Osaka/Tokyo Spring Game Market Previews Part 1

Posted on March 23, 2021 by lornadune

Osaka/Tokyo Game Market Previews from Mandy aka MissMerc and Lorna

Spring is here and one of my favorite times of year for many reasons but 2 of the best for board gamers are the Osaka and Tokyo Spring Game Markets. More information about the markets and games that will presented there can be found here: https://gamemarket.jp/

I recently had the honor of joining my good friend Mandy for some demos.

Jurata!! (ジュラッタ!!)

Image from the Tokyo Demo Day event – by Kodansha & Kickstarter Japan

Mandy : 

Mousou Games is a company based in Tokyo.  Their team has created several games that have a simple design yet strategic feel.  Their games are packaged in easy to carry compact boxes.  Their other titles include: 

  • Double Nine 
  • Seven Vice
  • Balloon game
  • Spot Shot

This year they will be attending the Osaka Game Market (in March) as well as the Tokyo Game Market (in April).

Mousou Games introduces their game series at the Game Demo Day in Tokyo

Players need to work in 2 teams and communicate to decide which cards to flip over to accomplish the tasks.  

There are 18 cards in the deck, with 12 missions.  For the setup place all the cards in a grid formation with some space between each card so they can be easily picked up.  Setup the Goal Cards, and decide which team will go first.

The first team to play will close their eyes, while the 2nd team rearranges the cards.  The first team then opens their eyes.  Play will go clockwise.  On a player’s turn they should turn over one dinosaur card. It is useful to discuss which dinosaurs they should turn over.  Since there are a multitude of combinations with the cards, your team’s eyes and memory will be very useful.

Every time a player flips a card their Team’s number of Attempts goes up.  Once they have flipped all the cards to match the pattern on the Goal Card, the team shouts “Jurata!!” together, and their turn ends.  Calculate their number of Attempts.  Then switch teams – with the first team now rearranging the cards will the 2nd team close their eyes.  Then it’s the 2nd team’s turn to play.

A Goal Card’s task could be to: find 8 Stegosaurus cards, 5 Tyrannosaurus Rexes, 5 Triceratops.

Playing the game with 8 people in 2 teams

Jurata is a beautiful and colorful edition to the Mousou Games collection.  I love the look of the dinosaur cards.  After playing this game on demo day, I think this game is a great gateway game, and family game.  It’s suitable for children also.  As an ex-teacher games like this appeal to me because it’s something that can be easily taught but can be played in a variety of settings. People who like Codenames or team challenge games will enjoy this also. I think that this game lends way to group discussion as well as lots of fun jabs from the other team who can try to trick you and confuse your memory.  Let’s try Jurata!

Lorna:

Jurata!! (ジュラッタ!!) from H1R0 of Mousou Games is a pattern based game with a memory component. It can be played solo, multiplayer or with teams. There will also be online availability. The game consists of dinosaur cards in 3 colors/types of dinosaurs, which are double sided (the opposite side being either the same color or one of the other two colors). The goal of the game is to get the card colors face up that will match the goal.

We tried a team game. Using a grid of 3×6,one side arranges the cards randomly while the other side closes their eyes. The goal is to flip cards as needed. Of course the fun is in the fact that as you flip cards, colors you don’t want may now be visible thwarting your plans. Eventually you will manage to meet the goal card. When this happens everyone yells Jurata! The side that accomplishes this in the fewest turns scores.

I think Jurata!! would make a nice family game especially if there were dinosaurs fans. It also is a fun party game.

The Mousou Games team will be at:

Osaka Game Market (3/28) at booth P11

Tokyo Game Market (4/10 – 4/11) at booth コ01

Koma NoSe Techno (コマノセテクノ) from Mr. Prae from –  Natriumlamp Games

Pronounced Koma-no-se-techno. (not Koma nose…) The title is a play on words. ‘Koma’ means spinning top in Japanese, it also means “game token” so the name is quite fitting for this game.  ‘No se techno’ means ‘play it technically.’

Mr Prae demonstrating his game

Mandy: Mr Prae is following the traditions of the Tokyo Game Market by hand crafting his games.  This game is also hand crafted, and took him a long time to assemble. But creating something by hand is really inspiring.   

