Fleet the Dice Game | Nerdologists https://nerdologists.com Where to jump in on board games, anime, books, and movies as a Nerd Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:01:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://nerdologists.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/nerdologists-favicon.png Fleet the Dice Game | Nerdologists https://nerdologists.com 32 32 Top 100 Games 2025 Edition – 100 through 91 https://nerdologists.com/2025/09/top-100-games-2025-edition-100-through-91/ https://nerdologists.com/2025/09/top-100-games-2025-edition-100-through-91/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:50:53 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=9803 It's time to kick of the Top 100 Games (of all time) 2025 Edition. As always games 100 through 91. Is a favorite of yours on the list?

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It’s that season, by that I mean fall, and I’m doing my Top 100 Games (of all time) 2025 Edition list. I do a Top 100 Games every year. So let’s see how the games rank and compare to previous years. That will start in next video as I forgot to put together my spreadsheet. But checkout the first video where I go from 100 through 91. And let me know your favorite game from the list is.

Top 100 Games (of all time) 100 through 91

100. Ecosystem

Ecosystem
Image Source: Genius Games

Published By: Genius Games
Designer: Matt Simpson

Buy Ecosystem here.

I like drafting games a lot and I think that is what keeps Ecosystem on the list. It is a good drafting game with then a good puzzle as you create your tableau of cards in front of you. There are three version of Ecosystem all of which are great though I’m only going to be keeping the one that I show in the picture. That is because that one is easier to teach and learn and play. But any of the versions are pretty easy to learn and all offer their own drafting and tableau building puzzle.

99. Aquatica

Aquatica
Image Source: Arcane Wonders

Published By: Arcane Wonders
Designer: Ivan Tuzovsky

Buy Aquatica here.

Can you develop the best underwater kingdom is the theme of Aquatica. But the game is really about one central mechanism for me and that is enough to get it onto the list. I wish that the characters were more fun and diverse, but I love the card sliding. When you slide a card up to gain more resources and combo it into a big turn, it just feels good. And the puzzle of optimizing that on each turn is amazing.

It’s worth nothing that I love the puzzle in person but I find it not that great on BGA (Board Game Arena). Mainly, I think on BGA you lose that tactile nature of sliding up cards and seeing how you can work everything together. It makes a tactile thing seem a lot more mechanical on BGA and more interesting when it is in person.

98. Perolga

Pergola
Image Source: Rebel Studio

Published By: Rebel Studio
Designers: Michal Golab Golebiowski and Przemek Woljtkowiak

Buy Pergola Here.

Do you want to make a pretty garden? Perogla is game off set collection and creating a beautiful garden to play in. I like the action or item selection process for the game. The trowels are a fun way to do it, but also the changing extra bonus, depending on where you pick from, really adds to the game as well. Because of that, I think the game offers a bunch of different ways to score points and feels different when I play it

97. Crokinole

Mayday Crokinole
Image Source: Mayday Games

There is no designer or publisher on Board Game Geek to post because this game is from 1876 or around then.

Pledge for Crokinole Board Here.

I love Crokinole as a flicking game where I can build up skill. There are other higher flicking and dexterity games on the list, but Crokinole has some things I love about it. In particular that skill level that you are more apt to develop. But it is also a great game for a whole evening, you just sit around, flick discs, have a drink and chat to create a fun activity and casual time. The game is all about scoring points by getting into that center hole, but then strategy as you try and knock your opponents discs off the board.

96. Fleet: The Dice Game

Fleet the Dice Game
Image Source: Eagle Gryphon Games

Published By: Eagle-Gryphon Games
Designers: Ben Pinchback and Matt Riddle

Buy Fleet: The Dice Game Here.

Do you want a big roll and write game with two sheets? Then Fleet: The Dice Game might be the roll and write game for you. I like this one because it offers a lot of combos and a lot of paths to scoring points and possible victory. You want to get fish because that is going to give you points, but you also want to get licenses that are going to give you powers. Or maybe you are all in on the market or all in on building the different shops at the wharf. Whatever it is, there is a path for you to try and combo in the game.

95. The Castles of Burgundy

The Castles of Burgundy
Image Source: alea

Published By: alea and Awaken Realms
Designer: Stefan Feld

Buy The Castles of Burgundy Special Edition on Miniature Market.

Can you build up the best area of Burgundy to get the most points? That’s what this game is about, getting points in any and every way that you can. Whether it is by adding to flocks or filling an area or delivering goods, you are going to get points. And the dice management in the game is what really makes it work for me. I like figuring out how I can optimize my two dice for a great turn. Or maybe I can’t do that, and now I need to figure out how to pivot to something new.

94. Comic Hunters

Comic Hunters
Image Source: Spin Master and Arcane Wonders

Published By: Arcane Wonders
Designer: Diego Sa

Buy Comic Hunters from Amazon here.

Do you like comic books and do you want to have a massive comic collection? That is Comic Hunters in a nutshell as you draft comics to add to your collection. Then you need to determine which ones get added and which ones you spend from your hand putting back into the pool. Plus this game offers multiple different drafts. That sounds like a lot to teach and learn, but it isn’t bad because it’s possible to teach just one draft at a time. And the final bonus is great Marvel comic covers in this game.

93. Dungeon Kart

Dungeon Kart
Image Source: Brotherwise Games

Published By: Brotherwise Games
Designer: Michael Xuereb

Buy Dungeon Kart here.

