Killing time on a long bus ride with teenagers can be tedious, but not when you have father geeks riding with you. Downtime is game time! Let’s play Werewolf! I think the teenagers enjoyed having a couple of “old people” in the game and they certainly made us feel welcome. Funny though, being an adult immediately makes you a suspicious character! Continue reading
We all keep track of some hero, be they real or imaginary. Lots of us keep track of athletes and the sports they play, following their careers with great interest. I traded football cards for a short time and loved reading the stats of each of the players depicted. Now, in a age of computers and GPS satellites, we have a new way of watching. Continue reading
Top This! is certainly not breaking any new ground, but it does a great job all the same. The pizza theme it uses as its background and base is perfect for the medium in which it is played. While the game won’t be winning any prestigious awards for complex and deep game play, it is sure to deliver fun and light entertainment. Continue reading
What do you get when you combine chemical elements with word play? No, not the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything (that’s “42”, silly). What you do get is a unique word game that will challenge players to make the shortest words as possible using the symbols (abbreviations) of the elements. In fact, the name of the game, TIN, is derived from the symbols of Titanium (Ti) and Nitrogen (N)! Understand the origins of the game’s name and you already know how to play. Continue reading
My children (5 and 7-years-old) clamored to play Spinnengift und Krötenschleim over and over. They were especially tickled to talk about the stinky mushroom and the mouse droppings (also known as rat poo). If certain items were discovered to be close to my side of the table, they would tell me delightedly that I must have been eating these disgusting condiments. Continue reading
The Kingdom was at peace, both within its borders and with the neighboring lands. Prosperity and opportunity was in abundance and many claimed it was a new golden age. But within the castle, the prince of the now old King looked out upon the land and felt nothing but hate in his heart. He saw a land full of lazy, fat people who would be easy to rule. All he needed was power and he was willing to do whatever it took to claim it. Continue reading
Dragons, trolls, undead skeleton warriors, goblins, and orcs muster outside the walls of the castle. From the parapets, the commanders and a handful of Heroes look down at the massing Legions of Darkness. The walls of the castle are thick and old, well seasons by the elements and war. The castle has stood against time and against countless foes, but the army that is approaching is bigger than any warrior can remember. Continue reading
I really enjoyed Word Wars I.II.III. I found it to be terribly frustrating and rewarding, leaving me giddy when I was able to make three simple words. Only three! And yet, it felt like an incredible feat of intelligence. This is especially true when you score points. It really is a challenge of intellect and seeing words in a cloud of limited possibilities is a great puzzle to solve. Continue reading
A fellow fatherly geek writes to us for advice on how he might safely exit his personal collectible card game Hell. Well, were’ no Virgil, but we think we can help guide this poor soul out with some helpful advice. And no, not a drop of Holy Water or lengthy rituals are necessary. All that is needed is time, patience, and the will to play Candy Land and games about cute little monsters you capture in small plastic balls for a couple of years. Continue reading
Victory has a lot going for it. It is fast, nail-biting, and requires skill. It is not just a game that you can expect to play well by only partially paying attention. The players must constantly reevaluate their opponent’s and their own position as meeples are removed and replaced, or even reinforced on the battlefield. But the game has some serious set backs, too. Continue reading
You’ve got the land, built the cages and pens, and are ready to open your zoo! One problem, though, you have no animals! No worries, you can go out and capture the animals you need to fill your zoo. Oh, but there’s the type of animals to think about. You can’t just go putting lions next to kangaroos or fill an entire section of your zoo with moose, after all! Jeepers, owning a zoo is work! No time to think about your career choices now! Go grab your net and start bagging critters! Continue reading
Despite being forewarned, I was surprised how quickly my little geeks grasped the concept of this game. It is easy to understand, rather more difficult to explain. The first time we played, I won quite comfortably, not by any means a walkover though. Subsequently, I have struggled to keep up with my 7-year-old son and my 5-year-old daughter is not far behind. Continue reading
