Georgia Boardgames Association

Take the game Lost Cities.  It’s fun.  My wife loves it.  But I wonder if the game would be as fun without the expedition theme.  The game could almost be played with a regular deck of cards, you’d just have to figure out what cards are modifiers (investment cards.) 

The game is simple and it just made me wonder how much theme had to do with things.  Maybe it’s the artwork and theme together.  I guess that’s kind of what makes a game a game.  It’s more than mechanics.  And while I’m answering my own question I’ll comment that I don’t mean pre-existing themes like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings.  Obviously, those games require a strong theme, even if some of these games have lousy play.

I guess I’m saying that a game is more than moves and mechanics.  It is a totally unique product such that the whole is greater than the parts.