FLORENZA the CARD GAME You Already Have in Front of You (So You SPONSORED by FLORENTINE FAMILIES Must Pay It Now and Turn the Card Over to See the VP Granted)

ISSUE 459 -DECEMBER 2013 ISSN 0257-361X Volume 37

THE GAMES JOURNAL www.gamesjournal.at

INTERNATIONAL EDITION: IN THIS ISSUE WE PRESENT 55 GAMES OUR REVIEW u TRAINS

bine different categories for a new game, DOMINION MEETS RAILWAY GAME achieving quite different results from “not here - not there” to “ingenious”. So - what happens if you cross-breed a deck TRAINS building game with a railway game? The RAILS ARE ARRIVING result is called Trains and is a design of the Japanese game designer Hisashi Hayashi. The German language edition is published People love to categorize the world! So, ly most popular categories are deck build- by Pegasus Spiele. small wonder that board games, too, are ing games and railway games. put into category boxes. Two of the current- Now and then game designers try to com- The basic mechanism was taken from Do-

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 2 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at TRAINS / 40 LINES FOR MEEPLES t OUR REVIEW

minion (For an elaborate description of the Much more important in Trains are the Dominion mechanism please see other re- points that you can set up on the board. views.) Even the cards in Trains correspond Furthermore, the basic deck building mech- for the bigger part to their equivalents anism is, due to the heavily felt spamming in Dominion. There are Train cards corre- of your deck with cards that are completely sponding to the Money cards in Dominion, useless, considerably weakened. and therefore can be used to pay for other things and for which even the ratio of cost/ The variation in cards and thus the replay efficiency corresponds 1:1 to that of the value are, of course, considerably higher Dominion Core game. There are several in Dominion, with its by now innumerable randomizer cards with varying abilities and expansions. But this gives a lot of potential effects, only eight of those cards are used for Trains, as well as for new cards as for new in an individual game of Trains and provide boards. some variation, again nearly identical to Do- For me, the allure of a deck building game is minion. There are also victory point cards, essentially, even before an elegant mecha- even those are very similar to those in Do- nism, is in the options for deck building. And in that aspect Trains is, at least so far, Markus Wawra clearly weaker than Dominion, even when Trains turns Dominion into a railway game and, taken all considering the railway part of the game. in all, this artistic feat works quite well. But in the long run But that is my personal opinion and I am it doesn‘t really enormous me. The strategic choices are sure that Trains will have its fans. Its exis- rather limited and this reduces the replay value. In total a rather average game, but with lots of potential if followed tence, all in all, is justified. And so I would by very good expansions. place it somewhere in the middle between 40 Lines for Meeples “not here - not there” and “ingenious”. There Dagmar de Cassan, Editor-in-Chief are better deck building games and there are better railway games, but the mixture is minion, but providing a manifestly worse interesting and will gladly join a game when cost/efficiency ratio. Trains is put on the table. þ Markus Wawra Entirely new in Trains are those cards that take the railroad game into play. First and Which game shall we put on the table today, foremost I need to mention the game board which game will a play at all over the coming that is spread on the table. This board shows INFORMATION twelve months? a map featuring plains, rivers, mountains, PLAYERS: Especially at Christmas, when underneath towns, oceans and out-of-the-way loca- Designer: Hisashi Hayashi 2-4 our tree - I’m assuming that our readers are tions. The basic game comes with two such Artist: Ryo Nyamo AGE: famous for games among their family and boards, for Tokyo and Osaka. You can now Price: ca. 40 Euro 12+ friends - there is not much else but games. use Rail Laying cards to place railway tracks Publisher: Pegasus Spiele 2013 TIME: And what do we give to ourselves? New into those landscapes, an action costing a www.pegasus.de 60+ games! bit more or a bit less money, which must Maybe I exaggerate a bit, but all the same be paid for with the afore-mentioned Train we have an overflow of games in our limited cards. Each player builds his own railway EVALUATION and cluttered space. And unless a next-gen- network in this way. At the end of the game Deck building, railways eration member moves out, we must reduce players score victory points for connecting Users: With friends our games. Version: de towns and out-of-the-way locations. How- Rules: de en fr jp And this leaves the question, how? ever, towns must first be upgraded in order In-game text: yes Shall we give away games that have not been to yield victory points. For such upgrades Comments: played for a long time or never? there are the Station cards, which allow you Dominion variant * Simple, clear design * Or those games that are simply not fun? Standard mechanisms to set up a train station in any town of your Or those games, that my fellow players do not Compares to: choice. Dominion and its variants like, but which I like? Other editions: What do you think, do you think about this It must be mentioned here that you have Okazu /Japon Brand, Alderac, Filosofia at all? Do you leave it to chance? Or to some- to take a completely useless Waste card body else? both for playing Stations cards and for Play- More and more fantastic new games will not ing of Rail Laying cards or Buying Victory make this decision easier. We want to assist a Point Cards. The consequence is, that play- little bit with our reviews! ers’ decks are constantly and permanently Merry Christmas! bursting with garbage, in the truest sense Do you like our WIN? If yes, please become a of the word. subscriber! We have a PayPal account, so the payment of € 6,00 for an annual subscription All in all, Trains, despite all similarities, plays can be made easily and safely, see also rather differently compared to Dominion. http://www.gamesjournal.at. While you need to buy victory points in Do- Unser Games companion GAME BY GAME minion in the guise of cards, this turns out 2014 is available since SPIEL at Essen: to be a rather inefficient track in in Trains. My rating: http://www.gamescompanion.at 

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 3 OUR REVIEW u WOOOLF!!

depending on the number of players - first WHO IS THE SHEEP? or maximum as the third player, you are voicing a so called “early suspicion”. Such an early suspicion is rewarded with 2 in- WOOOLF!! stead of 1 victory point, but - should you be AND WHERE IS THE BIG BAD WOLF HIDING? wrong - cancels your right to voice an early suspicion in the next round of the game. If you voice a suspicion you turn the wheels Who is the wolf, where are the sheep, is card shows an additionally small circle that on your spinner to mark the numbers of there a sheep at all? Damn and blast, is there either shows the character of the card or a those players who you suspect to be the a dog or not? These questions and many question mark. If the circle depicts the card characters corresponding to the marks on more are asked all the time and you will ask character, for instance the hunter, you place your cards- characters. Should one cha- them yourself while playing a deduction your hunter marker in front of the player. All racter really be embodied by to players it is game of Wooolf (yes, the title is spelled with other players have now also received this sufficient to mark one of them. The wolf has three o), published by Capstone and in a information. If the circle shows a question only one goal, he needs to find a sheep; but German version by Smiling Monster Games. mark, however, you place a question mark as sheep are not always in play it can take tile in front of the player, and all others have Wooolf is fun, an incredible lot of fun, but learned a lot less than you - but this can be Gert Stöckl only in a congenial group of players, oh, and valuable too, as not every character has a Definitely one of the best deductions games, probably just by the way, a bit of deduction is required question mark in the circle. But there is an because it manages to get be entirely without werewolves or vampires, albeit there always being a big bad wolf! too, just playing along as in a simple dice exception for the Shepherd. If he should game is not in the cards, you must employ see the character in the little circle instead your brain to arrive at the right conclusions of a question mark, he - as the notorious on which character is played by who? old swindler that he is - must always place some time to be really sure. a wolf marker in front of this player. This So, what’s really going on? Each of the five can really cause some confusion on the one When two or three early suspicions have to eight players (best, four players is pos- hand, but also, on the other hand, reveal the been voiced, all other players are now enti- sible with a special rule) is dealt two secret Shepherd if someone should already have tled to voice a final suspicion. This of course character cards. The cards each show one deduced correctly who really is the wolf! creates some tension, especially if you have character and a number value (Sheep - 1, only rudimentary suppositions about your Dog - 2, Hunter - 3, Shepherd - 4 and Wolf - 3. Beginning with the second round each target characters. At the same time the end 5). Despite being dealt two cards you have player can voice a suspicion; if you do that - of the round is triggered. All turn up their to impersonate the character of higher value of those two cards. This means that there is always a wolf, but it is possible that some character(s) are not in play, because you will only be a sheep if you have been dealt two sheep. On a summary card you find the number of character chards of each kind that are used for the various numbers of players. Each player is also given two random questions card, a suspect board featuring 2 spinners with arrows and clue markers of his color.

In your turn you have one of three choices:

1. You can place a question card in front of another player on which for instance sheep, shepherd and hunter are depicted. The questioned player must answer truthfully if he impersonates one of those three characters by placing the question card under his summary card, showing yes or no which corresponds to his answer,. Another kind of question cards does not ask directly about the player’s character, but for instance if one of the two cards of the person questioned is a dog. Such a question must be answe- red truthfully, too, but does not give away much, as the card - if the answer was yes - could well be the one of lower value.

2. You can draw one of the two cards of another player at random and look at it. Each

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 4 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at WOOOLF!! / GABIS t OUR REVIEW

GAMES BUYER INFORMATION SYSTEM - GABIS

STRUCTURE Each game review also features an evaluation which can help you to find the game that best suits your tastes. The color accompanying each game title represents the USER Group. The headline also contains icons for age and number of players. The BAR in the evaluation box displays color codes for up to 10 features of a game.

USER GROUP We have defined 4 target groups (color accompanying the head line)

Kinder: Games for children an educational games. Adults can play in a guiding function. Familien: Children and parents play together, all have the same chance to win and have fun. Freunde: Young people and adults play together as equals Experten: Games with special demands on rules and playing time. Especially for game geeks

Please note for the user groups Children, Family and Friends: Children who love to play can be ahead of their peers! Please note that our target group “families” does not imply the classical concept of „family games“! Furthermore, our user groups can overlap. The choice of suitable games always depends on your playing partners and your fun with games! Games that are especially eligible for Solo play or for 2 players or Large groups of players are marked with an icon.

FEATURES Each game targets preferences for different features in a player, therefore each game is not suitable for each player. We have listed 10 features players note when deciding on a game. Only if a player finds his preferred features in a game he will enjoy the game. The color code marks the dominant features. Educational games train the highlighted preference.

Empty boxes: This feature is neclectable or not present One colored box: This feature is present, but not essential Two colored boxes: This feature is present and important in the game Three colored boxes: This feature is dominant and essential

Chance: The game is influenced by dice, cards or any other form of random generator Tactics: Take decision, short-term planning, planning based on one move Strategy: Think ahead, long-term planning, planning for several moves Creativity: The player has to provide words, phrases, images and other creative efforts Knowledge: Cultural and educational knowledge, long-term memory Memory: Remember, learn by heart, short-time memory Communication: Talk to each other, negotiate, inform Interaction: Influencing each other, bluffing, auction Dexterity Motor skills Action: Body movement, balance and reaction

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Version: The edition of the game on which the review is based Rules: This lists the languages in which rules are available or are included in the game, often even more translations can be found on the web. In-game text: A YES marks a game with language- dependent components that cannot be played without translation or knowledge of the language

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 5 OUR REVIEW u WOOOLF!! / MAUS UND MYSTIK

character cards and check if their suspicions are correct or not and take the correspond- PRETTY LITTLE ANGEL MOUSE! ing victory markers or error markers. The game ends after three rounds or if one player must take his second error marker. MAUS UND MYSTIK SORROW AND REMEMBRANCE Resume: Wooolf is a game that is well liked in nearly all of my gaming rounds, albeit only if you not reject deduction games. “‘Ah! the mice – the mice are coming again!’ exclaimed Maria, in affright; magician Maginos transformed them, in- and she was about to wake her mother, but her voice failed her, and she could Sometimes randomness can be respon- stir neither hand nor foot, for she saw the Mouse-King work his way out of a cluding himself. The sorceress, though, sets sible for considerable discrepancies in avail- hole in the wall, then run, with sparkling eyes and crowns, around and around her hunters – transformed into vermin as able information; it can be very frustrating the chamber, when, at last, with a desperate leap, he sprang upon the little well – on their tracks. table, that stood close by her bed. when one of the players already voices an ‘Hi – hi – hi – must give me thy sugar-plums – thy ginger-bread – little thing In addition, the mice heroines and heroes early suspicion in his second game, which is – or I will bite thy Nutcracker – thy Nutcracker!’ – So squeaked the Mouse- have to face more dangers still in the castle something that especially the wolf manag- King,and snapped and grated hideously with his teeth, then sprang down again and away through the hole in the wall.” and its underground caves and cellars: traps es sometimes, as he has only one target! But Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann, “Nutcracker and Mouse-King” (mouse traps, that is!), poison, evil cats and this is part of the game it is usually of sec- (Translated from the German by Mrs. St. Simon) hungry birds are only the most obvious of ondary interest who the winner is, because these evils. But they also make allies. For fun takes first place and usually you can hear The cooperative adventure role-playing some of these, probably future adventures happy laughter when the Shepherd has game “Mice and Mystics” takes us into the will tell, whether they were humans once once again led a deduction astray with his fairy-tale realm of King Andon. The witch or belong to the fairy tale personnel of the wolf marker, a fact, for which he scores extra queen Vanestra causes the widowed mon- kingdom. points, by the way. Wooolf can be especially arch to fall for her, body and soul. Even The game begins – according to the recom- recommended to larger groups of friends, before the wedding, she has the old king mended order of the adventure booklet and also especially because there are not already under her spell. So he, becoming “Sorrow and Remembrance” – right after that many games that can be played with mysteriously weaker and sicker every day, the transformation of the five characters eight players in a reasonable time frame. transfers all his powers to her. His son, Prince (number six , the mouse heroine named For Spiel 13 at Essen two small expansions Collin, and a faithful few of the king’s entou- “Lily”, has her appearance in the second were published: Little Red Riding Hood und rage are planning a conspiracy against Van- scenario and will join the group after that), Three Little Pigs. þ estra, but are tracked down by her minions. including Prince Collin, into more or less Gert Stöckl Collin and his followers barely escape in the courageous mice. form of little mice, into which the old court The focus in “Mice and Mystics” is on taking INFORMATION PLAYERS: Designer: Bono Light 4-8

Artist: Tommy Ng AGE: Price: ca. 18 Euro 8+ Publisher: Capstone Games 2013 TIME: www-smiling-monster.de 30+

EVALUATION

deduction Users: With friends Version: multi Rules: cn de en In-game text: no Comments: Good for larger groups * Good combination of chance and deduction * Different task for each role Compares to: All deduction game with role cards, e.g. Bang, The Resistance, Jäger der Nacht Other editions: Currently none My rating:

