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....

Wig Out! Game Review

We all want to be unique individuals, despite also wanting to fit in. How can we standout while at the same time wrap the warm protective arms of the status quo about our shoulders? It’s a conundrum, but not entirely impossible. In today’s age, fashion tends to be the medium in which an individual celebrates their individuality. Be it clothes, fragrance, and even hairstyles. But uniqueness can be drowned out by the masses and attempting to recognize one person in a sea of faces is darn tough. Continue reading

Craniatics Puzzle Game Review

We keep our body strong by running, lifting weights, and doing other exercises. This helps us stay healthy and look crazy good in a swimsuit. But we can’t take our brains to the gym. Or can we? Working with puzzles is the equivalent to putting your brain on a treadmill. By forcing your brain to think differently, new neural pathways are created and the dust that has settled on your mind is removed. Grab your water bottle and let’s do some heavy brain crunches! Continue reading

Examplary Game Review

The human brain learns by example and association. Something new is put in front of you and your brain immediately starts to think, “oh, this is like (insert thing here)!” This is how we learned NOT to pet saber-toothed tigers and to avoid hiding underneath mammoths. In short,we learn through observation. The more we observe and experience, the more we can personally relate to the world around us. Time to test how closely you’ve paying attention! Continue reading

Obligatory Gen Con 2013 Summary

Let me first preface this summary by stating how incredibly tired I am. Gen Con is not so much an event as it is a trial of the mind and body. A geek is constantly bombarded by sounds, sights, and odors. Very little sleep is had, bad (but tasty) food is eaten in terribly unhealthy portions, and the smells from the Indianapolis sewer system hit you like a pissed off boxer every time you walk outside. Regardless of the mental and physical onslaught, I keep coming back as do the thousands I had the pleasure to mingle with at Gen Con this year. Continue reading

Botchee Deluxe Game Review

Puzzle solving is a great way to exercise the left and right side of the human brain. A puzzle solver must be analytical and creative at the same time, especially when the puzzle being solved is a race. Flex your mental muscle and find or create patterns in this puzzle game where rolling the dice is optional! With five different ways to play and room to create your own puzzlers, this small pocket game could be a big hit for puzzle game lovers. Continue reading

Mad Rush Rally Game Review

You’ve built your car and are ready to race! Pulling your vehicle up to the starting line, you size up the competition. Pfff! Amateurs! You don’t see any car packing a bomb thrower or a mounted extendable arm. This is going to be easy! Then you notice that the next car over has a caged squirrel in the front passenger seat. The squirrel turns, locks eyes with you, and frowns menacingly. Hmm, you think, this might be an interesting race after all. Continue reading

Noble Blood Game Review (prepublished version)

The great City by the river sleeps as the stars above it twinkle like a thousand torches. But all is not quiet. Moving from shadow to shadow are the undead and they are hungry. These vampires search for blood to feed upon to sustain their existence. The humans are powerless to fight off the hungry vampires, but the great City only has so many necks to bite. The Vampire Lords must fiercely compete for the one resource that matters most: noble blood. Continue reading

Tessen Game Review (prepublished version)

For generations, the great clans have fought. Unrest and lawlessness soon followed in the wake of the constant violence. The Shogun was furious and called the leaders of the clans to attend him. He proposed a trial of wits and skill that would pit the clans’ best against each other. To the victor would go the Shogun’s favor. Honor bound, the clans sheathed their swords, but their ancient feud was far from over. Continue reading

Fastrack: NHL Edition Game Review

Hockey is one of those games that you don’t need to know how to play to enjoy. A typical hockey game is a blur of ice and flying sticks. Keeping an eye on the puck proves to be very difficult at times as it whizzes back and forth between players. Sometimes the game is a ballet of synchronized procession and sometimes a brutal brawl of punches. The ice rink might be cold, but the games are always hot. Now you can put the heat on your coffee table, too. Continue reading

Wizard Dodgeball Game Review

Once a year, wizards and witches gather to witness one of the most popular sports found in multiple interplanar dimensions. Throughout the season, Wizard Dodgeball teams have been competing in the rankings. At the end of the year, the top 2 teams face each other. While the game is non-lethal, it’s nonetheless intense. Fireballs and rubber balls fly from one end of the field to the other constantly. Grab your wand and lace up your sneakers! It’s game time! Continue reading

Bocce Dice Game Review (prepublished version)

Sophocles once said, “The dice of Zeus always fall luckily.” That might very well be true for the Greek god of the sky and thunder, but hardly a common occurrence for us earthbound mortals. Luck is an invisible but ever-present force that gamers know all too well. One moment you’ll be the lead dog and the next moment you’ll be behind the pack. In this game of fickle dice and dexterity, you can make your own luck…and bitter rivalries! But it’s all in fun. Continue reading