Author Archives: Cyrus

About Cyrus

Editor in Chief, Owner/Operator, Board Game Fanatic, Father of Three, and Nice Guy, Cyrus has always enjoyed board, card, miniature, role playing, and video games, but didn't get back into the hobby seriously until early 2000. Once he did, however, he was hooked. He now plays board games with anyone and everyone he can, but enjoys playing with his children the most. Video games continue to be of real interest, but not as much as dice and little miniatures. As he carefully navigates the ins and outs of parenting, he does his very best to bestow what wisdom he has and help nurture his children's young minds. It is his hope and ambition to raise three strong, honorable men who will one day go on to do great things and buy their Mom and Dad a lobster dinner. Cyrus goes by the handle fathergeek on Board Game Geek. You can also check him out on CyrusKirby.com. Yes, he has a URL that is his name. His ego knows no bounds, apparently....

Twisty Little Passages Game Review (prepublished version)

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Hungarian inventor, architect, professor of architecture, and the creator of the Rubik’s Cube, Erno Rubik, said “When you are studying from a book, lots of people go straight to the end to look for the answers. But that’s not my style. For me, the most enjoyable part is the puzzle, the process of solving, not the solution itself.” Suggesting that the path to the puzzle’s solution is the adventure. In this book of puzzles, you take on the role of a spy who must risk it all to save the kingdom from a powerful evil. Each step is a puzzle to solve and a danger to encounter! Continue reading →

Pumpkin Patch: Bad Seeds Game Review

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American author, journalist, activist, and the Lewis K. Chan Arts Lecturer and Professor of Practice of Non-Fiction at Harvard University, Michael Pollan, said “The garden suggests there might be a place where we can meet nature halfway.” But what if that garden is full of evil? How far would you want to meet something that isn’t in the mood to be picked, but is always hungry? Yikes. Continue reading →

CoreBall: The Zero Gravity Sport Game Review (prepublished version)

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German inventor, game developer, and engineer, Ralph Baer, said “People love video games because they do things they obviously can’t do in real life. That’s especially true with sports games because fans love to step into the shoes of their favorite athletes.” So very true. In this game, players get to step into the shoes of highly trained athletes who play a competitive game that is a mix of football and rugby. The arena is also a battle ground, where every movement is done in zero gravity and momentum could push you to victory or off the edge, spinning into space. Continue reading →

Gulp! Game Review (prepublished version)

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American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, science popularizer, and science communicator in astronomy and other natural sciences, Carl Sagan, said “Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” If such is the case, than life is a continual struggle at every level. Take, for example, the trials and tribulations for all below the waves of our oceans. Every fish is a potential meal and the line between life and death is just a bite away. Continue reading →

Sticks! Game Review

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British author, speaker and international advisor on education in the arts to government, non-profits, education and arts bodies, Sir Kenneth Robinson, said “Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it’s produced the most extraordinary results in human culture.” Imagination is truly powerful, and the more we use it, the better it becomes. In this game, simple rules and game components give the players just enough to get them started and nothing to hold them back. Continue reading →

Aftershock: A Tavern Game Review

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Indian economist and an international academician, Raghuram Govind Rajan, said “Competition is like a treadmill. If you stand still, you get swept off. But when you run, you can never really get ahead of the treadmill and cover new terrain – so you never run faster than the speed that is set.” But what if you could shift the direction in which that treadmill was moving? Say, from going forward to backwards and then sideways? That would certainly cause many to fall on their face. In this game, expect the ground you are building your victory upon to shift without warning. Continue reading →

uDog Game Review

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British publisher, Henry George Bohn, said “Every dog is a lion at home.” In this game, each player will control a small set of marbles (or dogs, if you like). The objective is clear. Take those marbles and bring them home, but the road is not an easy one to travel. As they journey, players will encounter other “dogs” who will get in the way and even cause progress gained to be quickly lost. Continue reading →

Smoking Aces Game Review

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American hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, bestselling author, venture capitalist and podcaster, James Altucher, said “Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.” Poker is a card game that has been played for generations. Be it around the campfire out on the lone prairie or at a high-stakes table in Vegas, the game is always the same. Play your card, take a risk, and attempt to out think your opponent. This Poker derivative, however, adds a twist. Continue reading →

My First Castle Panic Game Review

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American poet, peacemaker, and a philosopher who played, Mattie J.T. Stepanek, said “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” In this game, all players must work together to save their castle. This is a children’s game, but the lessons in cooperation it teaches is worth an adult’s time. Get the family together and save your kingdom! Continue reading →

Pathogenesis Game Review (prepublished version)

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American science, nature and travel writer, David Quammen, said “You can’t take a knife on a plane anymore, but you can get on carrying a virus.” Suggesting that a virus is just as dangerous as a weapon, which is correct. The Center for Disease control calculated that 48.8 million people suffered the flu in 2018. Out of that number, 79,400 lost their lives to it. Death by a virus. Something so small you need a powerful microscope to see it. In this game, you will play as the virus attacking the body. It’s an epic battle at a very micro-level. Continue reading →

Invictus Game Review (prepublished version)

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French general and military theorist, Ferdinand Foch, said “The will to conquer is the first condition of victory.” Mankind has grown bold and powerful, turning to their faith in technology rather than the gods. It’s time to put mankind back in its place, but who shall lead? The most powerful? The most cunning? While mankind battles on the earth below, the gods battle among themselves to rule all. Continue reading →

Danger: The Game Review

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American comedian, actor, juggler and writer, W.C. Fields, said “The world is getting to be such a dangerous place, a man is lucky to get out of it alive.” For many of us, our daily lives are full of predictable situations and outcomes. The most dangerous experience we’ll have are more of an annoyance than actual threat to life and limb. In this game, prepare to be put in very bad situations that you’ll have to quickly determine how best to get out of using your imagination, wit, and lot of persuading. Continue reading →