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 6 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at MAUS UND MYSTIK t OUR REVIEW

on the role of a magical rodent (or more always have to hurry, since whenever they cooperative adventure game to have more than one) to live through their story. The are caught just hanging around without an emphasis on planning, scheming and strat- mice characters have to fulfil various tasks opponent at the end of a round, you have egy than on the outcome of a dice roll. on the variable game board tiles, e. g. detect to put another piece-of-Cheese-token onto Although “Mice and Mystics” is set in a fairy clues, find new allies or collect items. Each the clock face of the Story Control Board. tale world (the mice are really cute, by the adventure stands for a chapter of the fairy Whenever there are six Cheese Tokens on way) and Jerry Hawthorne, the author, is ap- tale story that will lead the mice to success the clock face, a page is turned, that is, the parently firmly convinced that his game is and to the downfall of evil Vanestra. hour-glass marker moves one box closer to suitable for players as young as seven years The mechanisms of “Mice and Mystics” are the Chapter End Marker. Combat is resolved of age, we deem this recommendation a not new, but combined interestingly. Every by rolling the Action Dice. Both mice and the bit risky. First of all, there are undoubtedly adventure begins with a lengthy introduc- respective opponent throw as many dice as some drastic horror elements in the story tion, describing the mission for the hero- indicated on their character sheets (special – Vanestra turns into a Shelob-like spider ines and heroes. Then the players set up rules or equipment cards may modify the creature; several episodes have the mice the game board as specified in the relevant amount) and add the appropriate symbols characters, already in safety themselves, chapter. Usually this playing area consists for attack or defense. If you score more at- overhear rather cruel deaths of their op- of at least three square room tiles. There tack than defense symbols, you cause cor- ponents; many rats die in an explosion and responding damage. By the way, since the following inferno. Moreover, some of Martina, Martin und Markus there is no Games Master at “Mice and Mys- the game’s rules are not at all easy to re- Charming, albeit quite dark role playing board game that tics”, fellow players roll for the rats, spiders, member, so one might have to browse the intends to win younger players for fantasy games by its cockroaches, etcetera. Whether and how a rules manual constantly for clarifications on topic, but due to the length of the game and the complex single-person game would work (“Mice and details – not much fun for anybody, least of rules we rather recommend it for more experienced players. Mystics” is recommended for one to four all for young players. Our recommendation “mice” players after all) we do not know. – and in spite of all these objections mentioned above, we feel “Mice and Mystics” are different rooms printed on both sides The game is not very complicated, the set- is largely a well-made game – would be to of the cardboard tiles; often on one side up is easy and relatively quick, the playing start playing only when older than primary they depict a room of the castle and on the pieces (mice, rats, roaches, centipede, spi- school age and, if at all possible, a majority other side the tunnels or vaults beneath der) are exquisitely done and even though of participants should have some playing that room. In the instruction booklet you there is quite a number of cards (character history with “Mice and Mystics”. þ can read about special rules or about spe- sheets, initiative cards for ranking on the Martina & Martin Lhotzky, cial conditions (e. g. which cards to choose initiative bar, encounter cards, equipment Marcus Steinwender or whom the mice will have to encounter) cards, spell cards, etc.) and tokens (mouse- for this quest and, not least, target and du- traps, items, boss monster markers, wound INFORMATION ration of this adventure. (Re. duration: place counters, etc.) they do not slow down the PLAYERS: the Chapter End Marker on the appropri- flow of the game unnecessarily. The rule- Designer: Jerry Hawthorne 1-4 ate square of the Story Control Board; un- book is relatively well structured, has a use- Artist: John Ariosa AGE: less the mice manage to fulfil their targets ful, if still expandable index. Some incon- Price: ca. 43 Euro 7+ before the round marker – an hour-glass sistencies (and annoying, but at least only Publisher: Heidelberger 2013 TIME: shaped token – reaches the End Marker, the a few misprints) remain, though. While the www.heidelbaer.de 120+ mice lose out on that adventure.) There may special and additional rules in the respective also be instructions how many and which scenarios are nicely listed and explained, it characters should go on that quest: some- is rather difficult to always keep in mind the EVALUATION times Prince Collin absolutely has to take numerous subtleties in the basic rules. In or- Fantasy, cooperative part, sometimes only three or four mice are der not to unduly lengthen the duration of Users: For families Version: de permitted, but at other times all six avail- the chapters of “Sorrow and Remembrance“, Rules: de en es fr it able characters are required to go. it is advisable to time and again turn a blind In-game text: yes eye to some of these inconsistencies – at Comments: On their way through corridors and halls least in the first few gaming sessions. Once Player age notation seems low, 10+ would be more appropriate * Hard to categorize, almost completely devoid of human be- you gained more experience you can try intended for children, but experience in ings (except for old cook Bertha, who plays any previous adventure again. Already playing is of advantage * Comes with 11 a significant role, and for King Andon, who Plaid Hat Games released some expansions different scenarios Compares to: waits to be saved) the mice constantly en- (one even with additional playing pawns Die Legenden von Andor counter unpleasant adversaries. Sometimes / models). The German-language edition Other editions: these are just annoying roaches, but often with Heidelberger Spieleverlag is about to Ediciones MasQueOca, Filosofia Édition, Plaid Hat enough rat warriors (before their transfor- follow suit in the first quarter of 2014, as an- Games, Raven Distribution mation into rodents they were Vanestra’s nounced in the mid of January. thugs), poisonous creepy crawlies, giant spiders, hungry crows or Brodie, the Castle The randomness factor is surprisingly high Cat, are molesting our mice. Therefore, they in “Mice and Mystics”. Since there is a signifi- have to fight off the enemies most of the cant amount of fighting and even encoun- time before they can enter a new room. tering opponents is usually depending on Moreover, those pesky attackers consider- the random Encounter Card in play at any ably hinder the searching and finding ac- given point in the game, for our liking it is tions the characters have to undertake to far too often that we have to roll the dice. It reach their mission objectives. And the mice would be desirable in such a complex and My rating:

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 7 OUR REVIEW u FLORENZA: THE CARD GAME

front of you. Of course you have to pay the SCULPTORS, PAINTERS, ARCHITECTS cost (resources and money) and use an appropriate Artist (as indicated on the Monu- ment): the Artist must be one of those that FLORENZA THE CARD GAME you already have in front of you (so you SPONSORED BY FLORENTINE FAMILIES must pay it now and turn the card over to see the VP granted). As an alternative you may use one of the Central Artists if avail- When you open the box Florenza the Card a job but must be returned to the table after able: they are much cheaper but you will Game, a new release from the Italian com- being used: they are cheap but they do not pany “Placentia Games” you will not be sur- grant VP. Finally a card, called CAPITANO DEL Pietro Cremona prised: you will find only cards, and to be POPOLO (people’s chieftain), grants the role A game for expert players but very interesting also for occa- precise 220 standard cards (88x58 mm) and of CAPITANO in the following turn to the sional players or for family play (provided that someone is able to explain it the first time). 110 smaller cards (68x44 mm). The graphics player that takes it. and the game idea are largely similar to the “big brother” FLORENZA, published in 2011: Artists are necessary in order to decorate not gain any VP from them. same Artists, same Buildings, etc. but with palaces, monuments or churches in Firenze - Place a card Florenza on the table: you this “small brother” you need only one hour and grant VP. But Artists must be paid (and must pay the necessary cost in resources to complete a game. You may also easily the best of them are not at all cheap...) so and money teach and play it with the family or with oc- you need not only to get the materials for - Activate a Central Card: you select it and casional players if you have the time to ex- the buildings but also some money income. execute the related action (take a resource, plain it: the best way should be to start the For that reason during the first and second transform a resource in money, change a game with them, play a couple of rounds turn it is very important to purchase shops card with another, etc.) turning the card on to let the others feel comfortable with the and artisans, if possible, as they will produce the back: it cannot be used again by the rules and then... start again and play to the part of the necessary materials and will gen- other players in this round. end. You will not be disappointed. erate the needed money. - Take a card Florenza from the deck - Take 50 Fiorini from the Bank COMPONENTS THE GAME - Go to the Market: here you may sell a Re-

The standard size cards are divided into four Each player receive a “Family” card (Medici, categories: Strozzi, Pitti, Pazzi), 300 Fiorini and a re- - Cards FLORENZA (76): these source per type (Marble, Wood, Iron, Cloth, are the real heart of the game and show Gold and Spices). The 20 CENTRAL CARDS the buildings of Firenze during Renais- are placed on the table as well as 10 ART- sance (houses, shops, etc.) together with ISTS (or less if players are only 2 or 3) that churches, palaces, etc. Your task is to deco- you place in a row under the Central cards. rate as many of them as possible. The deck Another row is formed with 7 MONU- includes also some Black Friars (whose role MENTS. The cards FLORENZA are divided will be explained later). in three decks (marked I, II and III) and you - Cards MONUMENTS (27): if built start distributing 5 cards to each player from they give Victory Points (VP) to the players. deck I: the remaining ones are arranged in a - Cards RESOURCES (86): they are drawing deck, putting them over deck II and used to accumulate the different resources both over deck III. The First Player is decided (Wood, Marble, Iron, Cloth, Gold and Spic- and he receive the TURN card. es) in a way similar to Settlers of Catan. You You may now start the game. On his turn need them in order to pay the buildings and each player has the possibility to perform the Artists FOUR ACTIONS to be selected between the - Cards FIORINI (28): they are the following: money of that time (in values of 50, 100 and - Enlist an Artist: you simply select a card 500 Fiorini). from the available row and put it in front of - Finally we have a card CAPITANO you without turning it. So you know which and two SUMMARY cards kind of artist is (painter, sculptor or architect) but you do not know yet his exact value (that Most of the smaller cards (85) show the dif- will be one of the possible values printed on ferent ARTISTS of that time: Painters, Sculp- the card’s back: this is important as you may tors and Architects. Each of them is avail- select an Artist knowing his minimum and able in more than one card, but each has a maximum value). different value in VP. - Take a Monument from the table: you keep Other 20 cards (called CENTRAL CARDS) are it in your hand (this is an action you use placed on the table at the set-up and will when you see an important monument but be used by the players to do different AC- you do not have yet the resources or the art- TIONS. When used those cards are “blocked” ist available). until the end of the turn and cannot be se- - Build a Monument: you may play a previ- lected again. Three of those cards show less ously collected card from your hand or take famous Artists that can be used to complete a card from the available row and place it in

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 8 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at FLORENZA: THE CARD GAME t OUR REVIEW

source for 100 Fiorini or buy a resource for a sure gap because those cards give an im- - 6 Iron (11,3 % ) 100 Fiorini or discard two resources from mediate advantage both in resources and - 6 Gold (11,3 %) your hand to take a different one of your in flexibility (they grant you extra actions). - 6 Spices (11,3 %) choice. During play you may fill this gap with a - 3 Cloth (5,6 %) good strategy, but in the very rare case that Each player, on his turn, may perform ONLY you were so unlucky that you initial hand It is clear that only with a good reserve of ONE of the available 4 actions. When all does not contains buildings AND SHOPS Marble and Wood you will be able to build players played or passed the CAPITANO your possibilities of victory are really very highly rewarding monuments in the last calls for possible extra actions. First all play- low (no extra turns, no extra resources and/ turns. ers that own a PALAGIO (palace) may per- or money). form one action; then the same for all play- Buildings and Shops are included only in Before ending this review let’s share a few ers that owns a CASAMENTO (large build- decks I and II so you must try to find some suggestions: keep an eye since the begin- ing), followed by those who own a CASA of them in turn 1 or 2: at the beginning of ning to the best Monuments (16-19 VP) and (house). Finally all players with a PREDICA- the game it is very important to build, if pos- take one of them as soon as possible, then TORE (Black Friar) may perform an action. sible, as those buildings will grant you extra try to get also and intermediate monument In summary each player has available a actions, resources and/or money for the fol- (8-12 VP) and a couple of high value Artists minimum of 4 actions and a maximum of 8 lowing 3-4 turns. that may be used on those Monuments. If (as no one may have two identical cards in you have the possibility to make a choice front of him). About 50% of the Florenza Cards of “Deck I” between different building in your hand of need WOOD to be activated so you should turn 1 and 2 select the ones that will help At the end of each turn you discard most of try to use the two CENTRAL cards that offer you in your strategy or that give you most the Monuments (you keep in play only the this resource, even before deciding to acti- money (that you may them use to purchase two most valuable) and all the Artists that vate your buildings: in effect if you build a resources at the market). remain on the table. Two new rows of those Palagio (or Casamento, Casa, Predicatore) as As soon as you fix your strategy you should cards are laid. The players discard all but one the fourth action you may immediately use follow it without dispersions because re- of the Florenza cards that have in hand. their extra action. For that reason one of the sources are scarce; eventually build some- best cards in the first turn is the Boscaiolo thing else to get extra VP, but only if you The Capitano now pays the “Incomes” to (woods cutter) as it gives you 1 Wood for have extra resources that you will not use each player: some are fixed (200 Fiorini, 1 free each turn. Another useful card is the for your monuments. þ Marble and 1 Wood), some depend on the Picconiere (pickman) that grants 1 Marble Pietro Cremona buildings that each player has in front of per turn. him and one extra resource is decided by Marble is used in 7 of the Deck I cards, but the Capitano himself (he select a type and increase to 12 cards from the Deck II so you INFORMATION all players take one). have to try to collected it from the begin- PLAYERS: The game last 5 turns. ning in order to arrive at the final turns with Designer: Stefano Groppi 2-4 a good reserve. It is better to avoid to build Artist: Ivan Zoni und Team AGE: THE VICTORY POINTS (VP) “light” monuments and concentrate on the Price: ca. 30 Euro 14+ most valuable ones, even if you will be able Publisher: Placentia Games 2013 TIME: At the end of the game each player sums to build them only later in the game. Of www.placentiagames.it 60+ the VP written on the exposed cards in front course another strategy could be to ignore of him (monuments, palaces, and artists) the “heavy” monuments and concentrate and the eventual bonus that he may get on “many” light buildings. The decision very EVALUATION from special buildings. Players with most of often depends on the initial hand of cards Play, place, collect cards Fiorini or Resources also get other VP (4 VP and your initial position on the turn. Users: For experts Version: multi to the first, 2 to the second, 1 to the third). Rules: de en fr it Total your VP and subtract the VP printed To give you a better idea of the available op- In-game text: no on the buildings and Artists that remained portunities let’s look at some numbers. In Comments: in each player’s hand. total the 27 Monuments need 125 resourc- Several possible winning strategies * Scar- city of resources, so keep to one strategy * The winner, of course is the player with the es, but not equally divided, as the following Good combination of standard mechanisms higher score. table shows: Compares to: Florenza the Board Game COMMENTS - 45 Marble (36 %) Other editions: - 23 Wood (18,4 %) Currently none FLORENZA THE CARD GAME is simple to ex- - 17 Iron (13,6 %) plain and easy to play but a couple of games - 14 Gold (11,2 %) are necessary to have a good idea on how - 14 Spices (11,2 %) to proceed and which are the best “combo” - 12 Cloth (9,6 %) that you have to try once you know your initial hand of cards. The game does not have But if we analyze ONLY the 7 most reward- special or innovative mechanics but the fi- ing Monuments (those with 12 to 19 VP) nal result is nice and interactive. Lady “Luck” we find a different distributions of the 53 is a sensible factor, as it happens in all card resources: games, especially on the initial distribution of cards: if you do not receive any building - 22 Marble (41,5 %)

(Palagio, Casamento o Casa) you start with - 10 Wood (18,8 %) My rating:

