Tim's 2013 in New Games

[TimMierz]

Some short reviews of games I learned in 2013 and played more than once. Few to none of them were actually released in 2013 - I'm not always hip on the newest and shiniest. Ordered by when I learned them.

Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar
If you like resource management, planning ahead with the knowledge your plans might have a wrench thrown in, and having icons with abilities thrown all around, this is the game for you. It's an attractive game, with neat little gears turning your previously-placed workers rotating throughout the game to unlock more powerful actions. It's in the same broad category as Agricola and Pillars of the Earth, with a level of tension and competition in between those two.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: The game includes players making offerings to Mayan "gods" for points and resources.

Pixel Tactics
Part of the Level 99 Minigames Library, Pixel Tactics is a two-player card duel with a retro video game theme. Each player starts with an identical preset deck, picks a leader, recruits other troops, and tries to defeat the opposing leader. Each card has five distinct abilities based on how you use it, giving it a good amount of tactical complexity without being overwhelming. There are a ton of special abilities, but each one is very simple - for a Redemption player they should be no problem.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: The game includes heavily abstracted magic and violence, amounting to no more than card names (like Knight, Assassin or Dragon Mage) and putting damage counters on a card.

Spades
I was very late to this party, but I'm glad I got in. A classic partnership trick-taking game where you are predicting how many tricks your hand will win; you're rewarded based on how well you bid and play. Top notch in its class.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: Spades and diamonds can be pointy, so exercise caution.

Master Plan
Another Level 99 Minigame, Master Plan is a light card game with a high level of inter-player interaction. Players' pieces jump from card to card (in real-space) trying to get to the big sack of cash at the end, but each card could potentially be a trap set by the other players. Low strategy, moderate bluffing, quick play.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: A few of the cards are cartoonishly violent (like a bomb or laser that destroy spaces) but the characters are never actually hurt, just sent back to their home base.

Space Cadets
Usually I'm not one for purely co-operative games (if I'm on a team, I prefer to be against another player or team still), but Space Cadets is a rare exception. Each player takes on the role of a different crew member aboard a spaceship, each having his own set of minigame used to progress through space and evade (or asplode) enemies. For instance, the helmsman navigates the ship by playing direction cards RoboRally style, the sensor technician determines success by trying to match shapes from what they can feel in a bag, and the weapons officer launches torpedoes shuffleboard-style, flicking them across a board. Each station has a simple task, but they work together for a semi-complicated whole, so young players can still significantly contribute while veterans guide the overall progress.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: Ships fire weapons at each other. Is that so bad?

Six
A very simple, very quick abstract game of hexagon placement. Two players are trying to create certain patterns of hexagons before their opponent, so spatial reasoning and look-ahead are key.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: 6 three times is the devil's number.

[TimMierz]

Noir
Noir (a Level 99 Minigame) is actually a deck used for playing several similar but different games. In general, there is a moving grid of people, and one player is trying to figure out the identity and arrest of the other, who is trying to kidnap/kill certain people. It's very deduction- and logic-heavy, which requires a certain mindset to enjoy.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: As mentioned above, some characters "kill" others in most Noir games, which is simply flipping a card to a "deceased" side.

Illusio
Illusio is a fairly simple set-collection game with a decent dose of "take that" play. Players are stage magicians trying to collect the components of their illusions (such as a tiger, a box, and an audience member) to create the most impressive tricks. Players can also play cards like "Encore" or "Deja Vu" to make opponents' tricks less valuable or take longer.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: There is semblance of "real magic" in the game; it's all stage illusions, as signified by the name.

Quills
One of the best word games I've played. It's a bit like Quiddler, but made awesome. Instead of taking turns, word creation from the cards in your hand is all real-time, and there are some Bananagrams-like maneuvers you can use to alter your hand. Word quality is measured not just in length or use of difficult letters, but also by matching card colors, giving a lot of factors to think through quickly.
Disclaimer for CGD Boards: You can't legally make the word "Quills" in the game; some may perceive this as temptation or deceit.

I also played the following games only once:
Creationary - Pictionary with legos.
Desperados - I really don't remember this well at all.
Among the Stars - Alhambra with special abilities.
Grimoire Shuffle - Race from one end of a magical library to the other, with teams.
Dungeon Roll - Awful almost purely random dice rolling.
Smarty Party - List-based trivia with some strategy and betting.

The games that I played most this year:
Dominion (51 plays) - the classic deck building game still has staying power.
Sticheln (45) - a great trick-taking game that I can't recommend enough.
Taluva (31) - a sort-of-abstract tile laying game that's great for 2-4.
Kingdom Builder (25) - this placement game has different goals and powers every time you play.
Through the Desert (20) - this placement game has unchanging goals and no powers, and is still great.
More detail at BoardGameGeek.