Tag Archives: Lord of the Rings

Boardgames in the News: Games on Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 often has short articles on games and from occasionally has longer programs that are dedicated to games or playing. Recent examples include the “Why we Play” series and an episode of “Start the Week” discussing Videogames. There has also been an episode of the magazine program “All Consuming“, dedicated to board games. This is presented by Charlotte Stavrou and Amit Katwala and discusses everything from the Ancient Egyptian game of Senet to more recent classics like Azul, Monopoly and The Settlers of Catan.

– Image by boardGOATS

During the program, there are interviews with Dan Jolin, co-founder of the magazine, Senet and the World Monopoly Champion, Nicolo Falcone; there is also a visit to the Orc’s Nest in Covent Garden. Traditional and historical games like Mancala, Chess, The Game of the Goose, Snakes and Ladders and Backgammon are discussed at length together with their history. Moving on to more modern games, Articulate!, Splendor, Ticket to Ride, and Pandemic all get a mention. The presenter, Amit Katwala also visits the hugely prolific designer Reiner Knizia in his office in Munich where he keeps a library of all his games including The Quest for El Dorado, Samurai, Lost Cities, Gold Rush, and Lord of the Rings. There, they discuss how “critical mass” is important for success—reaching enough people is the key Dr. Knizia explains, and is why games like Go and Chess are so popular.

– Image from bbc.co.uk

Last week there was also an episode of the comedic science program, “The Infinite Monkey Cage” with presenters Brian Cox and Robin Ince featuring Marcus de Sautoy from the Maths Department in Oxford, games designer Dave Neale and comedienne Jessica Fostekew. This begins with an introduction about playing Cluedo, moving on to a discussion about the definition of a game—something the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein apparently struggled with. One possible definition discussed is that playing a game is a voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles. From there, conversation progresses to how people often refuse to play with those who are perceived as being good at playing games; Marcus de Sautoy explaining the maths behind his strategy for winning at Monopoly, and why Snakes and Ladders is so popular.

– Image by boardGOATS

There is also a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors (which makes interesting radio) with discussion about the World Championships, how to win and the fact that it isn’t as random as one might think. There is a lot of discussion about modern Euro games as well as more traditional games and historical games, with Senet, The Mind, Cheat, Escape from Colditz, Rummikub, Royal Game of Ur, Scrabble and some of those mentioned above amongst those featuring. The discussion touches on John Nash and Game Theory, the Prisoner’s Dilemma, The Ultimatum Game and the Golden Ratio. For those who are interested in board games and gaming, this episode of The Infinite Monkey Cage is well worth a listen and both it and the episode of All Consuming are currently available on BBC Sounds.

– Image from bbc.co.uk

Spiel des Jahres Winners – 2024

This afternoon, the 2024 Spiel des Jahres (German Game of the Year) winner was announced as the cooperative two-player game, Sky Team. In this game, the players are the pilot and co-pilot at the controls of an airliner working together as a team to land the airplane in different airports around the world. Cooperative games can operate in different ways, but this is a limited communication game that runs over a fixed number of turns as the plane descends. Before the descent, the pilot and copilot discuss the strategy. Once the players have agreed their plan, they are on their own until the end of the turn, throwing their own dice and carrying out their own actions.

– Image by BGG contributor JuiceNeutron

There has been some precedent for cooperative games over the years, with Hanabi, Paleo and last year’s winner Dorfromantic, receiving prizes as well as Pandemic Legacy: Season 2 which was given a special award. What makes Sky Team unusual as a Spiel des Jahres winner, however, is the fact is is a two player game. Although there have been a number of games that play particularly well with two (Scotland Yard or Lord of the Rings for example) and there has been a special awards for Seti (which is a two player game), this is the first time the Spiel des Jahres (or indeed the Kennerspiel des jahres) Award, traditionally a family prize, has gone to a two player game.

– Image by BGG contributor The Innocent

The winner of the Kinderspiel and Kennerspiel des Jahres, the “Children’s” and “Expert” (or “Connoisseur’s”) games were announced at the same time. The first of these went to Die Magischen Schlüssel (aka Magic Keys), which is a simple and beautiful push-your-luck game of collecting gems. The winner of the Kennerspiel des Jahres Award was e-Mission (aka Daybreak), which, like Sky Team, is also a cooperative game, but with elements of the mechanisms inspired by card games like Wingspan and Terraforming Mars.

– Image by BGG contributor The Innocent

In Daybreak, one to four players work together to battle climate change with each player controlling a World Power. If too many people from any World Power are in crisis, everyone loses, but if if by working together global emissions are reduced to net-zero, everyone wins. This concept has been used previously in a game, in particular CO₂, but Daybreak is far more accessible. Daybreak also focuses on the the human cost of climate change and the benefits to humans that the solutions might bring, as such, as well as a good game in its own right, it also delivers an important message.

billyGOAT’s Birthday Boardgame Bash

It was billyGOAT’s birthday and he decided that what he really fancied was a day playing games with his mates. So, on a slightly damp afternoon in December, friends from far & wide converged on Challow Village Hall.

The first game up was a six player game of Pillars of the Earth. This turned out to be a rather long game and took most of the afternoon. However, since it was one of billyGOAT’s choice games, it was fitting that he ran out the worthy winner. Meanwhile, games of Discworld: Ankh-Morpork, Riff Raff, Apples to Apples Kids, Dixit, Hamsterrolle, The Great Balloon Race, Ramses Pyramid, Bohnanza, Incan Gold and Shopping List all went on as the masons slowly built their cathedral and the children played with the Scalextric and decorated biscuits.

Shortly after 6pm, everyone sat down together for a meal of Chinese takeaway (including dumplings) which was followed by a marvellous Jamaica Cake for those who had any space left. Then, the games recommenced with parallel games of Lord of the Rings and Formula D while games of Billy Biber (aka Log Jam), Dobble (aka Spot It!) and Loupin’ Louie kept the children occupied until it was time for them to go home to bed. Unfortunately, Lord of the Rings had to be terminated prematurely and the Fellowship failed to make it to Mordor.

Despite its apparently poor reputation to the contrary, the six player game of Formula D on the other hand finished in timely fashion and players moved on to a quick nine player game of The Resistance: Avalon. With a lot of new players everyone was a little quiet and Mordred’s Minions won easily.

By this time, the numbers were beginning to dwindle a little, but there was still time for a quick six player game of Roman chariot racing with Ave Caesar where everyone competed to show due respect to the Emperor. billyGOAT’s horse, “Dobbin”, made a very slow start, however, it managed a late charge for the line eventually coming second behind “Glue-pot Boy”, who had led from the off.

The last game of the night was another game of Avalon, this time with only seven players and victory went to Merlin and the Loyal Servants of Arthur. Then we had to tidy up the kitchen, sweep the hall and hand the keys back. A good time was had by all and everyone went home tired, but happy.

Finally, many thanks to everyone who helped out in the kitchen during the event, and kept food and drink flowing, while others played; it would not have been possible without them.