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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Agropolis in Tabletop Games
Sep 24, 2020
Being based on the Iowa/Illinois border, Purple Phoenix Games is definitely headquartered in the good ol’ Midwest. We are not without cities and modern amenities, as some might suspect, but we are certainly accustomed to seeing farm life, rural communities, and rolling fields of crops. Figuring out how exactly to organize your fields and crops is no easy task, and Agropolis is here to put you to the test!
Disclaimer: We were provided a copy of Agropolis for the purposes of this preview. The components are not yet finalized, and will probably change from what you see here to the finished Kickstarter campaign. Agropolis is a stand-alone expansion to the popular ButtonShy title, Sprawlopolis. We have reviewed Sprawlopolis (as both a Solo Chronicles, as well as Multiplayer) in the past, so I do not intend to rehash the entire ruleset in this preview. -L
In Agropolis, players are working cooperatively to create a cohesive and thriving rural community. The overall gameplay is the same as Sprawlopolis, with a few thematic differences. To begin the game, randomly select 3 cards to dictate the scoring conditions for your specific game. Deal 1 card to each player (3 to the starting player), and place one card face-up in the center of the table. On your turn, you will draw a card, play a card into the communal countryside, pass your remaining cards to the next player, and then draw a new card. The goal is to create a countryside that scores enough points to surpass the combined total of the 3 scoring condition cards.
Each card is divided into four zones: cornfields, livestock pens, orchards, and vineyards. The selected scoring condition cards determine how you can earn and lose points for your card/zone placements in the countryside. That’s where strategy comes into play – you can’t just place your cards wherever you want! There has to be a method to the madness, and each placement must be carefully selected for maximum end-game points. When all cards have been played, tally up your points – earning points for each zone, gaining/losing points for scoring conditions, and deducting points for roads. If your final score is higher than the total of the 3 scoring conditions combined, then you have won!
As a big fan of Sprawlopolis, I am happy to report that ButtonShy has done it again with Agropolis. The overall gameplay and atmosphere is the same between both games, which adds a comfort and familiarity to the game, but the thematic differences and scoring conditions make the game feel subtly unique. Aside from a country theme, Agropolis has an optional challenge known as the Feed Fee. Certain cards have a feedbag and livestock symbol underneath the card’s score, and all cards have a combination of livestock symbols at the bottom of the scoring description. To play with the Feed Fee, simply count the number of that specific type of livestock across all 3 scoring condition cards and add that to your scoring total. You might even have multiple Feed Fees in play for a single game! That is a new added challenge unique to Agropolis, and can really up the ante of the gameplay.
Our preview copy of Agropolis also came with a 6-card combo pack expansion that allows you to combine both Agropolis and Sprawlopolis into one big game. To play with the combo pack, randomly select one scoring condition card from the three decks: Agropolis, Sprawlopolis, and the combo pack. Randomly select another combo pack card to be the starting card of your city/country blended community. On your turn, you will draw 1 Agropolis card and 1 Sprawlopolis card. Play only one of those cards to the tableau, and the other is discarded. When both draw decks run out, the game is over and points are tallied. This combo game is uniquely challenging because you have scoring conditions from both games. You can’t focus on the city-side and let the country peter out, because at least one of the scoring condition cards calls for a country-specific goal. This combo pack takes the simplicity of both games and really ups the amount of strategy required for success. Definitely a combo I will be playing a lot!
All in all, how is Agropolis? The gameplay itself is simple, strategic, and satisfying to play. Although nearly identical to Sprawlopolis, the thematic differences and country-specific scoring conditions make the game feel new and refreshing. I absolutely love the 6-card combo pack to combine both games together. It just heightens the gameplay and strategic considerations, and takes it from a smaller game to something with a little more heft. Some people are all about that city life, but I think Agropolis will show you the beauty of the rural community. Be sure to check out the Kickstarter campaign, going live on Tuesday, September 29th!
Disclaimer: We were provided a copy of Agropolis for the purposes of this preview. The components are not yet finalized, and will probably change from what you see here to the finished Kickstarter campaign. Agropolis is a stand-alone expansion to the popular ButtonShy title, Sprawlopolis. We have reviewed Sprawlopolis (as both a Solo Chronicles, as well as Multiplayer) in the past, so I do not intend to rehash the entire ruleset in this preview. -L
In Agropolis, players are working cooperatively to create a cohesive and thriving rural community. The overall gameplay is the same as Sprawlopolis, with a few thematic differences. To begin the game, randomly select 3 cards to dictate the scoring conditions for your specific game. Deal 1 card to each player (3 to the starting player), and place one card face-up in the center of the table. On your turn, you will draw a card, play a card into the communal countryside, pass your remaining cards to the next player, and then draw a new card. The goal is to create a countryside that scores enough points to surpass the combined total of the 3 scoring condition cards.
