Day 7: Collectible Card Games

     Welcome to Day 7 of Tabletop Gaming! In the past week we have covered party and gateway games. Now we start talking about strategy gaming. There are several types of strategy games and I will address one per day. Today we start with collectible card gaming!

    Now I love a good collection. I collect milk glass, nutcrackers, books, old vases, Christmas ornaments, and several other things my husband would like for me to get rid of! My husband has collected baseball cards since college. It is no wonder that our children like to collect also. They collect legos, books, and cards! They don't collect baseball cards. They will inherit Marty's! They collect card games. Some collectible card games are Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Magic.

     Collectible card games are games in which a series of cards are introduced a few times or several times throughout the year. The cards come in starter decks and booster packs. Starter decks are a box of cards with enough to get you, well,  started!  And booster packs are packs of around 10 or so cards.  They will boost your deck. You buy the cards not knowing what you will get and build your deck from those cards. Just like with baseball cards, there are rare cards and special cards. In collectible card gaming half the fun is the anticipation of the cards and then the fun of opening the pack and seeing what you have! It is like a mini Christmas morning throughout the year!

     Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh are well known collectible games. In those games you collect creatures and use them to fight your opponent. Some creatures deal damage to your opponent and some are used to heal your damage. These are Japanese games based on the cartoon style called Anime. You have probably seen the TV shows and merchandise. These are very popular franchises and local game stores have tournaments. Two of our children played Pokemon for a few years. They prefer Pokemon for the DS. They are waiting for the new Pokemon to be released this Saturday!

     My family plays the game Magic. It is the same premise as Pokemon except in Magic the cards are creatures, spells, and land. The artwork isn't as cartoonish. My family has been playing Magic for several years. A new set comes out every year with booster packs throughout the year. One of the things they like best about Magic is a draft tournament. That is played at a local gaming store (our's is actually called Your Local Gaming Store). You pay a fee, usually around $20, and you get a set of booster packs. As you open the packs you pass the card to your left until all packs are opened. Then you play a tournament with the cards you received and you keep them! Some stores give prizes such as dice sets or store credit. It is fun to play with other people who enjoy the same game and the fun of opening cards with others.

     If you or someone you know enjoys collecting you may want to give these games a try! If you have a child and they once played Pokemon they may want to try Magic. Look online there may be other collectible games you may want to try! Just be sure to get a container/crate to store everything! Have a great Monday!
   
   

Day 6: Sunday Morning Coffee and Chit Chat

     Do you have your coffee? I have mine so let's go! So far we have discussed Party and Gateway Games. Over the next couple of weeks we will discuss Strategy Games. Before we get down to the nitty gritty I would like to give you some resources to check out. There are several websites, webshows, and podcasts that demonstrate or discuss games in detail. I will give the names of some sites that we like. Of course, you can search any game or game topic and find an endless lists of sites and resources.

     If you would like to watch a game as it is played then Will Wheaton's Tabletop is a great webshow to watch. He has guest and they discuss the game components, rules, and then play through a game together. The show is edited to 30 minutes even though playing time may be longer. The banter between guests is fun and there is a lot of competition! Sometimes the language can be rated PG13 so watch with headphones or when you have time without children.

     If you don't have time to sit and watch a webisode maybe a podcast is for you. There are numerous podcasts which discuss games. The Dice Tower has thousands of video reviews, podcasts and an entire network of other gaming podcasts (including my husband's, Rolling Dice & Taking Names). Sometimes Rolling Dice & Taking Names allows me talk! I just finished a segment with a friend which will air October 22nd.

     Sometimes a website to scan through quickly is the best option. BoardGameGeeks.com is a great go-to site. You can search any game and they will give a detailed description of the mechanics and a synopsis of the game.

     These are great resources for you to use as you find a style or theme of game that you may be interested in (because I know you are going to like these games!).  As you read through the posts involve your children or friends and ask if any of the games interest them. And then check out the game on one of the resources. Tomorrow we will start will collectible card gaming.  If you have a Pokemon fan tell them we are Gonna Catch Em All!
   

