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The 4th Annual Dice Tower Awards Winners!
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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The 4th Annual Dice Tower Awards recognize the top games in several categories which were published in 2010!

Over the past several months the members of the committee have deliberated over the nominees in order to determine what each individual thinks is the best game in each of our 11 categories. With all of that done,the time has come, the votes have been tallied, and the winners have been determined. Each entry here will be titled with the winner of the award, and the description will contain the category, a list of the nominees, and the runner up!

As a reminder, the categories for the 4th Annual Dice Tower Awards were as follows:

1. Game of the Year
2. Best Family Game
3. Best New Designer
4. Best Reprint
5. Best Production Values
6. Best Small Publisher
7. Best Party Game
8. Best Expansion
9. Best Innovative Game
10. Best Artwork
11. Best War Game

For more information on the Dice Tower Awards, please visit the award site at:
http://www.dicetower.com/index.php/dice_tower_awards

To listen to the podcast discussing the winners, nominees, and decisions going in to the process of awarding these titles, listen to the podcast available at:
http://audio.funagain.com/thedicetower/TDT219-TheDiceTower-E...

And with no further delay, lets make with the results!

And the Winners are...
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1. Board Game: 7 Wonders [Average Rating:7.95 Overall Rank:12]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Game of the Year WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Merchants & Marauders
- Alien Frontiers - RUNNER UP!
- Dominant Species
- Fresco
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United States
Missoula
Montana
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Dominant Species was robbed.
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  • Posted Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:47 pm
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Chris Bender
United States
New River
Arizona
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Shampoo4you wrote:
Why do people think DS is ugly?


Maybe because beauty is subjective?

I personally love board games where the art is done by Michael Menzel. People often complain that his board designs are too busy and distracting. I think they are awesome. Some people like a cleaner, more minimalist design, and others prefer a more artistic one.

A similar debate can be found amongst those who prefer plastic miniatures in games and those who like counters. Personally I like the minis.
 
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  • Edited Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:47 am
  • Posted Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:43 am
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Anni Foasberg


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Hmmmm....while these are all good games, none is even close to being as good as Navegador! Is there an explanation of the nomination process somewhere?
 
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  • Posted Wed Aug 17, 2011 2:28 am
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Johannes Sjolte
Denmark
Copenhagen
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Shampoo4you wrote:
Why do people think DS is ugly? I think the design is elegant, functional, and I love the way it looks, personally.


Personally I don't think that the Dominant Species is ugly. I don't think it look beautiful either. To me it look very neutral. It almost look like a abstract game and the design add nothing to the theme. It's a pity becasue the theme sounds very interesting.
 
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  • Edited Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:03 pm
  • Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:54 pm
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Chris Marling
United Kingdom
Cambridge
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Have to add my voice to the list of those who feel 7 Wonders is a very poor choice of Game of the Year. It feels as if it is getting plaudits for filling a hole in people's collections, rather than for being a particularly enjoyable or clever game.

That said, it seems like a pretty poor year for board games. I haven't played dominant Species, so can't comment on that, but I was pretty 'meh' with Alien Frontiers (looked lovely, played OK), Merchants & Marauders (the sea isn't big enough! Once the other ships start appearing on the map, it just gets frustrating and annoying) and Fresco (looks lovely, but its just another worker placement game). Even so, I'd put all three ahead of 7 Wonders.
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  • Posted Fri Aug 26, 2011 4:45 pm
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2. Board Game: Forbidden Island [Average Rating:7.04 Overall Rank:264]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Family Game WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Zombie Dice
- Nuns on the Run
- Wits & Wagers Family - RUNNER UP!
- Wok Star
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such a great game,
light, tense and fun
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:06 am
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Dan Edelen
United States
Mount Orab
Ohio
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Whisperhand wrote:
is Wok Star even widely available to the public? I tried to pick up a copy at both Origins and GenCon this year and couldn't find it.


Z-Man is supposed to be releasing it in September.
 