Each card is divided into four zones: cornfields, livestock pens, orchards, and vineyards. The selected scoring condition cards determine how you can earn and lose points for your card/zone placements in the countryside. That’s where strategy comes into play – you can’t just place your cards wherever you want! There has to be a method to the madness, and each placement must be carefully selected for maximum end-game points. When all cards have been played, tally up your points – earning points for each zone, gaining/losing points for scoring conditions, and deducting points for roads. If your final score is higher than the total of the 3 scoring conditions combined, then you have won!
As a big fan of Sprawlopolis, I am happy to report that ButtonShy has done it again with Agropolis. The overall gameplay and atmosphere is the same between both games, which adds a comfort and familiarity to the game, but the thematic differences and scoring conditions make the game feel subtly unique. Aside from a country theme, Agropolis has an optional challenge known as the Feed Fee. Certain cards have a feedbag and livestock symbol underneath the card’s score, and all cards have a combination of livestock symbols at the bottom of the scoring description. To play with the Feed Fee, simply count the number of that specific type of livestock across all 3 scoring condition cards and add that to your scoring total. You might even have multiple Feed Fees in play for a single game! That is a new added challenge unique to Agropolis, and can really up the ante of the gameplay.
Our preview copy of Agropolis also came with a 6-card combo pack expansion that allows you to combine both Agropolis and Sprawlopolis into one big game. To play with the combo pack, randomly select one scoring condition card from the three decks: Agropolis, Sprawlopolis, and the combo pack. Randomly select another combo pack card to be the starting card of your city/country blended community. On your turn, you will draw 1 Agropolis card and 1 Sprawlopolis card. Play only one of those cards to the tableau, and the other is discarded. When both draw decks run out, the game is over and points are tallied. This combo game is uniquely challenging because you have scoring conditions from both games. You can’t focus on the city-side and let the country peter out, because at least one of the scoring condition cards calls for a country-specific goal. This combo pack takes the simplicity of both games and really ups the amount of strategy required for success. Definitely a combo I will be playing a lot!
All in all, how is Agropolis? The gameplay itself is simple, strategic, and satisfying to play. Although nearly identical to Sprawlopolis, the thematic differences and country-specific scoring conditions make the game feel new and refreshing. I absolutely love the 6-card combo pack to combine both games together. It just heightens the gameplay and strategic considerations, and takes it from a smaller game to something with a little more heft. Some people are all about that city life, but I think Agropolis will show you the beauty of the rural community. Be sure to check out the Kickstarter campaign, going live on Tuesday, September 29th!
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 Tides of Madness in Tabletop Games
Dec 7, 2021
As you know, the world of board games is quite vast – there are so many games out there, I feel like I can barely keep up! So oftentimes when I come across a game, it’s not necessarily a new one. Enter Tides of Madness. It maaaay sound familiar, and that is because it is a reimplementation of Tides of Time (which we have reviewed before). Is this just a Cthulhian re-theme of the same game, or does it alter the gameplay at all? Keep reading to find out!
Tides of Madness is a game of card drafting and set collection in which 2 players are trying to amass the most points by the end of 3 rounds. To setup for a game, shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player. Place the rest aside as a draw deck, and place the Madness tokens within reach. Each of the 3 rounds is broken down into 3 phases: Drafting, Scoring, and Refresh. During the Drafting phase, each player will choose one card from their hand to keep, and place it face-down in front of them. Once both players have chosen their card, they will be revealed simultaneously and placed in your tableau. Take the remaining cards from your hand and pass them to your opponent. You now draft another card from this new hand, and will then pass the cards again. Drafting continues in this fashion until both players have no cards remaining in hand.
The next phase, Scoring, now begins. Players check their tableau and take a Madness token for each card with a Madness icon. The player with the most Madness this round can choose to gain an additional 4 VP or heal (discard) one Madness token. An important note – if at any time a player receives 9 or more Madness tokens, they immediately lose the game! So keep an eye on those cards, and know when to heal. Next, players will score the cards based on printed objectives – sets of suits, majority of a suit, etc. Points are tallied on the score pad. Finally, the Refresh phase gets you ready for the next round. Each player collects their tableau and selects one card to keep for the next round, and another card to discard from the game. Players simultaneously reveal their kept card and it starts the round already in their tableau. Players will draw 2 new cards to total 5 in hand, and the next round is ready to begin. Play ends either if a player has 9 or more Madness, or after a total of 3 rounds. After the 3rd and final round, all points are added up and the player with the highest score wins.
