Search
Search results
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising in Tabletop Games
Dec 3, 2020
Have you read our review of Thanos Rising: Avengers Infinity War? If you have not, please do. I’ll wait. The reason I ask is because this Harry Potter version is a reimplementation of Thanos Rising with a few new twists. Great twists. In fact, I’ll spoil it for you and let you know that I now prefer the Harry Potter version even though I enjoy Marvel-related things in my life much more. But why is it good or better than its predecessor?
Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising is a game utilizing the Rising system of games (which also includes Batman, Star Wars, and SpongeBob Squarepants as of now) for two to four players. It is a cooperative game where players will take charge of one of the three factions: Dumbledore’s Army, Hogwarts, or Order of the Phoenix in order to defeat Voldemort and his Death Eater cronies. Though Voldemort will be menacing players throughout the game, the players will not be able to attack him directly until about half way through the game. Can you survive long enough to battle the big bad?
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, follow the instructions in the rulebook, but generally the central board will have the large painted Voldemort “mini(?)” and three areas that hold Place cards: Hogwarts, Ministry of Magic, and Diagon Alley. Players will be given one Leader card in their chosen faction (obviously Order of the Phoenix is best) to begin the game. Set aside the damage counters, corruption gem tokens, and Spell tokens in their own piles. Shuffle the main deck of character cards, reveal and place three per Place and then insert the Voldemort card somewhere near half-way into the shuffled deck. The game may now begin.
On a player’s turn they must complete the following steps: 1. Travel to a Location, 2. Roll Voldemort Die and resolve actions, 3. Roll, assign, and resolve Wizard dice, and 4. End Turn. After taking these actions it will be the next player’s turn.
To Travel to a Location, the active player will place their faction-matching Mission token upon one of the Places on the board. This is the Place that the active player may now be able to recruit Wizards from and also attack enemies.
Once at a Location, the active player will Roll Voldemort Die and resolve actions thenceforth. The game affords players a large green Voldemort Die to be rolled. Upon the faces are sides that instruct players to turn the Voldemort mini Left or Right one Place and attack all Wizards there (including all Wizards on a player’s team if Voldemort is now in their Location). Two faces will also show the Dark Mark. When this face is rolled Voldemort does not move, but will attack all Wizards at his current Place (by placing damage counters on the card) as well as activating ALL Death Eater Dark Mark abilities. Not all Death Eaters will have Dark Mark abilities, but when they activate, they can be deadly.
Now that Voldemort has had his fun, the active player will Roll, assign, and resolve Wizard dice. Players will have in front of them faction cards that indicate how many and of which color dice to be rolled on a turn. These dice may be added to or otherwise altered as a result of recruited Wizards’ special abilities as well. Once a player takes the appropriate dice to be rolled, they must roll them and begin assigning faces to Wizards for recruitment, Death Eaters for damage, or other abilities on team cards. Recruiting more Wizards to a player’s team or damaging Death Eaters is how the game progresses because each time a card is recruited or defeated it is removed from the main board and a new card replaces it. As long as at least one die is removed from the player’s pool each time the dice are rolled the player may continue rolling to match symbols needed.
To End Turn, the active player will add any recruited Wizards to their team, discard any defeated Death Eaters, Wizards, or Places, and retrieve their Mission token to be used on the next turn.
Play continues in this fashion of taking turns through the four steps until the Voldemort card is drawn. He then comes into play as an enemy that may be attacked like normal. Players win when they defeat enough Death Eaters and Voldemort, but can lose if the players allow a Place to be completely corrupted (usually by Death Eater card abilities), allowing four Places to be corrupted, if too many Wizards have been defeated per number of players, or any player has all their Wizards defeated from their team.
Components. This game includes a lot of components of varying style and materials. The cards are all very glossy (meh) and feature headshots of the characters mostly. The board is three pieces fit together like a pizza and is great. The damage counters are little translucent red cubes, and the corruption gem tokens are also translucent gems but gray in color. The best components in the game are by far the Voldemort, well, statue and all the dice. The Voldemort piece is incredible, and pre-painted. The stance he is taking is formidable and somewhat intimidating when he’s pointing his wand right at you. The dice have been upgraded to a matte finish (as opposed to yucky polished finish) and feature some great inking. The one negative I have to say is also about the dice: I believe that the faces sometimes can be confusing because the icons are more detailed than is necessary. While some would argue that detailed dice are better than merely serviceable dice, I would much rather see a sword on a face and know it’s a sword than to look at a die face and wonder what I am looking at exactly. In any case, that’s my opinion and yours may be different. Let’s still be friends.
So overall this is a big upgrade over the Thanos version of a Rising game for several key reasons. In Thanos I always felt like every turn could lose the game for us, and Thanos seemed to gain the Infinity Stones too quickly for my taste. In this version, you know you have half a deck before you are able to even fight Voldemort, so being able to tackle his minions until then seems more surmountable. The dice have been upgraded, and the Voldemort die is wonderful and easy to read. That was an issue I had with Thanos: his die was hard to read and the colors were not distinct enough. Not a factor in this version at all. I also feel that this version has much more faction-dependency and interplay. What I mean is that an Order of the Phoenix card may require a player to also have a Dumbledore’s Army card on the team in order to unlock access to their special ability. I like that. I like a well-balanced team, though my first game saw me recruit eight Order of the Phoenix cards and one Dumbledore’s Army card. We won, but I felt bad.
So it’s no surprise that I love this game. I find it better and easier to learn/play than the Thanos version. I like the components a whole lot more. I like the interplay between the factions more. I am sad that I prefer Marvel to Harry Potter, but I do not dislike Harry Potter, let it be known. And I do enjoy this version much more. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a triumphant 10 / 12. My wife and I truly love it and can’t wait to play it again very soon. If you are looking for a good Rising game, I certainly recommend you look at Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising. It’s a guaranteed hit if you or a loved one is a Harry Potter fan. For sure. It’s brilliant.
Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising is a game utilizing the Rising system of games (which also includes Batman, Star Wars, and SpongeBob Squarepants as of now) for two to four players. It is a cooperative game where players will take charge of one of the three factions: Dumbledore’s Army, Hogwarts, or Order of the Phoenix in order to defeat Voldemort and his Death Eater cronies. Though Voldemort will be menacing players throughout the game, the players will not be able to attack him directly until about half way through the game. Can you survive long enough to battle the big bad?
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup, follow the instructions in the rulebook, but generally the central board will have the large painted Voldemort “mini(?)” and three areas that hold Place cards: Hogwarts, Ministry of Magic, and Diagon Alley. Players will be given one Leader card in their chosen faction (obviously Order of the Phoenix is best) to begin the game. Set aside the damage counters, corruption gem tokens, and Spell tokens in their own piles. Shuffle the main deck of character cards, reveal and place three per Place and then insert the Voldemort card somewhere near half-way into the shuffled deck. The game may now begin.
On a player’s turn they must complete the following steps: 1. Travel to a Location, 2. Roll Voldemort Die and resolve actions, 3. Roll, assign, and resolve Wizard dice, and 4. End Turn. After taking these actions it will be the next player’s turn.
To Travel to a Location, the active player will place their faction-matching Mission token upon one of the Places on the board. This is the Place that the active player may now be able to recruit Wizards from and also attack enemies.
Once at a Location, the active player will Roll Voldemort Die and resolve actions thenceforth. The game affords players a large green Voldemort Die to be rolled. Upon the faces are sides that instruct players to turn the Voldemort mini Left or Right one Place and attack all Wizards there (including all Wizards on a player’s team if Voldemort is now in their Location). Two faces will also show the Dark Mark. When this face is rolled Voldemort does not move, but will attack all Wizards at his current Place (by placing damage counters on the card) as well as activating ALL Death Eater Dark Mark abilities. Not all Death Eaters will have Dark Mark abilities, but when they activate, they can be deadly.
Now that Voldemort has had his fun, the active player will Roll, assign, and resolve Wizard dice. Players will have in front of them faction cards that indicate how many and of which color dice to be rolled on a turn. These dice may be added to or otherwise altered as a result of recruited Wizards’ special abilities as well. Once a player takes the appropriate dice to be rolled, they must roll them and begin assigning faces to Wizards for recruitment, Death Eaters for damage, or other abilities on team cards. Recruiting more Wizards to a player’s team or damaging Death Eaters is how the game progresses because each time a card is recruited or defeated it is removed from the main board and a new card replaces it. As long as at least one die is removed from the player’s pool each time the dice are rolled the player may continue rolling to match symbols needed.
