Play worlds you can touch

A full-blown, three-dimensional western on the living room table, a night among werewolves, putting together a colourful patchwork quilt: analogue play worlds are as diverse as life itself and bring the whole family together for a shared emotional experience.

Aren't computer games slowly killing off analogue board games? - This is one of the most frequently asked questions to games journalists. No, not at all! The opposite is the case: as digitalisation eats into more and more parts of our leisure and everyday lives, the need for non-digital, direct, shared emotional experiences is increasing. In analogue board games, you look each other in the eye and experience the feelings of your fellow players unfiltered: Bluffing, negotiating, tricking someone, getting angry, being happy have a completely different quality. We present five current games that can fascinate even those who don't like games and bring children and young people back to the gaming table.

For smartphone junkies Werewolves - Full Moon Night Here you can even bring your smartphone to the game: A village tries to find out who turns into werewolves at night. The large group werewolf game is very popular with young people and is an indispensable part of ski and class camps. Thanks to the new Ravensburger version and an app that can be downloaded for free onto a smartphone, there is no longer any need for a football team. The game works with just three players. Nobody is eliminated prematurely. The app takes over the moderation. Each player is assigned a role card, three role cards are in the centre. A game is played in just one night. Everyone closes their eyes. Characters such as the seer or the troublemaker are called out one after the other and are allowed to look at and/or swap cards. Anyone who thought they were a werewolf will be surprised in the morning. "Werewolves - Full Moon Night" by Ted Alspach and Akihisa Okui Communication game for 3 to 10 players aged 8 and over Playing time: approx. 10 minutes Price: Fr. 18.- Ravensburger www.ravensburger.com
For smartphone junkies
Werewolves - Full Moon Night

Here you can even bring your smartphone to the game: A village tries to find out who turns into werewolves at night. The large group game Werewolves is very popular with young people and is an indispensable part of ski and class camps. Thanks to the new Ravensburger version and an app that can be downloaded for free onto a smartphone, there is no longer any need for a football team. The game works with just three players. Nobody is eliminated prematurely. The app takes over the moderation. Each player is assigned a role card, three role cards are in the centre. A game is played in just one night. Everyone closes their eyes. Characters such as the seer or the troublemaker are called out one after the other and are allowed to look at and/or swap cards. Anyone who thought they were a werewolf will be surprised in the morning.

"Werewolves - Full Moon Night" by Ted Alspach and Akihisa Okui
Communication game for 3 to 10 players aged 8 and up
Playing time: approx. 10 minutes
Price: CHF 18 Ravensburger
www.ravensburger.com

For comic and western fans Colt Express Game designer Christophe Raimbault came up with the idea for "Colt Express" while reading Lucky Luke comics. Not only are the graphics of the "Game of the Year 2015" in typical French comic style, the game atmosphere actually imitates the slapstick of a western parody. The game is played on a three-dimensional train, which must be put together before the first game. Each player is given a character with a special ability and tries to raid the train and make the most loot in the process. The players initially "programme" the sequence of events with their playing cards as in a script: cards that allow moving, climbing, shooting or fighting are placed face down or face up in a pile. Only after a round is the pile turned over and card by card with the figures is evaluated one-to-one on the train. This creates chaos and funny surprises. "Colt Express" by Christoph Raimbault Board game for 2 to 6 players aged 10 and up Playing time: approx. 40 minutes Price: Fr. 39.90 Ludonaute www.asmodee.com
For comic and western fans
Colt Express

Game designer Christophe Raimbault came up with the idea for "Colt Express" while reading Lucky Luke comics. Not only are the graphics of the "Game of the Year 2015" in typical French comic style, the game atmosphere actually imitates the slapstick of a western parody. The game is played on a three-dimensional train, which must be put together before the first game. Each player is given a character with a special ability and tries to raid the train and make the most loot in the process. The players initially "programme" the sequence of events with their playing cards as in a script: cards that allow moving, climbing, shooting or fighting are placed face down or face up in a pile. Only after a round is the pile turned over and card by card with the figures is evaluated one-to-one on the train. This creates chaos and fun surprises.

"Colt Express" by Christoph Raimbault
Board game for 2 to 6 players aged 10 and up
Playing time: approx. 40 minutes
Price: CHF 39.90 Ludonaute
www.asmodee.com

For people who can't lose The Game Many people can't handle losing to others. In co-operative games, everyone plays together as a team against a game system. If the group is not so successful, a loss shared is a loss halved. "The Game" is a card game with minimalist rules. Theoretically described, it doesn't seem particularly special, but those who play it themselves are immediately drawn into a tremendous emotional maelstrom. It is a game of group dynamics. 98 cards with numerical values from 2 to 99 are to be placed in four piles. On your turn, you have to get rid of at least two of your cards, but this usually blocks the other players' options. It is forbidden to talk about your card values. Nevertheless, "The Game" is a pure communication game and thrives on what is not said and the rollercoaster of emotions triggered by the constraints of the game. "The Game" by Steffen Benndorf Card game for 1 to 5 players aged 8 and over Playing time: approx. 20 minutes Price: Fr. 12.50 Game Factory www.gamefactory-spiele.com
For people who can't lose
The Game

