Game Nite Magazine issue 36

Game Nite

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the magazine of tabletop gaming

may 2019

Sen Foong-lim game designer

v

Issue # 36

“Doppelt so clever� app review

game reviews

In this issue: Interview 20

Sen Foong-Lim Game Designer

mobile Review 06

For Android and iOS

Embark

14

Kings of Israel

28

Terminator: Genisys

36

Cheese Quest

40

Libraria

Quoridor by Tom M Franklin

Interview Gallery 48

08

Doppelt So Clever

Abstract games 50

game Reviews

Prophets Meet Pandemic.

Rise of the Resistance.

The Quest for Cheese.

Books and Mice.

Past Interviews Index

Top 10

book Review index 52

Philip duBarry Design.

Reviewed Books Index

04 Top 10 Reiner Knizia Games

Mobile Review index

Calendar

54

Reviewed Apps Index

Game Review index 58

Game Review Index

71

May 2019

Contributors 70

Game Nite Contributors

Š Game Nite 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

All information contained in this magazine is for educational purposes only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of release. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers with regard to the price of their products. All material remains the property of its respective creators. Opinions expressed by the writers are their opinions alone and may not reflect the opinions of Game Nite. Disclaimer: Game Nite receives review copies of games, but does not accept payment for reviews.

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Game Nite Issue #36

From across the table

Game Nite ISSUE # 36

O

ne of the “pluses” of being single is that I get to do what I want… when I want to. And when it comes to cooking dinner and then sitting down to enjoy my efforts (I have worked in a restaurant and I’m also a certified BBQ judge) I usually find myself either playing Star Realms online, or more likely, studying a Grandmaster annotated Chess game or two. It’s an amazing time when options such as these are available. Decades ago, who would have thought that you would be playing excellent games on a phone/tablet and quality Chess annotations becoming instantly available after an event.

It makes me wonder what the future is going to be like. Will gaming become even more a part of our lives? Will Euro-games develop to a point where there are annotators dissecting all of the moves of the game in order to develop “opening theories” and such? Will older games such as “Shogi” and “Go” finally obtain worldwide appeal? Will games still be a part of our entertainment culture, or will they have evolved into something more? The future holds many mysteries…

For the moment, I’ll just enjoy my meal and a good game… and take a “wait and see” as to what the future holds for our hobby.

In this issue: Tom M Franklin reviews “Libraria” and “Cheese Quest”, while also taking a look at “Quoridor” in the Abstract Game feature.

Cover Photograph by Serge Pierro.

Terminator: Genisys © River Horse

Editor in Chief/Publisher: Serge Pierro

Editor:

Eric Devlin Writers:

Photographers:

Serge Pierro Serge Pierro Tom Franklin Tom Franklin Jeff Rhind Jeff Rhind

I would like to thank Sen Foong-Lim for taking time from his busy schedule to share his thoughts with our readers.

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The June calendar features “Terminator: Genisys - Rise of the Resistance” and provides the release date for issue #37.

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If you are interested in contributing to Game Nite, feel free to contact us, as we’d love to hear from you!

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Serge Pierro

@gamenitemagazine

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Editor in Chief/Publisher

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editor@gamenitemagazine.com Game Nite Issue #36

03

Top 10 - Reiner Knizia Games

1 Tigris and Euphrates Z-Man

2

Lost Cities Kosmos

3

Amun-Re Tasty Minstrel Games

4

Lord of the Rings Hasbro

5

Samurai Fantasy Flight Games

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Game Nite Issue #36

By Serge Pierro

6

Through the Desert Fantasy Flight Games

7

Battle Line GMT

8

Ingenious Kosmos

9

Ra Rio Grande Games

10

Modern Art Mayfair Games Game Nite Issue #36

05

Mobile Review

By Serge Pierro

Twice as Clever

I

n issue #28 of Game Nite we took a look at the Ganz Schon Clever app and thought that it was worth recommending, due in large part because it did a good job of porting the original Roll and Write game over to the digital platform.

Due to the success of the that game, developer Brettspielwelt GmbH has released a followup to that game, Doppelt So Clever, which translates to Twice as Clever. Let’s take a look at how this game differs from the original and see if this game should share space on your mobile device with the previous game.

The graphic elements of the game are the same as the original game, as there is only one screen on which the game is played. There are no fancy “bells and whistles”, just a straightforward implementation of the analog game. It should be noted that one of the better features of this interface is that when the dice are rolled, all of the relevant moves are highlighted on the screen, thus making it easier to decide on your play.

For those who are unfamiliar with the game, you roll the dice and choose one of them to place in a scoring area. The twist is that the any die(s) lower than the one chosen are removed from the pool for the next phase of dice rolling. Thus you have to strategically decide on whether you want to use a high value die or if you want to “lowball” your rolls and roll more dice on the following roll.

Like Ganz Schon Clever, Doppelt So Clever does not include a tutorial on how to play. Instead there is a scrolling screen which displays the rules of the game and how each of the scorings sections are tallied. This makes it a bit tough for new players to memorize all of the subtleties of the game on their first attempt and they will find themselves going back The main and obvious difference between this and to the rules screen to bolster their understanding of the original version is that this one introduces some the game. However, after a few plays the screen and new challenges in the scoring areas. Let’s take a gameplay are easier to understand and you will find quick look at the ones that I found most interesting. yourself immersed in the challenge.

The Silver uses the silver die and when a column is completed you get the bonus at the top, and depending on how many are completed, the score on the bottom.

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The Yellow has a grid like structure that yields bonuses, however the interesting aspect of this is that when you place a yellow die in this area it circles the number, but, in order to score you have to select it again and an “X” is placed in it. Only “X”’s score at the end of the game, and each “X” escalates in value.

Fans of Ganz Schon Clever are going to want to immediately add this to their collection. This implementation is just like the other, so other than learning the new scoring areas, you will feel right at home. I really enjoyed this version of the game and probably prefer it over the original. But, both are well worth owning - especially if you like getting frustrated while trying to beat your previous scores.

The Green area is scored based on pairs of numbers. This one is just as addictive as the original and I kept When a green die is placed in the left box of the finding myself wanting to play “just one more”… pair it is multiplied by a number and then when and so will you! the next green die is placed in the right box, it too is multiplied, however, the scoring of the pair is the Version # 1.1.1 left box minus the right box. This proved to be Price: $2.99 quite challenging at times, as time is a factor and Devices: iOS and Android although you would love to place a “6” on the left and a “1” on the right, there are times when it just Developer: Brettspielwelt GmbH isn’t feasible and waiting for the opportunity will Recommended cost you points in the long run. www.brettspielwelt.de/

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Embark

By Serge Pierro

Revolution! Inspired Philip duBarry Design

L

ast issue we interviewed game designer, Philip duBarry, and in the course of the interview we touched upon one of his most famous designs Revolution!, as well as how it influenced his latest offering from Tasty Minstrel Games, Embark. For those who have read the previous interview, we will now take a look at how “Embark” plays, while also having the understanding of the underlying influence of Revolution!.

The game’s 8 page rulebook is clearly laid out and spends two pages explaining the game’s setup, while at the same time introducing the various components. The rules are clearly explained and concise. There are a few graphical examples of specific stages, however, there are no in-depth examples given, or needed for that matter, as the game is easy to play.

Both the Island boards and the Player boards are made of a heavy card stock. The Island boards Embark comes in a somewhat heavy 8 3/4” are double sided with each side being different, x 5 3/4” x 2” box. The weight of the box is thus adding to the replayability of the game. due to the inclusion of several punchboards and a large bag of wooden cubes. Included The Player Screens are made of a sturdy is a somewhat shallow insert that separates cardboard stock and are assembled with 3 pieces. the cubes from the cards. Due to the amount These are not flimsy screens that you might be of components it was challenging to store familiar with, these are very sturdy and there is everything in the box and being able to fully little chance that you could accidentally knock close the box top. I would have preferred a these over. As a bonus, on the inside of each slightly larger box so that it would have been screen there is a graphic display of the game’s easier to store everything with less effort. stages, as well as the end game scoring.

