My Favorite Games of Every Letter Vol. 4

You've made it! You made it all the way through my Favorite Games of Every Letter series. You've read Volume One, Two, and Three. That makes you awesome! This final entry contains some of my very favorite games and, uh, some other games too.

S- Scythe

Why Do I Love It? 

Scythe is my favorite board game, and I'm not sure there is a close second. I love the rigidness of the ruleset, but that every faction has a unique ability that disrupts them. Speaking of the rules, they might seem overwhelming at first glance, but the player boards make the actions simple to remember. 

While Scythe might appear to be a war game, it isn't by any stretch. Still, players must not be afraid to engage in combat strategically. Success in Scythe is all about being smart and using what is available to you wisely. That's probably why I've never won.

Close, but not quite: Sleeping Gods, Space Base

T- Tainted Grail

Why Do I Love It?

I used to say that RPGs were one of my favorite video game genres. This is entirely false, as I equated adventure games such as The Legend of Zelda as RPGs. That's what I like- story-driven adventure games with a sprinkling of RPG-like progression. Tainted Grail is an excellent example of that very thing in a board game. It was sprawling and grandiose and utterly wonderful.

Close, but not quite: Ticket to Ride, Tortuga 2199

U- Unmatched

Why Do I Love It?

Two-player. Head-to-head. Mano-a-mano. Choose a character from fiction (mostly), grab the paired deck of cards that accompanies the figure, and battle it out. The card play is elegant and easy to pick up. They've released quite a few characters now spanning from ancient texts such as Beowulf all the way to Marvel super heroes. There is truly a character for everyone (I want to play as Bloody Mary), and Restoration Games doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.

Close, but not quite: Under Falling Skies

V- Viticulture

Why Do I Love It?

This game is simply charming and lovely. It elicits a feeling of peace deep inside my soul- even as I'm worrying about my opponents messing up my strategy by placing their workers in the exact spots I need. I didn't think a game about making wine would be this good. And make no mistake- this is an excellent game!

Close, but not quite: N/A

W- Wingspan

Why Do I Love It?

Another Stonemaier game?! Yes. They make fantastic games, and Wingspan is no exception. The production quality is superb, but Wingspan could claim this spot on gameplay alone. The contents in the box isn't what makes this bird-attracting game amazing, it's the content of the game itself. Once newcomers begin to get a feel for how the game operates with its engine-building goodness, it quickly becomes a favorite.

Close, but not quite: Wits and Wagers

X- None

Why Do I Love It?

There is literally nothing to love. I just haven't played anything that starts with the letter 'X' to my knowledge. However, I'd love to try Xia: Legends of a Drift System. Maybe even one of the XenoShyft games.

Close, but not quite: N/A

Y- Yatzee

Why Do I Love It?

It's the only 'Y' game that I've played to my recollection (which isn't 100% or else Exodus Proxima Centauri would have been my letter 'E' game in Volume 1), but I actually do enjoy playing it. It was (probably) the first game with the roll dice, save what you want, and re-roll up to two times system, and definitely the first one I ever played that employed that mechanism. That formula is one that has been borrowed heavily in board gaming, and I tend to enjoy the games that use it.

Close, but not quite: N/A

Z- Zombicide: Black Plague

Why Do I Love It?

I am not a zombie fan no matter what this particular series might lead you to believe (remember Run, Fight or Die in the last volume?). What I do enjoy, however, is facing seemingly insurmountable odds when my physical safety is secured. 

Zombicide: Black Plague allows me to fight off a massive horde while growing in power. Perhaps it's a bit unnecessary, but I love a game that has a plethora of pieces that swallow up a table like a wave of starved zombies. Placing this game in the Dark Ages filled with magic and fantasy really brings it up a notch, too.

Close, but not quite: N/A

I obviously need to play more games whose name begins with letters at the tail-end of the alphabet. Which ones should I play? Why don't you tell me in the comment section what your favorites that begin with S-Z, and I'll make a list of games to bulk up my experience with these later letters.

As always, thank you for reading!