There was one traditional value that was held at the Game Market. You can put a game idea in a ziplock and sell it. That is what makes the game market amazing.   So in each game he would try and feature the Ziplock bag. In previous games he couldn’t feature the ziplock, but for Koma no se Techno he will be using the Ziplock bag..

Mr Prae wanted to participate in the Game Market.  He loved the atmosphere and how creative everyone was.  So each time he wanted to make a new game just so he could join the Game Market event.  He bases his games on something fun, but it has to be tactile.  His previous games all have a tactile aspect to it.  A game with leather components, wooden components, jewelry components, and macarons: These are some of his previous designs:

  • Masala Magic – features a wooden box
  • Rondel Rummy – features jewel beads players have to place on a wire
  • Macaryoshka – features beautiful macarons of various sizes

For the Tokyo Game Market he will only be making 200 copies of this game.  Often his games get sold out.

Koma no se Techno is a fun spinning top game.  People might find that placing the tokens in the center the easiest but if you are too slow in placing your tokens that round may end.  Koma (tops) are really popular in Japan. Children and adults grow up playing with these.  I see them often at schools, and the Japanese Koma (tops) can be found everywhere.  They are very nostalgic to Japan. This game is fun for all ages.  If you like tumbling dice, or dexterity type games this is something you might like. It’s a game I think I can play with my husband…he doesn’t play any board game except for Othello, but he does like to play the Japanese spinning tops and Japanese kendama.

Playing Koma no se Techno from the Tokyo Demo Day event 

Lorna: Since this was a virtual meeting we weren’t able to play the game but Mr. Prae demonstrated Koma NoSe Techno for us. It looks like a fun dexterity game. The game plays 1-4. Players each have a separate color of token to try and drop onto the spinning top. Depending on the location of the token when the spinning stops, they will earn points. If the token lands upside down or if the token falls off the spinning top no points are earned. 

I think it’s really neat that Mr Prae will be selling this game in baggies for a really great price.

Koma NoSe Techno will be at the Tokyo Game Market (4/10 – 4/11) at booth : カ12

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | 1 Comment

What Should One Do With a Stimulus Check?

Posted on March 22, 2021 by RJ Garrison

In the United States there happens to be a lot of news covering the U.S. government passing a 1.9 trillion dollar COVID relief bill and people getting a “Stimulus Check.”  I’ve read a number of articles making suggestions of what people should spend their “stimulus money” on.  It ranges from paying down debt, paying rent and paying necessities, which is my first priority, and probably should be yours as well.  (I spent 6 months out of work during this pandemic so these priorities are my focus.)  A lot of people suggest putting the cash in savings for a “rainy day” or emergency fund, or replenishing your waning savings, which I second.  However these don’t exactly “stimulate” the economy.  But keeping a roof over your head, food on the table, keeping the heat on and having an emergency fund are essential and should be prioritized.  I am also a big proponent of tithing or charitable giving if your income and situation allows.  I find it’s extremely important to give back to your place of worship, your community or those around you that are less fortunate than you.

Which brings us to the other articles I’ve seen on what people may consider doing with their money.  In order to “stimulate” the economy, people typically need to spend money and spend it locally or on shops, stores, businesses and restaurants that they care about and want to help keep afloat.  And board games.  If your other needs are covered, you need to purchase lots and lots of board games.  Especially during a pandemic.  Board games for the family to play to keep the kids from killing each other.  Board games for you and your wife to play while gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes across the table.  Board games to play with your friends while Facetiming with a GoPro camera strapped to your head so your friends can see the board and play out their moves while interacting online.

Continue reading →
Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Three Sisters (Game Preview by Brandon Kempf)

Posted on March 19, 2021 by Brandon Kempf
  • Designers: Matt Riddle & Ben Pinchback
  • Artists: Beth Sobel & Marlies Barends
  • Publisher: Motor City Gameworks
  • Players: 1-4
  • Time: 30-60 Minutes
  • Times Played: 3

This is a preview of a game that is currently on Kickstarter. I was kindly allowed a PnP copy of the game to play. I never promised Matt or Ben any kind review, or preview, but after playing it, I felt like I should. Spoiler alert, I am a backer, so here it goes. Oh and the Kickstarter can be found HERE!