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:43 am
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Bob Hansen
United States
Menomonee Falls
Wisconsin
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A very worthy winner. So good that I am doing a Cthulu retheme.
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:55 am
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Nico Solitander
Finland
Helsinki
HEL
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  • Edited Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:00 pm
  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 9:50 pm
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J J
Australia

kixdsky wrote:
A very worthy winner. So good that I am doing a Cthulu retheme.


Ooh - tell us more...
 
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  • Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:07 pm
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3. Board Game: Alien Frontiers [Average Rating:7.56 Overall Rank:93]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best New Game Designer WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Railways of the World: The Card Game
- Wok Star
- Catacombs
- Merchants & Marauders - RUNNER UP!
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Randall Bart
United States
Granada Hills
California
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If the award is for a designer, you should mention the name of the designer:
Tory Niemann
United States
Phoenix
Arizona
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  • Edited Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:13 am
  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:04 am
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Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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I think so, Brain, but if we have nothing to fear but fear itself, why does Eleanor Roosevelt wear that spooky mask?
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Barticus88 wrote:
If the award is for a designer, you should mention the name of the designer:
Tory Niemann
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I posted what I was given, but thanks for adding it!
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:17 am
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Maciej Teległow
Poland
Gdansk
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I would vote for M&M over AF even if I like AF.
M&M is the best adventure GAME ever done.
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  • Posted Mon Aug 15, 2011 10:57 pm
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4. Board Game: Survive: Escape from Atlantis! [Average Rating:7.36 Overall Rank:155]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Game Reprint WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Code 777
- DungeonQuest
- War of the Ring Deluxe Edition - RUNNER UP!
- Triumvirate
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Christen
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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Totally glad this won
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  • Posted Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:39 pm
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Alexander Lauck
Germany

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Survive is one of the best games I played 2010, same with Code 777. Totally deserved it. Yes, that's my outing, I'm a Stronghold-fanboy goo
 
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:56 am
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Tom B
United States
Naperville
ILLINOIS
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I hope Goa gets to win next year...I release it on time!
 
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:51 pm
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Breakaway
United States
Citrus Heights
California
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This just came in the mail this morning, and I have game #5 of Survive setup ready to roll when the wife finishes putting the baby down to bed... I love this game.
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  • Posted Sun Aug 14, 2011 4:27 am
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C J
Germany

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Thanks to Dicetower for bringing this one to my attention. I don't understand how this one flew under my radar but it will be mine. Oh yes, it will be.
 
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  • Edited Mon Aug 15, 2011 1:23 pm
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5. Board Game: Dust Tactics [Average Rating:7.60 Overall Rank:777]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Production Values WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Runewars
- Earth Reborn - RUNNER UP!
- Horus Heresy
- Merchants & Marauders
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Lacombe
Louisiana
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I don't know what everyone's fuss over Earth Reborn's production quality is... it's atrocious.

The graphic design is awful / garish / indistinguishable. The chits are too small, difficult to punch, and are of the cheap Chinese musty cardboard variety [a la Tasty Minstrel first editions] rather than the crisp German stuff the really good publishers use. The minis [while detailed] obscure the critical game-relevant information on their bases by their overall design.

The game itself seems pretty fun, but it's hard to imagine where else they could have gone wrong.
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  • Edited Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:16 pm
  • Posted Thu Aug 11, 2011 11:15 pm
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Andy Andersen
United States
Newark
Delaware
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NateStraight wrote:
I don't know what everyone's fuss over Earth Reborn's production quality is... it's atrocious.

The graphic design is awful / garish / indistinguishable. The chits are too small, difficult to punch, and are of the cheap Chinese musty cardboard variety [a la Tasty Minstrel first editions] rather than the crisp German stuff the really good publishers use. The minis [while detailed] obscure the critical game-relevant information on their bases by their overall design.

The game itself seems pretty fun, but it's hard to imagine where else they could have gone wrong.


