Love at First Sight

A lot of my favorite games had to grow on me, or at least required a couple good play-throughs to understand that I would really love it. However, there have always been certain games that, for me, were love at first sight. I took to them instantly, and immediately realized that I was playing something that, for me, was very special.

- The Settlers of Catan: This was the first game that came to mind for me. It was such a revelation to me at the time, since it was my first real introduction to hobby gaming. I totally understood the rules, the trading, and even a little strategy right off the bat. I immediately plunked down the $40 for a set (which was a lot while I was in college), and it remains one of my favorites to this day.

- Mare Nostrum: I am still not very good at Mare Nostrum, but as soon as I got into my first game, I knew that it would be one of my favorites. It was so straightforward, but had so much in the way of cool interaction and no-nonsense theme. The expansion on increased my enjoyment. My intuition was correct, I have genuinely loved the game every time I've had a chance to play it.

- Space Hulk: I was pretty young when the original Space Hulk came out back in 1989, but I was old enough to appreciate the new release last year when I finally got around to playing it. Until I tried it out, I had assumed that all "dungeon-crawl" games (which is what I considered Space Hulk to be at the time) had to be ponderous and slow, with tons of statuses and hit points. I was thrilled to find a game that gave me all the theme and excitement of killing aliens without bogging it down under hopeless rules weight.

How about you, fellow F:ATties? What games were "love at first sight" for you?

Dungeon

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (or something like that)

Agricola almost fits. I'm pretty sure I loved the look on the back of the box and thought it would be great, can't remember.

Obviously not Puerto Rico or Twilight Struggle - those grew on me

Puerto Rico
The Princes of Florence
Space Hulk

Oddly enough, for most of my favourite games, I did not enjoy the first game. (e.g. Twilight Struggle, Bonaparte at Marengo, Combat Commander: Europe, Amun-Re.)

off the top of my head...

Tigris & Euphrates
Cosmic Encounter
Shogun
Cutthroat Caverns
Titan
Maria
Magical Athlete

Twilight Imperium
Dune

Both of these were way hyped for me going into it. TI3 I had lovingly looked at the box many times with no one to play with and thus never got it. Dune I just never had the chance to play till much later in my gaming career. Both of them exceeded my really high expectations.

Settlers of Catan
Bohnanza

Both of these were clearly something totally special and unique and interesting when I played them as my first introduction to German games way back when.

D&D

I started playing in the family game of AD&D when I was 4 and I seriously would have quit life to play every day if they had let me. I likely still would.

Crossbows and Catapults
Attacktix
Heroscape
Cosmic Encounter
Rush N' Crush
D&D Fantasy Adv. Boardgame
Space Hulk 3ed

Yeah, i forgot D&D. Oh, and obviously Ken B.


General, Puerto Rico is my favourite board game right now. But I don't see how it can be a love-at-first-sight game. I mean, it doesn't look interesting at all. it looks very much like Princes of Florence, for instance. But it IS really fun in the end, i just don't know how you can love it by looking at it. Help me understand how you loved it immediately.

Squad Leader - sadly I just don't have any opponents for this anymore.

Space Marine - really liked this for large 40k battles and lots of cool tiny mini's to paint and cram on the table. Even house ruled Godzilla to trash the battlefield with simple AI each turn. Really threw a wrench into both defender and attacker as we would both have to deal with the giant monster each turn. I still have large armies of every type too. The problem has been GW's changing support over the years.


More recently TOI as it is scratching that WWII itch rather nicely. TOI actually dragged me back into the board game hobby again after 13 years. Much easier to find opponents also. Solo works fine too.

D&D is responsible for all of this I suppose as I played my first game when I was 9 with my uncle.

Neuroshima Hex

Space Hulk, 3rd

Dungeons and Dragons

Neuroshima Hex!

Tomb

Twilight Struggle
Magic: The Gatering
D&D
HeroQuest
Dungeon

Magic wasn't love the first time I saw it but it was love the first time I bought a starter (before playing it)

In chronological order:

Survive (Sears Wishbook Catalog) (didn't get until 30 something years later)
Talisman (GW)
DungeonQuest (GW)
Space Hulk (didn't own until twenty something years later)
Hannibal: Rome vs Carthage (fell in love after reading rulebook)
Napoleon's Triumph
2 de Mayo

There must be a ton for me. But the big ones (I'm going by Barney's definition where the actual physical look count).

Fireball Island
Sac Noir (or Bausack for some)
Pitchcar
Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition
Tide of Iron
Crossbows and Catapults
Doom
Space Hulk
Risk
Axis and Allies

Ambush! I loved this game from when I read the box back.