10 Game Terms to Retire with 2003

RANDOM MUSINGS on the fin-de-millénaire games scene . . .

30 Jan 2004 . . .

"based on The Lord of the Rings"

Reason: Their titles are too many and too repetitive to list, and I think we've had more than enough, thanks. If someone still wants to do something on Tolkien, why don't you at least refresh us with something on one of non-hobbit books?

"Carcassonne expansion"

Reason: Carcassonne - The River; Carcassonne - The Expansion; Carcassonne - Hunters & Gatherers; Carcassonne - King & Scout; Carcassonne - Traders & Builders; Carcassonne: The Castle; The Ark of the Covenant.
Although we've certainly enjoyed most of them, I suspect we have enough now, thank you.

"re-issue of"; "expansion to"; "based on"

Reason: I like expansions and adaptations as much as the next player, but do we really need quite this many? From 2003 alone and not including anything related to Carcassonne or The Lord of the Rings: Alhambra; Age of Steam Expansion Set #1; Age of Steam Expansions Western US & Germany; The Arab Israeli Wars; Atlanteon; Attack! Expansion; Bang! High Noon; Battle Cards: World Conflict, North African Campaign; Battlecards: World Conflict, North Africa Campaign; Battlecards: World Conflict, Pacific Theatre; Battlecards: World Conflict, The Russian Front; Bohnanza counters; Box of Bunco; China Moon; Cranium Hullabaloo; Crazy Derby; Deadwood: On Location; Diceland - Extra Space; Diceland - Ogre; Diceland - Space; Domaine; Dork Tower; Dragonball Z Majin Buu Saga; Dragonball Z: Fusion Saga; Dschingis Bohn; Dschunke: Das Legespiel; Duel of Ages Set 1 - Worldspanner; Duel of Ages Set 2 - Intensity; Duel of Ages Set 3 - Vast Horizons; Duel of Ages Set 4 - Royal Tournament; Duel of Ages Set 5 - Mercenary Camp; Duel of Ages Set 6 - Field of Honor; Duel of Ages Set 7 - Ruins of Cany XII; Dungeoneer: Vault of the Fiends; Edel, Stein & Reich; 1844; &cetera Flaschenteufel; Fresh Fish; Gang of Four; Grave Robbers from Outer Space 2: Skippy's Revenge; High Society; History's Mysteries Card Game; Jenga Xtreme; Jeopardy - Simpsons Edition; Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot RED Booster; Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot VIOLET Booster; Die Kinder von Catan; Lunar Rails; Message to the Czar; Mission Command Air; Mission Command Land; Mission Command Sea; Modern Art; Monopoly - Dog Artlist Collection Edition; Monopoly - Elvis Presley 25th Anniversary Edition; Monopoly - Ford 100th Anniversary Edition; Monopoly - Justice League of America Edition; Monopoly - Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition; Monopoly - Muppets Edition; Monopoly - Dog Artlist Collection Edition; Monopoly - Elvis Presley 25th Anniversary Edition; Monopoly - Ford 100th Anniversary Edition; Monopoly - Justice League of America Edition; Monopoly - Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition; Monopoly - Muppets Edition; Munchkin 3 - Clerical Errors Munchkin Fu; Mystery Rummy: Al Capone and the Chicago Underworld; Murder in the Abbey; Portable Adventures: 8th Grade; Portable Adventures: Lair of the Rat-King; Relationship Tightrope; Richelieu; Risk - The Lord of the Rings Expansion set; Risk - The Lord of the Rings - Trilogy Edition; Rome; Rock, Paper, Scissors, Inc.; Rubik's Tac Toe; Settlers of Zarahemla; Spite & Malice. 10 Days in Africa; 10 Days in the USA; Tobruk Expansion Pack 1 - Wavell's 30,000; Tobruk Expansion Pack 2 - Benghazi Handicap; Tobruk Expansion Pack 3 - Devil's Garden; Tobruk Expansion Pack 4 - Blunted Sword; Tobruk Expansion Pack 5A - Kasserine & Beyond; Trivial Pursuit - Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy Edition; Trivial Pursuit DVD Pop Culture Boardgame; UNO - Hello Kitty edition; Uno - X-Men Edition; Urland expansion; When Darkness Comes - The Darkness Before the Dawn; When Darkness Comes - The Most Dangerous Game; Worlds of Heroes & Tyrants: Hell; Worlds of Heroes & Tyrants: Hell Card Expansion #1: Alone; Worlds of Heroes & Tyrants: Hell Card Expansion #2: Anger Management; Worlds of Heroes & Tyrants: Hell Card Expansion #3: The Maze; Zombies!!! 3.5; Zombies!!! 3: Mall Walkers.
While some of these I didn't mind, I think the growing trend to go with safe, old games is something we all should mind. Is it really so much trouble to make something new?

"bad economic times"

Reason: They're the likely cause of the reduced box quality of Crocodile Pool Party and probably most of the above besides.

"based on the computer game"

Reason: Anno 1503 and the entire Eagle Games line.

"computer in a game"

Reasons: King Arthur. can't be translated by the aftermarket and if such games become de rigeur adds yet another painful hurdle for the would-be self-publisher.

"collectible components"

Reason: This should have been retired about eight years ago, but games in which the winner is the one who spent the most money continue to be published. Even in 2003, all of the following were published: Beyblade TCG; Cookie Fu; Creepy Freaks; Crimson Skies; Crown of the Emperor; Diceland - Extra Space; Diceland - Ogre; Diceland - Space; Dungeoneer; Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures; History of War; Horus Heresy, collectable Card Game; HumAliens; Hybrid; Jagun Fighters; Justice League Hexors Game; Legless; Lord of the Rings - Tradeable Miniatures Game; Mitos Y Leyndas (Myths and Legends); Monopoly - Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition; Neopets TCG; Ophidian 2350; ProJax; Punch Cards; Shadowrun Duels; Simpsons Trading Card Game; Spongebob Squarepants - Deep Sea Duel; Too Many Georges; War Cry; .hack//ENEMY.

"by Hasbro"

Reason: Continues to behave in the manner of their most famous (acquired) game, Monopoly, being primarily concerned with their perennial rivalry with Mattel and taking an extremely frightened and shortsighted view of the board games industry. By continuing to publish non-state-of-the-art products and helping exclude others from the Toys-R-Us shelves, they tend to stifle the growth of the American board games market and in the long run will eventually hurt even their sales.

"the misspelling 'Spiel des Jahre'"

Reason: Unless you're really determined to demonstrate that not only is your German lacking, but your cut-and-paste isn't working either. (Genitive case 1) (Genitive case 2)

"based on the Ancient Greeks"

Reason: Age of Mythology, Alexandros, Attika, Hektor und Achill, Hellas, Magna Grecia, Mare Nostrum.
Granted, there hadn't been any for quite a while and most of these games are marvelous, but I think now we're ready for at least a short break please.