Marcel from the future here. You oughtta try out Flame & Fang, Mike! It's probably the best deckbuilder of all of these. But then again, it's designed by experts on the subject.
I had to import Tenefyr from Belgium because shipping to Canada from the American distribution channels was more than double the cost, but I’m so very glad I did. Great game!
Glad to see Greyport here. It’s under that radar and as you say the simultaneous play aspect adds a lot, whether playing coop or solo. I don’t really care for deck builders but enjoy that quite a lot.
Love your reviews. Happy to see Mage Knight not #1 like many reviews. Happy to see baseball highlights made the list, think it is underrated "my opinion". Baseball highlights provide many opportunities to tweak the existing gameplay to make it feel like a regular baseball game (which I have done). As always thanks for providing your indepth thoughts on each game.
I just took my Mage Knight off the table after one week and 5 playthroughs to fire up some solo Nemesis (my absolute #1 game). Never got close to victory, even on easy! It is brutal, but a great game to think through. I think the 10 spot is fair, honestly.
DC Deck Building Game. It's easy to understand, each set offers something new, it's really easy to teach, you can have some insane combos, plus the IP really resonates with a lot of people. Yes, it is random, but that's what I love about it. Never knowing what is around the corner, never knowing when a villain get's the drop on you. It really does feel like you are inside a DC comic storyline
@One Stop Co-op Shop DC Rebirth. It's a co-op game that has a campaign with victory bonuses like allowing the characters you play as to unlock new cards that get swapped into your starter decks. Also, the Crisis expansions turn the game co-operative
Warps Edge one of my best purchases this last year! Excited to play Heroes of T over the holiday weekend end of the month. Let’s see what that one is about!
I think after watching this video that I am just not a huge fan of deckbuilders in general, but Pathfinder ACG is by far my favorite. Not only do I like the slow improvement of character decks over an adventure path, but I like the choices and deck manipulation--when do you sacrifice cards to help with a check or prevent wounds? Do you put a card on top of your draw pile, or into your discard, or even burn the card for the game or discard the card permanently to the box to get a desired effect? I really like that kind of card play and deck manipulation. Gloomhaven scratches some of that same deck-manipulation itch with its decision to burn cards for bigger actions or cancelling damage, although of course it has a strong board tactical component that makes it less of a pure deckbuilder (but still makes it one of my all-time favorites). Thunderstone Quest, to its detriment, has few choices to make during your turn, which is something that you mentioned applies to some of the games on your list as well. This ultimately makes the gameplay less compelling than other games I could play, which is why it doesn't hit the table much. But I like the theme, the art, and the straightforward Dominion-esque deck building enough to keep it for now. Clank is another deckbuilding game where I am more pulled in by the aesthetic than the gameplay. I really like what they tried to do with it, but the gameplay just wasn't memorable enough for me to keep it in my collection.
Pathfinder was a favorite of mine, but I've played through everything in the new set and since they stopped production it's not as exciting anymore, sadly :( Thunderstone Quest is great for me for competitive, but I didn't like what they cut out in solo/coop. Clank is another one I love for competitive, but the solo is... okay. I liked In Space's solo better, but neither blew me away. Thanks for watching!
Aeons End remains my number 1 but I also really really enjoy Warps Edge and Imperium. It’s time to check out Heroes of Tenefyr! :D Thanks for the vid, Mike!
Great list. I agree with your pick of Star Realms. It is very underrated. And the solo mode is really fun. It looks like I'm going to have to look at the other games on your list... some look pretty fun.
It’s in the expansion. You each start with a stronger deck and two hero powers to combo, and you fight tougher dungeons, and at the end you fight two full bosses smashed together. Epic :)
Thanks for sharing. Warp's Edge and Imperium Classics are two of my favs too. Just got Heroes of Tenefyr (man, was it hard to find!) based on your and Colin's opinion. Shards of Infinity (with Shadows of Salvation & Relics of the Future expansions) is one of my favorite deck builders. It is somewhat similar to Hero/Star Realms, but I think Shards is better. I'm not great with strict 1, 2, 3 ratings, but do have Shards in my top 5. I find the bosses unique, gameplay and set up fast, the footprint small, and you fail forward. I also enjoy the app a lot. It's a good way to firm up rules and tactics.
I only have about 70 games in my collection so I cannot do a top 10, but my top 5 would be (in no particular order) - Helionox - Lost Ruins of Arnak - Goblivion - Aeon's End - Friday
@@OneStopCoopShop Goblivion is produced by someone from my area, and since we are a small place (and french speaking), it is not very well knowed. But it is very good! It reminds me a bit of Friday, but there is much more depth and is better, I think.