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The game’s cardboard tokens are made of the The Allocation stage is where players will same sturdy stock as the Player Screens. take their Voyagers (cubes) and place them on the pertinent spaces on their Player Board The cards for the game are standard size and behind their Screen. The spaces chosen must are more than adequate for the task at hand, as correspond with the Ships that they are trying to they will only be randomized at the start of the board. After all the players have allocated their game and used mainly as ships. There is no real Voyagers they remove their Screen to reveal their need for sleeves, as they are fine as they are. choices. Then each group of Voyagers is moved to the area below the corresponding Ship that The 150 wooden cubes measure 3/8� and come they are trying to board. in five player colors: black, light blue, yellow, pink and green.

The Boarding stage is used to place the Voyagers on the targeted Ships. Starting with the first At the start of the game each player receives player, each player that has at least one Voyager 30 cubes and their associated Player Screen and will take turns placing one of their Voyagers board. There are six rounds to the game and onto one of the empty spaces on the Ship. This each round all players receive 5 new cubes. In continues until either the Ship is full, (with the each of the rounds there are four stages (phases), remaining Voyagers return to the Pub area on Allocation, Boarding, Landing and Island.

Continued on next page> Game Nite Issue #36

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Embark

(Cont.)

their Player board) or all of the Voyagers have been placed on the Ship, yet all the spaces haven’t been filled. The spaces on the Ship have several different icons associated with them and they determine where the Voyagers will go during the Landing stage. Let’s take a quick look at them: The Colonists will be placed in the middle area of the Island and will be used to construct farms. Four Colonists equal one farm, which is worth 15 VP’s.

The Explorers will be placed on the exploration track on the Island and will contribute to the end of round scoring, as well as the end of game bonus scoring. They can also be used to unlock Keys on the Island, which can grant bonuses.

The Landing stage is carried out in a specific order. The Ships are unloaded in alphabetical order, with each Ship being emptied from front to back. However, the only Ships that can be unloaded are those that are completely full.

Ships that have any empty spaces do not sail this turn and will have to be fully populated in order to sail on a future turn. When the Voyagers are being unloaded they are assigned to the area of the Island board that corresponds to the icon for the space they used during the Boarding stage (see above). Once a Ship has been completely unloaded and the Voyagers have been assigned to their respective areas, the Ship that was used is placed on the bottom of the Ship deck. When all of the Ships have been unloaded, new Ship cards are placed in the areas that had their cards removed and placed on the bottom of the deck.

The Miner will be placed in the mining area The Island stage is where end of round scoring and will obtain Ore each round. The Ore will takes place, as well as the collection of Ore. You be used at the end of the game to determine the receive one VP for each Explorer you have on special endgame scoring. each Island. If you have a group of 4 Colonists you can build a Farm by placing a Farm tile on The Captain space is a wildcard and can be top of the 4 Colonists and you receive 15 VP’s. used to place a Voyager on any empty Colonist, Each of your Miners receive 1 Ore token. This Explorer or Miner space. They cannot be used is done in a specific order and it is very likely as Warriors. that you will run out of Ore during the game.

It pays to stake a claim early!

The Warrior is used as a tactical element in the game, allowing you to replace one of your After each of the stages have been completed, opponent’s already placed Voyagers with your the first player token is passed to the left and a Warrior. The targeted Voyager is sent to that new round begins. Play continues until all 6 player’s pub. If you can’t target an opponent’s rounds have been completed and then the end Voyager, then you must return your Warrior to game scoring commences. your own pub.

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When the end of the game is reached, there is a normal round of scoring, which is then followed by an end of game scoring round. The first thing triggered is the Unlocked Island bonuses. Then the Mining Bonus is calculated with 1-4 Ore = 3 VP’s, 5-9 Ore = 10 VP’s, 10-14 Ore = 25 VP’s and 15+ Ore = 45 VP’s. The last thing scored is the bonus for the Exploration track. This is determined by the position of the special flags on the track with the player with the highest number of Colonists on the Island receiving the highest number of VP’s, etc. It is important to note that this score is for the number of Colonists and not the number of Explorers.

This was a cause for some confusion, especially with newer players. After the endgame bonuses have been added to the previous scoring, the player with the highest score wins.

Players who are familiar with Philip duBarry’s Revolution! will certainly notice some similarities, and this should come as no surprise, as Mr. duBarry mentioned in our interview (see issue #35) that this was something he wanted to further explore in a different setting. If you are a fan of Revolution!, you might want to take a look at this game as well.

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Embark

(Cont.)

From my perspective, Embark is a somewhat interesting, but strange game, as player’s don’t have a whole lot of control as to what happens.

By this I mean that players will try to send their Voyagers to the boats that they are interested in order to stake their claims on the associated Islands, but they are not really guaranteed the success that they are striving for. If all of the other player have the same interest, then each player will only send a fraction of their Voyagers to the Island of interest. This means that the driving factor of the game is hoping to guess which Island the other players are not interested in and hoping to exploit that. Since I prefer strategy games that reward you for good plays and not guessing games, this game has a bit of a strange feel to it. That’s not to say it’s a bad game, it’s not, it’s just that I would prefer to be rewarded for my strategy instead of having the outcome “randomly” decided based on trying to “outguess” my opponent. Having said that, if you are into bluffing and deduction games, then Embark is going to be right up your alley as the psychological aspects of the game overrule its strategic and tactical elements.

This is a fairly light game that has the feel of a filler and should probably be assessed in that manner. It is fun, as long as you accept it for what it is and not expecting a deeper experience.

What I found most interesting about the game

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is that I was able to use it as a “gateway” game for new players. They were able to pick up the game quickly and they had fun as they tried to deduct what the other player’s were up to, and I felt that this was a strong point of the game. Hardcore gamer’s and others thought that the game was strategically weak, however, new players loved the simplicity of play and the laughs that were had when they were able to thwart their friend’s plans.

This is a game that I would gladly play with new gamers who were looking to have an enjoyable and non-stressful experience, and would also serve well as a filler for more experienced gamers looking for a game that didn’t tax their minds.

After all, sometimes it’s more important for everyone to laugh and have a good time, than it is to calculate deeper strategies and play for the win.

Designer:

Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:

Philip duBarry

Tasty Minstrel Games 2-5

Deduction, Area Control

14+ 30-60 Mins.

Worth Trying www.playtmg.com

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Kings of Israel

By Serge Pierro

Prophets Meet Pandemic

L

ast issue we took a look at Wisdom of Solomon, a Biblical themed Worker Placement game that proved to be quite enjoyable. This issue we will look at another Biblical themed game published by Funhill Games, Kings of Israel, and fans of co-op games are going to want to know more about this one, as well as those who have an interest in Biblical based entertainment.

The four panel game board is made of a sturdy cardboard stock.

The cards for the game are standard size and are of a decent card stock. Sleeving could be considered optional.

The player aides are made of an above average card stock.

Kings of Solomon comes in a 9” x 11 3/4” x The game’s components are made of wood and 2” box with a cardboard insert. The insert is feature cubes and custom shaped pieces. The divided into two wells and features 3 shelving player colors for the Prophet pawns are: orange, areas to support the game’s board. blue, green, purple and black. The black pawn is used for the False Prophet expert variant.

