Spin Master Games has an obsession with props…there’s no other logical explanation behind it. In “Moustache Smash“, for example, players had to pretend to wear mustaches. “Hedbanz Act Up!” is a lot like “Heads Up!” in the sense that players will be wearing headbands and inserting cards into them to engage in “Reverse Charades” as I’ve dubbed it. In fact, both games are almost exactly alike save for the different categories featured in the latter. Before moving on to the review, I’d like to quickly thank the folks at Spin Master Games for providing me with a free press copy.
Board Games
Remember “Shark Attack” from way back in the day? I sure do…it was one of the first board games I owned as a child. Each player received a fish and your goal was to move around this circular board as quickly as you could lest the shark catch up and eat you. “Shark Mania” is similar but opts for a more stylish, if not complicated playing area. It’s also got a push your luck element in the sense that players (pirates) will be trying to collect coins as they go. The catch is that they can either move or collect loot, not both. Before I go any further, I’d like to quickly thank the folks at Spin Master Games for providing me with a free press copy.
You get to smash your mustache against cards lying on a table…enough said. Okay, perhaps that could be taken out of context a bit. In “Moustache Smash”, each player will have a plastic stick with a mustache attached to it…trust me, you’ll prefer this over using your own (though it would make for some rather funny home videos). On the reverse side is a suction cup which is used to pick up cards as they are dealt onto the table. You’ll have to be quick as the first player to grab a matching card wins it. Before I get ahead of myself though, I’d like to quickly thank the folks at Spin Master Games for sending me a free press copy.
The gaming industry continues to surprise me with each passing day. More and more creative people are stepping forward and bringing forth their ideas in the hopes of being able to share them with gamer families and friends all over the world. Don’t believe me? Go check out crowdfunding sites like “Kickstarter” and take a gander at how many games have made it through “Early Access” programs on digital distribution sites like “Steam“. The number of games that have successfully made their way to an official release / retail distribution with the help of the general public is staggering. On one hand, it pains me to think about how many games wouldn’t have seen the light of day had crowdfunding / early access programs not existed. On the other, it makes me feel good to know that so many people share my love for gaming. Needless to say, tabletop gaming and video gaming are two concepts that won’t be dying out any time soon…quite the contrary, it seems.
Trick-taking games come a dime a dozen, but “Deception” piqued my interest immediately when I learned that you needed to be a little like Sherlock Holmes to deduce a player’s identity. That mystery factor found in some games like “Battlestar Galactica” is just a big plus in my book as I’m always up for trying to read tells and discovering who players truly are. “Deception” is currently seeking your help on Kickstarter with only 26 days to go, so if you plan on getting in on the action, now’s the time to do it.
“Star Wars: Empire vs. Rebellion” is a two player card game that spans the course of the original trilogy (Episodes IV through VI). I was admittedly a little skeptical when this first released because the folks at Fantasy Flight Games have already provided us with “Star Wars: The Card Game“, which basically offers the same thing. After giving this game a go, I came to realize that both games are alike and different in a number of ways. Before I get ahead of myself, let’s take a brief look at what came in the box and how the game is played.
While there are a lot of sci-fi themed board games out there, “MIND-The Fall of Paradise” strikes me as pretty unique. A lot of the games I’ve played in the aforementioned genre often involve players building up a fleet or race of some sort with the goal of taking out their opponents. “MIND-The Fall of Paradise” is admittedly a little like that, though players won’t be starting on equal footing. Rather, one player will become an all-powerful A.I. called “MIND” while the others assume the role of rebel leaders who aren’t thrilled to have the A.I. running things. I must admit that this idea has a lot of merit and I’ll be really interested to see how it’ll take shape after the Kickstarter campaign ends.
Spells spells spells…who doesn’t like a game that involves the heavy use of spells? “Duels For the Iron Staff”, a game currently seeking your help on Kickstarter, features plenty of spellcasting for you would-be wizards and sorceresses out there. Like Harry Potter and his band of cohorts (some could even call them “Hogwarts”, *ba-dump ch!*), you’ll primarily be focusing on getting the ingredients you’ll need to cast some pretty powerful spells. Your goal? Eliminate the competition and become the next Head Wizard!
