ISSUE 454 -AUGUST 2013 ISSN 0257-361X Volume 37

THE GAMES JOURNAL www.gamesjournal.at

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

turned with an army of Monsters and only DECK BUILDING TO SAVE VIGIL we players can face the threat and defend Vigil against evil. For this we summon mighty warriors and ASCENSION constructs of four different mythical frac- CHRONIKEN DES GOTTBEZWINGERS tions with different powers and advantages, who not only support players in their fight against the fallen god, but also help to get Since Donald X. Vaccarino has begun the their own variation of the genre with „As- nearer to their personal goal which is to ac- era of family-friendly deck building games cension – Chroniken des Gottbezwingers“ cumulate the highest honor and to claim with “Dominion”, many players have tried - Chronicles of the Godslayer. the title of Godslayer for themselves. their hand at the new game mechanic to Contrary to the “Game of the Year 2009” as- grab a piece of the cake. And so the team cension takes two to four players, ages 13+, For that purpose, each player receives an of Stoneblade Entertainment, comprising into a fantasy world called Vigil, which has identical starting deck of ten cards at the the “Magic: The Gathering” Pro Tour Cham- been isolated and protected from other start of the game, and draws five cards from pions Justin Gary, Rob Dougherty and Brian worlds since millennia by a barrier between it. In his turn he can then play cards from Kibler, seems to have come up with the idea dimensions. his hand to use their abilities and thus col- to join the bandwagon and have created But now Samuel, the Fallen God, has re- lects valuable runes to acquire new cards

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 2 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at ASCENSION / 40 LINES FOR MEEPLES t OUR REVIEW

from the display, much-needed strength the one hand, the very simple rules, which to defeat Samuel’s monsters, and honor in can be explained in about five minutes the guise of victory point stones. The cards and therefore can be taught easily to new played for those purposes and newly ac- players of all age groups, and, on the other quired cards are placed on a player’s per- hand, the very short time necessary to pre- sonal discard pile. pare the game.

If a player cannot or doesn’t want to play I know very few other “games in a big box” additional cards or use abilities, his remain- with a fantasy topic that can be set up as ing cards in hand are discarded and he quickly and non-complicatedly and still draws five new cards from his deck. With prove an interesting gameplay for different this drawing his turn ends and passes to the kinds of players. Due to this quick access next player. When a player cannot draw five and an average playing time of 30-60 min- cards his discard pile is shuffled and forms utes, depending on the number of players, the new draw pile. the game is equally suitable for a “filler” in between games for expert player and for In this manner the game continues until a very good choice for a spontaneous eve- the prepared stock of victory point stones is ning among casual players and families, used up. Then each player adds the victory provided they are not opposed to fantasy points from constructs and hero cards he topics.

Dennis Rappel So, should you be able to accept the card Ascension: Chroniken des Gottesbezwingers offers fans of design and graphics and the background 40 Lines for Meeples deck building games an amusing and entertaining fantasy story behind those cards, or should they Dagmar de Cassan, Editor-in-Chief adventure with lots of tactical considerations, despite be, as is the case with me, be exactly what Maybe we are at the threshold of a new era, simple rules. The marked chance element allows for a quick and fluent play, which unfortunately lacks possibilities for you like, Ascension will offer you a felicitous like the one when Gutenberg destroyed the interaction among players. variation, not least due to a design that pro- monopoly of monasteries on knowledge and vides flair to the background story, geared culture. Thanks to Gutenberg everybody, also to friends of deck building games and card someone who was not religious, print his games in general.  theses and spread them, which was nearly acquired in the course of the game to the Dennis Rappel impossible before. amount of victory point stones and wins This is also the situation between game de- with most points, and is given the glorious INFORMATION signers and game publishers. Due to the ap- title of Godslayer. PLAYERS: pearance of Kickstarter every designer can Designer: Justin Gary + Team 2-4 produce his heart’s desire, his favorite game, Featuring more than 100 cards, of which Artist: Eric Sabee AGE: the new best game in all the world, without only a part is displayed randomly for each Price: ca. 35 Euro 13+ hearing admonishing buts from a an editor game, Ascension provides enough varia- Publisher: Stone Blade Ent. 2010 TIME: “Listen, this game will not sell!” And this really tion. Despite the fact that some cards are www.stoneblade.com 30+ seems to happen, a real flood of new games, available more often than others, you never an incredible amount of games is published know when or if certain cards come into and jostles for the market’s notice. How will play. This provides a high replay value and EVALUATION traditional game companies react? We will demonstrates the strong tactical character Deck building, Hand Management see at Essen! of the game, which distinguishes it from its Users: With friends Where you can play with us you can see in our Version: de predecessors, “Dominion” and “Thunder- Rules: cn de en fr it jp event calendar on http://www.spieleclub.at! stone”. In-game text: yes Games can be checked in our games data- Comments: base: LUDORIUM: http://www.ludorium.at. While in those two games all possibilities Fast access * Attractive topic and WIN The Games Journal is available now design * High chance element * Little also as an eBook and as Kindle in German are revealed with the start of the game and planning possible * Very little interac- players choose their winning strategies, tion and English and so can be even more easily the card display in Ascension features six read then a PDF on the respective modern Compares to: randomly chosen cards. When a player ac- Tactical deck building games: DC Comics Deck devices. When you like our WIN, please be- quires one or several of those cards, the free building Game, Legendary, Thunderstone come a subscriber! We have a PayPal account, places are instantly filled with new cards so the payment of € 6,00 for an annual sub- Other editions: which allows somewhat restricted planning Marabunta, Italien, Asmodee scription can be made easily and safely, see and control in accumulating a deck, but re- Deutschland also http://www.gamesjournal.at sults in very different games. In Essen we will have our booth and there are The chance element at the core of the game 2 new games available for a donation of 5 € is felt clearly, but results in little interaction each: SISSI - Die Bohnenkaiserin by Uwe between players and in continuing new Rosenberg and HÄNDLER DER KARIBIK by decisions which, combined with new cards Alex Pfister, winner of the Austrian Game De- from expansions, provide the long-term re- signers Competition. Our Games Handbook play value. / Games Companion SPIEL FÜR SPIEL 2014 is new and available at Essen:

More reasons for good replay value are, on My rating: Info: http://www.gamescompanion.at 

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painted man in his village and has been ONCE AGAIN, WITH EMOTION! given his six planks, made from real wood, and his own set of action cards. A double page, generously splattered with RIVER DRAGONS pictures, is sufficient to present all the rules A FAMILY CLASSIC, FONDLY RE-ISSUED including several examples clearly and eas- ily understandable, so that access to the game comes easy and can be reproduced They are really cute, those paunchy little That works like RoboRally succinctly. wooden figurines which we use as our play- Well, that comparison might originate Your aim is to reach the village exactly op- ing pieces in River Dragons. At the start of from the face-down deploying of five ac- posite to your own. The path to this goal is the game we place them on the banks of tion cards, which determine what players really a bit remindful of RoboRally. With the the Mekong River and intend to reach the have to do; but the feeling of the game is full complement of players (how nice: You other side of the river with them. A very completely different, because - despite of can play River Dragons with up to six play- wobbly enterprise, especially when you no- the pre-determined actions in the given or- ers) each player holds up to 13 action cards, tice that we have only a few stones that we der - you still have the impression that you which allow him to place one or two stones can chuck into the water and a few planks have choice of their implementation. While on the board, which cannot be relocated for to drape on those stones in order to achieve in RoboRally the program, when it has been the rest of the game. Other cards allow us to our goal. chosen, takes its course irretrievably and place one or two planks on the previously And as if that would not be enough of a you have no influence on the real move- positioned stones or - that is really pretty problem, at any time one of the evil River ment of your robot, you decide yourself in naughty - remove any empty plank or stone Dragons can appear, which give their name River Dragons where you place a stone or in of your choice. to the game and hinder me to move from which direction you want to move. But: This The trick for all this: The active player must my position. The biggest danger, however, is a treacherous impression, because very assess as exactly as possible which plank comes from those dear fellow players who often the possible options are not as mani- he wants to place where, only by looking at have exactly the same goal to achieve and fold as you thought, but this provides most stones and planks, eye measurement only, like nothing more than to see my man end of the fun. so to say. When the plank is too short and up in the water and trot, humiliated and But let’s start at the beginning, then when there is no other possibility to place it, your dripping wet, back to the bank to start the you place the lovingly illustrated board on plank is lost and goes out of play. enterprise, once again…. the table, each player has placed his hand- Aside from those “construction” actions you

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 4 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at RIVER DRAGONS / GABIS t OUR REVIEW

must of course advance your man, and that lages and their surroundings correspond GAMES BUYER INFORMATION SYSTEM - GABIS also happens with the help of the cards to the player colors, so that you know at which allow you to advance one or two any given moment where you came from STRUCTURE paces on the wobbly planks or even jump and where you should go - one of the big Each game review also features an evaluation which can help you to find the game that best suits your tastes. The over another man. For each round you lay shortcomings of the original edition. Even color accompanying each game title represents the USER out five cards face down at the start of the the planks are not simple cardboard trips, Group. The headline also contains icons for age and number of players. round, in a row, which then are, starting but colored strips of real wood - visually and The BAR in the evaluation box displays color codes for up to with the starting player, are revealed and haptic. River Dragons is an event in itself. 10 features of a game. resolved in turn. The double-sided board, furthermore, pro- USER GROUP Especially with the full number of players it vides a second scenario, which is entirely We have defined 4 target groups (color accompanying the is unavoidable that you get in each other’s without pre-printed and thus pre-placed head line) way. You intend to balance across a plank, stones, which, in the basic version, deter- Kinder: but … that has just been removed by some mine where you place the wooden stones Games for children an educational games. Adults can play grinning individual. The consequence: Your for the planks. In this version it is solely a in a guiding function. Familien: man ends up in the water and can try his matter of visual judgment and sense of pro- Children and parents play together, all have the same luck again, starting from his home village. portion, because the complete river can be chance to win and have fun. You plan to jump over an opposing man filled any way with stones and planks. A nice Freunde: Young people and adults play together as equals with an elegant movement, but … the man idea which offers a challenge even after a Experten: lot of plays. Games with special demands on rules and playing time. Stefan Olschewski Especially for game geeks You don‘t notice that the mechanism is more than ten years Conclusion Please note for the user groups Children, Family and old - this is a fantastic tactical game with a good allotment Absolutely deservedly, the original made it Friends: Children who love to play can be ahead of their of chance, which makes for a thrilling final in each game. In peers! Please note that our target group “families” does not this new version not only a treat is regards to playing, but onto the selection list for Game of The Year imply the classical concept of „family games“! Furthermore, also a visual and haptic treat. 2001. The new edition did not lose any of its our user groups can overlap. The choice of suitable games allure for playing. River Dragons today is a always depends on your playing partners and your fun with games! pleasure as regards to the mechanisms and Games that are especially eligible for Solo play or for 2 play- the new box comes across livelier than the ers or Large groups of players are marked with an icon. is no longer there. The consequence: Your one of twelve years back. Nice, that Matagot FEATURES man ends up in the water and can try his and Pegasus as the German distributor en- Each game targets preferences for different features in a luck again, starting from his home village. able us to play this classic game again.  player, therefore each game is not suitable for each player. We have listed 10 features players note when deciding Stefan Olschewski on a game. Only if a player finds his preferred features in Dragon Alarm! a game he will enjoy the game. The color code marks the The river dragons who gave their name to dominant features. Educational games train the highlighted INFORMATION preference. the game have, regrettably, not made it to PLAYERS: the board in three-dimensional manifesta- Designer: Roberto Fraga 2-6 Empty boxes: This feature is neclectable or not present tion, but appear in the guise of card board Artist: Pierô AGE: One colored box: This feature is present, but not essential 8+ Two colored boxes: This feature is present and important shapes. If you place a dragon of an oppos- Price: ca. 30 Euro in the game ing color, you block the action that was Publisher: Matagot 2013 TIME: Three colored boxes: This feature is dominant and essential 15+ planned for that location/position. So it can www.pegasus.de Chance: happen, that you courageously take a big The game is influenced by dice, cards or any other form of step - and end up in the water, because the random generator EVALUATION Tactics: placement of the necessary plank has been Take decision, short-term planning, planning based on deleted. The consequence: Your man ends Tactical placement game one move up in the water and can try his luck again, Users: For families Strategy: Version: multi Think ahead, long-term planning, planning for several starting … well, you know it by now …. Rules: de en fr it nl moves Occasionally players will be happy to gang In-game text: no Creativity: The player has to provide words, phrases, images and other up against the leading player, but, as River Comments: creative efforts Dragons comes with a not to be underesti- Nice design * High-value components * Knowledge: mated portion of chance, someone eventu- The more players the better the game * Cultural and educational knowledge, long-term memory Felicitous new edition Memory: ally makes it to the targeted village, after a Remember, learn by heart, short-time memory period that is not too long. The mechanics Compares to: Communication: Drachendelta of the game carry it easily to the end and at Talk to each other, negotiate, inform Interaction: least one return match is always in the off- Other editions: Influencing each other, bluffing, auction ing. This, too, is a point in favor of the new Currently none Dexterity Motor skills edition, as is the fresh and loving design. Action: Once again, with sentiments! Body movement, balance and reaction As regards to design and components, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Matagot have surpassed themselves, once Version: The edition of the game on which the review is again. The player pieces, made from real based wood and featuring painted faces, are a Rules: This lists the languages in which rules are available or are included in the game, often even more translations can dream and way beyond the meeples from be found on the web. the old Eurogames versions, which once In-game text: A YES marks a game with language- dependent components that cannot be played without has been published under the name of translation or knowledge of the language Drachendelta. The design of the board, too, supports the gameplay. The pictured vil- My rating:

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game. Therefore, Runners, pay attention! CYBERPUNK AND VISIONS OF A DARK FUTURE Keep it in mind! Cards in your hand are life points!!! On the other hand, the Runner or hacker wins instantly when the draw pile of ANDROID NETRUNNER the Corporation is empty. Admittedly, the A „LIVING CARD GAME“ (LCG) sudden defeat of the Runner is the more frequently occurring variant.

I was able to try this game with some stance “Shadowrun”. Now to the description of the game: “Ne- friends at Essen 2012, most of them were trunner” comes in a relatively big box in keen to get to know it better, but you wish! Today’s Netrunner - published in 2012 by which - after you have removed the inlay My copy, bought on the first day of the fair Fantasy Flight as a Living Card Game is a re- - there is enough room for the expansion at a French booth, was the only one in our vised and adapted new edition of the trad- boxed that I mentioned. The cards are ac- group of players. So I was able to teach one ing card game by the same name, designed companied by two reference cards, which or the other, but when asked “where can I by Richard Garfield and published in 1996. list the possible actions for both factions buy this” I had to pass on the answer. As the This game then had only few fans and has very nicely structured, and also two ac- game was allegedly so much in demand in been stopped after only one expansion. tion marking cards on which you mark the the America, it was spring of 2013 until the Richard Garfield, still active as a game de- first copies were available in Vienna; unfor- signer - for instance of “King of Tokyo”, 2011 - Christoph Proksch tunately at this point in time the interest is also the designer of “Magic the Gathering” A top game for players that are interested in direct, was dead, also due to the fact that collect- and is deemed to be the “father” of TCGs. asymmetric confrontations for two players, more deck building than trading card game and good for many hours ible card games are only of marginal interest Besides the still going strong, heavily played of challenging entertainment. to members of Spiele Kreis Wien. Most fans and 20 year old “Magic the Gathering” he of the genre did have a fling at collectible designed several other TCGs, among them card games in the late 90ties and at some “Battle Tech”, “Star Wars” and especially two number of implemented actions with card point since the turned their back on that - of the most ingenious collectible card game board markers. The rest of the components expensive - genre. The more recent wave ever, “Vampire” (originally “Jihad”, which is is made up by diverse card board counters: of “living card games” has taken care of the the best multiple player TGS ever (produced 1) Money 2) Bad Publicity” / “Tags” (marking hunt for “rare” cards and therefore does not far into the first decade of the new century, damage for the opponent which happens deplete the games budged as intensively, and still intensely played world-wide) and when certain cards are played; 3) Generic but there was nothing really interesting the very “Netrunner”. Netrunner was far tokens with a blue and red side, these to- coming recently. ahead of its time and got overlooked in the kens are placed on certain cards in order to It remained for the nearly forgotten “trading then flood of new collectible card games, strengthen or weaken them (for instance card game“ (TCG) Netrunner to blow away probably also due to the fact that in the “virus” and 4) Brain Damage in the shape of the cobwebs from the monotony of fanta- middle of the 90ties only a few people hat a stylized brain; they reduce the number of sy-space-horror-monster or cards for kids. an idea what to associate with the scenario cards in hand for the runner (Life points!) “Cyberpunk”, virtual worlds and other such Retrospect: At the beginning of the 90ties terms. The rules of the game are clearly struc- the term of Cyberpunk appeared in books Contrary to a TCG there are no “rare”, “ul- tured, extensive with lots of examples and and role playing games; this term is used tra-rare” or common cards in a Living Card really precisely worded (far away from the to describe a future in which humans can game (LCG), each pack contains the same nightmare of Sid Meyers Civilization, where communicate directly with computers due cards. The basic game, called “core game” structure and explanation are good, but so to implants and similar devices. Thanks to of “Netrunner” with 248 cards is enough to overburdened with accompanying flavor advanced “Neurobiology” human thoughts provide endless fun in very many variants. text that quick reference checks are nearly are stored and also used for controlling The expansion boxes all contain 60 cards, impossible, as you must read through lots highly developed machines featuring ar- that is, three copies each of 20 different of verbiage to get at the core of the matter). tificial intelligence, for instance androids. cards and have more allure for deck build- In addition to the rules themselves there is All-powerful corporations do not only con- ing fans - experienced players can strength- a glossary, an alphabetic index and a “time trol most of the resources, but dominate all en and personalize their deck. schedule for a Run”-scheme that demon- segments of life of humankind. Heroes of “Netrunner” is and asymmetric game for strates step by step what happens and then cyberpunk universes are ingenious hackers two players. One player is the “Runner”, the interactions are triggered. Praise is also = Netrunners, who fight those corporations other the “Corporation”, both card sets are earned with the chapter on deck building by intruding into their computer networks, of different colors; you can choose between with thoughts and examples - for newcom- stealing or disabling their programs in order three different runners and four different ers to the genre of LCGs not only motiva- to undermine the corporation’s power and corporations. Asymmetric not only because tion, but also assistance. to unmask them. of different cards, but also due to the fact On top of all the scenario and the back- Of course, the corporations try with all le- that attacker and defender are determined ground of the different factions (Corpo- gal and illegal means to trace the Runners, from the start and do not change. The Cor- rations and Runners is described, clearly to destroy their equipment and even to kill poration player must develop projects and recognizable as set-apart flavor text. Exem- them; all of this makes a Netrun very dan- programs, so-called agendas, which yield plary! Netrunner is definitely not a game gerous and renders it attractive only for the victory points; the runner will steal exactly that is easily mastered, also due to the texts best and most courageous. „Cyberpunk“ those cards; if you accumulate seven points on the cards - typical for games of that genre has found its way also into board games, PC you are the winner. Furthermore, the Cor- - and to the special inside jargon which one games and evidently also into trading card poration wins instantly if the Runner player picks up rather easily, though. games as well as role playing games, for in- is out of cards in hand at any point in the

