The Unplayed 100

by Ed Rozmiarek

Mark Jackson and Stephen Glenn worked up the The Official & Completely Authoritative 100 Best Games of All Time Ever Without Question. Much discussion about this list can be read here and there on the web. Now that the list is done and posted I can say that all-in-all, it’s pretty good list. Sure I don’t agree with some of the entries, but, as a point in time, it’s some interesting data.

Turns out that I have played 83 of the top 100 games. Not too bad given that I have only “recently” been seriously back into gaming (guess it’s running on six years now). So what haven’t I played? Here’s the list:

• 17. Time's Up – Top party game on the list. Our group doesn’t play party games much but I have had the opportunity to play this at many gaming events. The players always seem to have a good time, but it just hasn’t pulled me in. May play it some time, but not going to out of my way.
• 22. Die Macher – Just recently this has gotten some play with people in our group. I just never seem to be there at the right time to get in or don’t have the time to devote to it. Will probably play some day when the stars align right.
• 26. Civilization – The grand daddy civ building game. Old, long and I don’t own it. There are lots of newer civ games, all trying to be the 2 or 3 hour Civilization that I will probably try out first just due to the length of the orginal.
• 42. Bridge – I have played lots of card games but never bridge. I have been scared off from the learning curve and lack of commitment/time needed to play it well.
• 45. 1830 – I have played lots of train games, but no 18XX games. We actually own a couple (1825 and 2038) so I will probably get around to playing one of those in the future.
• 47. Titan – Don’t own it, it’s hard/expensive to get and it’s really long. Three strikes and you’re out.
• 53. Daytona 500 – I have several racing games but have never played this one. I would like to try it, maybe at a convention or game gathering.
• 59. Hannibal: Rome v. Carthage – Hard to get war game. I would try it if the opportunity presents itself. But, I don’t think I will seek it out.
• 62. Smarty Party – Party game. See Time’s Up above.
• 74. Taboo – Another party/word game, but Susan has played it and liked it, at least the electronic version. She has been looking for a copy but I guess that version is out of print and hard to get.
• 77. War of the Ring - We have owned this since it came out and still haven’t played it. Shame on us. First game on this unplayed list I actually feel I need to pull out and knock off the list.
• 81. Spades – I might have played this, a long time ago, and can’t remember. Have played lots of Hearts and other card games. Would play if the opportunity to play comes up.
• 83. Age of Renaissance – Another long game that but has a couple big fans in our group. Again another I have been turned off from due to the length.
• 84. Um Reifenbreite – Been meaning to try this one, but don’t own it.
• 86. Res Publica – Susan has played this and liked it. We have been looking for a copy but have never gotten one.
• 89. Code 777 – Supposedly very good deduction game. We don’t own a copy and it is hard to get and very expensive. However, it is suppose to be fairly easy to make. We don’t play many deduction games, but I would be willing to try.
• 97. McMulti – I don’t own this but a couple people in the group do. I have missed playing it every time it gets played. One of these days.

Update:
Mark Jackson nows asks what is our One Hundred Geek Score is (The One Hundred Score = # of these games you've played + # of these games you own). Looks like mine is 169 (83 played + 86 owned). My Unowned list is basically the same as my Unplayed list (man, that’s scary). We take off Bridge, Spades (both played with a basic deck of cards), War of the Ring and 1830 (Well, we do own 1825. Not the same thing, but 1830 is out of print). We add in Diplomacy. Played it a long time ago but never bought a copy.

Posted by Ed Rozmiarek at November 18, 2005 11:24 AM