Thames & Kosmos, the North American branch of KOSMOS, debuted Grzegorz Rejchtman‘s Ubongo! Fun-Size Edition, which is yet another take on the Ubongo family of games that debuted in 2003 and that has sold more than five million games according to the cover.
Helvetiq is a game company that you might not be too familiar with; they are out of Switzerland, and they generally have a booth at SPIEL in Essen; but their games are usually small format and targeted at families. We have reviewed a number of their games here on the blog, and they make great games for their audience.
Save Patient Zero is going to be a departure from their comfort zone. The game is slated to be a “big box” release, and they are toying with the idea of a Kickstarter campaign – which I do not recall them doing before. I was asked to try out a near-final prototype of the game, and given that I’ve enjoyed their earlier games, I was excited to give it a try. However, given the theme – saving patients – that also piqued my interest.
So, you’ve never heard of OTTO Game Over? Neither had I until I was approached by the publisher to take a look at their new abstract strategy game which has recently funded on Kickstarter. Why Otto? Is that the name of the designer? No, instead, it’s the Italian word for 8, and the number 8 takes on a role here in multiple ways. The press release is somewhat hyperbolic – in their own words: “Being completely deprived of any setting, the game can be defined as ‘universal’, as it’s based on visual perception of symbolic geometries. OTTO is the most abstract game ever, with a unique and original design, perhaps even extraterrestrial.”
The MOST abstract game ever? Well, that’s a bold claim. Regardless of the truth of that, it is definitely a beautiful game, and after seeing some of the press pictures, I was certain that I at least wanted to try it out. I am a big fan of elegant games, and the teaser info I had on this one looked quite promising. Continue reading
Koi ponds are relaxing and can be quite beautiful. Unless of course you don’t like the smell of a fish pond, but we’ll pretend that it doesn’t bother you. Lilly pads with koi swimming around in a clear water pond, dragon flies buzzing the surface, frogs and turtles enjoying the water life as well. I’d write a Haiku, but alas, I don’t have a poetic bone in my body, at least that I have found yet.
What better way to enjoy that thematic trip through the mind than by creating a competitive koi pond building game. Is it relaxing? Or will it drown you in tension and unwanted pests brought by the water?
Continue reading
Kyoto is a “Climate Game” – In this game, players are meeting at a climate conference and each player represents a country, trying to both look out for the best for the environment as well as the best for their country. This is based on the real life Kyoto Protocol: “In short, the Kyoto Protocol operationalizes the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by committing industrialized countries and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets”
The summary of the game from the publisher: As delegates from different countries, players face a few quick rounds of negotiation at a climate conference. Together, they try to hit reduction targets and provide the needed funding, knowing that each round they fail to do so they inflict severe damage on the planet. But bent on preserving their own country’s wealth and following their secret agendas, none of them may be eager to give more than absolutely necessary. After all, the winner will be whoever best preserves their wealth…unless the impending damage to earth becomes too severe, in which case the conference fails immediately and the greediest player can’t win. Continue reading
Designer: Scott Shea for base game, designer of Rivals expansion not found in rules
Publisher: Sneaky Prawn Games
Players: 2
Ages: 8+
Time: 30-45 minutes
Review copy provided by Sneaky Prawn Games
A few years ago, I reviewed Time Vault Soccer. I am apt to try just about any sort of soccer game… In my quest to find that perfect translation of sport into boardgame format. There are many different types of soccer games – ranging from in-game simulations where all 22 players movements are plotted out to dexterity games where the ball is flicked along to franchise/dynasty games where you take control of a team over the long haul working on improving it bit by bit until you’re at the top of the heap. The original Time Vault Soccer was a quick compact 2p card game duel which was a pretty decent translation of ths sport. Continue reading
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