TOBOGGANS OF DOOM
You live in Saskatchewan where a hill with a covering of snow -- which can happen anywhere from late September to mid May, as we saw this spring – attracts a bunch of kids and their toboggans. It's a childhood activity, a near rite of passage, a coming of age sort of thing. That's why the kids can usually convince mom and dad to take a few runs down the hill without too much argument.
Of course as a kid, you often dream of speeding up the old sled, and cartoons of course do that with all manner of rocket engines and imagination.
So when you see the board game Toboggans of Doom from Bucephalus Games, there is an immediate interest, not to mention the attraction of the game box which shows a Sasquatch swinging a club at a sledder. Come on, how cool is that?
The 2008 game release looks good on the outside. And, once you crack the box on the two-to-four player game you get a pretty good idea what the game is all about.
To start with the main components are a bunch of well-made, glassy, cardboard tiles, which of course influence the game as they are played. There is a meteor shower, fireworks array, portable hole, avalanche, the frightening ex-girlfriend and of course the Sasquatch to name a few. Yes it sounds like the Acme catalog from Looney Tunes is alive and well.
The cards are basically divided into two categories, obstacles, and sled upgrades. One helps you, one disadvantages your opponents.
The next big thing you notice in the box is a bag of dice, the standard array of four, six, eight, 10, 12 and 20-sided ones. So, yes you guessed it, the luck of the dice is a huge influence on the game. Randomness reigns supreme here. Generally a personal turn-off, let's face it when you are talking about a game which is essentially a fantastical race down a mountain on a toboggan dodging shark attacks, and Viking opera singers.
The Obstacle cards are shuffled and laid out face-down in three columns of 10. They essentially make up the run. An obstacle is turned face up, and through the roll of dice again, you have to clear it.
You score points as you progress down the hill.
Upgrade cards are purchased depending on the roll of dice and how that corresponds to the upgrade 'cost'.
As you can see rolling dice and the randomness of the race down obstacle cards create a lot of uncontrollable mayhem.
A game lasts only three rounds, so it plays rather quickly, although getting to the bottom is a monumental task given the luck involved and only three rounds to survive.
The game has replay in the sense the run varies each time, but the lustre wears a bit quickly. Yes it's kind of cool getting past the Sasquatch the first time, but you soon realize there is no skill at all. It's kind of like pushing the button on a VLT, you have zero control.
Good premise, solid components, but game play just isn't as fulfilling as a serious board gamer may seek. That said, a fun once in a while game where no one has to think, and there are some laughs and chuckles along the way.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Sept. 16, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Friday, September 18, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Review -- TZAAR
TZAAR
If you have been reading the gaming reviews over the past year or so, then the gipf series of abstract games will be familiar, since half of the series of six games released over the last decade have been covered here.
You are also likely familiar with the name Kris Burm, the creator of all six games. There are other game creators with a longer list of games to their credit, but in terms of abstract strategy games Burm truly stands at the head of the class.
That is not to say the six games in the series are the best games of the genre. In fact, they are not in my opinion. That said however, when I sit down to list the Top-25 abstracts of all time, Burm creations show up rather often. Zertz, which ranked number seven when I did the list, is in my estimation the best of the group, although I will admit to liking it because it is familiar in the sense of reminding of Chinese Checkers. Yinsh, reviewed here only a few weeks ago is arguable as good, although it was number 10, when I did the list, which admittedly could use a ranking update. Gipf, the first of the series, and today's game Tzaar the most recent creation, both rank in the Top-25 as well.
Tzaar is a game designed, as most abstract strategy games are, for two players, and is rated eight and up in terms of age. The game is supposed to play in about 15-minutes, but good abstract players usually slow that in the sense you want to study moves, which is the key to winning such games.
Each player has 30 pieces, divided in three types; six Tzaars, nine Tzarras and 15 Totts. Yes the names are a bit funky, but that's part of gaming. The three types of pieces have a connection which is central to the game, they cannot exist without each other. The aim is rather straight forward, and like the best games, there are multiple win conditions, either to make the opponent run out of one of the three types of pieces or to put him in a position in which he cannot capture anymore.
With the exception of the first player's first move, you have two actions on each turn. The first action has to be to capture an opponent's piece. The second action can be to capture another opponent piece, or to move one piece of yours onto another. The stack created can only then be captured by a stack of equal, or greater height.