Ever played aventuria? It’s one of my favorite although like you were saying with heroes of tenefyr the deck building probably isn’t as much the focus as each character has a pre built deck but you have to choose certain cards to get rid of to pay for the other cards in your deck and what I like is that you get progressively more powerful as each round you can discard up to 2 cards from your hand to add to your “mana” pool to buy more cards so by the 5th or 6th round you can make all kinds of attacks and buffs etc. Plus there’s a CYOA type of story before each battle that can make the upcoming fight a bit easier or harder depending on skill clicks etc. For pure fun it’s my favorite deck builder. Definitely intrigued by HoT now.
Like you said, I'm not sure I would call it a "deckbuilder". I played it only twice, and found it too fiddly for my tastes, but I need to give it another shot for sure!
@@OneStopCoopShop Yes I don't think Aventuria belongs to the Deck builders. Its more an Adventure Card Game, like the Pathfinder games (but in my point of view much better than those). Newer expansions give you more options to customize your deck, but that is pre-game customization, like in a TCG. I like it a lot and it was not too fiddly for my feeling, but that is also a more personal thing. The story experience and the combats with their villain/henchman experience are the key points for me in what makes it different.
Once Aeon's End Legacy of Gravehold delivers Aeon's End will bump up even higher on your list. I play tested for it and it is the cream of the crop for what was already the best co-op deck builder franchise (to me).
I didn’t back that. Not sure I will get it. I didn’t like AE legacy much. But then again I tend to avoid legacy games in general. But certainly interested to hear more once it releases!
@@OneStopCoopShop I get it unless it's your first time with the game the first legacy can be a lot slower. This second one is an all out civil war and I think a big improvement. But hey no shortage of games to play, right!?
Good selection. I personally prefer Hero Realms over Star Realms, specially for solo play, but that is mostly a thematic preference. I also really like Thunderstone Advance: Worlds Collide, for a more traditional and longer fantasy experience, and VENOM Assault for a GI-Joe like experience with some interesting twists to the deckbuilder formula: Scenarios, locations, events and specially dice combat. My favorite deckbuilder, however, is Helionox: Deluxe Edition. It also introduces some clever twists to the formula with locations with special abilities, character abilities and a pick up and deliver element, it also allows you to draw a full hand before discarding to your maximum hand size, so you have selection from turn to turn, and new cards are put on the top of your draw pile instead of your discard pile, which feels a lot faster and more rewarding. The deckbulding aspect is relatively light, specially since the game is limited to a fixed number of turns, but the game is one of the most tactically rich deckbuilders I have played, with plenty of options each turn and the possibility for very effective "combos". It also has a fantastic si-fi setting and art. Highly, highly recommended.
@@OneStopCoopShop Thanks for the response. I am also looking forwards to the new Helionox game, though as far as I know it would be a whole new game altogether, rather than a new version.
I've had Helionix sitting around collecting dust forever. After reading your comment, I really need to pull it off the shelf and finally give it a go. Would you recommend playing the competitive or co-op version first?
@@SeanUCF I play it exclusively solo, which follows the co-op rules, so I cannot comment on the competitive one. In both cases, however, you get the same basic gameplay so you would still be able to appreciate it either way.
Nice one Mike, or rather nice ten! I'd say Colin had the better list because he had Aeon's End higher :P But my turn for a caveat. I've not played any of the games on your list, and not too many from Colin's iirc. I'm comparing them based on my expertise as an armchair gamer, and games I enjoy watching being played on RUclips. Aeon's End and Greyport are up there especially thanks to the number of plays that Paul Darcy has put out, along with those on the OSCS channel. I keep meaning to compile a "Top Ten Games I've Never Played". Since my collection is still around the 20 games mark there's a fair bit of choice. But if I may I would be interested to challenge you guys at the OSCS to make a list of Top 10 games you've never played. If that is too hard since by the nature of what you do a "Top 10 Games you've never owned" maybe more feasible. Just a thought. As always thanks to you all for the great content.
@@OneStopCoopShop haha I've not actually culled any games, apart from letting my daughter have Onirim. lol This year has been a bumper year for me by buying The Adventurers of Robin Hood and the Knesia Lord of the Rings Game, plus backing two KSs and an expansion for Maquis. Only bought one game last year. Knowing I don't get games to the table as often as I would like really helps me keep the number of purchases down.
I just bought heros of tenefyr... With the expansion and really like it. I see again imperium in the list but I have some concern. Anyway a solid list I own 4 out of ten of it
I love your tops and you regularly put new games onto my radar! You say a lot here about certain games not being that strong in strategy aspect. I'm curious which ones you think have the most focus on interesting deckBUILDING? Not fighting or adventuring, but the process of perfecting a deck. I love deckbuilding as a mechanism, but nothing can satiate me like Dominion does.