The game’s 12 page rulebook measures 8 1/2” x 11” and does a decent job of teaching the The 11 step setup for the game is shown on page game. There are several examples throughout, 3 of the rulebook and is straightforward and easy as well as sections on an advanced variant and to follow. a campaign mode that eases players into the more difficult versions of the game. I had one Since this is a co-operative game inspired question that arose during the game and it was by Pandemic, it is worth noting the win/loss conveniently answered on the last page of the conditions before beginning play. The players will rulebook. win if they build the amount of Altars specified

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by the player count: 2 players - 7 Altars, 3 players - 8 Altars and 4 players - 9 Altars. The losing conditions are: if a Sin cube or an Idol token need to be placed and there are none left, you lose, and if the King Timeline token reaches the bottom space of the track, “Israel Destroyed”, you also lose.

a good king, then the current starting player draws a Blessing card. If the token is on the space of an evil king, then they would draw a Sin and Punishment card. One of my favorite thematic aspects of the game is that there are some Sin and Punishment cards called Foretold Events which act as prophecies that are about to come true. When one is drawn it is placed face Each round of the game has four phases: up “X” cards below the top card of the deck, “King’s Godliness”, “Sin Increases”, “Prophets where “X” equals the number of players, and Work” and “End of Round”. just like a Biblical prophecy, the players have been “warned” about an upcoming event and it The “King’s Godliness” phase is reconciled by is up to them to respond to it. the position of the King Timeline token on the Timeline track. If the token is on the space of Continued on next page>

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Kings of Israel

(Cont.)

Although it is skipped for the first turn of the game, the “Sin Increases” phase is the main phase in which the “game” plays against you.

During this phase you draw X + 1 card from the Location deck (X = the number of players) and place a Sin cube at each of the locations drawn. It should be noted that the locations that reveal a nation lead to cubes being placed at each location that the nation is connected to.

If a location has 3 or more Sin cubes, an Idol is placed at that location. If a Sin cube is placed at a location containing an Idol, then each of the locations connected to that location also receive 1 Sin cube.

The “Prophets Work” phase is the main phase for the players. Each player has four actions taken from a list of seven that they will be able to take on their turn, each of which can be taken more than once. The choices are: “Move Prophet”, “Preach to Israelites”, “Destroy an Idol”, “Acquire Resources”, “Build an Altar”, “Make a Sacrifice” and “Give Resources.

The “Destroy an Idol” action actually costs two actions and it allows you to remove an Idol token from your current location.

The “Acquire Resources” action allows you to draw a card from the Resource deck for each action used. You have a maximum hand size of 6 cards.

“Build an Altar” lets you discard a Gold, Wood and Stone card from your hand in order to build an Altar at your current location. You are limited to building only one Altar per location.

Since building Altars is the winning condition, this is an important action.

The “Make a Sacrifice” action is another one of those thematic actions that really capture the Biblical feel of the game. If you are at a location with an Altar, you may discard a Cattle and a Grain card to remove all of the Sin cubes at the location, as well as one cube from each of the connecting locations.

The “Move Prophet” action allows you to move The “Give Resources” action allows you to your token one space for each action spent. exchange up to two Resource cards with another However, if you discard a Grain or Cattle card player at the same location. from your hand, you can instead move three The “End of Round” phase is a maintenance spaces, per card spent. phase in which the first player card is passed to The “Preach to Israelites” action allows you to the next player and the King token is moved remove a Sin cube from the location that you down to the next king on the Timeline. are currently at.

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The above is carried out each round until either the players have built the amount of Altars needed to win, or they lose by not being able to place a Sin cube/Idol when needed, or the King token reaches the bottom of the Timeline.

While this game is clearly influenced by Pandemic, it is able to stand on its own, as the gameplay is different and surprisingly good.

I’m not a huge fan of co-op games, but I did find this one to be enjoyable.

I loved the thematic nature of the Foretold Events cards, as the mechanism really captured the essence of the Biblical prophecies and made the game more immersive. The same could be made for the “Make a Sacrifice” action that used Cattle and Grain cards, which really captured the essence of an Old Testament sacrifice. It was nice to see that the mechanisms were tightly tied to actual occurrences, as this allowed for a more immersive experience and makes for a serious consideration for Biblical study groups and Christian/Jewish families. That’s not to say that this is a “religious” game, but the the aforementioned groups will certainly enjoy the thematic aspect of it.

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Kings of Israel

(Cont.)

One of the best aspects of the game is how well the theme is integrated into the mechanisms.

While it is not a “preachy” game, it does do a great job of capturing the essence of the Old Testament and the use of Biblical flavor text really enhances the experience, even if you are not “religious”. This makes it an ideal game for Youth Groups and Bible study sessions, which are often in short supply of quality games.

And that was the aspect of the game that everyone enjoyed most. It was quite challenging and we all thought it was a solid game, even by those who had no interest in the theme.

As if the base game wasn’t enough, there is also an Expert version that has a False Prophet moving around the board wreaking havoc. And while it is possible to remove him, if that should happen, then a new False Prophet appears to Like many co-op games, this was not an easy replace him. This certainly made the game more game to beat. The Sin and Punishment cards difficult. lived up to their namesake and were often punishing at times. In particular was one card While there was no specific Solo option, I was called “Brimstone and Fire” which was a Foretold able to play a couple of games solo by playing Event that destroyed a city (a Destruction cube both hands in a two player game. This is not is placed there and the city can’t be entered by uncommon for co-op games, but it should be any of the Prophets) and all cubes that were noted that it is certainly feasible with this one present were placed on this card and any time as well. an instance would have a Sin cube placed at that city, they would instead be placed on this card Overall this is a game that has a lot going for instead. This proved to be quite problematic, as it. It should appeal to fans of challenging co-op there was no way to remove the cubes from the games, as well as those who find the theme to card and your odds of losing greatly increased. be interesting. There aren’t many good Biblical In one game we had two of these events go off based games available, so this would be an (at Jericho and Gabesh Jilead) and it blocked excellent choice for those looking for that type our access to another city (Mount Nebo) which of game. had an Idol and Sin cubes and when Moab and Ammon were revealed they triggered more Designer: Lance Hill cubes being placed on cards that we couldn’t Publisher: Funhill Games remove. It was brutal.

Players: 2-4

Mechanic: Co-op Ages: 14+ Length: 30-60 Mins.

Recommended www.funhill-games.com

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Interview

By Serge Pierro

• Akrotiri • Junk Art • Belfort Sen Foong-Lim - Game Designer Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with our readers, can you tell us a little something about yourself?

Hi! I’m Sen-Foong Lim, the co-designer behind games like Junk Art, Belfort, and Akrotiri. I also work on a lot of licensed games like The Legend of Korra: Pro Bending Arena.

When I’m not designing games, I’m a professor of developmental psychology, a husband to the most wonderful woman, and a father to two awesome boys! I’m also an avid martial artist and train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Did you start designing games at an early age? If so, do you remember what your first game design was like?

I’ve been designing games since childhood.

One of my old classmates reminded me about one of the first ones I made, which had units on land, air, and sea. I specifically remember using

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submarines and hydrofoils because I loved both of those. I have fond memories of playing D&D and then making a simplified board game out of lego figures in Grade 6 or 7 where you’d go adventuring in dungeons made of Lego! The characters had super simple stats and stuff - I think everything was based on D6s to keep it easy to remember.

What games over the years have you enjoyed most, from both the point of personal enjoyment, as well as those that influenced your growth as a designer?

I enjoy games that build memories; games that have some impact on me past the table, that leave me with a lasting impression. This is why I think RPGs were my first love and I still greatly enjoy them - I contribute to several including Kids on Bikes, Never Going Home, and the North Sea Epilogues. I’m working on another one right now with a friend about running a Chinese Restaurant in the 1920s. Plus vampires, of

course. I like telling immersive stories through games where I can tie as many elements together in a seemingly logical narrative. I love modern “story gaming” for this reasons, over, say, traditional RPGs like D&D. I don’t really want to use multiple lookup tables if I can help it!

Games that have a lot of social interaction, like I’m The Boss and Basari, are some of my other favorite games - I love games where I’m allowed to feel clever and feel like I pulled one over on my opponents. These are two of my favorites for that cut-throat feeling!

