Hey! That's My Fish!

The Basics

A short game in which players control a number of penguins. The penguins move over hex-shaped ice tiles with 1, 2 or 3 fish on them. The player takes the hex from where the penguin started his movement from the table, thereby creating a gap which other players can't cross. If a penguin can't move, he's taken from play. The player with the most fish in the end wins.

How to Play (I recommend Spielezeit or Mr. Bass)

• Spielezeit (Power Point)
• Mr. Bass (Web Overview - Very Good)
• GamesOverBoard (You Tube Video)
• Yucata (Web Rules)
• Your Turn My Turn (Web Rules)
• Game Pixies (PDF - Official Rulebook)
  

Where to Play Online (I recommend Yucata)

• Your Turn My Turn Turn Based (Free - Registration Required)
• Yucata Turn Based (Free - Registration Required)
• Game Pixies Turn Based (Free - Registration Required)
• Brett Spiel Welt Real Time (Free - Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Real Life Board Aide (Downloads a pdf)
• Cheapo Free Play (Downloads a pdf)
  

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread on the Geek
• My Tips: Coming Soon, not good enough for any tips. Maybe, don't forget you can jump multiple tiles.
  

Views

• Opinion: I really enjoy this game. This is an easy game to learn. I can teach it and go over it at lunch time, at the house or online.
• Online: Works fine online
• Work: Could be to long the first time, but should be fine after that for lunch time play.
• Home: Great game.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 2-5 players, best with 2.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy like it.
• Re-playability: This does see table and online action.
• Real Life Setup: A few minutes of tile placement and handing out pieces.
• Real Life Time/Length: Without the expansions 30-45 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8203
  

TransAmerica & TransEuropa

The Basics
A very simple railway game. Each player has a set of 5 cities strung across the US that need to be connected by rail. Players place either 1 or 2 rails each turn. The player who can make the best use of the other players' networks is generally victorious.

Both games play the same, only difference is the maps, rules are the same for both.

How to Play

• Spielezeit: (Power Point) for TransAmerica
• Board Games with Scott: (Video) for TransEuropa
• Board Game Geek: (Zipped Power Point, Classroom Style) for TransAmerica
• Cycloops: (Online Rules)
  
• Rio Grande Games: Official TransAmerica Rulebook (pdf)
  
• Rio Grande Games: Official TransEuropa Rulebook (pdf)
  

Where to Play Online (I recommend Cycloops, it has both)

• Cycloops (Free - Registration Required)
• Brett Spiele Welt (Free - Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• No Cheat Sheet is needed, the game is pretty straight forward and easy.
  
• Travel Version : - Cheapo Travel Version on the Geek.
  

Game Hints

• Strategy: A Thread on the Geek
• My Tips: Online, do the math before placing the piece, you cant pick up pieces afterwards.
  

Views

• Opinion: I really enjoy this game. One of the first Euro's Chuck and Lani showed me. A very gateway game to learn.
  
• Online: Works real well. I play multiple games a day.
• Work: We could probably play 2-3 games at lunch time.
• Home: Works well with kids, spouses non gamer family members.
  

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 2-6 players, best with 2-3.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn, might take two games to grasp the screw factor. Real Life expansion, makes it more cutthroat, and still keeps it fun.
  
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy likes it.
• Re-playability: Very high, unless you don't like any luck in your games.
  
• Real Life Setup: 5 minutes, shuffle cards, deal cards, select placement of first piece.
• Real Life Time/Length: Without the expansion 30-45 minutes.
• Link at the Geek: http://boardgamegeek.com/game/2842 (America)
  
• Link at the Geek: http://boardgamegeek.com/game/16267 (Europa)
  

Lost Cities

The Basics
Lost Cities is a two-player card game by Kosmos. The object is to mount profitable expeditions to one or more of the five different lost cities. Card play is quite straightforward, with a few agonizing moments sprinkled through what is mostly a fast-moving game. If you start a given expedition, you'd better make some progress in it, or it'll score you negative points. If you can make a lot of progress, you'll score quite well. After three rounds, the highest total score takes the day.

How to Play (with Scott or Mr. Bass)

• Board Games with Scott (Video)
• You Tube (Video)
  
• Mr. Bass (Web Guide)
• Flex Games (Online Rules)
  
• Your Turn My Turn (Online Rules)
  
• Rio Grande Games (Official Rulebook)

Where to Play Online (Flex Games at Work, YTMT at Home it has solo play)

• Flex Games (Real Time) (Free - Registration Required)
• Your Turn My Turn (Turn Based, or Solo) (Free - Registration Required)
• Brett Spiel Welt (Real Time) (Free - Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Teaching Aid (Downloads a Pdf)
• Score Pad (Downloads a Word doc)
• Score Pad (Downloads a Pdf)

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread on the Geek
• More Strategy: A Deeper Thread on the Geek
  
• My Tips: Focus on two to three colors. Typically focus on two, play one, while you build your hand on the other color.
  

Views

• Opinion: I enjoy this game. Plays quickly, lots of decisions. Do you focus on two or three colors, do you grab cards first, do you play cards. Not that deep, but just enough choices.
• Online: Works fine online and quick
  
• Work: Very easily could be played in 20-30 minutes at lunch time.
• Home: Great game for family, kids, or gamer. Most folks point to this as the gateway for a spouse game.
  

Other Info

• Plays best with: It is a two player game.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn, might take two games to grasp farmer scoring.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy like this a lot, she beat me in it.
• Re-playability: This has a high replay value. Two player game, that is easy to grasp and play.
  
