All the Meeples of the Rainbow.

A photographic journey through board games...

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Steph's New to Me Blog November 2022

Posted by Steph

New To Me List

05 Dec 2022

Steph Hodge

(punkin312)

United States
Tennessee

Well, it's no Ginkgopolis...

Welcome to Steph's "New to Me" List 2022!

This year I have made the goal of learning 500 games!

Now Available! Steph's Awesome Gaming Calendar 2023!
https://stephsshop.ecwid.com

Thanks to Dfube, I now have a chance to sell some cool All the Meeples of the Rainbow shirts!
If you enjoy the blog and want to support me and my good friend Dfube you can check them out here: https://itsyourroll.games/collections/all-the-meeples-of-the...

Steph's Awesome Spectrum Rating System!

Steph's Sad Cloud Rating 1-2.5/10
Steph's Bland Rainbow Rating 3-4.5/10
Steph's Primary Rainbow Rating 5-7/10 (Solid Play)
Steph's Super Rainbow Rating 7.5-8.5 (Keepers)
Steph's Double Rainbow Rating 9-10/10 (Top Favorites)

November List
from Worst to Best

Prototype - Reclamation:

Checked out a prototype with trick-taking and polyominoes. Was interesting, but needs work. No rating.

-/10 After 1 play (Not Owned-prototype)

Microbadge: All the Meeples of the Rainbow blog

Pechvogel:

Yes, it is as bad as everyone says. Didn't have to play, but I guess I was just hoping it would be better.

2/10 After 1 play (not Owned)

Volta:

Silly dex game about trying to balance and attack with a marble. Just not good.

3/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Flowar:

So wanted to love this one. It is just so brutal. I really disliked all the take-that and limited resources. Was a cute-looking game, but the mechanics don't mesh and it was not fun.

3/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

クイックショット (Quick Shot!):

A simple card game that is really forgettable.

3/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Monolith: The Strategy Game:

Very simple dice game. Doesn't seem balanced and is very boring.

3/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Tacopocalypse:

Horrible take-that in an otherwise mundane drafting game. Not a fan.

3.5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Metagame: Videogame Expansion Set:

Worse version of Apples to Apples. I suppose better if you love video games, but the point system is broken. More of an experience.

4/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Pusheen Purrfect Pick:

Great for kiddos but very simplistic for strategy gamers. Super cute theme, so if you are a fan, then maybe it is worth checking out.

4/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Triggs:

WEM really likes this one. It is a hand management game with a race to the finish. Super luck of the draw and I don't see much gameplay after the first. I just didn't take to it.

4.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Christmas Lights: A Card Game:

No real strategy in this card game. Trying to be like Hanabi, but failing. There is a revised efition, so I will see how that has changed the play.

4.5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

MOW:

Found onf BGA - Simple hand management card game to try and get rid of cards. Was entertaining for a play, but won't hold the interest long.

4.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Mada:

Super cute push-your-luck game. It will never be a go-to game, but it was enjoyable once.

5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Fancy Feathers:

Simple 2-player drafting set collection game. Nothing new here and super basic. Just not interesting.

5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Going, Going, GONE!:

Very chaotic bidding game. It was an okay experience, but not one to play again.

5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Fairy Tale Inn:

Family-friendly tile game to try and gain points. The characters all score differently just not enough variety in the box to make me want to keep playing.

5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Fairy Lights:

So stinking cute, but the push-your-luck aspect is fine and the card collection is fine. It works, just not exciting.

5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Battle Kittens:

I love the kitten artwork. I dont mind the simultaneous card play but the random card draw factor makes it too chatoic for my liking.

5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

District Noir:

Found on BGA - a set collection game of chicken. It works fairly well, but I is basic and forgettable.

5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Katas:

Arguably much better than I was told it would be. The use of tokens was interesting, and knowing when to take a card. Tricky, but not much going on to keep my interest for many plays.

5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Cloaked Cats:

Family-weight deduction game with cute cats. Nothing wrong with the game. It does what it's trying to do but it also a bit boring.

5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Harry Potter Loteria:

Basically Bingo but needing 4 in a row or corners. No strategy involved. It is targeting non-gamers and it is fine.

5/10 After 2 plays (Owned)

Hello Kitty and Friends Loteria:

Basically Bingo but needing 4 in a row or corners. No strategy involved. It is targeting non-gamers and it is fine. I like this version more because it has a more appropriate theme for what I think the gaming target audience should be.

5/10 After 2 plays (Owned)

Coralia:

Components are amazing but the gameplay is severly lacking. It works probably best for young families.