OK Nate - just give us your opinion.
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:19 am
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James Palmer
Canada
Kitchener
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A well-deserved win for Dust Tactics.
 
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:27 am
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Brian Smith
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Maryland
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Now, I am surprised that WOTR:CE didn't get nominated here, but perhaps that is because it is not a new game.
 
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:36 pm
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Michael Sosa
United States
Wilmington
Delaware
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At that pricepoint any game can look great.
 
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  • Posted Mon Aug 15, 2011 11:04 pm
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6. Board Game: Alien Frontiers [Average Rating:7.56 Overall Rank:93]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Small Publisher WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Puzzle Strike
- Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer
- Catacombs - RUNNER UP!
- Innovation
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J J
Australia

Yup, I reckon they've done very well considering two full printings sold out rapidly; this game has become almost notorious for people wanting it but not being able to get it until the next print run. Can't blame the publisher for not being able to keep up with such ravenous demand, even if it is their wet dream
 
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:14 am
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I juggle cats.
United States
Portage
Michigan
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Wow, this list is FAR better than the GotY list in my book!
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:45 pm
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James 3
United States
Atlanta
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ascension and ALien Frontiers are 2 of my favorite and most played games. good choices. i wish ascension had gotten runnerup though...and part of me wishes there was a "strategy card game" category of its own
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 8:30 pm
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Tim Royal
United States

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Definitely would have chosen Innovation over this game, but respect the choice... Congratulations to the team of Alien Frontiers
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 11:28 pm
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Bob Hansen
United States
Menomonee Falls
Wisconsin
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Good choice, but as echoed above, with such small print runs, it really is a shame more people haven't gotten a chance to play this gem.
 
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:00 am
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W David MacKenzie
United States
Edmonds
Washington
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kixdsky wrote:
Good choice, but as echoed above, with such small print runs, it really is a shame more people haven't gotten a chance to play this gem.


Thanks for the kudos.

Alien Frontiers' 3rd printing of 5700 copies will be arriving in mid-September. It's all English language, but LocWork, Ystari, and Spiral Galaxy Games (our European partners) will all have copies for their regions.

We're hoping these will help to plug that "out of stock" hole for a while.

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  • Edited Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:28 pm
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7. Board Game: Wits & Wagers Family [Average Rating:7.18 Overall Rank:1063]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Party Game WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Prolix
- The Resistance
- Telestration - RUNNER UP!
- Zombie Dice
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Bill August
United States
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Pennsylvania
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The only error IMHO. The Resistence is the clear winner here.
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  • Edited Sat Aug 13, 2011 4:03 am
  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:59 am
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Chris Ferejohn
United States
San Francisco
California
Pitying fools as hard as I can...
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EndersGame wrote:
Prolix is a party game? shake

Not in my view.

Boggle is also a word game with a timer - does that make it a party game too?


I have not played Prolix, but Boggle is *clearly* a party game. Are you suggesting it isn't? I think every time I've every played boggle has been at a bar with 6-8 people. If that's not a party game, I don't know what is...
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 8:06 am
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Randy Cox
United States
Clemson
South Carolina
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Every time I've played Diplomacy, it's been with 6-7 people who were drinking heavily.

But it's not a party game.
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:01 pm
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ian o
Canada

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What about Chaos in the Old World?
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 4:22 pm
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Andrés F. Pabón L.
Colombia
Bogotá
DC
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Randy Cox wrote:
Every time I've played Diplomacy, it's been with 6-7 people who were drinking heavily.

But it's not a party game.


At a bar, too? laugh

I think Chris' point is a fair one. A game you can play at such a relaxed and yet loud environment is definitely a party game.
 
