Pandemic is a game that I heard about years ago but never played… until recently. It is a cooperative game where you and your teammates work together to stop the outbreak of four disease epidemics.

Each player takes on different roles as they use their individual skills/talents and combine them with those of the others to stop the spread of diseases, find cures and eradicate them. These bugs are tricky though and don’t die easy. It is a race against time and across the globe to balance slowing the spread and finding cures. There are a half dozen ways to lose the game and only one to win.

We played five or six games of Pandemic the first night without winning a single time. The next evening five of us teamed up for two more games and finally saved the world the last time around.

I really like the idea of a cooperative game because game night can sometimes lead to hurt feelings. Coop games actually build relationships. As far as must-have games.. I think Pandemic should be on the shelf of any board gamer.

by Chris Doelle