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front of a player with the Transsib Line from ACROSS RUSSIA ON THE TRANSSIB Moscow to Vladivostok being at the top. Furthermore, the board shows two additional tracks that you can build. One of those RUSSIAN RAILROADS tracks it that from Moscow to St. Petersburg, ALL ROADS BEGIN IN MOSKAU the other one that from Moscow to Kiev. The most important of those three tracks is the Transsib, because this track introdu- Players take up the guise of an owner of business, but they can be easily looked up a railroad company. In this role they try to in the rule book. Isabella Schranz expand their own track network in a way Now and then you should try to manipulate the turn order that earns most money and thus is the most A short explanation must be given on the so that you can do certain actions first; because first come, first served. profitable. History tells us that with the rail- player boards and the main board. Let‘s start roads industrialization grows, too, and this with the main board, which is divided into leads in turn to rising prosperity. To this ef- four different areas. These areas provide dif- ces, after the black track pieces, the other fect railroad owners support engineers, in- ferent actions for all players to use in order colored tracks, which earn more and more dustrial tycoons and unskilled workers. to improve their track network. victory points. Therefore and also due to the The net of railroads that can generate most length of the Transsib Track you can, contra- victory points in the course of the game There is one area for track building which as- ry to the other two tracks, have two engines will be the most successful, so our goal is sists, yes, in building additional track; there on the Transsib. to acquire as many victory points as possi- is an analogous are for engines or industries. The player board also features an Industry ble. But before you can start to work at your Engines determine the distance you can co- track. The marker for this track is on posi- network you must clear up some things and ver on one of the lines of track, and Indust- tion Zero at the start of the game, and for make some preparations: ries provide a variation of additional advan- each position that you advance on the In- tages for a player. Among those areas you dustry track you receive victory points in The board is laid out in the middle, easily also find a general area which accommoda- scoring. But there comes a position on the accessible for all players, and each player is tes all those actions that did not really fit any track where you have to have industries in given a player board, five of seven unskilled of the other areas, but are all the same very order to advance your marker any further workers and two pawns in his color. Both useful and helpful. The third are is very im- on the track. Industries have effects which pawns of each player are placed on the portant for the turn order of players - if you are very useful for extending your own track board, one on the track of victory points want to change this order you must plan an network. and the other on the track for turn order action in this area. Another area is the area which is the first hint of the fact the turn for engineers. These, again, are valuable and Tracks sections come in different colors and order can change during the game. There advantageous assistants enabling you to do score different amounts of points. So you do are some more preparations that you have some exclusive moves. not score at all for black track, while pieces to make before you can start your railroad The personal player board is laid out in of gray track are worth one point, and so

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 10 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at RUSSIAN RAILROADS t OUR REVIEW

on. In order tracks do really score points for actions that would be important for you, fact which is very important - you must not their owners, two conditions must be met. in each round. You can also use only those concentrate too much on one thing only, Tracks of lower values must me moved for- actions which you are able to implement you must try to score points in any possible ward on the line so that you can build track completely. You cannot choose an action way. In two of my games I have concentra- of higher values adjacent to it, because two and then forfeit it, each chosen action must ted on advancing Industry, which scores a sections of track cannot share one spot, due be actively used. lot of points, true, but is only valuable when to this you cannot overtake track sections combined with other elements; Industry of lower value either. Gray cannot overtake, This is a very good aspect because this alone is not sufficient to win. so you must free the necessary section by forces players, who sometimes spend not moving black along. enough time to consider their moves, to In my first game I had quite a good grip on take a bit more time to think and then place track building; in my second game I almost The second condition is that tracks are only their workers accordingly. At the same time completely forgot about it and did only fo- scored up to the point to which the engi- this aspects avoid a too destructive way of cus on Industry. In the first game I did not ne can move. An engine can, in relation to playing, you cannot simply choose an ac- have any engineers which in the end did its power, move up to nine sections. Thus, tion to hinder another player in choosing lose me the game despite being in front for should have for instance an engine of pow- this action. many rounds. In the second game I was in er three on a track and the grey track is al- the lead for a long time, too, but then fell ready on section four of the track, the line is An action is instantly implemented as soon back to third position, because my track only scored including section three. have you have made the decision and network was not extended well enough. placed your worker. Then the next player The winner in this game did focus his at- But let‘s get back to the course of the game. takes his turn, which means that you have tention only on bonus points available from The complete game is played over eight only one move in your turn. But you can tracks and relegated Industry to a side issue. rounds, which does not sound like a lot, but trigger chain reactions. But this only beco- can in real play turn out to take a long time mes clear during the game itself and those So you see, there is much to consider in due to the manifold possibilities. To keep on chain reactions can be very valuable and this game, and some aspects become only track of the round which is currently played helpful if you can use them concertedly. clear while you are playing. All the same, it is you can check the respective round in the lots of fun and offers a high replay value, as Engineer area. In this area two engineers are This placing of workers and implementing each individual game develops completely available for active use by all players, one of actions goes on until all players have different to the many possibilities that are additional engineer can be hired by one placed their workers and then passed. This available. þ of the players. At the end of the round the is necessary, because there is also the choice Isabella Schranz engineers are advanced by one step, which to place a coin instead of a worker. The coin frees one spot revealing the information stands for a worker and enables you to INFORMATION how many additional rounds need to be choose and implement another action. The PLAYERS: played. question is, how useful is this additional ac- Designer: H. Ohley, L. Orgler 2-4 tion? Because you need to be careful with Artist: C. Stephan, M. Hoffmann AGE: This is a very useful and helpful feature, be- this possibility for additional actions, you Price: ca. 37 Euro 12+ cause it tells you how long the game will go have only one coin at the start of the game Publisher: Hans im Glück 2013 TIME: one, which is of special assistance to play- and there is only one action available that www.schmidtspiele.de 120+ ers who like to plan ahead over one or two gives you additional coins. rounds. It also helps players who do not As soon as you have passed you turn over plan that far, because it reminds them to your turn order card and score the respec- EVALUATION make optimum use of their round to reap all tive victory points; the first player of the Railroads, Worker placement the advantages. This mechanism, in my opi- round never gets victory points in this way, Users: For experts Version: de nion, is a very positive feature in the game. his reward is to go first in a round. When all Rules: de en fr nl pl players have passed a scoring follows. You In-game text: no Each of the rounds is played in the current score all track sections that you have built Comments: turn order; for the first round the turn or- and which can be reached with an engine, Many possible winning strategies * Needs a good mixture, scoring in only one area der is randomly chosen and can then be plus the points from the Industry track. does not work * Good, concise rules * High actively changed due to player actions. replay value If you are the active player you can place Let me give you a hint: On the track from Compares to: your workers to make use of actions. Some Moscow to Kiev you score points for black Stone Age Other editions: actions have a price of only one worker, track sections, too, up to section four, if you 999 Games, Bard Centrum Gier, Filosofia, Z-Man other actions can cost you two workers and comply with the conditions. For this you Games there are even some actions that cost you score the sum of values of the individual three workers to implement. As you start sections which you reach with the tracks, the game with only five workers you need and not only the points beneath the final to make use of them very economically and section reached. Those points are scored chose your actions carefully. in each scoring and scoring happens after each round, so that means eight scorings in There are many factors that must be con- total. sidered when placing workers for actions: You can only choose an actions that was not The game offers many different aspects and yet chosen by another player, which means possibilities which you need to take into that maybe you will not be able to use all account in order to win the game. A central My rating:

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action, in any order of your INFORMATION choice. An action is either attack PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: 7 DAYS OF WESTERPLATTE from the defense outposts or 1-4 8+ 60+ BATTLE FOR THE MILITARY DEPOT from an action tile. The German troops, as howitzers and heavy Designer: Łukasz Woźniak machine guns, by an automatic Artist: Aleksander Karcz Price: ca. 35 Euro The attack of the German battle Military Depot. mechanism, destroy bricks of Publisher: ST Games / G3 2013 ship Schleswig-Holstein on the A day comprises action/move- walls on the attack line. www.g3poland.com Polish Military Depot on 1st of ment of Polish forces and then Then you draw an attack card September 1939 is considered attack by German forces. This from the pile, the card is either EVALUATION to be the beginning of World happens for each player in turn placed on its designated track Conflict simulation War II. until eight cards are on the dis- or resolved instantly. A resolved Users: With friends 7 Days of Westerplatte is a co- carding area assigned to the card is placed on the discard Version: multi operative conflict simulation of day, which marks the end of the area of the day. Rules: de en pl In-game text: no those events; players are Polish day. After three days, players re- Comments: commanders and need to sur- For action/movement you can ceive supplies up to maximum Simulation based on his- vive seven days of attacks by move your officer onto an ad- strength. When the wall on two toric events * Three levels German forces and defend the jacent area twice and do one action tiles is destroyed, all play- of difficulty * Interesting and yet rather simple rules er lose together; should they * Good solo variant avoid this to the end of Day 7, Compares to: they win together. Other cooperative conflict simula- In the easiest of the three levels tions Other editions: you use, as an introduction to Currently none the game, only positive events, thus the age notation. In the highest level it gets real difficult, but might be managed with a bit of luck when drawing cards, but the game is definitely of historic interest and a very attractive introduction to the genre of conflict simulation. þ

Breeding Horse and Sheep. INFORMATION In the breeding phase you ac- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: AGRICOLA quire a new animal for every 2 10+ 30+ NOCH MEHR STÄLLE two of a kind that you already FÜR DAS LIEBE VIEH own, maximum 1 sheep, 1 pig, Designer: Uwe Rosenberg 1 cow and 1 horse; animals that Artist: Klemens Franz Price: ca. 12 Euro You breed sheep, cattle and In the Work Phase you alternate you cannot accommodate go Publisher: Lookout Spiele 2013 horses and house the animals for turns and choose one of the back into stock. To accommo- www.lookout-spiele.de in stables, pastures and farm actions depicted on the board date animals you may relocate expansions and upgrade stalls for each of your workers, which them. After eight rounds you EVALUATION to stables and Cottages to you must implement: Start- win with most points from ani- Placement, resources Half-Timbered Houses. Phases ing player + 1 Wood, 3 Wood, 1 mals, special points, farm expan- Users: For families of the game are Refill Phase, Stone, 2 Stones, Fences, Walls, sions and buildings. Version: de Work Phase with one action per Building Materials, Expand farm, This 2nd expansion again in- Rules: de en fr pl In-game text: no worker and Round - each ac- Stalls, Feeding Trough, Millpond troduces one farm expansion, Comments: tion can be used only once per for Reed, Breed Pigs or Sheep, 27 special buildings and one 2. Expansion for Agricola round - as well as Home Phase Upgrade stable, Special build- stable; for a game you randomly Die Bauern und das liebe and Breeding Phase of animals. ings, Breeding Cows and Pigs or draw four special buildings from Vieh * Needs Core game to play * Topic of Agricola the core game and four from nicely scaled down * Rather this expansion and you play tactical despite random with five stables and five farm building selection Compares to: expansions. The rules give a de- Agricola scription for function and use of Other editions: each building. Z-Man, Filosofia, Lacerta The assessment and praise for the 1st expansion goes for the 2nd, too - “Die Bauern und das liebe Vieh” plus expansions offer a fantastic entry into the world of Agricola, sophisticat- edly, well-made and an absolute must-have! þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 1412 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at AL RASHID / ARCHIPELAGO t PLAYED FOR YOU

only or permanent or become INFORMATION effective at the end of the game PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: AL RASHID scoring. 2-5 13+ 150+ INFLUENCE AND FAVORS AT THE KHALIF‘S COURT In the resolution phase you choose regions for scoring, and Designer: P. Zizzi, G. de Michele you are allowed to choose even Artist: Simone Gabrielli Price: ca. 65 Euro As head of a family in the times chant and one Pasha and place such regions where you are not Publisher: Yemaia 2012 of Harun al Rashid you look for them into regions for resources, present. This can be used to www.yemaia.com influence from state offices, offices, services or favors. thoroughly interfere with plans guild membership and expan- In five rounds you place family of other players, as planned-for EVALUATION sion of your family, financed by members, that is, playing pieces and then unused actions result Worker placement trading resources without mon- for majorities in regions, in the in a Dishonor token. You also Users: For experts ey involvement. so-called placement phase. must overcome obstacles like Version: en The board shows seven regions Resources acquired by majori- pirates and bandits, which you Rules: de en In-game text: yes of a contemporary world map ties in regions are used for pay- fight with mercenaries. Comments: and a city area with guilds’ pal- ments and you cash bonuses Al Rashid is a very well working, Excellent game play * Well- aces and the Khalif’s court. You from offices and services. multi-faceted worker place- interlocking mechanisms start with one Sage, one Mer- Those bonuses can be once- ment game, in which amicable * Difficult graphic design * Parts of the rules and text play will not get you very far; on tiles very hard to read you must ruthlessly make use of Compares to: any opportunity that presents Worker placement games for influ- itself. Al Rashid will give you a ence, using scoring of regions Other editions: real satisfactory game when you Currently none have overcame the graphic design that can only be describes as “how to make access to the game really hard”, Arabic-style lettering for English words and the magnifying glass that one would need to read the text on the tiles has not been included. þ

changes: You draw a scenario INFORMATION card or choose one. Round #0 PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ARCHIPELAGO is left out, the set-up is provided 1 14+ 60+ SOLO EXPANSION by the scenario card. You use the Four-Player side of the action Designer: Christophe Boelinger wheel, skip Phase 2 and, dur- Artist: Vincent Boulanger + Team Price: ca. 11 Euro You are an envoy of a European prise Disengagement, Order of ing a discovery, the new region Publisher: Ludically 2013 nation tasked with discovering, play by bidding money, Popula- need not be adjacent to two www.ludically.com colonizing and husbanding re- tion effects, Balance of the Ar- regions already placed, it only gions of the New World, albeit chipelago according to demand needs to border the the starting EVALUATION in accordance with the needs in the colony and at home, Ac- region of the scenario. In Phase Development, worker of the native population to tions according to Action wheel, 6 you must buy a card and ro- placement avoid rebellion and also include Action card or use of market or tate two; if you cannot buy a Users: For experts achieving profits for the colonial port as well as Purchase of Evo- card you have lost. When the Version: multi Rules: de en fr power. lution card. end-of-scenario condition hap- In-game text: yes Each player has a definite task The solo expansion features 27 pens in Phase 6, you complete Comments: within the chosen time frame scenarios for use with the ba- Phase 6 according to normal Expansion, needs core for the game. The rounds com- sic game, with very few rules rules. You have a maximum of game to play * Fantastic use of the core game rules five action discs and must ad- for independent solo here to the 3-Citizen limit, oth- scenarios without any loss of flair or atmosphere or game depth erwise all units are deemed to or challenge be of the same color, so you can Compares to: use different colors, if need be. Archipelago You achieve a score depending Other editions: on the number of rounds need- Currently none ed for completion and command a treasure chest of scenarios, or puzzles, that provide entertainment and challenge over hours, because as soon as you complete a scenario you want to better! þ

