What Theme + Mechanic combination would be your “can’t resist” board game?
AMA (Anonymous)
Theme: I’m a sucker for sci fi, and fantasy, and growth/building themes (rather than war/destruction themes).
Mechanics: Engine buidling, resource management, and worker placement.
Both: I love multiple, distinct player avatars. Thematically, it makes for a good story, and a way to identify with your adventurer/team/spirit/great old one/robber baron/whatever, if each is distinct. And it also makes the puzzle of how the strategy and rules fit together interestingly variable.
Bonus: Historically I was big on competitive games, but Spirit Island and Gloomhaven showed me that co-op games don’t have to be simple or easy, they can be complex, challenging, and interesting. And since I’m a big hug it out kind of guy, I’d rather play a co-op game, where we can all win together.
Most recent fantasy game-idea-I’ll-probably-never-make: A co-op game inspired by the question of what happens in spirit island after the invaders are dealt with. How do you handle your ravaged island and bring it back to ecological health, with co-op asymmetric spirits? Maybe each of them have their own definition of “health” and you have to find a way to get them all to work together. Could also work in settling a hostile planet, or fixing climate change. (I did back daybreakgame.org)