7 Reasons Carcassonne is a Truly Great Game

Ah, Carcassonne, the beautiful tile-laying game of strategy and meeples. It is hands-down my absolute favorite board game of all-time for a number of reasons, which I will naturally detail below (otherwise the title of this post would be a big fat lie, wouldn't it?). I feel I have to jump to the defense of this board game, because it takes a lot of punishment on forums and in gaming communities. But I contend a lot of the negative press is backlash, similar to what people spout about Settlers of Catan, both being ubiquitous entries in the Beginner's Guide to Starting a Board Game Hobby. I will fight the wave of criticism with an airtight argument for why Carcassonne truly is one of the greats of the board game world.

First, for those not in the know, let me describe the beautiful simplicity of the game: It is perhaps the quintessential tile laying game in which 2-5 players take turns laying down the square tiles that form the game board, which takes on the shape of the town of Carcassonne. The tiles, of course, have to be placed so that sides match up with already placed tiles, and as the cities and roads are formed, players use meeples to claim territories on the board. Since claiming territories successfully scores points and is what decides the game, tile placement must be extremely strategic and thoughtful.

And if that isn't enough to convince you to run straight to the nearest gaming store and buy a brand-spankin'-new copy, here's my list of 10 reasons it is a simply marvelous game:

1. Works Best With 2 Players
I've played this game with 3 and 4 players before and was surprised to find myself yawning. Well no wonder!, I thought, This is why so many people pass the game by. The game truly shines when it's being played by just 2 players. There's a certain tete-a-tete that occurs when two players duke it out to carve out their territories and fight each other for points. Farmers are easier to keep track of, and the limited competition makes the tile placement more cutthroat. Hmm, I know, if I place this little city nub right next to his metropolis, I bet my jumbo farmer can run him out of town and totally pirate his beautiful city! Stealing your opponent's city is a beautiful thing. Plus--and this is a biggie--two-player games move FAST. Most turns the husband and I are slapping tiles down in a flash and smacking each others' hands to get to the draw pile first. Games (which in our household includes the basic set and two expansions) will typically take us 30-45 minutes, tops. And they are b-r-u-t-a-l.

2. Meeples
In case you don't already know, meeples are those little wooden guys that come with a handful of Euro games. In Carcassonne, meeples are the markers used to claim territories on the board (and to look cute and spell out your name while the game is still beginning). There's something entirely lovable about meeples, and they only add to the game's aesthetic and kitsch value. Plus, some of the expansions (like Princess & Dragon) have wicked awesome unique meeples. My dragon meeple is maybe one of my favorites in all of my games (even if it's a weak expansion).

3. The Ever-Changing Board
Some of the best board games I've ever played change up the board with every game, and Carcassonne is the epitome of this concept. No two games ever look the same, and it is virtually impossible to ever repeat the same game twice (cough, I'm looking at you, Monopoly, and even you, Agricola!).

4. Expansion Variety
There are loads, mountains, and dump trucks of expansions available for Carcassonne--some more playable than others. The down side to a lot of these expansions is that many of them completely change up the game. The up side, is that if you need to mix things up, adding an expansion or two can turn the Carcassonne game already in your closet into a brand-new game. My favorites? "Inns and Cathedrals" and "Traders and Builders". "The Tower" is also worth it just for the giant cardboard tower which acts as a darling draw pile and tile caddy.

5. "Farmer Lying Down on the Job" Jokes

Forget "Why did the chicken cross the road?", that's old hat compared to the quintessential Carcassonne joke, "Why is the farmer lying down on the job?". And let me tell you, it NEVER gets old. No matter how many times you tell the joke in a single evening to the husband. And it NEVER throws his game off.

6. Simplicity of the Rules
I don't know about you, but lately I've been bombarded with games, some of which are brilliant and excellent, but all of which have narcolepsy-inducing rules. Forget Agricola, Carson City, or Puerto Rico. This game keeps it straight-forward and is very teachable to "outsiders". <shifty eyes, shifty eyes>

7. No Dice
While there are certainly elements of chance in the game of Carcassonne (com'on three-sided city tile with a road trailing out the butt!), none of it hinges on a dice roll. And no chance draw of a tile results in the dreaded "Well now I'm screwed" moments that come with many dice games.

Now this is by no means a complete list of the virtues of Carcassonne, and I certainly welcome additional feedback in the comments section below. But the bottom line is that hopefully this list will convince you that if you haven't enjoyed Carcassonne in the past, maybe you haven't given it a fair shake. Sit down with your best (competent) gaming partner and enjoy a good two-player back-and-forth match. Preach!