Being a games journalist isn’t all fun and games, despite what most people may think. In fact, most of the time there’s a large bullseye right on your forehead. You wouldn’t believe some of the crap that come out of people’s mouths (or fingertips) because you gave a particular game a “7/10” instead of an “8/10”. Today I was thrown for a loop when I received a “thank you” email from a fan diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. His story ended up being so inspirational that I decided to donate $25.00 to the “National Multiple Sclerosis Society“. It’s admittedly not much, but the best I can do with a mortgage and a house of five (nine if you count animals).
Board Games
I rarely get the chance to play dexterity-based tabletop games, which is a real shame. I find this fact surprisingly odd, seeing as how I’ve played many games in the strategy, simulation, worker placement, casual, and adventure genres. Yet, my play time with dexterity-based games seem to be sporadic at best. “Flick Wars”, a game hitting Kickstarter on April 17, 2014, is unlike anything I’ve played up to this point. I mean, I’ve played my fair share of “Jenga”, but this is vastly different. Using “flicking skills”, players will be tasked with maneuvering their units in such a way that destroys enemy units. The last player left standing, wins the game! Before we take a quick look at what this game has to offer, I’d like to thank Andrew Tullsen from Print & Play Productions for providing me with a prototype copy. It’s important to stress that prototypes are not often reflective of the final components, making everything featured in this article subject to change.
I had a blast playing “Family Business” during the International TableTop Day event at Game Masters…though I admit, it helped to have some patient teachers. “Family Business” is an elimination game, through and through. You’ll receive a mob of gangsters and it’ll be your job to make sure that your family is the last one standing. To do that, you’ll have to avoid being placed on the hit list…it’s tougher than it sounds. Before we take a quick look at the game, I’d like to offer a special thank you to Jason, Charity, Barry, Joseph, and Kaleem (participants in the above-mentioned event) for taking the time to bring this game to my attention.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t do anything special for International TableTop Day, which was held on April 5, 2014. So, I did the only thing a respectable (ha!) games journalist would do…grab my camera and head down to Game Masters, a local gaming / hobby shop located in Pittsburgh. I’m not much of a people person and I had never before gone to an event of this scale, but I was determined to walk away with a story to write about. It turned out that I was gifted with much more…the feeling of comradery. We were all there for a reason: we enjoy tabletop gaming. It was great to meet such fine people and I hope to run into all of them again in the future.
Seriously, who doesn’t love a cute bunny or three? Being an animal lover myself, I can’t just walk out of a pet store without first visiting these furry little bundles of joy. “All Bunnies Eat Carrots“, a card game currently seeking your help on Kickstarter, features more bunnies than you’ll know what to do with. It’s a two to four player family-friendly game that tasks players with collecting bunnies and seeing to their needs. Each bunny has its own needs and point values, giving the game a strategic spin. The first player to see to the needs of three bunnies effectively ends the game and all players will proceed to compare point values to see who wins…it all sounds both easy and fun to boot!
I’ve been so engrossed with the “Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game” that I almost let this one slip by. This would have been bad, seeing as how I can recite almost every “Star Trek” episode by heart, whether it be “Enterprise”, “TOS, “TNG”, “DS9”, or “Voyager” (come to Quark’s, Quark’s is fun, come right now, don’t walk – run!). Yeah, I’m kind of a nerd that way. At any rate, I was extremely surprised to learn just how similar these two products are…that is, “Star Trek: Attack Wing” and the aforementioned “Star Wars” game. I almost didn’t have to look at the manual…almost. With that being said, let’s take a quick look at what comes in the box and how the game is played before I share my final thoughts on the matter.
Konnichiwa, fellow travelers! We’re here today to take a quick look at “Tokaido”, a game I recently picked up on a whim. It looked pretty enough based on the pictures I browsed and promised to be family-friendly to boot. The premise is simple enough: each player takes on the role of a traveler who is making their way across the “East Sea Road”, a famous and popular road (of the “Edo” period) located in Japan. Players will be able to visit a variety of different places with the intent on earning the most victory points by the game’s end. The kicker is that there’s no going backwards…think “Candy Land” but with a Japanese theme and juiced up on steroids. After spending some time with the game, I discovered that it delivers all of the above and more.
Ever dreamt of owning your own creative agency? That is, hire employees, manage your money, complete projects, and deal with random events as they occur? If the answer is yes, then you’re in luck! “Creative Clash”, a fast-paced card game that will be launching soon on Kickstarter (as of 3/13/14), promises exactly that. In this case, players will be competing to complete their own individual “ego” goals before the others do. Before I get ahead of myself though, I’d like to thank principal and creative director Ryan Smoker for reaching out and providing me with a prototype copy. It’s important to stress that prototypes are often not reflective of the final version, making everything featured in this article (including the rules) subject to change.