So if you’re thinking this game is basically Tides of Time, you’re pretty much correct. The only difference between the two is the concept/mechanic of the Madness tokens. And honestly, I think the inclusion of the tokens elevates the strategy a bit. In Tides of Time, it really is all about set collection. But with Madness tokens, you’ve got some risk/reward balance to play with. Do you take a card to complete a set even though it gives you a Madness token? Or do you leave it for last so your opponent is forced to take it? The same applies to the extra step in the Scoring phase. Do you risk keeping all your Madness to snag 4 extra VP or is it better (and safer) to heal 1? It just adds another element to the gameplay that makes it feel a little more engaging and exciting than simple set collection.
To touch on components for a minute – this game consists of 18 oversized cards, a bunch of cardboard Madness tokens, a score pad, and small pencil. The artwork on the cards is appropriately thematic and dark, and the text is clear and easy to interpret. The Madness icon on certain cards is a bunch of tentacles on the side of the card, and it is easy to see which cards are affected and which are not. The tokens and score pad are both decent quality as well. Although not 100% necessary, I appreciate the inclusion of a score pad just to help you remember points between rounds. All in all, good production all around.
I have to say that of the two, I prefer Tides of Madness over Tides of Time. You may have noticed that I have rated both games at a 4, but the Madness element in this one just pushes it over the top for me. Both are good games, don’t get me wrong! Either work as a good set collection/drafting game, and are quick to learn and play. Tides of Madness just engages me a little more and that makes the overall gameplay more enjoyable for me. So all in all, Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a maddening 4 / 6.
Tides of Madness is a game of card drafting and set collection in which 2 players are trying to amass the most points by the end of 3 rounds. To setup for a game, shuffle the deck and deal 5 cards to each player. Place the rest aside as a draw deck, and place the Madness tokens within reach. Each of the 3 rounds is broken down into 3 phases: Drafting, Scoring, and Refresh. During the Drafting phase, each player will choose one card from their hand to keep, and place it face-down in front of them. Once both players have chosen their card, they will be revealed simultaneously and placed in your tableau. Take the remaining cards from your hand and pass them to your opponent. You now draft another card from this new hand, and will then pass the cards again. Drafting continues in this fashion until both players have no cards remaining in hand.
The next phase, Scoring, now begins. Players check their tableau and take a Madness token for each card with a Madness icon. The player with the most Madness this round can choose to gain an additional 4 VP or heal (discard) one Madness token. An important note – if at any time a player receives 9 or more Madness tokens, they immediately lose the game! So keep an eye on those cards, and know when to heal. Next, players will score the cards based on printed objectives – sets of suits, majority of a suit, etc. Points are tallied on the score pad. Finally, the Refresh phase gets you ready for the next round. Each player collects their tableau and selects one card to keep for the next round, and another card to discard from the game. Players simultaneously reveal their kept card and it starts the round already in their tableau. Players will draw 2 new cards to total 5 in hand, and the next round is ready to begin. Play ends either if a player has 9 or more Madness, or after a total of 3 rounds. After the 3rd and final round, all points are added up and the player with the highest score wins.
So if you’re thinking this game is basically Tides of Time, you’re pretty much correct. The only difference between the two is the concept/mechanic of the Madness tokens. And honestly, I think the inclusion of the tokens elevates the strategy a bit. In Tides of Time, it really is all about set collection. But with Madness tokens, you’ve got some risk/reward balance to play with. Do you take a card to complete a set even though it gives you a Madness token? Or do you leave it for last so your opponent is forced to take it? The same applies to the extra step in the Scoring phase. Do you risk keeping all your Madness to snag 4 extra VP or is it better (and safer) to heal 1? It just adds another element to the gameplay that makes it feel a little more engaging and exciting than simple set collection.
To touch on components for a minute – this game consists of 18 oversized cards, a bunch of cardboard Madness tokens, a score pad, and small pencil. The artwork on the cards is appropriately thematic and dark, and the text is clear and easy to interpret. The Madness icon on certain cards is a bunch of tentacles on the side of the card, and it is easy to see which cards are affected and which are not. The tokens and score pad are both decent quality as well. Although not 100% necessary, I appreciate the inclusion of a score pad just to help you remember points between rounds. All in all, good production all around.
