First Impressions: Baron Munchausen

Baron Munchausen Cover

I mentioned in a recent GenCon Recap article that I had the opportunity to play The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen as my first impromptu game of the con. This zany game of tall tale telling provided a great experience for several of us during the IGDN Social, a casual pre-con get-together for Indie Game Developer Network members and friends.

Game Info

Publisher: Magnum Opus Press

Year Published: 1998

Number of Players: 2+ (the more the merrier)

Play Time: 30+ minutes (depends on number of players)

Set-up Time: 5 minutes

Learning Curve: Low

Ages: Any, although it’s geared toward adults

Table Size: Small

Get the game at DriveThruRPG.

Impressions

When someone sat down at my table during the IGDN Social and said “We’re going …
Continue Reading First Impressions: Baron Munchausen

Belfort First Impressions

Belfort Box ArtGame Info

Publisher: Tasty Minstrel Games

Year Published: 2011

Number of Players: 2 to 5

Play Time: 90 to 180 minutes

Set-up Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Learning Curve: Medium

Ages: Rated 12 and up

Table Size: Medium to Large

Introduction

At Gamestorm 16 I had the opportunity to play Belfort, an award-winning worker placement game published in the US by Tasty Minstrel Games.

In Belfort, players are competing to win control of several different city districts. To do so, they’ll use a variety of workers — namely elves, dwarves, and gnomes — to perform labor, gather resources, build new structures, and wrest control from other players.

Game Play

Tasty Minstrel Games (TMG) gives us a pretty good overview of the game from Continue Reading Belfort First Impressions

Kickstarter Preview: The ONE

Recently I received a preview copy of a game called The ONE, a dice game from Dave Kiurski. The game is a luck-based party game in which players roll giant foam dize through plastic tubes and record the outcome on a record sheet.

The ONE is actually four games in, well, one. Each game has variants on rules used to determine the victor. The basic game is a challenge to see who can roll the highest total of three frames. It’s a double-elimination tournament, and the game continues until a single person can be declared The ONE — the person who has not lost any games.

In a game called The Last ONE, players roll off in an effort to capture one another’s dice. The player who rolls the highest value of a given frame takes a dice from the player who rolled the lowest value. The game repeats until one player has …
Continue Reading Kickstarter Preview: The ONE

Kickstarter Preview: “The Award Goes To”

Introduction

I owe a lot to Kickstarter for the success of Psi-punk, and I think the platform is a great way for other new independant publishers to get a chance to put their new and unique games in front of the entire world. Sometimes those games just need a bit of exposure, which is why you’ll find plenty of Kickstarter mentions and previews here on the site.

Preview

Today’s preview is for a card game by Monkey Finger Games called “The Award Goes To” This game is a blind betting game that lampoons Hollywood, movies, and actors. It’s also great for bolstering basic math skills for kids, and that’s something I really like to see.

So what is it about, and why is it so kid-friendly?

In “The Award Goes To,” players take on the roll of Hollywood producers who are just trying to make the best movies they can. And win …
Continue Reading Kickstarter Preview: “The Award Goes To”

Ra by Rio Grande Games: First Impressions

This entry is part 5 of 6 in the seriesGamestorm 15

Ra Box Art

Game Info

Publisher: Rio Grande Games

Year Published: 1999 (original German language version), 2009 (3rd Edition, now with 2-5 players option)

Number of Players: 2 to 5

Play Time: 60 minutes

Set-up Time: 5 minutes

Learning Curve: Low to Medium

Ages: Rated 12 and up

Table Size: Medium to Large

Introduction

Ra was the last of three board games I had a chance to play on Saturday of Gamestorm 15. By the time this game came out it was about 9:30 at night and we were all getting pretty tired, so Ra made a nice choice — it’s a fairly simple game that is easy to learn, but apparently difficult to master. The core auction mechanic is a cinch to …
Continue Reading Ra by Rio Grande Games: First Impressions