To End Turn, the active player will add any recruited Wizards to their team, discard any defeated Death Eaters, Wizards, or Places, and retrieve their Mission token to be used on the next turn.
Play continues in this fashion of taking turns through the four steps until the Voldemort card is drawn. He then comes into play as an enemy that may be attacked like normal. Players win when they defeat enough Death Eaters and Voldemort, but can lose if the players allow a Place to be completely corrupted (usually by Death Eater card abilities), allowing four Places to be corrupted, if too many Wizards have been defeated per number of players, or any player has all their Wizards defeated from their team.
Components. This game includes a lot of components of varying style and materials. The cards are all very glossy (meh) and feature headshots of the characters mostly. The board is three pieces fit together like a pizza and is great. The damage counters are little translucent red cubes, and the corruption gem tokens are also translucent gems but gray in color. The best components in the game are by far the Voldemort, well, statue and all the dice. The Voldemort piece is incredible, and pre-painted. The stance he is taking is formidable and somewhat intimidating when he’s pointing his wand right at you. The dice have been upgraded to a matte finish (as opposed to yucky polished finish) and feature some great inking. The one negative I have to say is also about the dice: I believe that the faces sometimes can be confusing because the icons are more detailed than is necessary. While some would argue that detailed dice are better than merely serviceable dice, I would much rather see a sword on a face and know it’s a sword than to look at a die face and wonder what I am looking at exactly. In any case, that’s my opinion and yours may be different. Let’s still be friends.
So overall this is a big upgrade over the Thanos version of a Rising game for several key reasons. In Thanos I always felt like every turn could lose the game for us, and Thanos seemed to gain the Infinity Stones too quickly for my taste. In this version, you know you have half a deck before you are able to even fight Voldemort, so being able to tackle his minions until then seems more surmountable. The dice have been upgraded, and the Voldemort die is wonderful and easy to read. That was an issue I had with Thanos: his die was hard to read and the colors were not distinct enough. Not a factor in this version at all. I also feel that this version has much more faction-dependency and interplay. What I mean is that an Order of the Phoenix card may require a player to also have a Dumbledore’s Army card on the team in order to unlock access to their special ability. I like that. I like a well-balanced team, though my first game saw me recruit eight Order of the Phoenix cards and one Dumbledore’s Army card. We won, but I felt bad.
So it’s no surprise that I love this game. I find it better and easier to learn/play than the Thanos version. I like the components a whole lot more. I like the interplay between the factions more. I am sad that I prefer Marvel to Harry Potter, but I do not dislike Harry Potter, let it be known. And I do enjoy this version much more. Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a triumphant 10 / 12. My wife and I truly love it and can’t wait to play it again very soon. If you are looking for a good Rising game, I certainly recommend you look at Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising. It’s a guaranteed hit if you or a loved one is a Harry Potter fan. For sure. It’s brilliant.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Fray: Champions of the Everyverse in Tabletop Games
Jul 1, 2020
Welcome to the Grand Center – an arena of elite combat. As a Watcher, it is your job to bring forth Champions to fight in the ultimate battle royale of the every-verse. It matters not from what time-period your Champion hails, or what fighting styles they possess – if their realm exists, they are viable candidates. Can your Champions collect valuable loot and knock opponents out of the running? Or will they fail to rise above the Fray? The last team standing wins, so put your Champions to the test and claim glory for yourself!
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the pending Kickstarter campaign, purchase it from your FLGS, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -L
Fray: Champions of the Every-Verse (referred to as just Fray from now on) is a game of dice rolling, grid movement, and fighting in which players are trying to eliminate all opponents and be the last remaining player in the arena. Before setting up to play, you must first determine how many Champions each player will control. Controlling only 1 Champion is considered “Single Mode” and makes for a quicker play-time. Players can control up to 3 Champions in a single game. After determining how many Champions each player will control, set up the game as described in the rulebook. You are now ready to begin!
A game of Fray is divided into a number of rounds, and to begin each round, all players must select one of their Champions to be the round leader, then roll a d6, and add the appropriate Initiative modifier. This determines the turn order for the round – the highest Initiative gets to go first, and so on in descending numerical order. It is important to note that in future rounds when determining Initiative, you may not select the same Champion to lead for consecutive rounds. After Initiative has been determined, player turns begin. On your turn, you will perform 2 Phases: an Item Phase and a Champion Phase. During the Item Phase, you have the opportunity to play as many Item cards from your hand as you wish. Item cards can give you special abilities or buffs for future turns, or can be played as reactions to opponent’s actions, depending on the card.
Once your Item Phase is done, you move to the Champion Phase. To begin your Champion Phase, choose which Champion you are using and roll the 3 Battle Dice. These dice help activate abilities on your turn. The chosen Champion may now move a number of squares as stated on their card. After movement, your Champion can now activate 1 action from the following: Attack, Defend, or Champion Ability. All actions require you to spend a number of resources in order to perform them, so this is where the Battle Dice come into play. Once you have performed your action, resolve abilities as needed (rolling a save against an attack, rolling the damage die, etc.). If, after resolving abilities, you still have unused Battle Dice, you can choose to store up to 2 of them for use on your next turn. You then repeat the entire Champion Phase with your next available Champion. Once you have used all of your Champions, your turn ends.
After all players have had their turns in a round, you move to the Loot Phase. Any player with any Champion within 3 spaces of the Loot Marker on the board gets to draw 1 Loot card. The first player then rolls a d6 and the Scatter die, and moves the Loot Marker appropriately for the next round. The new round is ready to begin, with all players rolling for Initiative once again. During play, if a Champion is reduced to 0 hit points, that Champion leaves the game. The player with the last remaining Champion on the board is the winner!
Ok, I know that seems like a lot, but the gameplay is actually pretty intuitive and streamlined. Here’s how a turn breaks down: play Item cards, roll Battle Dice, move Champion, perform 1 action, resolve, repeat with your other Champions, turn ends. That’s it! After going through the steps with my first Champion, the process just clicked and the gameplay flowed pretty seamlessly. It admittedly seemed pretty daunting at first when I was reading through the rules, but in the actual game, it is easy to pick up.
With the purpose of this game being knocking out all your opponents, obviously strategy is a pretty big aspect of the gameplay. All Champions have special abilities, attack combos, and types of attacks. Some Champions are only melee fighters and can interact with opponents 1 square away, others are only short- or long-ranged and must be at a distance to attack, and some have the option to be either melee or ranged. Each Champion requires a bit of a different strategy to be played successfully, and you’ve got to be able to adapt on the fly. That being said, this is a competitive combat game, so some players might not like being pitted directly against opponents and being targeted by others. The other strategic aspect to consider is the location of the Loot Marker on the board. The only way you ever get to draw Item cards is if you are within 3 squares of the Loot Marker at the end of the round. Are you willing to risk combat for a chance to gain an Item card? Or are you content with skirting the battlefield and letting your opponents take each other out? All things to consider when playing Fray.
The biggest drawback of Fray for me has to do with some components, or lack thereof. But as I stated earlier, this is only a prototype copy of the game, and I am sure that these things will be addressed in the final production copies! For starters, I’d like to see Turn Order Markers. Since the turn order varies each round based on Initiative, it would be nice to have some numbered markers to help players keep track of the order for the round. Along those lines, maybe a Turn Order Reference card for players could be added as well. The turn steps are generally pretty straightforward, but just having a reminder of the different types of movement, or what resources are required for which actions would be nice. And my final consideration for edits would be to include on each Champion card whether that Champion is a melee, short-ranged, or long-ranged fighter. That breakdown is in the rulebook, but having it on the card would be beneficial as well! Besides those three notes, the components of this prototype copy are phenomenal. The board, cards, and chits are all nice and sturdy. All of the game dice are high quality and easy to read. I know Brain Sandwich Games has plans for sculpted minis for the Champions, but even the simple standees in this copy are easily identifiable and will withstand many plays. The art of the cards is very detailed and awesome to look at. All in all, already a pretty great quality game!
