#6: Power Grid/Funkenschlag

2F was known for odd games about cannabalism & fish when Funkenschlag was released - and then, boy howdy, did we have a game on our hands! Reminiscent of McMulti with it's interlocking resource & plant building systems, Funkenschlag rolls along at a stunning clip for a game that is not particularly short. Don't let the allusion to McMulti fool you, however - this is a much more "serious" game that nevertheless is packed full of fun. (The newer version, Power Grid, runs at an even quicker pace.)

Frank Hamrick: "I've probably had more pure gaming enjoyment playing this one than any recent release. It is currently flying high due to a 4-player game at the 2004 EuroQuest. It was one of my most satisfying gaming experiences in recent time. An outstanding game that has it all - auctions,buying & selling, expansion, resource management, strategy & tactics."

Jeremy Avery: "I find Power Grid to be a great exercise in number-crunching, fierce competition, and optimal management."

Larry Levy: "Tremendous financial game whose many parts work seamlessly together. Games are always extremely close, so you need to be careful or a single misstep could cost you the win. Balancing the different aspects of the game and timing your break for the finish line correctly are wonderful challenges. I slightly prefer Funk to Power Grid, but they are both great games."

David Fair: "The game is tense throughout, with every decision meaningful. It is a game of inches, filled with angst. I love every moment of every game."

Andrea Meyer: "Friedemann's masterpiece when it comes to complex games. The mechanisms fit each other so neatly and the re-issueing did some good, too."