I also love team games, like Tichu - but that may be more about the clever communication Who are your favorite game designers? and the long-running rivalries we have with other teams. The historical nature of competitive I’m a fan of the originators - Sid Sackson games like that are great, especially if you have and Alex Randolph are heroes of mine. I don’t someone to commiserate or celebrate with! fanboy often, but I do when I get a chance to chat with Vlaada Chvatil. Some others would When the opportunity presents itself, what games be Richard Garfield. I’m also super impressed have you currently been playing? by anyone who can create a seemingly simple game that has so much more to it - Phil WalkerI’ve been loving Root by Cole Wehrle, Gold Harding and Matt Leacock are great at that. & Silver by Phil Walker-Harding, and Hadara

by Benjamin Schwer. Interestingly, those are all Is there a particular designer that you haven’t games of different levels so they’re all scratching collaborated with that you would be interested in a very different gaming itch I have. I’ve also been GMing a lot of Dread lately - it’s an RPG collaborating with? If so, what type of game would that uses a Jenga tower instead of dice for you be interested in making? determining outcomes. It’s tension-filled and I want to collaborate with Emerson Matsuuchi amazing! some day, because we’re friends. To me, that’s Continued on next page>

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Interview

(Cont.)

more important than anything else. I’d want to make a game that explores our heritages and their interactions historically, maybe. Or, perhaps, we’d just make some kick-ass game about robots and mutants and stuff!

What do you think defines your “style” as a game designer, is there a specific mechanic or rule set or… ?

Clever. I like feeling clever and I want players to feel clever when they play my games - the cleverness can’t be too many layers deep or it won’t be apparent. I want the tools for a player to be clever to be readily apparent on first play but the difficulty lies in setting up that “perfect storm” for that to cleverness to occur.

When starting a new design, do you start with a theme or a mechanic?

I’m more mechanically minded; those are quickly applied to a theme which then further informs and shapes the mechanisms we’re using.

When we work with IPs, we have to reverse that. In the end, though, I’m working to create an experience, so I tend to think experience first anyway.

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Which one of your games do you consider your best design, and why?

Akrotiri is probably our best work to date simply because it does so much in a 2-player game. it includes novel mechanisms and good thematic resonance all which contribute to an engaging experience. The backstory reason is because it’s probably the first game we designed where we leveraged one of our failed attempts into something successful. We had a game - the first game Jay

and I ever designed - that was an utter, utter failure… so much so that we put it on the shelf and walked away from game design for a while to pursue other life goals like having kids and such. Akrotiri is a testament to perseverance and to the fact that we can grow from our failures if we just keep on keeping on!

What is your daily design/playtest schedule like?

Do you work on games everyday?

I spend a few hours a day writing - completing rules, generating new ideas, making components, etc. Play testing tends to be on a biweekly basis due to my other life commitments, though I try to solo test as much as possible.

How do you think that your game design has been influenced by your vocation as a professor?

Several of your games have been co-designed Being a psych prof with content knowledge in with Jay Cormier. What do each of you bring to the both developmental and behavioral psychology, “Bamboozle Brothers”?

I’m usually the go to person to figure out if something is too much for someone to do in terms of age / developmental skills. I also do a lot regarding scoring and incentives to promote desired behaviors. As a teacher, I’ve been trying to build some teaching best practices into rules writing, player aids, and graphic design.

Jay is the face and voice - he is an excellent salesperson - while I do a lot of the writing and wordsmithing. Jay’s also more of the person to get it out of his head quickly and put in on the table while I am more of the thinker, making sure things are balanced and working first. I have to say - his way is better. Be Like Jay!

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Interview

(Cont.)

“Akrotiri” is the one game of yours that always stands out in my mind. How did you and Jay come up with the interesting use of the cards used for the Temple placement, based on the sitting position of the player and the compass-like relationship between the necessary icons?

Ha! That was the part that we took from the old game that we shelved! Originally, Akrotiri was more like a pick up and deliver game with exploration of tiles. It worked, but it was lacking something with relation to exploration.

So we thought about how we had a goal in the old game of making a map that pointed to a lost treasure in the middle of the jungle.

We revamped it and, amazingly enough, it fit perfectly! This also tied into the motivations of the players. Why are you trekking around the Mediterranean? Well, to bring goods back to sell so you can finance your expeditions for the one higher or lower valued cards) and changed real glory in the game - unearthing lost temples! from cards to blocks to get the feeling of tension and imbalance that we wanted to happen with Can you explain the thought/design process of the juggling game. It was a great change! We coming up with a game such as “Junk Art”? then focused on removing the common “feel in a bag” method of picking pieces and developed a Junk Art is another game that came from failure! card-based system which allowed us to do some We had pitched a card game about juggling and great things like merge “I cut / you choose” and the publishers came back saying that the game trick taking mechanisms with a balance game. was good, but really didn’t feel as fun and frantic From there, it was finding *just* the right pieces as it was presented. So we took what worked from and then figuring out different rules for each that game (connecting similar coloured cards / game.

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What can you tell our readers about the burgeoning Canadian market that they might not know about?

There are some great gaming-specific cons growing in Vancouver (SHUX), Calgary (FallCon), Toronto (Breakout Con), and other areas as well. We’ve got a lot of great designers coming out of Canada now, so there are a lot of meet ups and design-centric cons. In my local area, we have ProtoTO and Protospiele Toronto occurring on a regular basis. It’s a great time to be a designer!

I’ve watched “The Meeple Syrup Show” many times and have always found it informative. What was the impetus to do such a show and what plans You’ve posted many times about BBQ, Sous Vide and Kimchi. As a foodie, what is your favorite food do you have in store for its future? to personally prepare and what is your favorite Honestly, the impetus was to give face-time food to BBQ? to designers. In this day and age, the media people tend to be in the spotlight more, as are the publishers. It’s the rare designer that people know the name of, let alone the face of, even within the hobby. We’ve grown past that and are focused on bringing more content and tools to help designers create better games than they’re already making.

Personally, I love BBQing. I use a wood-fired smoker for most of my BBQing so it’s more of an art form once it gets over the coals. My favorite food to BBQ is turkey, hands down. I use a maple/soy sauce marinade that blends my family’s two cultures and tastes amazing. The gravy that comes from that bird is liquid gold, I tell you!

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Interview

(Cont.)

I’ve studied Tai Chi Chuan and Wing Chun and have great respect for the various martial arts.

What is it about Jiu Jitsu that has drawn you to it?

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is all about figuring out the puzzles that get thrown at you. People often describe it as playing chess with your body. My vision is also super poor, so I’ve always favored grappling arts over striking arts. Grappling arts tend also to be broken down by weight classes as well as skill levels and age for competition, so, as a super small person, this results in very fair match ups.

Do you have any plans to release any of your games as apps for the mobile platforms?

I would love for that to happen, but that’s typically up to the publishers. I’ve had some thoughts about some app-only games, however they’re out of my scope of expertise to make without some serious assistance from programmers.

Are there any other upcoming projects that you are at liberty to discuss or announce?

Well, we have a game that is coming back to Kickstarter - ComplexCity! We’re unsure as to why it did poorly on launch, but it’s coming

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back with a vengeance! it’s a great tile laying game that is super quick with engagement throughout. You’re building complexes to house aliens from an at-risk galaxy and you have to attend to the needs of the various species, as brought up to the planners (the players) by the various ambassadors. Building complexes helps you to use the abilities of the different species to try to help your city grow. Between rounds, you’re comparing your city to that of your neighbors on both sides to see who has met the requests of the most influential ambassador the best! It’s a great-looking game with art from Kwanchai Moriya that plays in around 60 minutes or less.

We’re super happy with the game and hope it does better the second time around!

What advice would you have for aspiring game designers?

If you’re designing, the advice that I should take myself is this: put it on the table as quickly as possible - don’t worry about art or balance. Play the game to see if it’s worth pursuing in the first place!

Also, see how much failure has lead to success in my career? Failure doesn’t mean you will never fail again, but that you’ll be able to respond to it and adapt well when it does happen again. Don’t be afraid to fail - in fact, as my friend Jay says… fail faster!