5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Winter:

Great for those abstract players who play 2-player. There is just one too many steps in this game for me to appreciate it a bit more.

5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Spots:

Cute use of dice to make the spots on the dogs, but otherwise simple push-your-luck dice rolling. Nothing new or exciting.

5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Raptor:

I get the appeal for this, but I hate the card play. Funny enough I usually like simultaneous card play, but not in this because the cost is too great if you dont get what you hope. More frustrating than fun, but I think a lot of the ideas are neat and could see trying again.

5.5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Tiwanaku:

Found on BGA - weird deduction game. Works better online so I am told. I am not sure of the staying power and I know better deduction games, but it was still solid.

5.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Open Sesame:

Terrible logo for the box cover. As far as gameplay, it is a memory game where the table sort of needs to cooperate to gain treasures. I though it was cute, but I also know it will never hit the table again since it takes a specific group to enjoy.

5.5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Overstocked:

Clearly, this game was designed by someone from my generation. Tamagochi & Ferbi toys! Not a bad card placement game but nothing to make it really standout in a very large field of smallbox cardgames with card placement.

6/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Cosmic Run: Rapid Fire:

Faster and better than the original Cosmic Run. I also like that it is designed for 2-players. Just works better, but there is dtill something holding me back from really enjoying it more. Maybe the take that? Maybe the lack of dice control? I just can't pinpoint it.

6/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Creature Feature:

I like the bluffing aspect in the game and trying to figure the other players out. I found it ran on too long, but I could easily play again.

6/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Gipsy King:

Very abstract, but there can be some interesting choices in when to srop for the current number in order to get better placment for the next number. Basic, but works. Might be too chaotic with more than 2 players.

6/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Maui:

I enjoyes this Next Move title more than Reef, but it is fairly relaxed and light. Not much room for clever play, but was enjoyable enough.

6/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Basilica:

Area control game for 2-players and it works very well. there is a lot of take-that since it is also abstract and has some actions that will directly affect your opponent. I think a lot of people will enjoy this but it will take the right pair. It does what it is trying to very well, just not totally my cup of tea.

6/10 After 1 play (Owned)

世界イセキ発見 (Discovery of World Ruins):

Weird deduction game. Nothing really all that interesting, but has some cute clipboards.

6/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Split:

Simple card game where you want to get rid of all your cards first. It provides some interesting choices and I would definitely give it another go, but could also be forgettable in the long run.

6.5/10 After 2 plays (Not Owned)

Silverwood Grove:

Many things to like about this game - a large number of characters, the way you take actions, the resource management. But there are some major issues too - there are some cards strictly better than others and abilities vary, the way limitations of workers. Many issues would have been worked out with enough development and playtesting.

6.5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Transmissions:

Super cute robots in this rondel game. The actions are easy and the flow is fine. Definitely forgettable in the long run, but was fine.

6.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Scientia:

A card game to find the best combos. There is no real randomness, so there will be a 'best' play in each game. I liked it and would play it again, but there are better games that do similar things.

6.5/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Planet B:

Very different kind of game with a unique voting system and action selection. Ran on a bit long, but it was still clever and I would like to give it another go to see if it keeps my interest.

6.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Into the Blue:

Simple push-your-luck dice game. Nice production and easy play. I wouldn't want to play with more than 3p though there would be too much downtime. Fine with 2p.

6.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Oak:

Played several times and each time I like this game slightly worse. Perhaps it is just too tight for my liking. The production is outstanding, I am just not as into the gameplay, though I would play again.

6.5/10 After 3 plays (Owned)

13 Words:

New party game. I liked this one since you really have to mind-meld with everyone. it is fun to see how people answer. I don't think it will replace any other party game, but it is still fun to play.

7/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

That Old Wallpaper:

Nice pattern game, but suffers with the actual patterns on the cards. It is hard to read what you have and what you need. Visually, it is not attractive. The gameplay works though and is enjoyable enough.

7/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Bubble Tea:

Super cute packaging and a cool shaker. A few games in the box and both are pattern-building. I like it, but I don't think will win ever be a go-to.

7/10 After 2 plays (Owned)

Combi-Nations:

Perhaps not a great tile-placement game, but it was interesting enough. I like the scoring system for different tiles. It works.

7/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Cóatl: The Card Game:

Really nice take on the base game Coatl. Plays out very quickly and offers some nice card play.

7/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Oh My Brain:

This is a simple card game that will provide some laughs. I am not into the zombie theme, but I still had a few fun plays so far. You can't take this one too seriously.