There is the big decision each turn whether to reduce the opponent's pieces, or to strengthen your own position by building stacks. This is a simple mechanic, but one which adds considerable depth to the game.
The rather simple to grasp win conditions and game mechanics make Tzaar a great game to introduce people to abstracts, and that is a good thing. Chess for example, while wonderful, has a rather steep learning curve. This one does not.
At the same time though, there are tough decisions, a forward planning required to be successful. You have to think to win.
Like all the gipf series games I have experienced so far, the board and pieces are great quality, and the rulebook clear and thorough.
A nice addition to learning this game is that Burm himself has an instructional video online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=NL&hl=nl&v=_NEtt_Zsl-w Check it out.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Sept. 9, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
If you have been reading the gaming reviews over the past year or so, then the gipf series of abstract games will be familiar, since half of the series of six games released over the last decade have been covered here.
You are also likely familiar with the name Kris Burm, the creator of all six games. There are other game creators with a longer list of games to their credit, but in terms of abstract strategy games Burm truly stands at the head of the class.
That is not to say the six games in the series are the best games of the genre. In fact, they are not in my opinion. That said however, when I sit down to list the Top-25 abstracts of all time, Burm creations show up rather often. Zertz, which ranked number seven when I did the list, is in my estimation the best of the group, although I will admit to liking it because it is familiar in the sense of reminding of Chinese Checkers. Yinsh, reviewed here only a few weeks ago is arguable as good, although it was number 10, when I did the list, which admittedly could use a ranking update. Gipf, the first of the series, and today's game Tzaar the most recent creation, both rank in the Top-25 as well.
Tzaar is a game designed, as most abstract strategy games are, for two players, and is rated eight and up in terms of age. The game is supposed to play in about 15-minutes, but good abstract players usually slow that in the sense you want to study moves, which is the key to winning such games.
Each player has 30 pieces, divided in three types; six Tzaars, nine Tzarras and 15 Totts. Yes the names are a bit funky, but that's part of gaming. The three types of pieces have a connection which is central to the game, they cannot exist without each other. The aim is rather straight forward, and like the best games, there are multiple win conditions, either to make the opponent run out of one of the three types of pieces or to put him in a position in which he cannot capture anymore.
With the exception of the first player's first move, you have two actions on each turn. The first action has to be to capture an opponent's piece. The second action can be to capture another opponent piece, or to move one piece of yours onto another. The stack created can only then be captured by a stack of equal, or greater height.
There is the big decision each turn whether to reduce the opponent's pieces, or to strengthen your own position by building stacks. This is a simple mechanic, but one which adds considerable depth to the game.
The rather simple to grasp win conditions and game mechanics make Tzaar a great game to introduce people to abstracts, and that is a good thing. Chess for example, while wonderful, has a rather steep learning curve. This one does not.
At the same time though, there are tough decisions, a forward planning required to be successful. You have to think to win.
Like all the gipf series games I have experienced so far, the board and pieces are great quality, and the rulebook clear and thorough.
A nice addition to learning this game is that Burm himself has an instructional video online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=NL&hl=nl&v=_NEtt_Zsl-w Check it out.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Sept. 9, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Review -- ELEMENTALIS
ELEMENTALIS
The first caveat on this review is simple; if you don't like rolling dice to determine the outcome of a game, then move on right now.
Elementalis is pure and simple a dice fest.
The game has players rolling dice, and if they succeed in achieving certain results, they can choose to roll again. The second roll can gain a player more 'mana' towards victory, although certain poor rolls can have the player losing that which he earned with roll one.
On the second roll certain results can again lead a player to a point where he can roll a third time.
In that regard Elementalis holds much in common with other dice push games, where you can risk what you have to gainer better results; Cosmic Wimpout and Can't Stop being two games of that type.
At least in terms of dice the set comes with neat looking dice with emblems for the four elements, water, air, earth and fire rather than simply the numbers you usually see on dice.
If that was it, this game would be rather uninteresting, but designer Robert C. Kalajian Jr., has done a nice job of incorporating some other features which at least add to this game for two to four players.
Players take on the role of wizards; in the basic game either elementalist, harmonists or purist. Each mage type had an effect on what certain dice roles mean to that player. This feature at least creates a situation where players are not all rolling dice to achieve the same results.
