Frog Chess by Brian Grigsby, Game Review

The pond is a good place to live. It gets crowded. There seems to never be enough room for all the frogs who live there. But, being a frog is about having fun. And, as frogs we like to jump. The frogs of the pond choose teams and everyone crowds into the pond. Let the jumping begin.

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I had the opportunity of playing Frog Chess by Brian Grigsby at Salt Lake Gaming Convention 2018 (website). This is the third game I’ve reviewed from Binary Cocoa.

Frog Chess is a strategy game for of 2 or 3 players (I played a 2 person game) with a field of frogs. Frog Chess is a deceptive game in that we are so used to playing survival based games that when something different comes along it throws us. I fell into the trap.

Game Play

Each player has a team of frogs and they take turns placing them on a grid based board. The only limitation is no frogs can be placed in the outside edge of the board. Frogs aren’t able to survive in that outside ring for longer than jumping through it—which comes later. The setup becomes important because frogs like to jump, they want to jump, and they need to jump.

Frogs jump. And, they can jump in any direction, if they can. Frogs need something to jump over. If there isn’t another frog sitting in one of the squares next to them they have nothing to jump over. Frogs also need a place to land after they jump. Simply put, there needs to be an empty square on the other side of the frog they are jumping. This is like checkers, but they move horizontally and diagonally. There are no front or back movements, just jumping in any direction.

Every frog jumped over is removed from the board. You can jump over the other players’ frogs or one of your own. But, no matter what frog you jump over, the frog is removed from the board.

Frogs can keep jumping. Once a frog starts jumping it can keep jumping as long as it can, but it can also stop along the way. Just watch out where you stop. If a frog stops jumping in the outer ring of the board, it gets removed. A simple reminder is that at the end of every turn the outer ring has no frogs in it.

A two player game getting underway. 

Now you see how the game is played, let me introduce the twist. This is not a game about survival, it is about jumping. It doesn’t matter how many frogs are left on the board at the end of the game, it is about who made the last jump. The last one to make a jump wins. You can eliminate your opponent, or leave their frogs in a position where they are unable to jump.

I started the game thinking I knew what I was doing. The early moves were designed to remove a number of my opponent’s frogs with little loss on my side. I’ll admit I even started keeping track of the number of frogs we each had left on the board.

The game continued and I realized my mistake. I left a frog stranded out by itself. It’s only hope was to have a frog get closer that it could jump over. Another frog soon had no place it could land. My frogs were stranded and blocked. They were unable to jump.

Overall

Frog Chess plays up the strategy of how to move, not on the number of frogs left.

I enjoyed the twist. Even though I lost the match, I found the change of thought process refreshing. I found myself for some time afterwards coming back and watching other people play Frog Chess because the change intrigued me.

Frog Chess would work as a cabin game. It would work better in a trailer or motorhome. It could be put in a pack or suitcase because the shape of the box, but it is larger than what I usually classify as a cabin game. I saw younger players having fun with the bright colored frogs. It looked like they were having fun with the jumping without concern of the final outcome—they liked jumping the frogs.

Frog Chess is a good filler game. The game is designed to run less than 15 minutes. Even with learning the game, mine was about 15. The setup is part of the game and included in the time.

Frog Chess by Brian Grigsby is produced by Binary Cocoa (website, Facebook). It is designed for 2–3 players ages 7+, and to last 10–15 minutes.

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The frogs jump. Our team. Their team. Back and forth we jump. The crowd at the edge grows go as more frogs are jumped. I take your place on the spectators’ log when I got jumped. The competition continues. Then the jumping stops. Our team made the last jump and are croaked the winners. Those sitting next to me from the other team ribbit their congratulations and challenges for the next game.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Drop It, Game Review

There are times when you want a game everyone in the family can play. It can be tough to find a game that provides enough entertainment for the youngest players and still enough of a challenge for older ones. Here is one that fits the category.

I played and couple of games of Drop It, designed by Bernard Lach and Uwe Rapp, at Salt Lake Gaming Convention 2018 (website) with one of the game ambassadors of Envoy/Double Exposure (website).

Drop It is a basic game that requires you to drop different shapes of flat blocks between two plastic panels. Players start with a set of pieces and take turns dropping them into the holder. The look is a little like connect four, but the strategy is different.

One player I was playing with called Drop It a “geometric Tetris.” This gives an idea of how it looks, but again you are not trying to complete levels or create shapes. You drop the block into the holder and calculate any score you might have made. There are two variations of limitations to play for scoring. For older players the strategy of keeping colors separated and placed at the right levels gets them thinking.

