95) Constantinopolis

In this game you're building up your own city to produce goods that will be used to fulfill orders. Of course you're earning points, collecting money, moving cubes all around, buying boats, and so much more. Thankfully, it can sound way more complex then it really is.

Just getting started 

Buildings waiting to be purchased

This ship is ready to sail

4-player game

This was a neat game. I'm glad I finally got around to playing it, but after playing I feel like I have so many other games that are better and that I would prefer to play. The main reason for this is that the game felt a bit stale about half way through. You're essentially doing the same thing over and over and it starts to get a bit old. It's really too bad because there are so many parts of this game I like, but put together it just didn't work for me.

94) The Golden City

In this game you're collecting terrain cards, which when played allow you to build houses on the board. When you build a house you'll get to perform the special action associated with that space. These special actions give immediate bonuses that help in game play or potentially allow for scoring.

Looks like a nice place to live

Bidding "wars"

End game scoring

End game board

This game may be amazing although we were all a bit baffled by it. We either played it wrong or didn't fully understand the strategy. Even in hindsight its hard to say how the game would be different on the next play. One player completely ran away with the game to the point that it wasn't even competitive. Additionally, most players didn't even build in the center (golden) city, which feels like it should be a major strategy. I'd be willing to try this again, but until then the jury is still out on this one.

93) Airlines Europe

This game has a special place in my heart as it was one of the first games that I actually spent time studying and getting good at. Oh how quickly that knowledge goes away as my most recent play will attest to. In this game you're increasing the value of different airlines by purchasing new flight routes (playing cool airplanes onto the board). Additionally, you're competing with other players to have the most stock in these airlines. There are three semi-random scoring times that pay out based on the value of each airline and who has the most stock in these airlines.

Just getting started

Cool bits

My stocks

Nearing the end

This game has great tension in trying to get one more action in before the scoring occurs. Of course if you're too greedy you'll get punished, but without a little risk you'll have trouble pulling ahead of everyone else. This game is incredibly easy to learn as there are only 4 actions to choose from on your turn, but mastering how to balance what you do when is a challenge. Great depth in strategy that comes from easy to understand rules makes for an all around great game.

92) Gonzaga

This game is a spatial challenge. Each turn you get to play a randomly selected piece on the board. You secretly choose an area of the board and the type (city or port) of hex you want to play on. Then everyone reveals what they selected, which also determines play order for that round. Very quickly the board starts to fill up and you'll need to make some tough decisions.

Individual player board

Area control

Four player game

This game was really fun and easy to pick up. It left me wanting to immediately play again as most games that require optimization and limit the amount you can accomplish do. There is great tension in whether or not you get blocked on each turn. Although if you do get blocked there so many other things to focus on and try and complete that you always have other options.

91) Myrmes

I love ants and I love strategy games - combining the two is awesome. In this game you take on the roll of an ant colony. Inside your colony you're making new nurses, larva, workers, and soldiers as well as advancing your tech tree. As your worker ants visit the outside world they get to lay pheromones, battle other insects, and find resources.

My player board part way through turn 1 

Central shared board

Custom first player token

I love this game. It combines tons of mechanics that I like (worker placement, resource gathering, tech tree, area control) into a game with a great theme. The first game or two may be a bit tough as it can really punish players for making wrong decisions. Once you get the feel for the game things should be much smoother.

90) Cash'n Guns (2nd edition)

This game comes with a bunch of fake guns that you get to pretend to shoot people with. Of course they don't know whether you've put a bullet in the gun this round. If someone expects a loaded gun (or guns) is pointed at them they can run away. Those who haven't run away reveal if they've actually shot someone (or more often the case loaded a blank). Anyone left standing gets a piece of the loot.

Just about sums up the game 

Ready to do some shootin

First loot offering

Final score

We ended up playing this twice in a row because we enjoyed it so much. That said, I don't think there is enough strategy to keep me wanting to come back over and over. For me, this game is best suited as a starter game that allows everyone to play something together before jumping into something with a bit more meat. It's a quick, light game with a great theme. It has a fun element of risk taking that can pay off quite nicely if done correctly. And of course those toy guns are a hoot.

89) The Castle of the Devil

This is a fun hidden identity game where you're trying to figure out who is on your team while also collecting goblets or keys for end game victory. Throughout the game you'll be trading items and battling other players. Through these actions you'll start to figure out who is on your team and make a better strategy for victory.

Who wouldn't buy this box 

Four of our six players

If you're always red sometimes you're a girl...

We found the goblets

I think our initial play is very different then future plays. We were all learning the game and thus a bit new to the strategy. Consequently we may have made decisions that were nicer then future plays could be. In this game its all about what information people have and I think players will fight to keep that information now that they understand the game better. All that to say everyone enjoyed this game and I would enjoy playing it again to see how it evolves with subsequent plays.