Players also chose what elements their wizard is looking for.
The ultimate goal of the game is to accumulate the mana by the end of six rounds, the mana accumulating by good dice rolls.
There is however, some ability to combat the pure luck of rolling dice. As a wizard you can cast spells, using mana you have already gained. The spells, each of the four elements have a short spell list to draw from, generally improve your chances as you roll dice, or work to thwart an opponent's roll.
As you might expect to cast a fire spell, you must have the required fire mana.
While the spells are useful, they have to be managed wisely, since they deplete your mana reserve, which is the key to ultimate victory.
The game has some nice features with the mage selections and spell casting which allow this game to step a bit above the average dice fest which is so luck driven as to be rather boring.
It helps too that the creator, who released the original game in 2006, has stayed interested in the game by releasing three expansions, one in 2007, and two in 2008. The expansions allow for additional mage type selections, and one of the three expands the game to allow for five players.
The mage types are not all balanced, and that is all right, since it allows new players to be handed the more powerful types as a way of balancing the game against experienced players.
It will be interesting to see if Kalajian has more ideas to come. Perhaps one day new dice with an added mana type or two? Eight-sided dice would make that possible.
However, as is, Elementalis is a nice filler-style game. It is not overly deep, but has enough options, and fun to make it worthwhile.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Sept. 2, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
The first caveat on this review is simple; if you don't like rolling dice to determine the outcome of a game, then move on right now.
Elementalis is pure and simple a dice fest.
The game has players rolling dice, and if they succeed in achieving certain results, they can choose to roll again. The second roll can gain a player more 'mana' towards victory, although certain poor rolls can have the player losing that which he earned with roll one.
On the second roll certain results can again lead a player to a point where he can roll a third time.
In that regard Elementalis holds much in common with other dice push games, where you can risk what you have to gainer better results; Cosmic Wimpout and Can't Stop being two games of that type.
At least in terms of dice the set comes with neat looking dice with emblems for the four elements, water, air, earth and fire rather than simply the numbers you usually see on dice.
If that was it, this game would be rather uninteresting, but designer Robert C. Kalajian Jr., has done a nice job of incorporating some other features which at least add to this game for two to four players.
Players take on the role of wizards; in the basic game either elementalist, harmonists or purist. Each mage type had an effect on what certain dice roles mean to that player. This feature at least creates a situation where players are not all rolling dice to achieve the same results.
Players also chose what elements their wizard is looking for.
The ultimate goal of the game is to accumulate the mana by the end of six rounds, the mana accumulating by good dice rolls.
There is however, some ability to combat the pure luck of rolling dice. As a wizard you can cast spells, using mana you have already gained. The spells, each of the four elements have a short spell list to draw from, generally improve your chances as you roll dice, or work to thwart an opponent's roll.
As you might expect to cast a fire spell, you must have the required fire mana.
While the spells are useful, they have to be managed wisely, since they deplete your mana reserve, which is the key to ultimate victory.
The game has some nice features with the mage selections and spell casting which allow this game to step a bit above the average dice fest which is so luck driven as to be rather boring.
It helps too that the creator, who released the original game in 2006, has stayed interested in the game by releasing three expansions, one in 2007, and two in 2008. The expansions allow for additional mage type selections, and one of the three expands the game to allow for five players.
The mage types are not all balanced, and that is all right, since it allows new players to be handed the more powerful types as a way of balancing the game against experienced players.
It will be interesting to see if Kalajian has more ideas to come. Perhaps one day new dice with an added mana type or two? Eight-sided dice would make that possible.
However, as is, Elementalis is a nice filler-style game. It is not overly deep, but has enough options, and fun to make it worthwhile.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Sept. 2, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Review -- SIX
SIX
Six is one of those games which really impresses on several levels.
To begin with it comes in a nice, small, cube-shaped box that is sturdy, and ideal for taking over to a bud's for a night of gaming, or down to the coffee shop to play a few games. That is a huge plus, and it stores well too.
Inside the wooden pieces, and yes wood is also a nice touch in terms of game pieces, are stored in a simple cloth bag, with an easy pull-string to keep the pieces safe. Another fine touch for Six.