Drop It is also different because it is for 2–4 players. I played a 4 person game on one variation and a 3 person game with the other. Both variations were easy to learn and understand the scoring principles. After I played I watched some younger players. I figure one was below the recommended age (8+), and with a little help from a parent were able to join in and was having fun dropping in the pieces. He didn’t even need to score, and it appeared he really didn’t care about the scoring taking place by the other players.

Picture from PHD  Games

Drop It is designed to run about 30 minutes. Of the half dozen games I played or watched none went over 15 minutes. This can easily be used as a filler game when waiting for more people to arrive on game night. It is also a game younger players can learn and play on their own. It could be used as a cabin game, but would be on the larger side that would work better in a camper or motor home instead of something being packed in or carried in a suitcase.

Drop It is designed by Bernard Lach and Uwe Rapp have other games known to be family friendly/favorite games. These include Fat Fish and Qwinto.

Drop it is produced by Thames and Kosmos games (website) and is designed for 2–4 players of ages 8+, and to be played within 30 minutes.

Drop It is available on Amazon (link).

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Spellcaster by Aaron Weissblum and Norman Woods, Game Review

The landscape goes hazy as you are suddenly surrounded by a mist that turns into a fog. This day was coming. You know you are being summoned to the dueling arena, for the life of the Grandmaster Wizard is coming close to its end. Now is your turn to prove your mettle against another. Time to see how you compare against the other wizards of the realms and find out who will be the next Grandmaster.

The fog gets lighter. You look around until you see another materializing. He is unfamiliar. You quickly go through what spells you know to determine how best to manipulate the four elements when a force hits you causing you to step back and gain your balance. He’s quick.

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Spellcaster by Aaron Weissblum and Norman Woods is a card game of attack and defense. I had the opportunity to play Spellcasterat Salt Lake Gaming Convention 2018 (website) with an ambassador from Envoy/Double Exposure (website).

Concept

Spellcaster pits wizards against each other in a duel. Although Spellcaster is listed for 2–4 players, it works best with just 2, you are in a duel and those usually work better when you are one-on-one. This is a light version of a duel with limited actions and is more family friendly in its presentation.

Mechanic

Each player has a hand of cards which are used. At the start of a turn you draw one and then take two actions. Actions allow you to draw, play, or activate a card.

Playing a card is only done on the one of the four elements it matches. Only one player can control an element at a time. And, the card must be in play before it can be activated.

The rules are simple enough. Making the decisions for how you play your strategy based on the cards you have is the crux of the game as you work to remove all of your opponent’s energy or gain enough Sorcery Sapphires to win the game.

Art

Spell Caster has artwork from Kerem Beyit (website), who did the cover, and Suleyman Temiz (website), for the cards. When I was playing Spellcaster I thought the art was done by the same person. It was only upon closer inspection when I could see differences. The artists’ styles complement each other well.

All of the work fits with the theme of the game. I saw some younger players who were enjoying the art and sharing it while they were playing.

Overall

Spellcaster is an easy to learn game that would work well as a filler or cabin game. The age listed on the box is 14+. Younger players could easily play Spellcaster even though they might not understand the full aspects of strategy, such as when to block an opponent’s card before it is activated.

Spellcaster is listed to play in 20–30 minutes. For the games I played this time was generous. We played several 2 player games and each finished in under 10 minutes. Learning the game took only a few minutes.

If you would like a game to introduce more complex deck building games based on dueling, Spellcaster may be what you are looking for.

Spellcaster by Aaron Weissblum and Norman Woods is published by R&R Games (website). It is designed for 2–4 players of ages 14+ and intended to last 20–30 minutes.

Spellcaster is available on Amazon (link).

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You launch a complex spell, manipulating the field between you and your adversary. You feel a sensation of warmth run through you and you see a pained look on the man standing across the arena. You did it. He may have been faster in his castings, but you had a greater mastery of the complexity of the elements. And, gaining that mastery has now been rewarded.

As the mist settles you know you won this encounter. There are many more wizards in the realms who you will be tested against before a final spell caster emerges victorious.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Rival Realms, Game Review

The fog lifts and you gaze out over a field in the lands of Fantastiqa. The other magician you were working with is nowhere in sight. You know they are here and a race has begun. There is much to see and great treasures to find, but your time is short and the land is tricky. You lower your sights to what is closer around you and see a flash of brilliant green when the sunlight glints off an emerald. You pick it up, knowing it will be handy later. Again, you scan the land as it seems to materialize around you. Yes, your time here is short and you need to plan how you’re going to explore this land before it runs out.

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Rival Realms is a wonderful puzzle game for two people set in the world of Fantastiqa, created by Alf Seegert. I was given a copy of Rival Realms by the publisher, Eagle Gryphon Games (website) at SaltCon 2018 (website) for review purposes.

Fans of Fantastiqa, also created by Alf Seegert, will enjoy Rival Realms. But, Fantastiqa is not required for playing Rival Realms. This is not an expansion, even though it has a similar look, setting, and style.

