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....

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 →

Fossil Canyon Game Review (prepublished version)

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American paleontologist who helped reshape modern theories about dinosaurs, Robert T. Bakker, said, “Fossils have richer stories to tell – about the lub-dub of dinosaur life – than we have been willing to listen to.” There is always something new to discover, and the only way to find it is to dig. Dig in the earth and then dig through all the possibilities of what life must have been like for these long-extinct giants that once walked where we now stand. In this game, players take on the role of a paleontologist and attempt to find and then build a complete dinosaur skeleton. Little do the players know that the real competition is the paleontologist sitting next to them. So dig deep and dig fast. Continue reading →

Mandala Stones Game Review

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Dutch post-impressionist painter, Vincent van Gogh, said, “The great artist is the simplifier.” In this game, players will be asked to make what is seemingly simple decisions, collecting colors, and creating patterns, with the intent of creatively scoring while at the same time creating art. All the while, the player’s opponents are doing the same. Artists might be simplifiers, but when you share a small canvas with more than one, things go from simple to elaborately complex. Continue reading →

Twisted Game of War Game Review

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American politician and women’s rights advocate Jeannette Rankin said, “You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake.” Unlike real war, in this game of quick skirmishes and battles, there will always be a winner. But as you’ll soon read, not everyone who played felt like they spent their time wisely, including the winners of the game. Continue reading →

Domaniacal Game Review

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I fondly recall playing Dominos with my grandmother at the family table when I was just a little Child Geek. I don’t recall there being much of a “game” to it other than having fun matching numbers and creating interesting connections. Little did I know my grandmother was tricking me into doing math, recognizing patterns, and thinking strategically about what tiles I was using! Much later, I would use the same trick with my own little geeks, which worked great. In this game, the same is asked of its players, but the only real trick is managing your hand intelligently, so you always have options and a road to victory. Continue reading →

Seven Dragons Game Review

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The very first fantasy creature I can remember falling in love with is the dragon. A fearsome foe to fight in games and a wise teacher in others. They represent chaos and order, destruction and creation. Dragons have been part of mythology in just about every culture and continue to be a topic of discussion, interest, and admiration. In this game, players will attempt to match different colored dragons to the table, and just like dealing with real fake dragons, you best be careful how you go about it. Never trust a dragon, and never trust this game to give victory to you easily. Continue reading →

Urgency Game Review

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It turns out there were geeks in the most ancient of times. Case in point, a board game was unearthed during an excavation at the ruins of the ancient city of Ur that dated back to 2600 BCE. Through several other discoveries, the complete board game was found, including the rules and the pieces. This is great, but this ancient game needed a modern spin. Enter Urgency that takes an ancient way of playing a game and gives it a fresh new take that will leave you feeling renewed, despite playing a ridiculously old game. Continue reading →

Earth Rising: Twenty Years to Transform Our World Game Review (prepublished version)

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American author, philosopher, naturalist, scientist, ecologist, forester, conservationist, and environmentalist Aldo Leopold said: “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.” In this game, humankind and our planet are out of balance. Poverty and unsustainable practices are causing our resources to diminish, humanity to hurt, and our planet to wither. But all is not lost. Take on the role of an ecological hero and help humanity rise to save our Earth. Just know you cannot do it yourself. This is a team effort that will take everyone to succeed! Continue reading →