One thing I love about Roll and Write games is the way that everyone tries to twist and manipulate the genre and make it something that it wasn’t before. Some Roll and Write titles are really easy Yahtzee variants that allow for some good ol fashioned dice chucking, some decide that the regular dice chucking needs a bit of a twist, or the game around it needs something else, like maybe trick taking (I’m also a backer of this one)? The main thing about Roll and Writes though seems to be that folks just absolutely love trying to tackle different things with them, small miniscule little tweaks that mean a world of difference while allowing the player to feel comfortable in what they are doing from the word go. We’re rolling some dice, and we’re writing or checking some things off on a board. Three Sisters is a lot of the later, it’s a familiar style of game with familiar mechanisms, but twisted just enough to make it different, and quite possibly the meatiest Roll and Write you throw down on your table, which is funny as there is nothing about cattle in this Gardening and Farming Roll and Write. Oh lovers of dice and rondels, prepare to rejoice. 

Continue reading →
Posted in Preview | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dale Yu: Review of Vampire the Masquerade: Vendetta

Posted on March 18, 2021 by Dale Yu

Vampire The Masquerade: Vendetta

  • Designers: Charlie Cleveland, Bruno Faidutti
  • Players: 3-6
  • Age: 14+
  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Review copy provided by Horrible Guild

According to Wikipedia – Vampire: The Masquerade is a tabletop role-playing game (tabletop RPG) created by Mark Rein-Hagen and released in 1991 by White Wolf Publishing as the first of several Storyteller System games for its World of Darkness setting line. It is set in a fictionalized “gothic-punk” version of the modern world, where players assume the roles of vampires, who are referred to as “Kindred”, and deal with their night-to-night struggles against their own bestial natures, vampire hunters and each other.

Several associated products were produced based on Vampire: The Masquerade, including live-action role-playing games (Mind’s Eye Theatre), dice, collectible card games (Vampire: The Eternal Struggle), video games (Vampire: The Masquerade – Redemption, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2), and numerous novels. In 1996, a short-lived television show loosely based on the game, Kindred: The Embraced, was produced by Aaron Spelling for the Fox Broadcasting Company.

Continue reading →

Posted in Essen 2020, Reviews | Leave a comment

Dale Yu – First Impressions of Dive

Posted on March 17, 2021 by Dale Yu

Dive

  • Designers: Romain Caterdjian and Anthony Perone
  • Publisher: Sit Down!
  • Players: 1-4
  • Age: 8+
  • Time: 30 min
  • Preview (final prototype) copy provided by Sit Down!

In Dive, players are deep ocean divers, taking part in a festival where they try to retrieve a sacred stone out of the depths of the ocean.  As they dive deeper and deeper, some friendly creatures will help them out (turtles, manta rays) while sharks pose a constant danger to all.

Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Dale Yu: Review of Escape Tales: Children of Wyrmwoods

Posted on March 16, 2021 by Dale Yu
  • Designers: Jakub Caban, Matt Dembek, Bartosz Idzikowski
  • Publisher: Board&Dice
  • Players: 1-4
  • Ages: 12+
  • Time: 450 minutes on box (my game lasted 5hr 15min)
  • Times played: 1, with review copy provided by Board&Dice

*** The buik of this review is spoiler free.  I will mention at the top that the pictures I used here were taken within the first 5 minutes of me playing the game – yes, there is some actual content in those pictures, but they are literally the first things you’ll see – so I really don’t think there is much spoilage going on.  If you were to play the game, you’d see all this stuff immediately anyways. ***

The Escape Tales line of games (now three total) are a bit different from other “escape room games” – these games are more story driven, and then claim to offer up much more than the 60-90 minutes of gameplay as is generally standard for the genre.  The publisher also claims that there is a higher replay value to the game as “you won’t gain access to every puzzle and location in a single playthrough of the game. Everything you do will impact the end result – which means the game can be played more than once”.

As with many other escape room games, any review of the game needs to avoid spoilers – and as such, I will not really give any specifics of the things that I saw in my playthrough of the game.  The game is not timed – so this is not a race – and yes, there is a lot of story here.  My play took about 5 hours in a solo adventure on a rainy and cold February evening.. There are multiple locations in the game, and you theoretically have the ability to search “anywhere”. In actuality, each location is split up into twelve different zones, and each of those twelve zones can be explored by spending an action marker there.

Continue reading →

Posted in Essen 2020, Reviews | Leave a comment