The game pieces are hexagonal; shaped, with a set of red and a set of black. There is no board, with the pieces creating the play area as they are added to the the game. That means you can play Six on any flat surface, which is another plus.
The rulebook is well laid out, and has a number of coloured examples, so picking up how to play is very simple. Of course the rules are pretty basic too, which is good as well.
While a simple rule set, there is still some definite depth to this two-player abstract strategy game which was designed by Steffan Muhlhauser. To begin with, Six has three objectives with achieving any one of them creating a win.
To win you must either end up with six of your pieces in a straight line, or six pieces in a triangular shape, or have six pieces in a ring shape. Having multiple win conditions adds much to a strategic game, and is one of the nicest features of Six.
The game is played in what are two distinct phases. To begin with players take turns adding one piece of the their colour to the ever growing 'board' until all 38 pieces are played, or someone has achieved a winning position.
Once all the pieces are placed without a win, play continues with players again alternating as they move a previously placed piece of their colour. A player cannot move a piece that would leave the configuration split into more than one connected group. Play continues until someone wins.
Advanced rules allow players to move a piece that would split the configuration, with all the pieces in the smaller group removed from the game. The advanced rules then add another win condition, or more correctly a loss condition. If a player is left with fewer than six pieces they lose.
While the advanced rules add to how one must approach the game, a loss by simply being isolated with fewer than six pieces is less satisfying in terms of game play.
Released initially in 2003, and available through Fox Mind Games, Six plays quickly, has great components, simple rules, and transports and stores easily. In terms of what you want in a game, at least a two-player abstract, it's hard to find fault with Six when you add up the positives.
That said, like most games where you are looking to create a pattern, the first player has an advantage if they play perfectly against someone of comparable skill. And, while there are different ways to win, the strategy is not as deep as the best abstracts; Arimaa, Terrace, Chess and the like.
Still, this is a game accessible to all, and one well worth having in a collection.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 26, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Six is one of those games which really impresses on several levels.
To begin with it comes in a nice, small, cube-shaped box that is sturdy, and ideal for taking over to a bud's for a night of gaming, or down to the coffee shop to play a few games. That is a huge plus, and it stores well too.
Inside the wooden pieces, and yes wood is also a nice touch in terms of game pieces, are stored in a simple cloth bag, with an easy pull-string to keep the pieces safe. Another fine touch for Six.
The game pieces are hexagonal; shaped, with a set of red and a set of black. There is no board, with the pieces creating the play area as they are added to the the game. That means you can play Six on any flat surface, which is another plus.
The rulebook is well laid out, and has a number of coloured examples, so picking up how to play is very simple. Of course the rules are pretty basic too, which is good as well.
While a simple rule set, there is still some definite depth to this two-player abstract strategy game which was designed by Steffan Muhlhauser. To begin with, Six has three objectives with achieving any one of them creating a win.
To win you must either end up with six of your pieces in a straight line, or six pieces in a triangular shape, or have six pieces in a ring shape. Having multiple win conditions adds much to a strategic game, and is one of the nicest features of Six.
The game is played in what are two distinct phases. To begin with players take turns adding one piece of the their colour to the ever growing 'board' until all 38 pieces are played, or someone has achieved a winning position.
Once all the pieces are placed without a win, play continues with players again alternating as they move a previously placed piece of their colour. A player cannot move a piece that would leave the configuration split into more than one connected group. Play continues until someone wins.
Advanced rules allow players to move a piece that would split the configuration, with all the pieces in the smaller group removed from the game. The advanced rules then add another win condition, or more correctly a loss condition. If a player is left with fewer than six pieces they lose.
While the advanced rules add to how one must approach the game, a loss by simply being isolated with fewer than six pieces is less satisfying in terms of game play.
Released initially in 2003, and available through Fox Mind Games, Six plays quickly, has great components, simple rules, and transports and stores easily. In terms of what you want in a game, at least a two-player abstract, it's hard to find fault with Six when you add up the positives.
That said, like most games where you are looking to create a pattern, the first player has an advantage if they play perfectly against someone of comparable skill. And, while there are different ways to win, the strategy is not as deep as the best abstracts; Arimaa, Terrace, Chess and the like.
Still, this is a game accessible to all, and one well worth having in a collection.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 26, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Monday, August 24, 2009
Review -- YINSH
YINSH
If you are a fan of abstract strategy games, and that is of course my favoured boardgames genre, then you probably recognize that we are in a Renaissance era in terms of development right now.
