Il Signore degli Anelli: La Sfida

Tense, challenging, and balanced, I really enjoy the decisions in this game. Neither side is favored. (I will say that my 10 rating is perhaps skewed by my love of the theme -- and the fact that, unusually among Knizia titles, the mechanics and theme fit marvelously well together here. If you love LotR, and like tense two-player games, you will enjoy this one.)

I don't know how to describe exactly why this game is excellent, but it is the best of the best. The amount of known and hidden information is in perfect balance where deduction is always a strategic aspect, where good deduction provides a greater advantage than anything else. Card selection is also superb, always making decisions in the scope of an entire game. Every choice has ramifications across the game. But enough is hidden that the analysis paralysis is kept minimal.

If I had to choose the most popular game in our house there would be no competition. This is it. My son has been playing since age 5. He's now 12 and would still rank it in his top ten. We just keep coming back to it. I'm disappointed that there is not a further exploration of the Tolkien universe through these mechanics. Congratulations to all designers involved.

The definitive version of the best 2-player game you can buy. Thematic and psychological in all the right ways. Some of the variant powers are clearly inferior, but that's OK -- just play without them. :) I prefer to play with a drafting variant in which you can choose to either select a character for your side, OR for your opponent. First player gets 1 pick, second player gets 2 picks, then it reverts to one pick each until everything is selected. This is the big version with the large player stands that have the character text on them -- avoid the 2012ish reprint that minimizes the pieces and gets rid of the text.

I’m surprised this game isn’t of greater acclaim. It is an amazing design. The strategic setup and movement and the tactical card play make this so satisfying. I feel like more games should utilize the stratego concept. The theme comes through beautifully for how quick gameplay is, and I’m not really a LOTR fan. Definitely rewards repeat plays. The sides are very well balanced for how different they are. If anything, the Fellowship seems to have a slight advantage, especially towards the endgame. I only wish this was more widespread and readily available. Collection: Essential