I have to say that of the two, I prefer Tides of Madness over Tides of Time. You may have noticed that I have rated both games at a 4, but the Madness element in this one just pushes it over the top for me. Both are good games, don’t get me wrong! Either work as a good set collection/drafting game, and are quick to learn and play. Tides of Madness just engages me a little more and that makes the overall gameplay more enjoyable for me. So all in all, Purple Phoenix Games gives this one a maddening 4 / 6.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy in Tabletop Games
Jan 14, 2022
The Kids Table series from Purple Phoenix Games seeks to lightly explore games that are focused toward children and families. We will do our best to give some good insight, but not bog your down with the millions of rules…
In Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy (which, again, I think I will just call “this game” from here on out), players are kids who are visiting their grandfather and hear noises in the attic. When the kids check out the noises, they find colorful little friendly monsters roaming about! These monsters are all super hungry, and you have found that they love eating items that are the same color as their fur. Oh, but they hate anything considered to be a “vitamin.” Sound familiar, parents?
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 this game, first download the official app to your phone or tablet. Yes, an app. Start the app and choose your skill level. Grab all the cards belonging to the Attic set, shuffle them, deal each player the appropriate amount of cards, and place the rest of the deck face-down to form a draw pile. You are now ready to play!
This game is a cooperative game, so players are all trying to win as a team. The whole object of the game is to play cards that will match the monster’s fur that shows up on the app. The color of the cards are very important, as the cards that are played (scanned by the app) will be mixed together to form the new color. So if the monster on screen is red, adding a blue and brown card just won’t do. This not only helps teach colors and mixing, but also encourages cooperation and concentration – something my kids definitely benefit from having in a game.
As the game progresses, other creatures are added that require players to scan other cards, or that give special abilities. I will leave those to you to discover through your plays; I do not wish to spoil much of anything.
Shown below is a screenshot from one of our games, so that you can see what most of the game looks like and how cute the little monsters are.
Players will continue to play cards, draw new cards, and try their hands at mixing the correct colors to match the monster as closely as they can until the app is finished throwing monsters at you. At that time, your success is evaluated and you may even progress to the next mission, or to a new area altogether, adding a new set of cards to the existing deck. This increases possibilities for new color combinations, but also slowly adds in new rules to keep the game interesting and fresh.
My little boy and I have played this game about three million times since we received it from Lucky Duck Games. We cannot get enough of it, and have tried to introduce other players to it with tons of success. The overall premise is very cute and easy to grasp. Even when adding in new creatures and their special rules, he has been handling it remarkably.
I really appreciate the effort that has gone into developing a hybrid app/board game for kids that is just really fun for all who play it. I have seen where this has been redeveloped and rethemed from a different game with more sensitive subject matter. So that’s a boon.
I think the hardest part about playing this game is finding the sweet spot of where to hold the card so that the front-facing camera on the device is able to scan the QR code on the card backs. I know my kid had a difficult time figuring out what “5-10 inches away from the camera” actually meant. An easy fix, and we were on our way to our hundredth play.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to play one of these app-drive hybrid games, I definitely recommend picking up a copy of Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy right away. It is very light, designed for children AND adults, and will provide innumerable hours of quality time with family.
Oh, and don’t worry about reading the rulebook. Just download the app, shuffle the cards, and let the app whisk you away… to your grampa’s attic. Enjoy!
In Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy (which, again, I think I will just call “this game” from here on out), players are kids who are visiting their grandfather and hear noises in the attic. When the kids check out the noises, they find colorful little friendly monsters roaming about! These monsters are all super hungry, and you have found that they love eating items that are the same color as their fur. Oh, but they hate anything considered to be a “vitamin.” Sound familiar, parents?
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 this game, first download the official app to your phone or tablet. Yes, an app. Start the app and choose your skill level. Grab all the cards belonging to the Attic set, shuffle them, deal each player the appropriate amount of cards, and place the rest of the deck face-down to form a draw pile. You are now ready to play!
This game is a cooperative game, so players are all trying to win as a team. The whole object of the game is to play cards that will match the monster’s fur that shows up on the app. The color of the cards are very important, as the cards that are played (scanned by the app) will be mixed together to form the new color. So if the monster on screen is red, adding a blue and brown card just won’t do. This not only helps teach colors and mixing, but also encourages cooperation and concentration – something my kids definitely benefit from having in a game.
As the game progresses, other creatures are added that require players to scan other cards, or that give special abilities. I will leave those to you to discover through your plays; I do not wish to spoil much of anything.
Shown below is a screenshot from one of our games, so that you can see what most of the game looks like and how cute the little monsters are.
Players will continue to play cards, draw new cards, and try their hands at mixing the correct colors to match the monster as closely as they can until the app is finished throwing monsters at you. At that time, your success is evaluated and you may even progress to the next mission, or to a new area altogether, adding a new set of cards to the existing deck. This increases possibilities for new color combinations, but also slowly adds in new rules to keep the game interesting and fresh.
My little boy and I have played this game about three million times since we received it from Lucky Duck Games. We cannot get enough of it, and have tried to introduce other players to it with tons of success. The overall premise is very cute and easy to grasp. Even when adding in new creatures and their special rules, he has been handling it remarkably.
I really appreciate the effort that has gone into developing a hybrid app/board game for kids that is just really fun for all who play it. I have seen where this has been redeveloped and rethemed from a different game with more sensitive subject matter. So that’s a boon.
I think the hardest part about playing this game is finding the sweet spot of where to hold the card so that the front-facing camera on the device is able to scan the QR code on the card backs. I know my kid had a difficult time figuring out what “5-10 inches away from the camera” actually meant. An easy fix, and we were on our way to our hundredth play.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to play one of these app-drive hybrid games, I definitely recommend picking up a copy of Yummy Yummy Monster Tummy right away. It is very light, designed for children AND adults, and will provide innumerable hours of quality time with family.
Oh, and don’t worry about reading the rulebook. Just download the app, shuffle the cards, and let the app whisk you away… to your grampa’s attic. Enjoy!
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Everdell in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
I have seen so many people say this game is amazing. So I threw the Collector’s Edition on my wish list for my birthday (in October if you wanted to know) and Christmas. It’s a pricey game, so I understood not receiving it. But then after Christmas I visited my FLGS Games +1 in Davenport, IA, and there it was. Retail version, but dagnabbit, I needed it. So I got it. And played it. Holy smokes was I blown away. Guys, the squishy berries are legit. This is Everdell.
As in all my reviews I am not going to explain the entire game. There are videos for that. There are digital scans of the rulebook for that. I’m going to give you my impressions and opinions on the games I played.
Disclaimer: We are reviewing the vanilla Everdell retail edition. We do not have plans to review the Collector’s Edition, but if we get our paws on a copy, we will update this review with its information. Same goes for the Pearlbrook expansion. -T
So I am going to start off with the negatives: the font on the cards. I understand why they made the font so small – they wanted to highlight as much of the gorgeous art as possible. So everything gets shoved to the sides of the cards and subsequently gets smushed in the process. That makes for a very difficult time trying to read the cards and the abilities and the chaining card names. That certainly put a hamper on Bryan’s experience with the game, and that’s a big big reason he has it at a 3. It’s near unplayable for him for that matter. I told him to put on his big-boy glasses, but, you know, younger brothers and all…
However, the gameplay is where it’s at with this one. The worker placement is excellent, with great choices every turn, even when Laura monopolizes the pebble space. The chaining cards a la 7 Wonders is familiar and they make sense – the Innkeeper goes with the Inn, etc. The gameplay is fluid and after a round or two we all “got it” and the game became quite fun. The components are incredible – even with the retail version we played we got those awesome little squishy berries. The theme is so stinkin cute with all the woodland creatures, and paired with the incredible art and components I was mesmerized. The game did not wear out its welcome, nor was it too quick. It was just right. I will definitely be pulling this one out much much more over the year, and I hope to convince Bryan and Josh that it’s better than their first play.
We at Purple Phoenix Games are all over the place with this one, awarding it a score of 18 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/everdell-review/
As in all my reviews I am not going to explain the entire game. There are videos for that. There are digital scans of the rulebook for that. I’m going to give you my impressions and opinions on the games I played.
Disclaimer: We are reviewing the vanilla Everdell retail edition. We do not have plans to review the Collector’s Edition, but if we get our paws on a copy, we will update this review with its information. Same goes for the Pearlbrook expansion. -T
So I am going to start off with the negatives: the font on the cards. I understand why they made the font so small – they wanted to highlight as much of the gorgeous art as possible. So everything gets shoved to the sides of the cards and subsequently gets smushed in the process. That makes for a very difficult time trying to read the cards and the abilities and the chaining card names. That certainly put a hamper on Bryan’s experience with the game, and that’s a big big reason he has it at a 3. It’s near unplayable for him for that matter. I told him to put on his big-boy glasses, but, you know, younger brothers and all…
However, the gameplay is where it’s at with this one. The worker placement is excellent, with great choices every turn, even when Laura monopolizes the pebble space. The chaining cards a la 7 Wonders is familiar and they make sense – the Innkeeper goes with the Inn, etc. The gameplay is fluid and after a round or two we all “got it” and the game became quite fun. The components are incredible – even with the retail version we played we got those awesome little squishy berries. The theme is so stinkin cute with all the woodland creatures, and paired with the incredible art and components I was mesmerized. The game did not wear out its welcome, nor was it too quick. It was just right. I will definitely be pulling this one out much much more over the year, and I hope to convince Bryan and Josh that it’s better than their first play.
We at Purple Phoenix Games are all over the place with this one, awarding it a score of 18 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/everdell-review/
Peter Shephard (2822 KP) rated Merchants Cove in Tabletop Games
Jun 4, 2021
Great range of character options (4 more)
Single player option
Great looking board and pieces
Expansions are great
Every character is like playing a different subgame
Great and Varied game
I backed this on Kickstarter, with the Oracle, Dragon Rancher and Inn Keeper expansions. Over the course of our first evening playing, my wife and I had 1 game of learning the rules, then another three games fairly quickly.
The pieces (ships, meeples, and individual gaming boards) are fantastic (although a couple are a little fiddly/weak) and every single character has their own flavour and type of sub-game;
The Alchemist makes potions by drawing marbles, firstly from a bag, then from a "decanter" (echoes of Quacks of Quiddlingberg)
The Blacksmith makes weapons and armour from dice rolls and combos in furnaces (not quite Yahtzee)
The Captain sails her fleet of ships to go fishing and treasure hunting using a spinning compass mechanism (can't put my finger what this reminds me of)
The Chronomancer (a great Back to the Future nod) travels through time portals to get pieces of technology, using a slide-and-shift board (like a mini Labrynth)
The Dragon rancher (believe it or not) hatches, raises and sells dragons; a couple of mechanics which work well together (even if one is shovelling poop) but not really like a game I've played
The Innkeeper is a great sub-sub-game; he can only sell drinks at one point, but he can put people up in his Inn which gives a bonus. A little bit of prediction work, but not like a other game I can think of.
The Oracle uses a scatter/dish for her fetishes and dice, and this limits what she can do - but I'd say she has the most varied scope of games (dots, predictions, and a few others)
The aim of the game is to be the Merchant who makes the most money, without attracting too much Corruption. Each game is played over three days, and each day has a limited amount of time. Each task the characters do has a different amount of time-cost - it might take 1h to brew potions, but it takes 2h to get ingredients from the decanter and prepare the potions. At several points each day, random Adventurers are drawn from the bag, and put into the travelling ships, as chosen by the drawer. However, there are also rogues who take up space and don't buy anything!
My only real complaint with the game is the comparatively long set up (5-10 minutes seems to be our average) for a 30-45m play time for 2 players - but it is really worth it. If/when this goes to retail, I'd say every gaming group who enjoys a combination of resource management, meeple and worker placement, and beautiful set-piece games, should give this a try.
The pieces (ships, meeples, and individual gaming boards) are fantastic (although a couple are a little fiddly/weak) and every single character has their own flavour and type of sub-game;
The Alchemist makes potions by drawing marbles, firstly from a bag, then from a "decanter" (echoes of Quacks of Quiddlingberg)
The Blacksmith makes weapons and armour from dice rolls and combos in furnaces (not quite Yahtzee)
The Captain sails her fleet of ships to go fishing and treasure hunting using a spinning compass mechanism (can't put my finger what this reminds me of)
The Chronomancer (a great Back to the Future nod) travels through time portals to get pieces of technology, using a slide-and-shift board (like a mini Labrynth)
The Dragon rancher (believe it or not) hatches, raises and sells dragons; a couple of mechanics which work well together (even if one is shovelling poop) but not really like a game I've played
The Innkeeper is a great sub-sub-game; he can only sell drinks at one point, but he can put people up in his Inn which gives a bonus. A little bit of prediction work, but not like a other game I can think of.
The Oracle uses a scatter/dish for her fetishes and dice, and this limits what she can do - but I'd say she has the most varied scope of games (dots, predictions, and a few others)
The aim of the game is to be the Merchant who makes the most money, without attracting too much Corruption. Each game is played over three days, and each day has a limited amount of time. Each task the characters do has a different amount of time-cost - it might take 1h to brew potions, but it takes 2h to get ingredients from the decanter and prepare the potions. At several points each day, random Adventurers are drawn from the bag, and put into the travelling ships, as chosen by the drawer. However, there are also rogues who take up space and don't buy anything!
My only real complaint with the game is the comparatively long set up (5-10 minutes seems to be our average) for a 30-45m play time for 2 players - but it is really worth it. If/when this goes to retail, I'd say every gaming group who enjoys a combination of resource management, meeple and worker placement, and beautiful set-piece games, should give this a try.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Icons (Icons, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
This book had a lot of potential, and I was really getting into it… before I just got too out of it to keep going. Maybe one day I’ll read it again but I stopped at chapter 8.