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 6 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at ANDROID NETRUNNER t OUR REVIEW

Flow of the game: one “Operation” card (is called “Event” in case run. 6) Trash resource cards of the runner; The two opponents decide who will play of the runner); such a card has an instant ef- 7) remove all virus counters (these counters who, each player displays his chosen iden- fect and end up on the discard pile instantly weaken the defense of the Corporation), tity card. A starting capital of five credits is (this is called “trashing” the card), 5) Advance but this uses up three actions! 8) Triggering given and both players draw five cards from one card, that means improve it or develop the ability of an installed card. their deck; if you are not happy with your it further by placing an advance-tile on it. When all three actions have been used up, hand you can discard it once and draw five Two kinds of cards can be advanced: “Agen- you need to discard surplus cards in hand - new ones (Mulligan). da” and “Asset”. When an agenda card has there is a limit of five cards. Before I mention The Corporation always begins the game; acquired a pre-set number of advance to- the actions of the opponent I must describe you draw an additional card and can then kens, the Corporation player can reveal the the playing era of the Corporation - take implement three out of eight possible ac- card (does not take an action) and score the care, lots of insider jargon: tions, in any order and also the same action victory points printed on the card (the card Next to the identity card, the score area multiple times. Possible actions are: is placed into his “score” area.) “Asset” cards and the “click tracker (marking used-up ac- 1) Draw one card; 2) take one money; 3) are traps for the Runner, as they are placed tions= there are many “servers”: three cen- play one card (= install) - face down!, when face-down and show Advance tokens, too tral and any number of “remote servers = played open-faced, you must pay the costs so that they are similar to agenda cards, but RS”. The draw pile is called “Research & De- immediately. To uncover an installed card (= the improvements increase damage for the velopment”, the hand cards are called “Head rezz) takes no action and can be done any runner. Other asset cards yield money for Quarter” and the discard pile is the “Archive” time in your turn, provided that you can the corporation, but must be revealed to do - all three together are the three central serv- pay the cost. Only revealed cards are active, so; they do not entice the opponent into a ers. RS are installed over the course of the which means its ability is available. 4) Play trap and a runner can destroy them with a game, they are created by depositing a face

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down Asset or Agenda card and should be other hand he can suffer a Trace action if featuring the cards which were not present carefully placed so that they are easily dis- this doesn’t weaken him too much). When in the game in three copies (for instance Ae- tinguishable. For each server you can only the intruder has eliminated or overcome sops Pawnshop) or to provide those cards install one of the two card types (either/or); the barriers (usually with money) he has in coming expansions, for instance instead money sources - assets are sensibly “rezzed” penetrated this ICE and can - when present of the threefold superfluous identity cards. (revealed and paid for) before you start your - attack the next one or abort the Run (Jack The graphics of the game is technoid-color- own turn, so that they are active and can Out). When he has passed all ICEs, he can ful, absolutely well done, despite my liking yield money. Each server (central or remote) now access the content of the server: In case the graphics of the old game a tick better, it can be protected by “ICE” cards that are of an RS an Agenda (=victory points) or an was a bit more matter-of-fact. placed crosswise in front of them, nearer to Asset (bad luck, causes damage). In case of the opponent; you can use several ICEs. ICE central servers access is different: At “Head- “Netrunner” is a top game for two players, means “Intruder Countermeasure Equip- quarter” the intruder draws a random card also having both of the weaknesses that are ment”, barriers against intruders. Behind the - if it is an Agenda he gets it, each other he inherent to the genre of the game: Some- servers (nearer to the player) you can install can check and, if desirable, discard it to the times the best deck will not work because upgrades, those upgrades intensify an ICE Archive, at the cost of money. At the “R&D” important cards have ended up too far or trigger nasty events for the attacker. (draw pile) he takes the top card (in some down (of course, there are search cards, cases more than one) - with a bit of luck it but they can come too late, too!) and then A reminder: Face-down, unrevealed cards is a victory point card; if not, he can “trash” there are the texts and symbols on the cards are not yet paid for, the Corporation player the booty - at the cost of money - or put it which make accessing the game difficult at must be able to pay for them first, before back on the server. The third central server the beginning. Per se, this cyberpunk game they go active; bad luck for him if he has not is the Archive (discard pile), at this server he is not too difficult or complex, only the first enough money - Runners! Attack from the looks at all cards and is allowed to take all steps are laborious for beginners. In my start! Agendas, the rest is replaced. Normally, the opinion, “Android Netrunner” is a game for a Corporation player tries to avoid placing vic- bit more experienced players with curiosity Now to the hacker / Runner: tory point cards at the archive, but there are for the unusual and a good opportunity for He has also an identity card and an action actions that force him to discard a card with- them to forget their renunciation of “Magic” counter on the table, but he can do four ac- out looking at it …. and others; they will be rewarded with an tions in a round, but he cannot draw a card interesting game rich in variants and pro- automatically at the start of his turn, con- As already mentioned - when one of the viding lots of fun in playing.  trary to his opponent. He has seven possible opponents has accumulated seven victory Christoph Proksch actions at his disposal: 1) Draw one card; 2) points, he is the winner. Take one money; 3) Install one card, always At long last, a bit of pertinent jargon: Hand face-up, costs are paid instantly; 4) Play one cards for the Runner are called “Grip”, the INFORMATION event; 5) remove a Tag (cardboard tile - re- Runner’s discard pile is named “Heap” and PLAYERS: ceived from the opponent - they render the his draw pile “Stack”. I own the English edi- Designer: Richard Garfield 2 Runner vulnerable to attacks by the oppo- tion of the game and have only taken a Artist: Michael Silsby und Team AGE: nent; 6) Do a “Run” - this is the central ele- quick look at the German version, the trans- Price: ca. 30 Euro 14+ ment of Netrunner, and finally, 7) trigger the lation as regards to the special vocabulary is Publisher: Heidelberger 2013 TIME: the ability of a laid-out card. a bit rugged, but all in all the German rules www.hds-fantasy.de var Ad 3) The runner has three different cards are as exemplary as the original ones. for installation: “Hardware”, “Programs” und “Resources”, which assist him in executing The time to play can vary considerably - EVALUATION an attack and yield the necessary money. from 20-30 minutes to 1-2 hours - I myself Living Card Game Ad 6) In theory you could do four runs with am a rather slow player compared to the Users: With friends Version: de four actions; in practice this is only possible young card professionals - when I watch Rules: de en es fr pl at the start of the game, while the servers them chop-chop-chop-done I get envious. In-game text: yes of the Corporation are not yet protected Summing up, “Netrunner” is a refreshingly Comments: by ICE. The attacker names a server and an- different LCG - lots of fun to play for two Bleak Future vision * Fantastic, chal- lenging mechanisms * Core set already nounces that he will make a run. When ICE players - also because of the contrary strat- provides a plethora of interesting is in place at that server the defender must egies that are demanded from the respec- possibilities decide if he wants to activate (rezz) it and tive player on both sides. Due to the all in Compares to: can activate (he has to pay for it); if yes, only all seven different factions the variation is All Living Card Games from Der Herr der Ringe now the Runner can identify the kind of once again enhanced considerably, not to to Warhammer Invasion and Star Wars barrier that is installed and if he himself has mention the always and again new tactics Other editions: the respective programs (ICE Breakers) laid allowed and introduced by the expansion Fantasy Flight Games, Galakta, out. There are four different ICE, each has packs; and deck building is extra additional Game Harbor and Age Entertainment a certain strength which the attacker must fun, admittedly not for everybody; The start- overcome with the appropriate program. ing box comprises - as already mentioned When the ICE is stronger, the Breaker can - 248 cards and represents a complete only interact with it, when the difference is game, which provides lots of varied enter- evened with money. At that point so-called tainment, even without any expansions. As subroutines (additional barriers) are trig- the old Netrunner featured more than 500 gered which the Runner can overcome, but cards there is enough surplus material for not always needs to overcome (e.g. “End of Fantasy Flight Games to get into boxes. If I

Run” is a routine he must eliminate; on the could make a wish it would be for an edition My rating:

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the prerequisite was delivery of coal to COAL TO DOSH Ruhrort. This export business is also part of the game.

RUHRSCHIFFFAHRT As a player you should not only concentrate TRADING BLACK GOLD ACROSS GERMANY on transporting and selling coal, but also pay attention to coal storage. Each player has 10 coal warehouses at his disposal, at Economics simulations have - as opposed cording to historical real conditions, 14 ob- the start only one coal warehouse is avail- to pure economics games - an additional stacles along the river make coal transport able. Those coal warehouses can be built in allure. As they try to transfer economic in- much more difficult; in reality they have towns, in coal storage spaces and in Ruhrort. terrelations - in this case from a historical been stone walls or weirs for mills, which in As an alternative you can can take out a loan period - into a game and game mechanics, the course of the game need to be replaced for up to four warehouses, for each loan you it is always interesting to experience how step by step by building locks. receive 2 Thaler. Coal warehouses are ac- well this transposition to game techniques Coal that must be transported is simulated quired by players for his stock at the start of has worked. While economics simulations by six-sided dice. Should you now suspect can be found quite frequently in English- that with those dice an element of chance/ Bernhard Czermak speaking areas - famous examples are Brass luck enters the game, you are only correct Ruhrschifffahrt offers nice atmosphere, variety due to (Kohle) or Tinner’s Trail by Martin Wallace - in a very small way. All dice are rolled exclu- several strategic possibilities, but needs also a lot of tactical they are very less frequent found in German sively during the preparation phase of the sense. regions. Small wonder, that in this case a re- game! In the course of the game you don’t gion around Essen has been selected to be roll dice at all! Originally, coal transport only certain rounds and when he acquires cer- at the center of game play. happened in five sovereign regions, coal tain advancements. Those advancements Ruhrschifffahrt picks up the topic of coal from those five “Grafschaften”, aka coun- are a very important element in the game. transports on the river Ruhr in the period ties, is available for transport from the start Each player has his own board for them, on from 1769 to 1890. During this period at of the game; the sixth Grafschaft, Grafschaft which he can deposit advancement tiles first the transport by ship was the dominant Mark, can only be used for transport later in that he already acquired. Eight advance- method, in due course railways turned into the game. Therefore, there are dice of differ- ments are available for each player - some growing competitors and, by the end of ent color in the game; black dice represent examples are: The permission to build coal the 19th century, had completely replaced coal in the five Grafschaften located down- warehouses in certain sovereign territories, ship transport completely. The game tries to river, the coal dice for Grafschaft Mark are to deliver coal originating from Grafschaft simulate the contemporary processes with white. In the preparation phase of the game Mark or to build locks. Seven other, differ- game mechanism and manages to this in a you roll those dice and place them on the ent advancements are only available in a rather well-done way! The backdrop is: The coal storage areas on the board. Each coal limited amount and cannon be acquired by game was produced in a print-run of 500 storage area can only hold one die. In case each player. Acquisition of an advancement copies, was published at Spiel 12 at Essen, of fewer than four players individual coal depends on the previous coal transports has sold out as per today and will prob- storage spaces can remain empty and you of a given player. For each coal transport a ably not be reprinted. All the same, a tip: do not use all dice. Coal dice always have a player receives a development token for his Should you manage to get hold of a copy value between 1 and 6; this range can never board. In relation to where he picked up the it is rewarding and interesting, to read the be exceeded or undercut due to manipula- coal and where he delivers it to, he must manifold inserts into the game rules to the tions. place this development token on a certain historic background of the game, because Coal transport, of course, did not end at spot on his personal board. The combina- that gives you a much better impression of Ruhr, but coal was transported further in- tion of of number of development tokens the contemporary circumstances. land and stored in warehouses or deposits. and deposit space results in one or several In 2011 Ruhrschifffahrt did win the Award Therefore you find four locations offering advancements that a player receives. for Best Feature-Length game in the Hip- coal storage in the game. Also, coal had podice Spiele Preis. Main tasks of players to be transported along transport paths As means of payment or currency the Thaler in Ruhrschifffahrt are trading with coal and to the coal storage spaces along the Ruhr. is used in the game. Each player collects his transport of coal. Coal must be collected Those coal transport paths improve during Thaler on his board, but you are limited to from coal storage spaces and transported the game in three stages. At the start of the owning a maximum of 10 Thaler. A few ex- downriver to a town or a small industry site game there are only slow loam paths (this ceptions aside, you usually earn your Thaler and sold at that locations. Each player has transport path has a length of five squares from selling coal and spend your money to his own river barge which he guides along on the board; the loam paths later turn into build coal warehouses or locks and for the the Ruhr. faster, paved ways and finally turn into trans- use of certain special options. In consequence, the River Ruhr is the cen- port along tracks by railways, the length of a Ruhrschifffahrt lasts 12 rounds, each of tral element of the board, starting from railway path is only three squares. There is those rounds is assigned to a year. There- Grafschaft = County Mark and ending in the always one die on the active transport path fore, each round starts with a historical town of Ruhrort, where the Ruhr joins the and maximum a number of dice equal to event, which can result in positive as well Rhine. The river crosses six different regions the number of squares in the path. The spe- as negative effects for players. A round of sovereignty, which are also of importance cial square of a transport path that is always marker that is impossible to overlook is in the game. Situated on the banks of Ruhr marked with an arrow is always located be- placed on the current Round spot on the there are 15 coal storage places, 12 small neath the squares that are filled with dice. board, this spot also depicts, in a symbolic industry sites for three different sectors of Starting in 1779, coal was also exported to way, the historical event of the round. For small industry (Forges, Hammer Mills and other countries: to The Rhineland, The Low instance, the historical event of Round 2 is, Gun Factories) as well as seven towns. Ac- Countries and Belgium. For those exports that you are from now on entitled to build