Ha, I was about to say Dominion as my first choice. That has great ENGINE BUILDING that happens to be with a deck :) Puzzle Fighter is another good one for that, though like dominion no solo/coop option. From my list, imperium is probably the best for what you mention here. Like dominion and puzzle fighter it gives you limited actions that can chain into each other.
Someone else mentioned that one too. I reached out to them and it looks like they might be able to send us a review copy when it's all done. Excited to try it. The rules look good!
Same here! It is a slow burn but playing across an entire adventure arc and watching your characters slowly level up with better cards and better skills...love it. If you read the Paizo dungeon modules as you play (or any fan-created supplements on BGG), it really fleshes out the experience (something that was sorely missing from the game by itself).
Absolutely love Star Realms and how quick it plays- reminds me of games I played with my mom when I was young like 500 or Gin Rummy. Such a great solo game. Seriously disliked Warp’s Edge- hard to see text, tokens too fiddly. Glad you enjoy playing it with your son.
I LOVEEEEE the deckbuilding in Renegade. So cool to REPLACE cards instead of bloating your deck (same in Baseball Highlights). And I love that you get to immediately use the new card that turn. Unfortunately, I did not like most of the other stuff in Renegade, lol, so it didn't make my cut.
Here you go! I'll also add it to the end of the video and to the description, which I should have done in the first place. Sorry about that! ruclips.net/video/8rHA4QWZhNs/видео.html
I think it’s funny that almost all of them you say it’s not the best deck builder. It makes me curious on what is the best deck building. And I would love to see what is the top 10 true solo because I hate doing two handed.
For sure! This was definitely my “favorite games with Deckbuilding” more than “games they have great deckbuilding but might not be that fun” :) And at least out of my list, ALL of them are great for true solo EXCEPT Legendary, Aeon’s End, and Greyport. Wouldn’t recommend any of those strongly without two-handing
Have you tried Venom Assault? I know Colin had a video for it a while back but I don't think you have. He didn't have the expansion, Villains and Valor, which is unfortunate as the small rules changes and the Teamwork cards (like Coordinate in Legendary Encounters) make the game. I gave it a 7 without the expansion but it's a 9 and my favorite deck builder (just ahead of Battle for Greyport) with the expansion.
It's one of my top 3 games of all time, but I struggle with calling it a deckbuilder. Yes, of course you add cards to your... hand? It's never really a deck. And it might only happen 3-5 times in an entire game. So I think of it as kind of its own thing, even moreso than a minor deckbuilder like Mage Knight. But I still love it!
@@OneStopCoopShop yeah, I see your point... you collect cards (and dispose of some) but I can se how it can be different to think of the cards you use as a "deck" since it usually stay small-ish
Amazing list! Have to get Heroes of Tenefyr and the expansion for Warp's edge (which finally is avaiable for pre-order in Sweden)! Have You tried Dungeon alliance and Dragonfire/Shadowrun crossfire?
I didn’t enjoy dungeon alliance solo/coop much. Seems better suited for competitive. Though it’s the same designer as core worlds! I didn’t like Dragonfire, but didn’t play it a ton. I do want to play shadowrun at some point!
Oof, sorry to say I don’t like that one much at all. It was actually my first full review on the channel, 2 or 3 years ago! But glad your group has a good time with it!
I mention this in the intro, but many of us call those “deck construction” not deckbuilding, because there is no addition of cards while playing, only between scenarios
I would say they are LCG's which in my opinion is not deck builders in the same way. LCG's you build the deck before you play, but in a deck builder you start with a basic set of cards and then build your deck while playing.
@@OneStopCoopShop I know I know! I get it though, many other deck builders are out there. I went to go purchase Heroes of Tenefyr and they are out of stock. They do have the newest expansion but I want both at the same time. 😩
I don't think mage knight is a deck building and I hate it not interested in playing it I'm not sure I have exact list but those are my favorites and the number one is after the virus. So the games are: After the virus Superhot the card game Blight chronicles agent decker Feudalia Rune age Hero realms God of War
I guess I... respect Mage Knight more than I actually want to play it, lol After the Virus is a good one for sure. Rune Age and Hero Realms I enjoyed. I didn't get the chance to play the rest, though I know Colin was not a fan of God of War.
No Arkham Horror LCG? Im assuming you either never played or because deck building only comes into play inbetween scenarios it doesn't fit here? Have you tried Imperium: Legends/Classics? Personally didn't feel compelling to me
You have it right. I said at the start of the video that I'm only considering games where you are upgrading a deck during play. That takes Arkham, marvel, and LOTR out, though I enjoy all three of those :) And Imperium was my #5, but sorry it didn't work that well for you!
Hard to include it when I haven't played it yet :) I did not enjoy Dragonfire very much, but I've heard many people say Crossfire is actually better, despite coming earlier. So I plan to play it one of these days!
