My Top 10 Favorite Tabletop Games: New Editions and Remakes
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Please note that I filmed this video in late 2020 before I was aware of some comments made by Marco Polo II designer Daniele Tascini, which likely would have impacted the presence of Marco Polo II on this list. For reference, see here: www.dicebreaker.com/games/teo...
This week I delve into my favorite new editions and remakes of previous games. I start with a mention of why Sushi Roll and Azul Summer Pavilion aren’t on the list, then I proceed with the top 10 list, and last I have a detailed design/publishing discussion:
1. TIME Stories Revolution
2. Glen More II
3. Mysterium Park
4. Downforce
5. The King Is Dead
6. Camel Up
7. New York Slice
8. QE
9. Marco Polo II
10. Celestia
The games discussed at the end are Viticulture, Through the Ages, Twilight Imperium 4, Mansions of Madness, Gaia Project, Clank in Space, Dune and Rex, Marvel Villainous and Small World of Warcraft, Resistance Avalon, Raiders of Scythia, Atlantis Rising and Tammany Hall, Brass Birmingham, and Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion and Frosthaven.
00:00 - Introduction
02:00 - Top 10 List
20:30 - Discussion
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podcast link: stonemaiergames.com/about/pod...
Intro animation by Jeff Payne vimeo.com/jaaronpayne 
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Brass would have been my #1. Not only did they do a huge visual upgrade and renamed it Brass Lancashire, they also did a slightly different version called Brass Birmingham. Both great games.
Great sit-down today! I fully agree with Atlantis Rising and Yedo Master Set. Two games I own and love.
Marco Polo 2 shot straigt up to my number 2 game of all time (and so grateful for BGA having it, since it's allowed me to play it during these isolating times), I love it so much. I do still love the original, will still hold onto it, not just to use the characters in 2 (although you can do that with a lot of them), but also to play, especially with the expansion.
I haven't played Glen More 2 yet, but I have played the original. Once I learned the changes it was a nobrainer for me to sell the original and eventually get the new one. I like the idea of the character tiles and the new board.
I agree with you that Terra Mystica is overall still my favourite (I like the tighter board design, handling resources instead of a track), despite Gaia Project being the better designed version (that tech board is just excellent). But I do see value in having and playing both, since Terra Mystica doesn't really work well with 2, is a bit open but does work with 3, is best with 4, and maybe a bit crowded but still works with 5. While Gaia Project has that scalability due to the modular boards, and even has a satisfying solo mode.
As for a game that wasn't mentioned, I'd give kudos to Fields of Green, with the way it tweaks Among the Stars, I like best the way each player gets to essentially choose the types of cards to draw for the draft. Obviously you have to have at least one card from 3 of the 4 decks, so there is some limitation to it, but I like that it does offer you that choice. Also, I find the 2 player version of the draft excellent, and your choice there especially have more of an effect IMO.
Completely agree for Terra Mystica ! It's great to listen to this opinion from the designer of my favorite game so far (Scythe) :-)
I really love the work they have done on Brass Birmingham and was expecting it on your top 10 :)
I really enjoyed Jaws of the Lion & Mysterium Park, but since I'm pretty new to the hobby, I haven't experienced playing an original version & a newer one yet. I have some on the horizon with Kemet: Blood and Sand and Yedo Deluxe Edition. Great video & unique idea to discuss.
I kept my original version of Yedo and didn't back to the new version, but I'm really excited about the new Kemet!
I don’t think this has been mentioned yet, but I would add the reimplementation of Kingdom Builder, Winter Kingdom, to the list. It solves the biggest issue with Kingdom Builder (when you have the expansions) similar to Mysterium - a faster setup time. It also changes several elements of the original gameplay (how you get special abilities) while still keeping the core idea.
This is a great list! I think Clank! In Space! and Gaia Project are both great examples of how a tighter, more "perfect" game is not always a better game.
One category you didn't talk about that's really interesting to me is games that go in cycles like Magic: The Gathering. New sets of Magic aren't technically remakes, but because of the tournament cycle, and how the popular sealed deck mode works, they effectively are. The designers are constantly getting to remake and make adjustments to the rules. This is a bit more complicated since it's necessary from a business model perspective for the game as well, but it's interesting to consider in the context of remakes.
