Slide Quest Game Review

American Christian minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., said, “Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.” If it hurts you to think – to furrow your brow and concentrate critically – then I have a game here you should avoid. This is a puzzler – a quest – to navigate as a team through treacherous terrain and dangerous turns. Only the bravest and most emotionally stable need to apply to play this video game inspired tabletop challenge. Continue reading

Cookie Box Game Review

American pastry chef, television celebrity and cookbook author, Johnny Luzzini, said “Baking is about multi-tasking. If you are organized and prepared, that’s half the battle.” Cooking is as much an art form as it is a science, and by “art form”, I mean juggling. In this game, players will be challenged to keep a cool head, focused attention, and be as fast as possible doing both. Continue reading

Loud About Game Review

American columnist, Franklin Pierce Adams, said: “Nothing is more responsible for the good old days than a bad memory.” Memory is a funny thing. We think we remember things exactly as they are, but time erodes the details, and new life experiences fill in the gaps making a single memory a composite of memories and assumptions. In this game, memory is key to victory, but you’ll be hard-pressed to remember that when your’e in the heat of gameplay. Continue reading

5-Minute Dungeon Game Review (prepublished version)

They say that the longest a hero can hope to survive in a dungeon is 5 minutes. That’s not very long, but you and a group of your heroic friends have devised a plan. You’ll jump in the dungeon, explore, and defeat the boss monster in less than 5 minutes! Some say you are crazy and they may be right, but one thing is for certain. If you are going to beat the odds, you best be quick about it. Continue reading

Creepiest Pet Shop Game Review

Owning a pet is a big responsibility unless that pet is a Hermit Crab. In which case, there isn’t much to do with it. But for most pets, the owner must take on the responsibilities of care and feeding. Depending on the pet, that’s a big or little job. The same applies to monsters who want to adopt their own pet to love. Yes, even monsters want a puppy with four heads of their own. Maybe you can help them find their perfect adorable companion. Continue reading

Witch Slapped Game Review (prepublished version)

Spells and witches go hand in hand, like black cats and broomsticks. In this game, you will be playing as a witch who has the ability to cast great and terrible spells. Of course, so too do your opponents. The player who is able to cast the most deadliest spells the fastest will cause chaos, but the player who can cast spells the smartest will win the game. Continue reading

Set Dice Game Review

Dutch graphic artist, M.C. Escher, said “We adore chaos because we love to produce order.” Which is to say, as we seek order in our own lives, we also seek out those pockets of disorder to tackle. Balancing our checkbooks is a good example. In this game, random outcomes will challenge players to find order betwixt the chaotic results of rolling dice. Continue reading

Retro Loonacy Game Review

Nostalgia is a funny thing. We yearn for what we remember to be a simpler time, full of meaningful people, places, and things. In actuality, I believe, we are yearning just to be happy. It’s not the past we crave, but the feeling of being content and placed in the exact moment we are meant to be in. In this game, you must think fast to match cards, but don’t slow down to wistfully reminisce about the retro images or you’ll quickly be left in the past. Continue reading

Missing Link Game Review

Buddhism teaches that all life is interrelated on levels that are both visible and invisible. There is always something that connects you to the person next to you, to a rock halfway across the world, and to the universe as a whole. Pretty deep. In this game, players will be asked to identify what is common and not so common between knowns and unknowns. When you see what’s missing, you’ll see the answer. Continue reading

Order Up Game Review

Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay said, “Kitchens are run on emotions. I may get upset. But the most important thing is, it’s not personal.” That might very well be, but when emotions run hot, the orders start flying in, and chaos erupts, a kitchen becomes a pressure cooker. In this game, all the players are attempting to get orders out the door as fast as they can, but there are only so many plates of ingredients to be had. The player who works the fastest and is the most aggressive will win, but don’t expect to make many friends along the way. Continue reading

Between Two Cities Game Review (prepublished version)

American businessman James E. Casey said, “One measure of your success will be the degree to which you build up others who work with you. While building up others, you will build up yourself.” Mr. Casey’s statement holds true within the context of this game. You must cooperatively build a city with a partner on your left and on your right. But don’t be too generous. While this game does require cooperation, only 1 player can be the winner. Continue reading

Democracy: Majority Rules Game Review

Aristotle said, “Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.” Change often causes conflict and more times than not is fueled by the unrest of the populace. It’s the politician’s job to listen to their constituents and champion them, passing laws intended to better their lives. In theory. Most of the time, it’s about jockeying for political position, making deals, granting favors, and getting your way. In this game, power may come from the people, but it’s you who will wield it. Continue reading