have fun during this video, it was very nice to watch!

[@dominicparker6124]

In roll player, your criticism of 'this isnt what making a character is' is absolutely right. But, that feeds into the theme. 'rollplayer' is a term that refers to someone who doesn't make a character and just wants to roll dice, the whole game is similiar thematically to munchkin. A game based on a d&d player personality type. So in terms of what its setting out to do, trying to min max a character sheet is exactly what a 'rollplayer' would want.

[@3MBG]

Ha, that's very fair

[@dominicparker6124]

@@3MBG and I'm not a huge fan of it myself either, fwiw. I find games that are about games culture are less accessible to those outside the hobby and thus I tend to not keep

[@BadassBeazly]

I enjoy your candour and delivery. I always look forward to your board gaming opinions and experiences. You've influenced some of my game purchases over the years too.

[@iansutton7416]

Your frustration with Fort is definitely one I don't share. An enjoyable game I'd happily play again, and at least we both respect its innovation

[@3MBG]

Totally, but you can just see how it can rark up someone who finds that amount of chaos too much

[@iansutton7416]

@@3MBG Indeed. It's very much a thematic twist in deckbuilding that is at the core of the game. I like such challenging of the established protocols, and rather enjoy games where you have to 'think on your feet'. There may even be a little evil joy in seeing this 'disruption' to the aspirations of other gamers' to have everything planned out. In short, I mostly enjoy a little chaos in my gaming. As it's too much chaos for you, it's a good solid decision to get rid of it.

[@jokerES2]

On the Anno point, the game is a primarily a production chain game, and really doesn't address a lot of the "colonialism" concerns. It's really focused on the chains, where your island has x and y, your neighbors island and a and b, and trading helps get you z and c. It's really laser-focused on you and the other players, to the point where the external factions you're trading with are NPC -level market bots. The fighting except against players and pirates are really minimal, because of the laser focus. The resource exploitation is just really "out in front" when you strip the normal "main character syndrome" away from the video game. It's also much more "in a different, randomly generated world" like something like an Age of Empires in video game form rather than in board game form. I'm a bit surprised that they didn't go with the Anno 2205 setting (one of the later games) instead for the board game version.

[@3MBG]

The colonialism thing for me is always the one-sided view. To me, most colonial games are like making a war game where only one side acts and is featured. It's the erasure and absolute focus on the actions of colonizers, while pretending the colonized don't exist or have no agency that always irks me.

[@pilotvc]

@@3MBG the Total War video games kind of do that (with historical innaccuracy though), in that you can conquer and enslave nations, and then play as those factions and do the same to the other side. I think the lack of realism there made them easier to stomach.

[@hairydongle8054]

That was a fantastic video, really enjoyed the honest bluntness!

[@dominicparker6124]

Great video, i like that some of these are happy endings too rather than a full video of dragging games. I wish i was in a situation where i could gift games to my friends, that would be nice.

[@3MBG]

Yeah, some dragging for sure. But i like 80-90% of games, or at the very least, i find the vast bulk of games have some redeeming qualities.

[@hermanturnip3984]

Oathsworn is a great game, but I got rid of it simply to free up shelf space. This game was a space hog, and with limited room on the shelves I unfortunately had to let it go.

[@gaillardlionel]

Sad to see Anno 1800 go, it's one of my favorites 😥, but hopefully it will find more love elsewhere. I totally get that its one-sided colonial aspect can be a detractor (I heard the same criticism for games like Santa Maria and Puerto Rico, two games that I also love). Perhaps it's the focus on the trading aspect and the resource management that manages to abstract those games enough for me that in the end, I don't see the dark sides that they choose to ignore, I don't know what it is exactly... I am not easily absorbed into themes too, I am more absorbed by the mechanics, which means I am naturally more distanced and less offended. I am more offended when a game overwhelmingly relies on luck elements, and I see myself thinking "this is a lazy design, an insult to all euro gamers out there!!!" 😅 I also like Black Angel and Ares Expedition. I admit Black Angel is a bit on the fiddly side and for that reason it doesn't get to the table very often... Ares Expedition is a nice blend of games, a fine mix for me, and I am looking forward to the upcoming expansion for it (especially the very intriguing co-op mode!)