Wait... wait.. wait.. did I miss something... you have a list of deck building games and don't have Dominion on the list... Mike, my friend, come on please... Dominion variety with all expansions=over 10 quintillion... the base set alone gives you 3,268,760. Over half of the games on your list break the game with "complete randomness", which Dominion doesn't have and I might say are not "true" deck builders. Because these other games took Dominion and started throwing random elements at it doesn't mean they are better games. It is your list and of course you are entitled to your opinion but I would of thought a bit of explanation on why you are choosing these games over Dominion would be included. I could go on and on about things but let me sum it up like this: 1- sold well over 2.5 million copies worldwide 2- expansions were still being created some 12 years after the initial release 3- there are 13 major expansion for this game For these reasons alone it should be included in your video and it shows much more dedication, devotion, and support for a game then anything on your list. I doubt that any game on your list will ever come close to any of these marks. Most if not all of them will soon be forgotten about and most people will move on to better things... All of which can't be said of Dominion. Honesty Mike, you know I love your work, and your attention to details but to completely leave out Dominion from your review is (in my opinion) complete oversight. Maybe you don't think highly of Dominion and you like these other games more (because they are flashy (attack and blew up stuff games) but to not even mention Dominion and talk about what it is and how all of these "shameful" game on your list are made because of it... Sorry to sound like a critic but your always spot on with your reviews and commentary and I love you for that, but this video left me feeling very underwhelmed and it felt like there are some major content missing...
Thank you for the reasoned reply... but you do know what our channel is, right? This is my top solo and coop deckbuilders. We don't cover competitive games like Dominion. But I think it's a great game for a mix of engine building and deckbuilding.
Oh wow, thank you so much for the number 1 spot! I don't know what to say. I might have to do a third print run because of you and Colin 😅
Hahah, do it!
If it ain't Dutch, It ain't much...well deserved Pepijn!
I would love to see this more readily available for purchase. So I can buy one!!
@@Xammblu_Games Some new stock will arrive in the USA next week if all goes well :)
@@pepijnvanloon4671 Fantastic news!! Ty for the update!
Marcel from the future here. You oughtta try out Flame & Fang, Mike! It's probably the best deckbuilder of all of these. But then again, it's designed by experts on the subject.
Lol, as much as I enjoy our own designs I don’t think we are as skilled as the best designers in the business 😅
I had to import Tenefyr from Belgium because shipping to Canada from the American distribution channels was more than double the cost, but I’m so very glad I did. Great game!
That's dedication! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
You intrigued me with Warp's Edge. I ended up buying it recently and it's just amazing! Thanks!
Yay! Few things are better than helping someone find a game they love, except maybe helping them avoid a $300+ game they'll hate ;)
Glad to see Greyport here. It’s under that radar and as you say the simultaneous play aspect adds a lot, whether playing coop or solo. I don’t really care for deck builders but enjoy that quite a lot.
Glad you enjoy it too!
Love your reviews. Happy to see Mage Knight not #1 like many reviews. Happy to see baseball highlights made the list, think it is underrated "my opinion". Baseball highlights provide many opportunities to tweak the existing gameplay to make it feel like a regular baseball game (which I have done). As always thanks for providing your indepth thoughts on each game.
Tweaks sound fun, since the "baseball" in the game is sometimes a little weird. Glad you enjoy that one too!
I just took my Mage Knight off the table after one week and 5 playthroughs to fire up some solo Nemesis (my absolute #1 game). Never got close to victory, even on easy! It is brutal, but a great game to think through. I think the 10 spot is fair, honestly.
I still haven’t played Nemesis solo, only competitive and coop. Gotta fix that one day!
DC Deck Building Game. It's easy to understand, each set offers something new, it's really easy to teach, you can have some insane combos, plus the IP really resonates with a lot of people. Yes, it is random, but that's what I love about it. Never knowing what is around the corner, never knowing when a villain get's the drop on you. It really does feel like you are inside a DC comic storyline
I didn’t realize this one had a solo/coop mode! I thought it was only competitive?
@One Stop Co-op Shop DC Rebirth. It's a co-op game that has a campaign with victory bonuses like allowing the characters you play as to unlock new cards that get swapped into your starter decks. Also, the Crisis expansions turn the game co-operative
Warps Edge one of my best purchases this last year! Excited to play Heroes of T over the holiday weekend end of the month. Let’s see what that one is about!
Awesome! I think you are in for a lot of fun :)
@@OneStopCoopShop I hope so. On a side note, my board game room is slowly coming online. Should be another month or two, but can't wait!
If there's four things I like it's like space, time travel, and making accurate lists. So, it looks like Warp's Edge is going in the cart!
