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2019 felt like a relatively quiet year, with few games that really grabbed my interest. Until recently.
Maracaibo
Maracaibo had passed me by unnoticed, until now. Which is a shame, as I enjoy Mr Pfister's big box games. So I've been watching this one with more interest recently, and hope it may end up under the tree. Players are sailing round the Caribbean, taking actions and delivering goods. As with all other Pfister big box games, Maracaibo actions are driven through card playing, so this is, in part, another hand management game. Initial comments indicate this is his heaviest game… sounds good to me.
Terramara
I love pretty much everything which has been recently created by the Acchittocca group and friends. So when I saw that they were working together on a new game, Terramara was instantly on my wish list. Between them they have produced some of my favourite games of the past two years, so they have something to live up to. In Terramara, players are tribal leaders, in the Bronze Age, trying to develop the tribe, and explore the lands.
Trismegistus
Almost by default, then, Trismegistus has to appear on my list… though a number of criticisms of the game mean that it may not be top of the wishlist. Dice drafting, with an alchemy theme, the game promises much. I hope that the concerns over the rule book and the iconography are not completely realised.
On Mars
On Mars will almost certainly not arrive in time for Christmas, but it will certainly be en route so I'm including it in my wish list. The Lacerda name on a game is a must have, for me. He can barely out a foot wrong. As the name implies, the game takes place (at least partially) on the surface of Mars - yes, it's a game about colonizing the red planet. However, not all actions can be carried out on the surface - some must be carried out on the space station. Deciding when to move from one to the other can be just as crucial as the actions that you take at either location. It's early days, and I've only played this twice, but this may for me be Lacerda's heaviest game.
Western Legends
Finally, I'll also be adding some of the expansions to Western Legends to my wishlist. This is a neat game, though i can see already that it will benefit from broadening the variety. WL doesn't fit in with the majority of games in my collection, but for me, its difference is its appeal. It has been described as a sandbox game, in which players choose their actions to earn money, reputation points (either as a Marshall or as a Wanted character… dictated by the actions taken) and work towards earning legendary points (victory points). I'm intrigued to see what the expansions can add.