This is a standalone game designed for one or two people. I think it works better with two (I prefer playing games with others instead of by myself). Even though you are playing against the other player, your play is focused on what you’re doing, not on how to block or disrupt your opponent’s play.

Game Design

Rival Realms pits two players against each other to create and solve a puzzle. The players start out with a mirror reflection of the mountains and valleys separating three kingdoms. Players then place region cards to create a puzzle map they solve by exploring through the areas on their side of the table.

This two level puzzle, creating and solving, makes for a great thinking game. The placement of regions has a strategic level because you have to have the right cards to explore them. As you build a path for yourself to explore the realm, there are limitations of what you can do, and items that can help you explore more. A balance is needed to be effective between the placing of the region cards and exploring them.

Rival Realms is easy to set up and play. We quickly understood how the game played. The first game lasted the 20–30 minutes it is designed for.

Rival Realms is a light-hearted competition as there are only limited ways you can disrupt the other player. The limited level of conflict makes Rival Realms a good game for many siblings.

Rival Realms is a good game to have on hand as a cabin game and a possible filler game. The box is just a little larger than the size of two packs of standard playing cards, making it easily transportable. The only problem as a filler game is when you have more than two people waiting.

Overall

I, and the others who played, enjoyed Rival Realms. The creation and exploring of the map was a nice application of the mechanic without having direct competition with the other player (you create a puzzle for your opponent to solve).

The artwork is some wonderful work from the Bridgeman Art Library which adds to the feel of the story being created.

Rival Realms, by Alf Seegert and published by Eagle Gryphon Games, is designed for 1 or 2 players ages 10+, and to last 20–30 minutes.

Rival Realms is available on Amazon (link).

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You’ve explored a lot of the land. The experience lifted your soul and you know this enchanted land holds many more secrets. As you step out on the edge of a high plateau to look at the path you want to take to continue your adventure, a fog rises around you. It was the fog that transported you to Fantastiqa. Time is up. You know your rival has completed their adventuring and you are going home. But now you know the card trick that brought the two of you here and you will be back.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Viking Games, and Pick Your Battle Game Group, Game (Group) Review

Looking for several games your family would be able to play, without learning a bunch of different rules for each one? Toresh Games (website and Facebook) has put together six family-friendly card games that are part of their Pick Your Battle game group.

I played Viking Gamesat SaltCon (website and Facebook page) 2018, which is one of the games in the group. There were four of us playing, one of which was Thomas Shepard, the developer of Viking Games and the rest of the games in Pick Your Battle.

Viking Games is designed for 2–7 players to last for 15–30 minutes. The concept is each player is a Viking throwing axes, up to three depending on the card, at other Vikings. You defend yourself with shields and once you take ten wounds you’re out.

The mechanic used for Viking Games, and the rest of the group, is a draw and play. The mechanic allows younger players to catch on easily and soon they can play their hand by themselves with little or no help from others. The game is listed for ages 8+, however, the age limit is more about the theme of throwing axes than in the complexity of how the game plays.

Each of the games use the same mechanic, but each provides something a little different in the strategy of the game. What makes Viking Games different than the other games in the Pick Your Battle group is you can obtain an armory which allows you to draw two cards instead of one.

 

The Pick Your Battle Game Group

Dodge Ball plays as teams.

Wizards and Witcheshas different types of protection to use.

Snowball Fight has double attacks after you get a pile of snowballs.

Food Fight has 10 different food items. These can be set up that players have to be hit by certain, or all, of the foods.

Water Fight has 2 different attacks and two different defenses.

The series of games can be used to introduce an additional level in game play to younger players. This gives them the chance to learn a new game without having to learn new mechanics to play. It also allows a variety of games to be played, which might help with older players, and parents, with game fatigue.

Art

The artwork and graphics are done by Christopher England for the Pick Your Fight series of games. His work is age appropriate with a splash of fun. Each card is soon recognizable for what it does or allows during the game. This makes the game easier to learn and play.

These Are Good Cabin Games

 

Each game is a deck of cards equal in size to two standard decks. This makes them easy to store in luggage, a box, backpack, camper, etc., for when conditions are more appropriate for being inside instead of outside. They only need a little flat surface, so they could be played on a small table or even the floor.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Wet Blanket, Game Review

The party down the hall is going full blast. And, everyone you invited is there. The night is turning into a social catastrophe. Wait a minute. You can hear jazz music from further down the hall. Dominic loves jazz and he’s leaving the party and knocking on Sarah’s door. She’s having a party, too? Now it’s time to make a move to get people to your party as you lift the nacho cheese close to the air vent.