Ultimately, I think Fray is a great game. It may need a little polishing up with some components, but the current gameplay is ready for production. I am not typically someone who enjoys directly competitive games, but Fray was one that I thoroughly loved. It has enough elements of strategy, combat, and luck of the dice rolls that it doesn’t feel targeting or confrontational. I am eager to follow the Kickstarter campaign and see what else Brain Sandwich Games has in store for an already awesome game! I would definitely recommend checking this one out – it’s a unique twist on a standard arena combat game.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know for sure if the final components will be any different from these shown. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, as there are just too many. You are invited to download the rulebook, back the game through the pending Kickstarter campaign, purchase it from your FLGS, or through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -L
Fray: Champions of the Every-Verse (referred to as just Fray from now on) is a game of dice rolling, grid movement, and fighting in which players are trying to eliminate all opponents and be the last remaining player in the arena. Before setting up to play, you must first determine how many Champions each player will control. Controlling only 1 Champion is considered “Single Mode” and makes for a quicker play-time. Players can control up to 3 Champions in a single game. After determining how many Champions each player will control, set up the game as described in the rulebook. You are now ready to begin!
A game of Fray is divided into a number of rounds, and to begin each round, all players must select one of their Champions to be the round leader, then roll a d6, and add the appropriate Initiative modifier. This determines the turn order for the round – the highest Initiative gets to go first, and so on in descending numerical order. It is important to note that in future rounds when determining Initiative, you may not select the same Champion to lead for consecutive rounds. After Initiative has been determined, player turns begin. On your turn, you will perform 2 Phases: an Item Phase and a Champion Phase. During the Item Phase, you have the opportunity to play as many Item cards from your hand as you wish. Item cards can give you special abilities or buffs for future turns, or can be played as reactions to opponent’s actions, depending on the card.
Once your Item Phase is done, you move to the Champion Phase. To begin your Champion Phase, choose which Champion you are using and roll the 3 Battle Dice. These dice help activate abilities on your turn. The chosen Champion may now move a number of squares as stated on their card. After movement, your Champion can now activate 1 action from the following: Attack, Defend, or Champion Ability. All actions require you to spend a number of resources in order to perform them, so this is where the Battle Dice come into play. Once you have performed your action, resolve abilities as needed (rolling a save against an attack, rolling the damage die, etc.). If, after resolving abilities, you still have unused Battle Dice, you can choose to store up to 2 of them for use on your next turn. You then repeat the entire Champion Phase with your next available Champion. Once you have used all of your Champions, your turn ends.
After all players have had their turns in a round, you move to the Loot Phase. Any player with any Champion within 3 spaces of the Loot Marker on the board gets to draw 1 Loot card. The first player then rolls a d6 and the Scatter die, and moves the Loot Marker appropriately for the next round. The new round is ready to begin, with all players rolling for Initiative once again. During play, if a Champion is reduced to 0 hit points, that Champion leaves the game. The player with the last remaining Champion on the board is the winner!
Ok, I know that seems like a lot, but the gameplay is actually pretty intuitive and streamlined. Here’s how a turn breaks down: play Item cards, roll Battle Dice, move Champion, perform 1 action, resolve, repeat with your other Champions, turn ends. That’s it! After going through the steps with my first Champion, the process just clicked and the gameplay flowed pretty seamlessly. It admittedly seemed pretty daunting at first when I was reading through the rules, but in the actual game, it is easy to pick up.
With the purpose of this game being knocking out all your opponents, obviously strategy is a pretty big aspect of the gameplay. All Champions have special abilities, attack combos, and types of attacks. Some Champions are only melee fighters and can interact with opponents 1 square away, others are only short- or long-ranged and must be at a distance to attack, and some have the option to be either melee or ranged. Each Champion requires a bit of a different strategy to be played successfully, and you’ve got to be able to adapt on the fly. That being said, this is a competitive combat game, so some players might not like being pitted directly against opponents and being targeted by others. The other strategic aspect to consider is the location of the Loot Marker on the board. The only way you ever get to draw Item cards is if you are within 3 squares of the Loot Marker at the end of the round. Are you willing to risk combat for a chance to gain an Item card? Or are you content with skirting the battlefield and letting your opponents take each other out? All things to consider when playing Fray.
The biggest drawback of Fray for me has to do with some components, or lack thereof. But as I stated earlier, this is only a prototype copy of the game, and I am sure that these things will be addressed in the final production copies! For starters, I’d like to see Turn Order Markers. Since the turn order varies each round based on Initiative, it would be nice to have some numbered markers to help players keep track of the order for the round. Along those lines, maybe a Turn Order Reference card for players could be added as well. The turn steps are generally pretty straightforward, but just having a reminder of the different types of movement, or what resources are required for which actions would be nice. And my final consideration for edits would be to include on each Champion card whether that Champion is a melee, short-ranged, or long-ranged fighter. That breakdown is in the rulebook, but having it on the card would be beneficial as well! Besides those three notes, the components of this prototype copy are phenomenal. The board, cards, and chits are all nice and sturdy. All of the game dice are high quality and easy to read. I know Brain Sandwich Games has plans for sculpted minis for the Champions, but even the simple standees in this copy are easily identifiable and will withstand many plays. The art of the cards is very detailed and awesome to look at. All in all, already a pretty great quality game!
Ultimately, I think Fray is a great game. It may need a little polishing up with some components, but the current gameplay is ready for production. I am not typically someone who enjoys directly competitive games, but Fray was one that I thoroughly loved. It has enough elements of strategy, combat, and luck of the dice rolls that it doesn’t feel targeting or confrontational. I am eager to follow the Kickstarter campaign and see what else Brain Sandwich Games has in store for an already awesome game! I would definitely recommend checking this one out – it’s a unique twist on a standard arena combat game.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Tales & Games: The Three Little Pigs in Tabletop Games
Aug 18, 2020
The Wolf always gets a bad rap. Think of all the stories you know that include an anthropomorphic wolf and tell me three that show The Wolf in a positive light. Can’t think of any? Me neither. But they need to eat to survive and it’s tough in these streets! errm, trees! Such is the plight of The Wolf in this one, as he is attempting to wrest the Little Pigs out of their hidey-holes so he can have a nice bacon dinner. And honestly, who can blame him? Bacon!
Tales & Games: The Three Little Pigs (which I will fondly refer to as 3LP for the remainder of this review) is a cute little family dice and take-that game about building houses for maximum points while avoiding The Wolf’s hungry advances. The winner of the game is the Little Piggy who has built the most complete structures using the best materials that afford them the most endgame points.
To setup, sort the building tiles by material type and house level type as shown inside the box cover. Place the dice and spinner nearby. Let the youngest or cutest player go first. The game is now ready to be played!
On a player’s turn they will roll all the dice Yahtzee-style (so with two re-roll attempts), and the remainder of the turn is based on what is rolled. Players are not required to re-roll, but must stop once two or more Wolf symbols are rolled, or after the second re-roll. The player may then use the dice to purchase house materials corresponding to what was rolled. If three doors are rolled, a player may purchase a straw door (which cost two door symbols) or a wooden door (which cost three door symbols). These house parts can be of mixed materials, so once the pieces have been purchased, house construction can then be done.
Should a player roll The Wolf, then the “breath” spinner will be spun. The player who rolled The Wolf dice will choose an opponent AND one of their houses to target. Spin the spinner and destroy all matching pieces in their house. Some children have issues with this, but hey, they should have built more brick sections! Play continues in this fashion taking turns rolling and purchasing and building until several stacks of house sections are gone (depending on player count). All incomplete houses are crumbled, and piggy faces on standing houses are scored to determine the victor! When playing with my kiddo I don’t use the bonus cards, but they are available if playing with older and more strategic players.
Components. As this is one of the famed (and first in the line) Tales & Games Bookshelf games, it has set a standard for the series. These games come in boxes that look like books on the outside, open like a book, and contain a story to be read as a prelude to the game, if wished. The box is very very cool, and the insert is pink and wonderfully designed. The house tiles are thick and colorful, and the pink dice are just a joy to roll. I love the components in this one!
