My top-10 favs -- at least as of July 2025

With what is sort of the re-launch of this blog which frankly got lost amid real life for years, I thought perhaps it was a good time to offer up my top-10 favourite games – a list which admittedly is rather fluid depending on day and mood.

But, here goes:

#10 Pandemic – My first co-operative experience – at least that I remember so fondly – it had to make list as it set the group I play with on a path to really enjoying the co-op game experience.

#9 – Gin Rummy – Another fondly remembered from youngest days with dad. Super simple and yet a fine way to waste a summer afternoon.

#8 Azul – This was not a game I had expected to like but boy do I. Sure it’s largely playing solitaire as a group, but the chunky pieces, ease of ruleset to learn, and enjoyable – albeit not super deep – game.

#7 Tak – To come from a fantasy book and be so simple and yet so deep is frankly amazing. Far better than I expected when it arrived. A total gem.

#6 Dominion – The first ‘deckbuilder’ I played that wasn’t a  trading card game (Magic: the Gathering). Feel in love with it and the mechanic and it remains easily me fav or the genre.

#5 – Lines of Action – This one gets high marks for being a game you can play with a common checker set – and it is a better game too. By Canadian designer Claude Soucie – great its fellow Canuck, this one is super simple to learn but offers lot of strategy to learn as well.

# 4 Yinsh – The entire gipf series from designer Kris Burm is outstanding, but theis one is simply a cut above. Ove the mechanics especially that as you get closer to a win you give your opponent an added chance.

#3 Kings Cribbage / Cribbage – Have loved cribbage for years. Then the better half and I discovered Kings Cribbage – think crib and scrabble combined. It’s our favourite hubby/wife game now – although peg crib is still enjoyed too.

#2 Hive – I balked at buying this one initially because I thought it was ‘kiddish’ with the coloured bugs, but when I finally acquired it I found the modern equivalent to chess. Outstanding game made better with each added bug – ladybug, mosquito, pillbug – and love the carbon set on black & white.

#1 Crokinole – This one is easily my all-time favourite. I remember it fondly from my youth playing – and usually losing to my dad. It is a joy ‘flicking’ the pieces, and is a game where with practice you can also get better.