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  • Posted Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:34 pm
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8. Board Game: Dominion: Prosperity [Average Rating:8.55 Unranked] [Average Rating:8.55 Unranked]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Expansion WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Incursion
- Thunderstone: Doomgate Legion
- Dixit 2
- Thunderstone: Wrath of the Elements - RUNNER UP!
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Tom B
United States
Naperville
ILLINOIS
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I suppose in the future we should call this the Dominion Award.
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 2:33 pm
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Ryan Jaynes
United States
Houston
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I am a bit surprised Rattus: Pied Piper didn't get at least a nomination. Tom's review of it really made you feel like it was needed to get the full Rattus experience. Perhaps that counted against it though.
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 9:42 pm
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Bob Hansen
United States
Menomonee Falls
Wisconsin
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Would have loved to see the Cosmic expansion win this. It really did add a lot of cool things to the game.
 
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:02 am
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Adam O'Brien
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Raleigh
North Carolina
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Dominion : this award :: Pixar : Animated Film Oscar
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  • Posted Mon Aug 15, 2011 5:44 pm
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Andrés F. Pabón L.
Colombia
Bogotá
DC
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3dicebombers wrote:
Dominion : this award :: Pixar : Animated Film Oscar


Which could mean next year Dominion won't get this award. Cars 2 = gulp
 
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  • Posted Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:35 pm
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9. Board Game: Catacombs [Average Rating:7.39 Overall Rank:277]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Innovative Game WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- 7 Wonders - RUNNER UP!
- Wok Star
- Innovation
- String Railway
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Trey Chambers
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Thank goodness. My head asplode if 7 Wonders (which is, again, just a prettier, more thematic Fairy Tale) would have beaten out a game that combined dungeon crawling and disk flicking! O_O
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:28 am
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Alan Kaiser
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I also found very little here that was really innovative. I like the game but innovative is a stretch. Fairy Tale doesn't have the card diversity but is very similar to 7 Wonders. I guess the only thing that you might say is really innovative is that you can get 7 players to enjoy a game together that doesn't take too long to play and isn't a party game. Ohhh wait . . . . Bohnanza did that years ago! Not innovative.
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  • Edited Sat Aug 20, 2011 5:44 am
  • Posted Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:40 pm
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Roland Mauve


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How can the game named Innovation *not* win this category?
 
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  • Posted Tue Aug 16, 2011 2:42 am
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Patrick Reynolds
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Shampoo4you wrote:
Thank goodness. My head asplode if 7 Wonders (which is, again, just a prettier, more thematic Fairy Tale) would have beaten out a game that combined dungeon crawling and disk flicking! O_O


Both games have cards and a drafting mechanic (which is very different in each game). Beyond that I don't really see how they're all that similar.
 
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  • Posted Wed Aug 17, 2011 1:16 pm
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Joseph Anderson
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I haven't played fairy tale but every review i've read of it makes me think "this really isn't 7 wonders".
There are many types of inovation some games have an element that is enirely new but most games are a blend of things that already existed. When a game comes along that does things in a way that hasn't been done, it is innovative, even if each of it's parts occur in other games.

Games are more than the sum of their parts!

There are ways of making each of these games sound like a sad rehash of thigs before. So stop being lame.
 
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  • Posted Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:52 pm
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10. Board Game: 7 Wonders [Average Rating:7.95 Overall Rank:12]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best Game Artwork WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Thunderstone: Wrath of the Elements
- Fresco
- Isla Dorada - RUNNER UP!
- Merchants & Marauders
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Randall Bart
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Granada Hills
California
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Alien Frontiers was robbed in the nomination.
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:16 am
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Yours Truly,
United States
Gainesville
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ShreveportLAGamer wrote:

I can well imagine French game designer Bruno Faidutti blanching upon reading the winner of this category.
Reason: Although he inducted "7 Wonders" into his Ideal Game Library in November 2010, he did so with the following remarks about the game's artwork:



Reason #2: he designed the runner-up.

Glad to see the nod to Isla Dorada, even as runner-up, for some really nicely done artwork.
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 4:28 am
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Johannes Sjolte
Denmark
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The artwork for the seven wonder cards is functional, but a little boring in my opinion.


