Since I discovered actualol a year or so ago, I have been adding games to my wishlist and many were purchased because of you. You recommended modern detective a few years back and I added it then. Now I have seen it again and purchased it this instant. Your channel is very humble and you are so authentic that you could sell me anything, even a game that would not fit me.
You are a gem!!! Please do not stop making videos on board games. I don't care how long the gap between them are. Your influence is so prolific believe me
The Mind is my go-to for the first game of the night. It loosens everyone up and accommodates late arrivals, just deal them in the next round! I've played it with maybe 6 different groups and all really got into it, with much howling and laughter as people are desperate to get their cards down in time. There are evenings I have a hard time switching my group to the Main Event game. What the heck, we're all here to have a good time - PLAY ON!
I got Patchwork because of your couples games video and me and my partner have played it at least 50 times since, we both absolutely love it so much. one of those games that just never gets old
Yay, I'm so happy to see The Mind on someone else's top games of all time list! It's such a great feeling when there's a huge gap and then 3 consective numbers get played correctly! Looking forward to your top 10!
I think I said this in the comment to your last video but I LOVE what you are doing. The enthuiasm you show for each and every game on your list is just contagious and I really want to try the ones I didn't know before. I think my favorite game from this part of the list could be Nothing Personal. It just sounds like something I would really enjoy. I would love to support you and your channel more but unfortunately I can't really afford more than my likes and my comments. I really do want to encourage everyone who can to support via Patreon! I just recently discovered the channel and want to watch many videos more. Cheers from Germany. Alex
Just started playing board games very recently (Pandemic got me started) and found this channel, has been absolutely my favourite board game coverage. Informative and really witty at the same time. Will definitely join on patreon patreon later, but hope you enjoy your leave with your family.
Really interesting how different your list is from the typical top lists. Our list would look very different but it's still nice to see how passionately you talk about these games. It's obvious that they are important to you. We are very excited about the last part😊
Love your reviews and content Mr. Lol. On a personal note, great to see Las Vegas and The Mind here. Both were instant classics for me. The collective consciousness of The Mind is a fascinating thing to play and experience.
"I want just one game to have around in case I want to play something with friends. Do you have a recommendation?" "Sure, Just One." "Yeah, just one game." "No, Just One." "I already said that. Is this some kind of game?" "Yes! The game is Just One!"
My favorite way to play The Mind is telling the rules like it is "no communication" and I emphasize it! But then I stop being the rules-police and watch people starting to cheat by doing weird head gestures, body language, especially non-gamers... it's absolutely hilarious. It fell flat with gamers bc they are too much into the rules.
As much as I love the Mind I tend to find it's one of those games where a more relaxed "no communicating about what's in your hand or on the board" works better, having a conversation going about something else just tends to make people way more willing to play. I think that's partially down to my board game group being old friends who mostly just want to talk, playing a game is just the excuse given to hang out.
I know it's against the rules but I think the mind is way more fun if you completely lean into the nonverbal communication with waggling eyebrows and wild gesticulation
another great thing about the mind game is you can play their other game called the game with the mind deck.! All you just need is the game instructions.
oh dang, I finally found you. back in the quarantine days I randomly found your goofy board game things and watched a bunch of those. then yt recommendations made you go away and then forgot your whole thing. and now I accidentally found you again. maybe I should subscribe or something...
Thank you for the video! From Innocent Leisure to Greed, to Murder, to Gambling and more Greed, to Psychic powers, to Socializing, to Pirating, to Murder Mystery.. we were worried about you for a while... but you learned from your experiences and eventually became a friendly Detective at the end of it all :-)
I bought the Mind on your recommendation John. We played it on a game night we 4 couples. As it was too many players we went round for round guys and girls. It was hilarious watching the differences between guys and girls. We got to something like round 9 and it was a black. No one other than me and my wife had played before but everyone got it quickly.
Patchwork is easily in my top 10 and I love the Express version as well. It adds a handful of blue tiles that are made available to the players only towards the end of the game. Certainly spices it up!
Great list, Jon! I really wish I could find Las Vegas Royale but it appears to be sold out pretty much everywhere. I have a local game shop I may swing by to check their used section. I like seeing the dings on your box, as it shows that it is indeed one of your top games! I hope you and your wife are enjoying the new addition to your family and your time off!
Yeah the Mind was a huge surprise to us. I picked it up to get Amazon free shipping and we played it as a bit of a joke. 3 hours later we were still playing and just could.not.stop 😂 such a great game
I've never seen Nothing Personal which is Tom Vasel's ow game design On any one's top list before. Maybe I should check it out. Also I wish Eye My Favorite Things was more available in the US. I've been looking for that game for years.
