Deckers

• Designer: Richard Wilkins
• Publisher: Deep Print / Pegasus
• Players: 1-4
• Age: 12+
• Time: 60-90 mins
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Deckers, you will hack into a network of five servers, either solo or co-operatively as a team of up to four, winning or losing together. The network is operated by one of the available super-massive computers (SMCs), each with a different level of complexity and its own unique style of defenses that you will need to overcome. Once jacked into the servers, you will assume decker profiles, each with a special ability, moving across the server’s spaces and uploading decker pieces onto the network to expand your control while removing as many of the SMC’s pieces as possible. Each round, you get a new objective you try to fulfill to gain the upper hand. If you manage to complete the final objective, you ultimately claim victory.

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Fearless

• Designer: Friedemann Friese
• Publisher: 2F
• Players: 3-5
• Age: 10+
• Time: 30 minutes
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Fearless, you walk through a gloomy forest and try to stay on the safe path. If you still wander astray, you try to turn back again as close as possible. The closer you are to the safe path, the less fear you will suffer. Not walking at all is no alternative as you’ll remain behind on your own in the scary ruin. If you are the most fearless after several rounds, you will win the game!

Fearless is a simple trick-taking game with four suits and without trump. The card with the highest value in the led suit always wins the trick. The unusual part of the game is the card values as they are not all positive as typical for trick-taking games, but have values from +6 to -6 in each suit. Thus, you collect both negative and positive cards. The kicker: You try to gain a balanced score, collecting both minus and plus points. This is theoretically possible for all players, but “sadly” you play against each other — and the others are always pleased when they can scare you with another handful of points.

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Cat Between Us

• Designer: Sky Huang
• Publisher: the Op games
• Players: 2-6
• Age: 8+
• Time: 20-25 min
• Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3Hrv5eU
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

LURE AND NUZZLE! The Purr-fect Challenge Awaits!! The mischievous cat has vanished into the house, and it’s up to you to coax them out! But how will you do it? With an arsenal of irresistible toys of course! Dangle a fishing rod, roll a yarn ball, or tempt them with a running mouse. Will you be able  to lure the cat out of hiding and into your loving arms?

Do you understand what the cat wants? Try to get as close to the cat as possible without passing it by.  Lure the Cat, Outsmart Opponents – Use irresistible toys and clever tactics to coax the cat your way in this fun-filled card game of strategy and surprise!

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Arigato

• Designer: Melodye Ladrat, Florian Sirieix
• Publisher: Ludonaute
• Players: 1-5
• Age: 10+
• Time: 45 minutes
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

All the villages in the land are bustling with excitement as in just twelve days, it will be the Shogun’s birthday! Gather your best artisans, craft magnificent offerings, and deliver them on time to earn his favor. Arigatō is a strategic and competitive card game in which you play as the leader of your village and try to combine the best artisan cards to claim victory. 

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The Phantom of the Opera

• Designer: Geonil
• Publisher: Korea Board Games
• Players: 2
• Age: 10+
• Time: 20 minutes
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

The Phantom of the Opera is a tense two-player trick-taking duel inspired by Gaston Leroux’s classic tale. One player is the Phantom, striving to compose a perfect musical score, while the other is Christine, trying to disrupt his melody and break free.

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