Game Reviews
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| Bombing Each Other Silly in Nuclear War |
Following is a list of my personal game reviews. Hear my thoughts on games that work and games destined to gather dust in the closet.
What are my qualifications for being a reviewer? None, except a love for good games, a long history of playing board and strategy games, and a lot of strong opinions.
Be forewarned, however, I am a gaming enthusiast more than a gaming critic, so many of the reviews will be positive or even glowing. I bought many of these games after reading good reviews on the web or after positive gaming sessions at friend's houses. In any case, I will attempt to mention what doesn't work or what could use improvement. It is with love and passion that I review these games, and my hat is off to the bright designers who created these games.
Recent Reviews
- Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 2002.
A chart of the tile distribution and discussion of the difficulty of categorization. - Was Sticht?, Karl-Heinz Schmiel, Moskito Spiele, 1994.
A trick-taking card game with many interesting, interlocking mechanisms. - Carcassonne: The Expansion, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 2002.
Add some inexpensive new rules and tiles to your Carcassonne games. - Carcassonne, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 2000.
Build cities, roads, farms, and cloisters in this very clever and fast tile laying game. - GRYB, J. David Barnhart, JDB Games, 2000.
Conquer territory in the Go-like abstract strategy game.
Game Reviews Ordered by Title
Click on a game title to see my review.
- Acquire, Sid Sackson,
3M, Schmidt Spiel, Avalon Hill, 1962/1979/1993.
Shrewdly purchase stock, make mergers, and liquidate holdings in this classic business game. - Auf Heller und Pfennig, Reiner Knizia, Hans im Glück, 1994.
Maximize Heller-hoarding in this tile-laying medieval market game. - Button Men, James Ernest, Cheapass Games, 1998.
Kick your opponent's butt by capturing their dice. Simple, fast, and furious. - Carcassonne, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 2000.
Build cities, roads, farms, and cloisters in this very clever and fast tile laying game. - Carcassonne: The Expansion, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 2002.
Add some inexpensive new rules and tiles to your Carcassonne games. - Carcassonne: The Expansion Tile Distribution,
An easy-to-print chart of the tile frequency in the expansion game. - Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 2002.
A chart of the tile distribution and discussion of the difficulty of categorization. - Cloud 9, Aaron Weissblum, F.X. Schmid, 1999.
Decide whether to leap or ride the balloon to the clouds. But can you trust your buddies? - Durch die Wüste, Reiner Knizia, Kosmos, 1998.
Place your camels to connect oases, enclose areas, and block your opponents. - El Grande, Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich, Hans im Glück, 1995.
Place your Caballeros carefully to influence and control 15th century Spain. - Elfenland, Alan Moon, Amigo, 1998.
Elves attempt to visit many cities in this fun version of the "Travelling Salesman" problem. - The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen, James Wallis, Hogshead Publishing, 1998.
Players tell tales of preponderous proportions while others challenge or influence the outcome. - Close Combat II: The Russian Front, Atomic Games, Microsoft Corporation, 1998.
A real time computer strategy game that closely resembles Avalon Hill's Squad Leader. - Family Business, James Wallis, Mayfair Games, 1982.
"Rub out" rival gangs while avoiding a similar fate in this fast beer and pretzels card game. - Family Detective, SNL Games, 1978.
An epic psychological battle of hunter and hunted in this exciting family game. - GRYB, J. David Barnhart, JDB Games, 2000.
Conquer territory in the Go-like abstract strategy game. - Guillotine, Paul Peterson, Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
Players execute the most ignoble nobles while avoiding the crowd favorites. - It's Mine, Reiner Knizia, Winning Moves, 1998.
Which card player is the quickest on the draw? Be careful, there are some bad cards in that set. - Lost Cities, Reiner Knizia, Kosmos/Rio Grande Games, 1999.
Two players form expeditions while thwarting their opponent in this short, fun card game. - Mamma Mia, Uwe Rosenberg, Abacus Spiele, 1999.
Pizza experts attempt to create masterpieces in this fun and fast card game. Manga! - Manhattan, Andreas Seyfarth, Hans im Glück/Mayfair, 1992.
Players attempt to score points by owning buildings, neighborhoods and the world's tallest building. - Maul of America, Jim Dietz, Jolly Roger Games, 1998.
Characters run, zombies attack, and players yawn in this not so fun beer and pretzels game. - Medici, Reiner Knizia, Amigo/Rio Grande Games, 1995/1998.
Outwit and outbid your opponents for juicy cargos in this commodity auction game. - Montgolfiere, Dominique Ehrhard, Eurogames/Descartes, 1992/1999.
Bluff your way to the moon in this light, simultaneous play balloon race. - Ra, Reiner Knizia, Alea/Rio Grande Games, 1999.
Bid for sets of tiles, sometimes taking a disaster along with the gold. - Rette Sich Werr Kann, Ronald Wettering, Walter Müllers Spielewerkstatt, 1993.
Toss your friends, that is enemies, overboard in this leaky lifeboat game. - Rheinländer, Reiner Knizia, Parker, 1999.
Expand your duchies by carefully placing your knights along the Rhine River. - Ricochet Robots, Alex Randolph, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 1999.
Race the clock and each other as each player attempts to solve the robot puzzle. - Samurai, Reiner Knizia, Hans im Glück/Rio Grande Games, 1998.
Place tiles, influence and capture tokens in feudal Japan. - Scotland Yard, E. Binz-Blanke, Ravensburger, 1983/1985.
Scotland Yard detectives hunt and attempt to capture the elusive Mr. X. - The Seafarers of Catan, Klaus Teuber, Kosmos/Mayfair, 1997/1999.
Build ships and sail to new lands in this excellent Settlers expansion. - The Settlers of Catan, Klaus Teuber, Kosmos/Mayfair, 1995.
Players reap goods, trade, and build settlements on a randomly determined island. - Streetcar/Linie 1, Steffan Dorra, Goldsieber/Mayfair, 1995/1996.
Players race to complete their streetcar lines. Then they race their street cars. - Taj Mahal, Reiner Knizia, Alea/Rio Grande Games, 2000.
Use your cards to win power and position in this excellent tile placement game. - Torres, Michael Kiesling, Wolfgang Kramer, F. X. Schmid/Rio Grande Games, 1999.
Build a big castle and sramble your knights to the top. - Triple Threat Baseball, Doug Spohn, Rafael Colón, and Scott Turner, Triple Threat Games, 1999.
Recreate the pace, the tension, and feel of baseball in this well crafterd sports game. - Verräter (Traitor), Marcel-André Casasola Merkle, Adlung Spiele, 1999.
Profit from the war between the Eagle and Rose royal houses. Beware the traitor who tips the battle. - Vampire, Reiner Knizia, Goldsieber/Rio Grande Games, 2000.
Simple, quick, fun rummy-like card game. - Vinci, Phillippe Keyaerts, Eurogames/Descartes, 1999.
Advance you armies across the board in this diceless battle of civilizations. - Was Sticht?, Karl-Heinz Schmiel, Moskito Spiele, 1994.
A trick-taking card game with many interesting, interlocking mechanisms. - Web of Power, Michael Schact, Goldsieber/Rio Grande Games, 2000.
Place pieces to score majorities and strengthen alliances in this fast-moving placement game. - Zillions of Games, Jeff Mallett and Mark Lefler, Zillions Publishing, 1998.
An excellent computer game engine for playing hundreds of abstract board games.