Monthly Recap: October

This month marked the long-awaited Essen Spiel! Ever since Berlin Con this summer, I’ve been eagerly counting down the days. The convention was, without a doubt, the highlight of the year! You can read more about my experience in my other post.  

As the weather turns colder, I’ve been spending more time indoors and getting back into my gaming routine. This month, I managed 22 plays in total, 10 of which were new-to-me games. Here’s the breakdown of those stats:

The 10 games that were new to me:

Power Vacuum: I had the chance to try this game at Essen with some friends, and the card play immediately reminded me of Hearts. It took me a while to figure out the strategy for deciding which tricks to win, but I eventually got the hang of it. The game is creative, and I’m glad a friend picked up a copy—now I’ll still have the chance to play it again.

Tic Tac Town: Somehow, I missed this game at Berlin Con, so I patiently waited to snag a copy at Essen. Have I mentioned how much I love dice games? Throw in some math and the chance to outwit my opponent, and I’m completely sold!

Piña Coladice: I love the cute cocktail pieces in this game! It plays quick and is super easy to teach.

 

Monkey Palace: I spotted a few pictures online before Essen and was excited to check it out in person at the convention. The massive display tower was truly impressive! Since picking it up, I’ve introduced the game to a few friends, and it’s been a hit with everyone. It plays quicker with more players, I personally prefer it as a two-player game.

Oh My Pigeons!: This game wasn’t on my radar before Essen, but after visiting their booth and receiving a personalized, hand-drawn pigeon card, I knew I had to pick up a copy. Winning a mini pigeon from their claw machine was easily one of the highlights of the entire convention!

Robot Quest Arena: I have a soft spot for this game. My brother was on his school’s battle bots team, and after years of binge-watching shows and cheering him on at competitions, I couldn’t resist picking this up when I saw the theme. I’ve since discovered that more content is on the way, and you can bet I’ll be collecting every bit of it!

Chock-A-Block: This is one of the newest games from Daryl Chow. I love small box games that deliver on strategy and really make you think.

Sushi Go! 10th Anniversary Edition: I’m no stranger to Sushi Go, but the Anniversary Edition deserves a special shoutout! My mom brought me a copy all the way from the US, and I couldn’t wait to open the box to see what set it apart from the original. The variety of new dessert cards are a fun addition.

Harmonies: I’ve been eagerly waiting to get my hands on this game after seeing it talked about online all year. Many are calling it one of the next great abstract games, and I have to admit—it’s addictive. It plays quickly and always leaves me wanting to play again, just to beat my previous score.

Speculaas: I picked up my copy on the last day of the convention. It had been on my wishlist, and I even got the chance to meet and chat with the designer, Danijel. I mentioned that I usually play with 2 players and asked if the game works well with a lower player count. He shared that he often plays with 2 players himself and designed the game to work well for that setup.

Here are the rest of the games I played in October: 

Now that Essen Spiel is officially behind us, it's time to enjoy all of the new games I've added to my collection!
Happy gaming!