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with one on the main board or INFORMATION do nothing. PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ARTIFACT If you have six action markers on 3-5 12+ 120+ EXCAVATING FOR EXHIBITIONS your board you can only swap or do nothing. When the last Designer: Allers, Eisenstein player has passed, the round Artist: C. and S. Swal Price: ca. 30 Euro As an archeologist you excavate - Research, Hire Workers, Ship ends. Publisher: White Goblin Games 13 artifacts to mount exhibitions in Artifacts, Produce an Exhibition, At the end of the game you www.whitegoblingames.com museums. Sell Artifacts or Buy Artifacts score prestige points from ex- In the basic game a round com- - you place an action marker hibitions and remaining money EVALUATION prises income, actions or pass from your player board on the and win with most points. Set collecting, worker and finally end of round with highest free number on the cor- Expansion I introduces Research placement replenishing action markers. For responding action track, pay for & Special Artifacts, Expansion II Users: For experts income you get the lowest vis- the action and implement it. Cities and Archeologists, both Version: multi Rules: de en fr nl ible basic income on the income If you pass you either take back can be added to the core game In-game text: no track and bonuses for exhibi- an action marker from the board separately or together. Comments: tions you mounted. to your player board or swap an Money is the deciding factor in Intense, dense game play To resolve one of the actions action marker from your board the balance of actions; some- * Can take long to play * Needs careful, clever times you need to pay dearly to planning and money man- use an action marker as a joker agement to preserve your chances; early Compares to: All games on excavations, set collect- exhibitions are expensive, but ing and worker placement generate additional income - Other editions: later action are cheaper. Currently none Clever planning and shrewd decisions for experienced player, already in the basic game and the more so in the complete game with both expansions, the second of which dramatically changes the game to an even more complex one! þ

to play you keep drawing cards INFORMATION until you either have completed PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: BIBERBAU & CO a second order or draw a floor 2-4 4+ 10+ BUILDING HOUSES WITH CARDS level that you have already on display. Designer: Michael Schacht If that happens you must give Artist: Stefanie Reich Price: ca. 7 Euro Rabbit, Frog, Beaver and Ham- card from the stack, lay it out one card to each player in Publisher: Haba 2013 ster want to build houses of and keep drawing cards until turn, using cards that you have www.haba.de different height, and all the you can fill and order - Frog drawn. If you drew more than levels must be different in their wants to build a house with two there are players, you take the EVALUATION houses. floors, Rabbit wants three floors surplus ones out of play. IF you Card collecting Each player has a hamster and and Beaver wants four floors. If have completed the beaver or- Users: For children three building orders of a color, you have completed an order der, you have, because it is such Version: multi 50 cards for the levels - ten each you can decide to stop or to a difficult order, earned a reward Rules: de en es fr it nl In-game text: no for five different kinds of levels continue building. If you stop and can do another turn. Comments: - are shuffled and stacked face- you you set aside the building Once in the game you may build Nicely varied standard down. order and the cards for it for a house for your hamster, it can mechanism * Pretty You turn up the top floor / level victory points. If you continue have any number of floors from drawings * First tries for tactic in use of hamster and one to five, but of course differ- continuing to play ent ones. Compares to: If you have completed all build- All card games with risk+play on or ing orders and have built a stop+secure mechanism Other editions: house of any number of levels Currently none for your hamster, the game ends. All players count the cards they collected and you win with most collected cards, the hamster does not count. Biberbau & Co offers a very nice variant of the “stop and secure your result or continue at risk”, not new, but good. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 14 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at BOP IT! TETRIS / BYZANTIO / NEKKEN t PLAYED FOR YOU

for puzzles from Levels 1 to INFORMATION 3 are mixed. You can play on PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: BOP IT! TETRIS your own or play against oth- 1+ 8+ 20+ PLACE SHAPES QUICKLY ers and hand the gadget on when prompted to do so by Designer: not named the gadget. Each puzzle you Artist: not named Price: ca. 30 Euro Yet another new member for slide it or push it into the Matrix. solve scores one point; for each Publisher: Hasbro 2013 the Bop It! family of games, this Level 1 is called Flash, you only puzzle you do not solve you use www.hasbro.at times the main feature is again need to slide and push; in level one of four lives in the solo vari- light, but accompanied by 2, called Tetris Blast, you must ant or are ousted from the game EVALUATION shapes. A display shows a pat- first use a red Mino (which is a in a multi-player game. After 32 Reaction, spatial thinking tern of blue squares, called Tet- single square in the Tetrimino) solved puzzles comes a bonus Users: For families rimino, which must be placed to bomb away a blue Mono in round and then the next level. Version: de into the Matrix at the left side of the Matrix to make room for the A bonus round features so- Rules: de en In-game text: no the gadget. Tetrimino. called Tetrimino bombs; when Comments: You have three different ac- In Level 3, Double-Flash, you you push the Tetrimino into the Good training for spatial tions that you can employ for must first place the green Mino, Matrix you score points for each thinking and fast reactions this - turn the Tetrimino around, then the blue ones, and in Level blue Mino that you destruct * Works well in the solo version and in a multi-player with a red one - you cannot version lose in such a bonus round. In Compares to: both variants challenge rounds Other editions of Bop it!, Tetris are unlocked in which you can Other editions: jump directly to one of 100 puz- Hasbro, USA zles but you have only one life in those challenge rounds. In this latest version, Bop it! again offers quick and challenging fun, in this edition in the guise of marvelous training for spatial thinking and translating shapes into action using the light. þ

dice roll: In Round 6 Earthquake, INFORMATION in round 12 Famine, in Round 18 PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: BYZANTIO / NEKKEN Succession of the Patriarch and 2-4 10+ 60+ MAJORITIES IN REGIONS in Round 24 Plague. In event rounds you delete one action of Designer: Lefteris Iroglidis + Team your choice. Artist: Mateusz Bielski und Team Price: ca. 35 Euro 1025 - Four dynasties fight Muster for placing a garrison All those actions are used to Publisher: LudiCreations 2013 for the succession of Emperor without Pretender move; 4x achieve majorities in your www.ludicreations.com Basileios II. At the start you mark Negotiate for swapping of gar- towns, the most influence and on your sheet seven cities in dif- risons; 4x Advance for moving most followers. You may never EVALUATION ferent provinces which you plan the Pretender; 3x Bribe for re- have more than two garrison Majorities to control. placing an opponent’s garrison markers in a city. At the end you Users: With friends In 30 rounds you can do one with one of your own and 3x Ex- only score for cities you listed Version: multi of the limited actions, deleting pel for removing an opponent’s and control and also for cor- Rules: de en fr In-game text: no them on your sheet - 10x Cam- garrison. In four of the rounds rectly guessed opposing target Comments: paign including a Pretender you resolve events and catastro- towns and espionage points. Selection of Cities can move or placing a garrison and phes, the province where they With some modifications you already decide the game * removing an opposing one; 6x are happening is determined by can use rules and components Planning can be destroyed by catastrophes also for a game of Nekken, the Compares to: rivalry for dominating a newly Majority games, first game emerging society after a disas- with free choice between limited trous volcano eruption. actions Other editions: Clever planning, focused selec- Currently none tion of cities with the least possible opposition and correct guessing of opponent’s city ranking and the win is yours! Not as simple as it sounds, and all depends on the selection of cities, and the catastrophes are a completely useless and un- necessary obstruction. þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 15 PLAYED FOR YOU u DAS SPIEL DES LEBENS / DIE DREI ???

action of the area you reach. On INFORMATION action areas you draw an ac- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: DAS SPIEL DES LEBENS tion card and implement it. You 2-4 8+ 45+ SUPERSTAR EDITION collect stars and cards for your entourage from a cook to your Designer: not named agent, marked by pins in your Artist: not named Price: ca. 35 Euro The big career as a super star is one card for your entourage limousine. You can buy such a Publisher: Hasbro 2013 the aim of this variant of “The and place one silver pin into card at the start of each turn, for www.hasbro.at Game of Life”. For a playing the car. Aim of this variant is to 200 K. piece you have a limousine that collect five star cards and, while A VIP area, a shortcut for your EVALUATION has room for 10 marker pins; on owning those cards, to reach a path, can only be entered with Roll & move, events golden pin is already in place at “Happy End” area on the board. the corresponding entourage, Users: For families the start, and you also have 200 As usual, you decide on one which you must acquire before. Version: de K for money. career path and play according The Wheel of Life can earn you Rules: de en In-game text: yes At the start of the game you to the familiar standard rules - a super-spin or additional bo- Comments: draw three job cards, check you roll, that is, spin the Wheel nuses according to your entou- Often only called “Spiel them and choose one job. With of Life, advance your limousine rage which are useful for your des Lebens” instead of “Das the same procedure you choose accordingly and implement the advancement. When you enter Spiel des Lebens” * Attrac- tive version, especially as to an area with a stop sign you components and design * activate the turning over of the Standard game with varia- board to the Red Carpet side tions in details Compares to: with new paths, surprises and Other editions of “Das Spiel des stars. Lebens” “The Game of Life” is again and Other editions: again modernized, updated and The Game of Life Fame Edition given new topics, as painstak- ingly as Monopoly, you know the game and yet find new components and new rules for mechanism detail for the familiar and well-liked family game. þ

mechanism would be too much INFORMATION here, so let me only say that PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: DIE DREI ??? you can choose the level of dif- 2-4 8+ 60+ UND DER FEUERDIAMANT ficulty and need a bit of luck in rolling dice and urgently need Designer: Reiner Knizia detective cards from successful Artist: S. Christoph, B. Wagenfeld Price: ca. 30 Euro With the new series play it smart and then dealing with 1) Dan- interrogations, which are cor- Publisher: Kosmos 2013 Kosmos introduced games that ger, 2) Movement, 3) Action with rect combinations of clues and www.kosmos.de can be played with or without clues, interrogation, helpers and suspects, to succeed in solving an app for a smart device. obstacles and 4) detective cards. the cases. EVALUATION One of those games is, based Players win together when they The rules recommend that you Crime, deduction, on Die drei ???, the three friends find the culprit before on of the familiarize yourself with difficul- Users: For families need to go detecting again: markers on the four danger ty levels and possibilities of the Version: de A disappeared commissioner, tracks reaches last position. game without app, before using Rules: de In-game text: yes fires and blackmail - all players When this happens or when the the app, which rolls dice for you Comments: try to cooperatively solve crimi- wrong suspect is accused, all and assists, but does not super- Favorite topic * Standard nal cases. lose together. vise if you stick to the rules, this mechanisms, nicely mixed A turn comprises dice rolling A detailed description of the still rests with players. In order * Lots of dice rolling and chance * App does the ad- to win with the app, you must ministration and introduces solve all four cases. additional effects * App for A success as to topic, rather apple devices only Compares to: chance-driven and repetitive as All versions of Die drei ???, all games to mechanisms; sounds, addi- using apps tional rules and surprises in the Other editions: app surely upgrade the game, Currently none but it is at least as much fun without it. A little gaming experience is definitely helpful. Card scanning is rather tedious, so I prefer to roll dice and to read the cards. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 16 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at DKT URLAUB / DOGGIE BONES t PLAYED FOR YOU

ogy to the plane you can move INFORMATION instantly 10 steps in clockwise PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: DKT URLAUB direction when you reach the 3-6 8+ 60+ CANARY ISLANDS OR TUSCANY? site with the train. If you reach sites #24 or #4 you can call back Designer: not named plane or train and move with Artist: Arthur Wagner Price: ca. 28 Euro DKT, the Austrian equivalent hotels on them and pay or col- the respective vehicle. In addi- Publisher: Piatnik 2013 to Monopoly, has been given a lect rent – there are some new tion to buying boarding-houses www.piatnik.com new version. features: An airplane marker and hotels - the equivalent to You invest in most favored holi- starts on site #24, and a train houses and hotels in the core EVALUATION day destinations and buy hotels, marker on site #4. If you end game - you can also buy sou- roll, move, buy, pay cruise ship companies, restau- your move on the site with the venirs, if still available in the re- Users: For families rants or boarding houses in Aus- airplane you can use the plane spective country. Version: de tria, Italy, Croatia, Spain, USA, immediately and move to any You can only own one souve- Rules: de In-game text: yes Turkey or Egypt. site of your choice and continue nir per country and can hand it Comments: In addition to the standard rules your move there. back anytime for half the buy- Standard rules remain * – roll & move, buy real estate Such a movement is not consid- ing price, which you receive Varied in details * New, yet lots, build boarding houses and ered as “passing Start”. In anal- from the bank. A direct sale to familiar game another player is not possible. Compares to: DKT in other versions, e.g. If you own at least 10.000 Eu- Alpen or Wien, Monopoly ros you can declare yourself the Other editions: winner, even if another player Currently none should own more money at that moment. With this variant Piatnik introduces yet another moderniza- tion of the standard mechanisms, the new details are well- integrated and thus provide a new and yet familiar game which is a must for all fans of this game principle. þ

up. Then all players put their INFORMATION dog markers randomly on any PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: DOGGIE BONES square of the board, dogs are 2-4 3+ 10+ DIG FOR BONES IN THE GARDEN placed randomly on the board, there can be more than one dog Designer: James Harmon on a square, and now the search Artist: Stephanie Erber Price: ca. 26 Euro All dogs have hidden bones in the dog bowls are placed on begins: You move your dog over Publisher: Beleduc 2012 the garden soil, but cannot re- the squares, small opening up- any distance next to a bowl and www.beleduc.de member where the hid them wards. Then each player hands show the bones under the bowl and so need the help of all play- his bones to his right neighbor. to all players; if you found bones EVALUATION ers to find them again. Each In turn players now hide the of your own, you put them on memory player is given four bones in his bones they hold, asking the the storage card. If a bowl is Users: For children color, a cute dog marker and a other players to close their eyes empty it is removed. If you are Version: multi storage card of his color. At the and putting bones into different first to collect all four bones, Rules: cn de en es fr it nl In-game text: no start of the game the bones are bowls. you win. In a variant for players, Comments: hidden: He slides them in and may hold ages 4+, a dog can only move a Pretty dog figurines * Vari- The mat representing the gar- the bowl with his other hand maximum of two squares and ant listed * Nice standard den meadow is spread out and to steady it but cannot lift it cannot move diagonally, bones mechanism * Good training for motor skills under a bowl belonging to Compares to: other players are hidden again. All memo games A bowl is only removed if it is Other editions: empty when lifted. Currently none Dogs and bones are one of the standard topics for children games, and in Doggie Bones topic and mechanism go well together. Besides memory the game also trains motor skills; for three-year olds it is not too easy to slide the bones into the small opening - all in all a nice game for the target group. þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 17 PLAYED FOR YOU u DUNGEON PETZ / EBBES

different from the one in the INFORMATION core game - you can get use- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: DUNGEON PETZ ful things, but each item is only 2-5 13+ 120+ DUNKLE GASSEN available once. In the Slug Shop you get modish accessories - Designer: Vlaada Chvátil Fancy Ribbon Bow or Mysteri- Artist: D. Cochard, F. Murmak Price: ca. 22 Euro The imps from Dungeon Lords artifacts, imps, caged, exten- ous Magic Pendant. Publisher: Heidelberger / CGE 13 have made a success with sions etc. In the industrial Zone you need www.heidelbaer.de breeding Dungeon Petz and With all that new stuff you can a Permit, but there are Head- venture out into Dark Alleys, a play a Standard game using hunter Headquarters, Lollipop EVALUATION new old part of town in which Dark Alleys and all new com- Factory, Pet Food Cannery, Of- Fantasy, resources manage- they can find four new opportu- ponents or an Extended Game fice, Pet Psychiatrist and Fecal ment nities to do business. that comprises seven rounds, Slug, some of them need to be Users: For experts Black Market, Fortune Teller’s but con only be played by two made available. Version: de Rules: cz de en fr Wagon, Industrial Zone and or three players. The Fortune Teller offers sup- In-game text: no Slug Shop. The opportunities and possibili- port and insight. And to cope Comments: Those things are supplemented ties are manifold: On the Black with this plethora you have one Attractive, well-made and by nine new cuddly monsters, Market - which is, by the way, additional imp and one addi- cute expansion * Two different ways to play * Needs tional piece of gold. basic game to play As you can easily diagnose, this Compares to: extension offers a vast range of Dungeon Petz, resources manage- opportunities, interesting alter- ment in general Other editions: natives, but also a correspond- CGE, Iello, Mindok, Z-Man ing longer duration for an Ex- tended Game, the brash cheeky wording is fun, too - and behind all that cute camouflage there is an even bigger challenge for management of all those twee beasties, from Snuggly Sickie to House Vampire and Wreckie. Am Imp! Want to play! þ

