Dear game lovers,

 

The new top 50 has been put online.

The game database, which I maintain since mid 2002, contains 3319 games.   

A game can only be taken into account if it has at least 3 ratings. The ratings come from the following 26 internet sources:

 

* Internet Top 100

* Board Game Geek (USA)

* Spielphase, Siegpunkt, Ausgepackt, Holgs Spieleteufel, Games we Play, Spielbox, Spieletreff, Hall9000,
Spielonaut, Westpark, Michas Spiel, Spiele-Truhe, Boardgame (GER)

* Spieletest (AUS)

* Spellengek & Spel a/d Maas, Hieke's Anderspel (NL)

* Jeux2Rody, Ludo le Gars, Ludigaume, Moissy Cramayel (FRA)
* La Tana dei Goblin (ITA)

* Vlaams Spellenarchief, Speelduivel, My personal ratings  (BEL)

 

This amounts to exactly 1600 games with 3 or more ratings.

 San Juan is on the way back: it dropped out the top 5 (from position 5 to 6): the 5th place is now for

Die Siedler von Catan: Die Städte und Ritter (Steden en Ridders)

 

One new game in the top 50: Ursuppe, a game for 3-4 players from Doris&Frank.

Two re-entries: Age of steam and Machiavelli: Die Dunklen Lande.
 

31. Urland: Amoeba survival for 3-4 players


The top 50:

 

1 (1) Puerto Rico (Alea)

2 (2) Eufraat en Tigris (Hans im Glück)

3 (3) Die Fürsten von Florenz (Alea)

4 (4) Yinsh (Don & Co)

5 (7) Die Siedler von Catan: Die Städte und Ritter /Steden en Ridders (Kosmos)

6 (5) San Juan/ Puerto Rico Kartenspiel (Alea)

7 (6) El Grande (Hans im Glück)

8 (8) Die Siedler von Catan(Kosmos)

9 (11) Der Herr der Ringe: Der Ringkrieg/ War of the Ring (Phalanx Games, Fantasy Flight Games)

10 (13) Die Siedler von Catan: Kartenspiel (Kosmos)

11 (10) Torres (FX Games/ Ravensburger)

12 (9) Medina (Hans im Glück)

13 (12) Java (Ravensburger)

14 (18) Keythedral (R & D-Games, Pro Ludo)

15 (15) Louis XIV - Ränkespiele am Hofe des Sonnenkönigs (Alea)

16 (14) Funkenschlag/ Power Grid (2F- Spiele)

17 (16)  Goa (Hans im Glück)

18 (20) Blokus (Sekkoia)

19 (17) Rush Hour (Binary Arts)

20 (19) Magic the Gathering/ Magic die Zusammenkunft (Amigo/ WOTC)

21 (23) Macchiavelli/ Ohne Furcht und Adel (Hans Im Glück)

22 (21) Löwenherz (Goldsieber/ Kosmos)

23 (24) Raja: Palastbau in Indien/ Maharadja (Phalanx Games)

24 (22) Die Siedler von Catan: Die Seefahrer (Kosmos)

25 (28) Serenissima /Méditerranée (Descartes)

26 (25) Die Händler von Genua (Alea)

27 (29) Go (3M, Ishi, ...)

28 (37) Schatten über Camelot/ Shadows over Camelot/ Les Chevaliers de la Table Ronde (Days of Wonder)

29 (26) Tikal (Ravensburger)

30 (31) Santiago (Amigo)

31 (N) Ursuppe (Doris & Frank)

32 (45) Sankt Petersburg (Hans im Glück)

33 (43) Die Macher (Hans im Glück, Moskito)

34 (32) Middle Earth: the Wizards (Iron Crown Enterprises/ Queen Games)

35 (27) Tadsch Mahal (Alea)

36 (30) Roads and Boats (Splotter Spellen)

37 (33) Carcassonne (Hans im Glück)

38 (34) Einfach Genial/ Genius (Kosmos)

