Lots: A Competitive Tower Building Game (Game Preview and Review by Brandon Kempf)

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Brandon Kempf
  • Designer: Zachary Connelly
  • Artist: Claire Donaldson
  • Publisher: Royal N. Games
  • Players: 1-4
  • Play Time: 20-30 minutes
  • Times Played: 5

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of Lots A Competitive Tower Building Game from the publisher in order to preview this upcoming title. 

“If you put that block there, I don’t think it’s going to stand, you are taking away the structural integrity of our building.

Seriously, I told you so.”

In the past few months, I’ve been backing away from Kickstarter and its myriad of games that are coming. Reasons too numerous to mention have kind of forced me to take a second look at what I am backing, and what I was telling others they should think about backing as well. Plus, I think I was backing games for all the wrong reasons, instead of looking for games I knew would get played and we would enjoy, I chose to help friends along the way and thus, my unplayed pile of Kickstarter games grew, and grew, and grew. So, it has probably been close to a year since I have previewed a Kickstarter title, and what catches my attention? Lots A Competitive Tower Building Game. 

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In Praise of the Local Con

Posted on September 5, 2019 by Lucas Hedgren

Here in Columbus, OH, I am awash in gaming opportunities. I host a weekly game night at my house. That is nothing special. But, in addition, there is a weekly game night at the local game club, Columbus Area Boardgamers. (CABS, for short). Huge library of games you can play that day, and even check out to take home. Couple hundred plus members frequent the club. Lots of game stores that have their own thing, as well as a couple game cafes where you can get together with friends. On top of that, Origins is here in Columbus, and just a few weeks later, Gencon is a mere 3 hours away in Indianapolis. Even more, there are those smaller privately organized weekends of games, with friends and friends of friends. 

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インサイドマン (Inside Man)

Posted on September 5, 2019 by xitoliv

Designer: Chang Yu Di
Artist: Zaza (炸炸)
Publisher: 小雨滴桌遊工作室
Players: 3
Ages: 8+
Playing Time: 5-10 minutes
Times Played: 3 with a purchased copy

I’m a sucker for card games, and even more so when they have an explicit player count. It doesn’t play 2 to 4, it plays exactly 3. Inside Man is a Taiwanese card game that was the penultimate add to my Game Market shopping list from this last Spring (with the last add being a 5-player only card game.) 

While playing exactly 3, it only comes with enough cards for 2 players –because that is all you need.  I don’t totally follow the theme, but roughly, a mafia boss has discovered some sort of undercover cop, a mole of sorts, and has suspicions on another.  He’s devised some sort of test. Also, everyone’s a cat. 

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DAZZLING DICELINE

Posted on September 4, 2019 by xitoliv

Designer: Masaki Suga (須賀 正樹)
Artist: Saori Shibata (柴田 沙央里)
Publisher: analog lunchbox (アナログランチボックス)
Players: 3-4
Ages: 14+
Playing Time: 45-60 minutes
Times Played: 4 with a purchased copy

DAZZLING DICELINE is a dice drafting worker placement game that asks questions about priorities: unlocking end game scoring opportunities or achieving the structures needed to utilize the scoring enablement? If a few locations appear to be disproportionately beneficial, do you throw all your dice at pulling something off to maximize those locations or can you find an alternate strategy that will be competitive?  If the game orbits just a spot or two, is that a detriment to the game, or is figuring out how to maximally access those actions the whole point?

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Patrick Brennan: Game Snapshots –2019 (Part 19)

Posted on September 1, 2019 by pfbrennan

yeah, i was short on time. this is what you get this week. my apologies.

One the stats I like is how many games I play multiple times each year over the last 5 years. You could call them go-to games. To me it’s a sign of quality and longevity, even if it weights towards the lighter end of the gaming spectrum. 

The games aiming to continue their go-to status (if they hit multiple plays again this year) currently include:

  • Bluff – a common opener with the Thursday night group.
  • Hanabi – a standard closer with the Sunday night group.
  • Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – a long-term staple of the Wednesday group.
  • Red7 – I like it at a lot for when a quick filler is needed.
  • Scrabble: my go-to with Mum.
  • Sentinels of the Multiverse – a long-term staple of the Wednesday group.
  • Die Sieben Siegel – a common closer with the Thursday night group.
  • Ticket To Ride – the go-to family game.
  • Vikings – a popular dessert game on Thursday nights after the main dish is done.

Fwiw, I could see Sprawlopolis (see below) potentially joining this list if I ever I can get my hands on a copy. Meanwhile, in other new gaming recently …

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Congratulations to the 2019 IGA Nominees!

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Chris Wray

The nominations for the 2019 International Gamers Awards were just announced.  Congratulations to these games, designers, and publishers!

The IGA is awarded annually by a jury of prominent gamers from around the world, with a stated goal “to recognize outstanding games and designers, as well as the companies that publish them.”  Over the years the IGA has grown to be one of the major prizes in gaming, alongside Germany’s Spiel des Jahres (“Game of the Year”) and the Deutscher Spiele Preis (the “German Game Prize”).  The IGA’s nomination and voting procedures are outlined on the jury’s website (http://www.internationalgamersawards.net/).  

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