turns trump and the respective INFORMATION color card is placed at the trump PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: EBBES position of the board. The next 3-5 10+ 45+ WHICH COLOR WILL BE TRUMP, cards played of this value in turn WHICH ONE WORTHLESS? determine the colors for Plus, Designer: Klaus Geis Ebbes, Minus and Nix. Artist: Ronja Hähnlein Price: ca. 20 Euro The game features cards in five with compulsory following of Plus scores one point for each Publisher: Palatia Spiele 2013 colors, values 1-15; depending color suits, but without com- card of this color at the end www.palatia-spiele.de on the number of players you pulsory use of trump, and try to of the round, Ebbes gives you use six, eight or ten cards in each collect many positive and few three points if you do not hold EVALUATION color for a basic game, for three, negative points, albeit with- the most or fewest cards in this Cards, trick-taking four or five players. out knowing at the start of the color and Minus means 1 penal- Users: For families This is supplemented by a game which color will be worth ty point deducted for each card Version: multi board, five color cards and what. of that color. Rules: de en In-game text: no number designation cards 1-15, To determine this you turn up Nix is the 5th color, who has most Comments: stacked face-down. the top color designation card. cards in it is starting player of the Published by the designer * With the ten cards of a round When the first card of this value next round, for which you turn Standard trick-taking rules you play a trick-taking game is played in the round, this color up the next number designa- very nicely varied * Two variants included * Card tion card. Points are marked on memory is necessary the board and after five rounds Compares to: you win with most points. All trick-taking card games with In variants you use more cards special rules Other editions: or players assign number/color Currently none combinations to the positions. Definitely interesting and an es- timable addition to the genre of trick-taking games; a certain element of chance is present and necessary, counting of cards is advisable and gives a certain chance of taking control. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 18 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at FIELD OF GLORY / FÜNF GURKEN t PLAYED FOR YOU

which there is no opposing unit INFORMATION on the other side of the terrain PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: FIELD OF GLORY card by turning the word “Con- 2 13+ 30+ THE CARD GAME trol” on the card towards himself. Should he have two units in Designer: Martin Wallace such a column he discards one. Artist: Peter Dennis Price: ca. 15 Euro Set at approximately the time rain cards you lay out a battle Opposing units can only be at- Publisher: Treefrog Games 2013 of the 2nd Punic war, this conflict field of five columns. Each player tacked over flanks when certain www.treefroggames.com simulation card game is based draws four cards from his deck conditions are met. Player ac- on rules for a miniature game and discards two, continuing tions are: Playing of units, you EVALUATION by Richard Bodley, Scott, Simon until he has a deck of 24 cards; pay for this by discarding of Conflict simulation Hall and Terry Shaw, published from this he draws nine cards for command point cards - Attack Users: With friends by Slitherine Ltd. The game fea- his hand. - play cards from the reserve. Version: en tures card types Terrain, Armies A turn comprises Victory Check, Those actions can be resolved Rules: en In-game text: yes Commander for command Advance, Flank attacks, Player as often as you want and in any Comments: points and action card types Actions and Draw Cards. Ad- order of your choice. When, in Era-related, not battle- Overlap and Reserve. vance - the active player takes the phase of victory check, you reality-related * Dense From two randomly drawn ter- control of those columns in control three of the five col- game play in a moderate time-scale * Good addition umns, you win instantly. When to the range of Two-Player both decks have been shuffled games twice you win at the end of the Compares to: Terrain-related conflict simulation round by controlling the major- using cards ity of columns. Other editions: Despite the general topic - an- Currently none cient warfare, not a specific battle or war - you play a dense combat game; Drafting at the start and terrain cards, but also paying for use of cards with other cards result in clever game play that is not too complex or too long. þ

round, you take as many pen- INFORMATION alty gherkins as are shown on PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: FÜNF GURKEN the card with which you did win 2-6 8+ 25+ NOT WHAT YOU WANTED! the trick. When at minimum one “1” Designer: Friedemann Friese was played in the last trick, the Artist: Harald Lieske Price: ca. 8 Euro Won the last trick of the round! cards for the round and play amount of penalty gherkins is Publisher: 2F-Spiele 2013 All botched up! 60 cards com- either a card of the same or of doubled. If you collect more www.spiel-direkt.eu prise values 1-15, four times higher value than the highest than five gherkins you are out each, plus gherkin symbols: 1/0 card played so far or you must of the game, exactly five are still EVALUATION gherkins, 2-5/1 gherkin, 6-9/2 play the lowest card in your save! Trick-taking, card gherkins, 10-11/3 gherkins, 12- hand. If you hat to take penalty gher- Users: For families 14/4 gherkins and the 15s show The highest card played wins kins, you lead for the first trick Version: multi five gherkins, there are also 30 the trick and the winner leads of the next round. Should you Rules: de en cz es fr gr pl In-game text: no wooden gherkin markers. for the next one. When there is have been ousted, your neigh- Comments: You play several rounds, in a tie in highest value, the trick is bor starts the next round. The Very simple rules * Very which you don’t want to win won by the card that was played last surviving player wins the much dependent on the the last trick. You are dealt seven last. If you win the 7th trick of the game. chance element of card distribution * Cute, witty Not really new, but witty all the scoring * Nice filler game same, albeit it happening rather Compares to: often that you are played by the Basically all trick-taking games cards you were dealt, as you can Other editions: Lacerta, Albi, Kaissa, Edge Entertain- only act according to number ment values as there is neither color suit nor trump. Zero penalty gherkins, as stated in the rules, are only possible when all players manage to play a “1” in the last round, possible for two players, improbable for four players, and impossible for six players. þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 19 PLAYED FOR YOU u GITTERRÄTSEL JUNIOR / JÄÄ SULAA

If you find the solution you grab INFORMATION the totem, squeeze it to make it PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: GITTERRÄTSEL JUNIOR squeak, and cover, if the solu- 2-4 5+ 20+ FIND WORDS AND PICTURES tion is correct, all parts of it, that is, each image or letter in the Designer: not named word, with a chip of your color. Artist: not named Price: ca. 17 Euro Gitterrätsel Junior is, like Gitter- on the green puzzle areas there If you squeeze the totem and Publisher: Goliath Toys 2012 rätsel, based on the principle of are word/word puzzles. cannot point out the solution, www.goliathgames.de finding words in a grid of letters, A puzzle area of the chosen dif- you must pass for the rest of the accompanied by correlating im- ficulty is placed in the unit and round and can only participate EVALUATION ages and words. you turn the transparent cover again for the next puzzle. Word finding, pattern The round task cards, called until the first puzzle appears. Should a new word or a new recognition puzzle areas, offer three differ- The solution - either a series of series of images cross a solution Users: For children ent levels of difficulty and kinds images, or an image next to the already covered with chips, you Version: de Rules: de en nl of tasks. word + the word or the word must remove the previous chip In-game text: yes On the red puzzle areas you can only - must be found in the grid and replace it with one in your Comments: find word/image puzzles, on the in a straight horizontal, vertical color. Three levels of difficulty * blue image/image puzzles and or diagonal line. When all solutions have been Ability to read not necessary * Trains word-image found or if someone is out of correlation+ * Uses German chips, you win, if you have most Primary School vocabulary chips on the board. Compares to: This junior edition very nicely Gitterrätsel Other editions: varies the mechanisms of Git- Editions in Dutch and English terrätsel for pre-school children and first-grade pupils, reading ability is not necessary as the puzzle is visible and the solution can be found by comparison; on red areas image-word correlation is trained. þ

floe off the board and imple- INFORMATION ment its action: For a sun you PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: JÄÄ SULAA remove another empty floe and 2-4 6+ 45+ ICE IS MELTING implement its action immediately; Fish gives you energy and Designer: Jarno Siekkinen you have an additional move- Artist: Katri Vainiomäki Price: ca. 40 Euro A sunny day in Antarctica. The take turns to place your pen- ment. For an orca fin you relo- Publisher: Roll D6 Games 2013 little penguins are learning to guin family of one color one by cate a penguin baby to another www.rolld6.fi swim and to catch fish. Ice floes one, first the baby penguins, empty floe and for the Penguin break off and drift away with then the Mama - they all are you can swim one of your pen- EVALUATION penguins. We are tasked to placed on floes at the edge of guins across open water and Tile removal, group forma- bring them back. the board, baby penguins are at may change direction once; tion TO set up the game you shuffle the start not allowed on corner at the start of the swim your Users: For families the indicated number of floe spots, contrary to mamas who penguin must sit on a tile next Version: multi Rules: en fi tiles - they depict sun, fish, orca- are allowed there. Aim of the to water. Then you move pen- In-game text: no fin, penguin or only water - face- game is to get all babies to their guins, either one step onto an Comments: down and lay them out on the mamas. adjacent empty floe tile or you Simple rules * Interesting board, ice floe side up. Then you In your turn you taken empty switch mama and baby penguin as an example for Finnish games * Plain, compo- or you relocate a tile with one of nents, elegant box your penguins. If you are first to Compares to: assemble your penguins or if Other placement and relocation you pick up the last empty floe, games with group formation Other editions: you trigger the end of the game Currently none and score one point for each baby with its mama and minus one point for each opposing baby with your mama; you win with most points. Cute, sweet and simple, a nice family game with a familiar topic and nicely mixed standard mechanisms. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 20 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at KÄSE WÜRFELN / KEYFLOWER THE FARMERS t PLAYED FOR YOU

proper value left. With a cheese INFORMATION tile you either begin a new stack PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: KÄSE WÜRFELN or can add it to a stack, if it is of 2-5 8+ 30+ MORE CHEESE, MORE POINTS lower value than the top cheese tile in the stack. Designer: Michael Feldkötter Instead from the middle you Artist: Björn Pertoft Price: ca. 9 Euro Collect cheese with dice! The you check if you can take can take suitable cheese tiles Publisher: Amigo Spiele 2013 game features 38 cheese tiles, cheese: You get cheese if a num- also from your neighbor, either a www.amigo-spiele.de showing numbers 2-6, and 16 ber of dice equal to the number single tile or the top one from a cheese pieces of value 1, show- on a cheese tile show this num- stack. If turn a #1 tile over to the EVALUATION ing a cheese cover at the back. ber: For four dice showing a “4” cover side and put it on a stack, Dice, collecting There are also 7 bonus tiles, 5 you get a #4 cheese tile. this stack is closed and safe. Users: For families gift tiles and 8 standard dice. As you roll a total of eight dice, You may keep up to two #1 tiles Version: de You roll those eight dice, set you might get more than one for later use, showing the mouse Rules: de In-game text: no aside any number of dice after cheese tile in a turn. Instead of side. For some stacks you can Comments: each roll and can re-roll dice the tile you won you can take win bonuses. If you cannot take Witty, well-made variation previously set aside. one of lower value, which is im- cheese you get a gift tile, which of both standard topic After a maximum of four rolls portant when there is none of can be used later to change a and standard mechanism * Dilemma of steal/take/ dice value. save introduces some chal- When three tile stacks are emp- lenges * Good family game ty you score each stack: Highest Compares to: All dice game with collecting mecha- value in the stack x number of nisms and dice combinations tiles and win with the highest Other editions: total from points and bonuses. Currently none Not bad cheese at all, this rolling for cheese, but cute and fast - dice rolling is always thrilling and the question of securing or not, stealing or not offers best family entertainment. þ

plant wheat and breed animals INFORMATION - cows, sheep and pigs - on pas- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: KEYFLOWER THE FARMERS tures. 2-6 14+ 120+ AGRICULTURE AND HUSBANDRY Those pastures are created by placing roads. Sheep are avail- Designer: S. Bleasdale, R. Breese able beginning in spring, pigs Artist: Jo, Juliet & Richard Breese Price: ca. 25 Euros th In the 7 game of the “Key” se- erate resources, skills, additional from the start of summer and Publisher: R&D Games / Huch 13 ries we have crossed the sea and workers and victory points from cattle from the onset of autumn. www.hutter-trade.com are settling in new lands. You your own tiles as well as those At the end of those seasons ani- start with a home tile and some in villages of other players and mals breed, but at the end of the EVALUATION workers in three colors. from tiles that are currently auc- game you score pastures with Worker placement, bidding In each season ships bring new tioned. After four seasons you animals, not animal numbers, so Users: With friends workers or tiles and you chose a score tiles in your village and you use transport possibilities Version: multi ship and its load, based on bids. gold counters. to open up new pastures! Ad- Rules: de en fr In-game text: no With an innovative mechanism Keyflower the Farmers expan- ditional points come from dairy, Comments: you use workers to bid for tiles sion introduces agriculture and truffle garden or weaver. Expansion for Keyflower to add to your village. husbandry to the village. You Wheat lures animals to pastures, * Coproduction by R&D Workers in the right colors gen- acquire new farm buildings, strengthens horses and enables Games, Huch & friends and Game Salute * Layout of additional transport distance. roads is essential now for The starting player tile can, at pastures, whose optimum the end of the game, be scored use poses a real challenge Compares to: as an animal or wheat. Keyflower The Farmers is quite some chal- Other editions: lenge, especially as regards for Quined Games pastures - you will have to plan the placement of your tiles including roads carefully and that takes time, as the graphics can pose a bit of a problem. Expe- rienced Keyflower players will love the challenge. þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 21 PLAYED FOR YOU u KITCHEN GARDEN / LANDS OF ORANGE

draw a card for Harvest, add a INFORMATION card to a bed for Planting - when PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: KITCHEN GARDEN you complete a bed you draw a 2-4 10+ 40+ FIVE PUMPKINS WITH THREE CARDS card as a reward; for Weed for you can place a weed card in Designer: Andrey Kolupaev an opponent’s bed; to remove Artist: Sergey Platunov Price: ca. 12 Euro As a gardener you are asked to plants - those plants need to be weed you play Worker or you Publisher: Rightgames / RBG 13 plant vegetables and fruit ac- planted by adding cards to the can swap a card from your hand www.russianboardgames.com cording to a task card. task card, in total as many plants with a card from the market. Each player holds such a card, as shown and using exactly the If you play Market all market EVALUATION the tools pictured on the side number of cards indicated on cards are renewed and you can Set collecting, card place- you want to use must be dif- the sides of the task card. then swap two cards with the ment ferent for each player. You also In your turn you can play one of new market. For Holiday all play- Users: For families have one card each Crow, Mar- the special cards that force an- ers must discard three cards and Version: multi Rules: de en fr it ket and Holiday. Six cards are other player to pass his turn or draw new ones. In-game text: no laid out for a market and you are secure an additional action for For Crow you can take back a Comments: dealt four cards. yourself by discarding two spe- card from the discard pile and Nice topic * Special rules The task card shows four beds of cial cards. Then you can either for Crow+Sluggard you can for two players, * Rules mostly clear * Standard set steal a card from an opponent’s collecting and irritation bed. Special cards are returned mechanisms when all of a kind have been Compares to: Set collecting and placement games played. If you are first to cor- with templates and special cards rectly plant all four beds you win Other editions: the game. Russian Edition, Rightgames Gardening is fun, also in this fic- titious garden; instead weather you have luck of the draw influencing your harvest and weed must be fought in any case, and you can even pinch fruits from your neighbor! þ

