Your favorite Eurogames

Until 2018 I was not a big fan of Euros. I had a few in my collection, but these neither represented the bulk of the collection nor my favorites. Things have changed after I played Concordia. I realized how awesome Eurogames are! I've been getting into heavier Euros recently, although I've yet to play truly heavy games such as Lacerda's designs. Nonetheless, I thought I'd share with you my current top of Eurogames (of course, it's not easy to say exactly what a Eurogame is, hence some entries on the list that might seem odd to some of you).

Great Western Trail. Awesome game! I love the fact that you make a rondel as you play, the fact that you can choose how long the game is, the multiple paths to victory, and the numerous mechanisms that work so well together. Pfister may be my favorite designer.

Concordia. What a gem! I love maps. I love resource management. I love deckbuilding. How could I feel differently about Concordia?

Terraforming Mars. The game is a bit longer than I'd like, but it provides you with unique, unforgettable experiences. It's cool to see how an uninhabitable planet becomes human-friendly due to your actions. One of the best resource management games out there.

Clans of Caledonia. One of the hottest games of the moments, Clans of Caledonia truly lives up to the expectations. I have no complaint whatsoever regarding the gameplay, I only wish the components had been a bit bigger. Who would have thought producing whisky, cheese and bread can be so fun?

Keyflower. My favorite "Key-" game, Keyflower is a unique Euro in that it has an auction mechanism that works excellent with 2 players. You have plenty of decisions to make during your turns, and every single mechanism works smoothly.

Seasons. Not your regular Euro, but Seasons involves dice drafting and resource management, which make it an excellent hybrid. Also, it's also a great entry point to modern Boardgames for people who play MTG, so extra points for that! It also has some of the most beautiful components (especially the dice) and inserts out there.

Isle of Skye. A family game, but a great one! I told you that Pfister was my favorite designer, right? I love it with 2 players, although I think this is not a very popular opinion.

Power Grid. The only game on my list that does not work well with 2 players. It's a classic, and a very enjoyable game when you play it with people who do not mind a bit of math mixed in with sheer fun.

Imperial Settlers. I'd rank it higher, if only it did not feel as a solitaire experience...Sure, you can mess with other people's cards, but that's pretty much all the interaction. Nonetheless, the cute artwork, the nice components, and the engine-building make it a light civ-building game that will see the table a couple of times per year.

Carcassonne Over Hill and Dale. I'll end this list with a lighter game, but one of the most played in my collection. This implementation of the classic Carcassonne is my favorite due to how it looks and to the addition of bonus vegetable tokens.

So, what are your favorite Euros?

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I have not liked / actively hated almost every Euro I've ever played, but I do actually own one, and it's okay.

51st State. Note that were it not connected to my favorite game, Neuroshima Hex, I wouldn't have even given it a second look.

PUERTO RICO still stands the test of time for me. The expansions came out too late; they really give the game a ton of variety.

STONE AGE is my favorite light Euro, again with the expansions.

THROUGH THE AGES is my most-played, due to the app. I can’t imagine playing it live anymore, but having all the bookkeeping done for you is great.

I played CONCORDIA once and thought it was okay; would play again.

I don't mind the occasional Euro but I am quite particular about who I play them with. I have some friends who are really into midweight Euros so (back in the good times) I would play for the company more than the actual game, the titles often escape me as they feel so interchangeable.

Out of your list I enjoy Terraforming Mars as a two-player game but don't think I'd want to play with more because the space between turns isn't that interesting. I occasionally play Imperial Settlers solo but 51st State is the far superior version of this for group play. Never played Concordia but Josh was eulogising about it recently so I took a closer look and now I'm kind of keen to try to it out.

Acquire.

I don't really do this whole Euro/AT thing anymore. They're just games. The best games usually have elements of both. Some AT games are just shit, and some Euro games are fucking cool as hell. Anything that gets folks to talk and hae a good time is a solid game.

If you want my current favorites, they'd be:
THROUGH THE AGES (noted above--it is a hassle on the table, but we still do it because the game is so good)
CYCLADES (one of the best DoaM and auction games. Juuuuust enough randomness to keep things fresh, but the more skilled player usually wins)
ACQUIRE (all-time great. Best money game ever)

Like Jeb says, I think the Euro/AT terminology is kind of outdated at this point. Just as an example in this thread, I've never thought of 51st State as a Euro, largely because of its setting and the variety of different actions presented by the cards. The possibility for direct confrontation (Razing) is what makes it my favorite engine builder and I agree with others that it's superior to Imperial Settlers (in addition to it being favored for being part of the NH universe.)

But the ones on the shelf that aren't on the trade list and likely never will be are T&E, Modern Art, and Tribune. And Cyclades, if that's being considered a "Euro" (again, outdated terminology.) If Cyclades is included, I'd bring in Inis, as well, since I'd consider that even more Euro-y than Cyclades, since the latter has cards that can have game-changing effects, is an area control game, and uses dice(!)

