What would you like to see us play on Tabletop Season Three?

Anonymous asked:

Second Season of Wil Wheaton Project. Yes or No? I hope SyFy channel has the foresight to keep it going.

So for those of you who don’t know, earlier this summer, I did 12 episodes of a silly comedy show on Syfy called The Wil Wheaton Project. It was basically The Soup for people like me who enjoy sci-fi, fantasy, and horror, as well as jokes about those things. If you’d like to see a bunch of clips from the show, they’re right here on my YouTube thing.

We’re officially on hiatus right now, and we don’t know if the network will order more episodes. I know that they liked us in a creative sense, but the ratings weren’t very good (ratings are generally not very good in summer, and while I don’t believe that ratings are as important as they once were, my opinion on the matter isn’t particularly important to the decision makers), but the people who did watch us really liked us. So I won’t know for a few more weeks, but until then, I’m on hiatus, which means I get to write more, play more games, and prep for season three of Tabletop, which goes into production in October.

Part of that preparation includes finding 20 games to play on the show, and as of today, I have eight (maybe nine) that are strong contenders.

What do you want us to play on the show next year? Would you tell me the game, the publisher, and why you like it?

Keep in mind the criteria for Tabletop game selection:

  1. Plays well with 4 people.

  2. Plays in under 90 minutes.

  3. Can be generally explained in about 5 minutes.

  4. Has a high ration of luck to strategy, so everyone has a chance to win the game.

  5. Looks great, has clear graphical design and photographs well.

  6. Is not something we’ve played before.

I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

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2,070 thoughts on “What would you like to see us play on Tabletop Season Three?”

  1. Mice & Mystics. A cooperative dungeon crawler from Plaid Hat Games with rather simple rules and a very pleasant, mild fairy tale atmosphere. The game components should photograph nicely (especially with painted minis) and one chapter of the story book should be feasible for one episode.

  2. Euphoria by Stonemeier Games. Great dystopian theme, beautiful pieces (if you get the original kickstarter version, or use their new treasure chest with it), gorgeous art.

    Anything in the Zooloretto family. Super cute (there are pandas), great gateway game.

    Either of the 8-Minute Empire games – they only take 8 minutes to play! Well, a little longer with 4 new-ish players. You could definitely fit one of these on an episode with other short games. The art for these is also gorgeous. These meet all of your criteria though the luck is only in the order of the cards drawn.

    Risk 2210. Risk is a classic board game, and Risk 2210 adds a fixed number of turns so that limits the length of the game. Might take 3 hours though. I feel like this could easily be explained in 5 minutes despite the strategic complexity that the cards add. You can conquer the MOON and underwater cities!

    I feel like these meet all of your criteria apart from Risk being too long, and I think any of these games would be great to watch.

  3. Guillotine – quick to learn, sometimes can be a quick game, sometimes longer, we love it because it always changes, so has great replayability, doesn’t take long to teach someone new, and is one of our ‘go to’ games.

  5. Tiny Epic Kingdoms- 4x game in a tiny box. Yes please! (Made by Gamelyn Games- I’ve met the owner at a local con and he is the nicest guy.)

    Fantasy Frontier- Also by Gamelyn Games, it’s a game where you get to conquer lands in airships. It’s beautiful and easily one the easiest to learn games, but great strategy, I’ve played in a while.

    Lords and Ladies (Gryphon Games)- You are playing a group of characters, not unlike those from Downton Abbey. There is much gossip involved, servant and offspring drama, and it plays very quickly. Plus, you get to come up with silly names for your kids! I had one last game named Lady Incestua. I’ll let you guess why.

  6. Would to see a mix of small, quick pick up games that friends can play without much planning. Zombie dice was a great choice along with tsuro and suchlike. As a newbie in the world of board games (having wasted all my free time roleplaying and painting little models), i don’t have any ideas on new games to play – I’m using Tabletop to plan my future purchases! Thanks!

  7. Hi Wil. First I wanted to thank you for Tabletop. As a result, my family has become gamers and we have enjoyed countless hours of family fun as a direct result of this show. Thank you!

