Monthly Archives: February 2015

Favorite Fridays – Empire Builder

By Comments are closed
Iempire builder love trains and by proxy I love train games; some of the time. Not all train games are created equal, and while I have not player all train games in existence I have my favorites, one of which is Empire Builder. Released: 1982 Designer: Darwin Bromley and Bill Fawcett Plays: 2-6 EPT: 180 minutes Using the Crayon Rails System players spread their locomotive dominance across North America attempting to move goods and passengers across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. The first player to end their turn with 6 of the 7 major cities connected to one continuous railroad while holding 250 million in cash is declared the winner. Before play begins each player is given a colored pawn, a crayon of a matching color, a train with a speed...

Wild Card Thursday – Bang! The Dice Game

By Comments are closed
Bang DiceWe looked at Bang! last Thursday and as a Wild Card Thursday follow up we will now be looking at Bang! The Dice Game… A Year later. What’s that? You ask; a year later? About a year ago I did a review of Bang! The Dice Game. The review was done quickly and looked almost entirely as the rubric; after talking with some of you fine folks on social media I have decided it is time to revisit the dice adaption of a card classic. Released 2013 Designer: Michael Palm and Lukas Zach Plays: 3-8 EPT: 15 minutes In this follow up to the 2002 hit players once again adapt the personas of lead slinging, bullet dodging, wild westerners. Players begin the game by establishing a role deck as outlined...

Worker Wednesday – Bremerhaven

By Comments are closed
bremerhavenLast week on Worker Wednesday we looked at a game that splits the fence on if it counts as worker placement game in Castles of Burgundy; this week I will continue in the world of ambiguity; why? Because some men just want to watch the world burn… So let us look at Bremerhaven and ask the question is it really a worker placement game? Released 2013 Designer: Robert Auerochs Plays: 1-4 EPT: 90 minutes Bremerhaven gives players the chance to take on the position of a harbor manager controlling the incoming and outgoing of goods with the end goal of having the highest score once the final round is over; this score is calculated by multiplying your remaining money by your harbor’s prestige. The game takes place on three main boards; water,...

Follow Up Tuesday – Zombie House

By Comments are closed
Yesterday we looked at the mechanic of Simultaneous Action Selection and today we will follow that up with the game Zombie House. While the theme of zombies is one I have seen done more than almost anything aside from farming the european countryside and trading in the mediterranean this is a game well worth a look. (Note: This review will be looking at ‘Zombie House - Beta’ there is another version available on Game Crafter without the beta tag that plays the same but has slightly different components.) Released: 2014 Designers: Mars Needs Games Plays: 2-8 EPT: 30-60 minutes Zombie House is an independently designed game produced via Print on Demand through The Game Crafter. Being an independent game there are noticeable aspects that can be nagged on such as a lower art quality and simpler components; but the game’s...

Mechanic Monday – Simultaneous Action Selection

By Comments are closed
Friday I looked at 7 Wonders which uses the mechanics of Card Drafting, Set Collection, Variable Player Powers, and Simultaneous Action Selection. Today we will take a look at the last of those mechanics; I will state first that I feel the name is slightly misleading as the simultaneous aspect of these games is not always action related; I will also refer to the mechanic as SAS as Simultaneous Action Selection. Simultaneous Action Selection is an interesting mechanic as it serves multiple purposes from forcing players to plan ahead, increasing a game’s pace, to minimizing downtime between turns. The mechanic is is one that can be utilized in a variety of ways when partnered with other mechanics. Often SAS will be used as a part of a turn round in which players manage minor upkeep, turn...

Favorite Fridays – 7 Wonders

By Comments are closed
7 wondersIn the last few years many terms have developed around the hobby of gaming classifying them to fit their level of difficulty and utilised mechanics; ameritrash, gateway, 4E, and many others. Many games can be fit into a few of these categories while there are some that span more than one would expect; one such game is 7 Wonders. Released: 2010 Designer: Antoine Bauza Plays: 2-7 EPT: 30 minutes In 7 wonders each player develops their nation in the areas of economy, trade, technology, warfare, and other industries with the goal of having the most points at the end of the game. Each player begins the game with 3 coins at a value of 1 and a wonder board; each board representing one of the 7 wonders of the ancient...

Wild Card Thursday – Bang!

By Comments are closed
bang!Those who know me know there are certain games and mechanics I generally don’t enjoy; some of those being player elimination and larger group games, there are of course exceptions to the rule and Bang! is one of those exceptions. Released: 2002 Designers: Emiliano Sciarra Plays: 4-7 EPT: 30 minutes Bang! is a social deduction, card, hand management, player elimination game in which players take on the rolls of cops and robbers in a spaghetti western. The rules of Bang! are fairly simple yet often altered; I will thus explain the rules and add any additional house rules my group prefers in parentheses; I also played with the early print runs pre-bullet and pre-re-reprint and this the components may vary slightly. The game has four roles the players take up at random...

Worker Wednesday – Castles of Burgundy

By Comments are closed
castles of burgubdy Worker Wednesday; the day of the week we get to enjoy the games using Worker Placement as a key mechanic. Today, however, we mix it up as we look at a game that many would not consider a Worker Placement game, but I am not one of the many. I am, however, right…. or at least I think I am; the game, Castles of Burgundy. Released 2011 Designer: Stefan Feld Plays: 2-4 EPT: 90 minutes Before I explain why I consider Castles of Burgundy to be a worker placement game let me explain the way the game plays. In Castles of Burgundy players are seeking to earn the most points by developing their estate and developing it with fields, castles, mines, and learning. The game plays on a...
123