Wet Blanket by Binary Cocoa is a social/anti-social card game of trying to get partygoers away from the main party being thrown in the middle of the table to your party. I had the opportunity of playing Wet Blanket (with the Soggy Biscuitexpansion) at SaltCon (website and Facebook page) 2018 with three other people, including one of the game’s developers.

Game Play

Wet Blanket starts by determining how many partygoers are already at the central party. The more partiers you start out with the longer the game goes. We started with eight and our game lasted between 10 and 15 minutes. The goal is to get as many partiers at your own party, which is represented by cards that move in front of you.

Moving the partygoers is done by players using cards from their own hand using a draw and play mechanic. Playing a card can affect the central party, and the parties hosted by the players. Every partygoer has a likes, dislikes, profession, and allergies. Most cards are designed with a socially awkward situation that partygoers react to. This can push people away from the central party, or draw them back.

Other cards include safety cards to prevent some actions from occurring. And, there are also more partygoers who can show up at the central party.

Wet Blanketcontinues until there are no more partygoers at the party in the middle of the table. Whoever has the most partygoers at their own party is recognized as the leading socialite.

The Game

Wet Blanket is a deck of cards the size to two standard playing decks. We also played with the Soggy Biscuit expansion. It is the size of a standard deck. The main deck of cards focuses on music and food, while Soggy Biscuit is about the partygoers’ professions and allergies.

Wet Blanket is designed for 2 to 8 players. We had 4 in our game and it was enjoyable. Later, I was able to see a game being played with 6, and it was more boisterous than ours, as people were commenting back-and-forth about losing people from their own party.

Wet Blanket is a good family game. There is some reading, but most of the cards are designed with graphics younger players can understand. Younger players were also making a lot of extra commentary about the social situations stated on the cards.

Artwork

Wet Blanket is themed on social awkwardness and the art fits the theme. It might look basic when glancing at it, but it is well constructed to provide a visual representation of what is happening at a level all players can understand.

Overall

Wet Blanket, with Soggy Biscuit, is a good family game that can also be used as a filler and cabin game. There are three decks of cards with a quick layout and the timeframe is easily adjusted to fit your needs. Wet Blanket would work better for younger players and family settings. The strategy is minimal and allows for socializing and commentary during game play. An interruption of game play would not impact the game much.

Binary Cocoa’s (websiteand Facebook) Joseph Browers and Stephen Gygi foray into tabletop gaming with Wet Blanket falls in line with their electronic games and other products. If you are familiar with their other games, I think you will find Wet Blanket is a good addition to your family gaming library.

It’s getting late. You’ve been so busy entertaining and socializing you didn’t realize how the time got by you. Everyone at your party is happy and they are having a good time. The nachos were the right move to get the party started.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Moods of the Mad King, Game Review

To write is to pour your blood out onto the page. To act is to pour your soul out on the stage. To write plays is to combine the two. And, if you are writing plays for a whimsical king, it could mean literally the pouring of your blood on the stage.

Moods of the Mad Kingby Alan Bahr and from Gallant Knight Games (website and Facebook) puts you in the role of a playwright who is writing for a king. He is a moody person however. And, your goal is to create the best play you can in an attempt to match the king’s mood while also following your muse.

Game play

Moods of the Mad Kingis designed for 2-5 players (2 player variant rules are available from Gallant Knight Games) and is easy to learn. A game lasts for 10 to 15 minutes. Four of us sat down and played Moods of the Mad King at SaltCon (website and Facebook) 2018 and were able to learn the game and complete it with the fifteen minute mark.

Each player starts with cards placed face down, to keep them secret form the other players, in front of them on the table and a hand to play from.

On the table, everyone starts with a muse, matching to the plays being used in the game. Along with the muse, you start with a three act play, which consists of one card for each of the Acts I, II, and III (these cards are set to match the muses in play).

For example in our game I started our game with the muse, Lord Jeanpaul, who likes romance. My acts were Act I, romance, Act II, Comedy, and Act III, Tragedy.

From the Players deck of cards each person is given one card to start as their personal hand.

No one knows the mood of the king when the game starts. The king has five Mood cards, which remain face down. At the end of the game his mood is revealed by turning over the top card of the pile, however, there are ways for his mood to change during the game.

On your turn you draw one card from the Player cards, then use or discard one of your cards for your turn. The Player cards allow you to make changes to the current situation of the game. Some cards allow you to switch your muse with another player. Other ones cause Acts to rotate around the board. You even get the chance to change the mood of the king.

There are 25 cards in the Player deck and when a player is unable to draw one, the game moves to scoring. You turn over the card to see what mood the king is in and then everyone turns over their table cards to score points.

Scoring is done by matching. If you have matching Acts you score the points for the Acts in their placement, 1 for Act I, 2 for Act II, and 3 for Act III. But there must be a match. If they are all different, there are no points. Then, for each Act matching the mood of the king you gain an additional point. And, each Act matching your Muse scores an additional point.