The only thing I don't like about games like "nothing personal" is that it inevitably becomes personal. Everyone knows at my table that I'm the target, so I can never win lol. This type of game can be a wet blanket sometimes.
The thing with the mind is, you'll somehow have those moments without any form of communication. Like, counter is at 70, I have 71, other person has 72. Then 71 would be played instantly, so 72 is slightly slower than instantly, somehow. There's a true magic to the game though, and every group synchronises differently. I think especially if you know people you may even be reading them without explicitly trying. The most important thing is: no algorithm / strategy should be decided by the players, strategizing makes the game work less well somehow.
I love polyominos but patchwork being 2 player only disqualifies it for me. I'd be curious to know what your favourite polyomino game is for higher player counts? Project L is my current favourite pure polyomino game for 3-4 players
Yeah, Spring Meadow is my preferred polyomino game for 4 because of its simplicity and pure puzzly-ness. I also like Second Chance for a Tetris flip and write.
About The Mind; I played the game 3 times with 3 different groups and each time the game devolved into everyone just silently counting to 100, playing their cards when their number is reached… The first few rounds are a jumble as everyone adjusts their counting speed but after that, the game is solved… Idk… Perhaps it’s just me (and my friends… and my family lol)…
In one of your other videos, you recommended a book about the history of board games, but i can’t remember which vid it was, or what the book title is. Would you mind telling me plz?
Lovely Video ! I really put a lot of stock into these reviews / ranks of games, as a newbie, do you have any recommendations of what board games to start with ? I like the look of Heat and Stockpile, and have Catan, What do you think Wise man 😂
Try the classics, they are called that for a reason, also very important think on what your gaming group likes, that is the nr1 thing that will determine how much you play and enjoy a boardgame
@@thomasflett1526 See if there is a gaming store with a play space near you. Often they will have a library of games you can play there, which can expose you to a number of different games, so you can try before you buy. And often that library will consist of a lot of the classics and gateway games.
_Mysterium_ was too bizarre for me. I just couldn't get into the images as clues. I played _Just One_ but don't remember much about it other than writing clues; maybe we quit before everyone got a turn? I played _Patchwork_ once in 2016, but though I won, I didn't go back for more. I don't know anything else on this list of ten.
I will never agree that The Mind is a game, or even a pleasant experience, but I do want to thank you, Jon, for explaining to me why some people love The Mind. It makes more sense now. When I first brought The Mind to my game group and explained the rules, they all just blankly stared at me and then asked if this was a practical joke. I've never played it with someone who likes it.
I think I prefer Acquire over Stockpile. There is just more to it. I love Libertalia, but the original was just so much more thematic. I get why they changed things for the sake of political correctness and family friendliness, but I do miss the original. I wish they would release an expansion for the original to add all the new stuff from the newer version to the original. For now, I deal with the newer one just to use the new things that they have added.
Im so Salty that Eye My Favourite Things is absolutely umavailable on either primary or secondary market.... not even "Unamtched Bruce Lee" level aka available just expensive, no, its just nowhwre to be bought.....
@@actualol i am aware of that, but the new one is not in retail yet/not sure if it will be, so i used the old name. Missed the kickstarter, not available for preorder afaik, if im wrong then it menas i dont know how/where to do it, their site only talka about the KS. Or maybe not available here (Poland) idk
Sorry to be negative, but everytime I see the new version of Libertalia it makes me want to vomit. Such souless, bland artwork, it could've been created by an AI. The original actual felt piratical. The new one is so sanitised and pedestrian it borders on sinister 😅
the mind i find so funny because people seem to talk about this special human connection humans develop over playing it when actually you just all slowly start to sync up your internal clock you are just gushing about the fact you are all able to count to 100 at roughly the same time. its such a rubbish barely a game game.
New Angeles is better than all of these and also your next 10*** *** I dont actually believe this but if I've learned anything from you its: 1) party games are best games and 2) commit to a bit
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Since I discovered actualol a year or so ago, I have been adding games to my wishlist and many were purchased because of you. You recommended modern detective a few years back and I added it then. Now I have seen it again and purchased it this instant. Your channel is very humble and you are so authentic that you could sell me anything, even a game that would not fit me.
Well I hope it does fit you! 🤞
Thanks - I hunted down Stockpile after seeing your recommendation. Really enjoy it
Thank you! Glad you managed to find a copy.
You are a gem!!! Please do not stop making videos on board games. I don't care how long the gap between them are. Your influence is so prolific believe me
I agree!