LOL, I don’t think you’ll regret it :)
I think after watching this video that I am just not a huge fan of deckbuilders in general, but Pathfinder ACG is by far my favorite. Not only do I like the slow improvement of character decks over an adventure path, but I like the choices and deck manipulation--when do you sacrifice cards to help with a check or prevent wounds? Do you put a card on top of your draw pile, or into your discard, or even burn the card for the game or discard the card permanently to the box to get a desired effect? I really like that kind of card play and deck manipulation. Gloomhaven scratches some of that same deck-manipulation itch with its decision to burn cards for bigger actions or cancelling damage, although of course it has a strong board tactical component that makes it less of a pure deckbuilder (but still makes it one of my all-time favorites).
Thunderstone Quest, to its detriment, has few choices to make during your turn, which is something that you mentioned applies to some of the games on your list as well. This ultimately makes the gameplay less compelling than other games I could play, which is why it doesn't hit the table much. But I like the theme, the art, and the straightforward Dominion-esque deck building enough to keep it for now.
Clank is another deckbuilding game where I am more pulled in by the aesthetic than the gameplay. I really like what they tried to do with it, but the gameplay just wasn't memorable enough for me to keep it in my collection.
Pathfinder was a favorite of mine, but I've played through everything in the new set and since they stopped production it's not as exciting anymore, sadly :(
Thunderstone Quest is great for me for competitive, but I didn't like what they cut out in solo/coop.
Clank is another one I love for competitive, but the solo is... okay. I liked In Space's solo better, but neither blew me away.
Thanks for watching!
Aeons End remains my number 1 but I also really really enjoy Warps Edge and Imperium. It’s time to check out Heroes of Tenefyr! :D Thanks for the vid, Mike!
Sounds like you have a lot of great ones already!
Great list. I agree with your pick of Star Realms. It is very underrated. And the solo mode is really fun. It looks like I'm going to have to look at the other games on your list... some look pretty fun.
Thanks, hope you enjoy some of them!
Great list. Purchased Heroes of Tenefyr after watching Colin's list and it truly is so fantastic but I do feel like the expansion is a must.
LOVE the expansion, and legendary mode is a blast if you haven’t tried it yet
@@OneStopCoopShop What is this legendary mode you speak of?!
It’s in the expansion. You each start with a stronger deck and two hero powers to combo, and you fight tougher dungeons, and at the end you fight two full bosses smashed together.
Epic :)
Thanks for sharing.
Warp's Edge and Imperium Classics are two of my favs too. Just got Heroes of Tenefyr (man, was it hard to find!) based on your and Colin's opinion.
Shards of Infinity (with Shadows of Salvation & Relics of the Future expansions) is one of my favorite deck builders. It is somewhat similar to Hero/Star Realms, but I think Shards is better. I'm not great with strict 1, 2, 3 ratings, but do have Shards in my top 5. I find the bosses unique, gameplay and set up fast, the footprint small, and you fail forward. I also enjoy the app a lot. It's a good way to firm up rules and tactics.
Based on earlier recommendations, I got Shards w/ Shadows and Relics. Haven't had time to play much yet, but it seems good!
I only have about 70 games in my collection so I cannot do a top 10, but my top 5 would be (in no particular order)
- Helionox
- Lost Ruins of Arnak
- Goblivion
- Aeon's End
- Friday
Only one of those I haven’t played is Goblivion. The rest are definitely quality!
@@OneStopCoopShop Goblivion is produced by someone from my area, and since we are a small place (and french speaking), it is not very well knowed. But it is very good! It reminds me a bit of Friday, but there is much more depth and is better, I think.
Ever played aventuria? It’s one of my favorite although like you were saying with heroes of tenefyr the deck building probably isn’t as much the focus as each character has a pre built deck but you have to choose certain cards to get rid of to pay for the other cards in your deck and what I like is that you get progressively more powerful as each round you can discard up to 2 cards from your hand to add to your “mana” pool to buy more cards so by the 5th or 6th round you can make all kinds of attacks and buffs etc. Plus there’s a CYOA type of story before each battle that can make the upcoming fight a bit easier or harder depending on skill clicks etc. For pure fun it’s my favorite deck builder. Definitely intrigued by HoT now.
Like you said, I'm not sure I would call it a "deckbuilder". I played it only twice, and found it too fiddly for my tastes, but I need to give it another shot for sure!
@@OneStopCoopShop Yes I don't think Aventuria belongs to the Deck builders. Its more an Adventure Card Game, like the Pathfinder games (but in my point of view much better than those). Newer expansions give you more options to customize your deck, but that is pre-game customization, like in a TCG. I like it a lot and it was not too fiddly for my feeling, but that is also a more personal thing. The story experience and the combats with their villain/henchman experience are the key points for me in what makes it different.
Once Aeon's End Legacy of Gravehold delivers Aeon's End will bump up even higher on your list. I play tested for it and it is the cream of the crop for what was already the best co-op deck builder franchise (to me).