Do you want to play Mario Kart but you also want to play a board game? Dungeon Kart is going to let you do both of those things with Boss Monster characters, special powers and spells. This is not my favorite racing game, but it is one that gives me that Mario Kart feel. And the game itself is not too slow in how it plays which I really like.

92. Ace of Spaces

Ace of Spades
Image Source: Devir

Published By: Devir Games
Designer: Benjamin Amorin

Note: This game is getting an art update after less than welcoming art was included in the game. A new version to buy will be coming.

This is Balatro the board game. Now that isn’t 100% right, but there is similarities between the two. In that you want to beat a boss in this game and you do that with poker hands. In fact you do that several times. And the different bosses you defeat will give you one off or permanent bonuses. There is a bunch of luck in the game, but it’s fast to play, fast to learn, and just a good time for a solo or two player game, in particular solo.

91. Railroad Ink Challenge

Railroad Ink Challenge
Image Source: Horrible Guild

Published By: Horrible Guild
Designers: Hjalmar Hach, Lorenzo Silva

Buy Railroad Ink Challenge here.

This is a great roll and write game where you are creating rail and road routes. As you create the routes the more exit points you connect, the more points you get. And longest road and rail routes are going to give you points as well. I like both the Challenge and non-challenge version of the game. But the Challenge version gives you some challenges to go for as well which just adds in a little that I really love for the game.

Join Next Week

Next week I am going to be continuing the list. The plan is 9 PM Central time every Wednesday until the list is done and you can click notify on the YouTube channel (Malts and Meeples) to know when new videos are going live. I also have put up links to some of the upcoming videos already there, so you can click notify on those. What games are going to be in my Top 100 Games (of all time) 2025 edition next week as I do 90 through 81.

Thanks so much for checking out the article and the videos. I hope you have fun with them. I know I have a ton of fun making the list every year.

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Board Game Apps – Top 5 https://nerdologists.com/2024/01/board-game-apps-top-5/ https://nerdologists.com/2024/01/board-game-apps-top-5/#respond Fri, 19 Jan 2024 12:52:23 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=8668 What do you do when you want to play a board game but you don't have it with you? Well, let's look at some good board game apps.

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While I personally prefer to board game face to face, one thing that has happened recently is that a whole lot of board games have gotten apps. Some board game apps are great, some are less so, but let’s look at a few that I think are the best, and honestly, I do think that all of these are very good apps. I’m leaving off some for games that I love, because, well they are bad board game apps. But let’s see which ones make it to my top 5.

Top 5 Board Game Apps

Disclaimer, of course, I haven’t played them all. Some are for games that don’t interest me that much. So, like Dominion just has an app in beta or just out on Android, haven’t played it, probably won’t. And list is in no particular order.

5. Fleet: The Dice Game

Let’s start with the one that I’ve been playing the most of recently. Fleet: The Dice Game has a nice and simple app for playing their game solo. No pass and play multiplayer, but when I play a board game on an app, multiplayer is low on the list of things that I care about.

This one takes what’s not that complex a game to run solo in person, but takes up space on the table. So it makes it much more compact. And it makes me want to play the game again, and actually try it multiplayer in person. So that might not be the best sign for the app. But the app lets you get in a game much faster, as an app should, and let’s you mess around with strategies easier.

4. Super Mega Lucky Box

Next up is another roll and write style game. Actually, I could do a top 5, possibly Top 10, on this type of game. Why, because a lot of them end up with simpler rule sets and thus are simpler to program into an app. And Super Mega Lucky Box is another one without a pass and play, at this point, but one that you can play solo.

Now, I give this solid marks as a board game app not because it’s that much easier than the board game. No, I give it that because it’s more portable. I can play Super Mega Lucky Box solo easily enough in person. But there is a minor amount of set-up. With the app, it’s pull it out and play. And they give you a few ways to play which are fun to mess around with. Honestly, it’s a really good way to learn how to play the game.

3. Sagrada

Now one that isn’t a roll and write. Though, Sagrada does have rolling dice as you roll each time for drafting. This one does have multiplayer, which I have yet to use. But it also has a challenge/campaign mode. Not like the Sagrada Artisans legacy game, no, the campaign is just progressively better AI opponents. I like that sense of progression, and it walks you through the different ability cards and scoring cards.

And while the other games on the list are definitely faster in an app, Sagrada flies speed wise. I really like it for that, if I were to play a game of Sagrada solo, well, I haven’t before, but I imagine it might take a little bit. On the app, it’s about five minutes to play a whole game.

2. Railroad Ink

Now, yes, another roll and write game with Railroad Ink. This is another one that take a roll and write game that isn’t hard to play solo and makes it even easier. Railroad Ink is a game of connecting routes, which is not hard in person. But the app highlights were you can put railroad sections and makes it easier for you that way. And it keeps track of your round to help with scoring the challenge cards.

This is another one that is only solo. But it works slick, and games are definitely a little bit faster than playing solo in person. Out of all of these, I think that Railroad Ink probably saves you the least amount of time. But, it’s fun to be able to play it on a small screen in your pocket.

1. Clever Games

Finally, yes, this is a lot of games. Four games actually, though, I hope that they’ve improved the fourth one, Clever 4Ever on the app because, well, it doesn’t size correctly to all screens. But the other three are great ways to play and learn the various “Clever” games. And all of the apps work nicely.

