To quickly recap, I was asked to try a new toothbrush and tell you what I thought of it. Admittedly, not the “norm” for our site, but I’m willing to give anything a try and goodness knows I love writing. It was with some amusement, then, that I took on the responsibility of testing out the new Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide. Continue reading
Every roll of the dice is important, every exploration is worth undertaking, and the threat of the game ending before the players want it to make the game into an enjoyable “rush” that will keep them on their toes and pushing their luck to be the winner. Legend of the Lost Dutchman is going to be a wonderful game for families and the Gamer Geeks who are looking for a fun game that provides enough meat to chew but never enough to choke on. Continue reading
PLAGUE, by Grey Gnome Games, is a low-fantasy themed trick-taking card game set in the dark ages of Europe where three major kingdoms are in a great war and death is all about. Sword and shield might rule the battlefield, but the Plague can reduce the mightiest army to dust and decay. The game plays fast, has a unique scoring mechanism, and uses simple rules making it highly accessible. Continue reading
Micro Monsters, by Ares Games, is a quick action/dexterity based game of control and conquest that is played out in a pocket universe. The players will be leading a small army of even small monsters into battle, jumping them (literally) into the fray. Careful and thoughtful placement of the monsters is needed to always be as offensive as possible while never making yourself an easy target. Continue reading
GMT Games is one of my favorite publishers, more renowned for board wargames, but venturing into very different territory on occasion. In this case, the two designers are respected wargame designers. While the comic theme is a significant departure from their previous titles, the designers’ background is still evident here, with key game concepts such as hex stacking limits, pinning units, movement points and terrain costs. Continue reading
A successful farmer knows when to buy and when to sell, but the market is a competitive one, which means you must watch your opponents as closely as you watch the market! Simply excellent in its execution, smart in its design (other than the paper money), and thoroughly enjoyable, Fill the Barn is a game you should sit down and play the very first chance you get! Continue reading
FitzIt, by Gamewright, is a word game where the players attempt to match short, descriptive cards to a specific person, place, or thing (a tangible noun), using all the cards they can. Players can build off other players’ cards, but can not share the same noun previously used. The game is a race, of sorts, and challenges the players to use as many cards as they can as quickly as they can. Continue reading
Consider board and card games. Each game has a rule set that defines what a player can and cannot do. Within that rule set, game mechanisms are used to help facilitate play and further reinforce the rules. If you can see patterns in the way the game plays, the way players interact with the game, and the outcome, you can make very smart choices on your turn. You already do this, to a point, and its one of the important Geek Skills: Logical and Critical Thinking. 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 Fluxx is the newest addition to the Fluxx family of card games from Looney Labs. The game doesn’t break any new ground (for those who are already familiar with the Fluxx games), but like the card games before it, the theme of the game is really what it’s all about. All of your favorite classic Wizard of Oz favorites are here, from the most wicked of witches to that little dog who miraculously survives the whole movie. 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
Despite the unpromising start, we had a fantastic experience that first time, diving into the game within 5 minutes of opening the box. Even though we committed several rules errors – entirely my fault, sloppy reading – that did not seem to affect play balance or enjoyment, so the game is robust from that perspective. Player choices are limited, but we all had a great time. Continue reading
