The greatest gift
Some time ago Christian from Spielstil.net drew my attention to the #BG2GETHER campaign and asked if I would like to participate. At #BG2GETHER different bloggers, podcasters, vloggers etc. create a post about a topic from the world of boardgames once a month and link each other. To me, this is a great way for all participants to benefit by networking. The reader gets diverse access to a particular topic. Since the blog will continue to grow in 2022, I would like to thank Christian for the chance to participate in the #BG2GETHER campaign! Since the past Christmas is not quite so far back is the question for January 2022:
Which game do you remember as the best (Christmas) present? What did you really want to get as a gift and was then as great as you hoped (or just not)?
When I look back at my childhood in response to this question, I naturally think of toys first and foremost, not board games. For example, at Christmas in 1983, it was the Lego space station that I longed for. Then at the end of the 80's the era of the home computers began. For Christmas 1990 I wished for the game "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" for my Amiga - the greatest point and click adventure game since Maniac Mansion. For nights I sat in front of the screen and cracked every puzzle until I finally held the holy grail in my hands - a great game! On the actual topic, I can think of two specific games from childhood that completely enthralled me:
Asterix Abenteuerspiel - Das Gipfeltreffen
I don't even remember if I got the game book from 1987 as a birthday present or just in between from my parents. As the name suggests, it is not a classic Asterix comic book but a game book, i.e. the reader decides how the story continues. Depending on the decision, a different chapter is read. In addition, there are other small games and challenges on individual pages that have to be mastered. The adventure board on the last page records personal skills, battles won, trials passed and the number of sesterces. To play, all you need is a normal dice and a pencil - and if there is no dice at hand, you can "roll the dice" with the random card. The book is really well written and lets you dive deep into an adventure, from which you don't want to get out again so quickly. Even today, I still like to pick it up.
Der Schatz der Inka
Der Schatz der Inka is a real boardgame by Edith Grein-Böttcher and was under the Christmas tree sometime in the late 80s. The game takes us to the tropical rainforest in South America. In the best Indiana Jones style, we travel through the jungle in search of fabulous riches. With the help of the compass cards and a little luck with the dice, we move from temple to temple. However, a lot of dangers lurk on the way. Once the treasure is found, the hunt really begins. The other players want more than just a share.
Some time ago I bought the Schatz der Inka for three EUR used. But I'm not sure yet if I should play it again, or rather keep the great trips to the Inca Empire with friends and family in memory. Because at this point you have to be honest with yourself. Most things from childhood (e.g. movies, radio plays and also games) you carry in a beautiful memory and this charm can almost never be restored nowadays.
Und dann kam Pandemie
And then came PandemicAnother game that I got as an unexpected present for my birthday about 8 years ago is Pandemic. The game became for me at that time (beside Zombicide) a gateway game back into the hobby. Board games have always accompanied me, but mostly it was nothing more than a game of Settlers of Catan or a round of Carcassonne in between. With Pandemic I was completely thrilled by the cooperative idea and to be fair I have to say: without Pandemic there would be no Brettspielgilde and no blog. In a way, the game opened the door to a new colorful world in which I still stand amazed. In the meantime, however, the former glory of Pandemie has faded somewhat - after all, so many new great cooperative games have come onto the market and into my collection since then. However, if someone suggests Pandemic as a nightcap after a long game night, I won't say no :-)
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