Moods of the Mad Kingis easy to learn and fast to play.

Artwork

The cards are illustrated by Dani Powers. Moods of the Mad King is designed to be a fast past somewhat whimsical themed game and the art of Dani Powers plays into the theme.

The graphic design is by Robert Denton. The layout and feel of the game is wonderful and useful.

Overall

Moods of the Mad Kingis a great filler game and cabin game (one deck of oversized cards with the rules printed on cards instead of a separate piece of paper) for the whole family. The box lists play for ages 10+, but younger players who can read would have few issues with being able to play. The layout on the cards makes them easy to read. And, after a couple of times, the artwork and titles on the cards make them easily recognizable.

This is not a game requiring a lot of thinking during game play. You do need to try to remember what cards you have seen and where they are now at. You can have a conversation while playing with concern about missing what another player has done.

We enjoyed our game so much that one of the players in our group bought Moods of the Mad King along with the game mat that was available at the convention. I know it will be one game that comes out while we are waiting for the rest of the gaming group to arrive.

Mood of the Mad Kingis designed by Alan Bahr, artwork by Dani Powers, and graphic design by Robert Denton. It is published by Gallant Knight Games. It is designed for 2 to 5 players of age 10+ and to last 10-15 minutes.

You are at the edge of the stage as the curtain rises on what you believe could be one of the best romance plays you have ever written. The king is sitting in his private booth. As the lights are dimming, you see a sour look on his face. The evening appears to be shaping up to be a long night.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Rise of the Exiled, Game Review

Those who have been banished from the kingdom are never truly gone. The abilities that served them so well, still serve them. And, there are times when those skills are called upon by others.

Rise of the Exiledby J&E Innovations is a one-on-one combat game for 2–12 players divided into two teams. Each side is set to do combat until there is only one side remaining, which in this case takes about five to ten minutes.

A couple of friends and I played Rise of the Exiled at SaltCon 2018, where the game qualified as a finalist in the Ion Awards for game design. From sitting down to learn the game to completing it took about 20 minutes. This took longer than it would probably if you were sitting down and playing at home because of the number of interruptions we had in the busy gaming hall.

GAME BASICS

You choose from over a dozen characters; each with a two-sided character card, a clear plastic weapons card, and a character reference card. Each of the characters has a different ability that can be used during the game and a personalized weapon.

The teams are on either side of the table and your character card is placed on the table. The only difference between the two sides of the character card is the delineation of the scoring areas where the character takes damage. One side clearly shows the body core and head sections to make scoring easier.

Once the cards are in place, the battle begins. Each round of battle takes place in two phases.

Battle Phase

All players toss their weapons cards at their opponent at the same time. The weapon card must be released before your hand goes beyond your character card. Your skill in targeting your opponent becomes crucial. If the weapon lands where it can do damage to your opponent, they take damage at the rate of where it would score the most. If they are hit in the arm and the head, only the head shot counts.

Damage is tracked on the character reference card and the second phase takes place.

Movement Phase

After damage is scored, the remaining players have the option of moving their character card. You can move your card one card length. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s only a tabletop, and remember your placement on the table determines where you can release your weapon from. The closer you are, the easier the attack (for both you and your opponent).

Character Abilities

Each of the characters in Rise of the Exiled has a special ability you can use during a game. Some have armor to protect them. Other have the ability to block out the sun, which means on the next battle phase their opponents toss their weapons with their eyes closed. Some have a special weapon with different damage scoring.

GAME DEVELOPMENT

Artwork and Designers

The artwork of the characters is wonderfully done. One of the designers, James Taylor was given credit for the graphics.

The other two designers are Jarom Higly and Brian Shaw.

With the ingenuity and simplicity of play for the game I expect they will come up with more ideas that will make it to our tables. You can join them on their Facebook page.

Playability

With the number of characters and the ease of setting up a game, Rise of the Exile has great replay-ability. With experienced players, which in this case means you’ve played, a game can easily be completed in less than ten minutes. Reset, by moving your character to a starting position, or placing a new character in the field. Then, play again.

A Variant of Play

With a smaller number of players, two or four, we thought of a variant that could be used. Do a draft of the characters to create a gladiator stable. Then each side sets up pairings. This would be determining which of your characters matches up to your opponents. After the pairings are determined, let the games begin. Battles take place until one stable of gladiators is left.

This provides a little more strategy play between the sides during the drafting and pairing portions.

CURRENT ACTIVITY

At this time (03/11/18) Rise of the Exiled is on Kickstarter. It’s already funded and is pushing forward on the reach goals. I expect them to do well because of simplicity of the rules and interaction of the game. I also know the game picked up more followers at SaltCon and being recognized as finalists in the Ion Competition.