39 (2N) Age of Steam (Warfrog/Winsome Games)

40 (36) Junta (Descartes, West End Games)

41 (2N) Machiavelli: Die Dunklen Lande (Hans im Glück)
42 (35)  Rumis (Murmel)

43 (42) Das Zepter von Zavandor (Lookout Games)

44 (38) Lauras Sternenspiel (Amigo)

45 (39) La Citta (Kosmos)

46 (40) Obstgärtchen/ Boomgaardje (Haba)

47 (41) Die Werwölfe von Düsterwald/ De weerwolven van Wakkerdam (Asmodée/ 999 Games)

48 (47) Diplomacy (Jumbo, Avalon Hill)

49 (46) Civilization (Avalon Hill)

50 (48) Dvonn (Don & Co/ Rio Grande Games)

 

(N: new entry, 2N: re-entry)

 

 

Dropped out of the top 50:

 

51 (44) Himalaya/ Marchands d'Empire/ Merchants of the Empire (Hexagames, Tilsit Editions)

52 (49) Sternenschiff Catan (Kosmos)

53 (50) Die Siedler von Catan: Das Buch zum spielen (Kosmos)

 

 

Extra 1: Best games of 2005

 

One of the best games this year is Schatten über Camelot, also positioned in the top 50:

 

Schatten über Camelot: one of the best games of 2005

 

But there other good games...

Underneath, a list of the 15 best games produced in 2005 -although 2005 is still not over yet :-)

It can maybe help you to buy good games on the game fare in Essen (October, 13th - 16th)

 

28. Schatten über Camelot/ Shadows over Camelot (Days of Wonder, 3-7 players)
79. Ticket to Ride Europe (Days of Wonder, 2-5 players)
145. Ubongo/ Expedition Pyramide (Kosmos, University Games, 2-4 players)
157. Carcassonne: Burgfräulein & Drache/ De Draak, de Fee en de Jonkvrouw (Hans im Glück, 2-6 players)
242. Alhambra: Die stunde der Diebe (3) (Queen Games, 2-6 players)
297. Manila/ Manilla (Zoch Verlag, 3-5 players)
300. China (Abacus, 3-5 players)
307. Australia (Ravensburger, 2-5 players)
337. Fiese Freunde Fette Feten/ Foute Vrienden Vette Feesten (2F-Spiele, 2-6 players)
356. Revolte in Rom (Queen Games, 2 players)
396. Turbo Taxi (Queen Games, 2-4 players)
458. San Ta Si (Zoch Verlag, 2 players)
521. Heckmeck am Bratwurmeck/ Pickomino (Zoch Verlag, 2-7 players)
579. Sag's mit Symbolen (Amigo, 3-6 players)
617. Der Turmbau zu Babel/ Tower of Babel (Hans im Glück, 2-5 players)

 

 

Extra 2: Best new games compared to last mailing:

 

The best new games this month are 2 children games: Akaba (Haba) and Mago Magina (Selecta).

 

57. Akaba: Try to collect all the presents by means of a flying carpet.

 

88. Mago Magino: Help Wizard Mago Magino: his chrystals are stolen by the Evil witch...

 

1. Akaba (Haba, 2004) new on position 57

2. Mago Magino (Selecta, 2004) new on position 88

3. Betrayal at House on the hill (Avalon Hill, 2004) new on position 104

4. Haithabu/ Dschungel (Hexagames, 1990) new on position 272

5. 7 Ages (Australian Design Group, 2004) new on position 274

6. Empires of the Ancient World (Warfrog, 2000) new on position 313

7. Fiese Freunde Fette Feten/ Foute Vrienden Vette Feesten  (2F-Spiele, 2005) new on position 337

8. Tahuantinsuyu (Hangman Games, 2004) new on position 355

9. Revolte in Rom (Queen Games, 2005) new on position 356

10. Feudo (Zugames, 2004) new on position 384