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locks; in rounds 4 and 8 the condition of have a corresponding advancement on the value is reduced by one by turning the due the transport path changes to paved path player’s board as a prerequisite. The two and then placed on the transport path (a and then to transport on railway tracks. On special options that are free of charge are die already on 1 remains on 1). For the coal Round spots depicting the symbol for a Pilot and Transport. Without the special op- delivery the player receives one develop- coal warehouse each player can take one of tion Pilot a player is only allowed to trans- ment token and a number of Thaler equal his own coal warehouses into his personal port his coal over a distance of two river to the number of pips on the die minus 1. stock. Beginning with Round 4, coal export segments in the following phase. Each loca- So, if a player delivers a die of value 1 he to far-away countries is started. To indicate tion and each obstacle or each lock define a receives one development token and no this you turn up the face-down country segment of the river. When a player uses the money. The development token is placed tile that was placed with the Round spot. special option Pilot he is allowed to deliver instantly on the player’s board on the cor- The country that is depicted on this coun- his coal downriver over any distance of his responding location, that is, if there is still try tile is receiving delivery of coal from the choice. But one has to take into account that room for it. If there is no room anymore, the coal warehouses in Ruhrort. An example the previous river phase could have resulted player receives a Thaler instead of a devel- for a negative historical event would be the in low water and that the special option Pi- opment token. A development marker that event of Round 5: From this round on the lot might be blocked for this round. was placed remains in place and is never re- building of locks is more expensive. The special option Transport allows a player moved for the rest of the game. Should the to place a die from the transport path on target destination for delivery hold one or When the historical event has been re- any empty coal storage space of his choice, two Thaler as a result of previous demand solved, the next step is the determination of course allowing for the die color of black phases, the delivering player takes those of water level and demand. In the prepa- or white. One has always to take the die that Thaler now. The player also receives one ad- ration phase the 14 obstacles on the River is positioned on a spot of the path that is ditional Thaler when he delivers coal to the Ruhr are covered with with with obstacle marked with an arrow. As the special option town of Ruhrort. In the town of Ruhrort the tiles, showing their back side, six additional is implemented before the barge is moved it delivery of additional coal also influences a obstacle tiles are placed into a cloth back, is fairly obvious that one should place a new possible export in the respective phase. In from which a tile is drawn in this phase of die first and then place one’s ship next to it. correlation to previous deliveries export is the game. The front side of the obstacle tiles With the special options that come at a price now worth either one or two victory points. is different, and shows - by symbols - the the possibility of Hauling comes into play, water level of River Ruhr and demand. De- that is, pulling the barge upriver with the All Thaler that a player receives are placed mand can be restricted to a sovereign ter- help of horses. Using Hauling in this phase on his board. For coal delivery there is now ritory or refer to a single town or a certain allows a player to move the ship upstream restriction, the target destination for de- kind of small industry only. The locations to to coal storage space. livery need not be empty. Should another which are indicated by the obstacle tale are The other three special options for which barge be already in position there, a player covered with a Thaler which is received by you have to pay offer combinations of the puts his barge behind the barge already in the player who is the next one to make a three options that have been described so place. This is a deciding factor for the turn delivery to this location. far. Depending on the special option the order in the next phases. Up to 2 Thaler can serve in this way to make price for it varies from one to two Thaler. In the fifth phase players receive advance- a location more attractive. Water levels of From Round 7 on, as a historical event, the ments. The acquisition of each advance- River Ruhr are usually high so that pilots price for all special options that need to be ment tile is connected to the kind of deliv- are available as special options for the next paid for rises to two or three Thaler, respec- eries a player has made so far and to the phase. But when the obstacle tile shows a tively. placement of the development token he crossed-out steering wheel, water in River received for delivery has been placed on the Ruhr runs low which results in restriction for The two special options that are connected corresponding deposit spot on the player ship movement on River Ruhr in the follow- to advancement on the player boards allow board. Each board features six different de- ing phase. a player, on the one hand, to raise any die posit spots, one each for delivery of a white In this subsequent phase players have two of his choice in a coal storage space by 2 or black die to a town, a small industry or to tasks to complete: they must place their and, on the other hand, a once-only income the town of Ruhrort. The number of dice for barges anew at a coal storage space and of 2 Thaler. This second special option can, each deposit spot and their combination they may choose one of eight different spe- contrary to all other special options, only be determines the advancement that you can cial options. In this phase players take their chosen by one player only in a round. The receive now. As some of the advancements turn in relation to the position of their barge marking of special options that were cho- are limited in numbers advancements on the river. The player who is farthest up- sen by players are done with wooden discs should best be given out in turn order. This river begins. in player colors. is not explicitly stated in the rules. As in the following, fourth phase each play- Subsequently, coal is transported. Once er must transport a coal die or his turn is in- again, the player starts this phase who While all advancement tiles that are avail- valid, he must now place his barge at a coal is now in a position furthest upriver. This able for all players can be used until the end storage space where there is a coal die and player moves his barge, including an even- of the game, you can only use the limited no other barge. Normally, to achieve this, he tual use of a pilot - should he have chosen advancement tiles once and then you have can only move his barge downriver, but any Pilot as a special option - to the intended to turn them over. Examples for such limited distance, to a coal storage space. target and delivers at this location the coal advancements are the once-only, free-of- This is where the special options come into dice from his departure location. The deliv- cost use of a special option that one usually play. Each player can choose one of eight ered die, however, is not placed at the target has to pay for, or the once-only raise of a die different special options and implement it location, but on the current transport path, by 3. Three of those advancement tiles can instantly, whereby four of those special op- according to special rules. When a player did only be used at the end of the game and tions come at a price, that is, cost money, cross one or several obstacles, the quality of earn a player additional victory points. For and two of the remaining special actions the transported coal diminishes. The die those players, that are barred from acquir-

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ing certain kinds of advancement tiles emp- player receives victory points for exporting. score for each warehouse on a loan spot. ty tiles are provided so that the correspond- The construction of a warehouse in the ex- Then the game ends. ing spot on the board can be covered. port region of Ruhrort costs for the very first warehouse built there the sum of three Thal- Ruhrschifffahrt is a strategic as well as a The subsequent sixth phase allows play- er, the next two warehouses that are built tactical game. Strategically, it offers several ers to buy things, to relocate their export cost four Thaler each and from the fourth possibilities which allows for a varied game warehouses in Ruhrort or to pay back loans. warehouse on a warehouse in Ruhrort costs even for several games. The decision about To buy means that you construct a lock or five Thaler. As each export country is only the kind of advancement one will specialize that you construct a warehouse in a town, receiving deliveries for a maximum of three in is entirely left to a player; with his decision a coal storage space or in the export region rounds in the game, it is absolutely useful to he determines where he can build ware- of Ruhrort. The warehouse must already relocate warehouses in Ruhrort. The relocat- houses, if he can meet export demands or if be available in a player’s stock if he wants ing of warehouses only costs 2 Thaler, but of he prefers to transport coal out of Grafschaft to build it. During the whole course of the course has the availability of a free building Mark first. game a player can construct only one ware- lot in the region for the chosen export coun- Do not look askance at advancements that house in a town, but can construct more try as a prerequisite. gain victory points for you! To correlate all than one in coal storage spaces. Each town Finally, you can pay back loans. For each this with acquiring enough capital from coal therefore has exactly four building lots, the loan of two Thaler you pay back three Thal- trading is a challenge, as coal trade earns coal storage spaces have different numbers er. For each loan that you pay back in this you the development tokens for advance- of building lots. The costs for constructing way you take back your warehouse from ment. This is where the tactical element of a ware house are stated on the respective the corresponding loan spot on your board the game comes into play. The position of building lot and vary between two and five and can use from now on for constructing a your own barge, the available dice in coal Thaler. If a player constructs a warehouse he warehouse. storage spaces and on the transport path, receives two victory points. Furthermore, In the final phase of a round export victory respectively, offer a variety of possibilities to a player receives one Thaler from general points are given out and the Round marker earn money, albeit often at the penalty of a stock for a warehouse in a town, when an- is advanced by one step. The country tile necessary compromise between choosing other player delivers coal to this town with next to the Round spot, that was turned up a die as valuable as possible and the acqui- his barge. in phase one of each round, beginning with sition of a development token necessary for Round 4, determines the country to which an intended advancement. So, Ruhrschiff- The construction of a lock costs 2 Thaler at coal is exported in this round. Each player, fahrt is a game for experienced players with the start of the game, from Round 4 on the who now has a warehouse in the export a plenitude of tactical and strategic varia- cost rises to 3 Thaler. TO construct a lock a region of Ruhrort in the column that corre- tion choices and therefore offers a high re- player takes an obstacle tile of his choice sponds to the current country receives for play value. from the board and places it into the cloth each warehouse either one or two victory However, the game also features some im- bag with the other obstacle tiles. The con- points - the amount depends on the previ- balances, too. First and foremost, the start- struction of a lock earns a player victory ous coal deliveries to Ruhrort, and the bo- ing player advantage has to be mentioned. points, too - three victory points in Graf- nus value corresponding to the building lot At the start of the game there is no adjust- schaft Mark, two victory points in the other on which his warehouse is set up. ment for the following players; this can have sovereign territories. some very grave consequences, when only Construction of warehouses and locks is Should, at that point in the round, a player some not very attractive dice remain for connected to the respective advancement. own more than 10 Thaler he must now dis- coal transport. The last player is clearly at a Only when the advancement tile for a cer- card all surplus Thaler. disadvantage and must try to catch up on tain sovereign territory has been acquired a After twelve such rounds the game ends the starting player to even out the disad- player is allowed to construct a warehouse with a final scoring, in which individual bo- vantage in the course of the game. in a town in this sovereign territory. nus points are scored. Each player scores In the following rounds, too, the position of There is also a separate advancement tile one victory point for one warehouse each the starting players carries a lot of impor- for building a warehouse in a coal storage in all three towns of Essen territory, and the tance. So, for instance, the starting player space or for constructing a lock; those ad- same is scored for one warehouse each in decides where a die from the transport path vancement tiles are valid for all the board, all towns of Grafschaft Mark. IF a player was is placed, should a die have to be placed not only for a singular sovereign territory. able to construct a warehouse in all seven into a coal storage space due to overfilling Construction of warehouses or locks, re- towns he scores an additional three victory of the transport path, because only the ter- spectively, is restricted in a round insofar as points. ritory is requested for a round. This a player each advancement tile acquired so far can can often use to his advantage. only be used once in a round. That is, you Warehouses in coal storage spaces earn Another imbalance is introduced by the cannot, for instance, construct two locks in a player bonus points as well; if he has a advancement tile “Lord Mayor”. While the a round. warehouse in each of the four coal storage other advancement tiles that yield victory spaces a player gains two victory points for points, can only yield a maximum of seven The town of Ruhrort has only construction a bonus. Furthermore, a bare majority of points, the Lord Mayor can yield up to ten sites for export warehouses, that is, there warehouses at a coal storage pace gains a victory points. This must, as of necessity, be are three building lots available for each player one victory point. taken with a grain of salt, as a player with export country. Each player can construct Finally, advancement tiles are changed this advancement will save his money in a maximum of two warehouses in Ruhrort into victory points. This can, in case of the the last round and not buy any warehouses, and those warehouses may not be assigned Lord Mayer, gain a player up to 10 victory but this advancement tile is powerful all the to the same export country. For each export points (the score is 1 point per Thaler on the same and can be a game-deciding factor. country building lots show a different bo- player’s board). Should a player be in debt, The rules of the game are nicely explained, nus value of 1, 0 or -1 bonus points when y he must deduct two victory points from his albeit being a bit overcrowded in some of

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the details. The rules for placing dice on the transport paths or the mechanism of RICH MERCHANTS determining victory points for coal export are rather complex - I did not include them in this description - and could maybe have BRÜGGE been kept a bit more on the simple side. But CANALS, HOUSES AND ASSISTANTS maybe this would have affected the simula- tion. All in all Ruhrschifffahrt is a game with an The scene is set in Flanders, to be more ex- ence. During the game players can increase interesting background and an equally in- act, in the town of Bruges, at the time of its their prestige, build canals or use connec- teresting topic. It allows several different heydays, in the 15th century. Bruges was tions; for all this they make use of valuable strategies for winning and is very varied a town of rich merchants and accordingly henchmen which assist them in their ef- due to the necessary tactical decisions and players take up the roles of merchants and forts. But take care! There is also harassment interaction with other players. However, the try to accumulate wealth, power and influ- in Bruges, and danger, too. Who will be the starting situation can markedly simplify the progress of individual players or make it equally markedly more difficult. Nonethe- less, the positive all-over impression pre- vails against the few weaknesses.  Bernhard Czermak

INFORMATION PLAYERS: Designer: Thomas Spitzer 2-4 Artist: Harald Lieske AGE: Price: ca. 60 Euro 12+ Publisher: Spielworxx 2012 TIME: www.spielworxx.de 120+

EVALUATION Historic simulation Users: For experts Version: de Rules: de en In-game text: yes Comments: Nicely implemented, interesting topic * Considerable amount of components * A good part of the rules symbolized on the components * Different strategic possibilities

Compares to: Brass (Kohle) Other editions: Currently none My rating:

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 12 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at BRÜGGE t OUR REVIEW

one to handle all this best and to be on top - Take a henchman - you discard a card and The mechanism is a bit similar to San Juan at the end of the game? take two henchmen in the color of the card from alea or Race for the Galaxy rom Aba- you discarded cus, where you can also either use text on The game: - Get rid of one threat marker - again, you the cards or use the cards for money. In Each player is given a henchman of each discard a card open-faced and return a Brügge, contrary to those games, you can color and five guilders for a starting treasure threat marker of this color back into stock; do more than just give them away to manu- chest. Then you also receive the majority this earns you a victory point which you in- facture persons, therefore the frustration is markers in your color, which are set down stantly mark on the victory point track. not that big, because Brügge offers you a lot grey side up and you mark your canal on - Build a canal segment - your canal was of choices for the use of those cards. the board. The playing pieces of each player marked at the start with a seal of your color are placed on the Town Hall and the scoring placed into the gate house. When you man- In my plays of Brügge I have noted that peo- track. The stack of cards is shuffled and split age to finish building a canal you receive ple either like it a lot or not at all. Further- into five parts. Then you take a number of victory points for this at the end of the game more, there is the advantage in this game, those small stacks equal to the number of and for finished segments you take the top that it is fun to play with two or with three players and shuffle them together, split this statue tile and also victory points at the end or also with four players and that it works stack in two and set the two resulting stacks of the game. The card used for the canal excellently for all numbers of players. down as draw piles. The remaining cards segment is discarded, too. Components and design are very attractive, are stacked and set aside as the extra pile. - Last but not least you can place the per- but for my taste the victory point track is a All other components are kept within reach. son depicted on the card into one of your bit too small. It would also be an advantage, Whoever has been the one who last fried houses; for this you pay the related cost in if you would order yourself a card holder, something (French fries were invented in guilders. The person does not need to be because the cards are a bit slippery and so of the same color as the house. Persons are you often see the color of the coming cards, Kati Knoll available with permanent effects and with which should definitely not be the case. A good and beautiful game and deservedly a candidate for once-only actions, which are implemented Kennerspiel des Jahres, and also on of those games that instantly and only once. For some persons In my opinion, Brügge is one of the most you love or hate. I love it! you need also to discard a henchmen to be beautiful and best games of this year and it able to use the person. And, finally, there are definitely merits the nomination for Kenne- Belgium, after all) is the first starting player, persons that earn you extra points at the rspiel des Jahres 2013.  takes the Coat of Arms of Bruges and draws end of the game. Kati Knoll five cards from the two stacks, one by one, you see only the color of the card taken. During your turn you can use additional ef- Those colors are very important during the fects of persons at any time. game, there are altogether five different col- INFORMATION ors. Then, in turn, all other playes draw their After all have played their cards the board PLAYERS: cards. and personal displays are checked for ma- Designer: Stefan Feld 2-4 After cards have been drawn, the starting jorities. Majorities can be achieved for ca- Artist: Michael Menzel AGE: player rolls all five colored dice and places nals, prestige and number of persons. It is Price: ca. 30 Euro 10+ them in ascending order on the dice track. enough to achieve such a majority once; if Publisher: Hans im Glück 2013 TIME: For each 5 and 6 that was rolled each player you manage one, you turn over your cor- www.hans-im-glueck.de 60+ (!) must take a threat marker in the color of responding majority tile and do not lose the respective dice. As soon as you have ac- it again during the game. For each major- cumulated three threat markers of a color, ity tile thus acquired you score four victory EVALUATION something aggravating happens, for in- points at the end of the game. Tactical game stance, you might lose all your money or Users: With friends Version: de three victory points. You should therefore As soon as one of the two draw piles is fin- Rules: de en fr nl try to get rid of those markers quickly. ished you take the extra stack for the rest In-game text: no After the dice phase you can buy prestige at of the round and finish the current round. Comments: the Town Hall, the price is calculated as total Then there is a final scoring - you add the Beautiful components * Rather tactical despite the element of chance from of all 1s and 2s on the dice. You can only ac- points for persons on display, houses in your drawing cards quire prestige if 1 or 2 was rolled! display, and advantages of persons showing After all players have bought prestige, if a laurel wreath, built canal segments and Compares to: San Juan, Race for the Galaxy und an- they wanted to, or not, you play four of the statue tiles as well as the advancement level dere Spiele mit Mehrfachfunktion der Karten five cards in hand. that you achieved. If this results in the high- est score for you, you win. Other editions: 999 Games, Filosofia and Z-Man Games Those cards can be used for one of the fol- lowing six actions: Brügge is a very beautiful tactical game for - Build a house - you discard a henchman friends. The element of chance is rather high in the appropriate color, that is, the color of due to the drawing of the cards, but adds the card, and place the card face down on some challenge and thrill to the game. the table. The house is worth one victory points. As already stated, Brügge is a tactical game - Take money - you discard the card and and you react always to the current cards. take money in correlation with the color of This restricts your possibilities to plan far the card you played and the value of the die ahead, as you never know which cards will of the same color. appear in the next round. My rating:

