Games requiring strategic and tactical thought often take much time and attention. Frequently, these games have a "slow burn" as players make minor adjustments to shift their footing to find solid ground for victory. The same can be said for this game but without the need to spend a good hour plotting and planning. No, you have less than 30 minutes to outmaneuver your foes, set your traps, and get out of the way before things get explosive.
In this game, players will attempt to bluff their way to the winner's circle by balancing truth with fiction, creating an evergrowing possibility that their little lies and cheats will blow up in their faces. Telling the truth is always best, but it won't grant you victory. What will is keeping a straight face and not sweating when the heat is cranked up via the competition.
French army officer and statesman who led the Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Republic from 1944 to 1946 to restore democracy in France, Charles de Gaulle, said, "The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs." This is to say that dogs are perhaps more pleasant to be around. Which is found to be the case for many. I'm a cat person, and I find dogs to be a bit neurotic and energetic (keep in mind I have five kids and more than enough energy available to me without the need for a dog). In this game, regardless of how you feel about feline or canine companions, you'll be treated to an opportunity to be an unruly pup. Just be sure not to get caught by your owner!
In an age where we can travel into space and fly around the world in jets, there is still something romantic and awe-inspiring about hot air balloons. These majestic and often colorful contraptions are nothing more than a giant balloon filled with hot air and a basket for those brave enough to ride in. I have no interest in ever riding in one, but I am always compelled to stop and watch as one goes slowly across the sky. Such is the power and beauty of watching something the size of a large house float by silently in a world where everything around us makes noise. In this game, you'll be one of the brave souls who can ride aloft in the sky in a basket as your balloon lifts you into the clear blue.
The Great City of Petra was established by road-harden nomadic traders who wanted to end their wandering to create a central trading hub. It would quickly become the center of trade in the region and earn those who wandered its streets and dealt in the markets great wealth and influence. But this is not the story of Petra as it was, but how Petra might have come to be. Take command of your nomadic tribe and guide your camels across the desert to create trade routes, build monuments, and secure a future for the great city yet to be. All will live in prosperity once Petra is built, but only one tribe will significantly contribute to the city's success.
Every family has a "family game." One that they either created themselves from scratch or taken from another game. Either way, the results are something familiar enough to easily allow anyone to learn how to play and unique enough to be a particular part of a family's collective memory. This game does just that by taking a tried and true game many have played and adding a personal touch passed down through generations. And like all loved things, they only become more significant and grow when shared with others.