We play a lot of games here at Meeple Mountain. Some of them are brand new, not even on shelves yet, and some of them are classics. But no matter who's playing, or what, we all have our favorites. Here's a list of the best games we played this year, including a few games that might surprise you…and no, they're not all from 2023!

Root

Andy Matthews

Last year I joined a gaming group which skewed towards heavier games. This allowed me to indulge myself with games I might not normally play with my other groups…games like Root. This is a “battle royale”, set in a forest, where the players are cute and fuzzy creatures like birds, cats, mice, rabbits, and raccoons. And Leder Games has added many more factions like otters, badgers, moles, rats, and even lizards.

You might say 2023 was the year I went all in on Root. Thanks to a great group and amazing and varied games, I decided to pick up all the expansions. Root is such a satisfying challenge because no two gaming sessions are ever quite the same. While everyone plays within the same basic framework, each faction has their own unique play style and win conditions. This rewards people who play Root more often.…

The post The Best Games We Played in 2023 appeared first on Meeple Mountain.

Disaster Strikes

Space – the last frontier. All is quiet, all is calm. The placid stars twinkle at you as you cruise the friendly void.

And suddenly, explosions rock the ship. Blaster-wielding intruders teleport aboard. Enemy fighters swoop in from every direction. Irrational fear grips your comrades. What? Why? How? It doesn't matter!

Because worst of all, the Captain falls over dead (Incinerated, decapitated, perforated, poisoned . . . it’s really up to your imagination).

[caption id="attachment_292174" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Intruders in the Computer Core! Should the Chief Engineer leave her station to deal with the threat? Can the Tactical Officer leave the Bridge for a turn to handle this? What about the Science Officer? What’s he doing that’s so important?[/caption]

Pulling it all together

In the aftermath of this cataclysmic and apocalyptic prelude, only your motley crew remains. There’s only one way out of this pickle. Head into Engineering, repair the Jump Core and then get out of the neighbourhood! Alas, disaster has taken delight in leaving you with a most unlikely band of survivors. How will the Janitor, the Diplomat and The Scholar come together to fend off intruders, shoot down attacking ships and fix the Jump Core? Which of these challenges will you tackle first? Can any of them…

The post The Captain is Dead Game Review appeared first on Meeple Mountain.

Blitzkrieg touts itself as a game that lets you simulate World War 2 in 20 minutes. In my family’s experiences the latter game is certainly true. In fact, most of our games are often concluded in under 15 minutes.

But let’s not kid ourselves here by thinking that a conflict as epic as World War 2 can be compressed into such a tiny box. If you are looking for something that lets you push a ton of plastics or counters across a world map, then you are better off playing something like Axis & Allies or any one of the hundreds of grittier war simulations out there.

[caption id="attachment_291774" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Almost comic-book in appearance, Blitzkrieg involves drawing counters from a bag and placing them on different spot around the world. In the Pacific Ocean, Allies and Axis powers are locked in a battle for naval supremacy with the latter in the lead.[/caption]

Blitzkrieg doesn’t pretend to be any of those bigger games. Rather, if you are looking for a game that plays like a tabletop trailer of World War 2 in under half an hour, then this game is certainly one to consider.

What’s in the Box

The board is compact and functional. The symbology is easy enough to grasp…

The post Blitzkrieg!: World War Two in 20 Minutes Game Review appeared first on Meeple Mountain.