Yspahan

The Basics
Description: 1598. Yspahan the fair becomes the capital of the Persian empire. Thus, being placed at the center of the world, the city enjoys a period of cultural and economic blossoming. The cities and villages of the region intend to take advantage of this expansion. Caravans loaded with goods and jewels set out for the desert, bearing the promises of a radiant future...

The players embody merchants trading with Yspahan. Meaning to take advantage of the coming of the Shah’s supervisor, they score points by placing their merchandise in the right shops, by sending them to the caravan, and by constructing buildings.

How to Play

• Boardgames With Scott (Video)
• Ystari (Official Demo)
• Ystari (Official Rulebook)

Where to Play Online (I like live over PC, but the PC version is good)

• Westpark Gamers (Free Download)
  

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Quick Reference (Downloads a Word doc)
  
• Teaching Aid (Downloads a Power Point)

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread on the Geek
• Basic PC Strategy: Thread on the Geek
• My Tips: Coming Soon

Views

• Opinion: After Bob showed me how to play, I have enjoyed this game. Easy to play, some so-so choices.
  
• Online: Works fine online
• Work: Could be to long the first time, but should be fine after that for lunch time play.
• Home: Good family game, but would not be a first choice.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 2-4 players, best with 3 or 4.
• Gateway Suitability: Not a gateway game, but easy to learn.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy has not played the game yet.
• Re-playability: Ok replay value, not high for me.
• Real Life Setup: A few minutes of sorting pieces and cubes.
• Real Life Time/Length: Without the expansions 60-75 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/22345

Puerto Rico

The Basics
Description: The players are plantation owners in Puerto Rico in the days when ships had sails. Growing up to five different kind of crops: Corn, Indigo, Coffee, Sugar and Tobacco, they must try to run their business more efficiently than their close competitors; growing crops and storing them efficiently, developing San Juan with useful buildings, deploying their colonists to best effect, selling crops at the right time, and most importantly, shipping their goods back to Europe for maximum benefit.

A novel game system lets players choose the order of the phases in each turn by allowing each player to choose a role from those remaining when it is their turn. No role can be selected twice in the same round. The player who selects the best roles to advance their position during the game will win.

How to Play

• Preemminent (BSW Demo)
• Boardgames With Scott (Video)
  
• Geek (Audio Rules)
  
• Rio Grande Games (Official Rulebook)
• Geek (Tutorial)
  

Where to Play Online (I play Phial, or the Eagle Games version which you pay 7.50 for as of June 2008)

• PR Game (Free - Registration Required)
• Phial (Free - Curl Downloaded)
• Mark Blanco (Free - Windows Download)
• Tony Mitton (Free - Excel Download)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• New Player One Page (Downloads a Word doc)
• Welcome to Puerto Rico (Downloads a Word doc)
  
• Teaching Aid (Downloads a Word doc)
• Turn by Turn Guide (Thread on the Geek)
• Flowchart (Downloads a pdf)
  

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Compilation Thread on the Geek
• Beginner Strategy: Zipped file from The Geek
• Another Strategy Guide for Beginners: Thread on the Geek
  
• My Tips: Read the Warehouse Article

Views

• Opinion: I enjoy this game more on the PC, than in person. A lot quicker, and if you lose you can play another.
  
• Online: Works fine online, if not better.
  
• Work: Could be to long, might work on a long lunch or lunch/break combo.
• Home: Great game to play, but not a family game, unless everyone is into it.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 3-5 players, best with 4.
• Gateway Suitability: Takes two games to get it, unless you read the guides and have a good teacher. Not a gateway game, maybe a gateway into serious gaming.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy hasn't played, but has watched.
  
• Re-playability: Very very high if you get into it.
• Real Life Setup: 5 minutes, less if you bag the parts post game.
• Real Life Time/Length: Without the expansion 60-90 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3076

Masons

The Basics
Description: One thing is certain: in the middle ages, the best living was to be found behind the protection of nice thick castle walls and towers. But once they're standing, you can take you time building houses and palaces behind them. And if that goes especially well, the castles grow and merge with each other. To accomplish that, you only need some tactical skill and the right cards.

