A to Z: Completing an Alphabetical Unplayed Games Challenge

June 4, 2022 | Articles | 4 comments

Find out more about a journey to play more unplayed games with a challenge that spanned months and 28 new games.

Success! Earlier this year, I set out to play more of my unplayed solo games… The list is vast! To help with a little structure, I decided to make it an alphabetical challenge. Why not? Ha ha! Over the course of about 4 months, I made it through 28 total games and found both the best and worst in my collection. Now? Time to regroup and start all over!

The Parameters

Perhaps my biggest struggle with challenges are how they can feel like a chore. I’ve fallen into this realm before, and it’s certainly the furthest from fun I’ve ever experienced.

Yet prior to this challenge, I couldn’t decide which new games to get to my table. I kept returning to my favorites, never really finding a good moment for an unplayed game.

Enter geekgroup.app! With useful sorting tools, I looked at all of my unplayed games and set out to find a system.

Simple: Alphabetical! Believe it or not, I pretty much had the entire alphabet covered with unplayed games. Whoa!

Starting to Get Everything Organized on the IKEA Kallax Shelves

Top Considerations

I knew I needed to spend time with these new games, so I did what some might consider to be odd… I didn’t put a time limit on this challenge. It could go on and on and on!

Essentially, I created a challenge that had its limitations with the order I played games, yet not with the timeframe.

It worked, though! I started on January 4th and completed this pass of 28 new games on May 14th. Slow for some, fast for others, and just right for my own schedule.

Most importantly, I learned the benefits of balancing limitations and open-ended criteria for my challenges.

Bad Luck with the Cards and a Lonely Campfire in Meadow

A Look at the Ratings

For a very top-level analysis, below are all of ratings for these games. Why 28 games? I added in a game beginning with a number, and had an annual play of another!

The spread doesn’t surprise me all that much. Anything above a 70% is typically something I’ll hang onto and enjoy for awhile. I even found some pretty amazing ones!

Lower ratings came from a lot of games I didn’t expect to love, although there were some sad disappointments.

I often reevaluate games after every 10 plays, so these might change. Yet what a fun way to see what I played!

An Interesting Design Decision with the Box for The Ninth World
  • Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North (Plus Japanese Islands) 92% 92%
  • Piepmatz 90% 90%
  • Tyrants of the Underdark 87% 87%
  • Gugong 86% 86%
  • Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile 86% 86%
  • Meadow 83% 83%
  • Valeria: Card Kingdoms (Plus Darksworn) 83% 83%
  • March of the Ants (Plus Empires of the Earth) 82% 82%
  • Dice Throne Adventures 81% 81%
  • Viscounts of the West Kingdom 79% 79%
  • Knot Dice Squared 78% 78%
  • HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon 77% 77%
  • Petrichor 77% 77%
  • Innovation 76% 76%
  • Rune 76% 76%
  • Unfair 73% 73%
  • Quill 71% 71%
  • Sorcerer City 70% 70%
  • The Ninth World: A Skillbuilding Game for Numenera 67% 67%
  • Agropolis 64% 64%
  • Eternal: Chronicles of the Throne 61% 61%
  • Lords of Hellas 59% 59%
  • Your Theme Park 59% 59%
  • By Stealth and Sea 58% 58%
  • Hold-Up 58% 58%
  • 7 Wonders 52% 52%
  • Funkoverse Strategy Game 52% 52%
  • Winterhaven Woods 33% 33%

Special Notes About Some of the Lowest Scores

I don’t want to spend too much time analyzing every individual game, yet of all the games I tried that weren’t all that intriguing, several of them were designed more for a multiplayer experience. Despite those low ratings, some of these will hang around on the shelves for game nights. After all, solo isn’t possible with every game design out there!

My rating system is also inherently imperfect and flawed. Isn’t that almost always the case? Ha! My ratings make sense for me, although I’m sure they’re far from useful to others. That’s OK! High and low ratings open the door for discussion. Even for my least-liked game, finding someone who enjoys it is an awesome moment for me. Have fun!

the Award Goes to…

As I analyzed this experience, I decided that it would be the perfect time to hand out some very random awards!

Without a doubt, there were certain games I loved more than others. Yet a lot of them deserved some recognition for different things. Awards only I would give out. Ha ha!