[@ratguy69]

It has gone on to someone else who enjoys it more, I'm the fellow who took it off Jarrod's hands. I wasn't as bothered by the theme as he was, though I typically am bothered by colonial themes. For example... I loved the mechanics in Mombosa but didn't want to play it again due to the theme. So glad they rethemed it with Skymines. I'm still not sure I'll keep it in my collection though. I enjoy the game well enough, and it's quite unique. I'm also a big Martin Wallace fan. But after 4-5 plays I feel like I've seen all the game, and there's not a whole lot of variety. I'll probably play it another time or two and likely move it on after that. I completely agree with Jarrod on Ares though. I enjoy the original TM, and LOVE Race for the Galaxy. Ares just felt like they swiped the mechanics from both games, mashed them together, and didn't nothing new with them. It felt very derivative, and I'd much rather play Race any day of the week.

[@CarlosRodriguez-ez3ls]

Great video Jarrod! I was a little surprised that Robin Hood left your collection - thought you really liked that one. 🤔

[@3MBG]

It's a good time, but Thomas REALLY liked it. And with some other campaign games coming up, i knew i wasn't gonna finish it myself

[@Drossus]

Nice culling! I like roll player but totally agree, it's not a character generator and while it makes for an excellent board game title with pun, the expectation seems to be detrimental to its pitch as well. Certainly the enjoyment of folk I've played it with tends to split down the lines of whether they roleplay or not. Were it not for the too many excellent campaign games issue, I'd be mighty tempted by the gimmick of taking a character from it into roll player: adventures.

[@3MBG]

Weirdly, i actually got Dice Throne: Adventures last week 2nd hand. Which i think is a similar idea but for Dice Throne

[@Drossus]

@@3MBG Nice! We enjoy dice throne adventures. Co-op for that streamlined hybrid of yhatzee-mtg is a really appealing experience. It's definitely a little on the clunky side at times but co-op means my kiddo can join in more easily. She and I totally dig Manny's art style too. Hope your little one gives you the odd slot for slapping paint on plastic sometime in the future!

[@peacenik458]

Thanks so much for doing this video. I found it more informative than many of the "best of" lists. We only have so much time in our lives to play games, and it is necessary to cull them at times else we become collectors, not players. I dont have infinite resources either! The only game I continue to regret selling was " A Study in Emerald" Second Edition. I thought it was imbalanced and so got rid of it, but damn it was fun. I'm still sore about that.

[@Stolovky]

What is the controversy around Phil Eklund? I find him a bit peculiar but also a genius at the same time :) can you elaborate?

[@3MBG]

I'd recommend just googling it as i don't want to really get into it. One part of it was an essay in a game that pretty much said "colonialism was good actually". His own publisher won't let him write any more essays in his rulebooks as a result. But that is just the tip of the iceberg.

[@3MBG]

sure thing "the god you never knew", i'd consider conversing with you if your account wasn't obviously the one you use for trolling, describing yourself as "'m a gay retard- please send help." doesn't exactly make you a credible person to raise any point on anything ever.

[@Stolovky]

@@3MBG you lost me here…not sure what you are talking about. This last remark is for me? Cause Im not trolling anywhere ans we had a normal exchange, I did google it etc

[@klapaucius7339]

Per your comment on Brass (when talking about Martin Wallace), we took a chance on Galenus. I love it, and while quite different from Brass, for some reason it feels like it scratches a similar itch for me. That could just be me, but I would be very curious to get your take on it. It is one of those games far off the hotlist that really hit the mark for us.

[@3MBG]

Galenus, thats one i've never heard of, so ill take a look on BGG

[@ChrisSmithSmooth]

Hah, just got to perseverance - Wholly agree, I bounced so hard off it and never want to give the 1st scenario another go. I'd probably try 2/3/4 If someone put it on the table, but really don't encouraged to make any effort to make it happen.