While abstracts, such as chess, Shogi, Go, Othello and Camelot are lasting classics, for much of the 1900s developers didn't exactly create a bunch of notable abstracts. In fact, truly great abstracts between 1900 and 1999 were a rather scarey thing.
The last decade though that has changed with games such as Hive, Arimaa, and Navia Drapt coming along to impress.
Among the leaders of the resurgence of abstract is Kris Burm, a game designer who in terms of abstract strategy games at least, has to be considered a genius. Burm is of course the man behind the Gipf series of games, six abstracts released over the last decade, or so, and each one becoming an instant classic. This is a set of games that should still be popular a century from now, as long as they manage to keep the games in print so new gamers can easily access them. As a side note, that is the Achilles Heel of most game's in terms of longevity. They go out-of-print, making it difficult to sustain growth because new players can't easily buy them. As an example, I think of Terrace, an abstract gem, which is no longer in print.
But, I digress.
This is a week to sing the praises of one of Burma's great Gipf series games; Yinsh, released in 2003.
Let's start with a look at the components. There are basally pieces which remind of checkers. They are black on one side, and white on the other, and like in Othello, the pieces will get flipped back and forth throughout the game.
Each player also has five rings, which are crucial to game play.
All the pieces are in good quality plastic, and the folding pressed cardboard game board, while not particularly exciting in terms of graphics, or decoration, is very functional.
It all stores in a nice sized box identical to others in the Gipf series, which makes for an appealing collection on a shelf.
The rules of the game are quick to grasp too, with a rule book which is well laid out, detailed, and in multiple languages.
The game has elements of Othello, in the flipping of pieces, and several five-in-a-row games, since that is the short-term goal of the game. As a player you need to get five-in-a-row of your colour, which allows you to remove one of your rings from the board. Be the first to remove three rings and you win.
The board starts empty, and players take turns placing their five rings.
The rings are then moved on a turn. You place a marker where the ring is, and then move it in a straight line to a vacant spot on the board. In the move you can jump over other pieces (no rings) on the board, but then stop in the next vacant spot. The pieces jumped are flipped, which of course can help you establish a needed five-in-a-row, or it can help thwart the opponent's plans.
The game gets more interesting in the sense that as you remove rings, which are the key to victory, it also lessens the options you have, since only rings move. Pieces, once placed stay in the same spot throughout the game, but they can be flipped repeatedly.
What Burm has done is take some classic game features, think again of Othello and various five-in-a-row games, and added some innovative twists with the movement of rings, and the diminishing resource base on the way to victory to create a game which transcends the aforementioned root games.
This is a definite must for lovers of soon to be classic, two-player abstract game.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 19, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
If you are a fan of abstract strategy games, and that is of course my favoured boardgames genre, then you probably recognize that we are in a Renaissance era in terms of development right now.
While abstracts, such as chess, Shogi, Go, Othello and Camelot are lasting classics, for much of the 1900s developers didn't exactly create a bunch of notable abstracts. In fact, truly great abstracts between 1900 and 1999 were a rather scarey thing.
The last decade though that has changed with games such as Hive, Arimaa, and Navia Drapt coming along to impress.
Among the leaders of the resurgence of abstract is Kris Burm, a game designer who in terms of abstract strategy games at least, has to be considered a genius. Burm is of course the man behind the Gipf series of games, six abstracts released over the last decade, or so, and each one becoming an instant classic. This is a set of games that should still be popular a century from now, as long as they manage to keep the games in print so new gamers can easily access them. As a side note, that is the Achilles Heel of most game's in terms of longevity. They go out-of-print, making it difficult to sustain growth because new players can't easily buy them. As an example, I think of Terrace, an abstract gem, which is no longer in print.
But, I digress.
This is a week to sing the praises of one of Burma's great Gipf series games; Yinsh, released in 2003.
Let's start with a look at the components. There are basally pieces which remind of checkers. They are black on one side, and white on the other, and like in Othello, the pieces will get flipped back and forth throughout the game.
Each player also has five rings, which are crucial to game play.
All the pieces are in good quality plastic, and the folding pressed cardboard game board, while not particularly exciting in terms of graphics, or decoration, is very functional.