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Terminator: Genisys

By Serge Pierro

Rise of the Resistance

W

hen it comes to fictional genres there are usually two camps - those who are into Fantasy and those who are into Science Fiction. For those who are into Science Fiction it is usually further broken down into fans of Star Trek or Star Wars. Of course these aren’t the only stalwarts within the genre, for instance, Terminator has always had a devoted following, due in large part to having Arnold Schwarzenegger starring in it, as well as the appeal of time travel and robot armies. River Horse games has put together a game that attempts to capture the intensity and excitement of the beginning of the latest Terminator movie with its offering Teminator: Genisys - Rise of the Resistance. Let’s take a look at it and “I’ll be back” with my thoughts at the end.

The game comes in an 11 1/2” x 11 1/2” x 2 3/4” linen finished box that features gorgeous artwork by Steve Argyle, whose previous artwork has appeared on Magic the Gathering and Legend of the Five Rings cards.

Inside the box is a custom plastic insert that

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holds the miniatures in place, as well as having some wells for holding some of the components.

Unfortunately, as excellent as the insert is, it’s a bit of a frustrating chore to arrange all of the game’s boards and extra components so that the box closes snugly.

Included are two books, one for the rules and the other for the missions. The rulebook is 24 pages long and is heavily illustrated. Although it may seem like a lot of pages, much of the layout is devoted to photos and examples, and it does a good job of teaching the game. The first section of the book is devoted to an overview of the game’s components, followed by a step by step, illustrated setup for the game. On page 12 the actual rules for the game play begins and is then followed by an appendix of various cards.

The last page features a Quick Reference to all of the pertinent information. The Missions book contains 28 pages. Each mission has an introduction, a map, mission setup and the special rules pertaining to that mission. There are specific passages that are meant to be read aloud and add a great deal to the immersive nature of the game.

There are 17 single panel game boards are double sided and they are used to assemble the various maps used throughout the game. These come in a variety of sizes, yet they all are made of a sturdy, double sided, cardboard stock. Each one is clearly labeled so that you can easily find the boards needed for the mission.

a lighter than average card stock. As always, sleeving is optional, though I feel the cards will be just fine as they are.

The game ships with 22 dice, of which four have custom engraved faces that have the engraved element of the face painted.

The player boards and the various other The base rings are made of a “soft” plastic that cardboard components are punched from the makes it easy to place them onto the designated same punchboard used for the boards. miniatures. These were a joy to work with as in the past I’ve used others that were of a “harder” The cards are standard sized and heavily linen material and they had to be “forced” onto the finished, to the point where you can feel the miniature’s base. These were of a much better texture rubbing against each card and are of design/production.

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Terminator: Genesis And of course the stars of the game are the miniatures. There are miniatures that have dedicated sculpts for the movie actors, as well as several other types for generic soldiers and the various robots and machines. The characters and robots measured approximately 1 1/2” tall and were nicely detailed, but not overly so. The airships come mounted on a clear plastic pole that attached to the base. The sculptors did a decent job of capturing some of the actor’s likenesses, but oddly enough, the figures aren’t labeled as to who is who, nor is it mentioned in the rulebook. There are 38 miniatures included.

The setup for the game is quite easy, as you are given 2 pages in the rulebook that describe step by step, the setup process. This aided by the photographs of the components and layout.

While some miniature games resort to complex rules and minutiae, this game has chosen a different path, relying on an orderly and easy to follow method of play. Each round is broken down into four phases: Decision, Player, Enemy and End of Round.

The Decision phase is simply a phase where players discuss amongst themselves the order in which they will play. These decisions can have a profound effect on the overall game play, so care should be given to strategizing the best plan.

Although everyone gets a turn, each round can feature a different turn order.

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(Cont.)

The Player phase is the main phase of the game for the players, as this is where each player will be given four actions to take on their turn. At the start of this phase a player will roll four of their dice. Each of the results are then placed on either their player boards for the associated actions or placed on a weapon card in order to attack. This is the most interesting aspect of the game, as the die results determine things such as movement.

If you roll a “6” and place it on the Move space of your player board, you will then move up to 6 spaces on the game board. It should be noted that there are two such spaces on a player board, so should you need to move quickly and cover a large amount ground, it is possible to do so, if you rolled high enough numbers. The Rest area uses one die to remove one Wound from your board. The Special area accesses special abilities.

The Interact space allows your Character to interact with the objects in its environment. If you should choose to have your Character to attack an enemy, you would assign a die to one of the spaces on their Weapon card.

When a Character chooses to place a die on their Weapon and attack, they take a number of dice equal to the Attack strength of their Weapon. Each of the Weapons have an Attack number and a Range number. In order to hit a targeted enemy, they have to be able to determine a line of sight, as well as making sure that they are within range of the Weapon. The game uses

rolled and the results are compared to the Enemy Entrance tiles. Whenever there is a matching result, the first miniature in the corresponding color of the Enemy Pool (each player has an associated color, which corresponds with a pool of potential enemies) is placed at the edge of that area of the board and is then ready for the other parts of this phase. The next phase is that of Movement where each miniature with a base that matches the color of the player whose turn has just finished, moves according to their And speaking of spawning enemies, the Enemy movement ability and the closest Character. round follows the current player’s finished turn. After enemies have moved they will initiate a At the start of the Enemy phase, two dies are a special set of dice for determining the results of combat. Should they deal enough damage to kill the enemy, the enemy is then placed at the end of the line in the corresponding Enemy Pool. Unlike some other games, this system uses a rotating option of enemies spewing from the Enemy Pool and at no point are there no enemies left to attack. The game can be relentless on spawning new enemies throughout the game, depending on the die rolls.

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Terminator: Genisys

(Cont.)

combat phase targeting a Character within range. After combat resolves you move onto the Boss phase, if there any Bosses present in the scenario and then if any Bosses or enemies have been Stunned, they recover in the last phase.

face down on the board in the areas designated in the setup. When a Character moves into an area containing one of the Waypoints, it is revealed and the associated text in the Mission Book is read and resolved. This proved to be a clean and efficient design method. Not surprisingly, the The End of Round phase is used for the players win if they complete the objective(s) and resolution of any “End of Round” effects. lose if they don’t.

The game uses this turn order/phase system throughout the entire game and it becomes second nature quite quickly. Not surprisingly there are additional rules to be used throughout the game, but these are minor when compared to the bulk of the aforementioned system of play.

And while the above presents an overview of the gameplay, it should be noted how the Missions themselves are used. At the start of each Mission there is a short story that gives the background/ flavor of the current Mission. This is followed by a Map Setup that conveniently lists the various tiles necessary to build the board, as well as any other need objects for the scenario. The Mission Setup section lists all of the other pertinent information for the current mission, including the objective(s) and the starting composition of the Enemy Pool. The last section of the Mission is devoted to the Waypoints and what happens when they are revealed. The game uses a system in which the Waypoints are shuffled and placed

Although I am more of a fantasy fan than a science fiction fan, I do occasionally get the urge to delve into to the realm of SciFi. Terminator Genisys: Rise of the Resistance satiates that occasional desire by providing a challenging game based on the science fiction genre. Before playing the game I decided to watch the movie so that I could see how well the game captures it. I am happy to say that it does a good job of immersing you into the opening section of the movie that is devoted to the Resistance. I was also a bit surprised that this was the only segment that was used for the game, however, it does make sense to focus on a particular aspect of the movie and this segment lends itself easily to doing a tactical miniatures game.

Often times games such as this add needless additional rulesets that complicate the game for greater “accuracy”, and I’m happy to say that this game doesn’t go down that rabbit hole. The game system is very easy to pick up and run with, right from your first game. The rolling

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Terminator: Genisys of the dice and placing them on the available spaces proved to be a popular mechanism within our group as everyone had noted how much they enjoyed having to decide on which die to place on what space. I thought that this was the most interesting aspect of the game and it really made for some interesting decisions at times. I also enjoyed the fact that there were two spaces available for movement, as this proved to be quite useful, especially if you needed to be somewhere at the end of a mission.

