Many games utilize maps of some sort; especially war games. Games such as Risk and Axis and Allies are known for their realistic map interpretations; players moving their units across the country borders as they do combat. Other games use an alternate method of movement; grid based. This is most often seen with a map being broken down into hexes or squares.
BGG has the first dated game using grid movement as Hnefatafl (year 400); I’ve never heard of the game, but the system is used in chess and checkers so its historical existence is not in question. The system itself is quite variable as well; as seen in Chess. In Chess each player is given the same equipment and starts with the same pieces and positions as their opponent the pieces, however, hold the...
Tag Archives: silly
Favorite Friday – Clue
I have received a few requests to look at the mainiest of mainstream games; games such as Monopoly and Clue. I have debated doing so and alas I have given in. Clue is one of the few games that I find in the houses of my non gamer friends and am willing to play.
Released: 1949
Designer: Anthony E. Pratt
Plays: 3-6
EPT: 45 minutes
Clue is one of the games that I often look at with a sense of lost awe. It was once a game I loved as a child; not because of frequent victory but rather because of a frequent challenge. Clue, along with Pit and Scotland Yard was a game that was no stranger to my families table. Similar to these games it was not one my...
Wild Card Thursday – Mystery of the Abbey
Just about everyone is familiar with the game Clue or one of its many versions. The game has players trapped in a mansion attempting to solve the mystery of who killed their host, where the murder happened, and with what weapon. Players are equally familiar with the game Guess who; attempt to deduct which character your opponent has by asking a series of questions so as to narrow down the possibilities by way of process of elimination. What happens when these games merge? What happens when you find a monk dead at the bottom of a cliff? That is the what players must solve in Mystery of the Abbey.
Released: 1995
Designer: Bruno Faidutti and Serge Laget
Plays: 3-6
EPT: 120 minutes
Mystery of the Abbey is a deduction game much...
Favorite Fridays – Geister Geister Schatzumeister
When I think children's games I traditionally think of games such as Chutes and Ladders, Hi Ho Cherry O, and Don’t Break the Ice. This is because those are the games I grew up playing, granted this was subsidized by games such as Scotland Yard and Crossbows and Catapults. I’m sure these list would alter greatly based upon each of our families involvement in the gaming hobby as we were growing up, but I have found in general children of gamers often played games that their parents enjoyed as well. I am excited to see what future children’s games look like; especially after this year’s children game of the year went to Geister Geister Scharzsumeister! NOTE the game ships with rules for a basic and for...
Wild Card Thursday – Gloom
I love a good story; and I love a good game. So what happens when a game tells a story? What if that is a sad story; a tragedy? Gloom happens.
Released: 2005
Designer: Keith Baker
Plays: 2-5
EPT: 60 minutes
Gloom went from near obscurity to a hit due to its feature on TableTop. It was with this exposure that I was able to break out my copy again which I had only previously had a few chances to play. Gloom is a hand management storytelling hybrid in which players are attempting to use the cards in their hand to tell a story about the tragedies afflicting their families and the triumphs effecting their neighbors.
Each player takes on one of the four families placing all the family members before them...
Worker Wednesday – Agricola
The second most asked question since I started Worker Wednesday has easily been, “Brian, when will you look at Agricola?” preluded only by, “Worker Placement games? Really how long can you keep that going?” Today we will address the first of those two questions.
Released: 2007
Designer: Uwe Rosenberg
Plays: 1-5
EPT: 30-180 minutes
I have intentionally postponed my review of Agricola for one prime reason; I wanted a palate cleanser before the review. I will go into more details on that later, but up until recently my last experience with the game was far less than idea leaving a bad taste in my mouth; did my recent re-experience change that? You’ll have to stick around… or scroll down… and see.
Just about everyone who is active in the gaming hobby has,...
Follow Up Tuesday – Risk
Risk is one of those games that almost everyone has tried, wanted to try, or heard stories that kept them from trying. A few of the former group love the game while others hate it. The latter group not willing to risk falling into the second half of the formers avoids it at arms length. Why is this? What make Risk a game that players will either love or hate? Lets answer all that and more.
Released: 1959
Designer: Albert Lamorisse and Michael Levin
Plays: 2-6
EPT: 120-240 minutes (lets be honest we’ve all played those 4+ hour games)
Since the game's initial release Risk has refused to leave the war game market and has had many alternate versions made; some to more critic acclaim than others; with Risk Legacy taking...
Mechanic Monday – Player Elimination (and a challenge)
Some mechanics I love; other mechanics… not so much. Today we are going to look at a mechanic that I, more often than not, wish was not used. There are a few games that use the mechanic well, however, and we will look at how it is done well in those cases in comparison to how it is used poorly in other games. So without further delay lets look at the history of Player Elimination.
The mechanic is an old one; a very old one. According to BoardGameGeek the mechanic can be traced back to an ancient Indian game, Chaturanga, from the year 650. I have never heard of said game, but another common example would be poker. Looking at poker and the history of gambling it is safe to presume that the mechanic is possibly...
Worker Wednesday – Zoophoria
Thus far on Worker Wednesdays we have mostly looked at fairly well known worker placement games. Games that most have played or at least heard of. Today we will step off the beaten trail and look at something different; a game less well known. Zoophoria.
Released: ~2014(ish)
Designer: Jim Billingham
Plays: 2-6
EPT: 60-90 minutes
Zoophoria is a game that Sean and I received via GameCrafter, and was later placed on Kickstarter; sadly the game did not reach its funding goal and is currently unavailable on TGC, but with time the game will hopefully resurface; until then you can check out more information on it at the website www.zoophoria.ca
In Zoophoria players are attempting to manage a zoo as the current curator prepares for retirement; and like in all real life professions the best way to determine who takes over...
Follow Up Tuesday – Dominion
In yesterday’s Mechanic Monday we looked at Card Drafting, one of my favorite mechanics carrying over from my days as a MTG Booster Drafter. Today we are following that up with a look at Dominion; a game that was once the new hotness, and after releasing it’s fifty second expansion last month is still holding on in many people’s top 10 lists. (yes the 52nd expansion was an exaggeration there are only 9ish expansions)
Released: 2008
Designer: Donald X. Vaccarino
Plays: 2-4
EPT: 30 minutes
We are experimenting with a slightly new format today; rather than give an in depth rule explanation we will merely skim the rules as this isn't a tutorial so much as a review. In Dominion players are attempting to earn the most points in the form...