There are only two reasons why. Which is really too bad because like I said, there was A LOT of potential here.
1. Emotionally sappy. Sap city, guys. "It was like “Our wrists touched and I felt it tingling down my arm and into my toes to the depths of my soul” kind of sappy. Overdramatic is another way to say it. I’ve talked about this before, and I’m sure I’ll talk about it again… romantic scenes are hard to write. But if you suck at them, find a way to tell the romantic story without writing sucky scenes.
2. The story itself was almost a repeat of The Hunger Games. Now I know, there are a lot of major differences, but let’s look at the similarities: An evil all-powerful and all-controlling government, a creepy government leader, a boy and a girl who are totally in love with each other but won’t admit it are trying to bring it down and just get back to the way things are supposed to be, they get brought to the main city and forced to participate in something they don’t want to do but don’t have a choice in… etc. Also, love triangle. Yeah. It’s The Hunger Games but more sci-fi technically advanced.
It just wasn’t for me. That being said, there were a lot of good things about it! It was exciting, it drew you in right away, the characters were distinct, the setting and descriptions were excellent. It was just those two things that kept coming back to me, and I knew there was no way I was going to be able to finish listening to it.
Content/Recommendation: occasional use of light language. Ages 13+
There are only two reasons why. Which is really too bad because like I said, there was A LOT of potential here.
1. Emotionally sappy. Sap city, guys. "It was like “Our wrists touched and I felt it tingling down my arm and into my toes to the depths of my soul” kind of sappy. Overdramatic is another way to say it. I’ve talked about this before, and I’m sure I’ll talk about it again… romantic scenes are hard to write. But if you suck at them, find a way to tell the romantic story without writing sucky scenes.
2. The story itself was almost a repeat of The Hunger Games. Now I know, there are a lot of major differences, but let’s look at the similarities: An evil all-powerful and all-controlling government, a creepy government leader, a boy and a girl who are totally in love with each other but won’t admit it are trying to bring it down and just get back to the way things are supposed to be, they get brought to the main city and forced to participate in something they don’t want to do but don’t have a choice in… etc. Also, love triangle. Yeah. It’s The Hunger Games but more sci-fi technically advanced.
It just wasn’t for me. That being said, there were a lot of good things about it! It was exciting, it drew you in right away, the characters were distinct, the setting and descriptions were excellent. It was just those two things that kept coming back to me, and I knew there was no way I was going to be able to finish listening to it.
Content/Recommendation: occasional use of light language. Ages 13+
Grumpy Goblin (123 KP) rated Mechs vs. Minions in Tabletop Games
Mar 27, 2018
Very easy to learn (2 more)
Quick to setup
Great in-game items
Only 10 scenarios (3 more)
Hard to obtain in the UK
No expansions (at present)
Very big, so quite hard to store
I had wanted to play this game for a long time, but just couldn't get hold of it in the UK.. luckily I came across it second hand.
The first thing that caught my attention when it arrived was how big the box was... it is massive! This didn't bother me too much, but those who may not have much storage or use Kallax to store their games might find this a bit of a pain..
On opening the box, I was a little deterred by the amount of items that were in there.. it was very daunting, but I persevered and started reading the rules and first scenario that come with it and soon realised there was nothing to worry about.
The rules are really well written (compared to this review) and the tutorial scenario teaches you (and party members) in a quick, fun and easy way. One thing I don't like about a lot of games is the learning curve and sometimes lack of explanation or badly written rules, there is none of that with MvM, they have really thought about teaching this to the player in the easiest way possible.
After finishing the tutorial scenario, I was excited to carry on and work my way through the rest of the game.. at this point i'd like to point out I was doing this solo and was playing for both player 1 and player 2 , the experience was still very enjoyable. I carried on through the game for the next couple of days and enjoyed every minute of it.. I am looking forward to breaking it out with my friends when they're next over.
Definitely a well worth game in my opinion, especially if you are just wanting to play something that isn't too intense and a bit of fun!
The first thing that caught my attention when it arrived was how big the box was... it is massive! This didn't bother me too much, but those who may not have much storage or use Kallax to store their games might find this a bit of a pain..
On opening the box, I was a little deterred by the amount of items that were in there.. it was very daunting, but I persevered and started reading the rules and first scenario that come with it and soon realised there was nothing to worry about.