OVERALL

Rise of the Exiledby J&E Innovation is a great game to have on hand.

As a cabin game, Rise of the Exiled could easily be taken with when traveling and the aspect of tossing cards provides physical interaction. I watch younger players engaged and enjoying the fact they were able to throw something without getting in trouble.

As a filler game, the quick play means you can run through a game, or several, as you are waiting for the late arrivals. When they arrive the game will soon be over—probably before they are even settled in—and put away for the game night to begin.

The battle is complete. Your skills proved victorious over the other warrior brought to the field. You feel you may have earned your place back with the civilized people of your homeland, but for now you retreat back into the wasteland until your skills are called upon again. It is your fate for now, for you are part of the exiled.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Shindig Machine, Game Review

Storytelling is a major part of almost all tabletop games. And, it is a part of every game. Some games are because they have a backstory to set up the game. Others are based on creating a story within the parameters of the game as it is being played. This is because storytelling has been around as long as man. And there is evidence that games have been around almost as long as there have been stories. I’m sure that many were playing games with their stories. One important way we have brought our playing of games and storytelling together is with pictures.

Shindig Machine (from Travesty Games) is a card game for storytellers. What sets this game apart from many tabletop games is the story is not already in the process of being told, or limited to the boundaries set into the game board.

Shindig Machine is a deck of 108 picture cards. The cards are original black and white art work covering a wide range of topics. There isn't an age listed and some cards have elements of horror. I don't think there is anything offensive, but I do know some who play games with younger players who would probably want to go through and cull the deck before playing with their children. Removing a few cards won't affect game play.

There are rules for 14 different games included with the cards. The games range from easy to complex. This wide variety of games gives a lot of replay-ability and makes learning different ones easier. In our short experience we were also coming up with our own variations of the games the developers give along with some ideas for new games we wanted to play. The developer told me that it was designed to spark creativity and it does.

The basic concept for using Shindig Machine is to turn over a card and tell the story you see. The next person plays a card and adds to what has already developed. This keeps going until you’ve finished your story. Winning is decided who gave the best part, or in our case we didn’t worry about who won the round, or game, or story.

Other ideas use the cards to respond to a certain type of question. Each person is dealt a hand and are limited to responding by what they can tell from the cards they hold.

The games are designed for 3–8 players, of different time lengths. The first time I brought out the cards there were 3 of us at the table and we tried out 3 different games. The second time I brought out Shindig Machine there were more people and we kept it to the easier games. Both times everyone had fun and there was a lot of laughter.

Shindig Machine isn't about keeping score, but you can. The real fun we had was working through the stories being told, or creating the most outlandish name we could come up with (one game we played was Band Name). Of course, we also developed outlandish stories.

During the second playing we had a player who was getting serious about the story they were creating, which didn't work well. There is such a mix-up of pictures that it would be hard to keep it serious. In our first outing the complex game we played had a drug cartel battling demons to stop the apocalypse.

Shindig Machine is a great filler or cabin game. Because of the storytelling style of the game, you can easily interrupt, and end and restart, when more people arrive. It also doesn't need setup and the cards come in an easy to carry box that fit in a suitcase, backpack, or cargo pants pocket.

This is the second game I’ve had the chance to review by Travesty Games, and a very different from Eschaton (review here). I had the opportunity of picking up the cards at last year’s Salt Lake Gaming Convention and then again at Salt Lake Comic Convention. I look forward to seeing what this creative company will come out with in the future.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Japanese, Game Review

Almost everyone I know speaks another language, or wants to learn one. Those who want to learn one talk about not of having time and how tedious it is to read through the books or listen to tapes. Unnamed Method (UM) has addressed these issues by making a game out of learning a language. I met some of the people at Salt Lake Comic Convention 2017 and picked up a deck of the core cards for their game Japanese.

Japaneseis a card game designed to have fun while learning the language. The core deck is 108 cards: 4 reference cards and 104 cards with words and grammatical components of the Japanese language. It can be played as a competitive, cooperative, or solitaire game. All three variants are similar in style, it really is how you decide to keep score and who is available to play.

In the competitive version each player creates a grammatically correct sentence or sentences. You win if you are the first person with 20 points laid out on the table or have the most points when the deck runs out. There is only one round of play, which makes it easier to focus on the sentences instead of tracking the score between rounds.

Unnamed Method

When playing cooperatively, everyone works on sentences together. You can play this to create the points, or just run through to the end of the deck to see what sentences you come up with. When playing cooperatively you can do it in turns or let everyone join as a free-for-all. Consider who you have at the table if you want to do the free-for-all. If you have a dominant player who takes control, someone is bound to be left out.