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the costs and can start each mis- INFORMATION sion only once. You roll a mission PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: 1969 test; the result of this roll from 2-5 13+ 90+ MISSION MAN ON THE MOON “green minus red plus research bonuses” determines the dis- Designer: Andrea Crespi + Team tance your rocket moves. Then Artist: Giulia Ghigini Price: ca. 25 Euro Space travel - You must put a to the round as stated on the each player can play Intelligence Publisher: Cranio Creations 2012 man on the moon before the board. Then you can - in relation cards to influence the rocket: www.heidelbaer.de end of 1969. To achieve this you to the current round - spend First it is moved backwards ac- plan research, employ scientists, a limited number of Prestige cording to “total of other’s Intel- EVALUATION start training missions and win points for money, one point for ligence cards played, divided by prestige with it. In seven rounds two millions. In the Acquisition mission cost” and then it advanc- Dice result optimization Users: With friends you resolve the phases of In- phase you hire one of the avail- es again by “total of your Intelli- Version: multi come, Acquisition, Mission and able scientists and buy Intelli- gence cards played, divided by Rules: de en fr it End of Round. gence cards for use in the mis- mission cost” and then you earn In-game text: no In the Income Phase you receive sion phase. In the mission phase Prestige depending on the spot Comments: money from the bank according you can start a mission; you pay you reached, modified by the Good topic * Big starting player advantage in a number of flag markers already game for two * Exactly placed in this mission track. in-between a family game 1969 is a game of optimizing and a game for the experi- enced player your dice roll and a game of as- Compares to: sessing risk - each mission can Other optimization games only be tried once! It is also in- Other editions: fluenced by the type of players Coffee Haus Games, USA involved, do I use Intelligence card to strengthen my mission or to disrupt others. Spy scientists are expensive and so some tac- tic is involved too in this game, best for families albeit with some gaming experience. 

for the category „weight“ the INFORMATION three animals in row or column PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ALLE MEINE TIERE must get heavier in direction 2-6 6+ 15+ SIZE, WEIGHT, ENDANGERED? of the arrow. When the arrow is placed, the cards are revealed Designer: Reinhard Staupe and checked - if you are correct Artist: O. + S. Freudenreich Price: ca. 7 Euro Animals are an ever-fascinating species or not or if it is living in you take one of the three cards; if Publisher: Amigo Spiele 2013 and always interesting topic for groups or alone. Two arrow cards not, the arrow is handed to next www.amigo-spiele.de children and also an ideal topic for each category are shuffled player who tries for a solution. for training certain abilities, as and stacked. Nine animal cards New cards are placed according EVALUATION there is, for instance, assess- are placed in a 3x3 grid; in your to whether a solution was found ment of relations based on ap- turn you draw an arrow card and or not. Whoever collects five Assessment, comparison Users: For children pearance and other information. place it correctly next to a row or cards first, wins. Version: de The game comprises 42 animal column or diagonal. In direction This is a very simple game with a Rules: de cards showing information on of the arrow the characteristic in- a lot of information, which needs In-game text: no size and weight, whether the ani- dicated by the arrow must show adult supervision when played Comments: mal represents an endangered ascending values; for instance, by children of the indicated mini- Impressive animal images * Lots of information * Adult mum age; terms like social ani- supervision recommended mal or endangered species must Compares to: be explained and information on Fauna junior that given and maybe the names Other editions: need to be read. Size and weight Currently none can be assessed by comparison of appearance. All in all the game offers lots of information in very condensed form, also of interest to other than Primary School children; the images are especially impressive and allow a realistic comparison of size. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 14 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at ANGRY BIRDS SPACE / ARISTOOCRAZY t PLAYED FOR YOU

characteristic; the winner takes INFORMATION the cards of this and of the previ- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ANGRY BIRDS SPACE ous round. 2-4 6+ 15+ POWER CARDS In the course of the game you need to lay out a three-part, Designer: not stated monochromatic construct from Artist: not stated Price: ca. 7 Euro Comparing of values for card his own cards. The active player cards you won, using the back Publisher: Tactic 2013 characteristics, a mechanism of the round chooses and names sides of cards; when you are done www.asmodee.de that is used for instance in Top one of four characteristics values and have a pig in your cards you Trumps games, is also used in (not the slingshot value) on his put the pig on the construct and EVALUATION this game: All cards are dealt top card, the others name their read out the sling shot value in evenly to all players; should a corresponding value; if your the top left-hand corner of the Trumps, quartets Users: For children card be left over it is put on the card shows the highest value of pig card: all other players name Version: de table and given to the winner of this characteristic you win cards the sling shot value of their top Rules: de the first round. All players hold used in this round. In case of a card. When the pig card wins its In-game text: no their deck in hand open-faced, tie all those involved play a sec- owner takes all cards from the ta- Comments: but so that each player only sees ond round comparing the same ble, even other constructs; when Well-done combination of mechanism and topic * someone else wins he takes the Short rules with an attrac- pig and all top cards. If you are tive additional mechanism out of hand cards you demolish * Funny illustrations your construct, one by one; if you Compares to: All editions of top trumps are out of cards you quit; the last Other editions: one holding cards wins. Currently none Not really angry, those space birds, but providing a very nicely don symbiosis of standard game mechanism and favorite topic, easy to play and with the attrac- tive additional mechanism of construction. 

characters or regions, or damage INFORMATION inflicted on other characters. You PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ARISTOOCRAZY can use all your characters on the 2-4 12+ 90+ OLD GENTRY! NOBLE GENTRY? board once per round; at first move all that you want to move Designer: Jiří Mikoláš and then use the abilities of char- Artist: Pavel Talaš Price: ca. 35 Euro You are the head of a noble ing to specifications; you hold acters that did not move to take Publisher: Jirasgames 2012 family and lead it through the all cards for a family, a starting markers. Movement happens for www.jirasgames.com decades, as well as you can, use region and three abilities. In the the purpose of creating progeny, abilities of family members, as far first two rounds no events are that is, new characters, or to at- EVALUATION as they are useful, and hope for implemented, but you see fu- tack an opposing regions. In con- favors from the king, too. Your ef- ture events. In each round from quered regions you can decide Satire, development Users: For experts forts are rewarded with victory round three the first event card either to create progeny or con- Version: multi points which you earn via event in line is implemented; it names quer the regions permanently. Rules: cz de en cards. 12 of them are randomly the victory conditions for the To be able to create progeny In-game text: no chosen for a game. The start- round - this might be ownership you need the presence of one Comments: ing layout is prepared accord- of certain Markers, numbers of of your own characters and one Rules need considerable ef- forts * Witty, unusual topic neutral character or an opposing * Satirical element nicely character. Characters that die in integrated the course of the game can be Compares to: reborn with new abilities. Other Development games for basic mechanisms, very vague similarities Aristoocrazy tries in a very ambi- to Blood Royal and other such games tious way to vary the standard Other editions: topic of “promote your family Currently none and win the favor of the king” with unusual details like inher- ited dementia and other nice details, but the rules need to be revised, currently they need ex- perts to deal with them. 

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the Secretary General starts the INFORMATION debate by moving issues “on the PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ARTICLE 27 floor”, he can change his mind 3-6 10+ 30+ VOTE IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL during negotiations and play- ers can use bribes to get their Designer: Dan Baden agenda across. Bribery markers Artist: Michael Christopher Price: ca. 36 Euro In the not too far future you are Bribery and deals are the order are placed accordingly. If you Publisher: Stronghold Games 12 a member of the United Nations of the day! change your mind you return www.strongholdgames.com Security Council and have one A round of the game comprises the bribery marker. Deals are not turn as Secretary General. When the phases Set-up and Change binding. When the timer has run EVALUATION it is your turn you put forward of Secretary General, Nego- out or the Secretary General puts a proposal, using the five Issue tiation, The Vote and Influence a stop to negotiations a vote is Negotiation Users: With friends markers that are available for a Payouts. In the set-up phase taken und the result is scored Version: en round. To get a proposal accept- you draw issue markers for for acceptance or rejection and Rules: en ed you must achieve a majority yourself and then issue markers also for Secret Agendas. After a In-game text: no of acceptance. If there is only one are provided as “being tabled”. number of rounds equal to the Comments: veto the proposal is rejected. Then the timer is started and number of players you win with Attractive, unusual topic * Pure negotiation game most influence points from ac- * Issues fit nicely into the cepted proposals, bribes, etc. flow of the game It is surprising how much of pro Compares to: and con one can pack into five Diplomacy and other negotiation games with non-binding deals minutes runtime of a timer! Talk- Other editions: ing helps, talking well helps even Currently none better, and to threaten a veto can achieve more than a veto itself, which costs both sides dearly. A nicely implemented, unusual topic and a challenging mecha- nism. 

item cards are used or help to ac- INFORMATION quire Holy Places for free actions; PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ASANTE persons and animals give you 2 12+ 30+ TRADE IN THE HEART OF AFRICA advantages and inflict disadvan- tages on your opponents. When Designer: Rüdiger Dorn you own 60 gold your opponent Artist: M. Menzel, Pohl & Rick Price: ca. 15 Euro As a trader in Africa you want to the end of your turn you get one has one final turn and then who- Publisher: Kosmos 2013 to good business, offer goods gold for each unused action. In ever has most gold wins. www.kosmos.de on your stall and can buy addi- general, playing one cards costs Asante is an adaptation or varia- tional stalls. Stalls and stacks of one action. Possible actions to tion of Jambo and can even be EVALUATION cards are arranged as specified; choose from are. Draw a card combined with its predecessor; a player’s turn comprises two which costs one action; when the overall game is the same, Set collection, trade Users: With friends phases that are played in the you keep the card the draw details have been changed: The Version: de order of draw cards and play phase ends and you play cards; small stalls have been taken Rules: de en es fr cards. In your turn you can do up again for one action per card; out, commodities cards show In-game text: yes to five actions, but need not do there are exceptions. With com- up to four commodities only Comments: all; if you have actions left over at modities cards you buy and sell, and the ratio of card types has Sequel to Jambo * Can be combined with Jambo * been altered. A novelty are the Multitude of cards offers Holy Places, which you can gain very varying games from actions of your opponent or Compares to: when you replace on item with Jambo, also Waka Waka for the topic another. Just like Jambo, Asante, Other editions: Filosofia, Canada; Ludonova, Spain; too, thrives on the clever use of White Goblin Games, Netherlands; card functions and is, again like Z-Man Games, USA Jambo, a very attractive game with lots of atmosphere and variation due to the multitude of cards. If you like, you can just shuffle the cards from Jambo and Asante together. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 16 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at ATLANTIS RISING / AUF DIE WEIDE, FERTIG, LOS! t PLAYED FOR YOU

be discussed, the final decision INFORMATION rests with the active player. At- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ATLANTIS RISING lanteans on flooded parts go 2-6 13+ 90+ COSMIC PORTAL TO AVOID THE FLOOD back to your stock. To produce you take, depending on the lo- Designer: Galen Ciscell cation and number of your men, Artist: Karim Chakroun Price: ca. 50 Euro Save Atlantis - we need to build tack of Athenians and construct resources according to dice re- Publisher: Z-Man Games 2012 the Cosmic Portal from ten com- Component. At the start of each sult or draw Knowledge cards www.zmangames.com ponents in a cooperative effort round players can use special or transform ore to Atlantium or before the island is completely abilities or knowledge cards. get new Atlanteans or Mythical EVALUATION flooded and win or lose to- Atlanteans are placed on island Energy. Atlanteans at the Navy gether. You chose one of the six parts or on the Atlantean Navy, remain for defense against Athe- Worker placement Users: With friends characters - Astrologer, Priest, up to the maximum capacity nians; this attack is decided dice Version: de Explorer, Scholar, Champion or of the chosen piece, and also roll and Atlanteans in the Navy. If Rules: de fr Artificer - and play rounds of together with other Atlanteans. you have the necessary resources In-game text: yes five phases: Place Atlantean, Then each player draws a calam- you can construct a component; Comments: draw Misfortune, Produce, At- ity card; necessary decisions can this results in instant advantages. Beautiful design * Game play somewhat dependent Within certain parameters other on number of players and players can contribute resources. roles in play * Different lev- Atlantis Rising is worker place- els of difficulty in relation to chosen component cards ment game and a cooperative Compares to: game, pure and simple, no hid- Cooperative games with resources den winners; it is not that easy to contribution master, it depends a little on the Other editions: roles that are in play; without the Currently none Champion it can be hard to hold off the Athenians. The degree of difficulty can be varied by the choice of Component cards. 

put them on the meadow. One INFORMATION of the cards is then set next to PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: AUF DIE WEIDE, FERTIG, LOS! the meadow, again flower-side 2-4 3-10 15+ COLLECT FOOD AND BUILD A PATH up - for a part of the path, the other one is turned back over. Designer: Kirsten Hiese When you have 10 food pieces Artist: Martina Leykamm Price: ca. 17 Euro The sun is rising, animals are that there is enough room for a or more you give away surplus Publisher: Haba 2012 hungry, but nothing is happen- path next to the entrance. All the baskets, if any, to the player who www.haba.de ing, because the farmer is sick food pieces are laid out ready for has the fewest food pieces; from and players must come and look use. In the first part of the game, now on in your turn you only roll EVALUATION after the animals – they search in your turn you turn over two the die. If you roll a flower, your for food baskets, collect food and flower - they are laid out ran- animal goes to the next flower of Memo, dice Users: For children set out a path to the meadow! domly with the flower side up. that color on your path. If you roll Version: multi Each player chooses one animal When the two cards of your a star your animal takes one step Rules: de en es fr it nl and the corresponding meadow choice show the same amount forward or enters the meadow In-game text: no with the correct sign at the en- of baskets you take that many when no flower path tile is left. Comments: trance. The meadow is laid out so food pieces for your animal and The first player who leads his Standard topic for children * Attractive components animal onto the meadow wins and design, food pieces the game. and animals are made from As nearly all other games from wood * Simple rules Haba this one is easily explained Compares to: All path-building dice game and played, and after the first Other editions: game younger children, too, can Currently none play without adult supervision, because all they need is colors and counting up to three. Pretty components and attractive de- sign add to the fun. If you pay close attention you find pairs easily, as one card of a pair is al- ways put back. 

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When rivaling units meet battle INFORMATION ensues, The Attacker chooses PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: AUTOKRATOR two of the available terrain vari- 4 12+ 90+ MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS WARS eties, the Defender then chooses one of them. Then the attacker Designer: Lefteris Iroglidis puts down three battle cards in- Artist: A. Pidjass, A. Piapis Price: ca. 38 Euro Middle Ages - War between and Admiral each for one move- cluding modifications, so does Publisher: Diachron Games 2012 Christians and Muslims - you ment according to rules and the defender, and then you com- www.diachrongames.com control one of the powers in me- one attack. The General can opt pare opposite cards. Gold can be dieval times; Franks/Holy Roman to choose two moves within his used for espionage and special EVALUATION Empire, the East Roman Empire/ own areas instead. The garrison campaigns of all three units. Vic- Byzantines, Moors and Saracens. of a player is made up from all ar- tory points are gained from con- Conflict simulation Users: With friends The turn order is the same in all eas he controls and is only used quering of areas and defeating of Version: en five rounds: Saracens/Fustat, Byz- for defense purposes. King and opposing units. You win instantly Rules: en fr jp antines/Constantinople, Franks/ General of a player can - with the if you conquer an opposing capi- In-game text: no Aachen and Moors/Tanger. You exception of the capital - never tal or, after five rounds, with most Comments: have three units: King, General be in the same area. points. Very attractive components * Nicely balanced details * Components and design are very Lots of strategy necessary impressive and attractive; the to deploy units and cards game does not offer a detailed efficiently and complicated simulation, Compares to: Other simple conflict simulations but rather a concise overview, Other editions: strategically demanding and Currently none without fiddly multitudes of components. The implementa- tion of battles with cards includ- ing relations to terrain is easy to handle and works very well. This is conflict simulation for the play- er who is interested in all kinds of games. 