I didn’t back that. Not sure I will get it. I didn’t like AE legacy much. But then again I tend to avoid legacy games in general.
But certainly interested to hear more once it releases!
@@OneStopCoopShop I get it unless it's your first time with the game the first legacy can be a lot slower. This second one is an all out civil war and I think a big improvement. But hey no shortage of games to play, right!?
I came here to make sure Baseball Highlights was on the list. It's my favorite deckbuilder of all time.
I couldn’t let you down!!!
Good selection.
I personally prefer Hero Realms over Star Realms, specially for solo play, but that is mostly a thematic preference.
I also really like Thunderstone Advance: Worlds Collide, for a more traditional and longer fantasy experience, and VENOM Assault for a GI-Joe like experience with some interesting twists to the deckbuilder formula: Scenarios, locations, events and specially dice combat.
My favorite deckbuilder, however, is Helionox: Deluxe Edition. It also introduces some clever twists to the formula with locations with special abilities, character abilities and a pick up and deliver element, it also allows you to draw a full hand before discarding to your maximum hand size, so you have selection from turn to turn, and new cards are put on the top of your draw pile instead of your discard pile, which feels a lot faster and more rewarding. The deckbulding aspect is relatively light, specially since the game is limited to a fixed number of turns, but the game is one of the most tactically rich deckbuilders I have played, with plenty of options each turn and the possibility for very effective "combos". It also has a fantastic si-fi setting and art. Highly, highly recommended.
I love some of those mechanics in Helionox. Such a clever game. I heard they were planning a new version that was only solo/coop… fingers crossed!!
@@OneStopCoopShop Thanks for the response. I am also looking forwards to the new Helionox game, though as far as I know it would be a whole new game altogether, rather than a new version.
I've had Helionix sitting around collecting dust forever. After reading your comment, I really need to pull it off the shelf and finally give it a go. Would you recommend playing the competitive or co-op version first?
@@SeanUCF I play it exclusively solo, which follows the co-op rules, so I cannot comment on the competitive one. In both cases, however, you get the same basic gameplay so you would still be able to appreciate it either way.
Perfect assessment of Aeon's End. Everything is fantastic but the player cards just aren't as exciting as some of the others.
Glad you agree! :)
Colin's Video - ruclips.net/video/8rHA4QWZhNs/видео.html
Scroll down to see my full list:
0:00 - Introduction
0:56 - #10 Mage Knight
2:08 - #9 Legendary Encounters: Alien
3:18 - #8 Star Realms
4:35 - #7 Core Worlds
5:51 - #6 Baseball Highlights
7:09 - #5 Imperium Classics/Legends
8:18 - #4 Aeon's End
9:49 - #3 Red Dragon Inn: Battle for Greyport
10:48 - #2 Warp's Edge
12:37 - #1 Heroes of Tenefyr (available online at Coolstuffinc)
Nice one Mike, or rather nice ten!
I'd say Colin had the better list because he had Aeon's End higher :P
But my turn for a caveat. I've not played any of the games on your list, and not too many from Colin's iirc.
I'm comparing them based on my expertise as an armchair gamer, and games I enjoy watching being played on RUclips.
Aeon's End and Greyport are up there especially thanks to the number of plays that Paul Darcy has put out, along with those on the OSCS channel.
I keep meaning to compile a "Top Ten Games I've Never Played".
Since my collection is still around the 20 games mark there's a fair bit of choice. But if I may I would be interested to challenge you guys at the OSCS to make a list of Top 10 games you've never played.
If that is too hard since by the nature of what you do a "Top 10 Games you've never owned" maybe more feasible.
Just a thought.
As always thanks to you all for the great content.
That's a fun idea!
And wait... you only have 20 games? I bow to your culling superiority!!!
@@OneStopCoopShop haha
I've not actually culled any games, apart from letting my daughter have Onirim. lol
This year has been a bumper year for me by buying The Adventurers of Robin Hood and the Knesia Lord of the Rings Game, plus backing two KSs and an expansion for Maquis.
Only bought one game last year.
Knowing I don't get games to the table as often as I would like really helps me keep the number of purchases down.
@@pencilpauli9442 How is the Robin Hood one? I was a bit interested in trying that.
But yes, I guess I bow to your selectiveness then.
I have to stop watching your videos or I’ll spend all my money! 😘 love your channel.
Whoopsie!!! 😜
I just bought heros of tenefyr... With the expansion and really like it. I see again imperium in the list but I have some concern. Anyway a solid list I own 4 out of ten of it
None of these are going to be for everyone, but glad Tenefyr didn’t steer you wrong!
Great list. You should try For Glory sometimes, their new coop-solo expansion was just on Kickstarter. I'm pretty sure it will make your top 10
You're the second to recommend it. I'll definitely check it out.
I love your tops and you regularly put new games onto my radar!
