AppendicesChapter X

Appendix A Board Game Recommendations

Recommended board games for Incan Gold (Sunriver Games, 3–8 players, age 8 libraries from Scott Nicholson and up, $19.95) (Case Study 1) In Incan Gold, three to eight players delve into caves to bring back treasures, but many hazards lie in wait to The following games are good examples of modern board end a player’s adventure. There are fifteen treasure cards games that are relatively simple to learn that would be and fifteen hazard cards of five different types. A card is good additions to a library. Not all of these games have flipped, and if it is treasure, players divide the treasure all of the aspects listed in Case Study 1, but they are evenly, leaving any remainder on the card. Players can all more immersive gaming experiences than traditional then choose to continue their journey or to go back to the games. Some of them are card games or dice games, but camp, picking up the leftovers and banking their winnings. they are grouped into the larger concept of board games. The remaining players reveal the next card and divide the The first seven games are samples of the variety of “family spoils. If two matching hazard cards are revealed, then strategy” board games, and the final three are other types the adventure ends and all players not safely at camp lose of games. their treasures. Cards are then reshuffled after removing the card that ended the mission, and a new adventure No Thanks! (Z-Man Games, 3–5 players, age 8 continues. After five journeys, the player with the most and up, $10.00) treasure wins. No Thanks! is an easy-to-learn card game for three to five players. Cards have the numbers 3 through 35, and nine Blokus (Educational Insights, 2–4 players, age 5 of them are randomly removed before play begins. Each and up, $29.99) player starts with eleven chips, and each chip he or she This colorful game is best for two or four players. Players has at the end of the game is worth one point. The top have pieces that are combinations of one to five square card is revealed, and each player will take a turn, to either tiles in various configurations. On a turn, the player puts give up one chip or take the card along with all of the a piece on a grid starting from one corner. Future pieces chips other players have given up, so players have to bal- must touch a player’s previous pieces by a corner, but ance the good points from chips with the bad points from cannot share an entire side with their previous pieces. cards. Cards are worth negative points equal to the value Players continue to play pieces until no player has any of the card, but if a player gets cards that are in sequence, moves remaining, and the player who has gotten rid of only the lowest number of the sequence counts against the most of their tiles is the winner. (Note: This is a game the player. At the end of the game, the players count their with “player elimination,” but since a typical game lasts chips and subtract their cards and the player with the less than twenty minutes, an eliminated player doesn’t best score wins. have long to wait.) April 2008 April ReportsLibrary Technology www.techsource.ala.org

38 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org April 2008 39 players players Wagers, and Wits set up in the middle the in up set Heroscape Trivial Pursuit has been replaced with more Games purchased by Christopher Games purchased Harris for the BOCES program (Case Study 2) Carccassone Focuses on spatial awareness and long-term planning as students tiles lay to complete cities, and farms. roads, some developments and are trying to be the first person ten victoryto reach points. 2+ players, Bradley, (Milton Heroscape 8 and up, $44.95) Heroscape is different from the other games on the list, would it game, American pure a of more is it although and be a great addition for a library program. Players control of take a set of troops from various time periods and troops represent that miniatures The objectives. over fight detailed,and colorful theand are withcomes game many customizable three-dimensional stacking theOnce terrain game is set and up, is it also is not eye-catching tiles. A play. to game complex a of a library would certainly draw attention ment to a gaming program. and excite- - (North Star Games, 3–21 play Wits and Wagers ers, age 10 and up, $29.99) Party games have also evolved over the last decade. The questions”and answer game format estab- “roll-and-move lished by interacting.of ways dynamic In given a are question with All a numerical players answer. from ranked then are guesses the and guess, a down write low to high. Players then more the wager on placed on wagers which and guess over, going without is closest the extreme guesses pay out at a higher rate. Players can do well by either knowing the answer, knowing who at the table should know the answer, or playing the numerical betweenspread guesses and theodds. Dice (Nash Games, 2–4 players, age 8 Tumblin’ and up, $59.99) This admittedly noisy game would be a fun addition to a library and is a great example of a game that draws in players of many ages. In this game, players flick dice off a platform. The dice rattle down several stepped board areas and hopefully come to a stop before going off the board. The dice are worth the number showing times a multiplier, based upon how far down they went Tumblin’ stopping. Dice looks simple but is a lot of fun. before (Out of the Box Games, in the U.S.A. (Out of the 10 Days $24.99) age 10 and up, 2–4 players, This is one of a series of geographical games (with other designed not were that Europe) and Asia, Africa, in games as educational experiences, but certainly will teach - play ers about the layout of states and countries Players way. have a along rack with theten cards, each showing a three of one take state,will transport.country, or Players theirrack from thecards of one replace and cards face-up with the drawn card with the goal of putting countries states that or share a border next to each other in the rack. Transports airplaneslike can allow a route to jump first the is winner The continuing. before board the across such that a route make to start he or she can player with the first card and can trace a connected path using each of the ten cards. age Zooloretto (Rio Grande Games, 2–5 players, 8 and up, $44.95 ) collectingIn this are game, two- players and breed to five ing animals for their zoos. Players start with three pens, each of which can hold a single type of animal. Players draw a random tile, which will be an animal, money, or a food stand. After drawing, the player will place the tile on one of several trucks. Instead of drawing a tile, player may thetake a truck and the tiles on the truck. Tiles that a player cannot accommodate in their pens will go into the player’s barn for later use or sale to others. At the end of the game, players get points for their animals still animals pointsfor lose and pens full for bonuses with in their barns. 2–5 players, age to Ride (Days of Wonder, Ticket 8 and up, $40.00 ) theof one as best recognized commonly is Ride to Ticket games. board modern to new players for games” “gateway a on cities of pairs connect to missions secret have Players connectedNorth of are map CitiestheAmerica. on board select Players lengths. varying of color single a of paths by making setscards of the a set of same color and can play game the As use. exclusive their for route a claim to cards get develops, more secret routes players to complete, but as more routes are claimed, it becomes more challenging to connect their players for cities. age 12 2–4 players, Settlers of Catan (Mayfair, and up, $42.00) Settlers of Catan was the first game from Germany that Players 1990s. the in States United the in popular became are settling a new island by collecting tradingresources, with each other, and building roads, and buildings towns, for victorypoints get cities, Players developments. and 40 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org April 2008 multiply their values tocatchnumbered their multiply villains. and add players as heros,workmismatched then build to fun of lot whole a in up wrapped pureis game math This Numbers League cat. woodland creatures the from Max save to work players as collaboration and conversation A cooperative game for young very requiresthat students Max anexpedition. for ofrisk starting points twenty initial the offset to points enough collect to able be will and focused more on as to math playersdecide if they try players two for but management, risk of game Another Lost Cities havewhat they safe. keep to back turn or treasure more for look to forward risk management as of each student has to to decide gowhether game this drives narrator the from Storytelling Incan Gold the for king. them reveal can they so tower Rapunzel’s and slipper Cinderella’s finding board a around travel dents stu- young where game memorization tale–based fairy A Enchanted Forest ing geography, planning,andresource management. - are learn knowthey librarians and teachers but country, the across routes train building fun having are Students Ticket toRide cards change inplay. basedonthe that rules complex with interact and read to game students forces this surface, the on game pirate crazy a Though Skallywaggs cities. connecting and building of game intense this presentin areall ment manage- resource and planning, economics, Geography, Settlers ofCatan words.word most short orthe vocabulariestheir to and come trying up longestthe with in word every about thinking cards, letter of hand their at looking up end students game, word-building this In Quiddler