At Dice Tower West, the crew held a panel discussing their top five overrated games of all time. This panel was received with much controversy and debate amongst con-goers, including the ShelfHelp team. Although I am relatively new to the hobby and have not played as many games as the Dice Tower guys, or even Mason, I do have a game in mind that holds the title of most overrated game. This game was on two lists of Dice Tower members and received one of the most mixed reactions of the evening. I believe the most overrated game, that I have played, is the Quacks of Quedlinburg.
This 2018 bag-builder is rated 7.8 on BGG putting it in at number 62 in the top 100 list, and I am not sure why. The theme is barely there, and it doesn’t feel like you are doing much of anything. Adding chits to a bag and then randomly drawing to fill a pot to the brink of explosion is narrowly related to the theme and heavily reliant on luck. Aside from the weak theme and push your luck element, I do not enjoy the artwork of this game either. I am unsure how this game is rated so highly on BGG and over games like Clank!, Five Tribes, and Paladins of the West Kingdom.
Realizing that personal preference plays a role in selecting an overrated game, I also understand some of the reasons why Quacks is a beloved game; however, this is not the game for me. A combination of a weak theme, uninteresting art, and literal luck of the draw, Quacks of Quedlinburg is the most overrated game that I have played during my time in the hobby.