• Real Life Setup: A few minutes, just shuffle the cards place the board and start.
• Real Life Time/Length: Depends on how many rounds, but easily under 30.
• Link at the Geek: http://boardgamegeek.com/game/50
  

Cartagena

The Basics
Cartagena takes as its theme the famous 1672 pirate-led jailbreak from the fortress of Cartagena. Each player has a group of six pirates and the objective is to have all six escape through the tortuous underground passage that connects the fortress to the port, where a sloop is waiting for them.

Each card bears one of six symbols (dagger, pirate hat, etc.), and you move a pirate forward by playing a card and moving ahead to the matching symbol in the tunnel, leapfrogging over those where another pirate already stands, but the only way to get more cards is to move backwards. This turns into a simple but smart game of patience and opportunity, well received by casual gamers.

How to Play

• Spielezeit (Power Point)
• You Play It (Online Rules)
  
• Rio Grand Games (Official Rulebook)

Where to Play Online (I recommend You Play It)

• You Play It (Free - Registration Required)
• Cartagena Online (Free - Registration Required)
• Brett Spiel Welt (Free - Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Teaching Aid (Downloads a Pdf)

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread on the Geek
  
• My Tips: Nothing wrong with sliding a piece back to collect more cards.

Views

• Opinion: I do enjoy this game. Light and very quick with 2-3 players.
• Online: Works fine online, if everyone is online goes by real quick.
• Work: Could play 2-3 games worth at lunch.
• Home: Could easily hit the table, a quick filler. Kids like the theme, others like the simplicity.
  

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 2-5 players, best with 2-3.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn, might take two games to grasp moving back.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy like the tile placement and spreading the board.
• Re-playability:This can see lots of action when you get into it.
• Real Life Setup: 2-5 minutes, placing tiles and sorting cards..
• Real Life Time/Length: 20 minutes.
• Link at the Geek: http://boardgamegeek.com/game/826

Ticket to Ride

The Basics
Description: With elegantly simple game play, Ticket to Ride can be learned in 3 minutes, while providing players with intense strategic and tactical decisions every turn.

"The rules are simple enough to write on a train ticket – each turn you either draw more cards, claim a route, or get additional Destination Tickets," says Ticket to Ride author, Alan R. Moon. "The tension comes from being forced to balance greed – adding more cards to your hand, and fear – losing a critical route to a competitor."

Goal: Players collect cards of various types of train cars they then use to claim railway routes in North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfill Destination Tickets – goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.

Game Components: Ticket to Ride continues in the tradition of Days of Wonder's big format board games featuring high-quality illustrations and components including: an oversize board map of North America, 225 custom-molded train cars, 144 illustrated cards, and wooden scoring markers.

How to Play

• Days of Wonder (Official Video)
• Spielezeit (Quick Power Point)
• Boardgames with Scott (Video)
  
• Mr Bass (Web Instructions)
• Days of Wonder (Rulebook)
  

Where to Play Online:

• Days Of Wonder (Free – Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets: (on the Geek)

• One Page Cheat Sheet (Downloads a pdf)
  
• Strategy Guide (Downloads a pdf)
  

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread 142743 at the Geek
  
• My Tips: At first, take fewer routes, save your cards, and build long routes.

Views

• Opinion: I really enjoy Ticket to Ride (all versions of it). I would even say it’s the king of all Gateway Games. It can easily be played at anytime, by anyone.
• Online: Works fine online
• Work: Should be fine after for lunch time play.
• Home: Great game, easy to play.

Other Info

• Plays best with: 4 players, but 3 and 5 are fine, but I like it best at 4.
  
• Gateway Suitability: None Gamers love the game pieces, and the easy to learn system.
• Spouse Suitability: Scared at first, but loves playing it. Compared it to Rummy.
• Re-playability: High Replay value. Easy to learn and play, leads to regular table action (or online action) for gamer and non-gamer.
  
• Real Life Setup: 2-5Minutes
• Real Life Time/Length: 45 Minutes (15 online)
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/9209
  

Settlers of Catan, The

The Basics
Description: You are a pioneer on the island of Catan, your goal is to grow your settlement by producing and trading resources like grain, ore, and wood. Expand your settlements with roads and cities and be the first player to earn 10 victory points and win the game. Random maps are created each time you play so each game provides a new and exciting challenge.

The goal is to be the first player to reach 10 points. Points are gained done by building towns, cities, roads, creating the longest road, or largest army.

How to Play

• Professor Easy (Interactive Video)
  
• Mr. Bass (Web Page)
  
• You Tube (Video)
  
• Online Rules: Still looking for online rulebook
  

Where to Play Online: (I recommend AsoBrain)

• AsoBrain (Free - Registration Required)
• Play Catan (Free - Registration Required)
• Brett Spiel Welt (Free - Registration Required)
• Other: You can also download it at Yahoo Games, MSN Games or XBox Live.

Cheat Sheets (From the Geek):

• Rules (Word Document)
• One Pager (Pdf)
• Good Stuff (pdf)
• War Version (Word Document)
  

My Tips: (Coming Soon)

Views

• Opinion: I really enjoy Catan (it hits the light to medium game). It is what gamers call an elegant game system. (more to come).
• Online: Very smooth play online.
  
• Work: Not much space is needed, can be played during lunch time.
  
• Home: I got so many copies, home, work, online.
  

Other Info

• Plays best with: 3-4 players, 5-6 player expansion slows down the game way to much for me.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn and play. This is what got me hooked into boardgames.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy liked it, compared it to Monopoly.
• Re-playability: With a modular board, and easy play, the game has high replay value.
• Real Life Setup: 5 to 10 minutes
• Real Life Time/Length: 30-45 Minutes
• Geek Link: http://boardgamegeek.com/game/13