So obviously this is a game really designed to target younger gamers. And though it says 7+ on the box, I have successfully played this with my 3 year old with zero issues. He loves it, and in turn, makes me love it too. Now, I will certainly not pull this out at any given Game Night with adults (unless we have gamer spouses or friends who have NEVER played modern games at all). However, I really do enjoy playing it with my son for now, and for super-newbies. It is colorful, light on rules, offers some choices, and of course, has a touch of luck and take-that. All this while still feeling like you are in the story of The Three Little Pigs. So I say, if you were ever on the fence with this one – get it. Play it with whomever you like and just enjoy it. It is light enough with just a touch of adultness to keep you smiling. But don’t invite your Twilight Imperium or Mage Knight friends. They won’t like it. We at Purple Phoenix Games know how to get down with the simpler games as well, so that’s why we give this one a blown-over 9 / 12.
Tales & Games: The Three Little Pigs (which I will fondly refer to as 3LP for the remainder of this review) is a cute little family dice and take-that game about building houses for maximum points while avoiding The Wolf’s hungry advances. The winner of the game is the Little Piggy who has built the most complete structures using the best materials that afford them the most endgame points.
To setup, sort the building tiles by material type and house level type as shown inside the box cover. Place the dice and spinner nearby. Let the youngest or cutest player go first. The game is now ready to be played!
On a player’s turn they will roll all the dice Yahtzee-style (so with two re-roll attempts), and the remainder of the turn is based on what is rolled. Players are not required to re-roll, but must stop once two or more Wolf symbols are rolled, or after the second re-roll. The player may then use the dice to purchase house materials corresponding to what was rolled. If three doors are rolled, a player may purchase a straw door (which cost two door symbols) or a wooden door (which cost three door symbols). These house parts can be of mixed materials, so once the pieces have been purchased, house construction can then be done.
Should a player roll The Wolf, then the “breath” spinner will be spun. The player who rolled The Wolf dice will choose an opponent AND one of their houses to target. Spin the spinner and destroy all matching pieces in their house. Some children have issues with this, but hey, they should have built more brick sections! Play continues in this fashion taking turns rolling and purchasing and building until several stacks of house sections are gone (depending on player count). All incomplete houses are crumbled, and piggy faces on standing houses are scored to determine the victor! When playing with my kiddo I don’t use the bonus cards, but they are available if playing with older and more strategic players.
Components. As this is one of the famed (and first in the line) Tales & Games Bookshelf games, it has set a standard for the series. These games come in boxes that look like books on the outside, open like a book, and contain a story to be read as a prelude to the game, if wished. The box is very very cool, and the insert is pink and wonderfully designed. The house tiles are thick and colorful, and the pink dice are just a joy to roll. I love the components in this one!
So obviously this is a game really designed to target younger gamers. And though it says 7+ on the box, I have successfully played this with my 3 year old with zero issues. He loves it, and in turn, makes me love it too. Now, I will certainly not pull this out at any given Game Night with adults (unless we have gamer spouses or friends who have NEVER played modern games at all). However, I really do enjoy playing it with my son for now, and for super-newbies. It is colorful, light on rules, offers some choices, and of course, has a touch of luck and take-that. All this while still feeling like you are in the story of The Three Little Pigs. So I say, if you were ever on the fence with this one – get it. Play it with whomever you like and just enjoy it. It is light enough with just a touch of adultness to keep you smiling. But don’t invite your Twilight Imperium or Mage Knight friends. They won’t like it. We at Purple Phoenix Games know how to get down with the simpler games as well, so that’s why we give this one a blown-over 9 / 12.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Jamaica in Tabletop Games
Sep 22, 2021
I have said before on several reviews that I just love the pirate theme in board games. I don’t really know why, exactly, but most piratey games just click with me. Is it the doubloons? Is it the booty? Yes, it’s probably everything. This time, however, the game is a race around the island, and it will do you well to get past the starting line.
Jamaica a dice-chucking, simultaneous action, hand management racing game set in the year 1708. Player assume the roles of pirate captains and crew traveling around the island of Jamaica deciding the best courses to take and the greatest booty to plunder and bring back across the finish line.
To setup, place the main board in the center of the table. Each player chooses a pirate captain and receives all components of that color. In addition each pirate will receive 3 doubloons, 3 food tokens, and 3 cards drawn to begin their journey. Consult the rulebook to setup the rest of the components, give the starting player the token and dice and the game may begin!
On a turn the starting player will roll the two action dice and places one on the morning action space and one on the evening action space. Each player then chooses a card from their hand of three to play. Once the starting player plays and resolves their card, each other player will do the same. Whatever number is on the morning action die corresponds to the resource or movement amount to be placed in hold or moved on the board. For example, if the dice values are 4 and 3 for morning and evening, respectively, then the players will gain 4 of whatever resource or movement is shown on the left side of their card and 3 of whatever is shown on the right side of their card. There are special rules for placing resources in holds and for landing on certain spots on the game board, which I will have you discover when you play your first game.
On occasion pirates will end their movement on a space already containing another pirate’s shipeeple and, as is customary, a battle ensues. This involves both players choosing the amount of gunpowder (resource) they wish to add to the roll of a combat die. For example, if Laura attacks Josh at the starting line (because one had moved backward and then forward again) and dedicates three gunpowder to the combat and rolls a 4 on the combat die her total is seven. Josh then dedicates his five gunpowder to the combat and rolls a 5 as well for a total of 10. Josh wins and can steal items in one hold space on her ship, steal a treasure card earned at pirate lairs, or give a cursed treasure card to Laura.
Play continues in this fashion until one player crosses the finish line at Port Royal. The round finishes and then players tally points. Points are earned for board space number where their shipeeple finished, doubloons in holds, and positive VP treasure cards. If any cursed treasures are held they are negative VP cards and will be deducted from the player’s total score. The player with the most VP at the end of the game is the winner of the race and thus has bragging rights until the next annual race is held.
Components. The components in Jamaica are stellar, and the art is incredible. Every single component in the box is just wonderful to behold and to handle during play. I especially enjoy the art style employed, even down to the graphic design of the rulebook. Every piece seems to have love and affection poured into them and that is partly why Jamaica is so highly regarded among many (currently ranked 494 on BGG in February 2021).
Another reason pirates dig this (haha see what I did there with the digging as if referencing the hiding of booty… nevermind) is because the gameplay is so smooth and enjoyable. Yes, I have been witness to a game where two players made it not three spaces from the start when the game ended. It was ridiculous and unforgettable. Yes, there are points in the game where you MUST travel backward in order to continue forward in the game. Yes, much of what happens in the game is a result of dice rolls, but choosing the best cards to use in order to maximize the dice results is the crux of the game. No pirates have special abilities, so it is an even playing field, and I love that.
The game is absolutely stunning on the table, easy to pick up and play, and offers so many wonderful memories to be made each time you play. Purple Phoenix Games emphatically gives this one a booty-ful 19 / 24. If you are looking for that niche pirate-themed racing game with treasure stealing and dice rolling, this is it. I have found the perfect game for that slot in your collection. If you are looking for a fun racing game that also includes battles and possibilities of incremental progression, this is it. I can’t speak highly enough about Jamaica, and the only reason it scores a 5 for me instead of a 6 is because I simply cannot play it enough to increase its score. It hits all the buttons for me, but I fear it does not have the wider interest in my group to reach my Top 10.
Jamaica a dice-chucking, simultaneous action, hand management racing game set in the year 1708. Player assume the roles of pirate captains and crew traveling around the island of Jamaica deciding the best courses to take and the greatest booty to plunder and bring back across the finish line.
To setup, place the main board in the center of the table. Each player chooses a pirate captain and receives all components of that color. In addition each pirate will receive 3 doubloons, 3 food tokens, and 3 cards drawn to begin their journey. Consult the rulebook to setup the rest of the components, give the starting player the token and dice and the game may begin!
On a turn the starting player will roll the two action dice and places one on the morning action space and one on the evening action space. Each player then chooses a card from their hand of three to play. Once the starting player plays and resolves their card, each other player will do the same. Whatever number is on the morning action die corresponds to the resource or movement amount to be placed in hold or moved on the board. For example, if the dice values are 4 and 3 for morning and evening, respectively, then the players will gain 4 of whatever resource or movement is shown on the left side of their card and 3 of whatever is shown on the right side of their card. There are special rules for placing resources in holds and for landing on certain spots on the game board, which I will have you discover when you play your first game.
On occasion pirates will end their movement on a space already containing another pirate’s shipeeple and, as is customary, a battle ensues. This involves both players choosing the amount of gunpowder (resource) they wish to add to the roll of a combat die. For example, if Laura attacks Josh at the starting line (because one had moved backward and then forward again) and dedicates three gunpowder to the combat and rolls a 4 on the combat die her total is seven. Josh then dedicates his five gunpowder to the combat and rolls a 5 as well for a total of 10. Josh wins and can steal items in one hold space on her ship, steal a treasure card earned at pirate lairs, or give a cursed treasure card to Laura.
Play continues in this fashion until one player crosses the finish line at Port Royal. The round finishes and then players tally points. Points are earned for board space number where their shipeeple finished, doubloons in holds, and positive VP treasure cards. If any cursed treasures are held they are negative VP cards and will be deducted from the player’s total score. The player with the most VP at the end of the game is the winner of the race and thus has bragging rights until the next annual race is held.
Components. The components in Jamaica are stellar, and the art is incredible. Every single component in the box is just wonderful to behold and to handle during play. I especially enjoy the art style employed, even down to the graphic design of the rulebook. Every piece seems to have love and affection poured into them and that is partly why Jamaica is so highly regarded among many (currently ranked 494 on BGG in February 2021).
Another reason pirates dig this (haha see what I did there with the digging as if referencing the hiding of booty… nevermind) is because the gameplay is so smooth and enjoyable. Yes, I have been witness to a game where two players made it not three spaces from the start when the game ended. It was ridiculous and unforgettable. Yes, there are points in the game where you MUST travel backward in order to continue forward in the game. Yes, much of what happens in the game is a result of dice rolls, but choosing the best cards to use in order to maximize the dice results is the crux of the game. No pirates have special abilities, so it is an even playing field, and I love that.
The game is absolutely stunning on the table, easy to pick up and play, and offers so many wonderful memories to be made each time you play. Purple Phoenix Games emphatically gives this one a booty-ful 19 / 24. If you are looking for that niche pirate-themed racing game with treasure stealing and dice rolling, this is it. I have found the perfect game for that slot in your collection. If you are looking for a fun racing game that also includes battles and possibilities of incremental progression, this is it. I can’t speak highly enough about Jamaica, and the only reason it scores a 5 for me instead of a 6 is because I simply cannot play it enough to increase its score. It hits all the buttons for me, but I fear it does not have the wider interest in my group to reach my Top 10.
Peter Shephard (2821 KP) rated Call to Adventure in Tabletop Games
Jun 4, 2019
Different, in a very good way
This is unlike any game I have played before. It is totally possible to create a whole life story in one game, and with a little leap of imagination, the created character could be the Big Bad (or Main Support) for just about any fantasy role playing game.
The game uses a standard format for abilities (strength etc) but "casting runes" instead of rolling dice is quick to work out and able to be done quickly.
Having set "story points" which you need to advance your story, but being able to decide whether you take the positive/noble, or negative/shady path gradually builds to give a really developed character.
From one of the games I played, I was an acolyte; I went to war, but was greatly disillusioned by what I saw, so ended up leaving the faith and joining with the thieves. I encountered a childhood sweetheart, and we stayed together for ages. Finally, during my battle with a demon, to complete my return to favour with the diety I had abandoned, my sweetheart was murdered by the demons followers. Although I succeeded, it was at a huge cost....
This was all determined from the cards played; it's very varied and really well thought out.
Highly, highly recommended
The game uses a standard format for abilities (strength etc) but "casting runes" instead of rolling dice is quick to work out and able to be done quickly.
Having set "story points" which you need to advance your story, but being able to decide whether you take the positive/noble, or negative/shady path gradually builds to give a really developed character.
From one of the games I played, I was an acolyte; I went to war, but was greatly disillusioned by what I saw, so ended up leaving the faith and joining with the thieves. I encountered a childhood sweetheart, and we stayed together for ages. Finally, during my battle with a demon, to complete my return to favour with the diety I had abandoned, my sweetheart was murdered by the demons followers. Although I succeeded, it was at a huge cost....
This was all determined from the cards played; it's very varied and really well thought out.
Highly, highly recommended
Lumos (380 KP) rated Betrayal at House on the Hill in Tabletop Games
Mar 21, 2018 (Updated Apr 5, 2018)
I love Betrayal at House on the Hill. It is similar to the game Elder Sign in that you are trying to complete a mission but rolling dice to defeat obstacles, but this game throws a twist at you… after a little while, one of your party members turns on you and suddenly it becomes everyone against them!
I like the way the items and events that occur throughout the game are very well thought out and work thematically with what happened and in what room (for example: it makes sense that you might find a spooky book in the library or a rotting corpse in the graveyard). I do like that one player becomes the enemy (although it causes me anxiety every time that that will be me and I will mess it up). I think this gives the game a unique spin and causes members (that aren’t involved in the haunt) to work together to defeat them. Each game is different and follows a different haunting. There are different books to read depending on if you are the evil player or not, Both sides have a different goal that the other doesn't know about. There is some common knowledge but it almost becomes two separate games against each other. A very well thought out game that is fun and challenging with a high replay level.
I like the way the items and events that occur throughout the game are very well thought out and work thematically with what happened and in what room (for example: it makes sense that you might find a spooky book in the library or a rotting corpse in the graveyard). I do like that one player becomes the enemy (although it causes me anxiety every time that that will be me and I will mess it up). I think this gives the game a unique spin and causes members (that aren’t involved in the haunt) to work together to defeat them. Each game is different and follows a different haunting. There are different books to read depending on if you are the evil player or not, Both sides have a different goal that the other doesn't know about. There is some common knowledge but it almost becomes two separate games against each other. A very well thought out game that is fun and challenging with a high replay level.
The Marinated Meeple (1848 KP) rated Broom Service: The Card Game in Tabletop Games
Aug 6, 2018
This is a very simple game, very short, not much depth
There is a risk to being brave, if someone else is also brave with the same potion, you get nothing.... Without knowing the full game, this makes no sense whatsoever. The full game has light depth and interesting choices and planning, this game is really just a taking that small deduction part of the game of what people are holding and if you want to risk it.
To me this is like taking settlers of catan and just distilling it down to rolling the dice and collectiing resources, and at the end of the 4 rounds you get points for having the larger sets of brick than someone else. Without the map and building things there isn't strategy.
This game might be good for kids, but I think it send the wrong message, so I even discount that. This feels like a money grab trying to capitalize on the name of Broom Service, and making a small version that costs less. But you don't get the game, so therefore even less of a cost feels like a ripoff. I'm trying not to hold a grudge against this game, but I'm not happy with this as a game.
Do yourself the favor to pay the extra 10 dollars for the full version, and skip this.
To me this is like taking settlers of catan and just distilling it down to rolling the dice and collectiing resources, and at the end of the 4 rounds you get points for having the larger sets of brick than someone else. Without the map and building things there isn't strategy.
This game might be good for kids, but I think it send the wrong message, so I even discount that. This feels like a money grab trying to capitalize on the name of Broom Service, and making a small version that costs less. But you don't get the game, so therefore even less of a cost feels like a ripoff. I'm trying not to hold a grudge against this game, but I'm not happy with this as a game.
Do yourself the favor to pay the extra 10 dollars for the full version, and skip this.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Roll for Lasers in Tabletop Games
Aug 3, 2020
Frickin’ lasers?! You made a game about frickin’ lasers? Yop. Well, WE didn’t, but Glass Shoe Games did. You’re a museum security company vying for the museum’s contract against other companies. The contract will go to the company who can arrange security lasers and mirrors in the most strategic locations to keep the museum’s collection safe. But also you will need to utilize the previous company’s placed mirrors and targets.
Roll for Lasers is a one-page roll and write game where the winner is the player whose company can hit placed targets more often (Victory Points) with lasers. Targets and mirrors will be placed all over the museum floor, so utilizing proper strategy, well-timed re-rolls, and special actions will see the winner awarded the security contract.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give our readers a general feel for how the game plays. You can back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching August 4, 2020, order from your FLGS, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setup for Roll for Lasers is simple. Give every player a pen (or erasable marker for laminated sheets) and 6d6. Decide as a group which three special actions to use for the game and you are ready to begin!