Budget tip. Buy 6nimmt, then with the same cards you can play "the mind", "no thanks", and "the game"
Yup! And it's a good game on its own!
The Mind is my go-to for the first game of the night. It loosens everyone up and accommodates late arrivals, just deal them in the next round! I've played it with maybe 6 different groups and all really got into it, with much howling and laughter as people are desperate to get their cards down in time. There are evenings I have a hard time switching my group to the Main Event game. What the heck, we're all here to have a good time - PLAY ON!
I got Patchwork because of your couples games video and me and my partner have played it at least 50 times since, we both absolutely love it so much. one of those games that just never gets old
This list gives me the impression that you play with really fun, great people. Good on them, and excellent list!
Yay, I'm so happy to see The Mind on someone else's top games of all time list! It's such a great feeling when there's a huge gap and then 3 consective numbers get played correctly! Looking forward to your top 10!
I think I said this in the comment to your last video but I LOVE what you are doing. The enthuiasm you show for each and every game on your list is just contagious and I really want to try the ones I didn't know before. I think my favorite game from this part of the list could be Nothing Personal. It just sounds like something I would really enjoy.
I would love to support you and your channel more but unfortunately I can't really afford more than my likes and my comments. I really do want to encourage everyone who can to support via Patreon! I just recently discovered the channel and want to watch many videos more.
Cheers from Germany.
Alex
Just started playing board games very recently (Pandemic got me started) and found this channel, has been absolutely my favourite board game coverage. Informative and really witty at the same time.
Will definitely join on patreon patreon later, but hope you enjoy your leave with your family.
Thank you, welcome aboard!
Really interesting how different your list is from the typical top lists. Our list would look very different but it's still nice to see how passionately you talk about these games. It's obvious that they are important to you.
We are very excited about the last part😊
I agree. I have never heard of some of those games before but is always refreshing to learn about hidden games 😁
Love your reviews and content Mr. Lol. On a personal note, great to see Las Vegas and The Mind here. Both were instant classics for me. The collective consciousness of The Mind is a fascinating thing to play and experience.
"I want just one game to have around in case I want to play something with friends. Do you have a recommendation?"
"Sure, Just One."
"Yeah, just one game."
"No, Just One."
"I already said that. Is this some kind of game?"
"Yes! The game is Just One!"
I love that you can answer every rule question with the game name 😁 Just one!
My favorite way to play The Mind is telling the rules like it is "no communication" and I emphasize it! But then I stop being the rules-police and watch people starting to cheat by doing weird head gestures, body language, especially non-gamers... it's absolutely hilarious. It fell flat with gamers bc they are too much into the rules.
Play the Mind with musicians and hope everyone gets on the same tempo. Bam. Game solved.
As much as I love the Mind I tend to find it's one of those games where a more relaxed "no communicating about what's in your hand or on the board" works better, having a conversation going about something else just tends to make people way more willing to play.
I think that's partially down to my board game group being old friends who mostly just want to talk, playing a game is just the excuse given to hang out.
I know it's against the rules but I think the mind is way more fun if you completely lean into the nonverbal communication with waggling eyebrows and wild gesticulation
The Mind is great for people who can’t keep a tempo for 100 seconds.
another great thing about the mind game is you can play their other game called the game with the mind deck.! All you just need is the game instructions.
i’ve been waiting for this!!!! i love this series - can’t wait for the top ten!!🤗
Big fan of Eye My Favorite Things. Can't wait for the reprint!
Favorite channel, thank you for the videos
oh dang, I finally found you. back in the quarantine days I randomly found your goofy board game things and watched a bunch of those. then yt recommendations made you go away and then forgot your whole thing. and now I accidentally found you again. maybe I should subscribe or something...
You bloody well better! 🧐
Man I congratulate the designers of these games. Because this level of creativity is insane.
Finally!!! So happy for this series! I love me some Mysterium.
Mysterium is one of the few games I can’t get any of my friends to play….it was like getting your hair bleached for 4 hours
Thank you for the video!
From Innocent Leisure to Greed, to Murder, to Gambling and more Greed, to Psychic powers, to Socializing, to Pirating, to Murder Mystery.. we were worried about you for a while... but you learned from your experiences and eventually became a friendly Detective at the end of it all :-)
Haha!
My favorite thing about this channel is that you feature accessible party games that are genuinely cool instead of the same ol’ heavyweight euros.
New Actualol video. Life is good
I bought the Mind on your recommendation John. We played it on a game night we 4 couples. As it was too many players we went round for round guys and girls. It was hilarious watching the differences between guys and girls. We got to something like round 9 and it was a black. No one other than me and my wife had played before but everyone got it quickly.