Historically there was another category, a new edition of a game, but with a reduced player count. For example Buccaneer (1938), originally this game had a 6 player count. Later versions reduced the player count to 4. Waddington's Scoop (1953) originally had 6 players, then was reduced to 5, with later versions ending up with 4 players.
TIKAL and MEXICA from Super Meeple! These french redesigns are so beautiful! I wish there will be a redesign of EL GRANDE some day.
I would never argue about how nice deluxe components make a game feel and look. I also appreciate when a core game is just as much fun as the deluxe and making games more accessible to everyone. Agree also that if a company is going to do a new edition, make it significant enough that makes me want to buy it. Years ago I played Viticulture and liked it. Years later I purchased the second edition. Loved it. BUT if the older version was mine, having the option to get an update package is a huge service to your customers. Really appreciate your integrity and honesty with Boardgames.
I would add 51st State Master Set. The original was the influence for Imperial Settlers and the Master Set was then influenced BY Imperial Settlers to improve it along with upgrading the quality of the components. A remake done right and a great game to boot.
Great list.keep doing top 10 lists, love them and the discussion after.I have 2 honorable mentions :Rococo deluxe and Suburbia collector's edition.
What are your thoughts on those?
I haven't actually played them, but they look nice!
Hmmmm... I wonder what a deluxe new edition of Libertalia might look like if someone were to release it? I can hope!
Call to Adventure. I enjoyed the original for a light kind of make your own story game. However, when the Stormlight Archives became a stand alone expansion, I think they improved the game with small tweaks, and the IP theme is just one of my favorites. Fantastic art to include with it. I feel it kind of fits in this category.
I really love the deluxe version of Rococo. Adding in the expansions is a great plus.
Thanks Jamey - this has been really interesting. My initial thoughts for the list were Raiders of Scythia and Gaia Project. In fact the Clank in Space/Gaia Project versus Clank/Terra Mystica conversation made me wonder whether it would be financially feasibly for game publishers to publish the same game simultaneously with different themes. This is for selfish reasons as I prefer more modern/dystopian/sci-fi themes over fantasy although that these two (four?) games did kind of go this way makes me think there are markets out there.
Also I’m working my way through BGG’s top 100 games and so I’ve finally played Scythe which has blown me away and just wanted to thank you for such a clever, tight, engaging game. I was also chuffed to see female characters that are not over- sexualised (one of my biggest complaints abt female miniatures and also video games.) I also liked the “just start playing” approach. The expansions are next! Thanks again.
Thanks Jay Jay! I think it would be pretty difficult to simultaneously publish the same game with different themes, especially given the huge cost of art and graphic design. I'm glad you were able to give Scythe a try!
I believe my favorite remake of a board game is one I still didn’t play, since it’s not available yet. I watched a playthrough of Carnival Zombie in the BGG channel, and really liked it, but by then the game was really difficult to find. The company that made it decided to remake it and put it on KickStarter, and changed a couple of things and added a lot of others. Due to a big delay, there are still a couple of months until they ship this 2nd edition, but I’m really looking forward to play it once it arrives.
Hard to choose ! if you go back in time 2010 Vorpals has been reimplementated as Paper Tales with great artwork
Your video synchronizes with Dusty’s new video for this week! haha 😄
He's clearly trolling. :)
I think Jamey records these weeks in advance.. I'm the one who lucked into the synchronization. :) But it would appear so, wouldn't it?
@@TheMillShow Yes, great minds think alike 🤓
Oh please Gheorghe, give Jamey much more credit than *MY* mind. lol.
I think the Castles of Burgundy reprint/remake was an interesting story. I think I actually like the aesthetic of the first version better though. They really had a chance there to make something special, but I'm not sure they succeeded. In the end I think they made yet another polarizing version of the game art wise!
Not sure if you've seen Dusty's video yet, speculating that SM might bring a new edition of Paolo Mori's Libertalia. In the comments I said that what I really want to see is a SM version of Paolo Mori's Ethnos. If you were to go "all in" on bringing that game to life it would be so great. Now probably that game is still being made by the original publisher, but that's a really awesome game from a gameplay perspective that works in large groups but could use more love on the art/component/board side.
I still need to play Ethnos for the first time! :)
@@jameystegmaier I think you will really appreciate the smooth play - take a card or play cards. Turns are very quick. But with interesting decisions concerning timing.