The solitaire version is really working through the deck. If you really are wanting to learn the language, this works well because you can use the game as a filler just about wherever you go. All you really need is a place where you can set the cards out. Or, if you can hold them in order, you don't even need the table space.

Every card has information about the sentence structure and the word(s) on the card. They explain which part of the sentence the word belongs to, how to write it, how to speak it, and an example of a sentence it would be used in. The reference card provides information for how sentences are structured and advanced grammatical use. The playing cards and the reference cards are easily cross-referenced.

The cards have a color code for easy use. The sentence structure is broken down by colors which are included on the cards. The reference cards show the order of colors to provide an easy visual reference of the sentence structure.

The rules for playing Japanese are on the company’s web site. It is recommended to have 25 or 50 cards per player (one location I found said 25 and another said 50). They also make another recommendation of each player having their own deck. This would make all the words available to everyone playing and not just a portion. I didn’t try this variation because I have only one core deck.

As you advance in your ability of playing Japanese, you can increase the challenge by picking up any of the five expansion decks. Each adds a specific area of knowledge or advanced language skill. The expansions are half the size of the core deck, or the size of a standard deck of playing cards.

There is no listed age or time for game play. The age limit would be a function of capability of reading. The length of time becomes a variable based on your skill with the language. We took a little while with our game as we spent time reading and reciting the words and how they are used. I’m sure the more time spent with the game would make it shorter to play because you are learning the words and the language.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Switch, Game Review

More pictures on their page

Every so often you are sitting with a few people around and just wanting a quick game to fill in the time. Something everyone gets involved in. In my group we call these filler games. At a couple of recent conventions, Salt Lake Gaming Convention and SaltCon, I came across a game that really fits the definition of a filler game.

Switch is a fast-paced, everyone play at once, game. It reminded me of a game we called Speed crossed over with some Crazy Eights. In Switch you are working to get rid of your hand as fast as possible into a central discard pile.

A hand starts with each player having a dealt hand that you turn over at the same time. Then you get rid of them as fast as possible. You start out with a condition to play cards, pairs, color (suit), or runs. You keep playing on the top of the discard pile until you can't play or a switch card is used to change the condition.

When I played we just played individual hands, but you can keep score to have your game last longer than just a hand. Many hands are completed in less than a minute. I also watched other playing and how many younger players really enjoyed the fast pace of the game and how short of time a hand took.

I can see there is a lot of potential to create your own house rules for discarding. You can also change hand size. You could also create different hand sizes to provide a balance between younger and older players. All of these, and other ideas, create a basic card game that can be played differently to keep the game fresh.

You might be waiting for only a few minutes and be looking for something to fill the gap of time. Or, you might need to fill a little more time. You could even play this between ordering your food and waiting for it to be served.

Switch is designed and distributed by Bored Brothers Gaming (Facebook link). It designed for 2–6 players, with no age listed, to last about 15 minutes (based on the games scoring system).

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Tiny Frontiers, RPG review

Tiny Frontiers Game Book

The expanse of space lies before you and your fellow explorers. You are cruising through the darkness of the vast to your next adventure. The captain has chosen the location and the navigator plotted the course to Messick. Though the ship is pretty much capable of directing itself through the darkness, the pilot is nearby and ready in case something unexpected happens. The only people appearing to be on edge are the captain and the quartermaster. There wasn't any word as to why you were going to the system. Maybe, it would be best to check to see what's in the computer.

Tiny Frontiers by Alan Bahr with Thomas Keene from Gallant Knight Games is a wonderfully compact gaming system for space adventures. It provides a game that can be used to introduce new players, new settings, and new games quickly and easily. The approach to creating Tiny Frontiers appears to be different the so many of the existing science fiction role-playing games (RPGs).

Many science fiction RPGs are based in an existing universe that provides boundaries so adventures fit the parameters of the overarching story the RPG is drawn from. On the other side of that coin, are the games systems that provide so much information trying to cover every aspect of what a game master (GM) may want to create for their universe. I have seen these taken to the extreme in both directions. If you are a fan of the existing universe, the guidelines given are not a problem because you have already allowed yourself to be in that universe. The, again, the other side usually means there is a lot of work for the GM when building a new universe to game in.

The size of the book is smaller than most game books. It can be tucked into the pocket of a pair of cargo pants. It is something to know that you have the universe in your pocket. Even though the book is 136 pages in total length, the first third of the book is all that is needed to create your characters and start playing. The additional 90 pages are micro-settings. The concept is to be able to build on the narrative, cinematic aspects of role-playing and not to get bogged down in the details of creating the tactical aspects of the strategy.

The 40 pages of game mechanics are straight forward, easy to understand, and readily adaptable.