[@patrickmcardle1920]

Not played shelfie stacker but I found roll player a much more satisfying puzzle than Sagrada even though the theme/setting of Sagrada appeals to me more. Greater decision space in roll player than in Sagrada where it's always taking best available option with less opportunities to mitigate.

[@Ljngstrm]

Good choice to gift Oathsworn to a friend who has the time and interest to level it up with painting.

[@3MBG]

Cheers. Many would balk at the idea of giving away such an expensive game, but it was a review copy anyway :)

[@MattWGAllan]

I still love both Alien Frontiers and Anno 1800, love dice placement and tech trees. Have you played Beyond the Sun yet as an alternative tech tree game? Dice placement games would be hard to get an alternative for Alien Frontiers as it's simple, maybe go more simple with Creature Comforts as a nice chill experience, or more complicated with meatier games like Steampunk Rally or Circadians First Light? CoB is my favourite euro and I got rid of it for the same reason, also got rid of Crew for the same reason, others have a copy of the OG Crew we're playing through anyway. I've seen the ratings dropping for Dice Theme Park, disappointing but I'll still give it a go and see if I enjoy it. Felt the same ways about Betrayal, Perseverance Chronicles, Roll Player and Ares Expedition, although I don't like base TM at all either, much prefer Ark Nova as a big stupid deck game with mechanics that are actually fun to tinker with and figure out. I got rid of my copy of Orbital due to ratings, figured they must not have modernised the design well consider poor critical reception, so I never played it. I've got Oathsworn preordered and Welcome to the Moon I plan on getting as an expansion to Welcome To... figure I'll like it just like I like base game. I dig most of the newer popular roll and writes.

[@ratguy69]

Heh, I played both Anno and Beyond the Sun with Jarrod. I guess you could say I'm into tech tree games. I think he enjoyed BTS a lot more than Anno, see the review here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJvUiKWkispphbc

[@garyspartan67]

Love both Alien Frontiers and Anno 1800! I don't get easily offended by theme and I thought the characters on the cards were very diverse. I can see where it only fits a niche of gamers, though, that would find the hand-shredding element appealing in how it's executed.

[@1983electric]

I like rollplayer and don't care if you don't care

[@3MBG]

It's all good. PS, seeing your user image i checked to see if you were playing bass, and you were. Bass is best, hence the 3mbg intro being slappy as

[@patrickhshirley]

I really loved High Frontier first edition (with the expansion). I've played it more times than I can remember with my group in Auckland. I've also watched the full set of videos of Jean Michel GrosJeu on High Frontier 4 and it looks really appealing. As well as this I've really gotten alot out of many of Eklund's other games, so my ears pricked up when you mentioned his obxiousness on social media. I'm not sure how that has any bearing on whether or not to play his games, but in any case I really have no idea what you're talking about. Do you care to elucidate me as to what you're referring to ?

[@3MBG]

Its lots of things, but enough that his publisher will no longer let him have designer notes in games. There was a bunch of what i would call American alt-right/libertarian talking points hes made over the years. Including, but not limited to what i consider very bad takes on transpeople, colonialism, slavery, climate change denial and covid conspiracy. The core of it is, he's just an unpleasant man who loves to write badly thought out long winded rants and i have no desire to give him free advertising for his games on my channel. Think the jordan peterson of board gaming.

[@3MBG]

I also don't discuss it often, because, well, when heavy Cardboard brought it up a few years back Phil and many of his fans brigaded them, and i cannot be bothered dealing with that amount of blocking and banning of people.

[@patrickhshirley]

@@3MBG Interesting, I had no idea. Thanks for taking the time to answer me.

[@rhino451]

I buy a lot of games based on your videos. That's not your fault. So I was surprised to see some games I though you liked only to see you got rid of them. So to your credit I went back and re watched what was said when you reviewed the game the first time. Bam! I was pleasantly surprised to see you had not waivered from original review. I guess I just need to read between the line better. I don't regret buy that particular game and I've got the expansions coming as soon as covid relaxes it hold on us. Glad to see you up on your feet. We're going to Bonnie Doon, We're going to Bonnie Doon.....