It is only solo play, but it handles some of the solo elements like which dice end up on the platter on the “opponents” turn. No more guessing, though, the rules for that are simple in the real game. The nice thing is that it highlights what you can do when you click on a die, and shows you the options well. It’d be nice if it had a tutorial mode, but the rules are on there so you can read them as well. And mainly, if you know how to play, you just need to learn the scoring and new ability.

Honorable Mentions

Let me wrap up with some honorable mention board game apps.

Ascension – this has a nice app for the deck building game. And it comes with the base game and an expansion. You can pay for more to unlock them. The downside to this one, is it’s small on a screen. So until you know the cards it’s a bit fiddly. But it does have pass and play.

Hero Realms – Another deck building game, Hero Realms is a head to head battler. The AI is strong in this one, and you can set it and unlock more cards as you go. The system works well in this setting and it helps you remember everything, like if you haven’t attacked your opponent or your opponent has a blocker.

Potion Explosion – Finally, I want to end on Potion Explosion. This one you do lose some playing it on the app. Obviously you don’t have the tactile thing of pulling out a marble and watching everything else fall into place. That said, it still is slick and it does some of the work, auto placing ingredients if you want. I like it for that, and I like the challenge it offers.

What are some of your favorite board game apps?

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Fleet The Dice Game – Game Play https://nerdologists.com/2023/02/fleet-the-dice-game-game-play/ https://nerdologists.com/2023/02/fleet-the-dice-game-game-play/#respond Tue, 28 Feb 2023 12:38:53 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=7825 Get ready to go fishing with Fleet The Dice Game. I play it over on Malts and Meeples YouTube and you can play along as well.

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A game that I haven’t played in a while, Fleet The Dice Game needed a little bit of a refresher, but I got it to the table on Malts and Meeples last night. Join me as I play a bigger roll and write game. And see how all of the interactions in the game work as you draft dice and go out fishing.

The Game – Fleet The Dice Game

This is a roll and write game that I like, but it always feels like it’s a bit behind where I want it to be. It is a game with a of combos, but I feel like I’ve yet to really figure out my best strategy and optimize how I get to all of those combos. And some of that is because I’ve played it solo.

I think as a solo game it works pretty well. The concept is simple and unlike Trek 12 where there is an AI, you don’t have to completely control another character. Instead the AI is basically them blocking you from getting to places. In particular when you want to get more licenses and more boats.

The downside of the AI is that it locks you out of things. So if I wanted to fully go into a shrimp boat strategy, I might not be able to. Or if I wanted to launch research boats, now that might get blocked off for me. And I think you can create more combos as you play with other players.

I also think the game lacks some on strategy when you play solo. Yes, you want to optimize what you are doing every time you play. But when you play solo, the AI is very predictable on what dice it takes. So I think there is strategy I have yet to find when you play it with others. Mainly, what strategy is around blocking players from getting what they want.

Upcoming Streams

So on Wednesday, it is going to be more Lands of Galzyr at 8 PM Central. You can get notified when I go live here. Join in on the adventures of Bumir across Galzyr and see if this story game is one that works well for you.

And then on Monday, I don’t know wh at game it will be yet. But I hope to pick another new, or newer to me game, off of the shelf and play it. I want to knock out some games that haven’t tried before. Or it might be going back to some old classics. It’s one of those let’s wait and see.

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Solo Gaming Is It For You? https://nerdologists.com/2022/05/solo-gaming-is-it-for-you/ https://nerdologists.com/2022/05/solo-gaming-is-it-for-you/#respond Tue, 24 May 2022 14:35:25 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=7026 Do all board games need a mode for solo gaming. Is that something that more gamers should look at or is it just a waste of time?

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With the pandemic, solo gaming has really taken off. It is rare now to see a game without a solo experience in the box. But is that for you and do all the games really need that solo experience? I want to talk about it because the hobby is growing and changing. And solo gaming is now a very important part of it. But I think for some people, that is a frustration that everything needs to have a solo mode to it now.

Why Do People Do Solo Gaming?

There are a number of reasons that people play solo games. I can’t probably come up with all of them. But I want to touch on some of the reasons that I play solo games. The idea of solo gaming is likely odd for a lot of people because gaming is often a social experience. But let’s talk about why you might want to, and why it is booming.

It’s The Only Way To Game

Sometimes solo gaming is the only option. So if you want to play a game that is how you have to do it. Even without the pandemic, in Minnesota, during the winter, there are some days you just can’t get out and game. And if you don’t have a roommate, spouse, kid, or significant other to play a game with. That means that it might be your only option. Plus getting sick now, people are being less likely to go out. So if you want to game, sometimes it’s the only way to game.

It Allows For More Gaming

Another one that is fairly obvious. But when you play games solo, that means that you can play more games. It ties into it might be the only way to game for an evening. But even if you can normally game in person it allows you to play more. Everyone else busy, you can still game if you really want to game.

The Game Gives You A Way To Learn

It also let’s you learn games. Now, getting a game to a table with a group for the first time is fun as well. But sometimes you want to know how to play a game well before you teach it. It comes up pretty often with bigger games where you want to know it well. Only so much can be gleaned from reading the rulebook or watching how to play videos.

It’s A Mental Refresher

But the main reason that I do it is that it is a mental refresher for me. I know a lot of people with a long day of work like to zone out and watch a TV show or movie. And I don’t mind doing that once in a while. But I find when I get into that groove and I’m just doing it over and over again, it feels like I am wasting time.