Simulators like “Bridge Constructor” are awesome in the sense that they let anyone without an engineering degree flex their creative muscles a bit. There’s also the added benefit of being able to knock it all down (accidentally or intentionally) without actually going to prison for the rest of your life. “Blueprints” is a tabletop abstract building simulator that tasks players with making the best use of the materials available (dice) in order to construct their own towers. How efficient they are with their designs (in accordance with their individual blueprints) will determine how many points they score for any given round. Let’s jump in and get building, shall we?
I’ve never heard of “Bin’Fa: The Tao of War” before today, which is a real shame considering how fun it looks to play. “Bin’Fa: The Tao of War” is an abstract strategy game for two to six players and features a customizable board layout. Players will be controlling between one and three armies consisting of generals, units, and supply pawns. While side dealing and alliances are possible, your main objective will be to surround your opponents’ pieces and be the last army standing. It all reminds me a little of “Go” with a touch of “Chess” mixed in for good measure.
The folks over at Mage Company LTD, the same developers who brought you “12 Realms“, are at it again. Instead of a fairy tale setting complete with familiar heroes and evil villains, you’ll be thrust into a post-apocolyptic world that’s been devastated by the Third World War. Competing against other players trying to survive, your goal will be to gather the necessary items needed to enter the Golden City. “Raid & Trade” is currently seeking funding through the Kickstarter process (as of 11/3/14), so go check it out via the links below after you’re done here.
When I first heard the words “post-apocolyptic” to describe this game, I thought I knew what to expect. I mean, most of the post-apocolyptic games I’ve been playing as of late involve zombies…not that I’m complaining. “Raid & Trade”, I’m pleased to report, is somewhat different. Rather than fight against zombies and/or infected, you’ll be competing against other players. Your goal? Scavenge up enough to be allowed access to the Golden City, a place where the privileged few have banded together to rough out these harsh times. Before we take a look at what this game has to offer, I’d like to thank Alexander Argyropoulos from Mage Company LTD for reaching out and providing me with a copy of the rulebook (due to International shipping costs). As such, this preview will be focused more on my impressions of the rules based on what I’ve read. It’s also important to note that the game is seeking funding through the Kickstarter process (as of 11/03/14), making everything you see here (components, rules, etc.) subject to change.
It all started with a friendly game of “Blokus” when I got to thinking, “wouldn’t it be cool if there was a game that was like ‘Blokus’, but in 3D?” It turns out that there was, though I was certainly not paying sixty dollars for it. While there were listings on Amazon for “Blokus 3D” by Educational Insights, I quickly skimmed the “Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed” section and came across Rumis (also by Educational Insights). It looked similar and was only fifteen bucks at the time (prices on Amazon vary since sellers set the price), so I went ahead and picked it up. I was interested to see how this particular abstract game stacked up (ba-dum-ch!), especially since I had a pretty good time with “Convert“. If you’re reading this, chances are you are too…hopefully you won’t be disappointed! “Rumis”, just as a quick FYI, means “stones” in Quechua…consider yourself educated for today, you lucky devil.
Games like “Apples to Apples” and “Say Anything” are popular for a reason: they spark the imagination and allow folks to get as silly as they’d like. “What da Blank” follows suit with this idea and tasks players with coming up with the best (or worst) answers to the “messed up” situations with which they are presented. With over $1,000 CAD raised on Kickstarter already, “What da Blank” will need your help to get it across the finish line.
Show of virtual hands: how many of you remember the video game, “Paperboy”? You know, the game that puts you in the shoes of a kid tasked with biking down a street whilst throwing newspapers to the houses of your employer’s subscribers? I honestly didn’t think there’d ever be a tabletop version, though with your help, “Paper Toss” could indeed make it through your living room window…erm, you get the idea. With a goal of $5,000 on Kickstarter and a little over thirty days to go (as of 10/30/14), it’ll need your help to do just that. Hopefully your home owner’s insurance is up to the challenge.
There’s no shortage of games on Kickstarter these days, which is a very good thing. It shows that more and more innovate people are willing to bring their ideas to life and into the dining rooms of families everywhere. “Spell Stealers”, a game seeking your help on Kickstarter, is no exception to that trend. It’s a quick and easy to play family-friendly game that makes use of a number of different gameplay mechanics. Being a family man myself, “quick and easy to play” is right up my alley.