Best Solitaire Games

[BanzaiCat]

I saw a gameplay vid on Hero of Weehawken. Looked interesting.

[Nefaro]

I really want to hear impressions of Robinson Crusoe. 

The exploration side of it sounds like fun but I'm still unsure of the rest.  It seems to be a pretty popular solitaire/co-op game so it must be good.

[PanzersEast]

Robinson Crusoe:
Here are my initial impressions for Robinson Crusoe after playing the initial scenario.

Let me preface this by saying I like games that are challenging and different.

The first scenario has you on an island where you have 12 rounds to build a bonfire to signal ships that will be passing, and of course stay alive.  So, I was the Explorer character with a native named Friday and my Dog.  The solo game allows you to have both the dog and Friday which gives you one extra action and the Dog an extra action however limited to Exploring and Hunting.

I managed to find a mountain range and take up residence in a cave.  I explored out and was able to build a knife.  I ran into a tile that was much needed only to draw a card and find out it had been burnt useless in a massive fire.  Eventually I found a rune, got bit by a spider, failed to find a cure and died.... the end

Robinson Crusoe is a very tough game... and I like it that way.  The game mechanics and decisions you have to make are the best I have experienced in a game.  For example, there was one card that gave me some supplies and if I took them I had to put the card back into the deck, only to have the bad effect to possibly come back to haunt me later.   The entire time I felt like each turn was a life and death struggle just to survive much less building the bonfire.  I really enjoyed my play through and can't wait to dive back in.  There are 6 scenarios that come with the game and several you can download.....like a Zombie infested island etc..  For me, this is a homerun title thus far, however if you do not like getting the crap kicked out of you, taking risk and possibly suffering horribly for them, then you may not want to visit the island.

PE

[Nefaro]

Sounds great!

[PanzersEast]

Sounds great!

I really liked the game... but it is brutal.  I eventually drew some cards that depleted a couple of my wood tiles so I could not longer gather wood from those tiles.  I also narrowly escaped a tiger when hunting..... The spider bite took me off guard and does 1 damage each night if you do not have a cure... but by then it was too late.

The mechanics of the game are spot on imho.  I almost got Friday killed several times, but he survived.  The game is as it should be, tough and unforgiving.... you are stranded on an island after all.

If you have any questions just let me know.


PE

[PanzersEast]

Played a game of Hero of Weehawken last night.  The game is for sure a niche title and while I enjoyed it, I recognize will would not be for everyone.  I like it because of 1. Historical flavor and 2. It is very different.  Your main goal is to find out what Burr is up to and who is key conspirators are and what their plan is.  A lot of the game you do not get a lot of feedback from actions you are taking, however you can start to piece together possibilities.  I guess I am a little too distracted from RC right now and some of the rules for Hero of Weehawken I will have to re-read as they were not very clear.

I believe I liked the title, but will need subsequent play thoroughs.  Once thing is for sure, it is a niche title that many may not like.


PE

[PanzersEast]

Ahhh.... trying to stay alive.

[PanzersEast]

Right now I am also testing / learning Mage Knight in the vassal format.  I am trying to decide if that will be next on my list to purchase, although it will be a while.  So far after getting the rules down it does seem like a very good game.



PE

[Nefaro]

Right now I am also testing / learning Mage Knight in the vassal format.  I am trying to decide if that will be next on my list to purchase, although it will be a while.  So far after getting the rules down it does seem like a very good game.



PE

I've been tempted to play it again even though I did so the weekend before last.   Still haven't defeated the regular solitaire 'Conquer' scenario, much less attempted to take on some of the Lost Legion expansion stuff.

It's certainly a unique game.

If you're interested in seeing how a multi-player Vassal game went down, once you learn the game, check this vid series out:

The guy shares a lot of interesting comments on strategy while doing the replay.  Hopefully I'll learn to be more efficient with my map movement & attack priorities after watching.  :D

[PanzersEast]

Still playing my current game so I am still undecided about it.  I know several have it at the top of their Solo games..... but I'm still working through.  It does have a lot of interesting mechanics to it, with the day/night feel and the morale feature.


PE

[ArizonaTank]

Getting some great suggestions from you guys PE and Nef.  I am just a solitaire piker compared to you guys.

It has recently become a bit of an obsession for me after getting really burned out on video gaming last year.  Fortunately there are quite a few solitaire-capable tabletop games out there these days, partially due to the upswing in 'Cooperative' games over recent years.  It's great that we can get so much more use out of them since you don't have to corral some victims..errr, players... all the time. 

I am there as well.  I suddenly find myself not wanting to play as many PC games...even the hardcore grog games like War in the East, are falling flat with me.  But I have been doing a lot of Vassal Boardgames recently, and really enjoying that.

[Nefaro]

I've been playing some video games again lately, but at a modest pace.

Planning on another attempt at winning a solitaire Conquest scenario in the Mage Knight boardgame with the Lost Legion expansion.  My last attempt ended in failure, which is a good thing because it's not a cakewalk.  I plan to sleeve the cards before my next play, however, so that will require some extra time being set aside.

[PanzersEast]

I've been playing some video games again lately, but at a modest pace.

Planning on another attempt at winning a solitaire Conquest scenario in the Mage Knight boardgame with the Lost Legion expansion.  My last attempt ended in failure, which is a good thing because it's not a cakewalk.  I plan to sleeve the cards before my next play, however, so that will require some extra time being set aside.

Same here, I have eased back into the video game realm.  I hope to spend time with Darkest Night + Expansions maybe this weekend... we shall see.


PE

[Arctic Blast]

I've been playing some video games again lately, but at a modest pace.

Planning on another attempt at winning a solitaire Conquest scenario in the Mage Knight boardgame with the Lost Legion expansion.  My last attempt ended in failure, which is a good thing because it's not a cakewalk.  I plan to sleeve the cards before my next play, however, so that will require some extra time being set aside.

How did you find the learning curve with that game? I'm somewhat interested in it, but also somewhat terrified by the rules.  ;D

[PanzersEast]

I've been playing some video games again lately, but at a modest pace.

Planning on another attempt at winning a solitaire Conquest scenario in the Mage Knight boardgame with the Lost Legion expansion.  My last attempt ended in failure, which is a good thing because it's not a cakewalk.  I plan to sleeve the cards before my next play, however, so that will require some extra time being set aside.

How did you find the learning curve with that game? I'm somewhat interested in it, but also somewhat terrified by the rules.  ;D

Arctic

Check out Ricky Royal's game walkthrough, he does a good job taking you through the various parts of the game.  Once I read through the rules and watched his video to fill in the gaps, it is pretty easy to play.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB7C824980F797C4A


PE