7/10 After 2 plays (Owned)

Helsinki:

I think this fires Copenhagen. Similar ideas, but with added mechanics that make it more interesting.

7/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

No Mercy:

A new take on Cheeky Monkey. I actually had a pretty great time playing this one, but the rest of the table didn't like it. It has a nice simple scoring mechanic.

7/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Super-Skill Pinball: Holiday Special:

Do you like pinball or these specific holiday films? This will be a fun one to add to the collection for the holiday season. I like the new tables.

7/10 After 2 plays (Owned)

Mountains of Madness:

Cooperative game to escape the mountain. The madness cards provide an entertaining gameplay since it is all about what everyone is doing around the table to try and communicate information. Worth playing for sure.

7/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Ecosystem:

Cute drafting card placement game. Lots of ways to score points. It is nothing new, but works.

7/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Exhibition: 20th Century:

Simple set collection game. Nothing fancy going on, but it is a neat puzzle to figure out and I enjoyed playing it.

7/10 After 1 play (Owned)

San Francisco:

A simple card game to collect cards for your city. It is quick and nice but perhaps doesn't hold enough interest for a lot of plays. Quite a large box for a quick game.

7/10 After 3 plays (Owned)

Fall of the Mountain King:

There are a lot of mechanics in this one, but it is a really interesting area control game with a unique card-placement mechanic that will provide actions. It's cool.

7/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Deal with the Devil:

Such a unique experience game. It won't be for everyone, but is definitely worth playing. Really cool trading mechanic. I don't like that it requires exactly 4 players, but I understand it.

7/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Canopy:

Really nice 2-player game. Nothing very different going on here but it works well and has a small footprint. Worth keeping and playing more.

7.5/10 After 2 plays (Owned)

Shake That City:

Simple tile-placement game with a gimmick machine to dispense cubes in a 3x3 grid. The gimmick is super cool and fun, I only wish it randomized the cubes a bit better. Fun game and one I would like to revisit.

7.5/10 After 3 plays (Owned)

Tribes of the Wind:

Beautiful game and a really interesting use of cards. Feels different and that means a lot these days.

7.5/10 After 2 plays (Not Owned)

Applejack:

New Uwe game that is a bit lighter. I love the drafting of tiles and the placement to form patterns and gain honey. It is a nice game and worthy of being in the collection if I can find a copy.

7.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Atiwa:

New Uwe game and I am here for it! Really enjoyed this one, but I do worry about the variety of strategies you can pursue in the game, might be samey after several plays, but I will definitely want to play this more.

7.5/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Revive:

A game with so many moving parts, but all comes together nicely. Engine-building and deck-building are always fun for me. Nice game!

8/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Woodcraft:

Wonderful game. You can't do everything but the action selection is really interesting. It is a crunchy game and I look forward to exploring it further.

8/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Game of the Month!

Mosaic: A Story of Civilization:

Easily one of the best games of the year! I have played it now 4 times and it is amazing. I love how streamlined it is and the use of a tag system on the cards. Everything makes sense and I want to play it more and more.

9/10 After 4 plays (Owned)

New to me Expansions!

Space Station Pheonix Prototype Expansion:

TOP SECRET

-/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

Picture Perfect: The Movie Star Expansion:

It is a nice addition. More characters and cards to change up the requirements for the guest's preferences. More content for Picture Perfect is always welcome!

8/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Picture Perfect: The Pickpocket Expansion:

Several modules to choose from and this was so much fun. I love the challenge of trying to get the thieves in place to steal the gems. It is a nice twist.

8/10 After 1 play (Owned)

Nidavellir: Idavoll:

Found on BGA - I really enjoyed this expansion! It is simple but add more cards and rounds. It is easier to include than the 1st expansion.

8/10 After 1 play (Not Owned)

The Tally

January: 40
February: 31
March: 40
April: 75
May: 41
June: 64
July: 42
August: 41
September: 44
October: 43
November: 66

Total new-to-me games for the year: 528!

Follow along this geeklist to see what tv shows and moves I have been watching:

Steph's Movie & TV Series List 2022!

Happy Gaming!!!

-Steph

If you like what you saw, please thumb!

All images in this post are copyrighted, owned, and controlled by Steph Hodge Photography, unless otherwise noted.
Please contact me if you would like to purchase or use my images in any way.
Disclaimer: I am a contract Employee of BGG. I often review games that are provided by the publisher. I am not compensated for my blog content.
Thank you.

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Mon Dec 5, 2022 1:54 pm

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