This is a crazy week for new board game releases. Apparently everyone wanted them out for Black Friday:
I can’t wait to whip out Blindfolded Twister next time we play boardgames!
-Tom
I kind of enjoy including the weird mainstream games that show up. That was definitely a strange one.
Looking forward to Teotihuacan, looks like a great game.
Yeah I’m also really excited about Teotihuacan. Looks right up my alley! I think the visual design is a little drab. Hoping it looks better on the table!
I also think I’d love Fireball Island, but I don’t think I can convince the people I game with to play a dexterity game. It looks like great stupid fun. As much as I love great strategic fun, I think I have a very slight preference for stupid fun.
I don’t think it’s a “dexterity game” exactly, but it is a game built around its physical components. A toy-game, if you will. But that’s from playing the original and reading up on the new one. Maybe someone who has played it can tell me if that’s right. (And maybe Vesper will bring a copy to my next boardgame night!)
I can definitely do that!
For Fireball Island, there’s no dexterity involved. There are times when marbles are released and roll down the game board, possibly knocking players over. My copy’s scheduled to arrive tomorrow so will post an update once I’ve tried it with our girls!
One thing I loved was, on the GWJ podcast, they had Rob Daviau on to talk about the design. And one interesting take away was how they deliberately designed the physical components to not roll perfectly. As in they intentionally designed imperfections into the tracks to induce some chaos.
This is not my understanding regarding no dexterity elements. I’ve watched a few plathroughs and a pretty common action is flicking marbles at each other. I realize it’s not entirely a dexterity game, but I think fits in that realm of silliness, at least in my mind.
You actually flick the marbles at the players? Or do they flick it to start it rolling down the path? I just found a review that mentions it but calls it a minor dexterity element. Doesn’t sound like it’d be a major part of the game by any means. I didn’t delve into all the gameplay bits before Kickstarting but I’ll find out more tomorrow.
A couple of people at the local game store were talking about doing Fireball Island while drinking fireball.
I’ll be honest, it sounds like fun times.
I’m excited to try Terraforming Mars Colonies! I heard good things about it! :)
I’d be pretty content either way. I have to admit a big part of my fascination is just marbles. Which are great. I’ve been playing Gizmos a bit lately and that game is about 20x better than it should be because it has marbles.
My Christmas Present to myself arrived today: Thunderstone Quest (retail, with Quests 1 and 3), Steam Works and Azul. I got all 3 through Miniature Market pre-Black Friday sale for $100 in total, with free shipping.
Just unpacked them and I have to say the card quality of Thunderstone Quest really impressed me: nice card stock, high quality printing/images. I think I will sleeve it up before I bring it to the table this Saturday.
This was my first purchase from Miniature Market and the experience was positive. I’m feeling favorably disposed towards MM at the moment.
I haven’t played Cosmic Encounter(s) in years because of this. I’ve played it countless times, and it’s always failed to live up to.my own internal hype. We even once played a mega 8p game in a noisy environment and it basically played itself :(
I don’t know why I still have my copy + expansions. Something holds me back from flogging it.
Candy land?
Ticket to Ride: Europe?
Or if that’s too light, Stone Age?
It’s a bit daunting how many add-ons there are for Terraforming Mars. I only have the base game, and I think it’s aces, but I’m not sure how I feel about glomming a bunch of new content onto the sides. Do you know all the add-ons? Are there any particular ones that you think really help the game?
By the way, the digital port of Terraforming Mars? Horrible.
-Tom
hey, it is not christmas,yet! Put that back in the box and wait like everyone else ;)
Quick guide to Terraforming Mars Expansions:
First, think of TFM “expansions” as being similar to DLC for a PC game: not necessarily full blown expansions but rather additional content/mechanics of varying degrees of impact from simple to complex.
Hellas & Elysium Map Pack: a board with a new map on each side, with new Milestones and Awards. A fairly simple expansion that adds variety by changing up the maps. No new mechanics, no new cards. No added time to play. Thumbs up IMO, a good example of an inexpensive expansion that adds some replay value without slowing or complicating the game.
Venus Next: Textbook “More of the Same” expansion IMO, with new cards, new mechanics, an additional play board and new Milestones and Awards. If you feel that TFM just needed “more”, then buy this. I personally feel it is entirely skippable.
Prelude: Very small expansion that adds some cards to be played in a pre-game prelude round that help accelerate the occasionally slow buildup of the first few turns. Also adds a few new cards and 5 new Corporations but no new mechanics. Very good “mini-DLC” IMO. It improves the weakest part of the game IMO without disrupting balance, slowing the game down, or drowning us in fiddliness. Recommended.
Colonies: have not played yet.
I wouldn’t call it a great game, but I liked Runestone better than Talisman.