Thanks
Patchwork is easily in my top 10 and I love the Express version as well. It adds a handful of blue tiles that are made available to the players only towards the end of the game. Certainly spices it up!
Great list, Jon! I really wish I could find Las Vegas Royale but it appears to be sold out pretty much everywhere. I have a local game shop I may swing by to check their used section. I like seeing the dings on your box, as it shows that it is indeed one of your top games!
I hope you and your wife are enjoying the new addition to your family and your time off!
Welcome back!! I seem to say this on every video ;) Love you mate!
Lol he's actually on paternity leave. He recorded these before his baby arrived so he could take a break.
Aww I never knew. Congratulations Actualol. Wishing you and your beloved family all the best! Thanks @@virgilalighieri7192
Brilliant! Makes me want to find out more about the games I don't have yet in your list. Very curious.
U summed-up and explained so well and precized. Great vid.
Yeah the Mind was a huge surprise to us. I picked it up to get Amazon free shipping and we played it as a bit of a joke. 3 hours later we were still playing and just could.not.stop 😂 such a great game
John is one of the most wholesome people on RUclips.
True, but Jon is even more wholesome:)
Close to number 1! Eager to know what's the Top 10 !
Stockpile is super fun. It's just so hard to get this to the table b/c everyone gets turned off by the idea of a stock market game.
I took Just One to last year's Christmas party, it was a blast
I've never seen Nothing Personal which is Tom Vasel's ow game design On any one's top list before. Maybe I should check it out. Also I wish Eye My Favorite Things was more available in the US. I've been looking for that game for years.
Great video, I would like to buy those games and play them all !
The only thing I don't like about games like "nothing personal" is that it inevitably becomes personal. Everyone knows at my table that I'm the target, so I can never win lol. This type of game can be a wet blanket sometimes.
Love stockpile! And loove las vegas. Two super fun games to play!!!
Great video - thanks!
The thing with the mind is, you'll somehow have those moments without any form of communication.
Like, counter is at 70, I have 71, other person has 72. Then 71 would be played instantly, so 72 is slightly slower than instantly, somehow.
There's a true magic to the game though, and every group synchronises differently. I think especially if you know people you may even be reading them without explicitly trying.
The most important thing is: no algorithm / strategy should be decided by the players, strategizing makes the game work less well somehow.
really great list,thanks
The game detective, a modern crime game is legit perfect...❤😮
A comment to help with the video and to support the channel
Mysterium is the one I most want to play out of all of these, I'd like to be a smug ghost
I love polyominos but patchwork being 2 player only disqualifies it for me. I'd be curious to know what your favourite polyomino game is for higher player counts? Project L is my current favourite pure polyomino game for 3-4 players
Barenpark is great, Planet Unkown also looks really nice, but I’m still waiting for my copy.
I believe Jon is a big fan of Spring Meadow
Yeah, Spring Meadow is my preferred polyomino game for 4 because of its simplicity and pure puzzly-ness. I also like Second Chance for a Tetris flip and write.
@@actualol ooh, spring meadow is one I've been wanting to try because I love the idea of building rows from the bottom up like actual Tetris.
Nothing Personal is absolutely wonderful - a stone cold Cosmic Encounter killer. Best negotiation game I’ve played.
Couldn't agree more!
Great video, "Yesterday" slander notwithstanding.
Gotta make sure people are listening 😛
I really want to buy stockpile, but i cannot seem to find it :(
About The Mind;
I played the game 3 times with 3 different groups and each time the game devolved into everyone just silently counting to 100, playing their cards when their number is reached…
The first few rounds are a jumble as everyone adjusts their counting speed but after that, the game is solved…
Idk… Perhaps it’s just me (and my friends… and my family lol)…
Or you can not count and feel the time much better experience.
Puh. I got many of thoose games. So this part of the list doesn't hurt my wallet😅
And yeah Just one and mysterium are great games👍
When the last video will be uploaded?
In one of your other videos, you recommended a book about the history of board games, but i can’t remember which vid it was, or what the book title is. Would you mind telling me plz?
It's All A Game by Tristan Donovan
@@actualol thank you!!
