Co-operation

Most games have you playing for yourself, versus everyone else playing the game, from just one opponant in Jambo, to all comers in El Grande.

Recently there has been a surge of games that the players co-operate with each other to beat the game, or against one foe with a distinct advantage.

My first Encounter with these team games was Lord of the Rings, by Reiner Knitiza. Based upon the Book of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien. Where the players must play together to beat challenges set by the game, and travel along the game boards (for there is more than one) to get to Mount Doom and destroy the ring. You play cards from your hands to do this, but although you can discuss your card play, you are not allow to say how many cards of the different types you have. I played this with my wife and friends, and we enjoyed it because of it being so different to the usual affair of every gamer for themselves.

Arkham Horror was the next co-op game that I played, I had read about it so was eager to try it out. It is a long game, the longest of all the co-op games available, but does allow the most players, up to 8 to get in on the action. Set in the world of H.P Lovecraft's Cthulu Mythos, the players are investigators trying to stop powerfull god-like beings taking over/ destroying/ devouring the world. Players move around a board visiting different locations to aquire artifacts and destroy monsters in attempts to close the magical gateways that these elder gods have created in our world. Anyone who is eliminated before the end, is allowed to rejoin with a new character and carry on the fight. I played this with 2 girls that had never encountered the Mythos before, and they enjoyed it, so knowing the themes subject matter is no big obsticle to enjoying the game. The board is very large, so make sure you have a big table.

Pandemic, a game that is selling out everywhere, has its 2 to 4 players trying to stop contagious dieseases from killing all human life on earth. In contrast to the previous title, this plays much quicker, often less than an hour, and the board is much smaller. Each player has a certain role that conveys a different ability, and they must use those abilities to find cures for the 4 dieseases, but also try to control any outbreaks that occur during the game.

A new game out very soon, Red November by Bruno Faidutti, from Fantasy Flight Games, has the players trapped on a damaged and sinking submarine, the distress signal has been sent, but help wont arrive for at least 1 hour. All the players have to do is keep the sub from sinking intime for a rescue. I am looking forward to trying this one when it is released.