a creature from the field with a INFORMATION creature from the reserve stack. PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: LANDS OF ORANGE This is followed by the combat 2 12+ 60+ GIANTS, DRAGONS AND HEROES phase with moving units and attack and then the supply phase Designer: Jan T. Alter, N. Buber with drawing one card. Artist: Lövragen Price: ca. 35 Euro The Lands of Oranges should placed on the game area and Units acquire experience by Publisher: AB Spiele/startnext 13 be united under one rule. To moved. Each turn comprises combat and the hero himself www.startnext.de/lands-of-orange achieve this each player choses three phases; as a prequel to a also becomes more experi- his hero; game area, action card turn you must always deduct enced which enables him to de- EVALUATION stack and creature stack are pre- four life points from giants that ploy more powerful units and to Fantasy, card placement pared. are protecting other units. combine them with other units. Users: With friends Aim of the game is to defeat A turn itself then comprises a The game demands clever com- Version: de the opposing hero by reducing fortification phase with one ac- bination of choices; strong cards Rules: de In-game text: yes his life points to zero. With this tion - play unit card and/or two on hand only work with experi- Comments: goal you assemble units from all action cards, discard action card, ence; if you expose yourself too Financed via startnext over the land, equip them with sacrifice a unit, place a creature much you lose, if you play too * Different variants due artifacts and use spells. Units are on the reserve stack or switch defensively, you do not gain ex- to crowd funding * Very beautiful, individual card perience - so you need to con- design * Creature manual sider your options well and use as support for each player choices offered by action and Compares to: All fantasy card games with reduction spell cards as well as artifacts of life points and card effects very targeted and at the right Other editions: time. Currently none Standard topic and standard mechanisms like using spells, weapons and creatures - but the option to combine element and to improve by experience offers interesting and individual game play. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 22 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at MAJA / NICHT JA, NICHT NEIN t PLAYED FOR YOU

until it topples over. When the INFORMATION currently wanted friend is de- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: MAJA picted underneath the bush you 2-4 4+ 10+ WAS IST DA IM BUSCH? may keep the card. If you did not find the friend you wanted, Designer: Thomas Daum you set up the bush again und Artist: not named Price: ca. 15 Euro „One, two, three … I’m coming!” and Maja cards are shuffled to- the friend card stays next to the Publisher: Studio100 Media 13 Maja and her friends play Hide gether and stacked face-sown. board. www.studio100.de and Seek in the Corn Poppy In your turn you turn over the If you want to do so, you can Meadow. Maja races from bush top card from this stack: If the discard a Maja card after such EVALUATION to bush, looking for Willi, Flip, card depicts Maja, you take the a failed search and investigate Puffing, memo Ben and other inmates of the card in hand. If the cards depicts another bush. The Maja card Users: For children meadow. A strong wind blow- any of the friends of Maja, you you used is put underneath the Version: multi ing across the meadow assists place the card open-faced next stack. If the turn comes back to Rules: de fr it In-game text: no Maja in her search! to the board and go looking for you and nobody has found the Comments: At the start you assemble the this friend. currently needed friend you put Beloved identification char- Corn Poppy meadow and 12 In order to find him you choose the card underneath the stack acter * Most simple rules * bushes from 24 tiles. Friends one of the bushes and puff at it and turn up a new one. To make Very attractive components puffing easier you can turn the Compares to: All kinds of puffing games board. Other editions: When a bush is blown off the Currently none meadow you simply put it back to its previous position. If you are first to find three of the friends with the help of a good memory and good puffing, you win the game. This is a very nice game with simple rule which stands out due to its components; bushes are very nicely simulated and puffing at them is good fun! þ

ers are sitting on a DING spot, INFORMATION may hit the bell – the first one to PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: NICHT JA, NICHT NEIN do this and is correct moves his 2-6 7+ 20+ ARE YOU FAMILIAR marker one spot forward. If no- WITH THE BLUE WHALE? body sits on a DING spot, only Designer: not named the questioning player may hit Artist: not named Price: ca. 18 Euro A tug-of-war between question- matic square on the board. If the bell. If the answering player Publisher: Hutter Trade 2011 posing player and answering nobody qualifies the question- does not make a mistake until www.hutter-trade.com player for yes or no for an an- ing player chooses his answer- after the last question he moves swer continues on a new topic! ing partner. his marker one spot forward. EVALUATION This new edition features 110 The question-posing player You may hit the bell, too, when Reaction game cards for all players, there is no reads out question after ques- the answering player nods or Users: For families separation into a deck for adults tion from the card; he must not shakes his head or gives the Version: de and a deck for children. add anything and must not same answer twice in a row. And Rules: de fr In-game text: yes The questioning player draws leave out anything and must according to the rules you are Comments: a card. Answering player is the lure the answering player into not even allowed to say “how- New edition with a new player who sits next to him and saying YES or NO. When this ever”, which is definitely not Yes topic * Good, witty choice has a marker on a monochro- happens players, whose mark- or No. The first one to reach the of questions * Trains attention and vocabulary middle of the board wins the training * Rules for use as game. a travel game without a A cute fun game where you board Compares to: must pay close attention and Other question games with allowed/ answer such question as in forbidden element the subtitle best with “I was Other editions: not introduced to him” or “I French edition: Ni Oui ni Non Nature have heard of him! A fantastic game, and most and foremost a concentration and vocabulary game for the family. A kangaroo is a marvelous animal, is it not? Surely? Lives in Australia? Defi- nitely! þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 23 PLAYED FOR YOU u PALMYRA / PENTOS

new tile for each landscape con- INFORMATION gruency and two new tiles per PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: PALMYRA feature; for the Censor you get 1-5 10+ 45+ MOUNTAIN TO MOUNTAIN FOR COINS coins accordingly. For a Censor move you can now Designer: Bernd Eisenstein turn over a tile in your stock to Artist: Klemens Franz Price: ca. 24 Euro The Roman Emperor wants to vice versa, and then you move the coin side. Should a move Publisher: Irongames 2013 extend his realm and sends either Censor or Legion, or you result in more coins as you have www.irongames.de legions to conquer areas and relocate a pawn. tiles turned-over to the coin Censors to collect tax. Legions Outside the city center only side, you get as many coins as EVALUATION and Censor begin in the starting one pawn is allowed on a tile. you have turned-over tiles as Tile placement display, the city center. You always move a pawn from your tribute. Users: With friends Small and big tiles show des- a tile next to the newly placed If you relocate a pawn, you first Version: multi ert, hills or mountains, some of tile onto the newly placed tile. draw a tile and then relocate on Rules: de en fr nl In-game text: no them also feature a watch tower, When then there is congruency of your pawns onto a free tile or Comments: lake or caravan. In your turn you in landscape or events between to the city center or you switch Nice graphics * Standard place one of your tiles, always the current location of the pawn your pawns. If you cannot draw mechanisms very nicely big ones next to small ones and and adjacent tiles, you earn one tiles according to the rules, you varied * Good rules with lots of examples * Expert win with most coins. version “Visit of the Em- In an expert version the Emper- peror” or comes to visit and brings with Compares to: All placement games with bonus for him the possibility to take coins congruency also for moving the Legion. Other editions: Palmyra offers placement fun Currently none at its best, standard and yet entirely new; the choice between Legion and Censor poses a continuing dilemma, especially as regards to the tribute tiles; you must move Legions to have enough choice of tiles! þ

a Mikros allows you to choose INFORMATION one of the two special cards on PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: PENTOS display - either a wildcard or an 2-5 7+ 20+ BREWING AND TASTING POTIONS! enchantment, for which you take a card from draw pile or Designer: Bruno Cathala discard pile, give 1-5 cards of Artist: Harold Price: ca. 10 Euro You are a contestant in the an- column; when then cards of the a color, but no wildcard to any Publisher: Asyncron Games 13 nual competition of sorcerers’ same color or value are present player or take such cards from www.asyncron.fr apprentices and brew potions in a column you take one card a player or discard such cards from ingredients, for spell; bad from any of the pots from hand or take a card of your EVALUATION brewing gives you koâs, magical 2) Taste a potion - you take cards choice from one of the pots. Set collecting burns. from one column, either of the If you discard five cards of the Users: For families 3x2 cards are laid out in columns same color or of the same value. same value, you have cast a Pen- Version: multi for pots, and two special cards 3) You discard sets of ingredi- tos spell and the round ends. Rules: en fr In-game text: no are on display. You have one ac- ents for spells: Mikros are sets of Other players now score koâs Comments: tion, chosen from three options: a minimum of three cards, either for cards in hand: One point for Handy, small box * 1) Add ingredients - you place all of the same value or making each card that you can assign Very nice family game * a card from the pile into each up a straight of the same color; to a sequence, or points equal Well-combined standard mechanisms * Topic and to the card value for each indi- mechanism go together vidual single card. well If you can discard nine cards Compares to: Set collecting games using special of the same color, you cast a cards Megalos spell and win instantly. Other editions: Otherwise, you win after three Currently none rounds with fewest koâs. Magical set collecting - not really new, but very nicely done and very nicely illustrated, simply a well-made and fun family card game. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 24 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at RABBIDS / RICOCHET ROBOTS t PLAYED FOR YOU

ing five markers - they placed INFORMATION on your body - around the table PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: RABBIDS (Objects and also toilet brushes 3-6 8+ 60+ THE FAMILY PARTY GAME are included in the game in the guise of card board markers). Designer: M. Teubner, Udo Peise When you master the task you Artist: Fiore GmbH Price: ca. 25 Euro The crazy rabbits encounter nent or all play. In your turn you take the card. In case of a tie in Publisher: Kosmos 2013 each other in the arena and aim move one step to the next door; a task you roll dice and the card www.kosmos.de to be the craziest Rabbid of all. each coin that you pay gives you goes to the player who first rolls You place your Rabbid in front one additional step. a Rabbid symbol. EVALUATION of one of the doors to the arena When you reach a card you If you like you can, in case of Party, solving tasks and take your question mark take the coins indicated on it, very different ages of players - Users: For families card and a coin. announce the task on the card also allow for one failed try for Version: de One mini game card is placed and the game is played accord- the younger players. Cards that Rules: de In-game text: yes next to each door. ingly. This can be slinging object you win are displayed openly. Comments: There are mini game cards for with the catapult or noticing You win three mini game cards Standard mechanisms nice- solo, duel and group games, so switched objects or throwing showing the same symbol or ly combined * Cute party you play alone, choose an oppo- of toilet brushes or transport- five cards with five different game for all the family * You can allow for one failed symbols or coins with a total try for younger players value of 12. Compares to: The tasks might be rather crazy, Other party games on solving tasks as is your aim to be craziest Rab- Other editions: bid, but you can only achieve Currently none this with a bit of planning: You need to keep an eye on the cards won by your opponents - how many symbols have been collected, how many identical ones, and also how many coins? Coordinated craziness is the motto in this cute task solving fun! þ

new turn. You can - anytime in- INFORMATION between - move other robots, PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: RICOCHET ROBOTS too, to deviate the active robot. 1+ 10+ 30+ ROBOTS IN A KIND OF LABYRINTH You must find the way by looking only; each player gives a bid Designer: Alex Randolph and can improve it while the Artist: Franz Vohwinkel Price: ca. 30 Euro Four of the eight double-sided this color or - in case the joker timer runs. When all have made Publisher: Abacusspiele 2013 boards featuring 63 squares are vortex was turned up - any ro- a bid, the bids are resolved in www.abacusspiele.de combined, some of the squares bot must be moved to the cor- ascending order, marking the are marked with walls, colored responding target square using starting square of the robot. If EVALUATION diagonal barriers and color sym- the minimum of turns. A turn you meet your bid, you receive Logic, spatial conception bols for target squares. Tiles for comprises an orthogonal move- the target tile and you win with Users: With friends those target symbols are laid ment to the next obstacle - oth- a pre-set number of tiles. Version: multi out face-down, the four colored er robots, walls, barriers but also Ricochet Robot is still one of the Rules: de en In-game text: no robots start anywhere on the edge of the board and middle best, if not the best of all logic Comments: board but on the target spots. piece of the board. From those puzzles; abstract, challenging New edition * Previous For a round you turn up one of obstacles the robot deviates to and exciting, and - in this new editions in 1999 and 2004 the target tiles and the robot of the left or right and begins a edition - endlessly variable, as * Very simple basic rules * Exquisite logic fun * the edition comprises all boards Any number of players, published so far, and also a provided all have a clear solo version created by Anson view of the board Compares to: Bischoff.þ Rasende Roboter, Mutant Meeples Other editions: Devir, Gém Klub, Z-Man, Oya,

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 25 PLAYED FOR YOU u SCHMATZSPATZ / SHOOTING STAR

to use the parent bird to place INFORMATION the worm. When the selected PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: SCHMATZSPATZ baby eats the worm that is, the 2-4 4+ 20+ FEED WORMS TO NESTLINGS worm disappears into the box, the baby is fed and you close its Designer: Edith Grein-Böttcher beak by placing a “closed beak” Artist: Lena Hesse Price: ca. 28 Euro Baby birds want to be fed, play- location by turning the nest disc marker. Publisher: Zoch Verlag 2013 ers try remember where they until the location determined If it refuses the worm, you keep www.zoch-verlag.com put a worm. by the die appears in the picture the worm and is set aside. When The nest is assembled from a window. all worms from common stock EVALUATION die-cut layer, a picture ring and Now you take the bird off its peg have been eaten or set aside memo, cooperation the disk showing nests with and place a worm into its beak and there are still open beaks Users: For children nestlings, the parent birds are and then feed a baby of the needing to be fed, all have lost Version: multi placed on their pegs. bird’s color. The other players together. When all baby birds Rules: de en fr it In-game text: no In your turn you choose a bird can give you tips which one you are fed and their beaks closed, Comments: which at least one unfed baby, should choose. all win together. Enchanting components, with an open beak. You roll the You can take the worm in your In a variant each player has albeit with difficult bird col- die and move the bird to this hand and feed the baby or try five worms and takes worms ors * Well-done synthesis of topic, components and that have not been swallowed mechanisms * High replay back into his stock; when the value last baby of a color is fed the Compares to: All games with the basic mechanisms other two get hungry again, of memo and cooperation, but new the closed beak is removed. You combination win if you are first to have fed all Other editions: your forms to the babies. Currently none A true Zoch! Fantastic components, enchanting idea and a felicitous synthesis of topic and mechanisms which address memory, cooperation and dexterity and for which a die is necessary but not dominant. þ

weapon for the planet under- INFORMATION neath and the planets that are PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: SHOOTING STAR targeted by it. Each targeted 2-5 10+ 30+ SPACE WARS CONQUESTS planet loses one level: Level 4 is turned over to level3; level 3 Designer: V. Zini, I. Amoretti is conquered, removed and re- Artist: A. Guerrieri, R. Barletta Price: ca. 10 Euro You want to rise to Commander In rounds you play a phase of placed by a level 2 planet; level Publisher: dV Giochi 2013 of the Dark Invader’s Fleet which destruction card placement, fol- 2 is turned over to level 1, and www.dvgiochi.com destroys all that crosses its path. lowed by a phase of destruction a level 1 planet is conquered, 110 cards comprise 49 planet card resolve. For the placement removed and not replaced. You EVALUATION cards, 45 destruction cards, 15 phase you play a card from your take planets you conquered. SciFi, card placement, Secret Mission cards and a Dark hand onto an empty planet. For Planets isolated by the effects missions Invader. the resolving phase you turn up of your card are deemed to be Users: With friends A card display of planet cards is all destruction cards in direction conquered by you. Dark plan- Version: multi Rules: en it prepared and you are given one of the arrow and resolve them ets do not take damage and In-game text: no mission each of value 1, 2 and in descending order of priority are conquered by isolation only. Comments: 3, and a set of nine destruction numbers. After seven cards, or when there Winning game Lucca 2013 cards. Each destruction cards shows a are as many or fewer planets Best Unpublished Game 2012-2013 * Coproduction on display as there are players, dV Giochi / Carta Mundi you win with most points from * Basically rather simply, but tactic hard to implement due to conquered planets, moons on simultaneous, face-down play those planets, completed mis- Compares to: sions and most cards in your All placement games with resolving discard pile. cards placed face-down on visible targets Fast, simple and allowing little Other editions: planning, as you only know Currently none where your opponents place cards; therefore missions are hard to complete and you have an advantage if you remember who played which card already. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 26 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at SPACE CADETS / STROMBERG t PLAYED FOR YOU

