Hi everyone! I know I haven’t been on here in awhile, but I’m back to working (I’m in education) and so my time is a bit more limited now – but I’m going to be starting a monthly feature for Open Seat that will be starting in October and I wanted to do an introduction for it!

I love board game apps of all sorts and, since Marti got me a tablet last year for Christmas, I have loaded it up with all sorts of apps so that I can play board games wherever I go. Our monthly feature is going to be called “App of the Month,” where I will recommend an app that has either come out recently or is an old favorite of mine. So, to start off, I wanted to tell you what my top 6 apps are so that you can get an idea of what apps I love!

1. Star Realms. Star Realms is definitely my favorite app, and it’s available on iOS, Android, and Steam. I love deck builders & there is tons of content for the game app. One of the best aspects of this app is the Campaign Mode. There are a total of 10 chapters (as of 9/1/2017) with 5 regular battles & 1 boss battle. So for the campaign, you actually have 60 different battles that provide a little twist from the standard Star Realms rules and goals. This is my favorite board game app because of the game play, graphics, & neat features it provides.
2. Patchwork. If you like the board game, you will enjoy the digital game as well. It’s a polyomino placement game where you are trying to create the best, most complete quilt. I enjoy Pass & Play on most of the game apps because Marti and I don’t always have time to set up and play a complete game, and the Pass & Play for Patchwork is very well done. You also have choices of different backgrounds & patterns for your quilt. It is a nice relaxing game to wind down with at the end of the day. 
3. Ticket to Ride. What makes the Ticket to Ride app special is that you are able to have so many maps & variants at your fingertips. Each set of maps for the analog version of Ticket to Ride is at least $25, depending on which map you get. With the app & additional purchases, you can have 14 total maps & expansions for a much lower price. Also, the app does all the scorekeeping for you, so you don’t have to deal with the number crunching that you need to do with the analog version. 
4. Lords of Waterdeep. The well-implemented Lords of Waterdeep app finally came out for Android, and it has been out for iOS for awhile. Worker placement is one of my favorite game mechanics & it typically doesn’t get translated to a digital version very often, so I was very excited when they finally brought this to Android devices. The app has the feel of the analog game & the graphics are well done. It also has pass & play available, which is a huge plus! If you enjoy Waterdeep, but don’t always want to take the time to set up and tear down the game, then this is an app that you need to get your hands on. 
5. Onirim. Onirim is a charming solo card game. The app has a great tutorial and the app is continually adding expansions, which add additional challenges to the game. The colors & artwork really stand out and it still feels like the card game. Another perk to the app is that it does all the shuffling for you & keeps track of how many cards & nightmares are left in the deck.
6. Tokaido. Tokaido is a delightful & calming game that takes you on a journey through feudal Japan, and the app gives you that same feel. The goal is to have the most fulfilling trip by doing a wide array of tasks. Your character has special player powers. The art is stellar & the feel of the game is very zen.

Runners up:

Paperback (Android, iOS) is a deckbuilder & a word game meshed together in a wonderful way. You are trying to make the highest scoring word & collect various cards which give you abilities and or point values.

Can’t Stop (iOS) is a push your luck dice game. You are trying to move your 3 of your cones to the far side of the stop sign before your opponents. But if you can’t make the correct dice combinations to make the numbers you need you are out of luck & lose your turn. This app is very addictive. 

Forbidden Desert (iOS) is a co-op game where you & your fellow players are trying to escape the ever-increasing amount of sand in the desert. Every player has differing special player powers to help the team look for the airship that will take them away from the desert. 

What are your favorite board game apps? Are there any that we should try? What ones would you like us to cover in App of the Month articles? Leave a comment or contact me on social media @confuzzldmeeple or via the @openseatgaming Twitter!

Game On!
Sarah