Lovely Video ! I really put a lot of stock into these reviews / ranks of games, as a newbie, do you have any recommendations of what board games to start with ? I like the look of Heat and Stockpile, and have Catan, What do you think Wise man 😂
Also do you have any idea how to find out what type of board game you like, or if you like one that you've never played without buying them ?,
Try the classics, they are called that for a reason, also very important think on what your gaming group likes, that is the nr1 thing that will determine how much you play and enjoy a boardgame
He's made a list of suggested Gateway games to introduce people to the world of board games: ruclips.net/video/G7Psh1Uq4Yo/видео.html
@@thomasflett1526 See if there is a gaming store with a play space near you. Often they will have a library of games you can play there, which can expose you to a number of different games, so you can try before you buy. And often that library will consist of a lot of the classics and gateway games.
I think that Heat and Stockpile are great picks, but they might be hard to get hold of! Check out my Top 10 Gateway Games video, for sure.
I'm surprised you went with Mysterium rather than Obscurio.
Still to come?
Cascadia
Cat in the box
Sniper elite
Sherlock Holmes consulting detective
Codenames
Pandemic
I think you've missed a video because Cascadia and Sniper Elite have already been on the list. Good guesses though!
I loove mysterium, such a great game.
Just one sounds fun.
_Mysterium_ was too bizarre for me. I just couldn't get into the images as clues.
I played _Just One_ but don't remember much about it other than writing clues; maybe we quit before everyone got a turn?
I played _Patchwork_ once in 2016, but though I won, I didn't go back for more.
I don't know anything else on this list of ten.
Stockpile!
I will never agree that The Mind is a game, or even a pleasant experience, but I do want to thank you, Jon, for explaining to me why some people love The Mind. It makes more sense now. When I first brought The Mind to my game group and explained the rules, they all just blankly stared at me and then asked if this was a practical joke. I've never played it with someone who likes it.
Project L and Isle of Cats definitely dethroned patchwork for me
Mysterium is okay, but I found Obscurio much better. The interactions and even the art work , I would say are also better
Aint seen u in ages. The Aled Jones of board games.
When playing The Game, we do the card crawl. That's the most we get away with 🙂
I think I prefer Acquire over Stockpile. There is just more to it.
I love Libertalia, but the original was just so much more thematic. I get why they changed things for the sake of political correctness and family friendliness, but I do miss the original. I wish they would release an expansion for the original to add all the new stuff from the newer version to the original. For now, I deal with the newer one just to use the new things that they have added.
First! Was waiting for this one:)
I clap mine own cheeks in you honor, me lord.
Im so Salty that Eye My Favourite Things is absolutely umavailable on either primary or secondary market.... not even "Unamtched Bruce Lee" level aka available just expensive, no, its just nowhwre to be bought.....
It's now called My Favourite Things and it was recently on Kickstarter. You might be able to preorder it.
@@actualol i am aware of that, but the new one is not in retail yet/not sure if it will be, so i used the old name. Missed the kickstarter, not available for preorder afaik, if im wrong then it menas i dont know how/where to do it, their site only talka about the KS. Or maybe not available here (Poland) idk
What? No auction game from your favourite designer?
I ran out of them!
Great group of games, well, except for The MInd. Looking forward to your top 10 games.
You have a lot of party game in this list. We definitely don’t have the same taste in games.
Don’t buy ‘The Mind’ you can just play it with a standard deck of cards. Save your money
Sorry to be negative, but everytime I see the new version of Libertalia it makes me want to vomit. Such souless, bland artwork, it could've been created by an AI. The original actual felt piratical. The new one is so sanitised and pedestrian it borders on sinister 😅
And you have a compulsive need to share that negativity with the world?
@JerzyMuller evidently so. Thanks captain obvious.
the mind i find so funny because people seem to talk about this special human connection humans develop over playing it when actually you just all slowly start to sync up your internal clock you are just gushing about the fact you are all able to count to 100 at roughly the same time. its such a rubbish barely a game game.
New Angeles is better than all of these and also your next 10***
*** I dont actually believe this but if I've learned anything from you its: 1) party games are best games and 2) commit to a bit
I'm not sure why the Mind is seen as a good game. I barely see it as a game or a doorstop. Maybe a coaster?
For me the mind just does not have any replay value, played it once, and the group never felt like playing it again...
Balls.
The Mind isn't a game, and I gave my copy away after 1-2 plays.
You are correct, it's an experience. And it never fails to mesmerize everyone i play it with, some of my best board game memories ;)
If everyone's having a good time, I couldn't care less if it fits somebody's technical definition of a "game"
Neither is Just One or Telestrations or half of the party games genre. What’s your point? 🙂
@@JerzyMuller Just One is a game *and* it is good. The Mind is bad. That's the point. Thanks. 🙂
Game: An activity that one engages in for amusement or fun. If you don't find it amusing or fun that's fine. But it's a game.