Olympia 2000 BC (led by Chris W) 1994 Stefan Dorra (For Sale) card game,  where players use simultaneously played cards to compete in ancient Olympic events, such as long-jump, discus, or archery. The cards have a picture of the athlete as well as a rating for his skills in each of the different events. Oftentimes, an athlete will be very good at one event and be very poor in others, while some athletes are simply too inept for words, and still others are god-like. The key to the game is using one’s cards wisely, because although the best athlete gets the prize for the current event, the worst athlete gets to pick the up-coming event.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/261/olympia-2000-v-chr

Maskmen (led by Armando) 2014 Japanese shedding/climbing card game about Mexican Wrestling. Think of it as a mirror image of Cat in the Box. Maskmen has suits established but play determines rank each round whereas Cat in the Box has rank established but suit/color to be determined each round.

Playing one followed by the other might be an interesting experiment as would a theme of ladder/shedding games for a future session. 

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/159581/maskmen

Basketboss (led by K-ban) 2022 remake of 2009 Corne van Moorsel Cwali auction game, where players are managers of a basketball team, hiring free agents as well as advisers who bestow various special powers. The goal is to win trophies (VPs) in each of 6 seasons by having the strongest team. Knowledge of basketball is unnecessary.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/358812/basketboss

Ave Caesar (led by K-ban) 1989 classic game set in the Roman stadium Circus Maximus. Players use cards to move their chariots around a track that has several bottlenecks and lane-changing restrictions, which make the race interesting/nasty for the racers. Players are required to race three laps, and they must stop to ‘Hail Caesar’ before they can finish the race. The game is light, but tactical card play and taking the shortest path usually pays off handsomely. We played on the 2022 Korean DiceTree Games edition that features the best of Ave Caesar and Ausgebremmst. The game was reprinted with slight modifications in 2006 and 2022 and was also re-themed and revised for car racing in Ausgebremmst (1993) and spaceship racing in Q-Jet in 2004.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/494/ave-caesar

Tiny Epic Defenders (led by Tim O/Sean) 2015 Scott Almes designed co-op,  where players must select their asymmetric roles of Barbarian, Sorcerer, Cleric or Warrior and work together to defend against the evil horde and slay the Epic Foe. In this fast-paced micro-game, players will scramble between various regions outside their Capital City fighting off enemy hordes! Each region will offer unique properties that players must account for in their strategies.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/155708/tiny-epic-defenders

Everdell (led by Amy) 2018 worker placement and tableau building game where players are leaders a group of critters with buildings to construct, lively characters to meet and events to host over 4 seasons. On each turn players have the choice between placing a worker to gain resources and other benefits or play a card to their tableau. The card combos are satisfying when executed well.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/199792/everdell

Arcs (led by Matt) 2024 Sci-fi negotiation, action point, majorities game set in a dark yet silly universe that utilizes multi-use cards that are timing dependent. Players define objectives that all compete over to win

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/359871/arcs

Skyrise (led by Tim P) 2024 area control/majorities bidding game where players are building a magnificent city in the sky, dedicated to art, science, and beauty.  A very clever spatial auction system is utilized to win building sites, earning favor across Islands and factions, scoring secret and public objectives, courting mysterious Patrons, and building your own unique Wonder. This deluxe crowdfunded design has incredible table presence with 3D buildings and a unique modular board made up of islands. It is inspired by Sebastien Pauchon’s 2008 Spiel Des Jahres recommended Metropolys.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/298231/skyrise

Knarr (led by Rob O) 2023 race, set collection and drafting card game that was runner-up for Light Game of the Year as voted by BGG users (Thunder Road : Vendetta was the winner).  Players are leaders of a band of Vikings that are sent to new destinations. Manage the recruitment of your crew, and choose the best territories to explore. Depending on the destinations reached (for trading or influence) and the Vikings who accompany you, players can increase their reputation to gain even more wealth. On each turn players either place a new member in their Viking crew, activate the effects of all of them with the same icon, and get another one from those available under the matching color on the central board, or they can explore new destinations, with the opportunity to trade with those places and get more gains or reputation.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/379629/knarr

Longboard (led by Tim P)  2022 Knizia card game on building the best surfboards on the beach…..it feels like a cross between Lost Cities and Keltis: the Card Game

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/357203/longboard

Steve