    A game we recently played is 7 Wonders. That might make a nice episode and seems to fit into your selection criteria.

    Thanks and I can’t wait for season 3!

  8. Gravwell: Escape from the 9th Dimension by Cryptozoic Entertainment. Players are always in the game, in fact, you need to have players’ ships close to you to often win. It is easy to teach and has elements of luck and strategy. Game is short (20 minutes or so). Always a great time with my gaming group when we play Gravwell.

  9. Another upvote for games-for-kids. Our whole family really enjoys Catan Junior, and often receives a serious thrashing at the hands of my youngest (6.) There’s strategy, but it’s an “all cards out on the table” game so parents can help as needed. And hey: Catan.

  12. In season 2, you revisited some season 1 games with newer/alternate versions (Ticket to Ride Europe, Star Trek Catan, & Tsuro of the Seas). I’d like to see you play Zombie Fluxx.

  13. I’d suggest “End of Days” by BTRC. Four is about the right number of players, you can fit in several games in 90 minutes, and while planning (and not making enemies) is important they’re no good without luck.

    http://www.btrc.net/endofdays is the website. Buy online, print on business cards, and play. $6 for the game and $1 for the expansion (well worth it).

  14. Have you heard of Epic Spell Wars of the Battle Wizards: Duel at MT. Skullzfyre? It is super fun and I think it would meet all your requirements.

  15. May I suggest FLUXX the Board Game? As a variant of the popular card game, it would work really well for the camera, I’d think.

  16. Trains! by AEG is a great hybrid of the classic deck builder/train route game. My game groups seems to love that while you can interfere with other train routes, you don’t really do anything to rotten to the other players. You just make it more difficult for them to build a route.

    Citadels has been real popular as well. It’s a quick game that plays 2 to 8. I’m positive you’ve played it before. Maybe you can squeeze that into an episode where you showcase multiple games, like “Ultimate Werewolf”, this game, and “Hanbai”?

    My pals really like that Marvels Legendary deckbuilder. They feel it’s better than Sentinels of the Multiverse because of how accessible it as along with using familiar characters. Maybe if you’re bored of the hero games, you could cover the Aliens version of Legendary that just got released?

    And again, most definitely Flashpoint. It is one of the best cooperative games my group has ever played. One minuted we’re totally kicking butt putting out fires and rescuing everyone. The next, the building collapses killing everyone because we forgot to remove the hazardous materials.

  17. I’d actually like to see a replay of Shadows over Camelot. I feel that lots of the mechanics got lost in the throw catapults out everywhere instead of actually having bad things happen from the deck, and the potential misunderstanding of the seeking of the grail (from what was explained on the show) made bad plays happen.

  19. I would recommend Cosmic Encounters, but it I’m not sure it can be explained in 5 minutes. It’s great for 4 players, or more, if you like, and is a TREMENDOUS amount of fun if you use multiple alien powers. Its all luck in what alien powers you draw, and what cards you draw, but also requires some strategy in how those powers are used. Its a lot of fun, and if you draw powers/cards right, an amateur can whip a seasoned player.

  20. Thurns and Taxis.
    1) Spiel Des Jahres winner
    2) Similar feel to Ticket To Ride but also different enough at the same time.
    3) Easy to explain the rules of game.
    4) Decent amount of luck/skill ratio.

  21. Biblios (currently published by IELLO) seems perfect for TableTop. It is an elegantly simple card game for 2-4 players that takes under 30 minutes to play. A mixture of set collection and auctioning, this game is easily learned in minutes and combines strategic play with a push your luck drawing system that levels the playing field for beginners and experts alike. [http://doctorfinns.com/biblios.html]

    The Great Fire of London 1666 (published by Pandasaurus) is a visual treat where 3 to 6 players work together to burn down the city of London. Players must spread the fire each turn and try to destroy their opponents’ houses while keeping their own secret property holdings safe from harm. With random land placement at the beginning and a card driven fire system there is a lot of room for chance, but ultimately the players decide where to burn or fight fires and try to outwit and outlast their opponents. The dark theme, bluffing, and eye catching red “flame” cones on the board would make for a great episode. The more cutthroat the players, the better the game flows; you must constantly fan the flames and bluff your way around the board. [http://pandasaurusgames.com/project/great-fire-of-london/]

    Both of these games are fun, simple but challenging, and seem like they would be a great fit for the show. Good luck with the new season!