Day 5: Strategic Gaming

     So you have probably guessed that if party games are quick and easy and gateway games are a little longer playtime and more involved set-up and rules...then strategic games involve more rules, more components and set-up, and even longer playing time. Some games have rule books! Some games take 30 minutes to just set-up! And some games may need to be stretched over a couple of days to finish! Does that sound like more work than fun? It isn't! It is fun! It is exciting to open a game and see the board and pieces. Some are elaborate and half the fun is setting it up! And oh the anticipation when you have to stop a game and come back later to finish!

     People game for many reasons. Party games are fun and quick. Gateway and strategy games can become hobbies. There are gaming clubs and conventions. People game for several reasons but mostly because they enjoy it and it is a hobby. As I was thinking about why my family specifically enjoys gaming as hobby I realized there were three major reasons, the mechanics of games, the diversity of games, and most of all the time spent together.

     Mechanics means the way the game is played. Exactly what you will be doing in the game. This is the genre.  As I mentioned yesterday, my family played gateway games for a few years not really knowing a lot about strategy games. We played Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Pandemic on a regular basis. One day my husband told us that he heard of a gaming convention where new games are introduced and you could try out just about any game in publication. It was GenCon and held in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are always up for a roadtrip adventure so we said sure! Well, that 2010 trip was a life changing experience for us. We realized there was so much more to gaming than what we were doing!   Our boys began playing fewer video games and wanted to play tabletop games. Details of our GenCon trip will be a future post. Today I want you to know that there are so many different genres of games! In fact there are so many  I will need to discuss one type a day for the next several days. You can look forward to learning about Card Collecting, Role Playing, Worker Placement, and many more!

     Another reason we like gaming is because of the diversity of themes. Whatever you are interested in there is a game for it. Do you like Science Fiction? There are Sci-Fi games. Are you a history buff? Numerous historical games! Do you like fantasy movies such as Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit? Well, guess what? Fantasy games galore! These are just a few of the themes we will discuss in the upcoming days.

     And who doesn't want to spend time with family and friends? In the past our family holidays were cooking, eating, and then sitting there. Now everyone expects a game! As you play a game you find yourself connecting with the people you are playing with. Memories are made as you are playing. We have friends we have been gaming with for over 10 years. Our children invite their friends over to play games. Over the next couple of weeks I will talk the different genres and themes and the specific games we have played. Hopefully you will think about trying one or two! On Sunday's we will have Sunday morning coffee and chit chat! So bring your PSL (pumpkin spice latte)!
   
   
   

   

 

Day 4: Gateway Games

     Yesterday we talked about party games and how they are games with little set-up, easy rules, and a quick playing time. So when you have played party games and are starting think maybe you want to try something a little different, it is time to move to a gateway game. Gateway games are a bridge between party games and strategic games.

     Gateway games have more components than party games. There is often a board with cards, tokens, or markers and there is some set-up involved. There is also a longer playing time. Games can last 2-3 hours. Rules are a little more complicated than party games. Someone will need to read and be familiar with the rules before playing. Their are numerous gateway games. Today I will discuss four that our family has played. Settlers of Catan, Pandemic, Ticket to Ride, and Flashpoint.

     Settlers of Catan is a HUGE game! It has a large fan base. It even has it's own website, www.catan.com. Settlers of Catan was first published in 1995 but we did not discover it until 2005. My husband heard it was popular and we thought we would give it a try. We immediately liked it! The game is for 3-4 people (or 5-6 with the expansion). Ages are 10 and up. The game takes place on the island of Catan. Players build settlements, cities, and roads using their resources. Resources are gained by the placement of your settlements and dice rolls. Of course it isn't as easy as it sounds. Resources need to be traded and a robber pops up to steal them! Resources are wood, grain, brick, sheep, and stone (these resources are so popular plushies have been made of them). The first person to reach 10 points is the winner. This game is very popular. We go to gaming conventions and this game has local, national, and international tournaments!  If you have not played it please give it a try! There are also numerous expansions to change up the game play. You can purchase it on Amazon or some Target stores carry it.

