The boardGOATS love a good party, so once again, they met just before Christmas for their annual Un-Christmas Dinner and to decide the winners of the GOAT Awards.  After food, crackers and writing GOAT Christmas Cards, the group voted for two awards:  the Golden GOAT for our favourite game played during the year and the “GOAT Poo” award for our least favourite.  Everyone had the usual three points to hand out for the Golden GOAT Award (plus a bonus if wearing Festive Attire), though a maximum of two points could be given to any individual game.  Everyone could also nominate up to two individual games for the GOAT Poo Prize.

– Image by boardGOATS

This year, there were a handful of games that received the unofficial “Marmite Award”, that is to say they received nominations for both the Golden GOAT and the GOAT Poo prizes.  These included Challengers!, Kites and SCOUT.  For the GOAT Poo Prize itself, this year there were no outstanding candidates, with a tie between 2019 winner 7 Wonders and Dice Hospital, with two votes each.  Nominations for “Moment of the Year included the game of Challengers!, which was likened to “Speed Dating”, and the massacre in Survive: Escape from Atlantis!, but the winner was the three way tie in the epic game of Tapestry with the Fantasies & Futures expansion.

– Image by boardGOATS

And finally, there was the Golden GOAT Award for the best game played in the year.  Previous winners including Wingspan and 6 Nimmt! were ruled out, but there were plenty of options remaining. Earth, Fantastic Factories, SCOUT and Zoo Break all received three votes, but the clear winner was Tapestry.  Over the years, we’ve played this quite a bit, but it is a game that doesn’t suit a significant number of the group.  This year, however, with a slight shift in those eligible to vote, heavier games were in with a better chance and Tapestry was the beneficiary.  We will have to make sure it gets another outing in the new year.

– Image by boardGOATS