  24. Tigris and Euphrates!

    Although it doesn’t have a huge randomness element, the games always seemed to remain fairly balanced to the very end. The game also has distinct art, and as a colorful tile-laying game probably works very well for the camera. I loved this game because it kept constant interaction going between players (more than Carcasonne), but allowed for large upsets if one player seemed to be getting the upper hand. It’s also perfect with four players.

  26. ‘Gravwell’ is a great game and much fun, as would be ‘Tiny Epic Kingdoms’ and ‘Wiz-War’. 😀

  27. dead of winter!

    nails all of your points, tells a great story and thereby lends itself to being watched.

  30. Flash Point: Fire Rescue by Indie Boards and Cards

    It’s easy to teach and learn, plays in less than 90 minutes, and offers a fun, tense, co-op experience. I love the game because it’s fast paced and promotes players actively working together, has a really novel fire spread mechanic, and the game is beautiful to look at.

  31. Mall Of Horror is one of the best zombie games out there. Not too complex, and with an interesting voting mechanic to decide who gets eaten by the zombies. And the artwork is amazing as well!

  32. Vlaada Chvátil’s Space Alert by CGE.

    I love it, because from the chaotic looking gameplay an order arises. Also, you could follow on screen what’s happening, even when the players can’t follow everything.

  34. Sorry for the slow replay – I’ve been dealing with my mom having cancer, but I wanted to take a moment to suggest Lost Cities by Rio Grande Games (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-380RGG-Cities/dp/B001LPAMHO#) – (This is not the card game by the same name.) I’ve often thought it would play incredibly well on Table Top and it meets your criteria and format perfectly, plus it’s a blast to play! Extremely easy for beginners and non gamers (easier than Forbidden Island for example) – you take on the role of a team of adventurers who are racing other teams to collect relics and gold from lost cities. If you haven’t tried this game yet, I’m nearly positive you’ll love it. It has been the go-to game for my (non-gamer) friends and I for three years!

  35. A Game of Thrones the LCG! A good Melee game using basic houses in the basic box. Think of the deal making!

  36. My picks for games to choose for S3:
    ** DEAD OF WINTER: The new hotness, This is an excellent game of strategy, group play, has a potential betrayal in it and who doesnt love more zombies! This is a great game for groups, a small random factor and excellent story telling integrated in it. I Love this game and even the basic games can take 60-90 minutes – Not shabby for your show.

    ** Sons of Anarchy: 4 player game; has a worker placement theme but takes some guns and eliminate the competition! 6 rounds makes a fast game.

    ** Five Tribes: Another winner from Days of Wonder; this has some strategy and very involved game. Since you love Alhambra, you will love this one more. Moving meeples is excellent, and the winners are hard to determine till the end – AND NO DICE WIL!

  38. Even though it is probably too late, I believe if you do another Tabletop that includes 2 or 3 small games like you did with Zombie dice and Tsuro, Saboteur 1 or 2 would be perfect. It is the card game I used to get my teenage kids interested in table top gaming. With a family of 5 it was the perfect small and quick card game that we could all play. With the ability for all 5 of us to play cooperatively to accomplish a goal, and the chance of a hidden traitor, the game became a quick hit in our house.

  39. Id love to see the New King of New York played through, we bought King of Tokyo after watching your TableTop of it and love it!! Cosmic Encounters is a fun game with a lot of variables so its never the same twice, AND so many different starts to win. My hubby and I play tested Dead Panic, enjoyed it, and would like to see a full play through of it. If those are repeats of others I apologize.

  40. Really loving 7 Wonders – you should play with the Leader Expansion and have your promo card in the leader deck. The game is great visually and get more complex with each stage.