Creating a character is a simple matter of deciding on your race, traits, and what you're carrying. Your personality can grow from their as you decide. There are races presented, which some would say provides those boundaries I was talking about earlier. And, they do. At the same time, the style of the game allows for development of additional races without having to do a lot of behind the scenes work.

Character traits and equipment are presented in the same manner to provide a quick start to play. In fact from start to finish it took fifteen to twenty minutes to have a character ready for adventuring.

Tiny Frontiers GM screen

When I received the book from Alan he told me he wanted to create a system where you can keep your character on an index card. And, a three by five or a four by six index card really is enough. The only thing that might take you more is how much backstory you want to give them.

There are 16 unique micro-settings from 12 other authors. Because the authors come from different backgrounds (including science fiction, fantasy and horror) each micro-setting has a flavor all its own. There is enough information that a GM can base an entire campaign in any of the settings. Or, like any good recipe, they can be combined to create a diverse universe.

The longest write up of a setting is only nine pages long (and these are small tiny pages). Most of them are structured to be about two standard notebook pages in length. The smaller format gives enough information so you can easily introduce the setting to your players and peak the creativity of the game master. Although it seems like these are short descriptions that would be lacking, they are not. Reading through the settings reminded me of the great paperbacks I read in my youth, places among the stars I wanted to visit.

Tiny Frontiers is a great RPG to have on hand for experienced and new players. The size of the book and the characters, along with using only six-sided dice, makes this game easily transportable. It is one of the few RPGs I feel I can say would make a good cabin game—something to play when you are away from home, but unable to get out of the cabin.

Everyone is nervous now you are coming into a dilapidated port. The captain finally spoke up that he took a commission to find some lost prospector in the desert on Messick. (This is drawn from one of the micro-settings presented.)

As a side note, Gallant Knight Games has acquired the rights for producing more on the Tiny Dungeonruleset.

I would like to thank Alan Bahr and Gallant Knight Games for the opportunity of playing and reviewing Tiny Frontiers.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Nerdy Inventions, Game Review

Tinkering in the laboratory by adding a watzit here and a widget there can be a fulfilling career. Working to get the right combination of components to make a whole working invention is give a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. Then, after the first one is made, being able to put that invention to use to create more amazing creations can take you to a whole new level of self-confidence.

Nerdy Inventions distributed by Mayday Games is a quick playing game well suited for a small family, kids, or even when another couple comes over for game night. It is designed for two to four players and we played it with two and four players. The game moves quickly and easily along, but, you also have the capability of being able to step away from it or break out in conversation without disrupting the game. This makes it a nice addition to the game shelf.

First, I sat down with three other players of mixed ages and we were able to quickly learn Nerdy Inventions and play through without any problems. This first session was with less experienced gamers and everyone enjoyed it. I am sure we were all missing options that were available to us, but no one minded the fact. They were having fun, helping each other and enjoying the interaction through the game.

The next time I played was with a friend who is a gamer. The two of us started the game as we were waiting for the rest of the players on a game night. After we started, we found out the others weren't going to be able to make it and we played one game after the other for several hours.

Nerdy inventionshas easy to understand rules that provide a lot of combinations of what can be done on your turn. Although we didn't hit the lowest age of the recommendation our youngest player was able to understand and apply the rules on their own quickly. More questions came from the more experienced gamers as they were figuring out the nuances of what they could do. After a quick pass through the rules we were able to start our first game.

Each player starts with an invention. Inventions allow the player to make adjustments to their resources, or the inventions available to be created when you get the right combination of resources. The resources are determined by a roll of three six-sided dice.

The game

A turn starts by rolling the dice to determine what resources you have available. The right combination of dice allows you to build new inventions that becomes part of your laboratory. You can also spend dice to move inventions so the resource requirement changes or power one of your inventions you have used earlier in the game.

Using an invention allows an action depending on what the invention is. There are ten different inventions available. The combination of events in a single turn grows as you determine how to spend your resources and use your inventions. The game is designed that everyone will get the same number of turns, usually. There is an invention that allows a player to end the game immediately, if they think it will give them enough victory points.

Every invention is worth victory points. During play you have to decide how you want to fill your laboratory with what's available—what's on the invention row and what you have resources for. At the end of the game victory points are totaled to determine who has the best filled laboratory.

Along with being a good family game Nerdy Inventions is a good addition to have as a cabin game or a filler game. It is in a small package, is easy to set up, and easy to clean up. With the randomness of rolling dice and the order of the deck as inventions are made available the replay-ability of Nerdy Inventions is high.

Nerdy Inventionsby Chih Fan Chen from Homosapiens Lab and licensed to Mayday Gamesis designed for 2–4 players of ages 8+. A game is designed to last 25–30 minutes.

I would like to thank Mayday Games for the opportunity of playing and reviewing their games.

If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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