It all stores in a nice sized box identical to others in the Gipf series, which makes for an appealing collection on a shelf.
The rules of the game are quick to grasp too, with a rule book which is well laid out, detailed, and in multiple languages.
The game has elements of Othello, in the flipping of pieces, and several five-in-a-row games, since that is the short-term goal of the game. As a player you need to get five-in-a-row of your colour, which allows you to remove one of your rings from the board. Be the first to remove three rings and you win.
The board starts empty, and players take turns placing their five rings.
The rings are then moved on a turn. You place a marker where the ring is, and then move it in a straight line to a vacant spot on the board. In the move you can jump over other pieces (no rings) on the board, but then stop in the next vacant spot. The pieces jumped are flipped, which of course can help you establish a needed five-in-a-row, or it can help thwart the opponent's plans.
The game gets more interesting in the sense that as you remove rings, which are the key to victory, it also lessens the options you have, since only rings move. Pieces, once placed stay in the same spot throughout the game, but they can be flipped repeatedly.
What Burm has done is take some classic game features, think again of Othello and various five-in-a-row games, and added some innovative twists with the movement of rings, and the diminishing resource base on the way to victory to create a game which transcends the aforementioned root games.
This is a definite must for lovers of soon to be classic, two-player abstract game.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 19, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Review -- CONHEX
CONHEX
All right, I admit it, I am a total sucker for board games made of wood. There is something about a game fashioned out of wood that speaks of an older time, when there was some pride in producing a game that would last, that looked great, that was a pleasure to own.
So many games today are plastic and cardboard. They come across as cheap, no matter how good the game plays.
That is why I drooled over Gerhards Spiel und Design's version of Conhex when it arrived.
The board is beautifully rendered in wood, a heavy, nicely grained wood, that has a beveled bottom so that it looks absolutely amazing on the table come game time.
The pieces, of which there are both glass marbles, and wooden rectangular pieces. The wood pieces are stained a rich walnut brown, the other a tan.
The game even comes with two wooden dishes to hold the pieces as you play.
The quality of components with this version of Conhex are A+. It is an heirloom game in terms of the quality, meaning it should be something your great, great grandchildren cherish.
The game itself was created in 2002 by Michael Antonow, who really brought together a few different concepts in this two-player, abstract strategy game.
The basic premise has a player taking control of certain areas of the board in order to ultimately connect two sides of the boards with their pieces. Each player has a predetermined goal as to what sides they are seeking to connect.
Several abstracts have a similar goal, but Conhex has a slightly different mechanic at work by really combining two phases of game play.
The board is a pattern of non-regular hexagons with a few non-hexagonal polygons, which are referred to as cells in Conhex. Players alternate turns placing pieces of their own color marbles on a vertex on these geometric shaped area. A player can claim a cell after placing marbles on at least half the vertices of that space, at which time he marks the space by placing one of the rectangular wooden pieces. So as an example if a cell has six vertices (points) where marbles can be placed, a player must be the first to occupy at least three to claim the cell.
Once placed marbles and cell markers are not moved during the game.
The result of the mechanics is interesting, since players are really focusing on a number of small confrontations for control of certain cells, while always looking to further their efforts in terms of ultimately connecting their two sides before the opponent does.
The depth of strategy really comes in placing marbles at points which influence at least two, if not three cells. By so doing, even as an opponent moves to block your effort in one cell, you can gain advantage in an alternate cell which was influenced by the initial placement.
The game strategy is further influenced by the fact cells around the outer board have only three vertices, so are easy to gain control over than those that have six. The middle cell has five vertices for marble placement.
The rule set is simple, easy to teach, and aided by being visually easy to interpret, so getting a new player into this game is a breeze.
There are many decisions to make each turn in regards to moving to gain control of a cell, or to try and block the opponent, set against whether you want to try to use the outer areas because you can gain control more quickly, or go the inner route where each placement can influence multiple cells.
In spite of the choices to be made, Conhex plays rather quickly, in most cases under30-minutes.
The component quality, clear, concise rule set, abstract game nature, and quick play all combine to make this a true board game gem.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 12, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
All right, I admit it, I am a total sucker for board games made of wood. There is something about a game fashioned out of wood that speaks of an older time, when there was some pride in producing a game that would last, that looked great, that was a pleasure to own.
