by Steph
Since I worked so hard on my blog post from the week before, I didn't save much time for gaming. But I did get to go to Fun group on Thursday night and this will cover though Day 1 of the Gathering so Wednesday! That's basically a week of gaming!
Thursday night was great fun since Riley had a bunch of new stuff. I was most interested in trying out Würfelland. New to me!
This board reminds me of Träxx, but pretty! So many pretty colors it makes up the rainbow, I had to play it. I nearly made Ron order it for me, but I forgot.
This game you are working to fill in the sections of the board and hit all the stars. On your turn, you roll the dice, and you keep one color and can roll the rest. You end when you want as long as you keep adding to your pool of that color you saved to start with. If you don't add to that then you are done and take whatever you are left with in that color. Each other player can use the left over dice all of one color. Once you start in the red region, you can not move into another red region before completing that one. If you hit a star then you get to roll 5/6 dice one shot deal and take one color.
In order for the game to finish you must fill in all of one color, and mark 9 of the available stars. Each player has a different map they are working on.
OMG THIS GAME WAS SO LONG. It was so painful to play. I will very likely never play this game again. I wanted to love this one I reallllllllllly did, but it just did not work for me at all. Far too long. Would much rather play Traxx. Just people hitting stars and having to roll the dice realllllly dragged the game on. It was just so slow. Not what I want from a light roll n write.
I have no idea who won, it might have been Riley it might have been Adam. I have no idea!? Man there was so much potential for this one too.
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Okay so Riley also had The Mind. We HAD to play it! I have been wanting to play more and more. I requested Joe R play with us since I knew he would find it interesting.
The first game was fast and we lost really fast. The second game we did much better! I think we even made it to the final round before losing. Or maybe 2nd to last round. It was still much better than the first game.
Ugh I just can't get enough of this game and I even played it 5 more times at Saturday game day! More on that later.
Amazing game!
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With his shipment of games he had a few others to bring out and play with us. I was happy to teach Smile. I learned it on Easter, so that was easy enough for me to teach them.
The game is fun and interesting and while I don't think it is a No Thanks! killer, I still quite enjoy it. Of course Joe agreed with me, but actually Riley liked this more than No Thanks!I totally get why, I do think the art is amazing and the game play interesting.
I did quite well this game and much improved from my first play the other day. I actually won with 13 points! Joe and Rachel were tied with 12 so everyone did fairly well too.
Much better than my first game! No one had to take the negative blue tokens. Lucky them...
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Riley also had a new game called Krass Kariert. He didn't have the English rules, but that was fine sort of, since I played at GAMA. I definitely thought I remembered more than what I did. It was a pretty rough game. But we played a few rounds anyway.
We had several questions so that wasn't great, but Rachel was helping to figure out the answers. We declared it after a few rounds that Joe was the epic loser. :P
I can't wait for my copy to come in! I quite enjoy this one and think it will be fun to play more of.
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Final game of the night was Welcome To....
Joe and Jeff were learning so we were using the basic goal cards. I asked to use Joe's special sharpies! My board was all colorful and fun at the end! So exciting!
This was really high scoring game and I crushed them all. I had Rainbow power!!
This game I was going for the some good combos and forests. I wanted to make sure I got the points for a few goal cards. I ended up getting some pools to really help out my score too. It was a nice balance.
This game is great!
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First game on Saturday was Broom Service: The Card GameNew to me!
I was interested in trying this game because I enjoy the base game, but I like the card mechanic the best in that game. This is just a very simplified version of the card mechanic. This is a very small card game and I felt it was just too simple for me. I could FEEL Broom Service come though, and to be fair I haven't played Witches Brew, but I am still sure this is much easier than that.
There is a set collection aspect to the game where you get a lot of point for more of the same type of potions you collect, but you want to try and claim the goal cards in the middle of the table before other players, and to do that you need to claim specific potions in various quantities.
I actually didn't mind playing it and I would even give it another go. Maybe I am favorable since I ended up winning, by a good handful since I could claim many goals in the end. But, I wouldn't have called it a land slide. People were just playing poorly. :P
All in all it was easy to learn and play and could be a good family game. I would want to play again, but I am not sure there is a place in the collection at the end of the day.
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Since we were clueless on when other people were showing up, we decided to play a 4 player game of Kung Fu Zoo.
People are infectious you know? I see it being played on social media and I want to go play it, therefore it stays in rotation week after week. We just want to keep playing it!
I just want to get better at it but I can't seem to do that. I always seem to be a target for some reason. This time I just ended up shooting poorly. I was not first out but I was 2nd out. So that was pretty terrible.
I think Ron was in the final duel off but I can't remember! I am all thrown off since Ron is usually black but I think he was actually white this game, so I am all confused in my memory! ahha
Regardless, fun was had and Steph was the big loser! I got a cool action shot of the white die going down the hole!
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We were still unsure when Shrey and Chris were showing up and Ron suggested Factory Funner. As we finished the rules for Derek Shrey walked in and I knew the answer would be absolutely no, when I asked Shrey to play with us in a 5 player game. haha He didn't like it the first time we taught him.