And speaking of Missions, I was a little surprised that there were only seven, but they were all varied enough and challenging that we thought that this was a decent amount, however, this does come at a cost of replayability down the line unless expansions are added. We all enjoyed the backstory/flavor text that appeared throughout the Missions and thought that they really added a lot to the immersion factor of the game.

Fans of the Terminator series are going to want to take a serious look at this game, as it does a good job of capturing the feel of the relentless attacks of the machines against the Resistance, and the struggles that the Resistance have to contend with in order to progress towards the end of the game. And this brings up something that wasn’t previously mentioned, but one of the finer aspects of the game is playing it in a Campaign mode, as Characters obtain abilities and weapons that carry over from one Mission to another. The Campaign setting does a great job

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(Cont.)

of really capturing the tension that is portrayed in the movie. The one map skirmishes are a good way to learn the game and to get in a quick game, but if you are a fan of the series you are going to want to play it as a Campaign. Even non-fans would do best to play the Campaign in order to get the full effect of the game’s design.

Overall, this is a welcome addition to my gaming library, as it provides an interesting tactical miniature game that doesn’t have an overly elaborate rules system and allows the games to flow nicely. Of course if you are not a fan of the Terminator series, chances are that this might be of little interest to you, though the game is certainly playable without being a big fan. I’m not a big follower of the Terminator franchise, but I certainly did enjoy playing the game and I believe others would feel the same way. So, if you are looking for a challenging tactical miniatures game that has a relentless pool of enemies and enjoy military/science fiction genres, then this is a game that you will want to take a look at.

Designer:

Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:

Criz Jamers

River Horse 1-4

Action Allocation, Tactical Combat

14+ 60-90 Mins.

Recommended www.riverhorsegames.com

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Cheese Quest

By Tom M Franklin

The Quest for Cheese

I

n Cheese Quest: The Quest for Cheese, you are a mouse trying to be the first to gather just two pieces of cheese from your surroundings and return them to your nest at the center of the board. Also on the board with you and the cheese are cats and mousetraps and walls, all of which make your task more difficult.

To add to the fun, opponents may play cards from their hands to put unexpected obstacles in your way, making it even harder to get those bits of cheese back home.

The game starts by building the board from the thirteen double-sided Room tiles. Each tile consists of a central hexagon that is then surrounded by an additional hex on each edge.

The Nest tile is placed at the center of the board and six Room tiles are chosen at random (as well as which side of the Room tile to place face up) and are placed adjacent to the Nest tile. (Helpful arrows on the Room tiles assist with the proper orientation to build the final board.)

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Each Room tile has a number of different icons indicating where cheese tokens (yellow, wooden disks), cats (black Puss-in-Boots meeple) and mousetraps (cardboard hexes) are to be placed.

Each player then takes a mouse token (a colored wooden disk, the same size as the cheese tokens) and places it on the central Nest hex. They also take a matching color card that outlines what actions a player may take on their turn.

Finally, the deck of Pantry cards is shuffled and each player is dealt a starting hand of two cards.

Pantry cards feature a name, one of three ‘suit’ icons, an amusing illustration, and text describing what effects the card will have if played. Three cards are then placed face up to the side of the board in view of all players. The remaining Pantry cards are placed face down in a stack, to the side of the opening Pantry cards.

Photo: Tom M Franklin

A player’s turn is made up of up to three actions.

Single actions consist of moving your mouse to any adjacent hex not blocked by a wall or debris; picking up a piece of cheese in a hex you currently occupy and placing it on your mouse token; claiming one of the face-up cards from the Pantry and adding it to your hand; playing a card from your hand; and disabling an obstacle on the board. Players may choose to do multiples of each action, if possible. (Moving your mouse three hexes is a common move, as is claiming more than one card from the face-up Pantry cards.)

Pantry cards serve multiple purposes. Depending on the card, they can help you (by allowing you to squeeze through walls, letting you jump over a trap, or hiding your mouse from the actions of others until your turn comes around again) or they can hinder your opponents. (Placing glue traps on the board, moving cats closer to their mice, or blocking spaces with fallen debris.)

Pantry cards are also the only way to disable an obstacle on the board. To disable one of the many mousetraps on the board, for instance, on Continued on next page>

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Cheese Quest

(Cont.)

your turn you must discard two cards from your hand with matching ‘suit’ icons in the upper left corner of the card. Discarding these two cards is considered a single action and, since they are being discarded, you do not get to take advantage of the benefits the cards would otherwise provide.

The first player to successfully navigate the board and all obstacles to bring back two pieces of cheese, is the winner.

often balanced out by your opponent’s one action of laying down cards from their hand to remove it.

This would only be effective if your opponent had no cards in his hand and the three face-up cards were of differing icons.)

Only a few Pantry cards sent an opponent’s mouse back to the Nest empty-pawed. This would have been a far more effective use of Pantry cards. (Either as a special Super Spooked card or by playing fourof-a-kind from your hand, etc.) As well, I would have liked to see Pantry cards that would allow you to steal a cheese from a mouse on an adjacent hex or scaring a mouse into dropping its cheese and running several hexes away in the direction of your choosing.

The production value of the Nest and Room tiles, as well as the Pantry cards is impressive. The stock and glossy printing of these components, as well as the rule booklet, are both fun and professionally done. The black Puss-in-Boots meeple used for the cats are unique and fit in Cheese Quest is a game we wanted to like very much.

The artwork, the variety of Pantry cards, and the nicely with the art work. double-sided Room tiles were both engaging and This, however, made the choice of simple made for a lot of replayability. After many tries, disks for both the cheese and the mice a bit however, we all agreed this might work as a better disappointing. While the cats stood out on the game for parents with reading-age children rather board (even if they did fall over easily), the disks than serious gamers. looked plain in comparison.

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Designers: Phil Schadt

Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:

Self Published 2-4

Hand Management

9+ 30-45 Mins.

Worth Trying www.pngcomic.com Photo: Tom M Franklin

Despite all of the trappings, Cheese Quest is a race game and, as such, plays well but isn’t outstanding.

In each game we played the first player seemed to have an advantage. Pantry cards are too easily used to disable the mousetraps already on the board – collecting matching icon cards is so easy that we questioned the effectiveness of using one of your three, precious actions per turn to place an additional trap/obstacle on the board. (Your one action to place the obstacle is

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Libraria

By Tom M Franklin

Books and Mice

I

n Libraria, players are trying to lay claim to shelves containing books, while avoiding either empty shelves or shelves with bookeating mice.

The game board consists of twenty-five square tiles, each representing a shelf in the library.

The tiles are a sturdy cardboard and measuring 1 ž�. (Somewhat smaller than a Carcassonne tile.) These are mixed together then laid out randomly in a 5x5 grid.

For scoring purposes, the number of books equals the number of points each tile is worth, with zero points for the empty shelf and -1 point for the shelves with mice.

Players then choose to either play red or green and take the eighteen irregularly-shaped plastic pieces of their color. On their turn, players place one of their colored markers at the intersection of two or more of the tiles. (Tiles along the edge of the board will have two intersections, with the exception of corner tiles which will have There are five different types of tile, with five of three. All tiles inside that border will have four each kind in a set: one set has three books per intersections.) Placing a colored marker indicates shelf, one set has two books, one set comes with that you have claimed a part of that bookshelf. a single book, one set has an empty bookshelf, and one set has a surprised-looking mouse who has been caught munching through a thick volume.

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Photo: Tom M Franklin

Tiles that have two markers from each player are considered to be tied and do not score. If you have the majority of the corners of a tile marked with your color (three or four), you score the number of books on that shelf. If you manage to claim all four corners of a bookshelf, you gain an extra point. (This also applies to an empty shelf. If you claim all four corners of an empty shelf you score the +1 bonus point, despite it being empty.)

On the other hand, if you claimed all four corners of a mouse shelf, you score and extra -1, for a total of -2, for the tile.