So many games today are plastic and cardboard. They come across as cheap, no matter how good the game plays.
That is why I drooled over Gerhards Spiel und Design's version of Conhex when it arrived.
The board is beautifully rendered in wood, a heavy, nicely grained wood, that has a beveled bottom so that it looks absolutely amazing on the table come game time.
The pieces, of which there are both glass marbles, and wooden rectangular pieces. The wood pieces are stained a rich walnut brown, the other a tan.
The game even comes with two wooden dishes to hold the pieces as you play.
The quality of components with this version of Conhex are A+. It is an heirloom game in terms of the quality, meaning it should be something your great, great grandchildren cherish.
The game itself was created in 2002 by Michael Antonow, who really brought together a few different concepts in this two-player, abstract strategy game.
The basic premise has a player taking control of certain areas of the board in order to ultimately connect two sides of the boards with their pieces. Each player has a predetermined goal as to what sides they are seeking to connect.
Several abstracts have a similar goal, but Conhex has a slightly different mechanic at work by really combining two phases of game play.
The board is a pattern of non-regular hexagons with a few non-hexagonal polygons, which are referred to as cells in Conhex. Players alternate turns placing pieces of their own color marbles on a vertex on these geometric shaped area. A player can claim a cell after placing marbles on at least half the vertices of that space, at which time he marks the space by placing one of the rectangular wooden pieces. So as an example if a cell has six vertices (points) where marbles can be placed, a player must be the first to occupy at least three to claim the cell.
Once placed marbles and cell markers are not moved during the game.
The result of the mechanics is interesting, since players are really focusing on a number of small confrontations for control of certain cells, while always looking to further their efforts in terms of ultimately connecting their two sides before the opponent does.
The depth of strategy really comes in placing marbles at points which influence at least two, if not three cells. By so doing, even as an opponent moves to block your effort in one cell, you can gain advantage in an alternate cell which was influenced by the initial placement.
The game strategy is further influenced by the fact cells around the outer board have only three vertices, so are easy to gain control over than those that have six. The middle cell has five vertices for marble placement.
The rule set is simple, easy to teach, and aided by being visually easy to interpret, so getting a new player into this game is a breeze.
There are many decisions to make each turn in regards to moving to gain control of a cell, or to try and block the opponent, set against whether you want to try to use the outer areas because you can gain control more quickly, or go the inner route where each placement can influence multiple cells.
In spite of the choices to be made, Conhex plays rather quickly, in most cases under30-minutes.
The component quality, clear, concise rule set, abstract game nature, and quick play all combine to make this a true board game gem.
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 12, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Review -- ART OF WAR
ART OF WAR
Sometimes the most interesting games are those which the creator self produces. In such cases it may not be the game is one of the most notable in terms of play, but there is such dedication to seeing the game produced in such instances you have to appreciate it on that level alone.
Art of War is one of those games.
Creator Nils Zilch has to be credited with the way he uses bits and pieces I am sure he picks up at the local craft store. That isn't to say the pieces aren't functional, because they work well, but it tells you the effort that has to go into creating each game.
The board itself has been marked using a wood burning set, and has a sort of country-creation charm to it.
The overall effect of the board and pieces is of a game you might find at an artisan's fair. That gives it a neat appeal.
By the name you have probably gathered this is a war game. That it is, and one which is basically a pure strategy game to boot, in that the lone die in the game has a limited impact. Instead players must use strategy to create victory.
Of course when it comes to 'battling', attempting to capture a territory, the die does come into play.
Zilch has thrown another wrinkle into things though in terms of dealing with the luck of the die. There is a karma chip in the game. One player randomly starts the game in control of the chip. At any time you may pass the chip to an opponent to change the result of a die roll. So each time a die is rolled, the chip can move around the table to influence the result.
One great aspect of the game is that it is scalable, allowing for two, three, four or six players. Not a lot of strategy games have that flexibility.
There are three actual types of pieces. Each player has a single monarch pieces. If that piece is captured during a game, you lose.
There are 25 civilian pieces per player. Civilian pieces are what allow a player to generate more pieces on the board. Each civilian piece in play is worth one point in terms of producing new pieces. If a player chooses to use his turn to build up his forces he simply adds up the number of civilian pieces, and then can in essence purchase more pieces, at a cost of one for civilians and two for military pieces.
