Fences: The Ranch Game Expansion Review (prepublished version)

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Your little farm has grown in size! With your newfound success (and good luck), you have decided to expand your operation to includes animals, making your little farmstead into a fully-functioning ranch. With new goals in mind and opportunities to pursue, you’ll have to manage not only the day-to-day operations of the farmland but the many animals, as well. Do you have what it takes to become the biggest ranch in the area? Continue reading →

RPG Battles: The Card Game Review (prepublished version)

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Being a hero means you risk it all, for there is a treasure to be won, fame to be earned, and a legend to build! The life of a hero is short and bright, as a result. So sad that many a hero has breathed their last in the darkness of dungeons or crypts. Regardless of the warnings and obvious threats, you grab your equipment and venture forth with a group you don’t entirely trust. Danger and adventure await! And death… Lots of death. Continue reading →

Dungeon Decorators Game Review (prepublished version)

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English interior designer and socialite, Nicky Haslam, said, “Interior decoration partly thrives on being social.” Which makes sense, but how would that work if you were tasked to design the “perfect dungeon” for a malevolent evil entity with a penchant for ruling the world with an iron fist? What kind of throw pillow fabric pattern goes well with hanging skeletons and flesh-eating monsters? Paisley? Maybe. In this game, you get to make all those choices. You’ve been hired to design the perfect dungeon, with twists, turns, and the proper accents to make the evil dwelling really “pop”! Continue reading →

Plunder: A Pirate’s Life Game Review

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Pirates and the life of a privateer have been romanticized over the years making it seem that such a trade was full of adventure, treasure, and bold deeds. It was for some. For most, it was a life of hardship, danger, and sickness. I bet you won’t see a Disney film like that and thankfully, you don’t need to truly relive it, either. It’s fun and can be exciting to imagine what it would be like to own a ship, a crew, and have an unquenchable desire for gold. In this game, you get to live out that fantasy by leading a small armada, finding treasure, and sending your enemies to the bottom of the sea. Continue reading →

Kingdomino Duel Game Review

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You have won the realm, but now you must rule it, and to do so, you must divide it among your loyal royals. And while you want to reward each for their service, you know that each royal will not provide you the same level of prestige you seek. “Divide and conquer” was your motto when on the battlefield, leading your troops. Now you must do the same with the politics of the land. Some would say it was easier to fight and bleed for the realm in times of war than manage it during times of peace. Continue reading →

The #UpsideDownChallenge Game Review

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Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, said, “Everything that happens, happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so.” In this game, what you observe everyday is turned – literally – upside down. The sky is at your feet, the table is hanging from the ceiling, and left is most certainly right. Prepare to enter a world where even the easiest of tasks like writing a word becomes a legendary chore. It’ll be challenging, to say the least, but to win you only need to observe your new temporary reality with its wacky flip-flopped rules. Continue reading →

Thalara: The Last Artifacts Game Review (prepublished version)

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Magic, like any other resource, is finite. It has great power but was squandered on petty miracles and destructive wars. A new age is now beginning where the magic in the world has become rare, but its potential is still limitless. You frantically search for powerful artifacts that contain magical reserves that you can tap into. As magic dwindles, the hunger of those who use it grows ever more intense. Now you and others fight for the magical table scraps that remain. Continue reading →

Stripes Game Review

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Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and theatre designer, Pablo Picasso, said, “Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No. Just as one can never learn how to paint.” In this game, players will be shifting the position of colored stripes, making patterns. The complexity of the game is not the matching of the colors, but the proper arrangement and timing of the alignment. In the act of doing so, the players bring forth color harmony. Continue reading →

Thinkocrats: Country Comps Game Review

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Italian polymath of the High Renaissance known for his paintings and creative mind, Leonardo da Vinci, said, “Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets.” In this game, statistical information about 52 countries that comprise 93% of the world economy, 82% of the world population, and 73% of the Earth’s landmass are provided in an easy to read and compare values. Learning about the world has never been so easy! Leonardo would be proud. Continue reading →

Varia Game Review

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Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, said, “When life is victorious, there is birth; when it is thwarted, there is death. A warrior is always engaged in a life-and-death struggle for Peace.” In this game, peace is only granted the dead. Players will take on the role of a mighty warrior who is highly skilled in their specific field of combat. Battles are head-to-head and toe-to-toe. The only weapons they have are the few items they bring with them and their wits to outmaneuver their foe. Continue reading →

Top Tale Game Review (prepublished version)

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American spiritual teacher, psychologist, and author, Ram Dass, said, “Each of us finds his unique vehicle for sharing with others his bit of wisdom.” Humans learn by observing and listening. There was a time when everything you knew was passed down to you verbally or through physical instruction. This was later enhanced with books that captured ideas that could be shared again and again. Now we have the internet that allows us to share pretty much everything. And yet, we still yearn for the quiet moments where we can just sit and talk. In this game, taking a moment to pause, share, and laugh is the player’s only goal. Continue reading →