This is a selection of Jordi's favorites. Jordi has a private collection of over 250 games and making a top 10 was therefore not an easy task! But these are at least 10 rock solid games that everyone should try.
Jordi's Top 10
White Goblin Games Ark Nova - Board Game
In Ark Nova you plan and design a modern zoo with the ultimate goal of having the most successful zoo. You build enclosures, house animals and support nature conservation projects around the world. Specialists and unique buildings can help you achieve certain objectives during the game. The Games Friends: What a hit Ark Nova is. In our opinion, one of the best games EVER! The enormous amount of cards gives you a high replayability and the different action options also ensure that you can play each game differently. Highly recommended!
€69,95
White Goblin Games Odin - Board Game
Go on an adventure in the world of the Vikings and work as a trader, hunter or plunderer. Build houses, discover distant lands and contribute to the celebration of Odin every round. In this grand strategic game, Uwe Rosenberg takes you to a bygone era. A variety of action options and equipment cards for your Northmen guarantee a unique game, where you try to optimize the possibilities on your player board every time! “Odin” is a saga in the form of a board game. You relive the cultural successes, trading expeditions and plunderings of the tribes we now know as “Vikings”. This term came to be used very differently around the end of the first millennium. When the northerners went on a plundering expedition they said they were going on a "viking". The Scandinavian ancestors, however, were much more than ordinary pirates. They were explorers, traders and founders of states. Leif Eriksson was probably the first European in America, long before Columbus. In the region now called Normandy, the invaders were not called Vikings but “Normans”. One of them was the famous William the Conqueror who invaded England in 1066. He achieved what the King of Norway could not achieve a few years earlier: conquering the English throne. The fact that the people of that time became good sailors had to do with the fact that it was difficult to live from agriculture alone. Major crop shortages caused much suffering. In this game you can plunder and discover new areas. You also experience what everyday life was like by collecting goods that give you a strong position in society. Ultimately, the game is won by the player whose possessions are worth the most.
€70,95
Czech Games SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence - Board Game (ENG)
In SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a Eurogame for 1–4 players, you lead a scientific institution charged with searching for traces of life beyond planet Earth. The game draws inspiration from current or emerging technologies and efforts in space exploration. Players will explore nearby planets and their moons by launching probes from Earth, while taking advantage of ever-changing planet positions. Decide whether to land on their surface to collect valuable samples, or stay in orbit for a broader investigation. In addition, by pointing your telescopes at distant galaxies, you can detect traces of alien signals or undiscovered exoplanets, and collect promising data to explore and study at home. Back on Earth, you can invest in upgrading your equipment so you can analyze incoming data more efficiently, increase your telescope signal capacity, or increase your supply of resources: all to expand the scope of your search that could lead to the discovery of alien life forms. You'll also use more than 200 cards to support your efforts or focus your research in a particular direction for additional bonuses and rewards. Each card features unique effects and artwork and depicts real-world technologies, projects, and discoveries (such as the ISS, the Large Hadron Collider, the Perseverance rover, the Voyager probe, and many others). Finding traces of extraterrestrial life is just a matter of strategically deploying the resources at your disposal, and you can be the one to make the greatest scientific contribution to advancing our understanding of extraterrestrial life within our galaxy. SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence celebrates space and planet exploration, astronomy, the ongoing search for signs of life in the vastness of space, and efforts to understand the nature of life in the universe.
€69,95
Cephalofair Games Frosthaven - Board Game (ENG)
Frosthaven is the story of a small outpost far north of the capital White Oak, an outpost that barely survives the harsh weather and invasions of known and unknown forces. There, a group of mercenaries will help bring this settlement back from the brink of destruction. Not only do they have to deal with the harsh elements, but there are other, much more dangerous threats in the brutal cold. There are Algox, the larger, yeti-like cousins of the Inox, who attack from the mountains; Lurkers streaming in from the northern sea; and rumors of machines roaming the frozen wastelands of their own free will. The band of mercenaries must face all these dangers, perhaps making peace with these new races so they can work together against even more sinister forces. Frosthaven is a standalone adventure from the designer and publisher of Gloomhaven that features sixteen new characters, three new races, over twenty new enemies, over a hundred new items, and a new campaign with 100 scenarios. Characters and items from Gloomhaven can be used in Frosthaven and vice versa. Not only does Frosthaven have the familiar combat mechanics of Gloomhaven, but there's plenty more to do outside of combat, like tons of mysteries to solve, a seasonal event system, and player control over how this ramshackle village expands, with each new building opening up new ways offers to make progress. Frosthaven has a brand new set of items, but there is a mechanism to transfer items from 'Gloomhaven'. However, because it is a remote location, these products are imported and are not there as standard. Resources are much more valuable and you have to build items through a crafting system instead of just buying them.