Pirate’s Cove by Days of Wonder: First Impressions

This entry is part 4 of 6 in the seriesGamestorm 15

Pirate's Cove Box Art

Game Info

Publisher: Days of Wonder

Year Published: 2002

Number of Players: 3 to 5

Play Time: 90 minutes

Set-up Time: 5 minutes

Learning Curve: Low

Ages: Rated 8 and up

Table Size: Medium to Large

Introduction

At this year’s Gamestorm 15 convention, I had the opportunity to play Pirat’es Cove, a game about stealing treasure, killing pirates, and bragging about it at the tavern. Though I only got to play it once, I found the experience very enjoyable and this game is now near the top of my wish list. What makes it so fun? I’m glad you asked.

Game Description

BoardGameGeek has a pretty thorough description of Pirate’s Cove:

Come aboard and sail to Pirate’s Cove… the legendary hideaway of …
Continue Reading Pirate’s Cove by Days of Wonder: First Impressions

Castle Panic First Impressions

This entry is part 3 of 6 in the seriesGamestorm 15

Castle Panic Box Art

Game Info

Publisher: Fireside Games

Year Published: 2009

Number of Players: 1 to 6

Play Time: 60 minutes

Set-up Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Learning Curve: Low

Ages: Rated 10 and up

Table Size: Medium

Introduction

Ever since I first saw Castle Panic on Wil Wheaton’s TableTop, I have had a hankering to give it a try. I love co-op games and fantasy themes, so this seemed like a great mixture of the two. Finally I got a chance to give it a test spin at this year’s annual Gamestorm convention, and I certainly was impressed.

Description

Courtesy of the Castle …
Continue Reading Castle Panic First Impressions

Lost Cities: First Impressions

Lost Cities Box Art

 

Game Info

Publisher: Kosmos, Rio Grande Games

Year Published: 1999

Number of Players: 2-2

Play Time: About 30 – 45 minutes

Set-up Time: About 5 minutes

Ages: 10 and up

Table Size: Medium

Impressions

I recently got to take Lost Cities for a spin during the 14th annual Gamestorm convention in Vancouver, WA.  My friend and I were looking for a quick game to pass the time, and this one was recommended by one of the people attending the Games Library booth at the convention.

Lost Cities is an easy-to-learn card game designed for only two players and was part of the Kosmos 2-Player Games series.  The premise is pretty simple: You …
Continue Reading Lost Cities: First Impressions

Back to the Future – the Card Game: First Impressions

Back to the Future – the Card Game is a great family game that is worth adding to just about any collection. It isn’t incredibly detailed or difficult to learn, so I think even younger folks could pick it up and understand it, and it certainly doesn’t feel like a cheap licensed cash-grab either. While not incredibly deep, the gameplay is interesting and entertaining enough to play more than just once or twice, which certainly makes it worth the cost. Though I wouldn’t consider this a must-have game for everyone, it certainly deserves a spot on the gaming shelf, especially if you’re a Back to the Future fan.

[xrrgroup] [xrr rating=2.5/5 label=”Accessibility” group=”main” display_as=fraction_stars] [xrr rating=4.5/5 label=”Reviewer’s Rating” group=”main” display_as=fraction_stars] [xrr overall=true label=”Overall” group=”main” display_as=fraction_stars] [/xrrgroup]

Mystery of the Abbey: First Impressions

Myster of the Abbey Box Art

 

Game Info

Publisher: Days of Wonder

Year Published: 2007 (with Pilgrim expansion) / 1996 (originally)

Number of Players: 36

Play Time: 90 to 120  minutes

Set-up Time: About 5 minutes

Ages: 10 and up

Table Size: Medium

Impressions

I recently had the joy of trying out this “who done it” game with some friends who I gave it to as a Christmas gift.  A buddy of mine and I were trying to pick out a game that would make a great gift for a couple, since both have varying tastes in board games and were looking for something that would be good for a larger group.  After much deliberation, we decided to go with Mystery of the Abbey because it seemed like …
Continue Reading Mystery of the Abbey: First Impressions