     Pandemic is a popular cooperative game. Cooperative means players work together to "beat the game". However, Pandemic can be a hard game to beat!  Players become disease fighting specialists and must cure diseases that have spread around the world. The diseases must be contained and cured before a pandemic occurs! Players can choose a character card with specific roles and skills. Roles include an operations specialist, scientist, medic, dispatcher, and researcher. It is recommended for ages 13 and up. Play time is 60-90 minutes. There are also new expansions and character cards.  A fun party would be to watch World War Z and then play Pandemic!

     Flash Point: Fire Rescue is another cooperative game. It was published in 2011 for 1-6 players ages 8 and up.  Players become firefighters and work together to rescue victims of a house fire. Players assume different roles such as the Fire Captain, Paramedic, Rescue Specialist, and others.  Each role has different skills to contribute to the game. But you need to hurry because there are hot spots and fires are continually breaking out! How about having friends over and eating some spicy buffalo wings then playing Flashpoint?

     Ticket to Ride is a great game! It was published in 2004. It is recommended for 2-5 players ages 8 and up. Playing time is listed as 45 minutes, but it usually takes us a little longer than that. Players build a train from one US city to another determined by their destination cards. The tracks on the gameboard are colored and players must match their color cards to the track in order to build it. The person with the most points at the end of the game wins. The tracks overlap and intertwine so chances are someone is going to take the track you need. Then you will have to re-route! This game is especially fun because as tracks are being built you talk about cities you have been to or want to visit. It is a mini US geography lesson as you play! There are also expansions for Ticket to Ride. When you have ridden the rails through North America the expansion packs will take you through Europe, Africa, or Asia.

     Again, there are many gateway games. Games which are a step up from party games. I chose these games because all four of them have been a hit with our family. We have played them with all ages! Everyone enjoys these games! It is so much fun to sit around the table and see your children laughing along with your parents and connecting with other! Think about pulling out a game at your next family dinner during the holiday season! Or better yet, don't wait for the holidays...play a game this weekend!

Day 3: Party Games

     There are three types or categories of games that are generally accepted. They are party games, gateway games, and strategic games. Today we will discuss party games. Party!!! Who doesn't like a party? Parties are a time to connect with friends and family, watch a football game, celebrate birthdays and special occasions, and eat! Party games are games that can be played with a group of five or more, have minimal set-up and rules, and usually have a quick playing time. Basically, you can pull out a party game at any get together.  You can play during half-time of a football game or during the game depending on your team!

     Here are some party games you are probably already familiar with Pictionary, Scattergories, Cranium, and Charades. You can probably think of many more. For this post I would like to introduce you to a few party games that you  may not be familiar with:

     Apples to Apples: Apples to Apples was released in 1999 by Out of the Box Publishing (it is now published by Mattel). It is designed for four to ten players and play time last for 30-60 minutes. Players are dealt red apples (cards) with nouns written on them.  Each player has a turn being judge who turns over a green apple (adjective card). Players choose a noun card to best match the adjective and the judge chooses the best card. This is a subjective game that can turn very silly and very funny very fast! There have been expansions and a junior version released.



     Dixit:  Dixit is a beautifully illustrated party game. It was published in 2008 by Asmodee. It is played with 3-6 players and last about 30-45 minutes. The cards are miniature pieces of artwork. Each player has a turn being the storyteller. As storyteller you choose a card (not seen by others) and make up a word or short story describing the card. Everyone else chooses one of their cards to match the word or story. The cards are shuffled and everyone guesses if they can determine the storyteller's card. Given the beautiful and unusual artwork, sometimes the stories are very creative! There are also Dixit expansions for even more play!


     And now for the Halloween portion of this post! It is October after all! A must play game this Halloween is Werewolf! Please play Werewolf! