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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Bermuda Pirates in Tabletop Games
Sep 8, 2021
The Bermuda Triangle. The area within the Atlantic Ocean that is rumored to be home of an aquatic black hole through which people and ships have gone inexplicably missing for years. What an excellent theme for a board game! I must admit, I learned of this game via one of Marco Arnaudo’s con videos and just had to have it. Was I bamboozled or is this a great game? Well, the ratings graphic above spoils that, but why is it so?
Bermuda Pirates pits players against each other in a mad dash to collect a set of colored gems from the middle island and bring them back to the home port first. Pirates (the players) will be encountering whirlpool vortexes along the way and can even place buoys to remind themselves to steer clear. The first player to bring back a whole set of gems successfully will be the winner!
To setup, first place the bracket piece (can only be seen partially in the final photo) in the middle of the table. Next orient the first layer of four square tiles (unseen in photos) on the bracket and then place the game board atop the tiles. Place flags upon the bracket nubs and matching gems at their bases. Each player chooses a color, takes the boat and buoys of that color and places them near the land with the matching dock color. The game may now begin!
On a player’s turn they must begin their journey from their home dock toward the center island to collect gems. They move their boat using one finger at the stern of the boat and pushing it across the board. Players will know when the boat has hit a hidden whirlpool when the magnets within the boat and within the board meet and create sudden resistance. The player may then place a buoy on that spot to remind themselves, and opponents, where a potential whirlpool spot is located. Should the player make a whirlpool-free trek to the central island, they must dock and collect a gem. From here the player must decide to either return back to their home dock to bank the gem or continue to collect gems before returning home.
Once a player has decided to return home with gem(s) aboard, they must take care not to hit whirlpools along the way because once the boat and whirlpool meet the boat will stop and the gems will fly across the board or even off the board. Those gems that land in the sea stay on the board to be collected by ANY player, and those gems that leave the board are lost forever. Herein lies the fun of Bermuda Pirates. Seeing gems flying will give players of any age and ability a giant piratey smile. The game ends once all players have had an equal amount of turns, and those pirates who have collected a set of one gem of each color will be the winners!
Components. I would certainly be remiss if I did not congratulate the designer and manufacturer of Bermuda Pirates for an absolutely gorgeous game with ingenious components. You see, the magnets that trip up the boats are hidden within that first layer of tiles that are placed on the bracket underneath the main game board. But even if you were to inspect these tiles, you would not necessarily know exactly where the magnets are placed. So every game will be different because of the order and orientation of the tiles setup. Bravo! Truly wonderful outside-the-box designing here. Yes, all the cardboard and plastic pieces are also great quality, but the ingenuity is what makes this one special.
I cannot say enough good things about Bermuda Pirates. My 4-year-old has a BLAST playing this one (even though the box says 7+. Shh, don’t tell anyone)! Seeing his face light up every time the gems go a-flying is just pure joy for a parent. Even when my wife and I played just the two of us, we were smiling the entire time we played. It’s that kind of game.
Bermuda Pirates will probably never reach my Top 10 Games of All Time list, but I certainly will hold onto it and cherish it in my collection. I think this game can work with any group of gamers of any skill or experience level. It is simply a joy to play as you push along your little boat hoping upon hope not to run into the whirlpool and have your four gems strewn about the ocean. Or placing the buoys just ever so slightly in the wrong location so that your opponents accidentally run into the whirlpool by trying a tangential approach. My family loves this game, and that is why Purple Phoenix Games gives this a very family-friendly piratey 10 / 12. If you are looking for something light and dextrous, with a great theme and excellent production quality, please check out Bermuda Pirates. It will definitely be a hit with anyone you introduce to it.
Bermuda Pirates pits players against each other in a mad dash to collect a set of colored gems from the middle island and bring them back to the home port first. Pirates (the players) will be encountering whirlpool vortexes along the way and can even place buoys to remind themselves to steer clear. The first player to bring back a whole set of gems successfully will be the winner!
To setup, first place the bracket piece (can only be seen partially in the final photo) in the middle of the table. Next orient the first layer of four square tiles (unseen in photos) on the bracket and then place the game board atop the tiles. Place flags upon the bracket nubs and matching gems at their bases. Each player chooses a color, takes the boat and buoys of that color and places them near the land with the matching dock color. The game may now begin!
On a player’s turn they must begin their journey from their home dock toward the center island to collect gems. They move their boat using one finger at the stern of the boat and pushing it across the board. Players will know when the boat has hit a hidden whirlpool when the magnets within the boat and within the board meet and create sudden resistance. The player may then place a buoy on that spot to remind themselves, and opponents, where a potential whirlpool spot is located. Should the player make a whirlpool-free trek to the central island, they must dock and collect a gem. From here the player must decide to either return back to their home dock to bank the gem or continue to collect gems before returning home.
Once a player has decided to return home with gem(s) aboard, they must take care not to hit whirlpools along the way because once the boat and whirlpool meet the boat will stop and the gems will fly across the board or even off the board. Those gems that land in the sea stay on the board to be collected by ANY player, and those gems that leave the board are lost forever. Herein lies the fun of Bermuda Pirates. Seeing gems flying will give players of any age and ability a giant piratey smile. The game ends once all players have had an equal amount of turns, and those pirates who have collected a set of one gem of each color will be the winners!
Components. I would certainly be remiss if I did not congratulate the designer and manufacturer of Bermuda Pirates for an absolutely gorgeous game with ingenious components. You see, the magnets that trip up the boats are hidden within that first layer of tiles that are placed on the bracket underneath the main game board. But even if you were to inspect these tiles, you would not necessarily know exactly where the magnets are placed. So every game will be different because of the order and orientation of the tiles setup. Bravo! Truly wonderful outside-the-box designing here. Yes, all the cardboard and plastic pieces are also great quality, but the ingenuity is what makes this one special.
I cannot say enough good things about Bermuda Pirates. My 4-year-old has a BLAST playing this one (even though the box says 7+. Shh, don’t tell anyone)! Seeing his face light up every time the gems go a-flying is just pure joy for a parent. Even when my wife and I played just the two of us, we were smiling the entire time we played. It’s that kind of game.
Bermuda Pirates will probably never reach my Top 10 Games of All Time list, but I certainly will hold onto it and cherish it in my collection. I think this game can work with any group of gamers of any skill or experience level. It is simply a joy to play as you push along your little boat hoping upon hope not to run into the whirlpool and have your four gems strewn about the ocean. Or placing the buoys just ever so slightly in the wrong location so that your opponents accidentally run into the whirlpool by trying a tangential approach. My family loves this game, and that is why Purple Phoenix Games gives this a very family-friendly piratey 10 / 12. If you are looking for something light and dextrous, with a great theme and excellent production quality, please check out Bermuda Pirates. It will definitely be a hit with anyone you introduce to it.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Friday in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Game nights with the group are some of my favorite nights, but pesky schedules and “personal lives” often get in the way. Not being able to play with the group hasn’t slowed my gaming roll though, and I am always on the lookout for good, solo-able games! So when I saw ‘Friday – A Solo Adventure’ at my local used game sale, I knew I had to grab it.
Picture this – you live on a tropical island. One day as you’re walking down by the ocean, you see something on the shore. As you approach, you realize it is a grown man! Turns out this castaway is Robinson Crusoe. You decide to help Crusoe learn the ways of the jungle, combat hazards, build up his strength, and eventually escape your island via a nearby pirate ship. The island is a rough place, though, so you must be diligent in your guidance! Otherwise your newest comrade may not survive…
A cute little card drafting game of survival on a deserted island – how hard can it be, right? I seriously underestimated how tough this game actually is – I have never won a game to date. The premise of the game is simple enough (draw cards, overcome hazards, and build your deck), but successful execution is the tricky part.
It all really comes down to the luck of the draw. Some cards are excellent for fighting hazards, while others can seriously negatively impact a fight. Success or failure depends on how well you shuffle and where the cards end up in your draw pile. That is to be expected though – if all the cards were helpful, the game would be so easy! The balance (or should I say imbalance?) of positive and negative cards is what makes the game so difficult. There are almost as many negative cards as there are positive, which makes every fight feel completely random to me. It is hard to strategize because each turn is almost a 50/50 shot as to whether your next card is positive or negative. The game is supposed to last 3 phases, but I am lucky to survive into phase 2.
Friday will stay in my collection, for the time being, while I continue trying to formulate a working strategy. Overall, though, it is not my go-to solo game. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 8 / 12. (Josh and Bryan haven’t played it yet!)
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/12/friday-a-solo-adventure-review/
Picture this – you live on a tropical island. One day as you’re walking down by the ocean, you see something on the shore. As you approach, you realize it is a grown man! Turns out this castaway is Robinson Crusoe. You decide to help Crusoe learn the ways of the jungle, combat hazards, build up his strength, and eventually escape your island via a nearby pirate ship. The island is a rough place, though, so you must be diligent in your guidance! Otherwise your newest comrade may not survive…
A cute little card drafting game of survival on a deserted island – how hard can it be, right? I seriously underestimated how tough this game actually is – I have never won a game to date. The premise of the game is simple enough (draw cards, overcome hazards, and build your deck), but successful execution is the tricky part.
It all really comes down to the luck of the draw. Some cards are excellent for fighting hazards, while others can seriously negatively impact a fight. Success or failure depends on how well you shuffle and where the cards end up in your draw pile. That is to be expected though – if all the cards were helpful, the game would be so easy! The balance (or should I say imbalance?) of positive and negative cards is what makes the game so difficult. There are almost as many negative cards as there are positive, which makes every fight feel completely random to me. It is hard to strategize because each turn is almost a 50/50 shot as to whether your next card is positive or negative. The game is supposed to last 3 phases, but I am lucky to survive into phase 2.
Friday will stay in my collection, for the time being, while I continue trying to formulate a working strategy. Overall, though, it is not my go-to solo game. Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 8 / 12. (Josh and Bryan haven’t played it yet!)
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/12/friday-a-solo-adventure-review/
Lindsay (1745 KP) rated Death Logs Out in Books
Jan 4, 2019
Really Make you look at your real world
Do we ever really know what really happens after death? Did Alex really die or is he still alive somewhere? The author put us in to story as Michael is wondering about this as he find out that his brother Alex as somehow getting in touch with several of his ex-wives.
Sofia is reached out by her uncle but doe not really know for sure. Then she is kidnapped? Will she survive or is this a mad woman going to get her revenge on Michael? Michael goes to his buddy a retired policeman. Whatever happens when they recruit a friend to save Sofia? There seem to be more going on that someone once Sindy Steel gone?
What does the Vatican want? There seems to be more of terrifying going on? Who is the Free Force Party? Kurt seem to want more power then what he got. We got back to learn some history about the Nazi occupation. There are more action and twist as you turn the page.
The author takes you for a ride of a lifetime. Learn a bit about the Vatican church. You also get to tour a bit of Paris. What will happen to Michael as he goes to hunt down the bad guys that murdered his to brothers. Alex is mentioned and talked to though out the book. What is AI? Is it real?
What does John Goldstin want with Michael? I know that once you start reading this book you will not want to put it down. It action packed. I do wish to that parent are aware that his is book has a lot of deaths in it. I would suggest this to be for children of ages 16 + with Mature in it. Please know this is only what i suggest and the parents have the right to allow there children to read it if choose to or not.
I thought this book acted like a lot of my real world that going on around me. Though not at lot but you might remember 9/11 and think of how real that might be if or what really happen to Malaysia plane that when down over the ocean. I know that fact or there but they may not be real in the story but sure feel that way when reading the book. Thank to the author I have enjoyed these books. I can not wait for more. Check out my review for Death Never Sleeps and Death Logs In
Sofia is reached out by her uncle but doe not really know for sure. Then she is kidnapped? Will she survive or is this a mad woman going to get her revenge on Michael? Michael goes to his buddy a retired policeman. Whatever happens when they recruit a friend to save Sofia? There seem to be more going on that someone once Sindy Steel gone?
What does the Vatican want? There seems to be more of terrifying going on? Who is the Free Force Party? Kurt seem to want more power then what he got. We got back to learn some history about the Nazi occupation. There are more action and twist as you turn the page.
The author takes you for a ride of a lifetime. Learn a bit about the Vatican church. You also get to tour a bit of Paris. What will happen to Michael as he goes to hunt down the bad guys that murdered his to brothers. Alex is mentioned and talked to though out the book. What is AI? Is it real?
What does John Goldstin want with Michael? I know that once you start reading this book you will not want to put it down. It action packed. I do wish to that parent are aware that his is book has a lot of deaths in it. I would suggest this to be for children of ages 16 + with Mature in it. Please know this is only what i suggest and the parents have the right to allow there children to read it if choose to or not.