Many people can't handle losing to others. In co-operative games, everyone plays together as a team against a game system. If the group is not so successful, a loss shared is a loss halved. "The Game" is a card game with minimalist rules. Theoretically described, it doesn't seem particularly special, but those who play it themselves are immediately drawn into a tremendous emotional maelstrom. It is a game of group dynamics. 98 cards with numerical values from 2 to 99 are to be placed in four piles. On your turn, you have to get rid of at least two of your cards, but this usually blocks the other players' options. It is forbidden to talk about your card values. Nevertheless, "The Game" is a pure communication game and thrives on what is not said and the rollercoaster of emotions triggered by the constraints of the game.

"The Game" by Steffen Benndorf
Card game for 1 to 5 players aged 8 and up
Playing time: approx. 20 minutes
Price: Fr. 12.50 Game Factory
www.gamefactory-spiele.com

For fans of computer worlds Loony Quest The makers of "Loony Quest" have copied this from computer games: just like there, you have to fight your way through the levels of seven fantasy worlds, but not with a joystick or mouse, but with a transparent film and pen. "Loony Quest" is a colouring game, but you don't have to be able to colour. Instead, the aim is to hit the objects in a picture as accurately as possible from a distance just by looking at them comparatively. A square game board with a template of a dungeon or landscape in the centre is placed in the box. Each player must then draw paths past obstacles and enemy creatures or mark objects with a pencil on a foil in their place. Each foil is then placed congruently on the game board, compared and points are scored. "Loony Quest" by Laurent Excoffier and David Franck Colouring game for 2 to 5 players aged 8 and over Playing time: approx. 20 minutes Price: Fr. 33.90 Libellud www.asmodee.com
For fans of computer worlds
Loony Quest

The makers of "Loony Quest" have copied this from computer games: just like there, you have to fight your way through the levels of seven fantasy worlds, but not with a joystick or mouse, but with a transparent film and pen. "Loony Quest" is a colouring game, but you don't have to be able to colour. Instead, the aim is to hit the objects in a picture as accurately as possible from a distance just by looking at them comparatively. A square game board with a template of a dungeon or landscape in the centre is placed in the box. Each player must then draw paths past obstacles and enemy creatures or mark objects with a pencil on a foil in their place. Each foil is then placed congruently on the game board, compared and points are scored.

"Loony Quest" by Laurent Excoffier and David Franck
Drawing game for 2 to 5 players aged 8 and up
Playing time: approx. 20 minutes
Price: Fr. 33.90 Libellud
www.asmodee.com

Duel for two Patchwork You don't always have a lot of other players at your disposal, often it's just the two of you. That's why there's "Patchwork", a two-player game in which the two competitors each have to create a patchwork quilt with as few gaps as possible. The means of payment are buttons. The patches are flat, coloured cardboard tiles in different sizes and shapes, some of which are reminiscent of "Tetris". The players do not take turns, but always play according to who is currently further back with their "time piece". This means that a player can take several turns in a row and use this tactically. The player whose turn it is may buy one of three available patches. Each patch costs buttons and "time" to sew into your own blanket. The rules are simple, you are immediately involved in the game, each game is exciting and lasts no more than half an hour. "Patchwork" by Uwe Rosenberg Placement game for 2 players aged 8 and over Playing time: approx. 30 minutes Price: Fr. 25.90 Lookout Games www.lookout-spiele.de
Duel for two
Patchwork

You don't always have a lot of other players at your disposal, often it's just the two of you. That's why there's "Patchwork", a two-player game in which the two competitors each have to create a patchwork quilt with as few gaps as possible. The means of payment are buttons. The patches are flat, coloured cardboard tiles in different sizes and shapes, some of which are reminiscent of "Tetris". The players do not take turns, but always play according to who is currently further back with their "time piece". This means that a player can take several turns in a row and use this tactically. The player whose turn it is may buy one of three available patches. Each patch costs buttons and "time" to sew into your own blanket. The rules are simple, you are immediately involved in the game, each game is exciting and lasts no more than half an hour.

"Patchwork" by Uwe Rosenberg
Placement game for 2 players aged 8 and up
Playing time: approx. 30 minutes
Price: Fr. 25.90 Lookout Spiele
www.lookout-spiele.de

Tom Felber ist freier Journalist, Gerichtsreporter und Vorsitzender der unabhängigen Kritikerjury «Spiel des Jahres». Ihn fasziniert immer wieder aufs Neue, wie man unterschiedlichste Menschentypen mit einem simplen Kartenspiel zusammen für Stunden an einen Tisch fesseln und dabei erst noch ziemlich gut kennenlernen kann.
Tom Felber
is a freelance journalist, court reporter and chairman of the independent "Game of the Year" jury of critics. He is always fascinated by how a simple card game can tie different types of people together at a table for hours and get to know them quite well.
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