In case of identical cards you INFORMATION say „bleibt“ = „stays“. When all is PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: BRAUTKRAUT correct, the player now puts one 2-6 10+ 15+ BLAUKLEID TURNS KRAUTBLAU card on the stack, his neighbor names the terms, and so on. Designer: A. Wrede, C. Cantzler When you make a mistake you Artist: Johann Sturcz Price: ca. 13 Euro As proven by this game, you can a cabbage. Images are depicted take the stack. Whoever runs out Publisher: Zoch Verlag 2013 even turn a tongue twister into a vertically, an arrow denotes the of cards first, wins. www.zoch-verlag.com game. 66 cards show two out of direction in which to read them: And if you want to have an even four images that are mentioned Brautkraut and not Krautbraut. more difficult game you can give EVALUATION in the German tongue-twister You hold 11 cards. You slowly one of the word tiles to a player; „Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut und turn over two of them and stack in his turn he must use - depen- Word game Users: For families Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid“, them; your left neighbor names ding on the tile, „braut“, „klaut“ Version: de roughly „Red Cabbage stays the double term of the covered or „traut“ instead of „wird“. At the Rules: de Red Cabbage and a wedding card, then „wird = „turns to“ and end of his turn he hands the tile In-game text: yes dress a wedding dress“, a bride, then the term of the visible card, to his right neighbor. For a com- Comments: a dress, a dab of blue color and e.g. „Kleidkraut wird BlauBraut“. pletely crazy game you hand all Good fun with the right kind of group * Very simple three tiles to players and enjoy rules * Different levels of the resulting gobbledygook. difficulty This is one of those games that Compares to: you either love or hate; if you do First game of this kind not mind to get hopelessly lost Other editions: Currently none in the thorns of Braut and traut and Kraut, you can hoot with laughter about the creations, which in turn disturbs your con- centration to cope with them. In suitable rounds Blaukraut traut Kleidbraut is a huge success and lots of fun. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 18 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at BRIEFCASE / CIAO, CIAO t PLAYED FOR YOU

cial abilities of companies and INFORMATION also to make use of other play- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: BRIEFCASE ers’ companies. When all Deci- 2-4 12+ 45+ ENTREPRENEURS ON THE RISE sion cards have been executed, you discard cards played and Designer: S. Tsantilas, N. Sakaloglou remaining cards into your own Artist: Antonis Papantoniou Price: ca. 33 Euro As an ambitious entrepreneur In your turn you have the fol- discard pile and draw four cards. Publisher: Artipia 2012 you try to win with most victory lowing actions: 1) Play Decision When there are only two kinds of www.artipiagames.com points. A display or Resource cards in any number and order resources left besides Energy or Market and Decision Bank as 2) discard decision cards and all Company cards are gone or EVALUATION well as Company Card Portfolio 3) draw four new cards from no “Buy” cards left in the Deci- and Player area is set up; each your deck. Decision cards are sion Bank you finish the round Resources management Users: With friends player shuffles his deck of Deci- played to buy Company cards and then all add victory points Version: multi sion card, comprising three cards or Resource cards or to activate from activated company cards Rules: de en fr “Buy”, three cards “Activate” and a company or the Central bank and activated company abilities In-game text: no six cards “Obstacle” and takes or to shift Obstacle cards and to as well as one victory points for Comments: four cards in hand. acquire Decision cards via spe- each victory point card acquired Rather functional design with somewhat small from the Central Band and one symbols * Felicitous mix for any four resource cards, in- of mechanisms from deck cluding energy, that you hold. building and resources management Deck building mechanisms Compares to: combined with resources man- All deck building games agement; Briefcase plays well Other editions: and fast, and, with “Hire”, offers Currently none a very interesting mechanism to take over production of op- ponent companies for the price of half the activation costs only, and functioning production chains are the key for success in this game. 

marker of the doubting player INFORMATION falls off the bridge and is out of PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: CIAO, CIAO play. But when the doubting 2-4 10+ 25+ I ROLLED FOUR, BELIEVE ME! player was correct your marker falls off the bridge into the Designer: Alex Randolph swamp and the doubting player Artist: Johann Rüttinger Price: ca. 17 Euro The aim of this small exquisite Then you always – regardless moves the number of steps you Publisher: Drei Hasen i. d. A. 13 game is simple – cross the bridge of the result – name a number announced. As a cross for a dice www.hasehasehase.de with three of your markers and between 1 and 4 and move your result means falling off you must place them on the winner’s ros- marker forward accordingly. All bluff in this case and announce a EVALUATION trum in the order of their arrival. other players in turn now can number hoping that you will be Each player has seven markers, doubt, but only one of them. If believed … Bluff, dice Users: For families there must always be one on all believe you, your turn ends When a marker reaches the end Version: multi the bridge, beginning at the first and you shake the cup and of the bridge you place it onto Rules: de en fr it nl spot after another one has fallen hand it to the next player. When the first free spot of the winner’s In-game text: no off. In your turn you shake the a player doubts he looks into the rostrum, you need not use all Comments: dice cup and look at the result. cup: When you told the truth, the steps announced. New edition, first published by Drei Magier Spiele * Very If you manage to place three attractive design * Simple marker on the rostrum, you win rules instantly; otherwise, you win Compares to: with most points from positions Mäxchen, Lügenpasch of your markers on the rostrum Other editions: Currently none when all remaining markers are on the rostrum. Even if you only have markers on the rostrum you can still doubt – and fall! Very beautiful and attractively designed fun, simple, nice to play, an ideal game for families, not new, but still very, very good! 

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ment phase - you choose one INFORMATION of your persons and move it ac- PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: CITY OF HORROR cording to your chosen move- 3-6 14+ 90+ SURVIVE THE ZOMBIE INVASION! ment card; then the locations are dealt with, in numeric order, Designer: Nicolas Normandon always comprising the phased Artist: Miguel Coimbra Price: ca. 43 Euro Zombie Invasion! Aim of the the top card of the invasion deck; of activating the location, at- Publisher: Repos Productions 12 game is to save the town, but then all choose a movement tack by Zombies and sharing of www.rprod.com first and foremost, save yourself card and reveal them simulta- resources. In this sharing all can by entering into alliances and neously; now you reveal the top participate by discussing, negoti- EVALUATION turning traitor, if necessary. Four invasion card and implement ating and being active; if you win rounds of the game represent it, including arrival of Zombies, the vote you take one antidote or Horror, adventure Users: For experts four hours of waiting for succor movement of the Zombie leader one action card and must then Version: multi and all follow the same scheme: and air-dropping of action card/ share the remaining items; in Rules: de en es fr Observation / Water tower - if antidote - there can never be case of a tie in the vote nobody In-game text: no you have one of your persons on more than eight Zombies in a gets anything. The round is com- Comments: the Water Tower you can look at location; then comes the Move- pleted with the change of start- Very sumptuous compo- nents * Standard basic ing player. mechanisms * Thrilling After four such rounds the heli- background story * copter arrives and you discard Interesting because of negotiation element one antidote for each living Compares to: person or the person dies; then All other “fight the zombies and you win with most victory points survive” games from living persons, surplus anti- Other editions: dotes and food. Currently none Basically a standard Zombies ad- venture, but enlivened and dif- ferent due to the vote on sharing of available resources and, in the expert version, the possibility to exchange antidotes, action cards and information. 

with medium values. A number INFORMATION of items is on display for each PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: DICE DEVILS round; you roll your dice secret- 3-6 8+ 20+ WOOLEN HAT FOR THE HEAD DEVIL ly and put your Grab Tile next to one of the items. When several Designer: Reinhard Mensen devils opt for the same item, a Artist: M. Hoffmann, C. Stephan Price: ca. 27 Euro It has happended - Hell is freez- pending on the number of play- duel follows, higher values win. Publisher: Kosmos 2013 ing over and devils need to roll ers varying kinds of devils come Head Devil always adds his two www.kosmos.de dice for things that are warm into play, the starting ranks are best dice, Holy Terror adds Head - from tea to an electric heater. assigned randomly. Head Devil Devil’s lowest dice to his own re- EVALUATION Hell is organized in a strictly and Holy Terror are always used. sult, Springteufel wins automati- hierarchic manner, there are Head Devil gets the large cup cally in case of a tie, and so on. Dice game Users: For families Oberteufel - Head Devil, Spiel- and golden dice with high val- The winner takes the contested Version: de teufel, Fehlerteufel, Putzteufel, ues, Holy Terror the small one item and may, if he wants to, Rules: de Springteufel und Satansbraten and grey dice with low values, change his role with the loser In-game text: no = Holy Terror, and everyone has and all others receive cups of or one of the losers. If you have Comments: his individual special ability. De- medium size and two black dice accumulated 10 warming items, Very attractive design and components * The more you add the value of your items players the better the game at the end of the round and you * Little interaction in case of win with the highest total. few players A pretty game, a nice game, Compares to: Dice game for not-enough-for-all an attractive game with lots of booty promises, but only fun when Other editions: played with the full number of Currently none playes. In case of three and four players Head Devil and Holy Ter- ror are too dominant; especially the seemingly disadvantaged Holy Terror is often in front and very rarely swapped. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 20 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at DIE VERGESSENE STADT / EIGHT t PLAYED FOR YOU

the sandstorm accordingly by INFORMATION shifting desert tiles; you must PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: DIE VERGESSENE STADT always add sand to a desert tile 2-5 10+ 45+ ESCAPE FROM SAND AND STORM that was moved due to a wind card. Transferring equipment or Designer: Matt Leacock machine parts to other players, if Artist: Tyler Edin, C.B. Canga Price: ca. 20 Euro After the Forbidden Island play- mum one sand tile; tiles carry- you meet on one desert tile, does Publisher: Schmidt Spiele 2013 ers now explore the Forgotten ing two sand tiles are dunes, not not cost an action. When the ad- www.schmidtspiele.de City; the helicopter crash-landed; to be entered 2) remove sand; venturers manage to reach the to escape from storm and send 3) excavate - you turn over a starting ramp with four parts for EVALUATION explorers need to activate the desert tile free of sand, it might the Flying Machine and the ramp ancient Flying machine. Again yield equipment or a clue for a is free of dunes, they escape and Cooperative, adventure Users: For families you embody an explorer with machine part location; and 4) win. But if they run out of water Version: de special abilities and have up to salvage a machine part from or are buried by sand - indicated Rules: de en es fr nl four actions in your turn: 1) move an excavated desert tile with by a lack of sand tiles when new In-game text: yes your adventurer, orthogonally maximum one sand tile. Then ones should be placed - or if the Comments: on an adjacent tile with maxi- you draw wind cards and move storm reaches deadly intensity, Sequel game to “The Forbidden Island” * Varying all players lose together. difficulty due to wind Die vergessene Stadt, or Forbid- indicator * Modular board den Desert, is not a 1:1 Clone of and different combinations of adventurers result in lots of differ- Forbidden City, but an indepen- ent games dent game, varying a concept Compares to: very nicely; especially the col- Die verbotene Insel lecting of machine parts (former Other editions: Gamewright, USA; Cocktail Games, artifacts) was cleverly simplified France; White Goblin Games, Nether- by the uncovering of clue tiles. lands; Devir, Spain. The different combinations of adventures you use and the ran- dom composition of the desert result in a multitude of different games. 

their normal value, but not nega- INFORMATION tive, and force you to re-roll, too. PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: EIGHT All point dice which you did not 2+ 7+ 1+ EIGHT DICE FOR 1000 POINTS score in Straights or Pairs or for x identical dice must be scored Designer: not stated for Point dice. If you roll eight Artist: not stated Price: ca. 9 Euro iPhonegames programs games the symbols for 10, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, identical dice you have won the Publisher: Black Ops Marketing 12 for iPhones and with Eight they and Joker = Wild. game instantly. If you roll seven www.iphonegame.com present a game for iPhone and a You roll all eight dice and score identical dice + a joker you drop gaming table. The components the roll instantly; you can never out of the game, you have lost! 7 EVALUATION are simple - a dice cup and a improve a result by rerolling. You identical dice score 1000 points, bag with eight eight-sided dice, can score a Straight instantly and seven identical ones including Users: For families Special: Many players packed in a box that has the rules must then reroll the remaining a Joker are 50x the value of the Version: en printed on its sides. Seven of the dice; a set of two to six identical dice. Straights of length x are Rules: en eight dice are white, showing dice results must be scored; such always worth x times the sum In-game text: no symbols for 10, 20, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, a result also forces you to re-roll. of the dice; x identical dice can Comments: and 8; one die is black and shows Some point dice in pairs count score 40x the dice value down to Pretty dice * Nice version of a dice game * Rules on the 10x the dice value. Pairs of 3, 4, 6, sides of the box 7 and 8 are negative scores; Pairs Compares to: of values 10, 20 and 5 score only All dice game scoring their normal dice value, but not without re-rolling negative. Other editions: Currently none You play to top 1000 points, and there is a special rule for ending the game if you do not win in- stantly by rolling eight identical dice. Simply a dice game, a simple dice game, nice and unusual enough to be interesting! 

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 21 PLAYED FOR YOU u ELISABETH I. / FISH FISH

can be bought - Oceanic expe- INFORMATION ditions have been upgraded to PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ELISABETH I. direct control by players - secret 2-6 12+ 420+ RELIGIONS WARS 1559-1998 negotiations are now under- taken to achieve advantageous Designer: Ed Beach marriages for the members of Artist: Charles Kibler + Team Price: ca. 80 Euro The wars during the reign of Elisabeth I. is the sequel to Here I your Royal house - your Court Publisher: Spielworxx 2012 Queen Elisabeth I., between Eng- Stand, which portrayed the time now supports and sponsors per- www.spielworxx.de land and Spain on the one hand between the Posting of Martin sons like architects, artists, writ- and the upcoming religious and Luther’s Theses in 1517 and the ers and scientists - and of course EVALUATION expansions conflicts all over Eu- Abdication of Charles V. in 1556, such volatile and insecure times rope on the other hand. There as regards to topic as well as to are an ideal playground for spies Historic conflict simulation Users: For experts are six main powers in this game, mechanisms. Some of the rules and their methods like cryptol- Version: de England, Spain, France, The Ot- from Here I Stand have been ogy. Rules: de en toman Empire, The Holy Roman adapted to the new situations: Besides the full campaign Sce- In-game text: yes Empire and the Protestant Forces Religion as to uprising and con- nario the game provides a Tutori- Comments: of Dutch and Huguenots. version - Diplomatic influence al for two players and an Armada CDG = Card driven Game * Detailed historic simulation Scenario that plays considerably * Extremely long playing shorter than the Campaign sce- time for the full game * nario, because if you want to en- Shorter Scenarios provided joy this you need to plan for a du- Compares to: Here I Stand and other historical ration of minimum eight hours. simulations This short introduction is in- Other editions: tended to present the genre Virgin Queen, GMT of intense historic simulations, maybe make you curious and interested to to try something like this; it is rewarding, even if takes time and effort. Maybe you could have changed the course of history, if you had been in con- trol? 

gets all fish on it; for “no catch” INFORMATION fish players get back their bet PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: FISH FISH and place them on their booty 1-8 8+ 20+ BAIT EATEN? FISH CAUGHT? card according to bait value. Should the second card “Catch” Designer: Lionel Borg be revealed, the round ends at Artist: Christophe Swal Price: ca. 7 Euro Playes are fishermen wanting bid 0-4 fish and place them on the end of this turn. If you have Publisher: Gigamic 2013 to catch fish or fish wanting to the “Fishing” card, one and only fish left for bidding you put them www.gigamic.com eat bait without being caught. one bid in turn. At the end of on your booty card according The fisherman secretly chooses the round, comprising five such to the value of the highest Bait EVALUATION a “Fishing” card - two of those turns, all fish must have been the fisherman has left. At the cards show “Catch” and three bid. When all are done and no end of the round - all “Fishing” For families Special: Many players of them “No Catch” - and a “Bait” fish has been bid the fisherman cards have been played or both Version: multi card - the values vary between discards both Fishing card and “Catch” cards were revealed or all Rules: de en es fr it nl 2 and 5 - and stacks them so Bait Card unrevealed. When fish fish players have bid all their fish- In-game text: no that only the bait value is vis- was bid the cards are turned up. the fisherman scores 4 points for Comments: ible. Fish players in turn now For a “Catch” card the fisherman each fish he collected; fish play- Enchanting design * Simple mechanisms * Nice balance ers score points according to the between guessing and fish in booty card columns. When assessing all players have been fisherman Compares to: once or twice, you win with most Betting games with return of bid in certain situations points. Other editions: A very beautiful game, as are all Currently none Gigamic games, with a simple mechanism and a good ratio of guessing and assessing - does the fisherman play both catch cards at the start? Should we swallow the big bait and risk a fish? Simply nice! 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 22 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at GRAFFITI / HOMESTRETCH t PLAYED FOR YOU

now can turn around again or INFORMATION open his eyes. The guesser has PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: GRAFFITI three tries to guess the term 3-7 12+ var HOW DO YOU DRAW BAD-TASTE PARTY? correctly. If he does so at first try, he wins two chips, and only Designer: not stated one chip if he needs two or three Artist: not stated Price: ca. 25 Euro The game comprises 110 cards times. The first guesser closes guesses. If he cannot guess the Publisher: Inspira showing two terms, easy ones his eyes or turns his back on the term, he gets no chips, of course. www.mike-spiele.de are depicted on a yellow back- group - the other players each Then the guesser awards two ground and difficult ones on a take a board and a pen. The top chips from stock to the player EVALUATION red background. Players decide card is turned over and all draw with the best drawing and then on the level of difficulty they the term in the designated level tries to allocate the drawings to Drawing game Users: With friends want to use in their game, and of difficulty, within the runtime their creators. For each correct Version: de on the number of terms; this of the timer. When the timer has allocation he scores one chip, Rules: de es jp nl should if possible give each run out, one player collects all for each wrong one the creator In-game text: player the opportunity to be boards, shuffles them well and is given a chip. When all cards Comments: guesser the same number of hands them to the guesser, who have been played, you win with New edition * Good selection of terms * Make most points. it recognizable! Drawing is As all those games Graffiti stands secondary! on the selection of terms; mono- Compares to: cle is easy, but how do you draw Pictomania and other drawing games with guessing of terms Fictitious Marriage? Or Lack of Other editions: Time? Different talent in drawing Currently none evens out during the game and style can be misleading. Quick fun for larger groups, the game is still going strong and provid- ing fun in this second edition, featuring an excellent selection of terms. 