    I loved watching Small World on Tabletop – what about visiting Small World Underground – new characters, add game mechanics with relics and special territories – plus you fight monsters to claim them – no more Lost Tribe genocide 🙂

    I thought about a game about fueling power stations sounded boring, but I played Power Grid for the 1st time the other day and can’t wait to play more. I love games that escalate toward the end like that.

    Always been a big fan of Steve Jackson’s Illuminati card game. Visually very fun. Take over the world from behind the puppets that you set up – you know, like the CIA or the Clone Arrangers.

    Also starting to enjoy the Dominion deck-building game.

    Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

  42. Lowenhertz! (Lionheart in English) offers good strategy and luck. It has a beautiful board and good-looking playing pieces. You act as 4 princes trying to take over the realm when your father/king dies. There are no dice – you get to bid in gold how much you want to do something on your turn. There are only 3 items to bid on, so with 4 people playing, someone is always getting screwed. But… they will be saving their gold for the next round, so they get to make a good play then. It’s also fun to backstab an ally, turning them into an opponent. It balanced out well, so a beginner has a non-zero chance of winning. Although my wife refuses to play it anymore because of the treachery…. 😉

  45. I’d love to see you do Timeline. It is basically a short pop culture game where you have to organize your cards in order from earliest to latest. I have only ever played the Music and Movies one, but there are things like inventions and other fun things. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes depending on how many people you have. It works great with 4 players though.

  46. I give a third vote to 7 Wonders. It’s a wonderful game that my wife and I love playing with our friends. The only drawback is the explanation element, it is easier to learn when playing it as opposed to explaining it; but I can imagine someone of your talents, along with the Tabletop crew can find the best, simplest way to explain it.

    If I was to go with alternative choices; the first I’d pick is The Resistance: Avalon. While you have done The Resistance before, Avalon adds a new dynamic with it being set in Arthurian England, along with Merlin being a new element to the game. The other is a game I haven’t played, but would like to see demonstrated; Arkham Horror. I hear so many good things about it but have yet to try it, I can imagine you would have fun with it

  47. Please show us Zombicide – one of the coolest tabletop games ever!
    Season 3 was a huge success on kickstarter and has been funded just a few weeks ago …

  48. After season 1 of TableTop I decided to venture into my local comic store to see what tabletop games they had. I picked up Forbidden Island (which has been shown on the show already), I also picked up two fantastic games I think would be perfect for the show.

    Relic Runners: This game would be VERY easy to film. It has great colors and combines equal amounts of luck and skill. It is very easy to learn, but has a bunch of little nuances that make it the perfect game to play over and over again. I haven’t payed with 4 people, but with 3 or less it takes about 30-45 minutes to complete.
    Bora Bora: This game has a pretty steep learning curve. It took me and my girlfriend 2 or 3 times to figure it out completely, but it is one heck of a game. Just like Relic Runner, it is very colorful. I have only played two players, because I haven’t taught anyone other than my girlfriend to play it yet. With two of us playing it takes about 60 min. for us to complete it. This game has so many levels that I am still not sure how much luck vs how much skill is involved. This is one of those games that the lead can change constantly and it can realllllllly piss you off. I don’t play this game as often as Relic Runner or Forbidden Island because it can reallllllly put me in a bad mood, but it is a great time. Crazy how that works….

    1. If it’s released in time for the filming, i would go for “journey: wrath of demons” by marrow productions.

  50. SAGA (Architects of War http://www.architectsofwar.com/saga-4.aspx – American Distributor) plays fast & is a nice cross between a Board game and a miniatures game. With the Battle Boards for each faction very dependent on dice rolls, being lucky balances the tactical. It is easy & fast to learn as well as having a great historical feeling to it. I’ve played games form 2 players to 11 players each running different factions. Planning & a sense of Cinematic play are the key to winning this game. The lucky Cinematic moment often wins the day. Plenty of people out there (myself included) who would lend you miniatures & terrain if you care to try it out.
    skal,
    Sven

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