€259,95
Intrafin Terraforming Mars - Board Game
Terraforming Mars takes place in the year 2400 on the planet Mars. In this board game you start with a minimal income and from there you try to build a successful machine. Together with your opponent you will convert Mars into a habitable planet, while trying to buy the right cards that can give you victory! The Games Friends: “ Terraforming Mars is a unique game that perfectly combines cooperative components with the battle for victory. You are dependent on each other, because together you are trying to make Mars habitable. But only one person will walk away with the victory... Highly recommended! "
€54,95
Delicious Games Underwater Cities - Board Game (ENG)
In Underwater Cities, which lasts approximately 30-45 minutes per player, players represent the most powerful brains in the world, brains nominated from the Earth's overpopulation to create the best possible and most livable underwater areas. The main principle of the game is placing cards. Three colored cards are placed along the edge of the main board in 3 x 5 boxes, which are also colored. Ideally, players can place cards in slots of the same color. Then they can take both actions and benefits: the action depicted in the slot on the main board and also the benefit of the card. Actions and benefits allow players to absorb resources; building and upgrading city domes, tunnels and production buildings such as farms, desalination equipment and laboratories in their personal underwater area; to move their marker on the initiative track (which is important for player order on the next turn); to activate the player's "A cards"; and to collect cards, both special and basic cards that provide better decision-making options during play. All almost 220 cards - whether special or simple - are divided into five types depending on the way and time of use. Underwater areas are planned to be double-sided, giving players many opportunities to gain VPs and ultimately win.
€43,95
Ravensburger The Castles of Burgundy - Board Game (ENG)
The Loire Valley in the 15th century. As influential nobles, players grow their holdings through strategic trade and commerce. Cards that serve as "dice" show possible actions, but the players make the final decisions. Do you want to trade or buy livestock, build buildings in the city or invest in scientific progress? There are many paths to prosperity and prestige! The winner is the player with the most victory points at the end of the game. French and English rules available.
€53,95
Eggertspiele Great Western Trail: Second Edition - Board Game (ENG)
America in the 19th century: you're a rancher, bringing cattle from Texas to Kansas City. This earns you money and victory points. Needless to say, every time you arrive in Kansas City, you'll want to have your most valuable livestock with you. However, the "Great Western Trail" requires not only that you keep your herd in good condition, but also that you use the various buildings along the route wisely. It can also be a good idea to hire the right staff: cowboys to improve your herd, craftsmen to build your own buildings or engineers for the important railway line. If you manage your herd wisely and navigate the opportunities and pitfalls of Great Western Trail, you are sure to rack up the most victory points and win the game. The second edition of Great Western Trail includes solitaire rules, making the number of players 1-4. The Games Friends: "Great Western Trail was already a wonderful game, but the beautiful new artwork makes it a real joy to play. The great thing is that you always place the buildings on the game board in a different way, so every game is different." Highly recommended!"
€43,95
White Goblin Games Paladins of the Western Kingdom - Board Game
Paladins of the Western Kingdom is set during a turbulent time in the history of Western Franconia, around 900 AD. Despite recent attempts to develop the city, the surrounding villages are still threatened by outsiders. Saracens explore the borders, while Vikings plunder riches and livestock. Even the Byzantines from the east showed their dark side. As noble men and women, players must gather workers from the city to defend themselves against enemies, build fortifications and spread the faith across the land. Fortunately, you are not alone. In his great wisdom, the King has sent his best knights to assist in our efforts. So prepare the horses and sharpen the swords. The Paladins are approaching. The aim of the game is to be the player with the most victory points at the end of the game. You earn points by building outposts and fortifications, appointing monks and entering into confrontations with outsiders. Each round, players enlist the help of a particular Paladin and gather workers to complete tasks. As the game progresses, players will slowly increase their faith, power and influence. These not only influence their final score, but also determine the meaning of their actions. The game concludes at the end of the seventh round. The Games Friends: " Our favorite game in the West Kingdom Trilogy. There are a lot of choices, but the actions still feel logical. We think the strong element is that you cannot focus on everything in one game. This means that you can always do something different. try something else and you will be able to play Paladins for a long time. A great recommendation that will remain one of our favorite games for a while. "
€54,95
DLP Games Orléans - Board game (ENG)
The Middle Ages: in Orléans and the surrounding area, each player puts together his own entourage of farmers, traders, knights, monks, etc. You desperately need your followers and their qualities to expand your power, either by trading, as a professional or in service of science. Knights ensure that you can perform more actions and they are also much needed to guide trading journeys. In the village you can find craftsmen who help build trading houses and make tools. Scholars are important because they make scientific progress. Finally, it doesn't hurt to be active in the monastery, because with the help of monks you are less at the mercy of fate. You always want to perform more actions than you can and there are many paths to your goal. The trick is to choose a combination from the different game elements that best suits your strategy. The Games Friends: “Orléans is a strategic board game that is fun to play. All actions are very well balanced, so you can win in many different ways. Highly recommended if you are a fan of a very good bag builder!”
€44,95