So, we quickly played a 4 player game of this with everyone helping out Derek who was clearly not seeing how it was all working.
Ron took this one since Dan and I were more focused on helping out Derek to understand. Derek might have even won but it was asterisk and gave the win to Ron since we essentially played for Derek. haha
Everytime I play this game I am reminded on how amazing it really is. I reallllllllllllllllly love this game so so sosososososo much! It is just fantastic. Has all the puzzlyness that I love so much. Really wonderful.
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Chris had shown up at just the right time so we could split into 2 groups of 3. He wanted to show me an older game from 2005 called Angkor. New to me!
This game definitely showed its age. Super cheesy plastic player trays. The game is not very exciting at all. You are using tiles to place each turn. You want to get points for the various things, all while placing jungle tiles in other peoples areas trying to cover their temples and points. We were playing incorrectly though, well more that we were missing a key rule that you could not only cover people tiles, but you could also cover the jungle tiles that were growing across our board.
The best I can say is that I would try again with correct rules, but this game didn't win me over. Knowing the correct rules, it would have made for a slightly , but still boring game, imo.
People weren't mean enough to me and I ended up scoring a lot of points in the end. They should have been meaner, to be fair I was particularly mean. But, the more mean you are the less you are focused on playing on your own board since you only get 2 actions each round. I will take the win anyway!
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I have been wanting to play my copy of Era of Voyage: the DICE. New to me!
I got to play Era of Voyage (航海の時代) last year and really enjoyed it. Coming soon from Deep Water Games. You can read about it here. This game I was really hoping would be like the former, mostly because I really enjoyed the first! And I really like dice games.
The game gives me the same feeling, but it is still not as elegant. You are rolling dice and you have to perform actions with the dice. You are still trying to obtain resources, but you aren't planning out your movements and planning in between rounds so it just ultimately feels longer and more random.
In our game I super lost, I didn't manage to get the points or majorities I would need. Chris absolutely killed us getting a ton of in game points and holding a lot of majorities in the end for the winning score.
By the end, I was just not invested in the game anymore though. There is a shorter game variant in the rules so perhaps I will try that and hope it turns out to be a bit faster and better. In the end I am looking forward to the release of Era of Voyage, since that is the better game.
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During the day I ended up playing The Mind with 2 different groups. The first group was Derek and Chris. I don't own the game so we ended up using the Rainbow badger deck,which is honestly so much better anyway! ALL THE COLORS!
With any group the first game is always a pretty fast one while we figure each other out. The second game went a lot better and the final game was the best! We actually made it until the last round and busted pretty early there. Our cards were just not great in that final round! It was so much fun though.
Later I played with Dan, Shrey and David and the first game as expected was not great. We made it in the second round till round 4 or something which was still better than the first game.
I simply love this game though I can't wait to play it a ton next week!
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Derek and Chris both expressed interest in learning Merlin. This was the first time I was able to play my copy! I was so looking forward to playing this game for a long time, so I was happy to teach it.
I am sure my teaching wasn't great, but we managed. It took a bit for them to see what was going on and Derek never really joined is in the small mini game to the side of area control of territories. I think that is a major part of the game, getting over there for some points.
Derek was getting nearly all of his points from the cards. He was focused on that hard core. I was trying to complete my cards but it was early challenge, but I got some higher point cards to work on. It was really good that I was able to defend against the attacks so I wasn't losing points there.
I was far in the lead at the end, but I have played before so yeah experience helps for sure. On the plus side they both like the game enough where they would want to play it again with me! I like this one, I don't think it is Feld's best, but I do enjoy playing. #keepfornow
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Since there was 6 of us we ended up playing 2 games of Decrypto.
This game was fun and we ended up playing a second game which was like 100 times better. So, in the second game we ended up playing with the regular codes and the clues had to be boardgames! OMG it made the game so hard and it was just wonderful. Neither side was able to win in the 8 rounds provided. So we had to go to alternate winners which was team "winners" which was not our team :(
But we won in that we got to play! It was so fun and I can't wait to play again this weekend- the same way!
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David showed up in the middle of the second game and was playing with Last Mouse Lost so I decided to teach him!
I ended up crushing his soul, but I am not sure he cared so much. It is a clever little game, but I have yet to play it with the same person twice. How is that possible. I really have to play it with someone who now knows the game.
I suppose it is so nice to keep winning! :D
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Chris offered to read the rules and teach me my new arrival KS called Sunset Over Water. New to me!
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect with this one, but I enjoyed the art, so I decided to back at the last minute (literally).
It is a pretty light set collection game. There is a simultaneous card selection first, and then players perform their actions in wake up time. I believe all players have a different deck of cards with different wake up times. I might have 7am and green might have 7:15. So when it is my turn to go, you can move the number of spaces mentioned on the card you selected on of the directions pictured on the card. Also, along the way you can pick up the scenes you pass through up to the number at the very bottom of the wake up card.
