The Game Report Game Store

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Editor's Choice
The following games are particularly recommended by the editor of The Game Report

	Spin-4-It: Not a game, but a super-cool gaming accessory.  This solid metal, 2.25" finger spins like a dervish, thanks to the superbly balanced protrusion on its underside.  It really must be seen to be believed.  Perfect for deciding who plays first, who picks up the tab, etc. A great gift for the gamer who has everything-- give 'em the finger!  Available only at TGROnline.
	Time's Up! (R&R Games) Outstanding party game in which teams guess famous names in three successively more restrictive rounds, culminating in the hilarious final round in which no verbal clues are allowed. Developed by TGR editor Peter Sarrett.
	Puerto Rico (Rio Grande) Unquestionably the most captivating game of the past couple of years, Puerto Rico has players managing plantations and constructing buildings to earn victory points.  On each turn players choose a job which all players then get to use, but which the chooser uses at a slight advantage.  Which jobs get chosen and in what order has an enormous impact.  Buildings offer special benefits and are in limited supply.  Timing is everything in this fabulous game.
	Carcassonne (Rio Grande) Addictive, fast tile-laying game in which players build a medieval map and strategically place their followers.  Points are earned by completing castles, roads, cloisters, and farms under a player's control.
	Apples to Apples (Out of the Box) Hilarious party game in which players must slap down nouns from their hand (Elvis Presley, charging rhinos, New Orleans) which they think the judge will decide is the best match for a given adjective (provocative, dirty, intelligent). The justifications and juxtapositions are what make this game a hit.
	Tigris & Euphrates (Mayfair) [TGR review] Knizia masterpiece, the first of his "tile-laying trilogy", in which players try to score as evenly as possile across four different aspects of ancient civilization. Brilliant. One of the editor's two favorite games.
	Through the Desert (Fantasy Flight) [TGR review] Knizia at his finest in the 2nd game of his "tile-laying trilogy". Players build caravans across the desert, scoring points for length, enclosed area, captured watering holes and connected oases. All you do each turn is add two camels to the board-- but which two? Agonizing choices, multiple strategies and tactics, and brisk pace (a game lasts less than 45 minutes) make this one of the editor's two favorite games.
	Mu & Mehr (Amigo) [TGR review] Mu is a trick-taking game with a custom deck featuring gorgeous artwork by Doris Matthaus. Mu has all the fun and intrigue of Bridge without those pesky bidding conventions. Includes rules for half a dozen other very good games to play with the same deck. Our favorite card game.
	Lost Cities (Rio Grande Games) [TGR review] Reiner Knizia's super 2-player card game. Easy to learn and highly addictive. Recommended.

Recent Releases
The following recent releases may be of interest to TGR readers.

	Saint Petersburg (Rio Grande) The winner of the 2004 International Gamers Award and the Deutsch Spiele Preis, Saint Petersburg is a fast-moving, addictive card-drafting game that plays equally well with two, three, or four players.
	Power Grid (Rio Grande) The streamlined version of Funkenschlag marries network creation with a competitive commodities market and power plant auctions.  Players construct a power grid and acquire the equipment needed to operate it, vying to power the most cities when someone's network reaches a critical size.
	HeroScape (Hasbro) Tons of "painted" plastic miniatures including a giant winged dragon, a modular board composed of dozens of plastic tiles, a simple and fun combat system, special abilities for all the characters, and both basic and advanced rule sets... what's not to like?  A perfect rainy day recreation.
	Attika (Rio Grande)  Players oversee the construction of their city-state, trying to lock up the best land for themselves while preventing their opponents from linking up shrines with their tiles.  Highly tactical and particularly good for two players, but also compelling with three or four.
	Goa (Rio Grande) Players try to master the spice trade and establish colonies, advancing their strength in five different strategic areas while competing for vital resources and abilities at auction.
	Yinsh (Rio Grande)  The latest installment in the superior Gipf series of two-player abstract strategy games, with sumptuous components and quick, engrossing gameplay.
	Goldbrau (Rio Grande) Expand beer gardens, vie for control of breweries, and keep the lager flowing.
	Betrayal at the House on the Hill (Hasbro / Avalon Hill) Up to six players explore a haunted old mansion, gradually unlocking its deadly secrets until one player reveals themselves as a traitor.  Then, in one of fifty possible scenarios, good must triumph over evil to prevent the traitor from claiming victory.  Play it by candlelight.
	San Juan (Rio Grande) Much of the feel of the stellar Puerto Rico packed into a portable, fast-moving card game.
	Memoir '44 (Days of Wonder) The highly-regarded Battle Cry system jumps forward to World War II, letting players reenact the key battles in Western Europe circa 1944.

