American writer, Thomas Harris, said ” Problem solving is hunting. It is a savage pleasure and we are born to it.” Regardless of your own personal beliefs on the morality of hunting in the modern age, it cannot be argued that primitive man hunted to survive and was hunted in turn. Today, hunting is a past-time enjoyed by many. Now you, too, can go hunting at your gaming table. Continue reading
My toothbrush is smarter than you. I’m not saying this to anger or provoke you. I am simply stating a fact. And if it makes you feel any better, the toothbrush is smarter than me, too. Where my toothbrush leaves you and I in the dust is oral hygiene. Which, when you stop and consider it, is really the only place where a “smart toothbrush” could have any advantage. Continue reading
Oz is not a happy fairy tale. Politics and intrigue are rampant as power struggles between opposing forces divides the land and its people. It is here that a young girl from Kansas first enters the story as a hapless traveler and later becomes Oz’s greatest hero. Lifted right from the pages of L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, the history of the land and its strange inhabitants are presented to the players to explore and rewrite as they see fit. Continue reading
The English language is difficult to learn because it’s something of a hodgepodge of other languages thrown together, blended, poured into a big cultural glass, and served with a small umbrella. Many words that we consider to be “English” are actually words from other languages. In this game, you’ll be asked to create words from small snippets. You’d think that would be easy, but not always. Continue reading
Zooloretto Mini, by game designer Michael Schacht, is a tile placement game that tasks the players to organize and fill their zoo intelligently and to manage a certain amount of risk at the same time. Challenging and rewarding without being heavy or difficult, Zooloretto Mini will be a fun game to play at your family table with little geeks, friends, and gamer elitists. Plus, baby animals! Continue reading
Ouija boards, also known as “Spirit boards”, are believed by some to be a tool to communicate with the dead. Some also believe that the Ouija is capable of opening up doors that should not be approached. Regardless of your personal belief, one thing is for certain. Ouija boards continue to be popular in our culture, be it in movies, stories, or sleepovers. In this game, you’ll make use of a Ouija board to learn secrets and, if played with the right people, have fun. Continue reading
What I consider to be game playing basics really has nothing to do with games. They are just a few basic life skills that happen to be applied to just about every game you come across. The two skills I will be referring to are those of process and community. Continue reading
To obtain power, one must take risks. There are others who seek the same prize as you and are just as willing to risk it all. This makes the prize all the more precious and dangerous. To the victor will go all the spoils. For those who are defeated, a shallow grave is their only reward, but such is the fate of all who reach too far and fall. Continue reading
The classic game of Candy Land hardly even needs an explanation. Players choose a colored gingerbread man piece and move along a multi-colored path towards the game-winning objective of Candy Castle, where you find the lost king of Candy Land. Along the way, you might get to visit special locations like Gum Drop Mountain, and Candy Cane Forest, or you might get to meet special characters such as Princess Frostine and Gramma Nutt. Continue reading
If you are looking for a fun and fast paced auction game where players can interact with each other and nothing is ever a “sure thing”, look no further than Sucker. This game is most certainly not a lemon, although you will feel bitter towards other players who steal your Buyers. Then again, all is fair in love and car sales. Continue reading
Now you can play a rousing game of Reverse Charades and be festive with the season! This jolly expansion introduces new words to challenge the players that cover Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years Eve, and even the secular holiday bash known as Festivus. Not a single holiday trope is left untouched! Gather the family and ring in the New Year or help bolster the Holiday Spirit with this celebratory game expansion. Continue reading
Those who follow the ways of magic look at technology as a blight that ruins the natural order of things. Those who favor technology see those who use magic as unnatural and cursed. Both factions fear and hate each other. Their bitter rivalry will now end, once and for all. Continue reading
