Get to know your U-Con Games Library (pt. 4)

For the 362 days of the year U-Con isn’t happening, the Games Library hangs out at my house, occasionally (in parts) going to Games Library Day. You want to know a secret? I didn’t realize until embarrassingly recently that you don’t have to win a board game to play. I’m not talking about coming in second place or not last place (my current 7 Wonders goal, BTW), but a game where you win when everyone wins. I’m talking cooperative gaming.

I first ran into the idea of cooperative gaming with Pandemic. Next came Sentinels of the Multiverse, which I’m a huge fan of (TEAM LEGACY!). The more I looked around, the more cooperative games I found. Escape – The Curse of the Temple only takes 10 minutes (it’s timed. And incredibly chaotic – I’m not sure I’ve never succeeded in Escaping) while Flashpoint: Fire Rescue takes much longer. Unless the premise explodes. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a fireman.

Hanabi has fireworks but is a much more sedate cooperative game. Any of the Panic! Games (Castle Panic!, Munchkin Panic! and Dead Panic!) are more fast paced (with Munchkin Panic! adding the typical Munchkin chaos over the Panic! dynamics) and lastly, if you can’t let go of winning, Betrayal at the House on the Hill is cooperative up until the point where one person stabs everyone in the back.

Come stop by The Games Library if you have a chance, see if there’s a game for you. If not, I have a decent budget and I’m always ready to take suggestions.
-Jeannette Q