I also kept things positive here, as awarding something to the worst game wasn’t all that nice. Nor would it help me.

So much fun! Playing through the challenge was interesting enough, but going back through to hand out awards made it all feel more worthwhile. To the winners!

Visiting Rosella to Identify and Buy New Cards in Dice Throne Adventures

Action-Packed Scene

The game with the most exciting gaming moment.

NOMINEES

  • Dice Throne Adventures
  • Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
  • Valeria: Card Kingdoms

Winner

Dice Throne Adventures

Awesome card choices, dice rolls, and even foil cards made every turn interesting across a challenging campaign.

Awesome New Additions and a Legendary Card from Dice Throne Adventures

Back for More

The game with the ability to call for just one more play.

NOMINEES

  • Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North
  • Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
  • Piepmatz

Winner

Piepmatz

Easy-to-learn rules, constant decisions, and a quick play time made it hard to want to pack up the cards.

A Beautiful Selection of Birds to See in Piepmatz

Calico Critters Twin

The game with the cutest animals or other creatures.

NOMINEES

  • March of the Ants
  • Meadow
  • Piepmatz

Winner

Meadow

I think the photo says it all! Even the insects and flora were rather adorable in their own way. Just look how cute!

Defeated by a Cuteness Overload of Calico Critters and Animals in Meadow

Freshly Hatched Box

The game with the most recent release and great experience.

NOMINEES

  • Meadow
  • Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
  • Valeria: Card Kingdoms

Winner

Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile

The ongoing narrative and gripping stories of the rise and fall of empires made a lasting impression on me.

An Exciting and Unpredictable Battle Result in the Wastes of Oath

From the Ashes

The game with the oldest release that went unplayed too long.

NOMINEES

  • Innovation
  • Tyrants of the Underdark
  • Unfair

Winner

Tyrants of the Underdark

I thought this would only work multiplayer, but actually enjoyed area control with the amazing solo variant.

Making Friends with Some Excellent Dragons in Tyrants of the Underdark

Inspired by Nature

The game with the closest ties to realistic nature principles.

NOMINEES

  • March of the Ants
  • Meadow
  • Petrichor

Winner

Petrichor

Every element of the base game felt like it was mirroring nature as raindrops formed and fell to grow plants.

The Beautiful and Charming Artwork on the Collector's Edition of Petrichor

It’s a Trap!

The game with the most additional content to want to play.

NOMINEES

  • HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon
  • Petrichor
  • Valeria: Card Kingdoms

Winner

HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon

This demands some customization, yet with the right set of rules, the amount of available content is staggering.

HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon Surveying the Components and Play Area

Next Gallery Exhibit

The game with the most beautiful artwork to admire.

NOMINEES

  • Gugong
  • Meadow
  • Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile

Winner

Meadow

Watercolor art is definitely in! Even with so many unique pieces, all of the cards blended together beautifully.

Remembering the Small Scenes from Nature in Meadow

Roses are Red

The game with the most unique and colorful components.

NOMINEES

  • Dice Throne Adventures
  • Imperial Settlers: Empires of the North
  • Valeria: Card Kingdoms

Winner

Dice Throne Adventures

So many different characters, cards, dice, tokens, and more made this stand out with a unique table presence.

The Correct Sort of Unintended Matchup in Dice Throne Adventures

Surprise Party Time

The game with the most unexpectedly positive experience.

NOMINEES

  • Gugong
  • Tyrants of the Underdark
  • Valeria: Card Kingdoms

Winner

Tyrants of the Underdark

I didn’t expect much from an unofficial solo variant about area control. I was wrong, and loved the gameplay!

Back and Forth Battling in Tyrants of the Underdark

The Gold Cheesecake

The game with the coziest and most relaxing atmosphere.

NOMINEES

  • Meadow
  • Petrichor
  • Piepmatz

Winner

Meadow

There was never any pressure here: Simply a quiet walk through nature to spot different species and sights.

Exploring the Various Options Available in Meadow

The Jeweled Crown

The game with the fanciest and highest-quality components.

NOMINEES

  • Dice Throne Adventures
  • Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
  • Viscounts of the West Kingdom

Winner

Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile

A neoprene playmat, screen-printed wooden meeples, and a plethora of unique artwork made this stand out.