NOTE: Though I appreciate the USPS for everything they do, check out the picture below. I mean, come on. It didn’t hinder our play at all, but sheesh.
Play will commence in rounds. Each round will have three phases. The first phase is rolling for targets. Using the prescribed starting corner, players will roll all 6d6 and use these results to create x- and y-axis pairs to plot up to three targets in their mini grid. These are depicted by circles. The next phase is placing mirrors, and the players will again roll all 6d6 to be used to place up to three mirrors, depicted by diagonal lines. Finally, players will again roll all 6d6 to find either three singular dice or combinations of dice to fire a laser from the side or bottom of their grid in a straight line. For all targets the laser passes through, count 1VP. Each mirror encountered will alter the pathway of the laser, and by the end of the game lasers will be bouncing all over the museum. Play continues for three or four rounds (depending on player count) and once the last round ends, players count up VP to determine the winner!
Components. Again, we were provided a prototype copy of the game for this preview, and at this point I do not know what, if anything, will be changing as a result of a successful Kickstarter campaign. However, we were provided a nicely laminated sheet and a dry-erase marker to use. The sheet is laid out well, and the art is interesting without being in the way at all. Since Glass Shoe Games sent us an orange dry-erase marker (GREAT color choice btw) I borrowed the 6d6 from Roll Player because I knew I would find about a thousand d6 in that box. So components are minimal, and that’s quite all right with us this time.
Roll and write games are still popular now, and I, for one, am quite excited for that to be the case. I love being able to pull out a few dice, explain a few rules, and then get to playing. Roll for Lasers certainly delivers when I feel I have about 5-10 minutes to play something but still want a thinky experience. Rolling the dice and then determining which pair or combination of dice to use can get a little burdensome with AP-prone players, but being able to place the perfect mirror to foil an opponent, or adeptly using one of the special actions (like the triple-point target) is very rewarding. What I have also found with this is that all players are in the game until the very end. As you will see below, in my play against my wife I was behind for the first three rounds, but that last round was super robust for me and I finished way further ahead.
I love games that can be fun without having tons of components (I love games with tons of components too, don’t get me wrong), and Roll for Lasers is a great example of this. I have had a great time playing this every time, and can certainly see myself pulling this out a lot once game nights can safely return to normal. If you are missing a fast minimal roll and write for your collection with an interesting theme, consider backing or ordering Roll for Lasers.
Roll for Lasers is a one-page roll and write game where the winner is the player whose company can hit placed targets more often (Victory Points) with lasers. Targets and mirrors will be placed all over the museum floor, so utilizing proper strategy, well-timed re-rolls, and special actions will see the winner awarded the security contract.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components. Also, it is not my intention to detail every rule in the game, but to give our readers a general feel for how the game plays. You can back the game through the Kickstarter campaign launching August 4, 2020, order from your FLGS, or purchase through any retailers stocking it after fulfillment. -T
Setup for Roll for Lasers is simple. Give every player a pen (or erasable marker for laminated sheets) and 6d6. Decide as a group which three special actions to use for the game and you are ready to begin!
NOTE: Though I appreciate the USPS for everything they do, check out the picture below. I mean, come on. It didn’t hinder our play at all, but sheesh.
Play will commence in rounds. Each round will have three phases. The first phase is rolling for targets. Using the prescribed starting corner, players will roll all 6d6 and use these results to create x- and y-axis pairs to plot up to three targets in their mini grid. These are depicted by circles. The next phase is placing mirrors, and the players will again roll all 6d6 to be used to place up to three mirrors, depicted by diagonal lines. Finally, players will again roll all 6d6 to find either three singular dice or combinations of dice to fire a laser from the side or bottom of their grid in a straight line. For all targets the laser passes through, count 1VP. Each mirror encountered will alter the pathway of the laser, and by the end of the game lasers will be bouncing all over the museum. Play continues for three or four rounds (depending on player count) and once the last round ends, players count up VP to determine the winner!
Components. Again, we were provided a prototype copy of the game for this preview, and at this point I do not know what, if anything, will be changing as a result of a successful Kickstarter campaign. However, we were provided a nicely laminated sheet and a dry-erase marker to use. The sheet is laid out well, and the art is interesting without being in the way at all. Since Glass Shoe Games sent us an orange dry-erase marker (GREAT color choice btw) I borrowed the 6d6 from Roll Player because I knew I would find about a thousand d6 in that box. So components are minimal, and that’s quite all right with us this time.
Roll and write games are still popular now, and I, for one, am quite excited for that to be the case. I love being able to pull out a few dice, explain a few rules, and then get to playing. Roll for Lasers certainly delivers when I feel I have about 5-10 minutes to play something but still want a thinky experience. Rolling the dice and then determining which pair or combination of dice to use can get a little burdensome with AP-prone players, but being able to place the perfect mirror to foil an opponent, or adeptly using one of the special actions (like the triple-point target) is very rewarding. What I have also found with this is that all players are in the game until the very end. As you will see below, in my play against my wife I was behind for the first three rounds, but that last round was super robust for me and I finished way further ahead.
I love games that can be fun without having tons of components (I love games with tons of components too, don’t get me wrong), and Roll for Lasers is a great example of this. I have had a great time playing this every time, and can certainly see myself pulling this out a lot once game nights can safely return to normal. If you are missing a fast minimal roll and write for your collection with an interesting theme, consider backing or ordering Roll for Lasers.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Destinies in Tabletop Games
Jan 29, 2022
I can recall so many instances of my board game purchases being based on either the designer, artist, or publisher. Surely I am not alone here. Josh will probably always be a Stonemaier Games fanboy. Laura has aligned herself with Daily Magic Games and Button Shy Games. While I am a big fan of the Valeriaverse, I think my current preferences put me on teams Weird Giraffe Games, Blue Orange Games, and Lucky Duck Games. Speaking of the latter, LDG have come through with some seriously excellent hybrid app-driven games that just wow me every single time. I was definitely a hybrid game naysayer when the first Chronicles of Crime came out, but the more I play them, the more I appreciate the accomplishments. Destinies has now come along to me and it has been some time since I have been this jazzed to play a game over and over and over and over.
Destinies is a hybrid app-driven adventure board game for one to three players. In it, players will be choosing their characters and how to play them, along with the path of their individual destinies across several campaign scenarios. When playing multiplayer, the player who completes their destiny first will win. When playing solo (which is also amazing), the player wins when they successfully complete their destiny.
DISCLAIMER: We are using the Kickstarter version of the game. We do have the expansions from the KS campaign, but will not be using those for this review. Also, we do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rule book, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy from the publisher directly or from your FLGS. -T
Usually I list out the steps to setup a game in this section, but there are so many little items and steps to be taken that I will simply show you, the reader, how a scenario may look once setup. The app will instruct players how to create their character’s stats and which map tiles should be placed out initially. Typically, though, each player will receive a player board, Destiny card (with their character headshot on one side and their Destiny choices on back), two main dice, three effort dice, and one gold coin. Once setup, the app will drive the story along and the players will be rolling dice and making choices in order to win the game or scenario.
Each player will be given their Destiny card with two distinct Destiny paths on the backside. These paths correlate with the current scenario, and the player will be able to choose one of the two given paths to help move their games forward. However, sometimes players will switch their Destiny mid-game due to several factors including successes on previous tasks or current inventory. The only way to win the game is to complete a Destiny, so staying on track is paramount in this open sandbox game – it is incredibly easy to become sidetracked and lose sight of specific tasks to be performed.
Each turn a player may move to a new tile, to previously-explored tiles, or points of interest on specific map tiles. These points of interest could be unique characters to be visited, or more general spaces on the tile represented by tokens. Sometimes visiting a POI (point of interest) will have the player rolling dice to complete tests, initiating trade with the POI NPC, revealing information about their distinct Destiny, or even issuing side quests. Players take their chances by visiting a POI because only one may be visited on a turn. Once a player has moved and visited a POI, their turn is over and the next player’s turn begins.