Once players get the hang of Libraria, games can take less than five minutes to set up and play. Despite the randomness of the board, both players will quickly try to claim (or keep the other from claiming) the three-point shelves, then moving to the two-point shelves, etc., all the while trying to avoid taking the majority of a mouse shelf.

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Libraria

(Cont.)

Given that the strategy behind Libraria is fairly simple, you’ll likely find that the majority of bookshelf tiles have two markers of each color on them, meaning they are shared and not scored. As such, low scoring games are likely to be the norm.

(After several games, six points was considered a big number of points.) It was common for us to each manage one each of the two and three book shelves and then try to balance the remaining points with a lower scoring shelf or two to make up for the inevitable mouse shelf we were going to get stuck with.

The tiles themselves and the artwork are of good quality. The shelves and books do give you the feeling of trying to claim and arrange part of a library. The oddly-shaped plastic pieces were awkward to handle and, while they sat well on the innermost pieces, they didn’t work as well on the edge pieces. As well, they broke with the theme and, while colorful, would have been better represented by a differently shaped item. (Rectangular wooden pieces representing books, for instance) Libraria makes for a nice filler game, one that will only take minutes to play. The challenge for true gamers is in your ability to win by outscoring your opponent by only one or two points at the most.

Designers: Marchello Bertocchi

Publisher: Players: Mechanic: Ages: Length:

XV Games 2

Area Control

7+ 5-10 Mins.

Worth Trying

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Photo: Tom M Franklin

www.xvgames.it

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Abstract Games

By Tom Serge By M Pierro Franklin

Quoridor

Q

uoridor is such an easy game to teach that the rule booklet that comes with my Gigamic Games version is two pages long, and one of those pages is simply drawings to illustrate the text.

Pawns move orthogonally, that is, forward or backward, right or left, from the starting position.

Diagonal moves are not allowed (with one exception, covered later). The winner is the first player to get their pawn to any square on the back row – that is, the row closest to your opponent.

As with all of the Abstracts I review in this column, don’t mistake ‘simple to learn’ with A few additional rules need to be mentioned here: ‘easy to win.’

As tempting as it might be, you cannot fully Quoridor is played on a board with a 9x9 grid block off your back row, nor can you ‘fence in’ your of 81 raised squares. Squares with edges that opponent. Each player must at all times have an face the centermost section of the board have available path to victory. grooves cut into the wooden board that isolate each square.

Should two pieces meet head-to-head, the player whose move it is has a choice. If there is no fence Players begin by choosing a colored pawn and behind the other pawn, the player may move to placing it on the square in the center of the either side or backwards, or choose to jump over the line closest to them. In the two-player variant, blocking pawn. each player then takes ten of the plain, wooden rectangles that act as fences in the game.

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Photo: Tom M Franklin

If there is fence behind the blocking pawn, Once a fence is put on the board, it remains the player has the option of making a diagonal where it has been placed until the end of the move into any open space not blocked by a game. fence.

On your turn you must decide whether to What elevates Quoridor from the status of move your pawn or place a fence. Do you move a simple race game are the fences each player your pawn closer to victory, or do you build an has at their disposal. Fences are placed in the obstacle for your opponent to work around? grooves between squares and must always line This dichotomy appears to be a simple one – up with two squares. (Their size would allow and, to be certain, it is one you’ll wrestle with for them to cover a single square in the center for the entire game (until you run out of fence, and half of either square to the side, but this is at which time you can only move your pawn). an illegal move.)

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Abstract Games (Cont.)

Fences, however, can be extended, and/or used as intersections for other fences, by either player, and this quickly becomes the most challenging aspect of Quoridor. The labrynth you’re attempting to construct to thwart your opponent can quickly and unexpectedly become the maze that is used against you. I’ve played more than one game of Quoridor where I was halfway across the board only to fenced off from the side of the board I was moving along and forced to backtrack and access the lone escape route seemingly far, far away from where I was.

I rarely see Abstract games that scale well beyond the two-player version. While Quoridor doesn’t do this nearly as well as Ingenious (my personal Gold Standard for this scaling – see Game Nite issue #30), the four-player game does require a slightly different mindset to play well. The board quickly becomes crowded with players vying for safe passage, all the while creating an even more puzzling network of fences to avoid, work around, and add to. It’s both fun and accessible enough to be used as a gateway game for another couple.

Quoridor comes with a four-player option. This involves two additional pawns, each starting from the center square along the base row of the two ‘neutral’ sides in a two-player game. The twenty fences are divided equally amongst the four players, meaning everyone gets five fences instead of ten.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Photo: Tom M Franklin

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Interview Gallery

Steve Jackson #1

Dan Verssen #1

Paul Herbert #1

Reiner Knizia #2

Franz Vohwinkel #2

James Ernest #2

Mark Copplestone #2

Reiner Knizia #3

Peter Adkison #3

Brom #3

Chenier La Salle #4

Ryan Dancey #4

Brian Snoddy #4

Beth Sobel #5

Bruno Faidutti #5

Tom Jolly #6

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Antoine Bauza #7

Dennis Lohausen #7

Ryan Laukat #8

Chad Hoverter #9

Matt Leacock #9

Greg Isabelli #9

Ignacy Trzewiczek #10

Jacqui Davis #10

Johan Koitka #10

Jamey Stegmaier #11

Michael Menzel #11

Kay Wilke #11

Vincent Dutrait #12

Mike Fitzgerald #12

Sandy Petersen #13

Mihajlo Dimitrievski #13

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Interview Gallery (Cont.)

Bruno Cathala #14

John Ariosa #14

Friedemann Friese #15

Joshua Cappel #15

Eric Vogel #15

Mac Gerdts #16

Keldon Jones #16

Steve Finn #17

J. Alex Kevern #18

Richard Ham #18

Ludovic Roudy #19

Bruno Sautter #19

Phil Walker-Harding #20

Luke Peterschmidt #21

Mike Richie #22

Grant Wilson #22

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Game Nite Issue #36

Curt Covert #23

Daryl Andrews #24

Rob Dougherty #25

Nestor Romeral Andres #26

Leonard Koh #27

Rui Alipio Monteiro #28

Luke Laurie #29

Darwin Kastle #30

Serge Pierro #31

Justin Gary #32

Tom Lehmann #33

Shem Phillips #34

Philip duBarry #35

Sen Foong-Lim #36

Game Nite Issue #36

51

Book Review Index

52

Issue #1

Issue #2

Issue #3

Issue #4

Issue #5

Issue #6

Issue #7

Issue #8

Issue #9

Issue #10

Issue #11

Issue #12

Issue #13

Issue #14

Issue #14

Issue #14

Game Nite Issue #36

Issue #15

Issue #15

Issue #15

Issue #16

Issue #16

Issue #17

Issue #17

Issue #18

Issue #19

Issue #20

Issue #22

Issue #24

Issue #26

Issue #32

Issue #33

Game Nite Issue #36

53

Mobile Review Index

Issue #12

Issue #13

Issue #14

Issue #15

Issue #16

Issue #17

Issue #18

Issue #19

54

Game Nite Issue #36

Issue #20

Issue #21

Issue #21

Issue #22

Issue #23

Issue #24

Issue #25

Issue #26

Game Nite Issue #36

55

Mobile Review Index (Cont.)

