Games you own multiple editions of

The Wiz-War KS has got me thinking about games I own multiple editions of. This is generally a waste of time and space but there are a few games where I've made an exception.

- A cheap copy of AH Nexus Ops has made it's way to me and I'm not sure whether I should ditch my FFG copy for it or not.
- I've got a copy of both Gorechosen and Combat Arena. Gorechosen has a much better theme and it really should still be in print. I generally like 40k more than Fantasy/AoS but in this case the game itself is a much better fit for the latter setting.
- John Company 1e and 2e both grace my shelf. I still believe JoCo 1e tells a more memorable tale but JoCo 2e is a much better game and tells a very similar tale. I'll likely never play 1e ever again but can't bear to part with my copy yet.
- The CMON and Oink edition of Modern Art both make an appearance. The Oink edition is a lovely little thing for which I made some paste ups (with assistance from the fine folks on BGG) to translate into English. It's a nice and slim package whereas the CMON edition feels quite luxurious. I don't have a good reason to own both but I can't decide which one to get rid of.

In general the theme for me seems to be games where a reprint from a different publisher/edition has made enough changes to be different but not necessarily better.

What are some of the examples where you have multiple editions of a game? What criteria do you consider for owning multiple editions of something?

DUNE both Avalon Hill (Sting cover) and Gale Force Nine editions. I love AH's version right down to the aesthetics, but GF9 has the expansions and better ruleset (not perfect, just better)

TITAN I bought the Valley Games edition that came with the useless TITIAN miniatures. The look and heft of the battleboards are bar none. The full-colour creature artwork on the chits was a huge misstep. I really wished they had also created a bestiary to show off the creature artwork in more detail.

The AH version is perfect. Dave Trampier's silhouetted creature artwork is brilliant and makes scanning the creatures on the board sooooo much easier. AND nearly all the creatures were drawn individually, giving each one a bit of personality (creaturality?)

Uh, Love Letter. I have the original one, then I got the newer update that supports up to 6p, adds two new roles (Chancellor and Spy) and has much better art.

In general if I get another version of something, I'll get rid of the version I like less. The only reason I haven't done this with Love Letter is because I haven't found anyone to give it to yet, and it's not worth anything on the secondary market.

I've got the old and new version of Galaxy Trucker, though I've got the old one plus expansions on my trade list currently. I also have the old WOTC and most recent version of Robo Rally... I think that's it?

I’ve moved three times in the last three years including one breakup. So. I haven’t purposefully owned multiple editions of anything, really. I just forget if I have something and it’s usually a small game like Skull or Kingdomino. Then I give the extra to a friend. I gave my 1st edition Summoner Wars stuff to my nephews even.

I have the Hans Im Gluck and Valley Games version of Die Macher.

I have a couple of copies of Scrabble, Monopoly, and Risk.

Does "Double xx Dominoes" count?

I almost never rebuy games in a new edition. There are only two exceptions.

- I rebought Catan back in like 2010 so that I'd be able to get compatible expansions with the edition that was then available. In this case I actually offloaded my old copy to a friend.

- I have an original 1970s edition of Cosmic Encounter, with most of the expansions.

Other than that I move too often to justify keeping multiple copies of things around.

1st and 2nd editions of Arkham Horror, but they are radically different games. I haven't played 1st edition in forever, but it has sentimental value because I loaned it to Kevin Wilson while he was working on 2nd edition.

1st and 2nd editions of The Vesuvius Incident. 1st edition was a very affordable pocket game with an amazing foldout paper map. 2nd edition was a very deluxe reprint, with all the cardboard chits replaced by stickered tiles, while the board is legit chipboard and not just paper. I kept my 1st edition but am about to give it away to an old friend.

1st and 2nd editions of Illuminati. I have fond memories of the original, but the end game drags on and on due to a serious leader bashing problem. 2nd edition was a very different game that was part of the early CCG craze of the '90s. I ignored the CCG distribution model, but later picked up the All-in-One boxed set, plus a couple of expansions, all at clearance prices.

I'm not sure if they are different editions, but I have two copies of Asteroid that came in two different boxes. I like to play the game with two sets of maps and counters to keep the heroes fumbling in the dark, only able to see what is on their set of maps.

In general I try to sell off older editions either before the new one comes out, or shortly after I try the new one and determine its better ( or in a few cases worse ) than the old one. Off the top of my head I think I only have a couple that qualify:

GLORY to ROME - have the Black Box edition ( the infamous KS ) and the original clamshell edition. The latter I take when travel as its less valueable and has a slightly smaller footprint when you leave the clamshell behind.

ARDENNES 44 - have the second and third editions. The latest edition removed some non functional map location names ( historical landmarks ) so I prefer the older map. I also put in a lot of time playtesting the original game so I like to see how it evolved.

I have both editions of JOHN COMPANY, but the word on the street is that for the most part 2E is an improvement so 1E probably hits the WBC sales pile.

Wings of Glory. Don't ask.

I have a lot of these, because that's how I like to collect games.

• Wiz-War - I have the FFG set and my homemade 7th edition-type set. The original college set I played so much of was someone else's, lost to time. I'll probably buy the SJG edition too.
• Cosmic Encounter - I bought a package of Mayfair stuff including More Cosmic and Simply Cosmic off BGG at some point, because I wanted the set I learned to love the game with. I also have a complete run of the FFG stuff. FFG is better here.
• John Company - While I probably won't play 1e again, it's like having the demos for a great album and seeing it come together
• Pax Pamir - same as above, moreso as Cole's first entry into design.
• Pax Renaissance - this one is iffier, I bought the new edition because I liked the idea of some changes, but it's huge and ugly. Might shift the new one and just keep the 1st ed and extras

Maybe more, but that's pretty illustrative. Most of double editions I either keep or reacquire for pure collection reasons, like they were books or records.

I forgot about PAX Rennaissance. I hate the ginormous footprint of the new one as well as the wooden piece color choices. I haven't played 2E yet but I from what little I have read it isn't the slam dunk improvement PAX PAMIR was over its first edition.

Pax Ren is definitely an incremental change in gameplay, mostly just a jazzed up reprint by a new company. There's a little more variability in religious state flips (which results in some minor deck changes), and the big rule change is that kingdoms going unowned doesn't reset the repressed tokens on them (so they come back mad!)

Compared to the total redesign between Pax Pamir and John Company editions, it's really minor. It was nice to see it back in print, the 1e expansion (now included in the revised deck) was really scarce and pricy. But it's also big and kind of ugly compared to the original, which is like the most game imaginable in a box that size.

I'm guilty of duplication, usually because of a "collector" mentality of owning first editions.

Blood Bowls (2nd, 3rd, 2016, 202X)
Survive! (Parker Bros. 1st and Stronghold's 1st)
Fury of Dracula (1st and 3rd)
Dune (AH's 1st and GF9)
Heroquest

Weirdly, I held the line with Arkham Horror. I prefer the 2nd edition. And I hated Mansions of Madness so much, I couldn't stomach a 2nd edition. I did try it, and found the app was lame.

I own "redundancy" with Restoration Games' titles. However, I don't find their treatments to be actual restorations. More like revisions.

So I'll soon have Thunder Road Vendetta to go along side my Thunder Road.
I have their Return to Dark Tower beside my Dark Tower. Unmatched beside my Epic Duels. If this trend continues, I'll eventually have their Omega Virus and Crossbows & Catapults beside my OG copies too...

Oh I forgot about the new Wiz-War. I'm getting that one, mostly because it's a more compact edition that plays more people.