ABENTEUER MENSCHEIT (SETTLERS OF THE STONE AGE) Klaus Teuber Kosmos & Mayfair Games The Settlers of Catan becomes the human adventure in this game. Players start in Africa but must spread throughout the globe, advancing their tribe as they go. There are many paths to victory in this Klaus Teuber title.
	AD ACTA Andrea Meyer Bewitched Games Bureacrats toil away the hours working on files and pushing their work onto other co-workers.  Doesn't sound terribly exciting, but it is!  Ad Acta requires precision timing and involves good natured role-playing.  Who new trapped in a bureacracy could be so much fun?
	AGE OF STEAM Martin Wallace Warfrog / Winsome Games Simply outstanding.  Martin Wallace has merged elements of various train games � including his own Lancashire Rails � into a game rich with tough choices and tight finances.  Superior play is required as the system is rather unforgiving, but for a gamer who desires a challenging, thought-provoking experience, he need look no further.
	ALHAMBRA Dirk Henn Queen Games This re-vamped version of Stimmt So adds an intriguing "city building" element that adds even more spice and choices to an already very good game.  Rich rewards go to the player who can best manage the types of structures he acquires and builds the most secure complex.
	AMUN-RE Reiner Knizia Hans im Gl�ck & Rio Grande Games At last, another �meaty� Reiner Knizia title.  Amun-Re marks this return and is a fine game filled with tense auctions and interesting choices. all set in the ancient lands of the pharaohs.  Players must balance finite resources to employ profitable farmers, build lasting pyramids and keep the gods appeased.  The total is certainly a a fine piece of work.
	COLORETTO Michael Schacht Abacus Spiele The strategies in this game are like the colors of the chamelions you are trying to collect:  ever-changing.  Try to collect different colored chamelions, but get too many colors and you're sunk!
	DOMAINE Klaus Teuber Kosmos & Mayfair Games Although touted as a simplified version of the author's original design L�wenherz, Domaine is every bit as tense and exciting to play.  The challenge is to enclose and expand your realms, capturing the most prized territory as you do so.  The choices are very agonizing and each play has significant ramifications, especially in light of the quick 1-hour playing time.
	EDEL, STEIN & REICH Reinhard Staupe Alea Another re-working of a previously released game � this time the game being Basari.  Gone are the board and dice rolling.  They have been replaced by several decks of cards and more bidding options.  Plus, the game now accommodates up to five players, which makes it even more accessible.  Although the central mechanism is the same, the game has a decadently different feel to it ... and it is every bit as good as the original.
	EISZEIT (MAMMOTH HUNTERS) Alan Moon & Aaron Weissblum Alea & Rio Grande Games Early man struggles for survival in the face of limited resources and the ever-encroaching Ice Age.  Gaining income comes at the expense of benefitting your opponents, while benefitting your own situation costs precious funds.  Balancing these two factors and proper timing are critical in the face of a rapidly changing board situation.
	MAGNA GRECIA Leo Colovini & Michael Schacht Clementoni By building roads and turning villages into cities the players boost the traderoutes. They try to maximize the profits of their marketplaces, while also turning their focus on the oracles. Carefully choosing between the limited actions is the key in winning this game.
	MARE NOSTRUM Serge Laget Euro Games Five rival civilizations vie for dominance of the mediterranean, who will emerge victorious? Each has a particular advantage and so knowing whether to concentrate on trade or combat will often spell the difference.
	NEW ENGLAND Alan Moon & Aaron Weissblum Gold Sieber and Uber Play Development in the new American colony. Some interesting new mechanics in this one, should you bid high to go first in a round or bid low so that you get things cheaply?
	PARIS PARIS Michael Schacht Abacus Spiele & Rio Grande Games Scrambling for the best locations on the tour bus routes of Paris can be tough, especially if subsequent shop owners kick you out of your favorite spot! This Michael Schacht game has some tough decisions for the players, deciding not only what to choose for themselves but what to leave for others.