The most interesting aspect of this game is the experience tracker and results of tests. Player stats are divided between Intelligence, Dexterity, and Power (Strength for my D&D readers). These stats are constantly in flux due to tests and experience, and levels range from 1-12+ on the player board. A player will roll both main dice and any effort dice they wish on each test, and the total result is compared to the discs present on the main player board. One success is counted for each disc’s value equal to or below the rolled result. For example, if the roll is a 6, and the player has a disc on 3 and another on 6 the player counts two successes. Effort dice add values to the rolled result, and one side of these dice depict a star, which counts as one success. Throughout the game players will be moving their skill marker tokens (discs) up and down the tracks. Sometimes this is due to a test being failed or succeeded, but sometimes experience tokens are earned. A player may improve their skill levels by two total values on the tracks for each experience token discarded. Players may choose which tracks, and may maximize their character’s skill or spread out the experience across multiple skills.
Play continues in this fashion of referencing the app for story and plot items, players working toward completing their Destinies, and adventuring across the land rolling tests and improving skills until one player finishes their Destiny and wins the game!
Components. As always, I am going to be honest here by stating I believe that Destinies packs the box with the best components I have seen in a game. The multi-layered insert is perfectly formed and well-thought out, all the cardboard tokens are super-thick, the dice are so fun to handle and roll, the cards and other components feature incredible artwork, and did I mention there’s about a thousand minis in this game? I am reluctant to even call some of these things minis as they are large and in charge for SURE. I have zero complaints or comments on the components present in Destinies. Lucky Duck knocks it out of the park once again. Incredible.
I actually backed this one on Kickstarter just because it comes from Lucky Duck Games. I had played Chronicles of Crime and loved it, and just wanted to try something different but using a similar system. Typically I don’t keep up with the comments and updates to a game I have backed because I enjoy being surprised by the product that arrives at my door. Destinies was certainly a surprise to me, and I have been kicking myself in the butt for not getting it to the table the very first day I received it.
Destinies is my favorite Lucky Duck Games title, and that is saying a ton, as I rave about every game of theirs I have played. I hope you all back me up here, and if you haven’t yet tried this one, I hope you visit your closest friend or board game cafe that owns it. The tutorial scenario is great, and the campaign scenarios have been awesome so far. Okay, yes, when I first played it with Laura, my wife made several comments about it being a 3 hour game, but once that first one is completed, the subsequent plays run much smoother.
What I love so much about this is how indefinitely expandable it is. Most of the components are multi-use (akin to all the character cards in the Chronicles of Crime games), and can be used in campaign after campaign. The drawbacks I see for this, though, is any sort of waning interest in it forcing designers to abandon plans to create more scenarios. Could a new scenario pack be an acceptable expansion versus a large expansion box with oodles of new components and minis? I think so, but I am no designer. Could the Millennium Series treatment be given to Destinies? Absolutely! This system does not need to be played in a medieval fantasy world. It could be molded to almost anything, and that gives me excited shivers over the future of this game.
If you are anything like me and have now embraced the hybrid gaming trend, I highly recommend Destinies. I plan to also review all the expansions in the near future, so do look out for those, but please do yourself a giant favor and pick up Destinies. The excellent storytelling, great components, and just amazing fun helps Purple Phoenix Games give this one a perfectly deserved 12 / 12, and a Golden Feather Award! I can’t stop thinking about it and how I would play it differently next time, and hopefully after I have played through the expansion material I will be able to restart from the very beginning with different characters and choices. It’s a sign of a great game when I can’t stop thinking about it, and I do believe Destinies currently is knocking at the door of my Top 10 Games of All Time. No, it’s there. It’s totally there. TOP 10 BABY!!
Destinies is a hybrid app-driven adventure board game for one to three players. In it, players will be choosing their characters and how to play them, along with the path of their individual destinies across several campaign scenarios. When playing multiplayer, the player who completes their destiny first will win. When playing solo (which is also amazing), the player wins when they successfully complete their destiny.
DISCLAIMER: We are using the Kickstarter version of the game. We do have the expansions from the KS campaign, but will not be using those for this review. Also, we do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rule book, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy from the publisher directly or from your FLGS. -T
Usually I list out the steps to setup a game in this section, but there are so many little items and steps to be taken that I will simply show you, the reader, how a scenario may look once setup. The app will instruct players how to create their character’s stats and which map tiles should be placed out initially. Typically, though, each player will receive a player board, Destiny card (with their character headshot on one side and their Destiny choices on back), two main dice, three effort dice, and one gold coin. Once setup, the app will drive the story along and the players will be rolling dice and making choices in order to win the game or scenario.
Each player will be given their Destiny card with two distinct Destiny paths on the backside. These paths correlate with the current scenario, and the player will be able to choose one of the two given paths to help move their games forward. However, sometimes players will switch their Destiny mid-game due to several factors including successes on previous tasks or current inventory. The only way to win the game is to complete a Destiny, so staying on track is paramount in this open sandbox game – it is incredibly easy to become sidetracked and lose sight of specific tasks to be performed.
Each turn a player may move to a new tile, to previously-explored tiles, or points of interest on specific map tiles. These points of interest could be unique characters to be visited, or more general spaces on the tile represented by tokens. Sometimes visiting a POI (point of interest) will have the player rolling dice to complete tests, initiating trade with the POI NPC, revealing information about their distinct Destiny, or even issuing side quests. Players take their chances by visiting a POI because only one may be visited on a turn. Once a player has moved and visited a POI, their turn is over and the next player’s turn begins.
The most interesting aspect of this game is the experience tracker and results of tests. Player stats are divided between Intelligence, Dexterity, and Power (Strength for my D&D readers). These stats are constantly in flux due to tests and experience, and levels range from 1-12+ on the player board. A player will roll both main dice and any effort dice they wish on each test, and the total result is compared to the discs present on the main player board. One success is counted for each disc’s value equal to or below the rolled result. For example, if the roll is a 6, and the player has a disc on 3 and another on 6 the player counts two successes. Effort dice add values to the rolled result, and one side of these dice depict a star, which counts as one success. Throughout the game players will be moving their skill marker tokens (discs) up and down the tracks. Sometimes this is due to a test being failed or succeeded, but sometimes experience tokens are earned. A player may improve their skill levels by two total values on the tracks for each experience token discarded. Players may choose which tracks, and may maximize their character’s skill or spread out the experience across multiple skills.
Play continues in this fashion of referencing the app for story and plot items, players working toward completing their Destinies, and adventuring across the land rolling tests and improving skills until one player finishes their Destiny and wins the game!
Components. As always, I am going to be honest here by stating I believe that Destinies packs the box with the best components I have seen in a game. The multi-layered insert is perfectly formed and well-thought out, all the cardboard tokens are super-thick, the dice are so fun to handle and roll, the cards and other components feature incredible artwork, and did I mention there’s about a thousand minis in this game? I am reluctant to even call some of these things minis as they are large and in charge for SURE. I have zero complaints or comments on the components present in Destinies. Lucky Duck knocks it out of the park once again. Incredible.
I actually backed this one on Kickstarter just because it comes from Lucky Duck Games. I had played Chronicles of Crime and loved it, and just wanted to try something different but using a similar system. Typically I don’t keep up with the comments and updates to a game I have backed because I enjoy being surprised by the product that arrives at my door. Destinies was certainly a surprise to me, and I have been kicking myself in the butt for not getting it to the table the very first day I received it.
Destinies is my favorite Lucky Duck Games title, and that is saying a ton, as I rave about every game of theirs I have played. I hope you all back me up here, and if you haven’t yet tried this one, I hope you visit your closest friend or board game cafe that owns it. The tutorial scenario is great, and the campaign scenarios have been awesome so far. Okay, yes, when I first played it with Laura, my wife made several comments about it being a 3 hour game, but once that first one is completed, the subsequent plays run much smoother.
What I love so much about this is how indefinitely expandable it is. Most of the components are multi-use (akin to all the character cards in the Chronicles of Crime games), and can be used in campaign after campaign. The drawbacks I see for this, though, is any sort of waning interest in it forcing designers to abandon plans to create more scenarios. Could a new scenario pack be an acceptable expansion versus a large expansion box with oodles of new components and minis? I think so, but I am no designer. Could the Millennium Series treatment be given to Destinies? Absolutely! This system does not need to be played in a medieval fantasy world. It could be molded to almost anything, and that gives me excited shivers over the future of this game.
