The end in sight?

I'm beginning to think that I am nearing the end of my game collection. Of course, I've felt this way before, and within a month had a want list of more than 20. But this time, it's different...really.

As of today, my want list has 12 items, and hasn't changed much in quite a while. Every time I add something to it, I feel like I'm forcing it. I have no delusions that I am not a little bit of a collector, but deep down I still only want to buy games that have a reasonable chance of ever being played.

How do I continue my game buying spree?

Geek Buddies

Good old reliable geek buddies. They tell me what I might like. They tell me what I might not like. They convince me not to buy something. Their game comments are priceless. Their owned/rated game lists are gold.

Sometimes I pick one and scan their list looking for a game I don't know much about. I've found more than one interesting game this way. It's getting harder and harder.

Examples: Oltremare, Torres, Rheinlander

Geek Lists

I read most geek lists, usually for entertainment purposes. But once in a while I get a glimpse of a game in a light that I had never placed it. It gives me the initiative to dig a little deeper.

Examples: Jambo, Lost Valley, Clans

BGG Random Walk

Advanced search, click on random categories and mechanics. Click on random images. Click on random posts in Recent Additions. So far this has been the least effective method.

Examples: Liberté, Maharaja, Hansa

Play Online

This has been a very informative process. I've found great games I wouldn't have bought in a million years, and played terrible games I was about the order. Among BrettSpielWelt, SpielByWeb, Boite a Jeux, Ludagora, and many others, there's no end of fun.

Examples: Ra, Amun-Re, Through the Desert

Impulse Buys

Sometimes I buy something without reading the rules 3 times purely based on comments, reviews, images, or even theme. This is not a very effective method of finding something I will like, but it does get me to try a game I might have ignored.

Examples: Pirate's Cove, Runebound, Traders of Genoa

New Games

This is my final hope. There will always be new games, and reprints of older games that I didn't catch when I had the chance.

Examples: El Grande, Goa, Kreta, Taj Mahal


Are you feeling the same way? Do you have the need to buy more games even when you can't easily find ones you are interested in? What do you do?