Smash Up: Oops, You Did It Again Game Expansion Review

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There are two types of people who go to buffets. Those who like variety and those who like bulk. We could argue that “more does not mean better”, but try having that conversation when presented with 12 feet of assorted desserts. But sometimes you just want a cookie. Is there a best of both worlds? For buffets, probably not. On your gaming table, certainly. This game can be used as a single serving or the first of many, many games to consume. Continue reading →

Endogenesis Game Review (prepublished version)

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You were one of the first. You saw the dawn of creation and have drifted among the stars for eons. You were content to simply observe and learn, but then something changed. You got bored. The more you knew, the more you started to feel you were missing something. Curious, you began visiting new realms and realities. You became stronger. Curiosity was replaced by greed and you became hungry for power. Now you fight for domination over all forms of reality, no longer content to simply watch. You want to rule. Continue reading →

Istanbul: The Dice Game Review

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American economist, George Reisman, said “Whoever claims that economic competition represents ‘survival of the fittest’ in the sense of the law of the jungle, provides the clearest possible evidence of his lack of knowledge of economics.” In this game, the strong will not win, but the smart will and so will the patient. Prices will change as demand stays steady and goods become limited. You don’t need to be lion to survive in this jungle, but don’t be sheepish when it comes to making tough choices. Continue reading →

Smash Up: The Bigger Geekier Box Expansion Review

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English writer, H.G. Wells, said “The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow.” For many lovers of board games who have many titles on their multiple shelves (me included), the ongoing crisis is storage. Individual games, no problem. Games with expansions? Many expansions? How the heck do we keep the core game and its expansions in one place? AEG, the publishers of Smash Up, have a BIG solution. Continue reading →

Grackles Game Review

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I remember looking out the car window when I was a kid as my family traveled from one end of the United States to another and seeing a long line of birds sitting on a telephone wire. I thought to myself, “what are they waiting for?” Years later, I would watch Hitchcock’s The Birds and know the horrific truth. In this game, you’ll be helping to organize a gaggle of grackles on multiple telephone wires. Lucky for everyone, these birds are here for fun, not for human blood. Continue reading →

The Curse of Misfortune Lane Game Review (prepublished version)

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Every town has its secrets. Its dark past. Your town is no different. Except for one very important detail. Every 13th of Friday, a curse is let loose that brings nightmares to all who live on Misfortune Lane. No more. You and your friends at school have decided to break this curse. But being a kid that no adults listen to, what can you do? Not much, perhaps, and the monster in the shadows is counting on it! Continue reading →

Gobs of Jobs Game Review

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Before we all had jobs and moved into a career, we had chores. These were small tasks that paid us money. Not much, but the fact that we were paid for our time and effort helped us to understand the value of money and of work. In this game, players will need to balance their time and their money, learning that how you make your money is just as important as how you spend it. Continue reading →

The Civil War Experience Game Review

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American author and a professor of history, Douglas Brinkley, said “We can only imagine the history of the free world today if, at the end of the Civil War, there had been two countries: the United States and the Confederate States of America.” In this game, you get to relive the bloody history of our nation at war with itself. Pick a side, send in your troops, and command the battleground. Continue reading →

Tahiti Game Review

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American playwright, essayist, and figure in twentieth-century American theater, Arthur Miller, said “Where choice begins, Paradise ends, innocence ends, for what is Paradise but the absence of any need to choose this action?” In this game, you live on a beautiful tropical island that is rich with beauty, but not with resources. You must brave the ocean and visit nearby islands in hopes of finding what you need to survive. Be smart or your paradise will turn into a hell. Continue reading →

Mapmaker: The Gerrymandering Game Review (prepublished version)

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Ancient Roman statesman, orator, lawyer and philosopher, Marcus Tullius Cicero, said “Nothing is more unreliable than the populace, nothing more obscure than human intentions, nothing more deceptive than the whole electoral system.” He died, by the way, for political reasons, so we can properly assume he knew what he was talking about. In this game, physical death by sword is not a possibility, but a political death is only a vote away. Continue reading →

Evil Overlord Game Review (prepublished version)

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Contemporary American crime writer, Patricia Cornwell, said “I believe the root of all evil is abuse of power.” In this game, abusing power by any means possible is the name of the game. You are a lesser lord of evil, but what you really want to be when you grow up is an Evil Overlord, the supreme ruler of all of things “not good or even remotely great”. But there’s a catch. You are not the only one with ambition and the hordes of evil at your command can be cantankerous. Oh, well. If it was easy, you’d most likely wouldn’t want the job. Continue reading →

Tales of Danger: Days of Discovery Game Review

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Portugal 1290. The known world is divided up and ruled by kings and queens, each looking for opportunities to extend their kingdoms and influence. You are an explorer, a sailor, and adventurer. You have found what appears to be an unknown chain of islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. If your charts and information is correct, these islands will serve as a foothold into the unknown world! But first, you must convince the royal powers that such a trip is worth taking, then find a crew and a sea worthy boat. Then, finally, take the voyage itself to the fabled “Land of Danger”. Continue reading →