bet on Win, Place & Show or oth- INFORMATION er placements, beginning with PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: HOMESTRETCH the richest player; you can only 2-6 14+ 60+ BET ON WIN, PLACE & SHOW place one of your markers on any position. The poorest player Designer: Frank diLorenzo starts the race; you roll and move Artist: Jennifer Vargas Price: ca. 25 Euro Horse racing - you are an owner that is, you are dealt a number the resulting horse either two of Publisher: R & R Games 2012 of horses and at the same time of blue cards, choose one and the ten spots on the track and www.rnrgames.com you bet on the result of the rac- set it down and hand on the rest hand on the dice, or you move es. From a deck of eleven green of the card; this goes on until all the horse one spot, roll and EVALUATION and a deck of twelve purple race cards are taken. Then you pay for move the new horse two spots. cards you draw two from each your horses out of your starting Horses are put on the betting Horse race game Users: With friends deck and stack the purple ones capital. board when crossing the finish; Version: en on top of the green ones for the The horses are placed at the start if you roll a horse already at the Rules: en four races you will play. You tart and you reveal the top race card, finish you move the horse in last In-game text: no with 50.000 $ and assemble a which determines handicap and place one to three spots. When Comments: stable of horses using drafting, purse for the race. Now you can three horses are at the finish you Minimum age probably due to US regulations * remove non-winning bets and Absolutely suitable for a pay out the winnings. After the family game * Nice Design second race you can buy one or * Standard mechanisms two horses from blue + red deck. Compares to: All games with a horse-racing topic After four races the richest player Other editions: wins the game. Currently none Well, HomeStretch is a game about horse racing, so there are naturally similarities to many other horse race games; it is well done, featuring cute details, and is - despite the minimum age 0f 14 - definitely also a nice game for families. 

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 23 PLAYED FOR YOU u IN THE CITY: ORIGINS / JOURNALIST

row of the City Square. To take a INFORMATION card you must have the same PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: IN THE CITY: ORIGINS amount or more influence than 2-4 8+ 30+ INFLUENCE FROM THE BODYGUARD the card you want to take has prestige. Each card taken raises Designer: Peter Prinz your influence. Cards in the City Artist: M. Menzel, C. Tisch Price: ca. 25 Euro The King is dead! To be able to the most influential faction. The Square are moving down in the Publisher: Queen Games 2013 call Long live the King!, you must cards for the display, called City column, the two bottom cards www.queen-games.de find a new king first. Players re- Square, are sorted by color of are always visible. You can use cruit citizens of the town for in- their back side and - adhering special abilities of the cards; for EVALUATION fluence and favors of the most to strict procedures - laid out instance to destroy a card to influential citizens. in seven vertical columns, face reach another one. Some abili- Deck building Users: For families In the City: Origins is a card draft- down. You choose one of three ties are permanently available, Version: en ing game, that is, a game on the leaders and roll for the starting some for once-only use, some Rules: en selection of cards. In turn play- player; all but he receive +1 in- for the turn. When two or more In-game text: yes ers recruit creatures with higher fluence in the first round. In turn columns are empty, the game Comments: prestige in order to assemble you take a card from the bottom ends at the end of the current Simplified deck building mechanisms * Lots of text round. All players sum up the and information in icons on victory points on their card and the cards * Standard topic if you have most cards you are Compares to: crowned king and win. Dominion and other deck building games that use cards to take other This is a deck building game for cards and interact with other cards beginners; you buy cards to ac- Other editions: quire influence so that you can Currently none buy more cards; a linear develop- ment towards more expensive and more capable cards; you need to take care that you do not overlook a possibility to buy a good card or destroy a danger- ous one. 

agree on your own rules for valid INFORMATION words. If you cover special spots PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: JOURNALIST you can score bonuses or pen- 2-5 8+ 60+ FROM THE HOTEL TO THE EDITOR alty points. In the Café you gain a letter cube which you can use Designer: František Čermák as you like. When the timer has Artist: Nika Balyklová Price: ca. 30 Euro You are a journalist and need to while the timer runs. You place run out, you score one point for Publisher: Stragoo / CBG 2012 hand in your copy by placing words horizontally and vertically; each letter that you placed, add www.stragoo.com words on the city map to con- the first letter must cover the ho- bonuses and deduct penalties, nect editorial office and hotel. tel spot; one letter of a new word score 5 points when you used all EVALUATION You choose a size of board to must border a letter of a word letters, and 10 points when you use, draw seven face-down already placed; adjacent letters end the game by connecting ho- Word placement Users: For families letters and play in rounds: You must always form valid words tel and editorial office. At the end Version: multi start the timer, turn up your let- and no letter can be placed on of the round you fill your stock of Rules: cz de en sk ters and all simultaneously form a water spot. For valid words the letters to seven again. In-game text: no words from their letters and rules known from Scrabble and A very beautiful game with lov- Comments: place them on their own board, similar games apply; but you can ing details like a scoring track Good components * Standard mechanisms, made out to look like the key- interestingly varied * Box board of an old typing machine; says 2-8 players, boards are and of course, it is a version of included for five players scrabble, but the background Compares to: Scrabble and other word placement story is creative, the variable plan games size and the many special spots Other editions: result in an interesting games for Currently none fans of word placement games; you can also design your own boards with the many tiles pro- vided. Gaps in the rules you must fill drawing on your gaming ex- pertise. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 24 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at KALLE KROKOFALLE / KROKO FUSSBALL STAR t PLAYED FOR YOU

men; if you are first to have two of INFORMATION them across the bridge you win. PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: KALLE KROKOFALLE You push the crocodile towards 2 5+ 10+ SAVE YOUR FRUITS OR FALL one of the bridge planks - when the plank topples you can move Designer: not stated all your men the number of steps Artist: not stated Price: ca. 8 Euro The crocodile down in the river is platform with the blue rope, the stated by the bridge. Men that Publisher: Mattel 2012 hungry and unfortunately loves monkeys of the other player on fall off go, even if they are your www.mattel.de coconuts and bananas, which the side with the orange-colored own, go back to the start. When are exactly the kind of fruits that rope and must reach the oppos- the crocodile topples two planks, EVALUATION parrots and monkeys are carry- ing side of the bridge with their the lower number of the two ing across the bridge with some fruits. That is at least what the designates the number of steps. Action game Users: For children none too stable planks, and the story tells, in reality there are no Two of your men cannot share Version: de crocodile wants to push them fruits in the game, it’s just mon- the same plank, you put the ar- Rules: de en off. keys and parrots that need to riving man further on onto the In-game text: no The bridge is assembled, par- reach the other side. next available plank. The middle Comments: rots of one players are set on the In Level 1 you play with three plank is safe, it cannot topple. In Nice game idea * Good training for power dosage, Level 2 the number on the plank aim and hand-eye-coor- indicates the total number of dination * Lots of fun and steps, you can move one man some tactical consider- ations or split the move among several Compares to: men. In Level 3 you play with five All action game with targeting action men and must get 3 across. Other editions: Good fun for children, they can Greedy Gator, Mattel USA play alone, too, and the game provides good training for hand- eye-coordination and dosage of pushing power; and there are tactical considerations, too - how can I place my men to advance furthest? 

then stomp down as hard as you INFORMATION can to make the ball fly out. If you PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: KROKO FUSSBALL STAR aligned the stomper well, the ball 1+ 3+ 10+ CROCODILE GOALIE hits Kroko’s teeth. Of course, it does not really “knock them out”, Designer: not stated the ones that you hit bend back- Artist: not stated Price: ca. 15 Euro Kroko has resumed his sports ac- the floor, check that his mouth wards. Each player has a turn and Publisher: Hasbro 2013 tivities but has stopped playing is properly closed, and place the one who manages to knock www.hasbro.at golf and switched its interest to the flag into Kroko’s right hand. out all the remaining teeth and soccer; the green crocodile now When you are ready to play you make Kroko’s wave the flag and EVALUATION has taken up a job as a goalkeep- press the flag backwards. This roll its eyes is the winner of the er. To indicate this new hobby it makes Kroko open its mouth and round. To start another game, Action game Users: For children wears a goal like a hat at the back showing all its teeth. In your turn you close Kroko’s mouth prop- Version: de of its head. But this is just for fun you put the ball into the stomper erly and push the flag backwards Rules: de en and decoration, Kroko wants of and then place the stomper on again. In a bonus game you win, In-game text: no course to catch the ball with his the floor. You align it to target if you manage that Kroko rolls Comments: mouth. You put Kroko down on Kroko’s mouth and teeth and his eyes and at least one of them Series: Elefun & Friends * Needs room to play * stops showing a star. The level of Good training for targeting, difficulty can be varied with the assessing distances and distance between Kroko and movement coordination stomper. Compares to: Other action games from the Kroko Green, crocodile, action and family, e.g. Kroko Golf fun - the green crocodile baring Other editions: its teeth has now been enticing Hasbro USA children very successfully to dif- ferent kinds of actions and does that here, too: children have fun training taking aim and coordi- nation of movement. 

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 25 PLAYED FOR YOU u LAPPEN SCHNAPPEN / METRO 2033

responding card, using one hand INFORMATION only. When the pulled-out card is PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: LAPPEN SCHNAPPEN correct, you get the card from 1-4 3-12 20+ FEED THE RAG MONSTER! stack as a reward, if not, you feed it to the Rag Monster. In both cas- Designer: Kirsten Hiese es the card pulled from the bag Artist: Martina Leykamm Price: ca. 25 Euro The Rag Monster eats fabric for each pair – and a bag for each goes back into the bag. In Duell Publisher: Haba 2013 patches, sometimes too many of color. You use those components der Lappenschnapper two play- www.haba.de them and he gets tummy ache for three different games: ers play against each other; each – so you must feed it correctly, In the cooperative game Flinke draws the top card from one of EVALUATION because it only eats certain kinds Lappenschnapperei all players the stacks and - on command of patches. A collection of games together try to find and identify - searches the corresponding Educational tactile game makes players feel fabrics and all cards by touching and feel- bag for the second card. Who- Users: For children recognize and assign them by ing. The top fabric card from the ever finds the correct card faster Version: multi touching. There are two sets of six stack is turned up and the active may feed the Rag Monster with Rules: de en es fr it nl pairs of patch cards, in two colors player searches in the bag of the a sweet. The first player to feed In-game text: no – always with a different structure corresponding color for the cor- three sweets to the monster, wins. Comments: Good selection of fabrics In the memo game Lappen- * Good training for haptic sucherei you put one card of and tactile impressions * each pair in the corresponding Gets easier with practice bag, the other one into a 3x4 grid. Compares to: Other tactile games Then you turn up one card and Other editions: search for the other one in the Currently none bag. If you find a pair you keep one card and feed the other to the Rag Monster. Pretty, good, and educational - as usual in a Haba game - the cloths are nicely chosen and - as is the purpose - easily identified with a bit of practice. 

position of the Round Marker on INFORMATION the track. 2) Mobilization - you PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: METRO 2033 pay for the upkeep of your army 2-6 12+ 60+ POST-APOCALYPTIC FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL and can recruit new soldiers. 3) Army action - you can conquer Designer: Golubkin, Ovchinnikov neighboring stations or send out Artist: Sergey Dulin Price: ca. 40 Euro The topic is post-apocalyptic points; you can win by control- troops to search for resources 4) Publisher: Hobby World 2012 life, based on the novels by ling metro stations and meet- Hero action - you can use a hero www.heidelbaer.de Dmitry Glukhovsky - the big cit- ing tasks or by conquering all to move, to trade and to fight 4) ies on Earth are eradicated after four stations of Polis, the heart End of round - the Round Marker EVALUATION nuclear explosions, the planet is of the underground terrain. The is advanced by one step and the nearly inhabitable, a handful of game is driven by cards and a starting player marker is handed Development game Users: With friends survivors is developing a new round comprises the phases 1) on to the next player. You can Version: en civilization in the stations and Events - you get resources, face fight with armies or with your Rules: en ru tunnels of the Moscow Metro. threats, for instance from mutant hero, both can be upgraded by In-game text: yes You lead one of the many fac- creatures from outside, or estab- new armies or equipment. For Comments: tions and must collect victory lish new laws, in relation to the combat between units or he- Design and components mirror the topic * Standard roes of different players a spe- mechanisms, attractively cial combat deck is used. The varied * Partly imbalanced Red Line faction wins with nine mechanisms points, all other factions need 10 Compares to: Neuroshima Hex and others victory points to win. Other editions: Bleak and dismal, with a heavy Currently none emphasis on conflict, and partly imbalanced; if you control more stations you get more resources, so sometimes players need to collaborate against one other player; furthermore, a hero can defeat an army. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 26 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at MONTE BANANA / PICK-A-DOG t PLAYED FOR YOU

you must always move the full INFORMATION number of steps indicated on PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: MONTE BANANA your card. There is another re- 2-4 8+ 30+ CLIMBING FOR BANANAS striction: you cannot choose the same card as the player before Designer: Jim Winslow you, unless it is the last card that Artist: not stated Price: ca. 18 Euro Next to mice and cheese mon- Each player has an identical set you play. When all five cards are Publisher: Piatnik 2013 keys and bananas must be one of cards showing values One to played, the round ends: If you www.piatnik.com of the favorite combinations for Five. In your turn you choose a are highest up on the mountain, game topics. In this interpreta- card and and move the mon- you earn a chip in a game for EVALUATION tion of the theme monkeys climb key accordingly upwards or two players and two chips in a a mountain for bananas. The downwards. Other monkeys are game for three and four players. Placement game Users: For families mountain, Monte Banana, is set passed. The target spot must be The player in second place in a Version: multi up and each player chooses one free and you cannot change di- game for three and four players Rules: de en fr it hu pl of the pretty, banana-waving rection in a turn, unless you have earns one chip, too. If you collect- In-game text: no monkeys and puts them in front reached the top of the mountain ed three or more chips or – in a Comments: of the first step of the mountain. and have steps left, because game for three and four players Nice mix of mechanisms * Attractive components * – five or more chips, you win. New edition of Top Banana Monte Banana is not as simple Compares to: as it seems at first glance; places Placement games with are limited and the cards you cards for movement played are visible; so there is a Other editions: Currently none bit of tactic, hampered a bit by the restriction of the same cards played in a row and that you have to turn around if you reach the mountain too early. A very nice mixture of mechanisms for a very nice family game. 

must stop taking cards instantly. INFORMATION At first it is checked if you were PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: PICK-A-DOG correct in stopping the round. If 1-5 8+ 15+ GRAB A SUITABLE ONE! yes, you get one bonus card. If not, you lose all cards collected Designer: Torsten Landsvogt in this round. Then all players’ Artist: Ari Wong Price: ca. 9 Euro Dogs differ in five characteristics On a signal all playes turn up stacks are checked, including Publisher: Heidelberger 2013 - they are big or small, light or their start card and simultane- your stack. If all is correct, you www.heidelbaer.de dark, show us one or two arms, ously all use one hand only and keept the stack for a winning wear sunglasses or not and hold quickly take one card at a time stack; if not, you lose all cards of EVALUATION a box of popcorn or don’t. The from the display. A card may only this round. For the new round game comprises 96 cards; each differ from the top card on your you are dealt a new starting card Reaction Game Users: For families player is dealt one card face- stack by a maximum of one char- and the gaps in the grid are filed Version: de down and may not look at this acteristic! When you think that from the stack. When there are Rules: de en fr kr card. 30 more cards are laid out there is no card left in the grid not enough start cards left, the In-game text: no in a grid, 5 x 6 cards, open-faced, that you can use, you announce game ends and you win with Comments: randomly and in any orientation. this with “Stop” and all players most cards. Funny drawings * Standard mechanisms, nicely Funny, somehow, despite not combined * Pick a Pig in being really new; the dogs are identical design can be funny and it is more difficult combined with Pick a Dog than you might believe to restrict Compares to: Other reaction games yourself to one difference only, Other editions: the drawings are very clever! And Jolly Thinkers when you combine packs from Pick a Dog and the identical ver- sion Pick a Pig you really are in difficulties, because dogs and pigs only differ in their snout. In the solo game you try for fewest penalty points. 

