Games

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USTLERS ROLL THE DICE

by David Miller, Staff Writer Over the pandemic, people have revisited old hobbies and picked up new ones. A hobby I hold close to my heart that defi nitely kept me busy was playing board games. There’s nothing better than sitting around the table with friends and family, having a good time and playing some games. There’s a board game for everybody ranging from styles such as card games and word games, to themes like playing as secret spies or paranormal investigators. New and creative board games are coming out every year, exploring interesting ways to play and continuing to attract players in every demographic. Camden Robertson -- Catan

Catan is junior Camden Robertson’s favorite game. A groundbreaking title released in 1995, Catan is a game for three to four players where resources are gathered via dice rolls. The resources (livestock, ore, lumber, brick, and wheat) are indicated by tiles with numbers 1-12 on them. You can also collect resources by trading with the other players, making the game very reliant on tabletalk. You spend your resources to construct roads, settlements, and cities for victory points. The fi rst to 10 victory points is the winner. Other factors such as development cards, the robber, and ports up the stakes in the game. Robertson said he likes that the game is fun while also being strategic -- and playing usually never results in screaming matches. He also likes that it’s longer than normal games. A big plus for Robertson is that random chance is a big contributor to the game. There is no true enemy, and everyone relies on everyone to trade and win.

Shawn Keck -- Pandemic

The world is currently under attack by a wave of unseen enemies. Four deadly diseases are spreading, and it’s up to you to stop them. Senior Shawn Keck’s favorite board game is Pandemic. Released in 2008, Pandemic has players take up the mantle of a disease specialist such as an operations expert, medic, and contingency planner in order to stop the spread of and eradicate four diseases. Each turn, the diseases spread more across the globe, and a player on their turn takes actions to stop them. Keck was introduced to the game by one of his friends and has suggested playing it anytime they can. “It’s a cooperative struggle,” he said. “If you don’t work together, you lose together.” The game’s theme is a big part of why Keck loves it. When people ask what makes it so fun, usually the idea of racing to eradicate deadly viruses is enough to get other people to fall in love with it.

Lucas McMaster -- Sorry!

Sorry! is the game of choice for freshman Lucas McMaster. In Sorry! players compete to round the board with each piece and bring them to the home space. Pieces move based on cards drawn by the player. Some cards, such as the infamous “Sorry!” card, provide added benefi ts to help the players take the lead. “There’s a lot of competition in it, and you don’t have to be nice,” said McMaster, who was introduced to the game by his family. He won the fi rst game he played, which may have led to it taking the title of his favorite game. McMaster said he appreciates that players always have the chance to take the lead. You never stay in last place, but you always have to worry about someone taking the lead from you.

Board Games over the years

Chess:501600AD

A game that evolved through thousands of years and still stays relevant today, each player tries to trap the other’s King in a “checkmate.” Crokinole: 1876

The game focuses on sliding tiles across a slick board to score points by hitting opponents pieces and landing in a circle.

Candyland: 1949

This children’s game centers on moving a piece through a fantastical world of candy by drawing cards associated with the colored tiles on the board.

Catan: 1995

The cornerstone of modern board games, Catan has players gathering resources to spread their settlements before other players.