The rules are really well written (compared to this review) and the tutorial scenario teaches you (and party members) in a quick, fun and easy way. One thing I don't like about a lot of games is the learning curve and sometimes lack of explanation or badly written rules, there is none of that with MvM, they have really thought about teaching this to the player in the easiest way possible.
After finishing the tutorial scenario, I was excited to carry on and work my way through the rest of the game.. at this point i'd like to point out I was doing this solo and was playing for both player 1 and player 2 , the experience was still very enjoyable. I carried on through the game for the next couple of days and enjoyed every minute of it.. I am looking forward to breaking it out with my friends when they're next over.
Definitely a well worth game in my opinion, especially if you are just wanting to play something that isn't too intense and a bit of fun!
Sheridan (209 KP) rated Slime Rancher in Video Games
Oct 9, 2018
Fun & Creative (4 more)
Colourful Graphics
Leisurely Gameplay
Relaxing to Play
Beautiful Worlds
Game Mechanics are sometimes a little screwy (2 more)
Lose Inventory when you get 'Knocked Out'
Only 4 Inventory Slots & can only carry one stack of a particular item
An Adorable Adventure
The playing of this game came about when my 8 yr old wanted to watch me play a game on the Xbox, my usual FPS range of games obviously not being suitable for her to watch, I dug this one out of my digital game pile. I've got to say, this is a pretty awesome game. It's cute, it's fun and it allows you to get creative. As you play you open up new areas using Slime Keys, and each one is just - *so* pretty. In each of these areas you have the opportunity to catch new slime breeds, work through new challenges, and find treasure. I recommend opening up the Slime Science area of the map as soon as you can because this allows you to make gadgets that make your Ranching life tons easier. As it's not an overly expensive game, the mechanics are a little screwy sometimes, especially with the jet pack and that can become frustrating, and if you get knocked out by falling in the Slime Sea or being attacked by Feral Slimes you lose everything in your inventory and you lose a day (which means the slimes in your Ranch get grumpy if they run out of food). The only other thing I found super annoying was you only have 4 inventory slots and can only carry one stack of a particular item (so if you have 50 Carrots, you can't carry any more even if you have open slots), if you're exploring away from your Ranch you run out of space *really* fast. Overall, the game is fun and relaxing to play - with the exception of a few minor issues. I would recommend if you enjoy chilled out games or just want a break from your regular playing style :)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Team Sonic Racing in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog will enjoy the newest entry in the long running series; Team Sonic Racing. The game takes the standard racing game model and infuses it with fun characters, tracks, and plenty of Sonic nostalgia.
Players can opt to play solo in a series of Cup Challenges or go online and play in various modes for even more challenge. The game offers players the choice of numerous characters from the Sonic series and players will be able to customize their vehicle as well as increase their score and speed by collecting the gold rings which are a staple of the series.
If you have ever played a Kart Racing game you know what to expect as players will speed around colorful and elaborate courses as they attempt to speed past other races to the Checkered Flag.
Of course there are various power ups along the way which can do various things from giving you an amazing but temporary boost of speed to various weapons which can slow down and take out other racers. The winner is not always the fastest but often the one who is the most cunning and knows when the best time to use a power up is and which part of the track to deploy it.
The game has solid graphics and is fun to play. The biggest issue players may have is a sense of Déjà vu as the gameplay is in keeping with other Kart Racing games so there is not really anything that makes it stand out from other games in the genre. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel; the developers have focused on making the game as fun and accessible as possible and as such it is ideal for gamers of all ages and abilities who want some back to basics fun.
http://sknr.net/2019/06/05/team-sonic-racing/
Players can opt to play solo in a series of Cup Challenges or go online and play in various modes for even more challenge. The game offers players the choice of numerous characters from the Sonic series and players will be able to customize their vehicle as well as increase their score and speed by collecting the gold rings which are a staple of the series.
If you have ever played a Kart Racing game you know what to expect as players will speed around colorful and elaborate courses as they attempt to speed past other races to the Checkered Flag.
Of course there are various power ups along the way which can do various things from giving you an amazing but temporary boost of speed to various weapons which can slow down and take out other racers. The winner is not always the fastest but often the one who is the most cunning and knows when the best time to use a power up is and which part of the track to deploy it.
The game has solid graphics and is fun to play. The biggest issue players may have is a sense of Déjà vu as the gameplay is in keeping with other Kart Racing games so there is not really anything that makes it stand out from other games in the genre. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel; the developers have focused on making the game as fun and accessible as possible and as such it is ideal for gamers of all ages and abilities who want some back to basics fun.
http://sknr.net/2019/06/05/team-sonic-racing/