Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Under Two Reviews #15 Sushi Go! by Phil Walker-Harding

"Under Two Reviews" is a weekly video series in which we take a look at tabletop games and present them to our readers in under two minutes.

This is actually a new printing of Sushi Go! The Pick and Pass Card Game.
The first edition had adorable art. This new version as art that turns that cute factor up to 11. It's the cutest drafting game you'll ever play, so watch the video and learn the finer points of choosing an adorable meal. It'll be quick, I promise.

Enjoy the video after the jump!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

The Nerd Night Manifesto

Foreword

Before anything else is written, it should first be acknowledged that no community is built by one person. DFW Nerd Night is the product of hundreds of people agreeing to care about a community. My first and most important advice is to treat each person as you would yourself, so that they feel permission to add their energy, ideas, and love to the community you want to create. To do so is to transfer ownership of the community to all of its members, and thus ensure that each member of the community is committed to its success.

This community could not exist without the contributions of many, many people, and each of them deserves thanks and consideration. DFW Nerd Night would not exist in any recognizable form without the loving contributions of my wife, Amy, and her suggestions for connecting with charities across DFW. Additionally, were it not for Andrew Christopher Enriquez’s steadfast dedication to the creation of an ideal community based on love and respect, I would have lost the drive to build this group long ago.

To both of them, and to Nate, Heather, Emmanuel, Bryan, Jeremy, my brother JJ, Brian, Shawn, Mark, Jody, Donny, Phillip, Cody, and each you I’m forgetting, thank you for at least temporarily believing what I asked you to believe – that if you treat people as the best versions of themselves, you’ll be rewarded by their being exactly that. The power of our community is in our inclusivity, and in our willingness to see past our differences and appreciate the commonalities that bind us.

Above all else, put people first.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Review of Ascension: Realms Unraveled

I've played a lot of Ascension in my day.  It may be one of my most played games, mostly because it was one of my first.  Ascension came out right around the time I first got into boardgaming with the likes of Small World and Munchkin.  It was definitely my first deckbuilder.  I really like playing Ascension.  And then, as time wore on, I discovered more games.  I found Thunderstone and Euros and small scale wargames and I forgot all about Ascension.  It released expansions and I bought them, more out of loyalty than interest.  Ultimately, I shelved it, thinking I had perhaps moved past Ascension as a gamer.

Until I played Ascension: Realms Unraveled...

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Under Two Reviews #14 Shipyard by Vladimír Suchý

"Under Two Reviews" is a weekly video series in which we take a look at tabletop games and present them to our readers in under two minutes.

This game is about building ships. And rondels. Mostly rondels. If the thought of building ships via nested rondels appeals to you, please take a moment to order this game. Everyone else? Please watch the video and see how building ships via rondels is super-fun. It'll be quick, I promise.

Enjoy the video after the jump!

Monday, August 4, 2014

No Thanks, by Thorston Gimmler

hulsebus-no-thanks-IMG_9243b.jpgNormally you’d see a fancy introduction here, rife with theme and some compelling story about the time I did something or that one thing I think is cool. Not today, friends. No Thanks isn’t a game about theme or stories – it’s a game about numbers, pure and simple, and one of my favorites.

No Thanks is always in my backpack. If I got the heads up that I would be soon be marooned on an island, I’d make sure it was in my jacket pocket. It’s the first game I think of when I’ve got 10 minutes to kill and a group of gamers and non-gamers that need something easy to understand but interesting enough to pull everyone into the “magic circle.”

You can save yourself a few minutes and just go pick this up at your Friendly Local Game Store if you’d like, but if you want to see my strategy guide, read on!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Under Two Reviews #13 Seventh Hero by Kuro


"Under Two Reviews" is a weekly video series in which we take a look at tabletop games and present them to our readers in under two minutes.

The first step to fulfilling your destiny and saving the world, kingdom, or bacon is to recruit the right heroes. Watch this video and learn how to recruit heroes. It's your destiny, after all. It'll be quick, I promise.

Enjoy the video after the jump!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Quick Review: The Builders: Middle Ages by Frédéric Henry and Sabrina Miramon

TLDR: If you want a quick, fun little game (literally little, the game box is smaller than a store-bought package of hummus) that incorporates card drafting, worker placement and resource management while still being kid friendly, The Builders is probably for you!