Exactly what I am look for in in game cards, with the exception that I wouldn't call them boring - more functional and easily recognizable. In a game like this to much details on the cards isn't a good thing. You have multible cards in you hand. You want to be able to pick one and get on with the game - and it look good at the same time. Very nice job - I'll say.
 
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  • Edited Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:57 pm
  • Posted Sun Aug 14, 2011 9:48 pm
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Eurojuegos Buenos Aires
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What??? surprise No Glory to Rome here???
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  • Posted Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:16 pm
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Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Pastor_Mora wrote:
What??? surprise No Glory to Rome here???


Although that art is..just..amazing, Glory to Rome isn't a 2010 release
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  • Posted Tue Aug 16, 2011 8:30 pm
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11. Board Game: Labyrinth: The War on Terror, 2001-? [Average Rating:7.79 Overall Rank:124]
Ryan Metzler
United States
Kenosha
Wisconsin
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Best War Game WINNER!

Additional Nominees
- Commands and Colors: Napoleonics
- Hornet Leader: Carrier Air Operations
- Washington's War: The American Revolution - RUNNER UP!
- Phantom Leader
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Left Hand Reviews
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Atlanta
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Man I love this game, but dont get to play it nearly often enough!
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 2:15 am
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Left Hand Reviews
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Largo68 wrote:
I already have this war game on my list of next purchases, but now Labyrinth has moved up to the top two or three slot. I'm really looking forward to getting this one on the game table!

Please excuse the newbie question, but Labyrinth appears to be related to Twilight Struggle at least in game board layout. I realize both games are published by the same company, but can it be said Labyrinth is a re-theme of the war game mechanics of Twilight? Both games are scheduled for reprint by GMT next month.


A common and unfortunate misconception. Aside from a vague similarity in the board look, they are completely different games.
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:55 pm
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Anthony Lazaroski
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I struggle to call this a "war game"...it is indeed a war themed game though. Phantom Leader is excellent and have heard that Hornet Leader is even better, so that would have gotten my vote.
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  • Posted Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:10 pm
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Nick P.
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Olympia
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How the hell did Conflict of Heroes: Price of Honour not make this list?
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  • Posted Mon Aug 15, 2011 12:31 am
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Darren M
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hateoven wrote:
How the hell did Conflict of Heroes: Price of Honour not make this list?


Maybe because it was an expansion and requires Awakening the Bear or Storms of Steel to play it?
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  • Posted Fri Aug 19, 2011 3:25 am
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Andy Andersen
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I was going to thank you, Ryan, for posting this as I have just fired up the podcast. I thought this would save me some time from listening - and then decided I needed to listen to the podcast. But I will say "thanks." I own 4/9 respective games. I'm not sure what that says about my collection.
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  • Posted Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:17 am
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Richard Shay
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What the...
These are so reasonable that I could only argue with them by being a jerk. I might not have picked the exact order, but every winner is a solid game deserving the accolades given here.
And any that I haven't tried, I clearly need to track down and at least sample.
Be less careful next year!
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 3:50 am
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Trey Leech
United States
Tallahassee
Florida
I completely agree!
 
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  • Posted Sat Aug 13, 2011 9:39 pm
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Justin, Karen, Acacia, and Janek
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It's always fun to see awards results but I don't quite understand why some people get bent out of shape about them.

I've come to terms with the fact that these are people's opinions...

...and have also accepted that some of my favorite musical artists aren't going to be winning a Grammy soon and that's okay....

...and that I don't need to run out and buy the album of the horseshit ones that are winning them because I can like what I want to like and the general public can enjoy being spoonfed the same ol' crap year after year.

Awards are opinions and are no different than top 10 lists and so on. Opinions, I was once told, are like assholes. We all have them and they all stink but our own.
 
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  • Edited Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:04 pm
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Jeff McAleer
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Mesa
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I'd say The Dice Tower gang did a nice job. No real arguments on the picks on this end, although 7 Wonders as game of the year is a little creaky.

Too bad Origins voting doesn't look anything like this...
 
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  • Edited Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:04 pm
  • Posted Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:03 pm
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