Sagrada

Imagine Sudoku, but rather than logic-based deduction you have a crunchy puzzle of risk management. The central restriction of this beautiful dice drafting game is the inability to place the same number or colour adjacently. Worse still, you're filling each square one by one with the dice that have been rolled and locking them in place, with the exception of some special abilities. This translates to a hugely enjoyable sense of dread as the spaces you left open slowly close in on themselves and, despite your careful efforts, you find yourself agonising over what you now realise is a misplaced die, cursing it and yourself for not planning better! Meanwhile, you’re constantly trying to fulfil the goal cards that make placement even more difficult, but score the necessary points to win, such as no repeat colours in a column.

Of all my games this is one of the easiest to pick up and play. Set-up is so delightfully clean and simple: essentially just grab a screen (with lovely production that makes every die sit satisfyingly in place) and roll your dice. Solo play is challenging and enjoyable, while also playing up to 4, but I think it best shines as a 2-player game with its quick 30-minute gameplay. I also heartily encourage you to consider the 5-6 Player Expansion; although, the name is a bit misleading because it is so much more than a player extension and I use it almost exclusively in my 2-player games. It adds a new mechanism for dice placement at the beginning that mitigates a bit of the luck aspect that might be frustrating for some folks. In my partner's opinion, it changed Sagrada from a 4/10 to a 9/10 and he will not play without it. Also, there's a dice tray and it makes me happy. Wholeheartedly recommend!