Therefore, solo gaming gives me a good mental refresh. It allows me to focus on something that isn’t work. It’s easy to take home a frustrating work project or something like that. But I find that board games, even if I play them solo and often as much when I play them solo, just allows me to focus in on one thing. It’s that clean break and a fun focus where I’m not worried about anything else.

Does Every Game Need A Solo Mode

In my opinion, the more the merrier for solo gaming. I want to see games coming out with good solo modes because that means that those games are more accessible to everyone. Having a solo mode in a game, often times just an added section to a rule book, doesn’t hurt the gaming experience if you want to play it multi-player.

That said, not ever game needs or can have a solo mode in it. A confrontational take that sort of competitive game is going to be nearly impossible to give a solo mode to. So I want games to have a solo mode if it makes sense. Even a game where it might work, I want a well done solo mode. If a game just adds it in because that’s the cool thing to do, but it isn’t good, I might not ever like that game.

Fleet the Dice Game
Image Source: Eagle Gryphon Games

What Makes A Good Solo Mode?

That segues nicely into our next topic. Because not all solo modes are created equal, and depending on the type of gamer that you are, that might make a difference for what type of solo mode that you want to play.

Same As Normal Game

There are a lot of games where it is baked into the ruleset, especially for cooperative games. Generally, it allows for scaling. So if we look at something like Aeon’s End or Gloomhaven, they basically tell you to play as at least two players. With Tainted Grail, the amount of energy it takes to do thing, how long the Menhir are lit, and what level monsters you get are all determined by number of characters. Besides that, those games are the same game as you play multiplayer.

Slight Tweak to the Rules

Then there are solo games that tweak the rules slightly. Something like the solo mode for Sagrada would be like this. You still draft dice and fill in your stained glass window like normal, but it gives you a score to beat with the dice that you don’t use. Basically you beat the total that the dice add up to, to win. It changes up the game a little, gives you more to think about but doesn’t add to much.

Ghost Players

And finally, kind of, there are ghost players. Fleet: The Dice Game, for example, has a character that basically pushes up from the bottom of tracks to stop you from going the whole way down. But it’s very simple, take a die, fill in a circle just like you do in the base game. Or this could be like the automa decks for things like Scythe. It determines how the enemy acts through a deck.

What Type of Solo Gaming Do I Like?

So, I will say, that while I am not opposed to a ghost player or automa deck, I prefer the other two. Mainly because the ghost player adds in more house keeping to the game. I play the AI turns for them, which isn’t as interesting.

But I really like my cooperative solo games. Mainly because they require so little work. I am already playing a game fully at that point and I don’t need to add in anything extra to it. I think with Aeon’s End the only thing that might scale is the health, if I remember correctly. And the turn order deck tweaks slightly. For Gloomhaven, they recommend you maybe play on a slightly harder level than normal. But the core of the does not change.

But I do play Fleet: The Dice Game, and I enjoy that. Mainly because it gives me a simple enough way for a ghost player. Once you know the pattern of how that character moves, because that’ll determine preference for dice to take, it is easy enough. But if it’s a full new set of rules for a ghost player or automa, I am likely not going to play it solo.

Do you appreciate it when a game has a solo mode?

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Back or Brick: Motor City by Motor City Gameworks https://nerdologists.com/2022/03/back-or-brick-motor-city-by-motor-city-gameworks/ https://nerdologists.com/2022/03/back-or-brick-motor-city-by-motor-city-gameworks/#respond Wed, 09 Mar 2022 16:47:24 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=6785 Fire up the assembly line in Detroit's automotive heyday and see if you can out produce and sell your opponents in Motor City by Motor City Gameworks.

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Fire up the assembly line in Detroit’s automotive heyday and see if you can out produce and sell your opponents in Motor City by Motor City Gameworks.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1478832610/motor-city-a-strategic-engine-building-roll-and-write-game?ref=profile_saved_projects_live

Pros

  • Roll and Write
  • Designer Pedigree
  • Price Point
  • Box Art
  • Solo Mode
  • Game Weight

Cons

  • Component Art
  • Game Weight

The Page

This is a solid page. This company has put out other roll and write games, Three Sisters and Fleet: The Dice Game, though not all under their own company name. So they know the industry, so they created a solid page for laying out information about their game.

Much like I knock the art components some, I do think that the page looks a little bit less polished than it could. Now, some of that is that there are a lot of companies out there doing amazing jobs and spending a lot of time and money on the pages. I don’t really need a company to do that, but it is going to make a smaller roll and write game look even smaller with the page that it has.

The Game

Motor City, much like Three Sisters and Fleet: The Dice Game, looks like a game with a ton going on in it. There are multiple sheets, which I’m okay with. I like that the sheets are at least double sided, so I’m not going through my sheets twice as fast as I would normally. Plus, I’d likely laminate some sheets so that I can replay forever.

My concern after seeing reviews for Three Sisters and having played Fleet: The Dice Game is about the weight of this roll and write. Two sheets means a lot to keep track of. At the same time, I keep on considering buying a very heavy roll and write, Hadrian’s Wall. The question I ask around heavier roll and write games is how many do I really need?

Back or Brick

You might be able to guess where I am landing with this one, for me this is a Brick. And some of that was after watching the preview that BoardGameCo did for it. I’m not too concerned about it being too complex for me, but I also don’t think it’s a roll and write I’d teach others. I have a number of roll and write games I generally play solo, so do I want another. I decided on no, because I like Fleet: The Dice Game, but it didn’t blow me away. Maybe it’ll grow with more plays. And I looked at Three Sisters, but I’m glad I didn’t back it.

