In this game, players will attempt to bluff their way to the winner’s circle by balancing truth with fiction, creating an evergrowing possibility that their little lies and cheats will blow up in their faces. Telling the truth is always best, but it won’t grant you victory. What will is keeping a straight face and not sweating when the heat is cranked up via the competition. Continue reading
French army officer and statesman who led the Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Republic from 1944 to 1946 to restore democracy in France, Charles de Gaulle, said, “The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” This is to say that dogs are perhaps more pleasant to be around. Which is found to be the case for many. I’m a cat person, and I find dogs to be a bit neurotic and energetic (keep in mind I have five kids and more than enough energy available to me without the need for a dog). In this game, regardless of how you feel about feline or canine companions, you’ll be treated to an opportunity to be an unruly pup. Just be sure not to get caught by your owner! Continue reading
In an age where we can travel into space and fly around the world in jets, there is still something romantic and awe-inspiring about hot air balloons. These majestic and often colorful contraptions are nothing more than a giant balloon filled with hot air and a basket for those brave enough to ride in. I have no interest in ever riding in one, but I am always compelled to stop and watch as one goes slowly across the sky. Such is the power and beauty of watching something the size of a large house float by silently in a world where everything around us makes noise. In this game, you’ll be one of the brave souls who can ride aloft in the sky in a basket as your balloon lifts you into the clear blue. Continue reading
French judge, man of letters, historian, and political philosopher, who went simply as Montesquieu, said, “An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.” In this game, the war you wage is one of commerce and finance, building corporations into financial empires through subterfuge, hostile takeovers, and flat-out destroying the infrastructure of your competition. All of this, mind you, is set in a world where steam power rules and science fiction is a reality. Tighten your cufflinks, holster your Tesla pistol, and sheath your Samurai sword; it’s time to go to work. Continue reading
We cannot help but to covet things. We often misunderstand our wants as needs, yearning and obsessing over the latest board games, video games, clothes, objects, and even people. And while it’s natural for anyone to imagine things, we seldom act upon our impulses, especially when they go against society’s rules and laws. In this game, players work as jewel thieves, taking the sparkly precious objects for their own. Laws and consequences be damned. And like crimes and thieves in real life, this game gives players multiple ways to take that which is not theirs. Continue reading
English conductor known for his association with the London Symphony Orchestra, having first conducted it in 1959, Colin Davis said, “The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.” In this game, players will go down the iconic highway, Route 66. Players will race from the middle of the United States to the West Coast in hopes of being the very first player to see the ocean. However, the road to be traveled is bumpy, and victory will only go to the player who can navigate it wisely. Continue reading
It’s not personal. It’s business. Yeah, you may break a rule or two, even several laws. And, sure, you sometimes have to flex a bit of muscle when you smile, but it’s never personal. It’s about the money and the power and the respect. If you want your crew to be recognized before the Old Don, you must show you can earn. Take the jobs and cash in, but be careful. Greed has a way of making friends into enemies. Just keep telling yourself it’s only business. But if you need to, make it personal. Continue reading
English architect, landscape architect, painter, and furniture designer of the early 18th century, William Kent, said “All gardening is landscape painting.” In this game, you creatively plant and organize several garden planters as you attempt to combine similar and dissimilar fruits and vegetables. This is a game that requires players to think less about strategy and more about tactical decisions at the moment. Taking risks, however, is all part of gardening and what makes it such a joy. Grab your gardening gloves and get ready to play in the dirt! It’s time to plant something delicious! Continue reading
Jamaican-Canadian billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Michael Lee-Chin, said “My first playpen was a cardboard box.” I have many fond memories of playing in cardboard boxes myself. Making them into forts or using them to build a robot (that I might have also worn as a costume). But those boxes serve the initial purpose of holding things. In this game, you’ll be tasked to fill boxes full of items as quickly as you can. Fill it up and send it out! Just be careful that your fellow box-packers don’t upset your productivity! Continue reading
American architect, who has been called a “father of skyscrapers” and “father of modernism,” Louis Sullivan said, “What the people are within, the buildings express without.” In this game, everyone at the table is outwardly working to build a beautiful new town for you to live in. Inside, however, they might not be what they seem. To your right might be those who work to ensure the town prospers or fails. Do you take the hard path and work towards building a new home for all, or secretly hoard your wealth to survive? The choice is yours, but the outcome is up to everyone. Continue reading
Business magnate and investor Elon Musk, best known for Tesla and SpaceX, said, “I think we are at the dawn of a new era in commercial space exploration.” Yes, soon, you can expect trucks, traffic jams, and giant floating billboard signs in space. In this game, a recent technological breakthrough allows humans to travel great distances in seconds, allowing for quick jumps to neighboring galaxies long thought unreachable. Such a wonder allows us to explore distant reaches of space like it was our backyard. And explore we do, not only with a great sense of wonder but for a need for profit. After all, owning a spaceship that can bend the fabric of space isn’t cheap, people. Continue reading
I scream! You scream! We all scream for ice cream! This frozen dairy goodness has been associated with good times and hot days for time immemorial and for a good reason. We live in a golden age with so many flavors and toppings that everyone can find something they love. In this game, you’ll take on the role of an ice cream shop employee who has to meet the demands of the many customers filing through your front door. Don’t freeze up and get scooping! Continue reading