tion with the dice result number. INFORMATION A station can roll as many dice as PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: SPACE CADETS it has energy dice. To implement 4-8 12+ 30+ DICE DUEL the action of a station you must have station dice on all given Designer: G. and S. Engelstein slots of the station board. When Artist: M. Christopher, C. Jones Price: ca. 40 Euro Two space ships in direct con- for one or several stations or co- station dice are placed on the Publisher: Stronghold Games 13 frontation, players are crew of ordinates actions as the Captain. board you must give back the www.strongholdgames.com the ships in two teams and win There are no rounds or separate corresponding number of en- or lose together. turns, all play simultaneously ergy dice to Engineering. EVALUATION The winner is the team that first and as quickly as possible. For When the station dice have Dice, SciFi, team play causes four damage points for each station there are separate been used in a station action Users: With friends the other ship, from torpedoes dice with separate rules, but you they must be taken off the sta- Version: en and mines. can only roll them when the station board and - for a new action Rules: en In-game text: no Each ship has six stations - Engi- tion has energy dice. - be re-rolled with new energy Comments: neering - Helm - Weapons - Sen- Energy is provided by Engineer- dice. For each hit a ship takes it Chaotic, loud, extreme, sors - Shields - Tractor Beams ing who rolls all available dice, must discard one energy dice. but whacking great fun * - and each player is responsible can re-roll or give dice to the sta- If you are already stressed out Good for larger groups * Very communicative and when reading this rather calm, cooperative * Needs con- short description it might be centration and the ability better if you do not play Dice to shut out noise of others Compares to: Duel; hectic, stress, screaming, All games where all players roll dice cursing over bad luck in dice simultaneously rolls, frantic demands for energy Other editions: - all this must be transformed Currently none into constructive planning and actions to result in immense communicative and cooperative fun, especially for larger groups. þ

Shredder for destroying one file INFORMATION of an opponent, Chicane for los- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: STROMBERG ing a player his highest race card 3-5 14+ 60+ DAS GROSSE BÜROSTUHLRENNEN and the Cleaning Trolley symbol relocates the trolley. Designer: Inka & Markus Brand Other chairs and the cleaning Artist: Christian Fiore Price: ca. 40 Euro Stromberg, known from the TV desk and do an action or place trolley are obstacles and can be Publisher: Ravensburger 2013 show, starts a desk chair race to a card for a processed file un- circumvented or pushed aside www.ravensburger.de counteract boredom in the of- der the desk or move the chair. for the price of -3 steps; Herr fice; players embody Tanja, Ulf, Cards placed for a race card re- Becker is moved when a card EVALUATION Ernie, Jennifer and Stromberg main in place until you move, with his image is placed for a TV show, and try to be first across the fin- the total of numbers on them is race card; when he reaches the Users: With friends ish line with their chair. your number of steps. end of his track all players count Version: de All rounds of the game are iden- When a race card shows an ac- their files; if you have fewest Rules: de In-game text: yes tical - first all draw cards from tion symbol you implement you take a Becker chip and your Comments: their pile and then play a card or the action: Coffee Break for chair is moved by your neighbor Based on a TV Show * move the chair; you place a card changed movement, Telephone for the total of all your Becker Nice interpretation of the for a race card in front of the terror for reduced movement, chips, forward or backwards. topic * Mechanisms well- combined If you move onto or across the Compares to: finish line, you win. In an expert Other games based on version the suspension files in- TV shows troduce special talents of char- Other editions: acters into the game. Currently none This is a fun and well-made game based on a well-liked license. Sayings from the show provide flair, the standard mechanisms are nicely mixed and the boredom feared by Stromberg is definitely held at bay. þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 27 PLAYED FOR YOU u TERRA KIDS / TIME ‘N‘ SPACE

for comparison, for instance INFORMATION height or length of head-body. PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: TERRA KIDS The active detective then gives 3-5 6+ 20+ SCHNECKENSCHNELL & BÄRENSCHWER a guess for the riddle animal - when the guess was wrong he Designer: Inka & Markus Brand covers the animal he named on Artist: Gabriela Silveira Price: ca. 13 Euro As an animal detective you an- checkpoints and asks the corre- the board and the turn passes to Publisher: Haba 2013 swer questions like “which ani- sponding question, for instance the next detective. www.haba.de mal is slower?” or “which animal “are you faster or slower?”. When the guess was correct, the is heavier?”. The riddle animal player now riddle animal player keeps his EVALUATION Three checkpoints for speed, changes the marking on the card and the successful detec- Assessment, value com- size and weight are set up. The corresponding checkpoint, to tive takes a card from the pile. parison active player is the “riddle ani- the left if his animal is slower, to The round ends when a de- Users: For children mal” in question and draws the the right if it faster and under- tective has guessed the riddle Version: multi Rules: de en es fr it nl top card from the pile. The other neath the hint card if the speed animal or when all twelve hint In-game text: no players are animal detectives. is approximately the same. card have been used and the Comments: The active detective takes a hint The icon on the animal card tells animal has not been guessed. Very attractive selec- card, places it next to one of the you how it moves the size used In this case the card of the riddle tion of animals * Nice components, especially the animal is taken out of the game. checkpoints * Good animal When in a game of three play- graphics ers each one was riddle animal Compares to: Fauna and other assessment/com- twice or once in a game of four parison games on animal data or five players, you win with Other editions: most cards. Currently none This is a nice variant of “com- pare data” that works well, albeit there being no hint card for the water animals, but the rules provide a list of all data for all animals which you can check if necessary. þ

Production plant, loading goods INFORMATION in the Beam station, providing PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: TIME ‘N‘ SPACE orders in the Trading Center and 3-4 10+ 30 SPACE TRAVEL AND TRADE, using the Research plant plus PRESSED FOR TIME a visit to a moon to upgrade Designer: Tobias Stapelfeldt Building tiles to Stage II. Those Artist: Margielsky, Schneider Price: ca. 35 Euro Within 30 minutes you must de- planet. Stage II buildings can then be Publisher: eggertspiele/Pegasus 13 liver as many goods as possible An external timer (e.g. mobile upgraded to stage III. When a www.pegasus.de to other planets, using produc- phone) is set for 30 minutes, or timer has run out you can take it tion, logistics and demand. Each 12 minutes for the introductory up, implement the action of the EVALUATION player commands two sand tim- game, and is started: You place symbol and relocate the timer. SciFi, real-time, trade ers and all play simultaneously. both of your timers onto time You can wait to remove a timer, Users: With friends Aim of the game is, to score symbols in your space ship or but if you remove you must in- Version: multi more points than your oppo- your control center to use the stantly implement the action or Rules: de en In-game text: no nents by filling of orders; those corresponding actions: Travel it is forfeit. Comments: orders can be filled if you land or order completion with the When the 30 minutes are over Revised new edition of on an opponent’s planet and or- space Ship or - in the control and actions of timers still run- Space Dealer * Ingenious der markers are on offer on this center - producing goods in the ning have been completed, a use of a time limit * Coor- dination among players is final scoring of order markers is necessary for supply/de- done. mand optimization * Only good for players who do not mind a Hectic, loud and most of all: In- game with hectic and chaos genious, if you like that kind of Compares to: game. It is essential to coordi- Space Alert for the time element, all nate supply/demand with other in all first game of its kind players, because you only score Other editions: Stronghold Games for markers you collected if you got rid of all your own markers of that color. Keep an eye on the timers, because keeping them idle too long means missed opportunities. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 28 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at VERHEXTE FABELWESEN / VILLEN DES WAHNSINNS t PLAYED FOR YOU

prentices in those colors by the INFORMATION number of steps equal to the PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: VERHEXTE FABELWESEN number of apprentice markers 2-4 5+ 15+ DRAGON OR GIANT SHOW YOU THE WAY in the respective colors. When an apprentice arrives at Designer: Wolfgang Dirscherl the castle, the owner of this Artist: Günther Jakobs Price: ca. 7 Euro The Sorcerer’s apprentices must a face-down apprentice tile and apprentice wins the game. All Publisher: Haba 2013 reach the castle of Sorcerer Fidi- thus knows which one of the ap- apprentice markers are always www.haba.de bus by crossing the bleak magic prentices is his for the game. You participating in a game, even if forest. As they do not know keep this information secret! there are less than four players EVALUATION the way, they must find the be- In your turn you turn up two participating. Memo witched creatures hiding in the tiles - if you can combine them When one of the apprentices Users: For children forest, who can help them to to a fabled bewitched creature who do not belong to some- Version: multi find the way. you take the pair of tiles and one, arrives at the castle first, Rules: de en es fr it nl In-game text: no 32 forest tiles are shuffled with check the colors of the sorcerer’s you continue to play until an Comments: their forest side up and laid out apprentices that are depicted apprentice that is owned by a Nice topic * Very attractive either in a grid or in a loose ar- on the tiles. player reaches the castle. components * Tactic is rangement. Each player draws Then you advance the two ap- This is a simple memo game possible, but not necessary to play that has a bit of tactic to offer Compares to: if you manage to remember All memo games with ad- those tiles on which you noticed ditional use of pairs your own apprentice. Other editions: There are several tiles of each Currently none part of a bewitched creature, so you have several chances of creating a bewitched creature and can even decide which opposing apprentice you prefer to move. But even played like a simple memo game this is a very cute version. þ

spent by the investigator on the INFORMATION first roll remains valid for the PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: VILLEN DES WAHNSINNS second roll. 2-4 13+ 180+ RUF DER WILDNIS Pits result in damage to the character, but the damage is Designer: Corey Konieczka only triggered when a figure Artist: Taylor Ingvarsson + Team Price: ca. 50 Euro Ruf der Wildnis / Call to the Wild be crossed, already familiar from moves into a space, not when Publisher: Heidelberger 2013 is played with the core game the Forbidden Alchemy expan- it is placed there by an action! www.heidelbaer.de and its rules and offers five new sions, there are yellow room Boat markers are used on water, and independent stories, from borders, as the map parts now over impassable borders, but EVALUATION murder investigation to a sur- also show outdoor locations. only if you hold the “Boat Key” Fantasy, adventure prising switching of roles which Curses are a new kind of sta- exploration card. Users: For experts forces the keeper to investigate tus effect, Boats and Pits are Allies are neither monsters nor Version: de locations and to solve riddles or a new kind of feature marker. investigators, are not directed Rules: de en es fr jp pl In-game text: yes puzzles; this is supplemented The Keeper can remove a curse by one player, but can interact Comments: by new monsters, investigators marker from an investigator’s with players. After each Inves- Second expansion for and other new cards. In addi- card and thereby force him to tigator Trading Step there is an Villen des Wahnsinns * tion to the borders that cannot repeat a roll of dice; a skill point Ally Phase, in which an investi- Needs core game to play * Fantastic ideas, sometimes gator who is nearest to the ally unbalanced as regards to can use the alley to attack or, the Keeper if in the same room with the Compares to: Villen des Wahnsinns, other fantasy ally, can talk to the ally to learn adventure games with an Arkham rumors, resolve an event or ac- topic quire tasks. Allies use Expertise Other editions: for skill tests. Fantasy Flight Games, Edge Entertain- ment, Galakta, Arclight Call to the Wild offers yet another fantastic, dense game experience with many new ideas, not always ideally balanced, but an interesting and demanding challenge. þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 29 PLAYED FOR YOU u VISUAL PANIC / WHACKY ROLL

player of your choice. When a INFORMATION chameleon appears on a card, PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: VISUAL PANIC you must cover the card and call 3-7 8+ 20+ PINK GUITAR ON WHITE - NO! “Panic”, adhering to the black & white rule for the chameleon, Designer: Alexandre Droit too - if a chameleon appears Artist: Olivier Fagnère Price: ca. 10 Euro 54 cards showing objects and all and have memorized them outlined in black or white or on Publisher: Cocktail Games 2013 words, depicted in colors of a all you cover the card with your a black or white background, www.cocktailgames.com colored, black or white back- hand and start listing objects you ignore it and deal with the ground, are stacked. You name and words. But there is a snag: card according to the color EVALUATION a color from the backside of the You must ignore all words or named before the card was re- memo, reaction top card and then turn the card objects in the given color that vealed. If you handled a chame- Users: For families over quickly for all to see simul- are outlined/framed in black or leon correctly, you get the card Version: fr taneously. white or depicted on a black or and two from other player(s) Rules: fr In-game text: yes All players now search by them- white background. of your choice. If those players Comments: selves for objects and words in If you are correct you keep the don’t have enough cards you Quickly explained * Quickly the color you named. If you be- card. If you make a mistake, take them from the pile. If you played * Can be played lieve that you have found them you give the card to another were in error, you give the card without knowledge of French and two from your hand to any Compares to: player of your choice. When the Reaction games with draw pile is empty, you win with memo mechanism most cards. Other editions: Simple, fast and good fun! Yet Currently none another small excellent game from Cocktail Games, well-working with all numbers of players, based on quickly explained rules and with words chosen that do not demand knowledge of French to play! Pure fun demanding quick memorizing and fast reactions! þ

with a dice result lower than INFORMATION seven. When Whacky collects PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: WHACKY ROLL one of the power pints he has 2 8+ 30+ EAT POINTS, AVOID MONSTERS three turns to send monsters pack to their cage when he Designer: Norman Sommer joins them on a spot, of course Artist: Norman Sommer Price: ca. 25 Euro Once there was PacMan versus start of the game and at the he can collect points on those Publisher: CMO Spielquader 13 Ghosts, today there is Whacky start of a new live Whacky has moves, too. Monsters must pass www.spielquader.de versus Monsters - One player two rolls, otherwise only one. their turn for that period. Mon- is Whacky and wants to collect Points collected by Whacky by sters can jump over each other, EVALUATION all points and survive, the other moving over them are marked. but cannot be stacked. Whacky Roll & move, collect player wants to use his four When a monster moves on a can use the middle corridors, Users: For families monsters to divest Whacky of all spot with Whacky, Whacky los- while Monsters cannot, they Version: de three lives. es a life and starts afresh at his also must always move in one Rules: de en es fr In-game text: no Monsters start in the middle, starting points. direction only, unless repelled, Comments: Whacky on this starting points. If a monster sits there, it goes while Whacky can change direc- Good family game * Very Players alternate to roll their re- back to the middle cage. Mon- tion and can move backwards. chance-driven * Simple spective dice and move: At the sters can only leave the cage When Whacky sits between two rules * Boards available for download * App available monsters when he begins a new for dice rolling life, he has lost instantly. Whacky Compares to: can commit suicide to get at a PacMan, other roll & move games point underneath a monster, if with differing goals for participants Other editions: he collects a power point this Board game version Whacky Wit, way it does not count for a new Whacky Roll without magnets life. Nostalgia pure, and very chance-driven but fun - if you like dice games without much tactic! Whacky Roll is quickly explained and quickly played and is good fun, especially for families and beginners. þ