I thought this book acted like a lot of my real world that going on around me. Though not at lot but you might remember 9/11 and think of how real that might be if or what really happen to Malaysia plane that when down over the ocean. I know that fact or there but they may not be real in the story but sure feel that way when reading the book. Thank to the author I have enjoyed these books. I can not wait for more. Check out my review for Death Never Sleeps and Death Logs In
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hostage Three in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>Hostage Three</i> is the second literary thriller by Carnegie Shortlisted Nick Lake. I must admit that I was a little apprehensive about reading this book after having read Lake’s first literary thriller, <i>In Darkness</i>, which, although well written, was rather hard going and, at times, boring. However I really enjoyed <i>Hostage Three</i>. Maybe it helped having a narrator I could relate to more, or maybe it was because the narrative was not shared between two major different time periods as <i>In Darkness</i> was. Whatever the reason, it was good.
The narrative jumps straight in to something happening in 2008 on the coast of Eyl, Puntland, Somalia. Seventeen-year-old Amy Fields is on a yacht, there are pirates; it appears someone is about to be killed. End of part one. What has happened? What is going to happen? Begin part two, three and a half months earlier. From this moment on Amy narrates what has happened in the lead up to the initial insight given and what happened afterwards. The reader learns more about Amy, her father and his wife, Sarah, who Amy constantly refers to as ‘the stepmother’, which gives an indication of their tense relationship. Throughout the book there are also flashbacks to what happened to Amy’s real mother, a sufferer of severe OCD, and the events that caused Amy to become the rebellious teenager she is portrayed as at the beginning of the novel.
Amy and her family end up travelling the world on a private yacht only to get taken hostage by pirates in the Indian Ocean. To begin with it is clear that the Fields family and yacht crew are the goodies and the pirates the baddies, however Amy begins to develop a complicated, secret relationship with one of the pirates, Farouz. The reader discovers the pirates’ motives, well at least Farouz’s motives, behind the hostage situation. Things begin to look less black and white, less good versus bad. And everything, of course, becomes more complex once romance is thrown into the mix.
<i>Hostage Three</i> is well worth a read. Lake writes really well and keeps the reader engaged. It is as if Amy is talking to the reader the entire time. Once you get used to the unconventional use of punctuation (no speech marks) it will become fast paced and you will be torn between wanting to read it all in one go and wanting to slow down to prevent it from ending too soon!
<i>Hostage Three</i> is the second literary thriller by Carnegie Shortlisted Nick Lake. I must admit that I was a little apprehensive about reading this book after having read Lake’s first literary thriller, <i>In Darkness</i>, which, although well written, was rather hard going and, at times, boring. However I really enjoyed <i>Hostage Three</i>. Maybe it helped having a narrator I could relate to more, or maybe it was because the narrative was not shared between two major different time periods as <i>In Darkness</i> was. Whatever the reason, it was good.
The narrative jumps straight in to something happening in 2008 on the coast of Eyl, Puntland, Somalia. Seventeen-year-old Amy Fields is on a yacht, there are pirates; it appears someone is about to be killed. End of part one. What has happened? What is going to happen? Begin part two, three and a half months earlier. From this moment on Amy narrates what has happened in the lead up to the initial insight given and what happened afterwards. The reader learns more about Amy, her father and his wife, Sarah, who Amy constantly refers to as ‘the stepmother’, which gives an indication of their tense relationship. Throughout the book there are also flashbacks to what happened to Amy’s real mother, a sufferer of severe OCD, and the events that caused Amy to become the rebellious teenager she is portrayed as at the beginning of the novel.
Amy and her family end up travelling the world on a private yacht only to get taken hostage by pirates in the Indian Ocean. To begin with it is clear that the Fields family and yacht crew are the goodies and the pirates the baddies, however Amy begins to develop a complicated, secret relationship with one of the pirates, Farouz. The reader discovers the pirates’ motives, well at least Farouz’s motives, behind the hostage situation. Things begin to look less black and white, less good versus bad. And everything, of course, becomes more complex once romance is thrown into the mix.
<i>Hostage Three</i> is well worth a read. Lake writes really well and keeps the reader engaged. It is as if Amy is talking to the reader the entire time. Once you get used to the unconventional use of punctuation (no speech marks) it will become fast paced and you will be torn between wanting to read it all in one go and wanting to slow down to prevent it from ending too soon!