Top 10 Games That Got Better

The Dice Tower・2 minutes read

The Celestia expansion for Cloud 9, named "A Little Help," introduces new mechanics that enhance gameplay, allowing players to assist the captain, play cards that impact others, and have more strategic options. This expansion significantly improves the speaker's gaming experience, making a previously disliked game their number one choice, highlighting how expansions can elevate a game beyond its original state.

Insights

Expansions play a crucial role in enhancing games, as seen with "Cash 'n Guns" and "Elder Sign," where updated rules and improved components significantly increased the speaker's enjoyment. The evolution of gameplay, streamlined mechanics, and thematic enhancements through expansions can elevate a game from initial dissatisfaction to a top-ranking favorite, showcasing the impact of continuous improvement on player experience.
The transformative power of expansions is exemplified in the case of "Celestia," where the expansion "A Little Help" revolutionized the game by introducing strategic depth and reducing randomness. This shift not only changed the speaker's perception of the game from boring and convoluted to highly enjoyable but also elevated it to their number one choice. The expansion's ability to mitigate chance elements and provide players with more agency underscores how well-designed expansions can redefine and elevate the core gaming experience.

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Recent questions

How did the Celestia expansion change gameplay?
It introduced new mechanics and strategic options.
What game did the speaker initially dislike?
Cloud 9
What new mechanics were introduced in the Celestia expansion?
Assisting the captain and strategic card play.
How did the Celestia expansion impact player strategy?
It added depth and strategic options.
What elements of Cloud 9 did the speaker find convoluted?
Random elements like card draws and die rolls.

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Summary

00:00

Games Evolving and Improving Over Time

Top 10 list of games liked more now than before
Difficulty in choosing games that improved over time
Factors like expansions and second editions influencing liking
Criteria for ranking games based on increased liking
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong improved with expansion
Scythe's continuous improvement and appeal over time
Ghost Fighting Treasure Hunters initially seen as a kids game, now enjoyed by mixed groups
Magic: The Gathering's consistent improvement and ease of play
Subterra's initial confusion leading to better understanding and enjoyment
King of Tokyo's enhancement with Power Up expansion
Risk Legacy's evolving gameplay leading to increased enjoyment
Cash 'n Guns' transformation from initial enjoyment to increased liking

15:02

Game Evolution: From Disappointment to Delight

The speaker initially struggled with understanding the police mechanic in a game's first edition, leading to dissatisfaction.
The first edition's gameplay involved passing cards, which the speaker found fiddly and prone to mistakes.
The artwork in the first edition of the game was not appealing to the speaker.
The second edition of the game, with streamlined rules and new artwork, significantly improved the speaker's enjoyment of the game.
The speaker now greatly prefers the second edition of the game, "Cash 'n Guns 2nd Edition," over the first edition.
"Through the Desert" by Z-Man Games or Windrider, a game the speaker initially found good but not exceptional, has grown in their esteem over time.
The simplicity and ease of play in "Through the Desert" have contributed to the speaker's increased appreciation of the game.
"Rising Sun," a game initially underwhelming to the speaker, has risen in their estimation due to repeated plays and a better understanding of its mechanics.
"Puerto Rico," a game the speaker initially found decent, has become a favorite due to its elegant design and enduring appeal.
"Queen Domino" has surpassed "King Domino" in the speaker's preference, offering more depth and interesting decisions in gameplay.

30:06

Engaging Board Games Evolve with Expansions

The speaker initially resisted playing a game but found it engaging after trying it with a friend.
The game discussed is "Uchronia," designed by Carl Chudyk, known for "Glory to Rome."
"Uchronia" is favored for its streamlined gameplay compared to other games by the same designer.
"Multi 9," another game by the designer, is noted for being complex and difficult to teach.
"Quantum" is a game that improved over time for the speaker, despite initial reservations due to its math-heavy gameplay.
The variable player powers and different setups for various player counts in "Quantum" enhanced the speaker's enjoyment of the game.
"Elder Sign" was initially set in a museum but expanded to include different locations, making it more engaging and thematic.
The expansions for "Elder Sign" significantly improved the game, making it more adaptable and enjoyable.
"Seven Wonders" grew on the speaker over time, especially with expansions like "Babel" and "Leaders."
"Carcassonne" became a favorite for the speaker, particularly with the "Around the World" series, with "Amazonas" being a standout favorite.

44:53

Game Evolution: From Meh to Must-Have

The game discussed involves concepts of building a crew and adding cards to the deck, enhancing variety.
It was nominated for a prestigious award, leading to a change in the speaker's opinion about its quality.
Another game, Cyclades, was initially found to have an anticlimactic ending, but the Titans expansion resolved this issue.
The expansion provided more flexibility and movement, improving the overall gaming experience.
An abstract strategy game, Jim Blow, was initially perceived as uninteresting but became more enjoyable with a smaller version release.
Lost Legacy, a card game based on Love Letter, was initially seen as a spin-off but gained favor due to new sets with unique powers.
For Sale, a real estate card game, was initially considered boring but became a staple in the speaker's collection due to its simplicity and gateway game appeal.
Champions of Midgard, a game with Viking themes, significantly improved with expansions, making it more enjoyable than Lords of Waterdeep.
Istanbul, a Euro game, stood out for its lack of end-game scoring and diverse actions, making it more engaging than typical Euro games for the speaker.
Viticulture, initially found to be okay, rose to the speaker's top 10 games list due to a second edition and an essential expansion, Tuscany, enhancing the gameplay significantly.

59:39

"Expanding Celestia: A Game-Changing Transformation"

The speaker's initial number one game was Cyclades without expansion, but their opinion changed after trying Celestia, an expansion for Cloud 9. Initially finding Cloud 9 boring and convoluted due to random elements like card draws and die rolls, the speaker now enjoys the game significantly more with the Celestia expansion called "A Little Help." This expansion allows players in the airship basket to assist the captain, play cards that can affect others, and overall adds depth and strategy to the game, making it more enjoyable and less random than before.
The Celestia expansion for Cloud 9, named "A Little Help," transforms the game by introducing new mechanics that enhance gameplay. Players can now assist the captain, play cards that impact others, and have more strategic options, mitigating the randomness that previously made the game feel convoluted. This expansion has significantly improved the speaker's gaming experience, turning a previously disliked game into their number one choice, showcasing how expansions can elevate a game beyond its original state.

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