Each player has 32 military pieces available to them, and as you might expect as they move around the board, they are the units which do battle.
From there the game is a pretty straight forward territorial battle, with players expanding their territory by capture.
Once you are in control of a hexagon on the board, you must maintain a presence there, so you cannot simply abandon the area.
The game also comes with eight 'General' cards. Each General has a specific special ability which of course impacts some aspect of game play. Players randomly select a card which is kept hidden until such time a player opts to use the special ability, at which time the card is revealed, and that General's ability can be further utilized.
The General cards are a simple way of adding a bit of a 'wild card' aspect to the game, and to keeping things fresh. With eight choices, the game play can be quite different from game-to-game based on the cards.
The battles come down to a fairly basic mechanic of who has the greatest number, with some impact by the dice. That aspect of the game isn't particularly deep, or exciting.
Where the game has its greatest merit is in the continual choice each turn of whether you move forces to expand territory and do battle, or do you produce new forces, which is essentially building your resource base for future expansion.
Mix in the general cards which are a nice twist, and the karma chip for a little luck control, and game play is at least interesting enough to warrant some games. Add the aesthetics of the self-produced game, and Art of War has its charms.
Check the game out at www.zilchgames.net
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 5, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
Sometimes the most interesting games are those which the creator self produces. In such cases it may not be the game is one of the most notable in terms of play, but there is such dedication to seeing the game produced in such instances you have to appreciate it on that level alone.
Art of War is one of those games.
Creator Nils Zilch has to be credited with the way he uses bits and pieces I am sure he picks up at the local craft store. That isn't to say the pieces aren't functional, because they work well, but it tells you the effort that has to go into creating each game.
The board itself has been marked using a wood burning set, and has a sort of country-creation charm to it.
The overall effect of the board and pieces is of a game you might find at an artisan's fair. That gives it a neat appeal.
By the name you have probably gathered this is a war game. That it is, and one which is basically a pure strategy game to boot, in that the lone die in the game has a limited impact. Instead players must use strategy to create victory.
Of course when it comes to 'battling', attempting to capture a territory, the die does come into play.
Zilch has thrown another wrinkle into things though in terms of dealing with the luck of the die. There is a karma chip in the game. One player randomly starts the game in control of the chip. At any time you may pass the chip to an opponent to change the result of a die roll. So each time a die is rolled, the chip can move around the table to influence the result.
One great aspect of the game is that it is scalable, allowing for two, three, four or six players. Not a lot of strategy games have that flexibility.
There are three actual types of pieces. Each player has a single monarch pieces. If that piece is captured during a game, you lose.
There are 25 civilian pieces per player. Civilian pieces are what allow a player to generate more pieces on the board. Each civilian piece in play is worth one point in terms of producing new pieces. If a player chooses to use his turn to build up his forces he simply adds up the number of civilian pieces, and then can in essence purchase more pieces, at a cost of one for civilians and two for military pieces.
Each player has 32 military pieces available to them, and as you might expect as they move around the board, they are the units which do battle.
From there the game is a pretty straight forward territorial battle, with players expanding their territory by capture.
Once you are in control of a hexagon on the board, you must maintain a presence there, so you cannot simply abandon the area.
The game also comes with eight 'General' cards. Each General has a specific special ability which of course impacts some aspect of game play. Players randomly select a card which is kept hidden until such time a player opts to use the special ability, at which time the card is revealed, and that General's ability can be further utilized.
The General cards are a simple way of adding a bit of a 'wild card' aspect to the game, and to keeping things fresh. With eight choices, the game play can be quite different from game-to-game based on the cards.
The battles come down to a fairly basic mechanic of who has the greatest number, with some impact by the dice. That aspect of the game isn't particularly deep, or exciting.
Where the game has its greatest merit is in the continual choice each turn of whether you move forces to expand territory and do battle, or do you produce new forces, which is essentially building your resource base for future expansion.
Mix in the general cards which are a nice twist, and the karma chip for a little luck control, and game play is at least interesting enough to warrant some games. Add the aesthetics of the self-produced game, and Art of War has its charms.
Check the game out at www.zilchgames.net
-- CALVIN DANIELS
-- Review first appeared in Yorkton This Week newspaper Aug. 5, 2009 - Yorkton, SK. Canada
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