My Favourite Game: El Grande

Find us here:

[richardclegg]

For those who don't know there is a most amazing story behind that "What your brain looks like" clip. The avant garde composer John Cage appeared on the panel show "I've got a secret" to play his piece "Water Walk". The piece involves him turning on and off several radios. Before air this became a demarcation dispute with union members about whether non union personnel could operate electronic equipment on stage. Cage agreed to do the performance but hitting and pushing the radios instead of turning them on and off.
The host asks Cage if it is ok for the audience to laugh. He says it is ok as he considers it preferable to tears.
The whole section of the show is available if you look for Water Walk - it is quite amazing.

[dann]

Just got this in the mail a few days ago. Now I am even more hyped to stare at it on my shelf.

[gargrazz]

I demand to know why I was playing Catan all the time in 1995 when this game was RIGHT THERE?!

[davidstevens]

For lower player counts in this genre we loved The King is Dead. Works great with just two and always comes down to the wire. You can usually pinpoint one move that swayed the final result.

[ericmatthews]

I'm not a traditionalist or a purist by any measure, and tend to agree that newer games often can do something better than older ones, but in this case I'm 100% on board with El Grande as the best Area Majority game. Because it still is.

[balazshrvth]

I was really expecting an 'Inis' mention next to Hansa Teutonica, Iwari and Ankh for a pivotal area majority game.

[ShadyNetworker]

Look, the simple fact that Sidereal Confluence was shown in the first frame makes thia video top notch already!

[tiberiusdw]

El Grande really did do it best, glad you put it in the spotlight (though no doggo in video so 0/10 don't recommend). As for auction games, I see Ra already got a mention (and I'm sure Modern Art will also get some well-deserved love). But I would like to put in a plug for Neue Heimat/The Estates; every game I play has an emergent narrative with shifting alliances and sudden twists of fate. There really is no game like it. Thanks for all you guys do.

[seancherry]

Loved this review Efka! The lighting, sound, script (it made me laugh!), and the different components (slow mo, close up shots, etc.)- so good. Great work!

[Brighton]

Loved the bit about “Mr Farr” and Klinger. My entire knowledge of the city of Toledo comes from that character. A friend’s dad went there and came back with a shirt from Tony Packos Tacos, apparently it’s real!

[proxidize]

This is not true, the best game ever made happened when me and my brother were fuckin around with playing cards and out of sheer boredom created the most lavish, intricate and layered game ever made that I forgot the rules of the next day

[Kreluros]

Got El Grande (Spiel des Jahres 1996, btw) from a second hand shop here in Germany a while ago and have not played it yet.
After this review, I will definitely get it to the table on our next five player boardgame night! Thanks for bringing it back to mind!

[liencam]

El Grande is a great game, but I'm dismayed Tammany Hall didn't make it onto your list of approved area majority games. Love that one.

[skrotnisse]

I like Dominant Species. It really expands on the concept

[frozenscv]

Ooooh love the new scene transitions. Very you guys.

[ben_]

This is another great example why publishers should print actual player counts on the box. I got this when i started getting into the hobby and didn't know BGG. I played it two players and then it lay around for a couple of years before i gave it away. I almost didn't even watch this video because i cared so little for this game.

[mrbastos]

After hearing a lot about this for ages, I finally got this reprint and really enjoyed it. Totally understand all the love for it.

[TheAush]

I just got this game a few weeks ago and I am very excited to get it to the table. Also, The Estates is absolutely the best auction game. Let’s see if Efka agrees when that video eventually drops. I think it was actually this channel that drew my attention to that game in the first place!

[stevenostapchuk]

Sidereal confluence is my favourite game! Please cover the expansion? (Great review, love your stuff!)

[eatings]

Area Majority seems like a genuinely hard mechanism to do well. The two that I really like in the genre are The King is Dead and Rumble Nation, both have somewhat similar ideas executed super well. Though, maybe they are technically more area control given how the region scoring works.