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....

BaristaCat Game Review (prepublished version)

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American lawyer and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, said, “If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.” It amuses me to think how difficult a customer President Lincoln would have been if he had a coffee shop nearby. I mean, come on dude, make up your mind. But nothing compares to the customers in this game that demand their coffee meow and won’t leave until they get it. So do what you can to please the customers, but keep in mind at all times that you need to get paid, too. Continue reading →

Dale of Merchants 3: The Grand Continental Railway Game Review

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French novelist, poet, and playwright, Jules Verne, said: “Trains, like time and tide, stop for no one.”. Heavy powerful, trains will travel on their tracks, laboring with their load, no matter the weather. In the world of commerce, the railroad system opened new corridors to profit and opportunity. Prosperity can now be found in distant corners of the land that could only be traveled to by foot. For you, a savvy merchant always on the lookout for new markets, the rails offer a gateway to new riches, but the competition is always fierce. Continue reading →

Spy Sabotage Game Review (prepublished version)

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English actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, said “I’ve always wanted to play a spy because it’s the ultimate acting exercise. You are never what you seem.” In this game, it’s self-evident who everyone is: spies and backstabbers all. The goal is espionage, bluffing, and sabotaging. Players must be ruthless but never lose their cool or wit. Play your cards right, and you’ll win. It’s all about balance in a game that is intended to unnerve you. Continue reading →

Dracula’s Feast: Cthulhu and Friends Game Expansion Review

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Some parties are doomed to fail right from the start. Case in point, Dracula’s latest bash at the castle. First, he had uninvited guests crashing his delightful get-together. Then, just when he thought he had that under control, an ominous knock at the door echoed throughout the castle halls. It looks like Dracula has more unexpected visitors, but this time, these unexpected additions to the party are here to stay. Continue reading →

Dracula’s Feast Game Review

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American novelist, newspaper, and magazine editor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries known for his sharp wit, E. W. Howe, said, “To be an ideal guest, stay at home.” Dracula is holding the biggest party of the year, but not everyone attending was invited. Now Dracula is less than pleased and is threatening to throw everyone out, but if you can unmask the unwanted guests before you are shown the door, the party can continue. The problem is, you might be the unwanted guest, and no one wants the party to end. Continue reading →

Summer Camp Game Review

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Summer camp, for many children, is the first opportunity to be away from their parents, jump in a stupidly cold lake, and master the sacred art of burning the bejesus out of your s’more. For some, it meant a night in cabins telling ghost stories by flashlight. For others, it meant sleeping under the stars and late-night campfires. For all, summer camp is an adventure full of memories, bug bites, and maybe a first kiss. Return to summer camp at your family table. This game does not require bug spray or sunscreen but will need you to think about how you want to build your adventure. Continue reading →

Super Mega Lucky Box Game Review

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American astrophysicist, cosmologist, and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics laureate John C. Mather said: “There is strength in numbers, but organizing those numbers is one of the great challenges.” In this game, players will be tasked to complete cards by crossing out random numbers. But look deeper, and you see that between the known and the unknown, the moment when there is limited and unlimited potential, there is a great deal of apprehension and excitement. It can be addictive. Randomness and luck might be everywhere, but we can infer a great deal by simply observing and making smart choices. And that’s the game. Continue reading →

Munchkin Marvel Game Review

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Beloved and missed American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer, Stan Lee, said: “With great power comes great responsibility.” In this game, players take on the role of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents who are tasked to put down dangerous supervillains who threaten humanity and sometimes cosmic balance. To do so, they must grow in strength and acquire powers. But growing stronger also means making yourself vulnerable. With great power does come responsibility, but it also includes a giant target on your back. Continue reading →

The Whatnot Cabinet Game Review

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A curio cabinet is a display case or shelf that can hold just about anything. At a glance, it appears to be nothing more than a collection of random bits and pieces. A small drawing of a girl by a pond, an old brass key with no lock to work, a bit of sand in a glass jar from a distant shore, and an old watch that has long since stopped telling the hour correctly except for two times a day. Some might see this as junk, but take a closer look, and you’ll see treasures. In this game, players will take their own journey and collect items of personal value. Placing them on their shelves is only the beginning, as collecting and organizing intelligently is how you win the game. Continue reading →

Dale of Merchants Collection Game Review

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American economist, Paul Samuelson, said “Economics is a choice between alternatives all the time. Those are the trade-offs.” If that is the case, having more choices certainly seems like a step in the right direction. A case in point is this nice collection of new game enhancements to the Dale of Merchants series that brings more fun in different ways. As always, be careful who you enlist to help you become the leaders of the merchants, but with so many choices, how can you go wrong? Continue reading →

Snakesss Game Review

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To call someone a “snake” is to suggest they are underhanded and being deceitful. A person who is a “snake in the grass” is even worse. Not only are they deceitful, but they are doing so with the intent of harming you in some way. In this game, the grass is high, and there be snakes hidden at your ankles. But worry not, as a helpful mongoose has your back. The trick, however, is knowing a friend from foe. Trust who you will, but never doubt that some have forked tongues. Continue reading →

Dale of Merchants 2: The Era of Trade Masters Game Review

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Czech writer best know for The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera, said “Business has only two functions – marketing and innovation.” In this game, it’s all about getting the goods to market and beating the competition to the punch. You must be creative, innovative, and most of all, flexible. All your plans at the moment might go up in smoke or all your wildest dreams might come true, but way too soo. It’s all about balance, supply, demand, and outthinking your opponent. Continue reading →