Jackwraith wrote: Like Jeb says, I think the Euro/AT terminology is kind of outdated at this point.

I agree. Francotrash is where the real action is.

Acquire is a personal favorite. And frankly, Settlers of Catan is as well, in spite of having played it for the better part of two decades. Truly a social game where the post-game show is always as good as the game itself.

I'm partial to Lords of Waterdeep, Puerto Rico, Power Grid, and Caylus.

I realize this makes me an old fogey gamer but i enjoy euros when i have a deep understanding of the strategies and play with others that do, so it is hard for me to jump on a new one. Some are too abstract or just too damned complex (Utopia (i think) comes to mind) where the engine building is so obtuse or elongated that i can't connect with it.

Mechanically, the point salad multiplayer solitare ones are the euros i like the least unless the theme is particularly strong. Most of my favs use turn order manipulation or action denial to good effect even if there isnt direct conflict.

Chalk me up as another who doesn't find the distinction particularly useful anymore. I also draw a distinction between more family oriented German-style games (like Catan) and more sober-minded, staid Eurogames (like Agricola).

My favs:

Power Grid - One of my most consistent favorites over the last fifteen years or so. I think I could find a game of this just about anywhere I go, and I'd very likely enjoy it.

Five Tribes - Thinky, abstract, and somehow totally in my wheelhouse. I think the way choice gets more constrained as the game goes on works really well for me, an it's one of the rare Euros without threaded turns, which means you can spend some time chit-chatting between your turns. As the resident chatterbox I appreciate that.

Agricola - One of two vital worker placement games for me. I still play the original Z-Man English edition, with 5 player colors and wonky card balance. There are some design choices here that I would probably not care for if I hadn't already been playing for over a decade, but I have, so here we are.

Argent: The Consortium - My preferred worker-placement game over Agricola, this one is much more thematic, confrontational, and varied. I also think it's a stronger design, and that its kitchen-sink qualities reveal themselves as being better-integrated as you go.

El Grande - Kind of on the line between my German and Euro distinction, but I'm mentioning it because it has a dour noble on the box cover, which is a distinctly Euro move. I love the interaction and competition.

Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization - I really enjoy this game when played in person, less so on the app. I feel like it rewards different types of strategy from other Civ games, which tend to focus a bit too much on military conquest. It also has obsolescence at its core, which is also not done as frequently in this genre. You can't rely on cuneiform forever, after all. I am not very good at it, but I still appreciate fumbling around with it some.

Yes!!! Games are games, let's stop using thesw make believe descriptors. Labeling then by mechanisms for the sake of identifying and communicating about them is much more helpful and is free of the gross, outdated gatekeeping aspects of the AT/Euro argument that ended 10 years ago.

I'm sure I posted about my favorites somewhere else, but my current list if favorites would be:
Underwater Cities
Concordia
Tzolk'in (been really digging Tekhenu, too)
Power Grid
Far too many Knizia titles to count

Merchant of Venus

RA!

Innovation/Glory to Rome

Brass Birmingham

I agree with the sentiment here, but even so if it quacks like a duck or barks like a dog then that is what it is regardless of how eloquently it is described. And it’s not a criticism because I like hanging out at the duck pond. It’s just that some of the other people there, the duck fanciers who care only for waterfowl, can be a bit off-putting at times. Some of them throw bits of bread at the ducks with bitterness and contempt, like they have some unresolved personal issues that they think the ducks can somehow solve. Others are rambling weird theories to themselves, or clearly haven’t washed or put on a clean set of clothes before going out. As happy as I am with ducks in general I find myself not wanting to hang out too often at the pond, so I go to the park to walk the dogs instead.

Now dogs are fun, they are playful, and run around making lots of noise and are just happy to be alive. Most dog owners are willing to let you give their pets a good scratch behind the ears and to have a pleasant chat. But there are some dogs who fight, and whose owners seem to take a perverse delight in the suffering of others. That isn’t cool either.

The duck-fanciers don’t like the big noisy dogs and the dog-walkers sneer at the dull birds paddling like mad and going nowhere.

I guess what I am personally looking for is a dog that quacks or a duck that barks, and the company of others who, like me, enjoy odd ducks. But that’s just me, completely quackers and barking up the wrong tree.

C'mon all you people trying to deny that you can't differentiate game types with words like euro and AT, no different than using party or war or anything else. I was going to post something about how eurogames evolved (or devolved) from German games but didn't really know how to phrase it eloquently enough, San il has done it for me and has said exactly what was in my head but that I couldn't put through my keyboard
" family oriented German-style games (like Catan) and more sober-minded, staid Eurogames (like Agricola)"
I can name some German-style games that I used to play a long time ago and would play again (I even own Power Grid but I kinda treat that like a simulation since I used to be in the power production industry ) but pretty sure no euros would come close to that list ... honestly, they bore me.