But let me know your thoughts, is Motor City a Back or Brick?

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TableTopTakes – Fleet The Dice Game Solo https://nerdologists.com/2022/02/tabletoptakes-fleet-the-dice-game-solo/ https://nerdologists.com/2022/02/tabletoptakes-fleet-the-dice-game-solo/#respond Tue, 22 Feb 2022 16:22:36 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=6720 With the roll and writes that I play solo, how does Fleet The Dice Game, a new one to the collection rank? Is it one that'll stick around?

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So, I am going to do probably a second one of these reviews after playing multiplayer, but right now I’ve just been learning and playing Fleet The Dice Game, solo. Mainly because it is a bit of a beefier roll and write game so I wanted to learn it before I taught it to others. And I have to say, while learning it, there is definitely a lot to learn and keep track of. But let’s see how it plays.

How To Play Fleet The Dice Game Solo

So, game play solo to multiplayer doesn’t change up too much. I’ll get to the solo rules at the bottom. But this is going to be a combo filling fishing game. The main focus is to catch fish because each fish gives you a point. But to do that you need to get boats and licenses of the different types for when fishing happens.

But there’s more beyond that, there is also a town phase where you can build up buildings. Or you can sell fish at the market which gets you coins, which I’ll talk about soon. Or you can go to the wharf and work on getting a king crab boat or chartering a boat for your own fishing.

Fleet the Dice Game Components
Image Source: Eagle Gryphon Games

And finally, there are coins. Coins fill in on a track, mainly filling in squares. As you go, that then allows you fill in stars. And whenever you do, that is when you get ahead in the game. A star then allows you to fill in a spot in town, one the wharf, or on the fishing boat tracks.

In the end, everything gives you points. Normally you fill in spots by drafting dice. And you do in solo. But the rival captain in solo doesn’t have their own board. They fill in your board from the bottom up. If you’re unlucky that can really limit what you can do, or fill a building immediately before you can.

What Doesn’t Work?

The biggest trick or thing that might not work as well for this solo is remembering where you are at. Since fishing takes place every other round, it can be tricky to remember sometimes. Now a lot of that is that I forget to fill in the little spots to let me know what phase I’m moving to. If I got better at that, it’d be much easier to keep track of. But because this is a bigger roll and write game, it makes it a bit trickier.

What Works?

Combos work really well in this game. But I don’t think that they are too overpowered. I didn’t find myself just going with the Market action, which just gives me coins too often. Mainly, because every other thing gave me something I want as well. There is even a building that just gives you six points, but six points can be a lot. But the stars are where you really get the combos, the rest of it is more building an engine.

I do think that the stars might be my favorite part of the game. It felt like being able to do two things on a turn, which sometimes it was, versus just one thing. Though, sometimes, if you just go coins, you still really only did one thing.

I also like how pesky the solo captain can be. She manages to mess up fishing plans, but if she has to take a market action, she gets rid of your next star, and that sucks. It makes the game feel very challenging. But she also isn’t too hard to keep track of. I wish maybe there was a reference card as to what she prefers and the order she goes, but once you need to reference the rules less, you can leave it on that for her.

Fleet the Dice Game Dice
Image Source: Eagle Gryphon Games

Who Is This For?

The solo mode is for solo gamers. I feel like a lot of solo gamers are going to like Fleet The Dice Game because it offers a really good challenge. I’ll probably take more about the overall game later like I said, but with solo experience, most solo gamers will handle it fine.

The solo experience is easier to keep track of than it is with a lot of larger games. But it’s not going to feel too simple if you play a lot of solo games. And compared to a lot of roll and writes that you can play solo, Metro X, Ganz Schon Clever, Railroad Ink, Fleet The Dice Game offers more challenge.

Newer players to solo games or to roll and writes will find it more challenging though. The game has more bookkeeping that you need to do for the solo character than most other solo roll and write games. Mainly because most others won’t have a solo AI.

Final Thoughts on Fleet The Dice Game Solo

I want to play it more, and that’s a good sign. But I also want to play it with other people. Mainly because I feel like it’ll move fast and the dice drafting will be more interesting. That is one piece of the game that isn’t a negative or positive as the solo experience goes. You know what the AI will take, so you can either draft it out from under them if you really don’t want them to have it, or not. It’s an interesting manipulation but a simple one.

But, I do think after a few plays that I like the game as a solo one quite well. It feels different was a solo roll and write experience because of that AI. And I feel like I’m just getting into the strategy. And I don’t think there is a set strategy. Thus far I’ve gone fishing heavy, and it’s yielded solid results, but could I push money more, or could I push buildings more? There’s a lot to explore, which I really like. This makes me realize I need to get Hadrian’s Wall to try another complex roll and write.

My Grade: B+
Gamer Grade (for solo): B+
Casual Grade (for solo): D+

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Unplayed Board Games https://nerdologists.com/2022/02/unplayed-board-games/ https://nerdologists.com/2022/02/unplayed-board-games/#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2022 15:28:43 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=6654 A lot of us have unplayed board games. Which ones on my shelf do I want to play, I ranked them all and which one do I want to play the most?

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One of my goals this year is to get through a good chunk of my unplayed board games. You can see how that started out in the month of January here. And I already knocked two more off of my list of games to be played, or shelf of shame or shelf of opportunity in February.

