Battling Wizards while sabotaging mines & taking over Tokyo.

Hello kidies!!

Sorry I have been on a hiatus for a while, life just seems to come at you full force and its hard to stop.

Either way, here I AM back at this ol' writing thing again. (I'm kidding, about the old)

It feels good to be back and yes, as much as I missed blogging about everything, being away gave me a different perspective of what I want my content to be about. A lot of times, bloggers tend to fall on "newsworthy" or the up and coming article, news, but at times, you kinda loose the sense of what you really are passionate about. What really interests you.

So, yes, it was good for me to step back and re-evaluate many things.

Ok, during this time I had the chance to try out new games for you guys (if you already haven't) so, yes, this will be a board game review about some of the games I got to play during my absence.

Lets begin!

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle Deck Builder

• Co-Op deck builder game
• 2-4 players
• ages 11+
• $45+
• Designed and Develped: USAopoly
• Invented by Forrest-Pruzan Creative

Synopsis: Choose your H.P. characters with your team and join forces to co-operate with your best charms, allies and items in order to defeat the dark forces of 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' and his Death-eaters from taking over Hogwarts.

USAopoly

Play-ability: Like with many traditional deck builder games, it is turn based, and at each players' turn, you have the opportunity to build your best deck with spells, items, and allies and at the end of each turn, the villains attack (villains will appear, and have an effect with them, that needs to be resolved during their attack phase). You can defeat villains by attacking them with either spells, items and/or allies. 

If you are an experienced deck builder player, this game follows major deck builder mechanics. You with the rest of your team need to choose wisely which cards can help you the most. 

The game is broken from year 1 to year 7 of the Potterverse. Meaning, be aware that if you are playing year 1, the villains and their attacks will be easier than year 7 villains. 

For Potter-heads this game is a treat, because not only are the spells, items and allies beloved and known over the Potterverse, but you get to choose to be either Hermione, Ron and/or Harry Potter (with other beloved characters). 

The quality of the game is superb. It comes as if it was in a trunk. Well detailed and adorned with detail, that just looking at the game, makes you say "How Perrrttyyy!"

This game has a high play ability. And what do I mean with a 'high play ability"?!

Well, it can be played multiple times and the gameplay and outcome will be different each time. 

Versatile and engaging throughout that no matter if this is your first time trying it out, or you 1,000th time, you will enjoy it and come back to play it over and over. 

Instructions are clear and easy to understand for anyone, whether or not this is your first deck builder. Obviously, if this isn't your first time into deck-building games, it is much easier to learn and understand the rules. 

Overall, it is very much worth the price tag. I seriously recommend the game because it is one of those games that can be be enjoyed time and time again.

Saboteur

• Card based game
• Designed: Frederic Moyersen
• Mayfair Games, Inc.
• 3-10 players
• ages 8+
• 30 minutes
• Price $14.99 

Synopsis: All the players in your party are dwarves who are trying to mine their way through broken pick-axes, lanterns, cave-ins to strike it rich and find gold! Along the way through many obstacles, beknownst to all of you, there is a saboteur in your group and this player is going to try to do everything in their power to sabotage EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. The goal of every one (who isn't the saboteur) is to get to the gold. The saboteur on the other hand, is well, keep everyone else from reaching the game and thus, winning.

amazon.com

Play-ability: This quick, little game is played in a three round based where each player's turn they place one card (which is a pathway to make a tunnel). Other players (not necessarily the saboteur) can give other players cards with a broken pick-axe, broken lantern, etc. Vice-versa they can also give each other repaired items to continue their tunnel digging for the ultimate price, gold. It is a fun quick game that is portable, so if you guys find yourself in a hotel, remote location, where you need to wait, this game can bring you 30 minutes of quick entertainment. 

Easy to learn and understand, this game is also ideal for table top gamers who have children, 8 years and up. 

Since the mechanics of the game can change depending on the size and players, so the outcome of each round can be vastly different. Which makes this game's play ability a good potential because whether you have played this multiple times, the game play and outcome can be different every time. 