With the third of the Above & Below, Near & Far game announced Now or Never, there is a precedent to have ‘and’ apart of the name (let’s hope ‘Now and Forever’ makes it to Ryan), but what ‘Haven’ name should* the next game in the Gloom/Frost universe be called?
A VERY old game that I wish someone would would give a makeover is Source of The Nile. Originally by Discovery Games, then picked up, streamlined and reissued by Avalon Hill a couple of years later. Super fun, although a little math-heavy - but this can be solved in these modern times with Excel! C'mon someone - do me a favour? Please?
I used to have it. It's a theme that needs to be re-explored.
Hey Jamey, are there some games you wish a new edition should exist?
Mine would be: Hoity Toity, Bean Trader, and The Name of the Rose.
I really love these games, but they tell their age.
Nice! I may have said Russian Railroads, but I think a new edition of it is coming out.
I never played the originals for Camel Up or Downforce, but both are great and I own them both. Sad to say for Downforce, but I saw the Mario Kart theme people did on BGG and I’ve designed some rules and gameplay and now I don’t play DF unless it’s Mario Kart...
As for reimplementations, I have the Villainous versions and while aspects of each are fun, they both are different enough to like one over the other and vice verse imo. I never played the original Santorini but essentially it is the same from what I’ve seen but deluxified and maybe the god cards were new but a 10/10 for me. I never payed Yedo but have the deluxe ed now and can’t wait to play it! I own Dominant Species and have DS: Marine coming soon and that has a new system and all the same destruction haha.
Remakes are an interesting topic, this happens a lot in digital gaming as well, mainly 'remastering'. Mind you digital games tend to age much quicker than board games, so it often feels more warranted to remaster a digital game.
I personally consider remasters, remakes, reprints, somewhat of a waste of time IF they do not add anything new. If it's just updated components, updated graphics and such, that's nice if someone doesn't have the game yet, but otherwise it's very meh. So I agree with you that if you do such a thing, you better go all out. If you don't, it's better if you focusing your time on developing new things instead. From what I've gathered - Kemet Blood and Sand is an example of a remake done correctly, considering it not only has updated components but also streamlines the mechanics and has a new board which allows for better play at multiple player counts. So while it's essentially the same game, it's improved across the board, which makes it very worthwhile developing and purchasing.
Thanks for your thoughts! I agree, and I'm looking forward to the new edition of Kemet.
Similar to the Tammany Hall section, when the publisher lost the liscence rights to Martin Wallace's Discworld: Ankh-Morpork after Terry Pratchett died and it was OOP for 3 years, the people at Phalanx Games wanted it out there again so they reskinned it to Dikensonian London and put out Nanty Narking through kickstarter.
Hi Jamey! Love your videos and insight. Because of your recommendations I recently got my hands on a copy of Lost Ruins of Arnak and absolutely loved it! You being a game publisher I have a question that I would love your insight on. Recently I wanted to buy Honey Buzz because of all the positive reviews it has received. I wanted to get the deluxe edition and it was sold out. Since I saw that you could buy the deluxe components on the side I was all for buying them separately. I just fail to see how a Deluxe version of a game costs $65 and buying the standard with the deluxe components separately would be $10 more. Would you say it’s because of the separate packaging? I’m just looking to understand the possible backend process in pricing to justify the difference if it has any. Thanks in advance for your insight.
Thanks Lara! I'm glad you enjoyed Arnak. :) Based on what I see on the Elf Creek website, the additional cost is because the deluxe components are packaged separately from the game, so you're paying for the extra packaging. It's also possible that they pricing is out of respect for the price Kickstarter backers paid. That said, I think the components in the core game are really nice, so you could just get the game for $45.
@@jameystegmaier Cool! Thanks for the insight, appreciate it!
Unmatched! Reimplemented Star Wars Epic Duels, and it's my #2 game :D
Great video!
Looking forward to Stefan Felt's Amsterdam!
The technology track in Gaia seems like a really smart and thematic consolidation/re-organization of some Terra Mystica mechanics but it doesn't play as smoothly. What if there was a third iteration that went back to the fantasy theme? Could a game be reimagined twice? Just a thought.
A third version that goes back to the fantasy theme and the spatial dynamics of Terra Mystica with a few of the improvements (like the tech tracks) in Gaia Project would be awesome!
Descent with some gameplay refinements was turned into Star War imperial assault then they made another edition of descent that included some of the refinements from imperial assault. so it is possible.