Issue #27

Issue #30

Issue #28

Issue #31

Issue #29

Issue #32

Issue #29

Issue #33

56

Game Nite Issue #36

Issue #34

Issue #35

Issue #36

Game Nite Issue #36

57

Game Review Index (Isuues 1-6)

58

Game Nite Issue #36

• • • • • •

This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the 2-4 of Us Small World Stella Nova Shoot-Out Postcard Cthulhu Postcard Empire

• • • • • • •

Tile Chess Cards of Cthulhu Samurai Spirit Golem Arcana Pairs Sutakku Timeline

• • • • • • • • •

Baseball Highlights 2045 Samurai Sword Paperback For the Crown Trench Firefly Cutthroat Caverns Rise of the Zombies Shadow Throne

• • • • • • • • •

Rhino Hero Attila Spurs and Sprockets Chaosmos March of the Ants AquaSphere Fidelitas Rise of Cthulhu Maha Yodah

• • • • • • • • • •

Animal Upon Animal Sushi Draft Stones of Fate WWII: Stalingrad Stockpile The Magnates Sentinel Tactics Flip City Space Movers 2201 Dark Tales

• • • • • • • • •

Nevermore Gold West Arcadia Quest

Dragon Flame

New York 1901

Lift Off! Tesla vs. Edison

Yashima Targi

• • • • • • • •

Outer Earth 1944: Race to the Rhine Runecast Cycling Tour Witkacy Firefly: Fistful of Credits Dozen Doubloons King Down

Game Nite Issue #36

59

Game Review Index (Issues 7-12)

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Game Nite Issue #36

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Steam Works Web of Spies Cartography Xia: Legends of a Drift System Orleans Raiders of the North Sea Hoyuk Wizards of the Wild Myths at War Ring It! Hogg Wild for Wealth The Martian Investigations

• • • • • • • • • • •

Cosmic Run Imperial Harvest Under the Pyramids (Eldritch Horror Expansion) Bomb Squad Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization Luna Biblios Dice Trekking the National Parks Fuse Skulldug!

Horrible Hex

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Cuisine a la Cart Foragers The Shadow Over Westminster Scoville Valeria: Card Kingdom Onitama Knit Wit Worlds Fair: 1893 Flip City: Reuse Gruff The Walled City Empires at Sea

• • • • • • • • • • • •

JurassAttack!

Oh My Gods!

Looting Atlantis 13 Days Apotheca Tiny Epic Galaxies Automobiles Daxu Slaughterville Kheops Scoville: Labs Ancient Conflict Treasure Chest

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Dr. Eureka Stockpile: Continuing Corruption Sugar Gliders Dawn of the Zeds: Third Edition Vast: The Crystal Caverns The Networks Grifters Trajan Conspiracy!

Secrets of the Last Tomb Best Treehouse Ever Matryoshka

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Imhotep In the Name of Odin Centauri Saga Draconis Invasion Dastardly Dirigibles Flamme Rouge Haspelknecht Hansa Teutonica Star Trek Panic Theomachy Commissioned San Ni Ichi Small City Game Nite Issue #36

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Game Review Index (Issues 13-18)

62

Game Nite Issue #36

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Kanagawa Lunarchitects Hero Realms Santorini Vinhos: Deluxe Colony Sun Tzu Bermuda Crisis Tavarua Explorers of the North Sea America San Allies Crisis

• • • • • • • • • •

Hanamikoji Element Villages of Valeria Mansions of Madness 2nd Edition 7 Wonders Duel Oceanos Herbaceous A Feast For Odin Schotten Totten This Belongs in a Museum

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Ninja Taisen Space Invaders Dice!

The Dresden Files Card Game Pyramids Quests of Valeria Amun-Re Cultists of Cthulhu Magic Maze Knot Dice The Cohort Crazier Eights Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu

• • • • • • • • • • • •

7&7 March of the Ants: Minions of the Meadow Honshu Web of Spies Saga of the Northmen Tournament at Camelot Haspelknecht: The Ruhr Valley Plague Inc. Zephyr Terrible Monster 5ive Duress

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Fantasy Realms Space Race Isle of Skye Unearth ION Escape from 100 Million BC Battle for Souls COG Near and Far Terraforming Mars Caverna: Cave vs. Cave Pocket Mars Terra Mystica Hafid’s Grand Bazaar

• • • • • • • •

The Climbers Whistle Stop The 7th Continent Witches of the Revolution Viral Sentient Road Hog PeltaPeeps

Game Nite Issue #36

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Game Review Index (Issues 19-24)

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Game Nite Issue #36

• • • • • • •

Mini Rails Nightmare Forest: Alien Invasion The Ruhr Summit Seikatsu Tulip Bubble Covalence

• • • • • •

Joraku Michael Strogoff Minute Realms Castle Dukes Rajas of the Ganges Cytosis

• • • • •

Ancestree Exodus Fleet Tak Mistborn: House War Expedition: RPG Card Game

• • • •

ShutterBug Divinity Derby Wakening Lair Planet of the Apes

• • • • • •

Vast: The Fearsome Foes Vast Miniatures Expansion Vast Bonus Cards Wildcatters Alexandria Tzolk’in

• • • •

Gretchinz!

Button Men The Flow of History The Game of Nines

Game Nite Issue #36

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Game Review Index (Issues 25-30)

•

•

•

• •

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Game Nite Issue #36

Dicey Peaks Coldwater Crown Thanos Rising Peak Oil Wordoku

• • • •

Zombie Dice: Horde Edition Codenames: Marvel Fog of Love Cthulhu Dice

• • • •

Gearworks Grackles Maiden’s Quest The Veil

• • • •

Outpost: Siberia Outpost: Amazon Root Planetarium

• • • • •

Shards of Infinity Blood Rage Mistfall: Chronicles of Frost

•

•

•

•

• •

Wish You Were Here Onitama: Way of the Wind Master of the Galaxy

The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire

Barker’s Row

Hero Realms: The Ruin of Thandar

Shifting Realms Hero’s Crossing

Game Nite Issue #36

67

Game Review Index (Issues 31-36)

• •

• •

• •

• • •

• • • •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

• •

68

Game Nite Issue #36

Dicey Peaks Command Decks Star Realms: Coldwater Your Town Crown Thanos Wu WeiRising Peak Oil Star Realms: Frontiers Wordoku

Darwinning!

Zombie Dice: Horde Edition Codenames:Card GoVenture Marvel Game Fog of Love the Board Game Highlander Cthulhu The Forbidden Dice Sanctuary

Highlander: Princes of the Universe Gearworks Architects of the West Kingdom Grackles Tricky Dungeon Maiden’s Quest Perdition’s Mouth: Revised Edition The Veil Warigin

•

•

•

• • •

Tara Wolf: In Valley of the Kings Timebreaker Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done Perdition’s Mouth: Traitor Guard Frazetta: Card & Dice Battle Game RevoltaaA

• • • •

Fortresses & Clans Call To Adventure Gugong Wisdom of Solomon

• • • • •

Embark Kings of Israel Terminator: Rise of the Resistance Cheese Quest Libraria

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Contributors Serge Pierro Serge has playtested numerous games for several companies, including

Wizards of the Coast and AEG. He has also written for Duelist, Inquest and Gamer print magazines. His award winning photography has appeared in both newspapers and magazines. He has self published a game, and has several other designs ready... but, currently finds his free time devoted to doing Game Nite.

Eric Devlin Eric has been the North East Regional Representative for Wizards

of the Coast, the brand manager of Legends of the Five Rings, as well as working with Sabretooth and Third World Games. He has an extensive background in playtesting for top companies. He has also written for Games Quarterly, Duelist, Inquest and others.

Tom M Franklin Tom lives in North Carolina where he and his wife are staff to their five cats.

His writing has appeared in his agent’s Inbox and the occasional hand-written letter to friends. He grew up playing Abstract Strategy Games (back when they were simply called games) and still regards dice of all kinds with suspicion. His Board Gaming Claim to Fame is having taught over 300 kids how to play Chess. Considering he’s been playing board games for over 50 years he really should be much better at them than he is.

Jeff Rhind Jeff is a single father in Boston who also dabbles a bit in other writing projects as

well as playing the acoustic guitar. Gaming for many years has allowed him to share his love and appreciation of the hobby with family, friends, and on social media.

As much as he likes solo gaming, Jeff always prefers playing with others especially his 10 year-old daughter who is currently a fan of Wingspan and Splendor. His 21 year-old son, when not playing the PS4, likes competitive/head-to-head games. You can follow Jeff on twitter @jeffrhind

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Game Nite Issue #36

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Issue #37