[@3MBG]

The thing with the 3 min review format is i try to put positives and negatives in for all games, and they are more about matching a game to a player than really me getting on my soap box. These sorts of vids and the extra time series are my soap box vids

[@PamWD]

I like the video and how you go through the games. I haven't played a lot of these because, to be honest, I just wasn't interested in them. Agree with you on Roll Player and Fort, but heavily disagree on Anno1800, Black Angel, Castles of Burgundy, and TM:Aries Expedition. These are great games for me. It's good there are so many games for all our different tastes!

[@ratguy69]

Did you miss that he was joking about Castles of Burgundy? The reason he’s moved it on is that he’s getting the Awaken Realms deluxe version.

[@ropearoni4]

@Ryan Jameson unless the reply was that he was wrong to wait for the new edition, and he should put it on this list for the normal reason? I got the card game, and it scratches the same itch with such a small footprint in the shelves... same size on table.

[@ashloveday3283]

High Frontier kinda interested me as a game. But I never actually bought it... I have tried steering clear of Kickstarter too, for the most part. I may need to shift a few games too

[@andrewcallahan1642]

While I agree Terraforming Mars is a better game mechanically, as someone who occasionally travels for work, Ares Expedition has pulled off being a very satisfying solo experience, definitely better than the normal game. But yeah, multi-player wise, just play the regular one. If only the regular one had the production quality of Ares Expedition, that would be great.

[@garyspartan67]

Was there a game that replaced Alien Frontiers that you enjoy more? It seems unfortunate that you dropped it due to what you deem to be a "dated" game. My friends and I still play and enjoy it as our favorite dice-worker placement game.

[@3MBG]

Circadians first light or Troyes

[@robertclopton8942]

I like board games, but unlike my friends, I do not collect hundreds of board games. You only have so much time to play board games in a year. Therefore I have limited the amount of board games I own to 30, which in 50 years seems to be reasonable and my games are for adults or younger people 12 and up, depending on the game.😮

[@Drewkas0]

Cool list! I've never played High Frontier. It just seems like too much. But I do really like another of this designer's games, Bios: Origins, Second Edition. It is rules heavy (of course), but it flows nicely once you get the hang of things. It's essentially a civ game, but like no other civ game, and I think it may be the most game-like (rather than a simulation) of this designer's games.

[@fredmyers503]

Does this include review copies that you got, that they intended for you to keep that you did not, or is this only games you have paid for and removed from your collection?

[@3MBG]

Review copies as well. If i used a review copy its mentioned on the original video review. Not sure it's that relevant though, once a game is mine its mine to do with as i wish

[@ormstunga7878]

@@3MBG I think transparency is always best and then people can make their own minds up if it matters or not 🤷‍♂️👍🙂

[@3MBG]

The transparency is at the review phase, seems redundant to bring it up again. I get the idea people have that a review copy makes you biased towards a game, but it really doesn't to me. Almost all the games i've ripped on most have been review copies. Heck, in this video, Risk 40k and District 9. if i wanted to not hurt a publishers feelings, id just not mention their games stunk at all.

[@hugotavaresgomes9539]

I love Santa Mônica. such a delight…I played over 50 times, my only complaint is that the box is so big, why the full sized box? the game is just a deck of cards with a handfull of meeples.

[@3MBG]

If it was a small box game, i may have kept it. I am far more forgiving for smaller boxes.

[@michaelhill6453]

Great video. Love a bit of honesty.

[@SP-ev4hv]

Seeing you get rid of Alien Frontiers brings a tear to my eye.

[@3MBG]

Sorry for that

[@ropearoni4]

I remember the guy who made a virtual table to play it before it came out because it was heavily delayed. Turned out to be trickery there, but I've never owned it because I didn't want to give into the hype, and it had serious hype.