This is going to be a list article, with all my unplayed games ranked. But before I dive into that, I want to talk about some of the terms that I just used. Mainly shelf of shame and shelf of opportunity. They are the same term phrased in different ways. Let’s dive into them and then the big list of games to play.

Shelf of Shame vs Shelf of Opportunity

This is a term that I’ve heard thrown around for a few years now. The idea that games on your shelf have this title. First off, I think this is kind of silly. Games that you haven’t played don’t have a special spot in existence. Now, maybe they do have a special spot on your shelf, but they aren’t held in any sort of light. They are just a board game.

But the first term I heard is Shelf of Shame. The idea behind this is that you feel bad since you haven’t played all your games. This is silly. I go back to my talk about collection versus a hobby. Know what you have on your shelf. For me, board games are a collection and a hobby. That means it’s fine to not get to every game quickly. They are part of my collection. But I play them, as they are part of my hobby as well, and hobbies get used or worked on.

Then came the term Shelf of Opportunity. Shelf of Shame is very negative, and opportunity sounds much better. But I, again, find this not much better. Yes, they are games that you play eventually. And yes, it spins it in a positive light. But both terms keep a focus on the fact the games aren’t played.

What Do I Call Them?

I call them what they are. Board games to be played. A board game is just an object. In labeling them either way, it places power on that object. Yes, one puts it in the light of a game being an opportunity for something new, and new exciting opportunities are good. But it leaves the pressure on actually playing the game.

Like I said, I play games. I buy games. Board Games are a collection and a hobby for me. I own games that might take a long time to get played. Campaign games where I play one at a time or two, and I am already playing two. Those wait for when I have time, and that is okay. I feel like the label places a cloud, no matter what label, over the games, and in the end of the day, games are just games.

If I never play a game in my collection and it collects dust for five years. I shouldn’t feel bad about leaving that opportunity out there. I most definitely shouldn’t feel shame. It is a game and I play games. So I play other games and not the game that is sitting there. I am still enjoying the hobby without playing every game I own.

Descent Legends of the Dark
Image Source: Fantasy Flight Games

So Why Write This Out?

I gave myself a challenge at the beginning of the year. Not because I feel guilt about games that I haven’t played. But because it is fun to play games. And I want to play games, I want to experience new games, and I want to cover new games.

For me, my challenge isn’t to get all the games off the shelf. It isn’t because I feel like I miss out on an opportunity. And I care not about shame from it. For me it’s about trying new things and almost making a game out of it. If I don’t make it by the end of the year, I don’t care. I play these for fun.

Unplayed Board Game List

124Monza
123Dinosaur Tea Party
122Hey, That’s My Fish!
121Danger Park
120The Faceless
1198Bit Box
118The Terrifying Girl Disorder
117Boy Band Builder: The Card Game
116Starship Samurai
115Unicornus Knights
114Copenhagen: Roll & Write
113Journey: Wrath of Demons
112Cowboy Bebop: Boardgame Boogie
111Detective: City of Angels
110The Ravens of Thri Sahashri
109Shadows in Kyoto
108Ascension: Immortal Heroes
107Pioneer Days
106Imperial Settlers: Roll & Write
105Quarto
104Call of Cthulhu: The Card Game
103Escape the Room: Mystery at the Stargazer’s Manor
102Mesozooic
101TAGS
100KeyForge: Call of the Archons
99Vault Wars
98Mage Knight Board Game
97Shadows of Kilforth: A Fantasy Quest Game
96Sentinels of the Multiverse
95Narabi
94Quadropolis
93Jamaica
92Heaven & Ale
91Silver & Gold
90This War of Mine: The Board Game
89Boomerang
88Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
87MonsDRAWsity
86WWE Legends Royal Rumble Card Game
85Shadowrun: Sprawl Ops
84Boomerang: USA
83Palm Island
82Blueprints
81Specter Ops
80HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon
79Crash Octopus
786 nimmt!
77InBetween
76Heroes of Terrinoth
75Codinca
74Formula D
73Arkham Horror (Third Edition)
72Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar
71Everdell
70The Table Is Lava
69Star Wars: Unlock!
68Cockroach Poker
67Drawn to Adventure
66Matcha
65Mariposas
64Tannhäuser
63Air, Land & Sea
62Shakespeare
61Foodies
60Papillon
59Valor & Villainy: Minions of Mordak
58Flick of Faith
57Rhino Hero: Super Battle
56Doodle Dungeon
55The Bloody Inn
54Wingspan
53Welcome to New Las Vegas
52Welcome to Dino World
51Camel Up (Second Edition)
50Arboretum
49Call to Adventure: The Stormlight Archive
487 Wonders Duel
47The Dragon Prince: Battlecharged
46Paper Dungeons: A Dungeon Scrawler Game
45Yggdrasil Chronicles
44Forgotten Waters
43Mythic Battles: Pantheon
42Catacombs & Castles
41Adventure Land
40Space Base
39Chronicles of Crime
38Fleet: The Dice Game
37Raiders of the North Sea
36Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game
35Reichbusters: Projekt Vril
34Bloodborne: The Board Game
33Time of Legends: Joan of Arc
32The 7th Continent
31Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
30The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
29Land vs Sea
28Heroes of Land, Air & Sea
27Champions of Hara
26Floriferous
25Folklore: The Affliction
24The Fox in the Forest
23The Quacks of Quedlinburg
22Res Arcana
21Western Legends
20Mechs vs. Minions
19Cthulhu: Death May Die
18Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor
17Black Rose Wars
16Descent: Legends of the Dark
15Betrayal Legacy
14Loup Garou
13Under Falling Skies
12Nidavellir
11Sea of Legends
10Middara: Unintentional Malum – Act 1
9Deep Madness
8Lost Ruins of Arnak
7The Ratcatcher: The Solo Adventure Game
6Solomon Kane
5Roll Player Adventures
4Nemesis
3Dwellings of Eldervale
2Terraforming Mars
1Destinies