WIN The Games Journal now also available as eBook! www.gamesjournal.at For all information on that check our website. ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 27 PLAYED FOR YOU u PIXELSTÜCKE / QUADRO COLOR

you are done, you put down your INFORMATION screen face-down, the others PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: PIXELSTÜCKE have 30 seconds, marked by the 4-9 8+ 45+ PAINTING WITH SQUARES timer, to complete their picture. Then you show your creation Designer: D. Franck, L. Escoffier and hope that others guess Artist: not stated Price: ca. 27 Euro A drawing game offering equal handed out, so that there al- what it represents. Members of Publisher: GameWorks 2013 opportunities for talented and ways at least two players with one group always show their cre- www.gameworks.ch untalented artists. Aim of the the same color of a screen, that ations in ascending order of the game is to use fewer pixels that is, a playing board. Each color number of pixels used. If mem- EVALUATION your opponents to represent a group draws one card and reads bers of a group used the same term and to guess the terms of the first term secretly and then number of pixels, their creations Creative placement game Users: For families other players. You start with 20 places pixels to represent the are displayed at the same time. In Version: de black pixels, that is, small square term. The arrow can be placed relation to specified procedures Rules: de fr jp tiles, one red pixel and a red ar- anywhere to emphasize a de- you can give a hint and victory In-game text: yes row. In relation to the number tail, each pixel must be placed cubes are allocated to creator Comments: of players colored screens are exactly within the grid. When and guessers. Fantastic party game * Quite some tactic besides After a return game with the sec- creativity * No talent neces- ond term on the card you hand sary, only imagination on screens to your left neighbors Compares to: for the next round. Placement games, first game in this combination of mechanisms Pixelstücke offers an unusual Other editions: and very attractive game, which Bei Hobby Japan is fun and needs a bit of tactic, too - do I use few pixels and can show my creation earlier to win cubes before my rival gets to show his? Or should I use one or two more to make sure that it is guessed, but maybe too late? 

tile, and you place the tile on this INFORMATION intersection. You can, of course, PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: QUADRO COLOR turn the tile any way you want 2-5 6+ 20+ COLORS AND SQUARES before placing it. When you have spotted the correct intersection, Designer: Brad Ross, Jim Winslow you put the tile down. OF course, Artist: not stated Price: ca. 10 Euro Colored squares make up a are shuffled face-down and each tiles can touch each other, be- Publisher: Piatnik 2013 board, seemingly haphazardly player draws three of those tiles, cause due to placing tiles on the www.piatnik.com arranged - 7x7 squares show still face down, and sets them intersections of four big squares eight times the colors orange, down, Now one player gives a you can use each big square for EVALUATION blue, grey, red and purple, and starting signal and all players four small squares situated on nine times green; in each row simultaneously turn over their four different small tiles, depend- Placement, spotting Users: For families two of colors appear twice, and tiles and try to find the correct ing on the orientation of the tile. Version: multi there are never adjacent squares place on the board for them. For If you are first to place all your Rules: de en fr it of the same color. 24 square small each tile there is an intersection tiles, you win the round. At the In-game text: no tiles show four small squares in of four squares showing the col- start of the game you decide on Comments: four of the six colors. Those tiles ors of the small squares on the the number of rounds you want Interesting, good game with minimal resources * to play; if you win most of those Trains color spotting, spa- rounds you win the game. tial thinking and reaction The simplest of rules, very simple speed * Fun despite being an abstract game components and a lot of fun - no Compares to: change, no interference from Chromino and other color tile place- other players! It only depends ment games on your observation and speed Other editions: - how fast can you spot the Currently none necessary arrangement of four squares and how fast can you turn your tile in your mind or in your hand. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 28 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at RITTER ROST / ROOM-25 t PLAYED FOR YOU

in case of a tie the cogwheels on INFORMATION the cards decide; for the highest PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: RITTER ROST bid you get the card and may 2-4 8+ 40+ EISENHART & VOLL VERBEULT take the top face-down one, too. After eight auctions you Designer: Klaus Zoch hand your “Blech” cards to your Artist: Volker Maas, Terzio Price: ca. 23 Euro In the film-based game Ritter ment, helpers and Prince Protz left neighbor. For an adventure Publisher: Zoch Verlag 2013 Rost must master three adven- are shuffled and stacked; you you deploy “Rost” cards - each www.zoch-verlag.com tures in this order: Win a tourna- start with two cards and a set kind of equipment only once; ment, defeat a Dragon and save of “Blech” cards, numbered 1-8 then you take the number of EVALUATION Lady Bö from Prince Protz. Who- and showing different numbers dice pictured on them, choose ever manages that first, wins. of cogwheels. In your turn you one of two turned-up adventure Adventure, dice Users: For children So, for a good start, you need to choose auction of a “Rost” card, tiles and roll! “Rost” eaters are set Version: de equip your knight well and also paid for with “Blech” cards, or an aside, you memorize the num- Rules: de make sure that Koks and Bö are adventure. For an auction you ber of cogwheels and roll those In-game text: no available to help him, if neces- select a card on display and all dice again, and so on. Mastering Comments: sary. The “Rost” cards for equip- bid for it with one “Blech” card; or aborting the adventure costs Well-known topic * Topic nicely implemented * Felici- you one “Rost” card; if you fail, tous mix of luck of the dice you lose two. Prince Protz among and considerations the “Rost” cards is a nuisance, he Compares to: adds two cogwheels to the nec- Other license-topic adventure games essary result and must be used Other editions: Currently none in the last adventure the latest. If you allocate your cards wisely and have bit of luck in rolling dice, you will be the winner of those adventures; the mix of deliberation and luck is ideally suited to a children’s game. 

push a figure present in the room INFORMATION with you into an adjacent room, PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: ROOM-25 she must implement the room 1-6 13+ var JOINT FLIGHT! effect, a face-down room is re- vealed. Move - you move into an Designer: François Rouzé adjacent room and implement Artist: Balage, Duran-Kriegel Price: ca. 23 Euro As a candidate in a reality show Suspicion, Competition or Team its effect; a face-down room is Publisher: Editions Matagot 13 you must find Room 25 and es- over 10 rounds, comprising the revealed. Control - you move www.matagot.com cape. Guards try to stop you. De- phases Programming = Choos- the row or column including the pending on the variant and your ing of two actions by placing room with your figure by one EVALUATION experience the rooms are chosen markers; Actions - all in turn do room length in any direction, the randomly or according to specifi- their first action and then the pushed-out room is replaced at Cooperative, adventure Users: For experts cation. At the start you can look second, and finally, Countdown the other end of row or column. Version: multi at one of the rooms adjacent to with adapting playing order. Each action you chose must be Rules: de en fr nl the central room. Then you play Actions are: Look - look into an implemented. When Room 25 is In-game text: no either full cooperation or solo adjacent room; Push - If you are found all must assemble there Comments: for eight rounds or the variants in a room with another figure and move it to the exit zone and Series action collection * Cooperation is necessary, out of the complex by using Con- increases towards the trol. You cannot escape alone! end of the game * Losses Cooperation and planning are are nearly unavoidable * Several variants necessary to find the room; Compares to: you have your work cut out to Alcatraz, Escape, Space Alert escape the dangers thrown at Other editions: you and to outwit the guards Kaissa, Greece and Asterion, Italy that want to maneuver you into deadly rooms. Don’t forget - any of your fellow candidates could be a guard! Be careful! Losses are often unavoidable and time is short! Thrilling and good! 

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spot is occupied, you move on INFORMATION to the next free spot. Star spots PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: SPIELHAUS are normal spots, they indicate 2-4 4-7 20+ EXPLORING ALL ROOMS hidden items nearby, but have no effect whatsoever on move- Designer: Jörg Obrist ment of markers. When you roll Artist: Andrea Bianchi Price: ca. 20 Euro Since 1973 you can go explor- routing in the chests in the attic, a star, you take the top item card Publisher: Ravensburger 2013 ing in the rooms of this house, cleaning your teeth or having a from the stack and search for this www.ravensburger.de now this real classic game has bath, and even making cookies item in the house. When you find been re-published as part of the in the kitchen with Grandma. it, you put your marker next to it, EVALUATION range of “Meine ersten Spiele”. The room cards are laid out ran- that is, a star can let you advance The game features 16 room domly and all players put their or drop back on the path. You Dice game Users: For children cards, showing scenes from daily marker at the start. You roll the keep the item card. Should you Version: de life in a house, the playhouse in die and move your marker. Only roll a star when all the item cards Rules: de the nursery, the family playing a one marker is allowed on a spot; have been taken, you simply roll In-game text: no card game in the living room, a you count occupied stops in again and move your marker. Comments: birthday party in the living room, passing and when your target Whoever arrives in the attics first, A classic children’s game since 40 years * Trains wins the game. observation * Relates to Just because it is so simple and daily situations easy this game has become a Compares to: classic, you can tell so many sto- All games featuring houses and rooms and their content ries while moving around in the Other editions: house, and also invent your own Currently none rules, for instance, if you roll the star and find the item you must tell why it might be in the room and if you could make use of it elsewhere and if yes, where, and so on and so on. 

marked positions and space INFORMATION ships on red and yellow trade PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: STAR TREK CATAN routes. For the building of out- 3-4 10+ 60+ FEDERATION SPACE MAP SET posts the distance rules have been abolished, you can build Designer: R. Magin, C. Rice, G. Zahn on each of the marked spaces. Artist: R. Magin, F. Vohwinkel Price: ca. 30 Euro Catan is nice, Star Trek Catan is of the “Known Galaxy“ in Kirks Space ships that you build on Publisher: Mayfair Games 2013 nice, and Star Trek Catan is nice, Ready Room. Planet names re- red trade routes give you con- www.mayfairgames.com very nice, indeed. For dedicated late to individual episodes, part- trol over the adjacent outpost fans of both topics there are now ly on quotations about planets, and you can trade with it. When EVALUATION those two maps, expanding the partly on events on planets. You you build a space ship next to core game, with which you can use components and develop- a still empty outpost location, Development game Users: For families boldly follow Captain Kirk on ment cards from the core game you cannot build a space ship Version: en his missions and settle worlds in Star Trek Catan and play using beyond this location; you must Rules: en Federation Space, from Aldeba- the basic rules from this game, build the outpost first. Space In-game text: yes ran to Vulcan. The “geography” of too, with additions and changes: ships that you have built next to Comments: the boards is based on the map Basically, you build outposts on VP intersections give you the cor- Expansion for Star Trek Catan * Needs Star Trek responding victory point marker; Catan to play * Nicely those intersections have been implemented links to the marked for events from the epi- Star Trek series sodes, too. You win the standard Compares to: Star Trek Catan, Catan game with 10 victory points; for a Other editions: longer game you can play for 12 Currently none or 13 victory points, correspond- ing markers are available. Catan as we know it and love it, and yet different; the deletion of the distance rule and the forced building of outposts change the strategy. 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 30 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at STRATAK WARS / SUNRISE CITY t PLAYED FOR YOU

tances to move depend on the INFORMATION kind of unit and kind of terrain. PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: STRATAK WARS You can stack and pass your own 2-6 14+ 60+ THE BEGINNING units, but cannot enter hexes occupied by opposing forces. Designer: René Lamotte Supply cannot be transferred Artist: René Lamotte Price: ca. 40 Euro Stratak is an abbreviation for the rules of the states there into the next round. Combat Publisher: Stratak-Spiele 2011 Strategy and Tactics, and is in- want to enlarge their influence and battles are handled by roll- www.stratak-spiele.de tended to be a basic system for spheres and make tactical deci- ing D6 dice, each unit can attack battle simulation, including the sions for the best deployment of any other unit on adjacent hexes, EVALUATION weapons tank, ships and air- their troops, use the advantages but only once per round. In or- planes. Stratak The Beginning of their weapons in combat and der to conquer a city you must Confictsimulation Users: With friends is the core games, comprising decide on the correct strategy be present there until the end of Version: multi the components for the nations for use of supplies. The active the turn. If you hold most cities Rules: de en of Germany, Great Britain, Italy, player can activate 10 units and at the end of the agreed time to In-game text: no Japan, Russia and USA, fight and then move or move play, you win. Comments: Stratak is set in a fictitious world, first and fight afterwards. Dis- The very flexible system is geared Core game * Very flexible system for expansions and implementa- Compares to: tion of your own ideas, it does Other conflict simulations not need models and uses eas- Other editions: ily stacked marker tiles, which Currently none are also easily distinguished by color. Political facts are also not fixed and can be adapted to your own ideas - Stratak is a felicitous augmentation for the genre of Conflict simulation games. 

Zoning phase you place tiles; INFORMATION newly placed tiles must touch PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: SUNRISE CITY at least one tile already in place 2-4 13+ 60+ ZONE PLACEMENT AND BUILDINGS sidewalk-to-sidewalk; other bor- ders need not correlate if more Designer: Isaias Vallejo than one tile is bordered. Zone Artist: C. Nixon, C. Kirkman Price: auf Anfrage Sunrise City is a city building tokens. Each of the three rounds tiles placed correctly as regards Publisher: Clever Mojo 2012 game; as one of the founders comprises the phases of Prepara- to type, color or icon score you www.clevermojogames.com of the city you want to develop tion, Zoning, Bidding and Const- points. In the Bidding phase the best possible city. Your ac- ruction. For the Preparation pha- you bid for undeveloped zone EVALUATION tions earn you points; whenever se you draw four zone and four tiles and can build on them in you reach or pass the star spot building tiles from the stacks the Construction phase. For 1st City building, tile placement Users: With friends at the top of the score track you and choose a role for the round floor buildings you must have Version: en receive a Benchmark token and from the three roles you drafted a bidding chip on at least one Rules: en start again at the bottom of the at the start. Each role has other zone and the site must correla- In-game text: yes track; at the end of three rounds advantages and consequences te sidewalk-to-sidewalk and the Comments: you win with most Benchmark in the following phases. In the zone must correlate as regards Role cards allow strategic planning over three rounds to type/color/icon. Other floors * Very attractive compo- can be added in correlation with nents * Standard topic with type/color/icon. very nice details Sunrise City fits seamlessly into Compares to: Urbania, City Tycoon, Suburbia and the line of city building games other City Building Games published in 2012, bidding for Other editions: undeveloped zone tiles and the Currently none possibility to build over water- ways add interesting details; the three role cards you draft from four dealt at the start allow you a strategy over all three rounds. 

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cards which generate neutral in- INFORMATION fluence. At the end of your turn PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: TEMPEST COURTIER you fill your hand to five cards, 2-4 10+ 45+ PETITIONS, INTRIGUES AND INFLUENCE from the Influence or Power deck, at your choice. To control Designer: Philippe duBarry a courtier you must have the Artist: Hepworth, Himmelman Price: ca. 30 Euro The City State of Tempest pro- you play either an influence or majority of influence on him, Publisher: Alderac Entertain. 12 vides the background for an epic a power card and implement it, that is, more markers then oth- www.alderac.com story with recurring characters or you discard cards or take an ers on him on the board. If you who change and develop, come influence marker from reserve control a group of courtiers you EVALUATION and go. Each game of the series you’re your pool; finally, you receive a bonus card with special tells part of the Saga. In Courtier can finalize a petition. In order abilities of the group. The display Placement game, majorities Users: With friends we manipulate influence and to do so you must control the of petitions is replenished from Version: en favors at court and try to control courtiers named on the petition the stack. When the Fashion Card Rules: en courtiers or factions. You being and discard the corresponding “The Queen has been arrested” is In-game text: yes with a starting hand from Power influence markers. For complet- drawn the game ends instantly Comments: and Influence cards. In your turn ed petitions you draw Fashion and you win with most points Game 1 of the Tempest series * Rather high chance from completed petition cards element due to drawing and bonuses from cards and cards, events and the abilities. abrupt end due to ap- pearance of one card * Good mix of As the introductory game to the mechanisms otherwise series Courtier provides lots of Compares to: flair and atmosphere and also Placement games for majorities introduces characters that we Other editions: will meet in other games. The Currently none game itself is more or less stan- dard striving for majority using card effects, but the idea of a se- ries of games with a continuing storyline is fascinating and well implemented. 

ther of the same type or in the INFORMATION same color; with the first such a PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: TITTEN, ÄRSCHE, SONNENSCHEIN card you turn over the Sangria 2-5 16+ 30+ PARTY TILL YOU DROP! card. When the set is complete, you turn the Sangria card back Designer: Walter Schranz over again. The last card you Artist: Czarné Price: ca. 12 Euro What more can you wish for than you can choose from are: 1) draw place in a turn blocks an action Publisher: Heidelberger 2013 tits, bottoms and sunshine when two cards and discard one card; for the next player. Should you www.heidelbaer.de being on holiday, all of those ap- 2) take a card from the open dis- play no card, you draw one and pearing more than once and in play; 3) steal a Sangria Card from discard, it determines which ac- EVALUATION five colors! Sangria cards are laid another player by putting a suit- tion is blocked. Tits-Alarm is an out to mark player’s party zones, able card into his party zone or optional special action; when Set collecting Users: With friends four cards are on display. A turn steal one back; 4) swap cards a card showing tits is discarded Version: de comprises: Draw a card from from you hand with the display. you must react by shouting Rules: de stack, do one of four actions, Playing party cards means, you “Tits” or any other word previ- In-game text: no play party cards and discard put one or several cards down ously agreed upon, and if you Comments: cards, if appropriate. The actions into one of your party zones, ei- are late or last you must discard Despite its provocative title this is “only” a set collecting a card. When the Sangria card game * Blocked actions for from the pile is drawn you can next players is an interest- bid for it with cards from hand ing part mechanism * Special action tits alarm enhances the and put it into your party zone; chance element then you can add cards for the Compares to: last time and then your display = Set collecting games party zones are scored for colors Other editions: and sets, with or without Sangria Currently none card. Don’t let yourself be distracted! Take a close look - what can you get? What should you play? Fun- ny and more challenging than it looks! 