You say a lot here about certain games not being that strong in strategy aspect. I'm curious which ones you think have the most focus on interesting deckBUILDING? Not fighting or adventuring, but the process of perfecting a deck. I love deckbuilding as a mechanism, but nothing can satiate me like Dominion does.
Ha, I was about to say Dominion as my first choice. That has great ENGINE BUILDING that happens to be with a deck :)
Puzzle Fighter is another good one for that, though like dominion no solo/coop option.
From my list, imperium is probably the best for what you mention here. Like dominion and puzzle fighter it gives you limited actions that can chain into each other.
@@OneStopCoopShop Thank you! Guess it's about time I checked Imperium, as most seem to praise it.
Hey you should look at For Glory. Gladiatorial deckbuilding and combat. The 2nd printing is now (november 2021) on kickstarter.
Someone else mentioned that one too. I reached out to them and it looks like they might be able to send us a review copy when it's all done. Excited to try it. The rules look good!
I still have a soft spot for the PFACG.
Me too, though it’s fallen some for me recently. Partially because they canceled all new content :(
Same here! It is a slow burn but playing across an entire adventure arc and watching your characters slowly level up with better cards and better skills...love it. If you read the Paizo dungeon modules as you play (or any fan-created supplements on BGG), it really fleshes out the experience (something that was sorely missing from the game by itself).
@@01hornsfan the new core set did a better job showing the story and context, but I agree the adventure paths are an awesome tie-in.
Absolutely love Star Realms and how quick it plays- reminds me of games I played with my mom when I was young like 500 or Gin Rummy. Such a great solo game. Seriously disliked Warp’s Edge- hard to see text, tokens too fiddly. Glad you enjoy playing it with your son.
I used to play tons of Gin Rummy with my mom too! Glad you are loving Star Realms. Great game :)
Renegade is currently my No. 1
I LOVEEEEE the deckbuilding in Renegade. So cool to REPLACE cards instead of bloating your deck (same in Baseball Highlights). And I love that you get to immediately use the new card that turn.
Unfortunately, I did not like most of the other stuff in Renegade, lol, so it didn't make my cut.
Thanks for the video Mike. Have you or Colin ever played “For Glory”, the gladiator deck builder? I am curious as to what your think about For Glory.
Haven't even heard of it! I'll check it out...
Alien 3 Assembly Cut makes the movie much better. It gives Ripley a much better story.
Yes, I agreed. Though I liked the original cut more than most I think. Can't go wrong with Charles Dutton trying to punch a xenomorph!
I tried to look for Colin’s list and can’t find it, do you have a link?
Here you go! I'll also add it to the end of the video and to the description, which I should have done in the first place. Sorry about that!
ruclips.net/video/8rHA4QWZhNs/видео.html
I think it’s funny that almost all of them you say it’s not the best deck builder. It makes me curious on what is the best deck building. And I would love to see what is the top 10 true solo because I hate doing two handed.
For sure! This was definitely my “favorite games with Deckbuilding” more than “games they have great deckbuilding but might not be that fun” :)
And at least out of my list, ALL of them are great for true solo EXCEPT Legendary, Aeon’s End, and Greyport. Wouldn’t recommend any of those strongly without two-handing
I just purchased warp's edge and avoided your review of it, hope you don't mind... But i do believe it is great, just ad you said)
Haha, no worries, just glad you found and enjoyed it ;)
Have you tried Venom Assault? I know Colin had a video for it a while back but I don't think you have. He didn't have the expansion, Villains and Valor, which is unfortunate as the small rules changes and the Teamwork cards (like Coordinate in Legendary Encounters) make the game. I gave it a 7 without the expansion but it's a 9 and my favorite deck builder (just ahead of Battle for Greyport) with the expansion.
I keep on thinking about buying it, especially with how cheap it tends to be!
How do you feel about the solo mode in Valley of the Kings?
Oh, good question! I enjoyed multiplayer pretty well but never tried solo :(
nice!
I was surprised Spirit Island was not on the list
It's one of my top 3 games of all time, but I struggle with calling it a deckbuilder.
Yes, of course you add cards to your... hand? It's never really a deck. And it might only happen 3-5 times in an entire game.
So I think of it as kind of its own thing, even moreso than a minor deckbuilder like Mage Knight.
But I still love it!
@@OneStopCoopShop One day I’ll be able to find all the expansions for that game. Jagged earth continues to elude..
@@OneStopCoopShop yeah, I see your point... you collect cards (and dispose of some) but I can se how it can be different to think of the cards you use as a "deck" since it usually stay small-ish
Amazing list! Have to get Heroes of Tenefyr and the expansion for Warp's edge (which finally is avaiable for pre-order in Sweden)! Have You tried Dungeon alliance and Dragonfire/Shadowrun crossfire?