Great video Mr. Stegmaier! Here are my top ten new editions/remakes!
10. Too Many Bones: Third Edition
They mainly just refined some cards and made a few fixes, but I do love this game so it squeaks on the list.
9. Fairy Tale
This is basically a reprinting and the main reason for its inclusion is I do love the new art, but since it only adds a couple new cards I put it low on the list.
8. Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
I wouldn't ever wanna play this without the app! There's gotta be someone who disagrees but it taking care of the upkeep is so nice.
7. Camel Up: Second Edition
Basically everything you said, the additions make the game more silly fun in my opinion.
6. Mission Red Planet: Second Edition
The main thing I noticed is they added the moon in, from what I understand it was originally supposed to be there and taken out at the last minute. I like it! I really enjoy the overall package of this second edition.
5. Glen More II: Chronicles
I think the modules are great, and I like to say I think it helps with new gamers because you can essentially alter the weight of the game. If you're new to the hobby and get this, you can play base game, after awhile add in more modules to get a deeper challenge/experience.
4. Empires of the Void II
Full disclosure I never played the first edition, but I've seen videos on it and I never had a desire to get it to go alongside this one. I really enjoy the game and think the changes were fantastic!
3. San Juan
The printing I have includes the new building expansion and bonus buildings right in the core box. I play this card game a lot and I really feel what you get in this package is better for the additions.
2. Fury of Dracula 3rd/4th Edition
Mainly it replaced the dice combat with card combat. I enjoyed second edition but I would definitely prefer to play with this one.
1. Viticulture Essential Edition
I didn't design the game so it wasn't excluded from my list! I love essential edition, I always want to play with the grande meeple and the mamas and papas, I also really enjoy the Tuscany map but I don't always use it, especially if there are new people I'm teaching.
It's interesting your comments on the other editions of Viticulture, I wonder how often that happens (wanting the original version to be the finished version) as opposed to something like wanting something in the core game, then taking it out for some reason. I wonder if Bruno Cathala decided to remove the moon from Mission Red Planet and later wanted to put it back in, or if the publisher or someone else suggested it be removed, and he wanted it back in for second edition? Or possibly something else entirely. I don't feel cheated personally, or like the designer held something back or should have waited if they come out with an updated edition. I also think it makes sense that they might put a game out the way it is initially because they have a budget to follow, then if it does well enough come out with a new deluxified version or new edition etc.
Either way, great video this week! Look forward to the next one
Thanks for sharing your list, Rick! I'm curious about Empires of the Void and Mission Red Planet. I'm glad you like Viticulture so much. :) As for your question, I'm sure there's a story behind all of those decisions. In Viticulture, I didn't really even think of the grande worker concept until very close to the campaign, so it felt like something for the expansion, not the core game. But then it was such an essential part of the game that I added it to the second edition.
@@jameystegmaier I also wonder how difficult that decision is, deciding what should be saved for an expansion or make it into the core game. I always enjoy when it feels like I have lots of choices, so every time I come up with an idea I look at different ways to play and possibly to score, but then I worry something would be too much if I were to actually attempt to get something published. So finding out a good way to decide what should be an expansion or not would be useful.
I’m very much looking forward to getting my hands on Splendor: Marvel Edition. The original is amazing, and what’s not better with the Marvel IP lol.
I also thought the marvel edition was going to be great but the cards are too busy. Went back to original.
Original version of Celestia was called Cloud Nine, IIRC.
What is another publisher/designer’s game you love so much you’d like to add-on/revamp?
I like a lot of games! Here's a list of games published by others that could fall into that category: ruclips.net/video/D4ZiMq-6lUY/видео.html
With all of your praise for Board Game Arena, would you ever consider putting a SM game on there? (I know most of your games have digital versions (I own them all))
Indeed, they’re working on putting a few of our games there :)
@@jameystegmaier Looking forward to them getting Tapestry.
Castles of Burgundy is an example of how NOT to do it. Art is worse for a game that was heavily criticised for how boring it looked. It was marketed as including all the expansions when it doesn't (expansion 1 player boards are missing). The building and animal art is smaller and harder to differentiate on the tiles and the actual box is thinner than the original too. This was a game primed for a Roccoco-style deluxe edition and Ravensburger dropped the ball big time.
With the recent KS and your praise/partnership of Bezier, I'm surprised that Castles of Mad King Ludwig Collectors Edition isn't on you list!