[@mariocrest]

One of the best of this hobby are the different tastes. If you don't like a game is totally fine, although I thought you seriously didn't like Castles of Burgundi (I'm waiting for my funky copy too).

[@TheDarktater]

I am over 40 plays now of Perseverance, currently my favorite game. I also think this is one of the most thematic Euros I have played. If I rated the two episodes separately I would rate episode 1 a 9 but episode 2 is a 10 for me. Has everything I want in a game, really hits the sweet spot for me.

[@3MBG]

I assumed there would be folks for who it was perfection. Its the way with games, what clicks and works for some does not for others. Its a cool thing about the hobby

[@northabbot7116]

This is a great series, more content creators should do this. So unique to board games

[@3MBG]

It is, no one really "gets rid of" a movie, book or song right?

[@xshadowscreamx]

I got rid of maximum apocalypse and game of thrones the iron throne, setting up a solo experience myself is hardly worth it and with GOT I just don’t have the group for it.

[@zacdredge3859]

I think your issue with Roll Player may come back to expectation; I don't think the game is aiming to simulate actually creating a character. It just has a more interesting theme than Sagrada while giving a bit of flavour to your objectives so they're not totally arbitrary. It is redundant to own all mentioned though, sure. TBF we all have our own hangups; personally I dislike Waste Knights simply because the geography looks offputting as an Australian.

[@drewkennewell4267]

High Frontier 4 All made me ditch my copies of Spacecorp and Leaving Earth

[@3MBG]

Yeah, but you're a solo gamer and I have to teach games to people multiple times a week and make sure they come back next week. Very different situations

[@drewkennewell4267]

@@3MBG The base game is nowhere near as complicated as it's made out to be. I'd even argue that there is less fiddliness than Leaving Earth. The biggest barrier to entry is cracking through the intimidation factor. The map looks insane (even though it's absolutely brilliant) you get this zig zag fuelling/mass chart with numbers all over it (even though it super simplifies the same thing that Leaving Earth makes into busywork) and you have no real direction on what to even do. Once you play through the Race For Glory tutorial it really clicks. I've never played a game that blends it's theme to it's rules in such a common sense way, and it's actually one of the biggest issues I had with Leaving Earth - there are ways to how that game works that SHOULD function one way because that's how it works in reality, but they don't and it's a constant speed bump. As for Eklund being a dick, yeah I've heard the same thing. For me it's just one of those things where I have to ignore the creator to enjoy the creation, but I get why some people can't or aren't willing to do that. Either way, it's a brilliant game and I'd definitely recommend anyone that has been turned off by it's apparent complexity to sit through that tutorial and give it a solid go.

[@Mentat1231]

So, I adore Troyes (rate it a 10) and I was excited for Black Angel for literally years. When we finally got it, I really liked the things it added (like the ship movement and such), and I love how it looks.... But, I agree that Troyes is the cleaner and better design. In particular, the tasks out in space felt like pure mechanisms (trade this for that), where Troyes' activity cards are each distinct and thematic.

[@timoseppa9124]

Eek! You didn't like Santa Monica either? Good game for me to play with non-gamers/light gamers. I thought it was pretty good for that space. Nice theme for that space as well.

[@3MBG]

it was fine, but i have an entire shelf of light weight games to play. Many in smaller boxes that SM. If it came in a small box, i probably would have kept it

[@lexodius]

So I have some questions about the Anno 1800 issue, not to invalidate your point mind you. I get it omits a part of history but doesn't that happen in so many games? Take Axis and Allies. It deals with industry but not with the forced labour that made it running, not just persecuted people but enslaved people from the general population of occupied countries (including mine). What about Brass you mentioned as one of your favorites, but ignore the injustices inflicted on the lower classes (of which I am a member)? Ok so Anno is basically a fantasy version right? Isn't a game like imperial settlers too, totally silly but are you crucifying barbarians for insurrection? Look, I don't know what the answer is here (I don't want to fall into lazy whataboutism) but surely it's not being overly critical of economic games in the colonial era? For any ACW game we have Freedom the Underground Railroad, and for Catan we have Spirit Island. Maybe we should have more games like those, not to get rid of the former, but to critique the subject.