Color codes, target groups, features, icons and GABIS are 32 ISSUE 454 / AUGUST 2013 explained on page 5 and at the bottom of pages 34 and 35 www.gamesjournal.at WAR OF THE RING / WESTERN TOWN t PLAYED FOR YOU

cards for Boromir, Gandalf, Gimli, INFORMATION Legolas, Meriadoc, Peregrin and PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: WAR OF THE RING Strider (Aragorn). 2-4 14+ 120+ LORDS OF MIDDLE-EARTH New terms are “unconquered” for settlements held by the same Designer: di Meglio, Maggi, Nepitello player as at the start of the game, Artist: J. Howe, F. Maiorana Price: ca. 30 Euro You command one of the scenarios to Lord of the Rings and “non-flying minions” with Publisher: Ares Games 2012 armies confronting each other and introduces Elrond, Galadriel special movement rules. The spe- www.hds-fantasy.de in this epic struggle: Free People and Gandalf the Grey as well as cial dice for the Ring Keepers and against the Dark Hosts of the figurines and rules for Sméagol two Lesser Minions work like the EVALUATION Shadows. In this game with and Balrog. There are special action dice from the core game; highly complex rules you can action dice for both sides and they are rolled together with Strategy game - book/film Users: For experts win with military achievements figurines for Aragorn and Gan- those dice. If you roll more than Version: en or with Ring-related events: dalf the White, those without one special Keeper die you must Rules: en The Ring is destroyed or Sauron new rules, and Fellow cards for choose one before you start “ac- In-game text: yes corrupts the Ring Bearer. The Elrond, Galadriel and Sméagol tion resolution”; an Eye must be Comments: expansion deals with alternate as well as seven Alternate Fellow chosen. Possibilities offered by Need War of the Rings to play * Fantastic compo- the special Keeper dice are: Draw nents and design * Interest- a card, Use Balrog and Remove, ing variants of the story * that is, take the die out of play Needs time and work with the rules under certain conditions. “The Compares to: Council of Rivendell” is a scenario War of the Rings in which some members of the Other editions: Fellowship of the Ring do not set Der Ringkrieg Die Herren von Mittel- out from Rivendell. erde, Heidelberger Spieleverlag Lords of Middle-Earth offers a real challenge to fans of Middle- earth, with fantastic drawings and components and intense flow of play, providing an attrac- tive simulation. 

fect BENUTZEN, but only if there INFORMATION is a card with the same name in PLAYERS: AGE: TIME: WESTERN TOWN a neighboring town. In Phase 4 2-4 14+ 90+ FEND OFF INDIANS, COMPLY WITH LINCOLN all players take the premium for all cards still on the table and Designer: Olivier Warnier then discard surplus resources. Artist: Anthony Wolff Price: ca. 40 Euro 1864, in the Dakota Territories; prises five phases. Phase 1 is the In Phase 5 Lincoln comes to visit Publisher: Whyme 2012 players are Marshals in a towns preparation phase, introducing and if you accrue most points www.whyme.fr and have to cope with Indians new buildings in round 2 and 3 from completed demands on the and the interests of President and revealing of a Lincoln card in Lincoln card revealed in Phase 1 EVALUATION Lincoln. You start with your map each round. In Phase 2 you play you get the card; it gives you of the town and a set of 25 build- two cards for building inmates an additional household. New Resources management Users: With friends ing cards and 17 building tiles. At in a specific procedure and use buildings give you additional Version: multi the start you prepare your town, the SPIELEN effect on the card. options for actions. Rules: de en fr reveal your card “Western Ton” In Phase 3 you play a 3rd card for You need to keep an eye not In-game text: no and take building and resourc- SPIELEN or use a card in hand or only on the other Marshals but Comments: es. Each of the five rounds com- still on the table to resolve the ef- also on the political develop- Nice, if somewhat inexact background story * Very ments in Washington, indicated nice components * Very by the Lincoln card, and defend little chance * Many deci- the town against Indians and sion possibilities also develop your town! After Compares to: All games on constructing and using five rounds you score for houses, buildings buildings in town and symbols of Other editions: Lincoln cards in the town. Currently none Western Town is a nice “I-would- like-to-to-more-than-that” game with little chance and lots of decisions, a game of optimiz- ing construction and effects of buildings. 

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ALLES WAS ROT IST DER HERR DER RINGE DIE FURCHT DES TRUCHSESS DISNEY PIXAR FINDING NEMO AQUARIUM Publisher: Noris Spiele Publisher: Heidelberger Spieleverlag Publisher: Ravensburger Designer: Michael Rüttinger Designer: Nate French

24 picture tiles show things that are red or partially read, GEGEN DEN SCHATTEN DIE FURCHT DES TRUCHSESS / Against All players look at the fish, feel them and try to remember the 24 more tiles, marked with a red dot, show red details: For the Shadow The Steward’s Fear is the 1st Adventure Pack = AP in shapes before putting all fish into the Aquarium. The image tiles Instance, a cream cake and the red raspberries decorating it. the 3rd plot cycle for the LCG Der Herr der Ringe Das Kartenspiel / are laid out openly in a circle. You roll the die and move the pelican You play “What belongs together?” by combining pairs from The Lord of the Rings The Card Game, featuring cards 1-31 of the along the tiles: If you reach a fish tile you can try to free this fish both sets of tiles, naming and explaining then; In „Who finds new cycle, with a difficulty level of 5. For playing this supplement by groping in the aquarium for the corresponding shape. For the what quickly?“ you look for a unmarked card on the table you need the core game and “The Heirs of Nûmenor”. Unterwelt shark you put back a fish, other tiles allow you another turn or corresponding to a marked one drawn from the stack and get X is a new key word; when a location card with it shows up you change direction of play. When you reach Marlin you may free the pair, if you a first to spot it; and, finally, you can shuffle all draw the indicated number of cards from the Underworld deck Nemo or take him from the player holding it. When only one fish 48 tiles together and play a memo game. and stack it beneath the card; when a location goes out of play, is left it is given to the current owner of Nemo and you win with Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: no the cards underneath are revealed and placed into the deploy- most fish. ment zone. Version: de * Rules: de en es fr pl * In-game text: yes Version: multi * Rules: de fr it nl * In-game text: no

Spotting and collecting game for 1-4 players, ages 3+ Expansion for the card game for 1-2 players, ages 13+ Tactile game for 2-4 players, ages 4+

GAME OF THRONES KRIEG DER FÜNF KÖNIGE I SPY MEMO SCHICKI MICKI Publisher: Heidelberger Spieleverlag Publisher: Gamefactory Publisher: Zoch Designer: E. M. Lang, C. T. Petersen, N. French Designer: Jacques Zeimet

A Game of Thrones tells an epic story about a rough country On 20 pairs of cards you find one central object on a differ- Players are doorkeepers at the pheasant gala evening. If with a dark legacy. You head one of six noble houses in Westeros: ent background, in different size and position, perspective or you are best at espying breaches of the dress code, you will Baratheon, Lannister, Stark, Targaryen, Greyjoy or Martell and start illumination; furthermore, there are 8 rhyme cards. You can use win with the majority of cards. Cards are turned over slowly with 7 cards. A round comprises plot, draw, meeting, challenges, those cards to play a classic memo game or a “Reim-Spaß” game and all players search for umbrellas, hats, scarves, peaks, tail dominance, status and taxes. You win with 15 power points. in which you must find the four cards corresponding to a rhyme feathers or accompanying worms of the same color as well as Gekreuzte Klingen/ A Clash of Arms is the 1st German edition card; objects on those cards are not identical to the central objects ladies with 2 worms. If you find those you knock. If you find of the first cycle of chapter packs,Krieg der Fünf Könige i/ War used in the memo game! In the “Reim-Memo” game you search accessories of the same color you call out or grab a red or of Five Kings is the first chapter pack featuring cards 1-20 in the the objects for your personal rhyme card among the face-down blue color depending on the valid rule for this special case. cycle. This chapter pack introduces cards which supplement and cards. In the „Kreatives Assoziation“ game you search for correla- If you interrupt play with the right move you receive cards, improve existing decks and vary the Metagame. tions among all cards. You can play all this games in cooperative knocking beats calling or grabbing. New edition 2013, first Version: de * Rules: de en * in-game text: yes mode, too. Version: multi * Rules: de fr it * In-game text: yes edition 2003. Version: multi * Rules: de en * In-game text: no

Supplement for the LCG for 2-4 players, ages 13+ Four memo-type games for 1-6 players, ages 4+ Reaction game for 2-7 players, ages 7+

STAR WARS THE CLONE WARS TOP TRUMPS TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES WAS IST WAS JUNIOR PFERDE & PONYS Publisher: Kosmos Publisher: Winning Moves Publisher: Kosmos Designer: Robert Kräppbeck Designer: Kai Haferkamp

ÜBERFALL DER DROIDEN - The heroes of the Republic are sur- Choosing your card’s best attribute, beating (trumping) your 40 image tiles are shuffled and spread face-down, the player rounded by 36 face-down droid tiles. You roll both dice, they tell opponent’s card, and winning the cards played in the round – markers are placed on the starting area of the box border. The you strength and color of the attacking droid and the color of the already a Classic! Cards are dealt evenly to all players. The ac- topic cards are stacked text-side face up. In your turn you reveal attacked hero. All search for the droid, using one hand only, and tive player chooses an attribute on his top card (no shuffling the first topic card and turn over as many image tiles as there are put back incorrect ones immediately. IF you find the droid, you of the deck!) and calls out the corresponding value – all other horseshoes on the topic card; you want to uncover all images name the hero and put the tile on him. IF you are first to do so players check their cards for the value of this attribute – the shown on the topic card. You then advance your marker one step you keep the droid. If you believe that the droid is no longer in player with the highest value gets all cards of this round. In for every image you managed to find. Then you turn back over all play you get any tile if you are correct. If you are first to hold five case of a tie cards go on the table and the winner of the next image tiles. In variants you either must reveal all images on a topic defeated droids you win. round receives those too. Themeset: nickelodeon Teenage card to move or you have topic tiles and get turned-up image tiles Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: no Mutant Ninja Turtles. if they correspond to images on your topic tile. Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: yes Version: de * Rules: de * In-game text: ja

Spotting and memo game for 2-4 players, ages 6+ Card/Quiz game for 2 or more players from age 8 Memo and spotting game for 2-4 players, ages 5+

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 34 For families For experts Tactic Creativity Memory Interaction Action HIGHLIGHTS AMONG GAMES t FROM THE MUSEUM

RECOMMENDATION #95 HUGO KASTNER RECOMMENDS PLAYERS: Designer: unknown 2 Designer: several AGE: SCHNAPSEN Price: by publisher 8+ Year: ab 1715 VIENNESE BLOOD Publisher: Piatnik and others TIME: 30+ Dear Reader! Among the card games for two Website: www.spielen.at players, „Schnapsen“ (in Germany „Sixtysix - ˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜ Sechsundsechzig) ranks, not undeservedly, In the light of a game enthusiast‘s lamp Competence Info+ Chance very high, as it is an incredibly thrilling and you must imagine a regular‘s table in a challenging game; which one is apt not to typical tavern with yourself as an observer. Due to the three-level scoring you must assess believe as only 20 cards are used (24 in Ger- Two opponents face each other and play your possibilities realistically. With a weak hand many). The French „Mariage“, the Spanish with a deck of cards in the ranking order of you might not win, but at least achieve a score of more than 32. The competence element, es- „Tute“ or the Swedish „Bodtvolva“ follow a Ass = 11, Ten = 10, King = 4, Queen (Upper) pecially as regards to memory, is notably high. similar, nearly identical, game mechanism. = 3 and Jack (Under) = 2. All in all the cards The corresponding variations for four players have a total value of 120 points. You deal Hugos EXPERT TIP Play with the above-mentioned tournament - „Gaigel“, „Rot Ass‘sn“ and „Bauernschnap- first three and then two cards, in between rules which forbid to look at tricks taken. sen“ may be deemed variants, just that, but you turn up a card for trump. The game „Schnapsen“ gets much more challenging this are much easier to play. comprises two phases. (1) First option leas way. „Sechsundsechzig“ is said to originate from for first trick and the donor add any card Hugos FLASHLIGHT Paderborn at the end of the 30 Years war. At of his choice (no forced color or tricking). This little old game is nearly an ideology in some regions of the German speaking regions, and in least that Westphalia town claims the fame Then both players draw a card from stack. Vienna definitely #1 among all card games - Vi- that there the game was enjoyed for the If you made the trick you lead for the next ennese Blood! first time in 1652. The first written mention one. Before you lead you may swap the of the game, by the name of „Mariage“, can trump Jack for the trump card under the PREVIEW: be found in 1715 in a „Frauenzimmer Lexi- stack (but not for the first lead and not STONE AGE con“, published in Leipzig. Be it as it may, as when there is only one face-down card THINK LIKE A CLAN MEMBER the game originally was played for quite a left in the stack). Whenever you believe lot of money is was banished by church and that you can accumulate 66 points with- not have a single trick. When both players state authorities already in the 17th centu- out drawing additional cards you can lock no not collect 66 points, the winner is the ry. Instead of money it was now alcohol that the stack for both players by turning over player who takes the last trick. This applies was at stake, at least that is what folk lore the trump-indicating card. This triggers also when the other player should have says. In Austria it is the Schnaps that was di- stringent rules for forced play of color and forgotten to use his more than 66 points stilled at home in the countryside. Maybe this for tricking. If you want to lock the stack to end the round. This ending of a round custom, still supported today in taverns, is you must at least have taken one trick. (2) can also be triggered by an announce- the origin of the Austrian name „Schnapsen“. When the draw stack is empty the game ment of a „Twenty“ or „Forty“ (Kind and But this interpretation carries a big question changes for the last five tricks. Now there is Queen of one suit or King and Queen in mark. The dialect expert Maria horning, be- absolute forced play of following suit or us- trump suit), for which it is enough to show lieves to have found the origin to be in the ing trump. The scoring of the game is like both cards. Most important tournament word „Schnappen“, that is to grab a card and this: 1 point when your opponent has more rule: No trick taken can be looked at later! take the trick. And, indeed, in the Vienna re- than 32 points, he is deemed to be „Aus You note the scores downward, that is de- gion until today you play for „Konsumati- dem Schneider“, that is, out of the woods. duct the score of a round from a starting on“ - not always in the guise of alcohol but 2 points are scored when the opponent value of 7. If you lose a game you score a sometimes, in tournaments, also for Gansln has less than 33 points, he is „Schneider, or dot on the board, a so called „Bummerl“; (Geese) or other culinary specialties. The lo- when you lock the stack but cannot collect if you could not score a point is „Schnei- ser pays the bill and in Vienna lots of things 66 points, or a player finishes the game but der“ and scores two Bummerl. The num- are regulated, that is, „ausgeschnapst“, be- does not collect 66 points, either. 3 points ber of Bummerls you want to play is de- hind closed doors. [adapted from: Folkvord/ are scored if your opponent could not take termined by your passion for „Schnapsen“. Kastner: Die große Humboldt-Enzyklopädie one single trick. In this case he is black and www .spielen.at der Kartenspiele] And we invite you to try this not even an „announcement“ can help. Or game, too, in the Austrian Games Museum at the player who locked the stack does not Comments to: [email protected] Leopoldsdorf im Marchfeld. collect 55 points and his opponent did Homepage: www.hugo-kastner.at  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 35