Games are only eligible for these lists if I've played them. I've backed the new edition of Castles, but I won't get to play it until they deliver rewards to backers, which won't be for quite a while.
I am not sure if Oceans fits in this category or not, since it is very similar to the game Evolution. I love evolution and i didn't have a chance to play Oceans yet, amd I hope that it is as good as (or better than) Evolution!
I haven't played Oceans, but just yesterday I played Evolution Climate for the first time. I would consider that a sequel to Evolution.
I think Oceans is enough different to be considered its own thing. The two different trait decks, complete tweaks to both species size and extinction, and the abandonment of the structured round format all add up.
How about Black Angel reimplementing Troyes? Also, Expedition to Newdale reimplementing Oh My Goods.
I'm not sure what the new edition of Agricola adds compared to the original, but it has always bothered me that it came out. I've invested a lot of time and money in the expansions and now when new ones come out they're for the new version. 😔
Just remembered, New Frontiers reimplementing Race for the Galaxy.
Marvel Splendor has the same great components plus tweaks to winning conditions. Queen Domino adds a bunch of stuff to kingdomino. Fort is a re-theme.
What about Pax Pamir 2nd ed?
It is indeed a new edition! But I haven't played it.
And of course, there’s Monopoly and the bazillion different versions of it. 😊
How can you not mention 'Cleopatra and the Society of Architects'? (Also: 'High Frontier 4 All')
Because I haven't played it. :)
I'd go with Robinson Crusoe.
Should someone's past works be diminished or invalidated if it turns out the author is an awful person? If so we would have to dismiss the works of many past artists like Richard Wagner, a notorious anti-Semite. What about the works of past scientists who were pretty terrible people?
That's up to each individual to decide--there is no "should" to it.
Slight remark on what you wrote about Daniele Tascini in your description:
Another example of English speakers and particularly Americans translating everything word for word without taking into account the context, the difference in culture and the obvious inutility to make literal translation of two different languages.
It's no wonder the outrage started on English speaking forums, not Italian ones.
The words he used are nowhere near the same, in linguistical, cultural and historical context, as in English (and especially American english).
I do understand that the usage of this word is highly problematic in the US (and many other countries, including mine, France), but it obviously doesn't have the same weight in italy. At all.
Nowadays, context and intentions are often thrown out of the window for the sole purpose of finding things to complain about. And, must I admit, Americans, in general, have the crass tendency to think about everything in an American context.
I, in no way, support racism, at all. But I support context, intentions, and understanding of differences, might they be linguistical or cultural. That's why I find it quite alarming to see the shitwave the guy gets, when it's pretty clear the outrage comes from the inability of some to speak more than one language.
I'm not concerned about a translation issue. I'm concerned with this: www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1cddhj/tzolkins_designer_responds_to_criticism_about/
@@jameystegmaier I'm terribly sorry again, but I honestly fail to see what's terrible enough about his answer to do some sort of witch hunting against the guy.
He apologized, agreed that there were some flaws in the depiction of the cultures, explained some were his faults and others not, and... that's pretty much it...
I don't know you personaly, nor your political opinions, etc. I like your games and the ones you publish, that is why I follow you and your videos.
But on that matter here, I feel a huge "Modern USA" vibe, aka "Everything is dramatically amplified and a slight honest mistake (in a board game) can make you become a persona non grata". What is happening...
The guy didn't kill anyone. He might have done a mistake in representing 2 cultures, partially for the sake of gameplay. Shocker. He apologized for it when told about it.
Be careful not to become the modern prudes, searching to be virtually and falsly all virtuous, smiting anyone who makes a slight misstep.
Ostracizing someone for this...
Come on America... Be better than that.
Yet, I wish you a pleasant day. It is not my intention to attack you or your opinions personaly. I just feel that the USA really lives in a different reality sometimes.
@@NicolasCharly There's a lot to unpack here, and I can say that I try to be very careful about this sort of thing. I'm much more interested in bringing joy to people by elevating those who do and say good things, not those who say bad things. But I think Tascini hurt a lot of people through his comments and general unwillingness to simply stand back, listen, learn, and grow, and in this case I thought it was important to note the timing of this video as compared to when I filmed it.
@@jameystegmaier Fair enough. It's completely your right to have these opinions.
Have a great day, stay safe and keep making awesome things.