[@lexodius]

I should mention Brass is my favourite game.

[@3MBG]

Anno is a fantasy version, that looks like nothing was changed in history asides from the awkward bits. At least Axis and Allies still acknowledges a war happened. My issue with colonialism games is they are one-sided views. Compare to a war game, where both(most) sides have agency, and yes, some war games may sweep over things like civilian casualties and the true cost of war, but they still go "yep, its war". A colonial game, for the most part, only ever has the colonizers acting with agency, and the colonized either invisible or passive objects to be manipulated. And i think that is a very bad way to look at colonialism as it helps perpetuate the "we raised these savages up from nothing" mentality out there. I hope that clarifies why i find those games awkward

[@ThomasLuongo]

Two comments: 1) On the Origin of Species is also on my 'fine game, no room, better stuff' pile to be moved out. 2) Since I hate Terraforming Mars (with literally a purple passion) because it's an overwrought waste of time, and Race for the Galaxy is fine but in many ways opaque, Ares Expedition takes everything I like about TM and gets rid of everything I despise while playing in 45 minutes. The mashup works well for me, since it's the only game like it I have. I seriously cannot understand the love for TM, it's just a big, messy and unfun for 3 hours. If I'm going to do a messy tableau/engine builder please let it be over in an hour. I think that's the point of Ares. It proves to me that TM itself is a bad design, much like Quests of Valeria proved that Lords of Waterdeep is also a bad game. Strip out the euro mechanics and et voila, it's what's left that works. TM is the cynical game, here, Jay. Four unnecessary expansions, an entire industry around it Just wait for when they find a way to reduce Everdell to a roll and write (and I like Everdell a lot) but after 4 expansions... enough already!

[@VoidVerification]

And the funny thing is: there are already three expansions for TM:AE about to be released... 🙈

[@ThomasLuongo]

@@VoidVerification And I'll probably not buy them. But, if they keep the game 45 minutes then maybe.

[@RichardArpin]

I'm pretty sure they've said that Everdell is now complete and will not get any other expansions.

[@3MBG]

Yeah, i dont track your logic Thomas. TM mat have become cynical with all the expansions and money perhaps, leading to Ares. But at its core, its a fine game that got big because its good and people love it. You can be contrarian about its popularity, but it certainly wasnt a big publisher, IP laiden, KS hyped game when it came out at all. It was a sleeper hit.

[@3MBG]

Anyway, i think we can all agree that Star Scrappers orbital is awful

[@iansutton7416]

Roll & writes rarely get me past the feeling of 'bingo!'. Not a genre for me

[@DarthP00P00]

THERE WAS A DISTRICT 9 BOARD GAME!?!?!?!?!

[@3MBG]

Yes, and it is absolutely dire.

[@timoseppa9124]

Wow, I like the original Betrayal and I played it a ton with my kids who enjoyed it. No, I don't think the first half is bollocks, whatever bollocks are. But if you didn't like it...why would you get the weird Betrayal/Baldur's mashup? I like both and I didn't give a thought of getting the mashup! And I don't mind Anno. Yes, a very different experience.

[@brendonpilott1688]

Sounds like your gaming tastes are just different which is perfectly fine. I’ve got the betrayal at mystery mansion scooby doo version and consensus in my family is the first half is super boring (move, reveal a tile) and the 2nd half isn’t much better. We were super disappointed by it.

[@benjaminnadeau7305]

Love anno 1800..but I understand

[@CeoTHULHU]

Anyone have word or experience with Leaving Earth's production team not filling orders or responding to people.

[@3MBG]

Yes. They are a very small operation, so i have heard this before. My order from them took 6 months, but at least they told me then that they were backlogged with orders

[@tinstargames]

Whatever you’re doing to get this many games played I got to figure out

[@3MBG]

Oh, i think i played 4 times as many games last year as this video.