I’m so over this cold weather. Mother Nature hasn’t exactly been kind to Pittsburgh…sixty degrees one day only to be followed by minus ten degrees with wind chill warnings and four inches of snow the next. What better way to celebrate and welcome Spring than with “Lawn Battleship”, a game that is currently seeking your support on Kickstarter. As the name suggests, you’ll be taking the idea of the classic board game outside. The catch is that you’ll be using water filled Bocce balls and various ship signs attached to metal pegs in the ground. Easy to play and family friendly, this game promises a good time out in the sun…something I think us Pittsburghers could desperately use at this point.
The television show, “Deadliest Warrior”, attracted my attention in a way that I didn’t expect. The idea of pitting two dissimilar forces against one another to see who would win was (and still is) and intriguing prospect. “Duelga”, a Kickstarter project currently in the funding process (as of 3/1/14), reminded me of “Deadliest Warrior” almost immediately. To sum this card game up, players will choose a duelist and equip them with weapons, styles, traits, and action cards with the intent on beating the crap out of their opponent. Before we touch on the specifics though, I’d like to thank J. Sam Watson, the President of Black Mountain Gamesmiths, LLC., for providing me with a prototype copy.
The latest edition of “SimCity” for the PC was a bit of a letdown. It had a lot of great ideas, but the always online connection really rubbed me the wrong way (especially when the majority of players couldn’t even log in during launch week). I eventually resigned myself to the fact that I’d be playing “Sunrise City” for all eternity…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Along those lines, there’s quite the shortage of “SimCity-esque” board games out on the market, much to my surprise. It’s not like there isn’t a demand for city builders, after all. I can’t tell you how many hours I’d spend as a kid sitting in front of my SNES trying to perfect my megalopolis…I imagine that some of you can relate. Enter “Suburbia”, a tile-laying game released in 2012 that promotes a “SimCity” theme. How does it compare to “Sunrise City” and “SimCity”, you ask? Keep reading…the answers may (or may not) surprise you.
Not only was I immediately impressed by the artwork featured in the prototype, I was blown away by the idea of a tabletop game that featured martial arts. Players in “LINEAGE” will be in control of both a master and a student piece. The general idea is for players to pass off knowledge from the master to the student in order to win the game. One player, however, will assume the role of an emperor who will be trying to stop the other players by making use of his armies. It’s an interesting concept that I feel deserves further attention.
Hey folks! I’ve received a lot of positive feedback on my recent “Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game” video series. One of the most common questions I get is, “where did you get your game mat?” I figured I’d quickly answer that here for the benefit of those interested in picking one up.
I’ve covered a lot of games over the past few years, but I have yet to see anything like “President Wars”. It’s a one to two player card game that is currently seeking your help on Kickstarter (as of 2/12/14). For those of you who hate getting wrapped up with the intricacies of politics, you needn’t worry…”President Wars” is more of a casual royal rumble of sorts. Before I get into specifics, I’d like to thank Jesse Heuser from Activity Makers for reaching out to me and providing me with a prototype copy of the rulebook. It’s important to note that I didn’t actually receive a copy of the game, so this preview will focus more on the rules and my initial impressions of them. Still, those just discovering this game for the first time may learn something new.
JRPGs are an acquired taste, mainly because of how long it takes just to get through a single game. “Final Fantasy” and its sequels, for example, aren’t games that you can just simply breeze through in one night. Meet “Terrene Odyssey”, a card game that is currently seeking your help on Kickstarter. It simulates the encounters that you might find in a typical RPG, except that you’ll be facing off against a live opponent. It promises deep & engaging gameplay and judging by the card art featured on the game’s Kickstarter page, I’d have to agree! The best part? You won’t have to spend months playing it!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…”Apples to Apples” is probably one of the most popular games in our household. It’s easy to play and the kids really get a kick out of making silly combinations with the cards. Earlier today, I saw “Apples to Apples: Big Picture” sitting on the shelf at my local Wal-Mart and figured I’d give it a go. It looked similar to the “Apples to Apples: Junior Edition” we often bring out to play, but it had pictures…I admit, I was a little intrigued. I had to wonder how it compared to similar picture games I’ve played (like “Crappy Birthday“), though I’m sure the big question on your mind is, “is this version of ‘Apples to Apples’ as fun as the other editions?” Well, keep reading to find out!