Once you move you have the chance to use the scenes you have collected thus far and sell them off. There are sales that require particular scenes, but there is also a round bonus for one person.
The game is quite simple and you go through like 7 rounds or so doing this. You always have a hand of 3 wake up cards from which you select 1. The other 2 are discarded to the bottom of the stack.
It is an interesting game and will appeal to casual and new gamers I think. I didn't find much strategy in this one, but it was simply fine. i ended up winning pretty handily. I did a good job of getting what I was going for and managed to get a lot of contracts and end of round goal cards.
it was a relaxing game for sure. Nothing stressful happening, but you can still see and plan or replan for your turn as people are doing things. I would play again, but it didn't wow me.
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We had 5 players and to my delight Outpost was mentioned. WE PLAYED OUTPOST! YAY!
I usually have to pull teeth to get this played. David and Shrey were learning and Ron did a great job teaching it.
I love this game, I don't know why but it is a challenge and it is always a fun challenge for me. Ron was miscounting towards teh end and when we thought he had a clear victory we packed up and called it a game. He had ONLY JUST got to 75. OMG we might have been able to go to another round. Boo Ron!
I was falling behind all game, but I managed to have a pretty steady catch up where I didn't lose by as much as I thought I would. I ended with 68! I am proud of that considering I was going 4th or 5th all game. I ended up 2nd.
David did well, but misjudged the rest of us when he was planning, and thought Ron was so far in the lead, but we were also secretly saving our money and could buy the big ones when he thought he was the only one.
He did a great job though. I have no idea if Shrey or David enjoyed it, but I love it!
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Shrey wanted to play Welcome To... again. Dan ended up teaching this to David.
I had played previously in the week, and nothing will compare to that amazizng rainbow town I created. I twas correct, my score wasn't as great! We also had fewer rounds this time. I think I had a high score this game though in the 80s! It is funny how this game turns out. There were 3 of us going for pools, but like all of the pools landed with 8s or it seemed like it, and most of us got like 4 crossed off, seems IMPOSSIBLE to get all of them. I have to try it again!
Awesome game, sure i will be playing more again this week!
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Final game of the night was Parade. This such a great game to play as the final game. There is so much game here, and I knock everyone down since they are already tired. :P
I went most of the game without collecting any cards. There came a time towards the end where I had no choice. I had to take some. I thought I was so far in the lead though it wouldn't matter.
I ended up having to take a few more but I got 2 majorities so they all turned into 1 point at the end and I ended up with 10 points. Ron was at 11! Boom that was a close call!
Super game!
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Sunday I was planning all day for the Gathering, but I wanted to get a few games played so I could photograph them.
Ron and I played a couple fast games starting with Topiary.
This is a quick game and one I simply love. I love even more having met and knowing the designer Danny who is just amazing! Probably makes me bias, but still excellent game.
This game I was not as lucky with my tile draws. I had mostly 1s and 2s that I was pushing around, and Ron was getting all of the 4s and 5s so he was blocking me and creating lots of points for himself.
I might have gotten my best line score yet of 16 though. That was impressive. I think it was 16, but it was high!
Ron still ended up winning by like 5 points! Cause I didn't get any last minute end of tiles in hand points.
Glad we got to play!
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Another I was wanting to take pics of was The Blood of an Englishman.
It had been over a year and a half since I last played this. Very very long time. It is a 2 player puzzle type game with the giant vs Jack. Both with different objectives.
Ugh I am nearly sure it is impossible for Jack to win, not true, but I am a terrible Jack.
This was my second time playing ever and second time playing as Jack. Ron totally got me. I was on the final stalk when he was able to. There was nothing I could have done in the final turn to give me more time.
It was sad! I wasn't good at planning for his failure until it was too late. Giant for the win!
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Wednesday (last night) Ron and I cracked open a new game that arrived called Kerala: The Way of the Elephant. This game is just Epic beauty. Those Elephants are art! I want to put them on my shelves for decoration!
the game play is wonderful as well. I have played this a few times in the past at different events.
If you haven't heard of this game then you are missing out! It is a tile drafting game with a very puzzley aspect to it. You have your elephants on your personal board and when you draft a new tile you have to place adjacent to an elephant so that elephant moves onto the new tile. You are looking to get big groups of solid blocks of color. You get to socre your biggest region in each color and 2 biggest regions for your personal color. Tiles that are misplaced will have to be discarded for negative points at the end!
You get to score for the elephants pictured on the tiles at the end!
All game I was doing very well with the special tiles that give you 5 points if you line them up properly. I got 6 of those! Ron only managed 2 or 3 of those. He score more points for elephants pictured but I had the special tiles for the win! Totally crushed his hopes and dreams! Oh sorry not sorry!
Wonderful game and super excited to play this more!
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New to the Collection:
The Climbers
Kerala: The Way of the Elephant
A Column of Fire
Brutal Kingdom
Thanks for following along! I hope you have an amazing week.
Until next week!
Happy Gaming!!!
-Steph
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