Spiel des Jahres winners
The following games have won the German Game of the Year award

	1979: Hase und Igel (Hare and Hedgehog, aka Hare and Tortoise) (Ravensburger) Don't let the theme fool you-- this isn't a kid's game. The clever, classic racing system rewards slow, steady progress as well as hanging back and then making a big push. Which will you choose?
	1980: Rummikub (Pressman) Rummy meets Mah Jongg in this game of runs and melds using marvelously tactile tiles.
	1981: Focus (aka Domination) (Frankh-Kosmos) Abstract stacking game from master designer Sid Sackson.
	1982: Sagaland (aka Enchanted Forest) (Ravensburger) Family game in which players peek at objects hidden beneath trees, racing to the castle when they know the location of the current quest object.
	1983: Scotland Yard (Ravensburger) One player takes the role of Mr. X, scrambling to evade the dragnet of the other players' detectives in a secretive chase through London.
	1984: Dampfross (aka Railway Rivals) (Schmidt / Laurin / Games Workshop) In phase one, each player builds a railroad network across one of the 2-4 maps that come with the game (depending on the edition). In phase two, players use their networks to race between cities. Similar to Mayfair's nRails series, but fun!
	1985: Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective (Sleuth Publications) Marvelously elaborate mystery game playable solitaire or with a team. Interview suspects, pore through phone directories and newspaper articles, examine evidence and catch the crook in this paragraph-based system which is low on player interaction but high on detail and mood. A must for mystery fans.
	1986: Heimlich & Co. (aka Under Cover) (Ravensburger) Light bluffing game of bunching and spreading as you try to maneuver your secret agent into scoring position without letting on which agent is yours.
	1987: Auf Achse (FX Schmid) Keep on truckin' as you haul your semi's cargo across the map, fulfilling contracts and pocketing the cash.
	1988: Barbarossa (Kosmos) Create a pair of sculptures from modeling clay, then try to guess what other players' sculptures represent. Help comes in the form of yes-or-no questions and free letters, and a system that penalizes sculptors whose work is too hard or easy. Excellent.
	1989: Cafe International (Mattel) Simple game of seating patrons in a restaurant according to nationality.
	1990: Adel Verpflichtet (aka Bt Hook or by Crook) (FX Schmid / Avalon Hill) Purchase art at the auctionhouse or steal it from opponents, then show off your collection to your rich peers for prestige and points. The game gets surprisingly good mileage from a rock-paper-scissors mechanic, producing a fun game of bluff and doublethink.
	1991: Drunter & Druber (Hans im Glück) It's competitive urban planning by committee as players try to steer aqueducts and roads away from their own buildings while using them to demolish those of their opponents.
	1992: Um Reifenbreite (aka Homas Tour) (Jumbo) Race your team of cyclists to the finish. Try to capture the yellow jersey and be careful of falling on the treacherous hills.
	1993: Call My Bluff (aka Liar's Dice) (FX Schmid / Milton Bradley) Raucous game of probabilities and bluffing. Bid on how many hidden dice are showing a certain value, or challenge the bid of an opponent. Lose a challenge, lose some dice. Last one with dice left wins. A must-have classic.
	1994: Manhattan (Mayfair Games) Build skyscrapers in cities around the world, capping off opponent's pieces with your own in a Freudian struggle for control of the biggest phallic symbol.
	1995: The Settlers of Catan (Mayfair Games) Trade resources with opponents in a race to build up your civilization the fastest. Each game occurs on a randomly generated board for new strategic challenges every time. More than just a game, Settlers is a phenomenon with millions of units sold to date.
	1996: El Grande (Rio Grande Games) Control regions of Spain though deployment of caballeros and usage of special action cards. Lots of clever interlocking systems make this a top-notch gamer's game-- and it still plays in about 90 minutes.
	1997: Mississippi Queen (Goldsieber) Race your steamboat along the unpredictable Mississippi, minding your speed and your coal. An opposing boat in your way? Ram it!
	1998: Elfenland (Amigo) Conquer the traveling salesman problem from Hell as you attempt to guide your elf though as many towns as possible. Some wonderful game systems and artwork. Gamers will want to pick up the Elfengold expansion.
	1999: Tikal (Ravensburger) This rich game about exploring Mayan ruins is the best game to bear the Ravensburger label in years. Wonderful components, innovative gameplay and tough choices make Tikal a winner.
	2000: Torres (Rio Grande) [TGR review] Build castles and move your knights to their tallest towers to score big points. Players must budget their actions wisely each turn, as there are never enough to accomplish all your goals. Great bits and marvelous use of the third dimension in gameplay.
	2001: Carcassonne (Rio Grande) Addictive, fast tile-laying game in which players build a medieval map and strategically place their followers.  Points are earned by completing castles, roads, cloisters, and farms under a player's control.
	2002: Villa Paletti (Zoch) Colorful dexterity game in which players build a tower of increasingly smaller platforms by removing support columns from lower levels and moving them to the top.
	2003: Alhambra (Queen) Colorful dexterity game in which players build a tower of increasingly smaller platforms by removing support columns from lower levels and moving them to the top.
	2004: Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder) Colorful dexterity game in which players build a tower of increasingly smaller platforms by removing support columns from lower levels and moving them to the top.