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 30 ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 32 and 33 www.gamesjournal.at WIEN! DAS SPIEL / WORD ON THE STREET t PLAYED FOR YOU

If you choose Action 2 you must INFORMATION choose a die, too! PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: WIEN! DAS SPIEL Advancement on the timeline 2-6 8+ 60+ HISTORY OF A METROPOLIS depends on the kind of card you played and on the location of Designer: Spartaco Albertarelli your marker at the start of the Artist: Chiara Vercesi Price: ca. 28 Euro The board shows colored spots first site on the timeline. One move, in relation to the event on Publisher: Piatnik 2013 along a path, attractions and an player rolls seven dice. In your the card. Whoever reaches the www.piatnik.com illustrated timeline with events turn you first choose one of end of the timeline first, wins. and dates. seven dice and then one of two If you reach a site marker you EVALUATION Cards carry information on Vi- possibilities: take it off the board and take Travel, history enna’s history. Player markers 1) move according to the die three to one card depending Users: For families start on a random black spot on to reach a site marker and get on which marker you reached; Version: de the path. Seven site markers are cards; for locations outside Vi- there is a limit of 5 cards in hand Rules: de In-game text: yes randomly drawn and placed on enna special rules apply. for the end of your turn. Comments: the sites marked at their bases. 2) Play 1 to 3 cards to advance When all dice have been taken, Attractive information Each player gets one card and on the timeline or implement you roll them anew. When all transfer * Informative en- places his time marker on the the special action of a red card. site markers are taken you draw tertainment * Good concise rules * Good selection of and place seven new ones. events and locations When there are not enough left Compares to: you shuffle all site markers and London! The Board Game, Roll & move games with information on place seven. Whoever reaches historic sights and events the end of the timeline first, Other editions: wins. Currently none A game on the history of a metropolis that entertains well and provides interesting information - events and locations are inviting and full of history, they make you want to go visit and get more information! þ

sponding tile is moved one step INFORMATION towards to the side of the active PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: WORD ON THE STREET team. 4-10 12+ 25+ WORDS LEFT AND RIGHT OF THE MIDDLE If a letter is moved off the board the team has conquered the let- Designer: Jack Degnan ter. So, if a team manages to find Artist: Osterhaus, Kovalic Price: ca. 30 Euro A game on words and letters, alphabetical order from top to a correct word with three letters Publisher: Amigo Spiele 2013 you must conquer 8 letters to bottom. of the same kind this letter is www.amigo-spiele.de win the game. Conquer? A let- You play in two teams and conquered with one word - e.g. ter is conquered if you move the choose one side of the category poppy. EVALUATION letter of the road. Road? cards for a game. One team When the first letter has been words, association A board styled like a road with draws a card and announces the moved, the active team cannot Users: With friends a median, with two lanes in category for the round, and the change the word anymore. Con- Version: de both directions, is divided into other team starts the timer. quered letters can be used as Rules: de en In-game text: yes 17 rows. In each of these rows The active team now looks for a usual, but are not moved, they Comments: you place 17 letter tiles in the word fitting the category while stay with the team that con- First published by Out of median spot – consonants only the timer runs; for each letter quered them. the Box, 2009 * Simple without J, Q, X and Z - and in in the chosen word the corre- The opposing team can try to rules * Very attractive mechanism * All letters distract the active team and permanently available * No suggest words, even if they do counting for scoring not fit, but can only veto really Compares to: incorrect words. All word games on given categories Other editions: Word on the Street is still one of Out of the Box, USA the most attractive word games, as all letters can be used at any time, even without moving a letter; the mechanism of con- quering letters to win the game is a marvelous one. All it takes to win is to have is a stock of a lot of words featuring three identical letters. þ

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 459 / DECEMBER 2013 31 NEW ARRIVALS u A QUICK GLIMPSE ON NEWCOMERS

ANDROID NETRUNNER SCHATTEN DER MENSCHHEIT DESIRE DISNEY FAIRIES MENSCH ÄRGERE DICH NICHT KIDS Publisher: Heidelberger Spieleverlag Publisher: BigFunIdea Publisher: Schmidt Spiele Designers: Richard Garfield, Lukas Litzsinger Designer: Alex Zeng

Genesis Im Schatten der Menschheit / Humanity’s Shadow is the A set-collecting game with cards, only noteable because of The classic game with a Disney topic - you take three pawns of a fifth Data Pack for Android: Netrunner, featuring cards 81-100, its illustrations, which suggest an age limit of 16+. The game Disney Fairy and you play on a board with color dots, according in the first expansion Cycle Genesis. Runner versus Corporation. itself is a simple game of collecting cards; you place cards in to the familiar rules, but using colors instead of numbers. If you Both have their own deck of cards and goals. The Corporation ascending or descending order of desire values into rows, up roll your own color, you can put one of your pawns onto the can spend three Clicks per turn for actions; to install server to a maximum of four rows. A 10 or a 1 closes a row, you can starting position. Otherwise, you move to the next spot of the protection or to trace the runner. The Runner can spend four leave out values in betweed cards. Each player holds one Infinity color you rolled, jumping over pieces on the way, If your move Clicks; for instance for a Run – a hacker attack on Corporation Card, when placed, this card closes a row instantly. At the end ends on an occupied stop you send the pawn there back to its with different targets. This pack features a new Criminal Identity, you score rows with one point per card and in addition to that starting spot. If you reach the spot in front of your finish spots, a daring new resource and unique sysops for the Corporation as groups of cards with the same illustrations. you put the paws onto the furthest-back empty one. You do only well as new events for the Runners. Version: multi * Rules: cn en * In-game text: no one round on the board, if you cannot move, you must pass. Version: de * Rules: de en es fr pl * In-game text: yes Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: no

Data Pack for Android Netrunner for 2 players, ages 14+ Set collecting game with cards, for 3-5 players, ages 12+ Roll & move game with a license topic, for 2-4 players, ages 4+

DISNEY PLANES KNIFFEL KIDS GAME OF THRONES EPISCHE SCHLACHTEN JOLLY OCTOPUS Publisher: Schmidt Spiele Publisher: Heidelberger Spieleverlag Publisher: Ravensburger Designers: Eric M. Lang, Christian T. Petersen, Nate Designer: Gunter Baars French

The classic among dice games for combination, featuring a A Game of Thrones tells an epic story about a rough country with Jolly, the jolly octopus, loves to play with the little crabs; in this handy dice cup and tge design of a favorite Disney license. In a dark legacy. You are the head of one of six noble houses in the small version of the game the crabs run a race to Sally Starfish your turn you can roll up to three times, can set aside dice and Realms of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros: Baratheon, Lannister, round Jolly Octopus. The areas between Jolly’s arms are the re-roll set-aside dice in a later roll. After the third roll you must Stark, Targaryen, Greyjoy or Martell. You start with 7 cards and a spots of race track. In your turn you roll the die - for a pips only note the points for your result on the sheet; if you cannot mark round comprises plot, draw, meeting, challenges, dominance, result you may move one or both of your crabs: you either push a result you must cross out a box of your choice. You mark the status and taxes. The first to accumulate 15 power points, wins a crab underneath one of Jolly’s arms or lift it over it with two result in the top or bottom half of the sheet, the bottom half is the game. Gekreuzte Klingen/ A Clash of Arms is the 1st Cycle fingers. When an arm moves, you must stop your turn instantly. destined for poker combinations. of Chapter Pack, with a total of 6 Chapter Packs, now in its first When the shark symbol is rolled you must move the shark; if the Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: no German edition; Epische Schlachten / Epic Battles ist the fourth shark meets one lone crab this crab moves back two steps. If you chapter pack featuring cards 61-80 in the cycle. are first to reach Sally Starfish with both crabs you win. Version: de * Rules: de en * in-game text: yes Version: multi * Rules: de fr it * In-game text: no

Dice game with a license topic, for 2-6 players, ages 5+ Supplement for Game of Thrones for 2-4 players, ages 13+ Dexterity game for 2-4 players, ages 4-8

OH SCHRECK, DER SPECK FLIEGT WEG RITTER ROST QUARTETT TOP TRUMPS SPECIALS DISNEY PLANES Publisher: Haba Publisher: Noris Spiele Publisher: Winning Moves Designers: Thilo and Christian Hutzler

Emil Elephant is very hungry and fills his shopping chart, but the Cards show Ritter Rost and his friends, without any names or Choosing your card’s best attribute, beating (trumping) your mice have fun with frightening him. The mice hole tiles are laid other symbols. With those 32 cards you play a classic game of opponent’s card, and winning the cards played in the round – out mouse hole up around the chart. You turn one hole over and Happy Families: All cards are distributed evenly to all players, if already a Classic! Cards are dealt evenly to all players. The active stack the depicted “tidbit”, that is, wooden block onto the chart, you then already hold a quartet you lay it down. Then you ask player chooses an attribute on his top card (no shuffling of the color sequence and orientation are given. If you do not want to one of the other players for a card - if he has got it he must give it deck!) and calls out the corresponding value – all other players stack yourself you ask another player. If he agrees and is success- to you and you have another turn with asking a player for a card. check their cards for the value of this attribute – the player with ful, he earns a shopping tile amd the round ends. It also ends If the player that you asked did not have the card he becomes the highest value gets all cards of this round. In case of a tie when the stack topples, all but the player who toppled it get a the new active player and asks for a card. When all cards are used cards go on the table and the winner of the next round receives shopping tile. If you can stack the last block, you earn a shop- up, you win with most quartets. those too. Themeset: Specials The Muppets ping tile, too. If you get the third shopping tile, you win. Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: no Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: yes Version: multi * Rules: de en es fr it nl * In-game text: no

Dexterity game for 2-5 players, ages 6+ Card game for 2-4 players, ages 4+ Card/Quiz game for 2 or more players, ages 8+

Color codes for target groups (Headline Color) Color codes for features (Bar in Evalution box) For children + learn With friends Chance Strategy Knowledge Communication Dexterity 32 For families For experts Tactic Creativity Memory Interaction Action HIGHLIGHTS AMONG GAMES t FROM THE MUSEUM

RECOMMENDATION #100 HUGO KASTNER RECOMMENDS PLAYERS Designer: Antoine Bauza 3-7 Artist: Miguel Coimbra AGE: 7 WONDERS Price: ca. 30 Euro 8+ Year: 2010 ANCIENT WONDERS OF THE WORLD Publisher: Repos Production TIME: www.asmodee.com 30+ Dear Readers! Immediately after “7 Wonders of a necessity as is a basic strategic game of the World” were published at Spiel’ 10 at plan. But foremost in this game you need Essen, in an edition limited to 777 copies, and to watch your neighbors, as “7 Wonders” Competence Info+ Chance playable for up to 7 players - a little play on has very strong interactive relations which You should know the cards, be able to assess numbers on the side - some mild criticism have strong effects in the “Military” interim the possibilities of your display and keep a permanent eye on both of your neighbors - then was mouthed about the high price of 40 scorings and the final scoring. The 2-player you will be able to make optimum use of your Euros. A price really very unusual for a card variant is very exciting, too, as those play- wonder. And yet, there is a nicely judged ele- game. But those doubtful voices were soon ers alternate to enact a turn of an imagi- ment of chance, which makes this game very attractive also for families. silenced, as the idea of the game and the fun nary third player and - in this way - can Hugos EXPERT TIP it provides are golden stocks on the game take cards out of play that might benefit When you have had a few games of “7 Wonders”, you could enhance the strategic element if, at market. The basic idea of choosing on card their opponent. To erect your own Won- the start of the game, you reveal the “Guilds” that from a selection of cards in your hand and der is not mandatory, by the way, there are are not in play. I also recommend to introduce then handing on all remaining cards may also other winning strategies, albeit valu- new elements with the interesting expansions of “7 Wonder Cities” and “7 Wonders Leaders”. not have been new, but the nearly endless able points from the eponymous game Hugos FLASHLIGHT possibilities that are hiding in the respective sometimes being the deciding factor. For This is a truly worthy highlight that Antoine hands surpass all ideational predecessors, for enthusiasts - and there are many of them Bauza has provided for many, many entertain- ing hours - a card game, an optimization game, instance the classic “Ochseln”. At all events - I also must recommend the expansions a family game, a game for in-between - “7 Won- of the Austrian Games Museum you will en- “Leaders” and “Cities”, with a special em- ders” combines all this and offers an unfathom- able scope of possibilities to vary the game. The counter real wonders with this creation of phasis on “Cities”, as this again drastically deluge of awards won by those 7 Wonders of the Antoine Bauza. enhances interaction. But also in the basic World is more than understandable! Website: www.spielen.at version alone “7 Wonders” is worthy to be PREVIEW: The light of our obligatory lamp, at the the 100. Highlight! 100 HIGHLIGHTS - An overview beginning, lights up one pre-assigned Comments to: [email protected] LAST REGULAR COLUMN Wonder for each player, three card stacks, Homepage: www.hugo-kastner.at  marked with different numbers, and a handful of coins. So far, “7 Wonders” gives no visual clue to the plethora of decisions, and easily made ones at that, are awaiting players. From his current hand of cards each player chooses one card and then put it on the table simultaneously to all other players. The remaining cards are handed to your neighbor. Due to this simultaneous decision-making there is nearly no waiting time, regardless if two or seven are playing. The single card chosen by each player can now be used to set up a building or to a Wonder or to acquire coins. Aim of this is to collect most points in your display of cards at the end of three rounds. Sounds trivial, when you read it like this, but due to the variation in the cards and their interlocking effects, which increase from round to round, result in ways of variations which could make you win that can barely be guessed at. Tactical decisions are as much IMPRESSUM Offenlegung nach dem Mediengesetz: Medieninhaber, Eigentümer, Verleger und Hersteller: Verein „Österreichisches Spiele Museum“, vertreten durch Obfrau Dipl. Ing. Dagmar de Cassan, Raasdorferstrasse 28, 2285 Leopoldsdorf im Marchfelde, Österreich, Telefon 02216-7000, mail-to: [email protected], Internet: www.spielejournal.at - www.gamesjournal.at - Chefredakteur: Dipl.Ing. Dagmar de Cassan Blattlinie: Die Blattlinie ist die Meinung aller Redakteure, freien Mitarbeitern und Gastautoren. Die Spiele zur Erstellung der Rezensionen stellt das Österr. Spiele Museum für die Dauer der Arbeit kostenlos zur Verfügung. Niemand erhält Sach-,Service-, Geldleistungen von den Verlagen. (Alle nicht namentlich gekennzeichneten Rezensionen zu den Spielen sind von Dagmar de Cassan) English Edition Version 1.0 Copyright (c) 2013 by Spielen in Österreich - Die Spiele Collection, Spiele Kreis Wien, Österreichisches Spielefest, Spielefest, Wiener Spiele Akademie, Spiel der Spiele und zwei Spiele-Symbole sind eingetragene Warenzeichen. Ihre Email-Adresse: Wir versenden oft an unsere Mitglieder, Abonnenten und Interessenten eine Erinnerung für Termine und sonstige Infos. Wenn Sie noch nie eine Email von uns erhalten haben, fehlt uns Ihre Email!

Icon explanation GABIS explanation on page 5 Solo Play Two Players Large Groups Recommended Minimum Age 33