Let’s Talk About the List

124 Games on it, and my goal is to get it down below 100 by the end of the year. You add in a bunch of Kickstarter games coming in, and you can see why it is a big list and also a challenge. And of course, then, there are campaign games on the list. If we look at campaign style games, I think we’re sitting at 14 on the list. And that is a lot of games to play through a campaign of, so that isn’t going to happen. Though, with Sleeping Gods coming off the list to start the year, it will some over on Malts and Meeples.

There are also some kids games on the list. Right now, I don’t think I will play those this year. Monza looks fun, but the toddler isn’t quite ready for it. But the toddler is also three, so who knows, maybe by the end of the year, we can play those games a bit more. But right now I’m not expecting to.

Mythic Battles Pantheon
Image Source: Mythic Games

I also think it’s important to note that a lot of big games are at the top. Those are the ones that I’m most excited to play and cover. And some of them should be getting played soon. Probably after this weekend I’ll be lining up a time to get started playing Roll Player Adventures.

To go along with that, there are a lot of solo games as well. I could play, in the top 20, around 75% of them solo and some of them are solo only games. So I need to start knocking those out first, because they are high on my list. That won’t be how I get under 100, though.

Final Thoughts

I think that it is fine to challenge yourself to play your unplayed games. I think it is fine to limit how many unplayed games you own. When that becomes the focus or the obsession, I think that is when we start to lose the focus on what we are doing. Or when tie to it other emotions, like shame.

When I see people post about clearing their shelf of shame, I am sure it feels good for them. But on the flip side, in the comments, you see people feeling guilty about their unplayed games. I am not that way. I don’t feel guilt over that. And you shouldn’t either.

This is an odd article, I wanted to talk more about the games, and I will soon. But before I could do that, I think it is import to talk about the shame or guilt that can be thrown around in the hobby. Not always intentionally malicious but always harmful.

Also, let me know what game you think I need to try first. What is your favorite on the list that I have too low, or that you know I would like or should try?

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Point of Order: Where is my Board Game Shelf Space? https://nerdologists.com/2021/11/point-of-order-where-is-my-board-game-shelf-space/ https://nerdologists.com/2021/11/point-of-order-where-is-my-board-game-shelf-space/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2021 19:18:26 +0000 https://nerdologists.com/?p=6329 Do I have enough room on my shelves for another board game? And since I just didn't get a board game so I have enough for all of them?

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Yes, I am running out of shelf space and as I do that I cycle games in and out. But I still have a bit more room, so I’m at least good for now. But what new board game is taking up my shelf space? There’s a number of them that have come in recently, such as Sleeping Gods pre-order, but what are some of them that I haven’t talked about because, well, there are a number of them.

Eagle Gryphon Games Order

This one happened today. I normally wouldn’t have done it, but I got an e-mail from Eagle Gryphon game that they have their Black Friday sale going on, and there’s even extra off when you hit $50, $100 and $200 I believe.

PitchCar Expansion 8

One of two expansions that I don’t have. This one is cool in that it allows you to split your road. You can create two paths. If you think about games like Mario Kart or often Need for Speed games, there are a lot of the time shortcuts that you can take. Or the board game Downforce has tracks that split as well.

Well, now I can do that in PitchCar. And I’m probably never going to say no to even more PitchCar. PitchCar is just so much fun, and it’s in some ways easier to get to the table than Icecool, which does something similar with flicking penguins instead of cars. Racing is just a theme that people understand better than penguins in high school. And this I want to create that shortcut, or maybe a long cut.

Pitch Car
Image Source: Ferti

Fleet: The Dice Game

To hit the point where I could get a bit more off I added a roll and write game to the list. For a lot of YouTube people I watch, The Brother’s Murph and Dr GloryHogg on the GloryHoundd YouTube Channel, they really like this one. It is a roll and write with a number of combos, but it is also a roll and write that it heavier. It’s one that has been on my radar for quite a while, it’s just been hard to find. So already on sale for Black Friday and pushing me to get 10% off, I’ll add it to an order.

All Systems Go Purchase

This is from a couple of times of going to ASG. The last game on the list I actually got when I finalize selling my RPG stuff that I talked about last time, which I talk about why I sold a lot of RPG stuff here. Buying stuff this last time with store credit I had left and paying for what was leftover pushed me to the point where now I can get a free $100 game with their rewards program. I just need to figure out what.

The Crew: Deep Sea Adventures

This is one that I might have talked about before, but it was a pre-order that came in. I didn’t actually realize it, but they rang it up when I was in the store even though I’d already paid for it. They caught that not me, so now I have store credit to use on my next purchase, which I’m glad they noticed. It’s something that could have easily been missed.

