Solitaire Games

Anyone who knows a little about Reiner Knizia’s games will know that the good Doctor loves games that deal with trying to get points in various different categories and then only score that category in which the player has the fewest.

The game is played on a hex board. 120 equally sized pieces, each consisting of two joined hexes, come with the game. There are symbols on each hex that make up the piece – some pieces have two identical symbols, some have two different symbols (not unlike dominoes). The goal of the game is, through clever placement, to obtain points in the different symbol colors. Points are claimed by placing a piece such that the symbols on it lie next to already-placed pieces with the same symbol.

The game ends when no more tiles can be placed onto the board or when a player reaches the maximum number in every color. Now each player looks to see how many points they scored in the colour they 'scored the least'. Whoever has the most points in their least-scored colour is the winner. Simple.

The author of the game has also come up with solitaire and team play, in which two teams of two play with each player not being able to see his partner’s tiles.

[From a preview by Spielbox]

Other Versions:

Ingenious: Travel Edition

A fast paced game of terrifying alien invaders, futile human resistance, and 50's SciFi Movie Action. Players each take on the role of a different alien Race, all part of invading armada, but each with their own unique abilities and ambitions. Unleash waves of flying saucers to blast human resistance into submission with death rays and terrifying weapons of war as you unleash powerful alien technologies on earth (and other alien races if they get in your way). But beware these pitiful humans are not defenseless. They will fight to the last to defend their planet, aided by countless platoons of army soldiers, powerful human heroes, and their most deadly weapon, the dreaded atomic bomb.

Featuring a modular game board, 10 different alien races to play (such as the Orzax, master of technology, or the Venezian Matriarchy, beautiful but deadly space amazons) a host of Human resistance to battle, and four game types - competitive, cooperative, team game, and Solo Play. Conquest of Planet Earth is a strategic game of maneuvering, backstabbing, and fantastic battles for alien conquest.

Main Features :

Features a collection of beautifully illustrated artwork including over 100 unique images.
Over 25 detailed plastic miniatures of alien saucers to conquer the world
Games come with an original CD soundtrack to set the mood for alien conquest
Four game types - race against friend in competitive or team play, and be the first to conquer earth to impress your alien overseers, or cooperate as complete alien armada to sweep over the world and defeat human resistance. Also this game may be played Solo.
No two games are ever the same! There are many alien races to play and large decks of game cards, giving a great variety of gameplay. By rearranging the different boards each game along with the amount of human resistance to battle the aliens, there is a high level of re-playability.
Fast Paced games with easy to learn rules allow players to jump right into the action while strategic depth and strong cooperative/competitive play keep player coming back for more.
Excellent bridge between simple family games and deeper, more advanced board games. Easy enough for casual gamers/non gamers to enjoy, while exciting and strategic enough for hardcore gamers to love.
Expandable Design allows for many expansions and strong web support to create a loyal fan base/community.

Source: product summary

Note: The summary is a little out of date, the game contains 16 alien saucers and 4 allied models. They are however all detailed and of a high quality.

From the website:

The Story:

In "Cities" you are the architect of a city of the world. You try to build a city that is most attractive for tourists. You position attractions close together. You build parks as big as possible and place terraces close to the water. You guide tourists to their favourite spots, because only through them you can earn your points.

The Dilemma:

But... you never know exactly which tile will be drawn next. Will you wait another round for the perfect tile? Will you adjust your planning? Or have you got a brilliant idea and can you position the tile in a way that it brings points for more than tourist?
Every player builds his own city and makes his own choices. "All" you have to do is make better choices than your opponents!

A tale of teamwork and betrayal!

The mole ogre howled out as it collapsed into a bloody pile of rent flesh and broken bone. The aging knight bent over, panting heavily, and gave his dwarven peer an approving nod. It had taken great effort between them both to slay the beast, and they had each taken their share of wounds. But in the end their cooperation had paid off and they both knew it. And then their eyes found the treasure chest sitting in the corner of the room.

They looked at each other. They looked back at the treasure... and then the real fight began.

The game where YOU are the final boss!

Dungeon Run is an exciting dash through a dungeon packed with monsters and traps. Each player controls a unique hero capable of great feats, and whose powers and abilities are upgradable and customizable throughout the game. Players can work together to overcome the perils of the dungeon, or they can betray and sabotage each other as they see fit. Because in the final room of the dungeon lurks a powerful boss with the ultimate treasure - a treasure that turns its owner into the most powerful warrior they can become! Slay the boss, steal the treasure, and then run for your life as your friends try to cut you down. In Dungeon Run only one hero can escape with the fabled Summoning Stone. Don't crawl - run!

Dungeon Run features a randomly assembled dungeon that changes each time you play, as do the monsters you face and the treasures you find. Eight different heroes each with unique options for customization further add to a wealth of game play options. Choose the vicious Tundra Orc and bash your way through everything that stands in your path. Play as the cunning Grounder Wizard and use your magic to cheat the laws of nature. Select the Guild Dwarf adventurer and lay traps to ensnare your friends. There are many paths to victory in Dungeon Run. Win by working with your friends or against them - just win!

Game description from the publisher:

For a time, the humans of Sera knew peace...then Emergence Day came. The Locust horde arrived without warning, and countless horrors spilled forth from their underground burrows. The Coalition of Organized Governments (COG) struggled to fend off the subterranean threat, but their defenses were quickly crushed. With billions dead, humans turned their weapons of mass destruction on their own cities to deny the enemy control. Now the long struggle against overwhelming odds approaches one final, desperate stand.

Gears of War: The Board Game, designed by Corey Konieczka, is based on the wildly popular third-person shooter by Epic Games. One to four players take on the roles of COG soldiers cooperating to destroy the Locust horde, and must work together to complete missions against an ingeniously challenging and varied game system. In Gears of War: The Board Game, you’ll relive classic moments from Gears of War and Gears of War 2 – Roadie Run into cover, spray your enemy with blind fire, or rip him in half with your Lancer's chainsaw!

In Gears of War: The Board Game you must fulfill one of seven randomly constructed missions and support your fellow COGs as your team engages an unflinching enemy in furious, white-knuckle firefights! Only through teamwork and communication will you gain a tactical advantage, completing your mission and striking a blow for humanity.

You'll need every soldier you can get if you hope to send the Locust horde back to their holes. Leave no man behind!

ERRATA
- In the Roadblocks mission level 3, use tile 12A instead of 3A.