Tag Archives: Parent Geek Approved

Parent Geek approved games are fun, social, and educational. They are perfect for families and for playing with friends. Out of all the test groups, the Parent Geeks tend to be the most interested in games that can “grow” with the family and are good investments, finding play time on the table with mixed age and game experience groups.

Mars Needs Mechanics Game Review (prepublished version)

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I, say! Have you heard, old boy? Those well-to-dos at the British Royal Academy of Space Exploration are at it again! They’ve got it in their heads that Mars is the next great land for us to tread on. I even hear that the Queen, of all people, is backing this lunacy! I don’t know about you, but those so-called “scientists” are messing with technology we cannot hope to understand or control! Dangerous, if you bloody well ask me. But think of the glory if it could be done! Mars! You know, I might have just talked myself into joining this little competition of theirs. After all, it’s all for a good cause and I would look simply smashing in a space suit! Continue reading →

Escape from Pirate Island Game Review

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It is truly an island paradise, full of exotic birds and beautiful sandy beaches. Go deeper into it, however, and you’ll start to see the island’s more sinister side. The island natives, for one, are not too pleased that you have landed on their island, and are more than happy to push you back into the ocean with their spears. Then there’s the pirates and the walking skeletons, not to mention that very large and unstable volcano that looks to be erupting in the very near future. So why even bother to land on such an island? For the treasure, of course! And not just any treasure – pirate treasure! Work together to survive and be rich or, well…let’s not think about the alternative. Continue reading →

Reversal of Fortune Game Review

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It was an adventure like no other, to be sure. I think back on it now and wonder how we ever survived the storms, the sea monsters, the starvation, and the mutant cannibal monkey men. Oh, aye, they were a right jolly mess, they were. Ate half our crew, they did, and looked to still be hungry when they were done. But where was I…? Oh, the treasure! We found it, we did! The captain was right – there were mountains of gold and jewels! There was too much for a man to carry and too many baubles to count. It was then that I got me an idea… You see, the captain, he didn’t have the best of eyesight and I, well….I had me some mighty deep pockets, lad. Pockets I could fill with gold! Continue reading →

Scrapyard Warriors Game Review (prepublished version)

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One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or so the old idiom goes. In other words, what is useless to one can be exceptionally useful to another. A broken clock, for example, can yield springs and gears. A broken microwave can provide a magnetron and a capacitor. The point is, just because something is broken doesn’t mean it isn’t still useful. A product’s value might increase tenfold by simply breaking. And for a creative mind, all those parts can be collected and used to build something fantastic. All it takes is a little imagination and a scrapyard of junk becomes a smorgasbord of limitless possibilities! Continue reading →

Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend of Drizzt Game Review

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The most appealing aspect of this game is it’s a dungeon crawler that does not require a Dungeon Master (a player who controls the monsters and dungeon events). We have always enjoyed fully cooperative games like this, taking care to play at a leisurely pace and ensure that all players are contributors rather than spectators. I have played this three times so far with my little geeks and continue to be impressed with the quick set up and play. Always a bonus to be able to start playing 5 minutes after opening the box, not including time required for rules explanation. Continue reading →

Trappex Game Review

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The classic game of Dots and Boxes returns to the gaming arena with a new look, but with all its old tricks. Speed is not the key to victory here. A player must be patient, sneaky, and most of all, fully aware that their opponent is always trying to bait them. The game might sound complicated and intense, but it comes across as light and casual. Where the real battle is taking place is in the player’s minds as they attempt to mentally outmaneuver their opponent and claim victory one carefully placed piece at a time. Continue reading →

Eternas Game Review

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Borrowing from the classic games Score Four and Connect Four, Eternas offers a refreshing new take on the classic abstract strategy game of four-in-a-row pattern building. Up, down, and diagonal are all here, but the new twist is that the columns in which the players build on are in a circle. There is no longer a board or grid edge that the player’s cannot cross or are restricted by and the only limitation is the height of each column. Best of all, there is never a chance for a tie as the players use and reuse their pieces until one player completes the necessary pattern to win. Continue reading →

Jungle Ascent Game Review (prepublished version)

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It is said a mighty and long-lost civilization of great wealth and power took all their treasure and knowledge and put it on a very high shelf where no other civilization could reach it. And there is stayed while all the smaller and less advanced civilizations looked up and wanted it much like a 3-year-old wants a cookie. Centuries later, brave explorers have found the proverbial shelf on which the treasure was placed. It was located on the very top of the Cliff of Frab, which was located in the deepest part of the most remote jungle of the world. Now, standing below the cliff, a team of explorers looks up and begins to ascend its dizzying heights. In their hearts they know that only one can claim the treasure, and so, they race to the top and let nothing stand in their way! Continue reading →

Monopoly Millionaire Game Review

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Personal jets, mansions (yes, plural), decadent parties around the world, and all the other exciting opportunities available to a millionaire are up for grabs. The goal of this game is to attempt to be the first player to be worth a millionaire dollars! Easy? Not so much. Along the way, you’ll host your own parties, give gifts, and of course, pay others for the privilege of renting their properties. Turns out, it costs money to make money. It’s all in fun, but in the end, the one who spent the wisest is the one who will win the game. Continue reading →

Take It or Leave It Game Review

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As the dice tumble and change, so too does the fortunes of the players. A single roll of the dice might provide much opportunity or nothing of value. With the use of cards that can shift the dice and change the outcome, all the players must race to collect the dice values and colors they need before they are altered and made useless. This is a game of timing, of judging how much risk is acceptable so as to make big points, and getting what you can before someone else does! Get in, get out, take it, or leave it! Continue reading →

Tell Tale Fairy Tales Game Review

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Dr. Seuss (real name Theodor Seuss Geisel, 1904 – 1991), an American writer, poet, and illustrator best known for his many children’s books, once said, “Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities.” So very true. Best of all, it is also a geek skill and one that is available to everyone at a very early age. In this game, imagination is key as the players use random fairy tale story elements (characters, setting, plot, and theme) to create imaginative stories of their own or as a group. The playing area is your table top, but there are no boundaries to where this game can go. Continue reading →

Abacan Game Review

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In this abstract game, every move counts and counts and counts again. Keep track of the beads and determine your odds of success as you quickly shift one to three beads from one side to another. Be smart, be careful, and be sure that the beads you move will not leave you well outside the winner’s circle when the game ends. Continue reading →