Cash Dome: What's your favorite Economic games?

Acquire's been suggested in this thread, but you said it didn't quite click. So, following in the theme of a variation like Michael suggested, how about Fast Food Franchise?

Dang, I forgot FAST FOOD FRANCHISE, that game is awesome. I really wish that would get a reprint.

I enthusiastically second Imperial and Acquire.

I'll add Modern Art. That game is a ton of fun: lots of room for mind-games, lots of interaction, potentially quite intense. All you need to know in addition to the rules is that a reasonable bid is usually between 50-75 percent of what you think the painting might eventually be worth. Pushing people one way or another in that wiggle room is what makes this game super fun.

Michael Barnes wrote:

the IMPERIAL and IMPERIAL 2030 suggestions are great because they really are economic games despite some direct conflict and war elements.

One lesson I had to learn during my first play of IMPERIAL 2030, is that you shouldn't attack the most powerful nation, but invest in it instead.

I've also recently played ANTIKE, but I didn't really like the rondel mechanic there. It fits IMPERIAL a lot better.

the more i play imperial, the less i like it. i do like how it all dawns on you as you play "fuck, this is exactly how capitalism works"

economic games are generally dull, i've found. i could play acquire with anyone, and power grid and imperial with the right people. beyond that, i'd rather play whatever else was on offer.

My problem with Acquire:

I never quite felt like I had any idea on how to really make good moves. I'd put tiles to expand hotels I had a lot of stock in. I'd try buying stock in cheap hotels that were likely to be acquired. On my turn it either seemed like there was an obvious move to make, or I was out of cash, so I couldn't make any move. I got my butt kicked regularly, so I'm sure it was a problem with my play, but I didn't really see how to play better or what the people kicking my butt were doing different then I was.

I'm sure I'm completely missing something since the game has stayed popular for so long.

GREED and PLANET STEAM are very good, but both a fucking expensive.

A euro from Essen '10 that I found interesting was 20TH CENTURY. I don't know if it counts as an economical game. Also it concerns itself a bit with the environment so that might be a turn-off for people who try to ignore the issue.

I'm with you Dan, I find Acquire rather dull really.

I do like Shark, which feels more like a roller coaster ride. It is more of a true stock game than Acquire is. Acquire just puts too many limitations on what you can and can not do with stock. And while there are limitations in Shark, they are not nearly as inhibiting as they are in Acquire.

If you want a negotiation economic game try Intrigue. That one is like Diplomacy in a smaller package, meaning players will get angry with each other.

Dan

20th Century looks really promising from what little I have seen of it on BGG.

dan daly wrote:

My problem with Acquire:

I never quite felt like I had any idea on how to really make good moves. I'd put tiles to expand hotels I had a lot of stock in. I'd try buying stock in cheap hotels that were likely to be acquired. On my turn it either seemed like there was an obvious move to make, or I was out of cash, so I couldn't make any move. I got my butt kicked regularly, so I'm sure it was a problem with my play, but I didn't really see how to play better or what the people kicking my butt were doing different then I was.

I'm sure I'm completely missing something since the game has stayed popular for so long.

If you can't get in on a merger early in the game, you're screwed because you need that cash payout to keep acquiring shares. Shark (I've only played the Ravensburger edition) is similar to Acquire but it might work better for you, as it doesn't depend on your having exactly the right tile at the right time to receive cash.