Smoking Aces Game Review

American hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, bestselling author, venture capitalist and podcaster, James Altucher, said “Poker is a skill game pretending to be a chance game.” Poker is a card game that has been played for generations. Be it around the campfire out on the lone prairie or at a high-stakes table in Vegas, the game is always the same. Play your card, take a risk, and attempt to out think your opponent. This Poker derivative, however, adds a twist. Continue reading

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

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

Shootout! Game Review

In the great open wilderness and small towns found in the West, law and order is often at the end of a gun barrel. Those who have power keep it jealously, but no man is immune to a sudden and rather lethal dose of lead poisoning delivered by a bullet. In this game, you will be challenged. Win and you survive another day. Fail and you’ll end up being just one more coffin put in the ground. Continue reading

Pay Dirt Game Review

American author, speaker, and pastor, John C. Maxwell, said “Success comes to those who have an entire mountain of gold that they continually mine, not those who find one nugget and try to live on it for fifty years.” Once you find gold, it’s not enough to hold it up for the world to see. There is more to be obtained. In this game, there is wealth to be found, but only for those who persevere. Continue reading

Forged in Steel Game Review (prepublished version)

When you arrived at Pueblo County, Colorado, there wasn’t much to look at. A few buildings, a budding factory, and a lot of space. But you saw its potential and the vast fortune that could be made. This town, you decided, was going to be your family legacy. From that day forward you worked to build an empire. Your children have done the same and their children will continue your legacy. History will look back and determine if you were a person of vision or just another dreamer. Continue reading

9-Shooter Quick Draw Game Review (prepublished version)

The desert sun beats down on you with intense heat, but that’s not why you’re sweating. No less than 50 yards in front of you stands your adversary. Through narrow gulches and dry stream beds, you have chased each other for what feels like a lifetime. Now, in this sleepy border town, the chase will end. One of you will live to see tomorrow, while the other will be in the cemetery before nightfall. Flexing your fingers and taking a deep breath, you prepare for what is to come and what might or might not follow. Continue reading

Wild Guns (Version 2) Game Review

Bat Masterson said, “Never run a bluff with a six-gun.” Life is too precious a thing to use like so many chips in a Poker game. But when the stakes are high, the reward sometimes outweighs the risk. In this game, you will either survive and claim the prize or be just one more Gunslinger dead in the dust. Speed does matter, but you need to be smart, too. Out-think your opponents as well as outdraw them. In the blink of an eye, you could be victorious or dead. Continue reading

Dark Horse: Rebels & Rogues Game Expansion Review (prepublished version)

Life in the “Wild West” was tough. There were only two ways to make a living: work the land or cheat the populace. The strong preyed on the weak and the weak banded together to fight the strong. This was a time where fame and infamy were the same thing, and right or wrong was decided at gunpoint. Continue reading

Boomtown Tycoon Game Review

When you heard that gold was found in the ground, it was like someone kicked a hornet’s nest in your head. Your mind was abuzz with excitement and dreams of wealth! You quickly made your plans and went out West. Once you got there, however, you realized there was much more to gold mining than you knew. You must be business savvy, organized, and lucky. Oh, well, no millionaire was made in a day. Best get started because that gold isn’t going to mine itself! Continue reading

Homestead Game Review

Many came out west to escape their problems and start fresh in a new and wild wilderness. But trouble always follows those who can be exploited. It didn’t take long for a small town in the dry prairie to be the target of a group of outlaws. Answering the call to defend the town, brave men and women step forward to put their lives on the line. But they are not alone. Others are willing to help…for a price. Continue reading

Dark Horse Game Review

In Dark Horse, by Knight Works, the players take on the roles of opportunists that are looking to carve their own little piece of paradise out of the Old West. There is great fortune to be had but only a few know how to get it. Even fewer know how to keep it. Opportunity and treachery are around every corner and knowing when and where to focus attention is going to be the real test. Wield your influence wisely, reveal little, and watch your opponents carefully. Continue reading

Wild Guns Game Review

In Wild Guns, the players take on the role of some of the most lethal and skilled gunslingers to ever walk the dusty ground of the Old West. There deadly aim and firearm mastery is only matched by their cunning to avoid being hit by their opponent’s bullets. This casual card game does a great job of getting the players down to business quickly and offering an entertaining and challenging game with light mechanics and fast play. Continue reading