But onto the game, this is a trick taking game. It’s a cooperative one and that’s different. There was already another version of it that I own as well and need to get played. You’re limited in how you can communicate, and you need certain players to win certain things. I might need to win the trick with the red four in it, for example. And to go with that, you might be allowed to only win one trick. So it’s an interesting puzzle that I want to dive into.

Marvel Champions: War Machine and The Mad Titan’s Shadow

Marvel Champions
Image Source: Fantasy Flight Games

This is just more Marvel Champions. I say that like it’s not a big thing. The Mad Titan’s Shadow was delayed for ages because of the shipping crisis, at least in getting to the US. Well, it’s here now, so if you want to play through a Thanos focused campaign, you can do that now. And War Machine is another character to add into the pool to play with. I’m excited to play with them, and really, I need to play more Marvel Champions, I’m so far behind on the content.

Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write

If you’ve been watching my Top 100 Board Games (of all time) 2021 Edition, you know that there are a ton of roll and write games on the list. Well, here is another roll and write game. This is one from Pandasaurus who is known for a lot of different games but I love Sonora that they’ve done and they have games called Dinosaur Island and Dinosaur World. This one is a roll and write version of that first one.

And All Systems Go backed the Kickstarter. So this is the Kickstarter version of Dinosaur Island Rawr ‘n Write. I’m not sure what that adds in extra, but there are extra things in the box. That is just a fun bonus for me, because I’d have been fine with retail.

XenoShyft: Dreadmire

This one I picked up when I finalized my trade-in. Going back to my Top 100 Board Games (of all time) 2021 Edition, you’ll know from yesterday my #11 is XenoShyft Onslaught. It’s kind of tower defense deck building game with bugs. I call it Starship Troopers the board game because fighting bugs in space. I already know I like the system, this one adds in weather I believe to maybe make it even more difficult, and this game is already difficult. But I want to get it to the table, and it was used but NIS (new in shrink) at the same time which is fun.

Miniature Market Anniversary

Miniature Market does a good job of getting you to buy stuff. For my birthday month they gave me $10 credit to use. Anniversary month, I think for me making my first purchase but maybe theirs, $10 credit. Of course, I’m not going to let money to to waste, or since I already wanted these games, might as well make it cheaper on myself.

Land vs Sea

This is one that I blame Quackalope for telling me about, Quackalope is a board game YouTube channel, very good and highly recommend after Malts and Meeples. But they really loved this game, and to me it sounded interesting. Land vs Sea is kind of an area control game as you are building out areas of, well, land and sea. But depending on how you put stuff out, it can let you score even more points. And, this is key for me, you are building out a map, there is no set board. I have Carcassonne that does this, but I want another, well, I have one now.

The Dragon Prince Battlecharged
Image Source: Brotherwise Games

The Dragon Prince: Battlecharged

I love The Dragon Prince. If you haven’t watched this show on Netflix, stop reading articles after this one on the internet, and go watch it. It’s from some of the same creators (or maybe all) as Avatar: The Last Airbender show. I personally like this one better.

The game takes the main characters from the show, both good and bad, and allows you to create teams. You draft them or pick them thematically and then fight. So it’s a skirmish style game. I don’t always love skirmish games, Super Fantasy Brawl being an exception, but the theme of this one I love. If nothing else I want to give this one a try and see if it is one that works for me. If not, it can move on from the collection, because I got it $10 off.

Crowdfunding Backing

Mythwind

I won’t talk about this one much because I’ve already talked about it a lot. If you’re just looking at this post, Mythwind is like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley but as a board game. That is, it is a game where there isn’t a win condition. You are just seeing how well you can do and how big a town you can build. It’s an interesting concept and one that I’m sure some people will love. I think that I might love it as well. But if not, I can always sell it for what I backed it for most likely.

Boy Band Builder

This is one that my wife backed a while ago and just showed up. Guess what the game is about, that’s right, building a boy band. I think it feels a little bit like Marrying Mr Darcy, where it’s almost a take that sort of game, but really you care more about building up your boy bad to complete gigs and get as many points as you can. I want to play this one because I think it’ll be good for a laugh.

Too Many Bones: Unbreakable

And this one is from Gamefound. I haven’t gotten any Too Many Bones before, even though I work within a mile of Chip Theory Games, might be a mile and a half now. Too Many Bones is kind of a tongue in cheek with weird characters little fighting game. There are no minis for the fighting, though, it’s all done with poker chips which is weird and cool.

So, why did I jump in now? This expansion wasn’t a bad price, and it’s a standalone expansion. To go with that the characters seem more interesting. One is kind of a weather manipulating character, and I forget what the other one does, but some of the earlier ones are closer to your more standard fighter, cleric, etc. that you expect to see in a fantasy game. If I really love it Chip Theory Games does a solid job of keeping stuff in stock.

Bullet Star
Image Source: Level 99 Games

Level 99 Pre-Order

Almost forgot about this one, but it’s a pre-order so will come in eventually.

Bullet [star] and Wood Pieces

From what I can tell, this feels like an app game. You are trying to blow up different patterns of stuff, and it’s just hard to explain. But it looks cool. It’s real time too, which isn’t something I always love, but if I can play it solo and real time, then I might be more interested in real time.

The idea is that you are playing down cards to destroy bullets that are coming towards you. And you are different anime style heroines, I think each with how their own powers. You are trying to do some pattern matching so that you can destroy those bullets but you only have a certain amount of time. And I got the wood pieces because they just look cooler.

Alright, that’s it. Which one of these games that’s coming in or that I already have would you want to play?

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