The element of not knowing who the saboteur is, also adds another layer of entertainment in the game. Being suspicious of everyone, gives this little game amounts of fun.

Pandemic

• Co-Op based game
• ages 13+
• 45 minutes
• Z-man Games
• Created by: Matt Leacock
• Price $35+

Synopsis: You and other players form a team of different professionals (medic, researcher, etc.) in order to find a cure for four diseases that are wreaking havoc across the globe before the break outs cannot be contained. 

Play-ability: First of all, I know that technically Pandemic has been out for quite some time, and it isn't a "new" game but for those who aren't familiar with table top games at all, I think this game would be an excellent introductory play for co-op mechanics. Each member of the team has a unique ability that is helpful in either stopping, or diminishing outbreaks. The cards that also control the epidemics and outbreaks are working against your team and its necessary to learn to co-operate and utilize your team member's abilities to its fullest to have a successful outcome. 

Boardgame Geek

For the non "n00bs"  this game play reminds me of Forbidden Desert/Island. Also an co-op with specialized cards (research, excavator, etc.) that lets each player have a certain ability that can be extremely helpful as you try to combat diseases and find the cure for them.

You are racing against time and cards that are either are making the epidemics breakout or spreading. 

Each game play is unique and it vastly differentiate with the type of players you have. There are also different levels, beginner, intermediate, and epic. So, if you are a season player, play at your own risk and see if you can be successful. 

There are many variables and possibilities in this game that makes it absolutely a must have. It is one of those games that you can enjoy over and over and get different results every single time. Definitely recommend it for n00bs and seasoned players alike.

King of Tokyo

• Competitive game
• 2-6 players
• ages 8+
• Created by: Richard Garfield
• card & dice game based
• Iello games.
• $25+

Synopsis: There can only be one monster who will it be? In this fun game , which unlike the ones in this post are mostly co-op, this one is solely competitive. You choose your monster with every other player. Each turn you will have the opportunity to hit your opponent, heal, gain energy (which in turn gives you ability to purchase useful cards to give you an advantage). Every time you strike an opponent you deplete their health, but be careful because they can return in kind. While you are in Tokyo, you cannot heal, which is also an important part of the game.  You win by reaching the wheel in your monster card to a certain number and you are proclaimed all over the land as the King of Tokyo. Or at least your monster is. 

amazon.com

Play-ability: Pay to the Dice Gods!!! This game is absolutely and ridiculously fun, but you really need to be aware that you and every one else will be at the mercy of the dice. Which makes it a great equalizer and unstable component of this game.

While I was playing it with my Husband, we noticed a trend, it would either be that the dice gave us awesome outcomes that we wouldn't be able to do diddly-squat with, or horrible outcomes that we seriously had to do something with them. Thank goodness you are allowed to extra dice roll, in case the Dice Gods did not favor you (while being able to keep the previous ones that you did want), but that only helps a bit. The cards that you acquire uber useful so choose wisely and USE them because if the dice ARE trying to kill you, the cards will save your butt. 

Our game play was 2 players, so I can imagine that getting more players involved changes the dynamic of the game which makes it more interesting.

Beware to not stay in Tokyo for too long, because as I mentioned before, you CANNOT heal while you are in the city. So, there is strategy involved for the players, to know when to bow out and not. 

Rules are pretty straightforward to understand so  first time players can quickly catch on. 

Due to the nature of the unpredictability from Dice Gods, this game can be played multiple times without getting repetitive in the outcome or players' strategies. 

Is this game worth your time? Absolutely. If you are looking for versatile games were, you can play many times over and the outcome and game play differs each time, then you seriously need to consider this game. It is one of those game that you can go back to it time and time again and never get bored with it. 

Til' next time!!

DISCLAIMER**

All trademark, copyrighted material, logos, names, brands, partners and affiliates are properties of, amazon.com, Iello Games, Mayfair Games, Z-man Games, USAopoly, Boardgame Geek, Warner Bros., J.K. Rowling, etc.

This post is used with Copyright Act of 1976, 17, U.S.C., § 107. All commentaries made in this post (that are not copyrighted) are my own. This blog is intended for entertainment purposes