[@tinstargames]

@@3MBG sessions or GAMES? EIther way, more than me

[@northabbot7116]

I enjoy Fort a whole lot

[@Madgael]

Getting Rid of Games: It has a solo mode!

[@Squatch_needs_no_heroes]

Love the long vids.

[@3MBG]

This chap here got an in person 2 hour rant about board games when he popped over this week. I'm sure he will tell you on camera J aint much different to no camera J

[@Squatch_needs_no_heroes]

@@3MBG and it was glorious, despite the injuries. Although now I have to find another copy of Fort to play. He’s less red in person ;).

[@raymyers700]

YOU ALMOST GOT MURDEREDEDED!!! :D I saw that opening to that game and was like "WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA?!?!" But that makes sense. You may live :D

[@3MBG]

Many years back, before i played Castles, This guy wrote me a essay about my lack of intelligence and how stupid i was because i had no Stefan Feld games on a list. It was intense. So now, its a running gag.

[@raymyers700]

@@3MBG Holy carp...I'll like hearing about things like that because it's a reminder that there are, indeed, stupid people on the interwebz :D. I love MANY Felds, but I would never say that his designs are a 'must like'. Man, that is really bothering me now that someone is that clueless! LOL!!!

[@3MBG]

I just picked up a new copy of Trajan to try out as well

[@noahgiss9800]

You put terraforming mars in the thumbnail but not in the video! it’s my favorite game so i’m glad but also clickbait lol 😂

[@noahgiss9800]

Oh i see now that it’s areas expedition i don’t have that one

[@3MBG]

Yeah, i can see how that would be confusing sorry

[@lauragalactica4235]

Really appreciate that you consider topic like Eklunds political stance, this is the reason i am a patreon. Thank you for this. Had to sell my Terraforming games this year, which was heartbreaking (they brought me into the hobby), because Enoch Fryxelius is also the worst.

[@3MBG]

Yeah, i'd heard he's not a great guy either. Which cools me on doing free advertising for him

[@thenewamericanunderground3149]

thank you for speaking truth to power in the game space, you do it in a good way, I personally feel.

[@AdamJorgensen]

Monopoly 40k? Tell me that's not real...

[@3MBG]

oh, its real alright

[@AdamJorgensen]

@@3MBG oh god

[@henryjoconnell]

"First half of the game is absolute bollocks" is usually how I feel about my sports teams. Laughed so much hearing it about a board game 😂

[@3MBG]

At least in sports an excitign 2nd half can really make up for a rubbish start. Some of the best sports matches ive seen have been comebacks. In a board game, not so much

[@henryjoconnell]

@@3MBG haha couldn't agree more! Thank you for the great content

[@snackums996]

I found TFM: Ares to be the better of the two TFM. Lighter, quicker, more focused. With original TFM the drafting of cards is tedious. Most times I'm hate drafting as I'm rarely passed anything that helps me directly with my corporation or strategically/tactically. Blech.

[@3MBG]

If you are always hate drafting, you are probably also always losing and not playing very well anyway. I personally never bother unless its a screamingly obvious case.

[@aerickw]

Love Anno! Never got a “colonizing” vibe from it. And frankly, don’t care. Super fun game. Everyone I’ve played it with has enjoyed it, too.

[@3MBG]

It's not a vibe, everything about it is colonial themed. From the techs you research, to building a city, to the people you recruit and the trade networks you set up. Its 100% an age of sail to age of industrialization colonial themed game.

[@aerickw]

@@3MBG I meant it in a negative way, which seemed to be how you were using it in the video. 🤷‍♂️

[@XTLcold]

hi

[@XTLcold]

your vieods are

[@ejim941099]

That background theme...I need that!

[@3MBG]

Which one, i used like 12 tracks?

[@ejim941099]

@@3MBG Holy shit, you did! The Castaway Chronicles one caught me off guard. Others ones didn't. But that one actually grabbed my attention and I was like, "what is that music I am hearing" Keep up the great work!

[@3MBG]

"Martian Cowboy" by Kevin MacLeod