If you are anything like me and have now embraced the hybrid gaming trend, I highly recommend Destinies. I plan to also review all the expansions in the near future, so do look out for those, but please do yourself a giant favor and pick up Destinies. The excellent storytelling, great components, and just amazing fun helps Purple Phoenix Games give this one a perfectly deserved 12 / 12, and a Golden Feather Award! I can’t stop thinking about it and how I would play it differently next time, and hopefully after I have played through the expansion material I will be able to restart from the very beginning with different characters and choices. It’s a sign of a great game when I can’t stop thinking about it, and I do believe Destinies currently is knocking at the door of my Top 10 Games of All Time. No, it’s there. It’s totally there. TOP 10 BABY!!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Goblin Teeth in Tabletop Games
Nov 5, 2019
You know a game is going to be great when you actually enjoy reading the rules. Please take a moment to consider what I just wrote. I *enjoyed* reading the rules to a game. To this game. Why? Well, the intro to the rules that introduces the setting of the game, is written in the voice of a goblin. For those of you who may uninitiated into fantasy lore, goblins are small, gross humanoids that are greedy and not at all known for their academic prowess. Ok, so the rules started out pretty entertaining. Did this set us up for an entertaining game or a boring slug… er, slog? I have high expectations from Jellybean Games now, so will this be a winner as well?
Goblin Teeth is a fantasy take-that, auction, set collection, dice and card game. Each player is a goblin attempting to impress the goblin boss enough to become the right hand gobbie by offering a collection of items that the boss enjoys.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. As this is a preview copy of the game, I do not know if the final rules or components will be similar or different to what we were provided. -T
To setup, create the offering mat by randomly drawing a red and blue offering card to be placed in their respective locations. Shuffle the Cheat cards and Item cards into separate decks. Each goblin player chooses a set of three matching dice they will use throughout the game. Give each goblin one Cheat card to begin their collection. From the Item cards, place as many Items face-up as the number of players and one more face-down at the end of the row near where the sacrifice altar will be placed. You now have your offer row for the first round and are ready to play.
Before the round begins, all players will roll all three of their dice simultaneously. These dice represent your bid amounts for the Item cards on display (including the face-down Item). Whomever is in possession of the first-player marker will take their turn first. This goblin may choose to play any number of Cheat cards in their hand, and then must place a die on an Item card or into the altar. These Item cards feature items to be collected and used to satisfy an Offering card – like skulls, goblin teeth, glow worms, and others. By placing a die on an Item card, a goblin is casting their bid. By placing a die into the sacrificing altar, the goblin is instead giving up a bid die in exchange for drawing a Cheat card (which can be very powerful). Once the die is placed, the next goblin in clockwise order can take their turn following the same order of operations. The goblin who wins the face-down Item card becomes the new first player and receives the first player token. A new round can now begin by laying out new Items and rolling all dice simultaneously.
The game continues in this fashion until one sneaky goblin has all the Items they need to satisfy one of the Offering cards (or the pre-printed space on the Offering mat). There are dice placement rules and Cheats-a-plenty that I did not describe at all, but per the disclaimer, you can back the game or purchase from your favorite board game retailer (naturally, your FLGS). All goblins then tear each other to shreds over jealousy and greed. Ok, I added that last bit myself, but it should go into the rules. Just sayin’.
Components. Again, this is a prototype version of the game and some components may (and probably will) change over the course of a successful Kickstarter campaign. That said, I will comment on what I can here. The physical components themselves are fine for a prototype game. The cards are big tarot cards that are fun to handle. I hope they keep that size. The first player token in this is a green translucent plastic meeple that I’m sure they will be upgrading during the campaign. Similarly, the dice will more than likely see an upgrade (I am totally projecting here, I have no information on any future plans for components). What needs very little upgrading is the art on the cards. The card backs for the Cheat and Item cards feature an excellent logo (I hope) for the game, and the art on the Item cards are clear and really really good. I hope the art style doesn’t change as the art is amazing here. The Cheat cards look good, are clear, and although they feature several different fonts, I was not at all ever turned off by the presentation.
So here are my thoughts. Goblin Teeth is an excellent game of outbidding your opponents, double-think, and Cheating your way to victory! I absolutely adore this game. Without those Cheat cards it would still be decent, but those Cheats are what make this game special. Being able to play as many Cheat cards as you want on your turn, with some of them being good and some bad, but being able to place them on yourself or your opponents is just gold. I cannot wait to see this game go to Kickstarter and just kill it. Seriously, it’s an amusing, frustrating, beautiful game that I cannot wait to own in its full glory. If you enjoy experiences that pit you against your opponents and you find yourself giggling at thwarting their plans, this is the game for you.
Goblin Teeth is a fantasy take-that, auction, set collection, dice and card game. Each player is a goblin attempting to impress the goblin boss enough to become the right hand gobbie by offering a collection of items that the boss enjoys.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a prototype copy of this game for the purposes of this review. As this is a preview copy of the game, I do not know if the final rules or components will be similar or different to what we were provided. -T
To setup, create the offering mat by randomly drawing a red and blue offering card to be placed in their respective locations. Shuffle the Cheat cards and Item cards into separate decks. Each goblin player chooses a set of three matching dice they will use throughout the game. Give each goblin one Cheat card to begin their collection. From the Item cards, place as many Items face-up as the number of players and one more face-down at the end of the row near where the sacrifice altar will be placed. You now have your offer row for the first round and are ready to play.
Before the round begins, all players will roll all three of their dice simultaneously. These dice represent your bid amounts for the Item cards on display (including the face-down Item). Whomever is in possession of the first-player marker will take their turn first. This goblin may choose to play any number of Cheat cards in their hand, and then must place a die on an Item card or into the altar. These Item cards feature items to be collected and used to satisfy an Offering card – like skulls, goblin teeth, glow worms, and others. By placing a die on an Item card, a goblin is casting their bid. By placing a die into the sacrificing altar, the goblin is instead giving up a bid die in exchange for drawing a Cheat card (which can be very powerful). Once the die is placed, the next goblin in clockwise order can take their turn following the same order of operations. The goblin who wins the face-down Item card becomes the new first player and receives the first player token. A new round can now begin by laying out new Items and rolling all dice simultaneously.
The game continues in this fashion until one sneaky goblin has all the Items they need to satisfy one of the Offering cards (or the pre-printed space on the Offering mat). There are dice placement rules and Cheats-a-plenty that I did not describe at all, but per the disclaimer, you can back the game or purchase from your favorite board game retailer (naturally, your FLGS). All goblins then tear each other to shreds over jealousy and greed. Ok, I added that last bit myself, but it should go into the rules. Just sayin’.
Components. Again, this is a prototype version of the game and some components may (and probably will) change over the course of a successful Kickstarter campaign. That said, I will comment on what I can here. The physical components themselves are fine for a prototype game. The cards are big tarot cards that are fun to handle. I hope they keep that size. The first player token in this is a green translucent plastic meeple that I’m sure they will be upgrading during the campaign. Similarly, the dice will more than likely see an upgrade (I am totally projecting here, I have no information on any future plans for components). What needs very little upgrading is the art on the cards. The card backs for the Cheat and Item cards feature an excellent logo (I hope) for the game, and the art on the Item cards are clear and really really good. I hope the art style doesn’t change as the art is amazing here. The Cheat cards look good, are clear, and although they feature several different fonts, I was not at all ever turned off by the presentation.
So here are my thoughts. Goblin Teeth is an excellent game of outbidding your opponents, double-think, and Cheating your way to victory! I absolutely adore this game. Without those Cheat cards it would still be decent, but those Cheats are what make this game special. Being able to play as many Cheat cards as you want on your turn, with some of them being good and some bad, but being able to place them on yourself or your opponents is just gold. I cannot wait to see this game go to Kickstarter and just kill it. Seriously, it’s an amusing, frustrating, beautiful game that I cannot wait to own in its full glory. If you enjoy experiences that pit you against your opponents and you find yourself giggling at thwarting their plans, this is the game for you.