But watch out: You need to sense when the best time to play your cards is in order to score the most points. Masons (Mauerbauer), a tense castle-building game about points and palaces.

How to Play

• Board Games with Scott (Video)
  
• Rio Grande Games (Official Rulebook)
• Yucata (Online Rules)
  

Where to Play Online

• Yucata (Free - Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Player Aid (Downloads a Pdf)
• Player Aid (Downloads a Pdf)
  
• Scoring Cheat Sheet (Downloads a Word Doc)

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread at the Geek
• My Tips: Coming Soon (Basic info on Rio Grande Site)
  

Views

• Opinion: Played it when it first came out at the Gathering. I really enjoyed at that time. Got bored of it, then online play got me back into it, and into purchasing it.
  
• Online: Works fine online.
• Work: Could be to long the first time, but should be fine after that for lunch time play.
• Home: Ok, better choices available.
  

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 2-4 players, best with 3.
• Gateway Suitability: Not that hard to learn, might take two games to grasp scoring and and card play.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy hasn't played it yet.
• Re-playability: At this time, I would say low after the newness factor goes away.
• Real Life Setup: Five plus minutes of separating pieces.
• Real Life Time/Length: Without the expansions 45 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/21791

Vegas Showdown

The Basics
Description: Build your own hotel/casino by bidding against the other players to acquire tiles that represent slot machines, lounges, restaurants, and other casino-related places. Put those tiles on your player board, which represents your own customized casino. The tiles will allow you to increase your revenue, services, and fame.

The player who builds the most famous hotel/casino wins the game.

How to Play

• Wizards (Official Demo)
• Board Games with Scott (Video)
• Wizards (Rulebook)
  

Where to Play Online

• Gleemax (Free - Registration Required)
  

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Player Aid (Downloads a Pdf)

Game Hints

• Strategy: Thread on the Geek
  
• Strategy: Thread on the Geek
  
• My Tips: Coming Soon

Views

• Opinion: So far I like this game.
• 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, but better options available.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 3-5 players, best with 5.
• Gateway Suitability: Not sure yet.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy hasn't played it yet.
• Re-playability: Not sure yet.
• Real Life Setup: A few minutes.
• Real Life Time/Length: 60-75 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15364

Santiago

The Basics
Description: This game is about cultivating and watering fields. To accomplish this, a number of tiles denoting various plantation types come into the game each round. The tiles are auctioned off such that each player gets one, and the tiles are then placed onto the game board along with an ownership marker that also indicates how plentiful the tile’s yield will be. Whoever bid the lowest in each round gets to be the canal overseer and decides where a canal will be built that round. The other players may make suggestions to help the canal overseer decide, and back up their suggestions with money. The final decision is always wholly up to the overseer, though.

At the end of each round, players determine what the water supply situation looks like. Should a plantation not be sufficiently watered, its production drops dramatically; should it happen more than once, then that plantation may revert to fallow ground. At game’s end, naturally only the cultivated land counts. Each plantation is counted according to type – the bigger the better. But since the ownership markers play a role as well, the same plantation can give drastically different points for different players.
Goal

How to Play

• Board Games with Scott (Video)
• Spiel by Web (Online Rules)
• Amigo (Official Rulebook in pdf)
• Z-Man Games (Official Rulebook in pdf)
  

Where to Play Online

• Spiel by Web (Free - Registration Required)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Player Aid (Downloads a pdf)
• Teaching Aid (Downloads a pdf)

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Thread on the Geek
  
• My Tips: Read the Thread
  

Views

• Opinion: I really enjoy this game. I like it more live, than online. The game is constantly moving live.
  
• Online: Works fine, a little slow if everyone isn't online.
• Work: First game could go over an hour of lunch time.
• Home: Great for gamers, ok for others. Still pretty easy to pickup.
  

Other Info

• Plays best with: Best with 5 (ok with 3-4).
  
• Gateway Suitability: S0-s0, might take a few games to grasp everything.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy didn't care for this.
• Re-playability: Online it will be pretty high, as its a turn based game.
• Real Life Setup: A few minutes, just organizing the pieces..
• Real Life Time/Length: 45-65 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8125
  

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