I didn’t enjoy dungeon alliance solo/coop much. Seems better suited for competitive. Though it’s the same designer as core worlds!
I didn’t like Dragonfire, but didn’t play it a ton. I do want to play shadowrun at some point!
@@OneStopCoopShop Its a lot of bookkeeping in DA. Shadowrun Crossfire primerunner is the way to go. 🙂
Any thoughts about shadowrun crossfire?
Sadly I haven’t played it, but I’d like to!
Really? No Harry Potter game? My board game group *loves* it.
Oof, sorry to say I don’t like that one much at all. It was actually my first full review on the channel, 2 or 3 years ago!
But glad your group has a good time with it!
kind of surprise marvel champions, lord of the ring lcg, and Arkham horror lcg are not in the list. Do they belong to another category?
I mention this in the intro, but many of us call those “deck construction” not deckbuilding, because there is no addition of cards while playing, only between scenarios
I would say they are LCG's which in my opinion is not deck builders in the same way. LCG's you build the deck before you play, but in a deck builder you start with a basic set of cards and then build your deck while playing.
No Xenoshyft. Odd, I feel it's the best from a coop perspective.
It does have good cooperation, though I much prefer Greyport for even more cooperation with a similar tower defense feel.
Heroes of Tenefyr over Aeon’s End?
Blasphemous!
Colin did it too! Don’t blame me ;)
@@OneStopCoopShop I know I know!
I get it though, many other deck builders are out there. I went to go purchase Heroes of Tenefyr and they are out of stock. They do have the newest expansion but I want both at the same time. 😩
@@victorgonzalez2927 yeah, you need the core game! They better print some more, lol
Who's Colin and can someone provide a link to the referenced video?
Colin and Mike are the two main reviewers/playthroughers on this channel. Colin specializes in narrative playthroughs among other things.
ruclips.net/video/8rHA4QWZhNs/видео.html
@@jtpromolab Thanks!
I don't think mage knight is a deck building and I hate it not interested in playing it
I'm not sure I have exact list but those are my favorites and the number one is after the virus.
So the games are:
After the virus
Superhot the card game
Blight chronicles agent decker
Feudalia
Rune age
Hero realms
God of War
I guess I... respect Mage Knight more than I actually want to play it, lol
After the Virus is a good one for sure. Rune Age and Hero Realms I enjoyed. I didn't get the chance to play the rest, though I know Colin was not a fan of God of War.
No Arkham Horror LCG? Im assuming you either never played or because deck building only comes into play inbetween scenarios it doesn't fit here? Have you tried Imperium: Legends/Classics? Personally didn't feel compelling to me
You have it right. I said at the start of the video that I'm only considering games where you are upgrading a deck during play. That takes Arkham, marvel, and LOTR out, though I enjoy all three of those :)
And Imperium was my #5, but sorry it didn't work that well for you!
@@OneStopCoopShop Oh, wrote this comment before I saw #5 😄
No Shadowrun: Crossfire??? Glaring omission!!!
Hard to include it when I haven't played it yet :)
I did not enjoy Dragonfire very much, but I've heard many people say Crossfire is actually better, despite coming earlier. So I plan to play it one of these days!
Wait... wait.. wait.. did I miss something... you have a list of deck building games and don't have Dominion on the list... Mike, my friend, come on please...
Dominion variety with all expansions=over 10 quintillion... the base set alone gives you 3,268,760. Over half of the games on your list break the game with "complete randomness", which Dominion doesn't have and I might say are not "true" deck builders.
Because these other games took Dominion and started throwing random elements at it doesn't mean they are better games. It is your list and of course you are entitled to your opinion but I would of thought a bit of explanation on why you are choosing these games over Dominion would be included.
I could go on and on about things but let me sum it up like this:
1- sold well over 2.5 million copies worldwide
2- expansions were still being created some 12 years after the initial release
3- there are 13 major expansion for this game
For these reasons alone it should be included in your video and it shows much more dedication, devotion, and support for a game then anything on your list. I doubt that any game on your list will ever come close to any of these marks. Most if not all of them will soon be forgotten about and most people will move on to better things... All of which can't be said of Dominion.
Honesty Mike, you know I love your work, and your attention to details but to completely leave out Dominion from your review is (in my opinion) complete oversight. Maybe you don't think highly of Dominion and you like these other games more (because they are flashy (attack and blew up stuff games) but to not even mention Dominion and talk about what it is and how all of these "shameful" game on your list are made because of it...
Sorry to sound like a critic but your always spot on with your reviews and commentary and I love you for that, but this video left me feeling very underwhelmed and it felt like there are some major content missing...
Thank you for the reasoned reply... but you do know what our channel is, right? This is my top solo and coop deckbuilders. We don't cover competitive games like Dominion.
But I think it's a great game for a mix of engine building and deckbuilding.