All Sorts of Special Powers for the Chancellor in Oath

Uh-Oh, Hot Dog!

The game with the most disastrous turns to work through.

NOMINEES

  • HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon
  • March of the Ants
  • Unfair

Winner

March of the Ants

One wrong move, and my ants were on the verge of extinction! Tricky predators also added lots of danger.

Working to Deal with the Broodmother and Trapdoor Spider in March of the Ants

Winner of All

The game with the best elements and most enjoyment.

NOMINEES

  • Dice Throne Adventures
  • Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
  • Valeria: Card Kingdoms

Winner

Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile

The combination of board game and RPG elements made for a lasting narrative that I can’t wait to return to!

Looking Out Across the Beautiful Components of Oath

At the End of the Day

I did it! To have been able to go through a small but decent selection of my unplayed games felt great. I found some hidden gems, and can now find homes for other games.

Even better? This was the motivation I needed to get more games to my table. There are dozens, even hundreds, of other unplayed games just calling out for their time.

I’m about to start all over again! A roughly alphabetical order sounds about right, so I’m excited to keep playing.

My old favorites will always be there, and I’ll return to them again. For now, it’s time to keep on exploring!

An Endless Sort of Adventure with a Dungeon Delve in Valeria: Card Kingdoms

A FInal Word of Advice

Over the years, I’ve collected more games than I’ll ever be able to play in a reasonable amount of time. I didn’t know when I would ever get them to the table.

If you’re looking to start your own challenge, start small! Make sure you understand what you’re getting into, and never be afraid to modify the parameters just a bit.

Look at me: I tossed in an annual play of March of the Ants with a new expansion and bent the rules for some letters!

Board games are supposed to be fun, as are challenges to play them. Find out what works for you, and go with it!

Excitement Over the First Narrow Victory in Gugong

Continue the Conversation

Have you ever participated in a board game challenge of this sorts before? What were some of your favorite moments from the experience? I boxed myself into a corner with some very strict challenges before, yet giving myself an order without any expectation on the time to reach the end worked wonders. This was so much fun to discover new games!

4 Comments

  1. I love everything about what you have done here! What an innovative and inspirational way to get unplayed games off the shelf and onto the table. Your award categories are fantastic. I will definitely implement some form of this with my new-to-me-games that are sitting and waiting patiently.

    Reply
    • Thanks so much for the kind words! I think the hardest part is getting started. There were a lot of challenges and ways I saw posted, but nothing really seemed to work. What I thought was a rather random but ordered way of going alphabetically as surprisingly great. I typically had around 2-4 choices for most letters, and could plan ahead accordingly. Pretty nice!

      I should also note that if you want to set a challenge for yourself, don’t be afraid to start small or go as slowly as you need to. Make up your own rules, and know that if you share said challenge, you’ll get a lot of support! No one got on me for changing things up, slowing down, or choosing obscure games for some letters. It’s all about the fun!

      Good luck when you try out some of your unplayed games, whenever that may be!

      Reply
  2. Your ratings can still be useful to me even if we disagree on nearly everything, if I know why you rated a game high or low: you hate mechanic X but I love it, or you like theme Y and so do I. Which is one of the reasons I read this blog!

    (I have been known to process my BGG plays and look at games I haven’t played for a while when deciding what to try to get to the table…)

    Reply
    • Thanks, Roger! I totally agree with you about disagreeing: I know some solo players who have almost opposite tastes in games than me. But when they point out that the narrative elements were what made the game fall flat, I know that it might be for me!

      That’s also why I’ve started adding comments to my ratings on BGG. A number isn’t nearly as meaningful as the reason for that number. Someone giving a game or 9 or 10 is less useful to me than someone rating it a 6 or 7 with clear reasons why it worked in some ways, and didn’t in others.

      Appreciate you reading and following along! I’m almost in the process of thinking about an overhaul of my ratings system, which will add some more detail to it… I hope. Hard to change it up, but I’m finding a few cases where I always award points and the things I’m considering don’t differ all that much. The whole structure will stay the same: I’m just looking at being more granular when it comes to awarding points per category. Fun with data!

      Reply

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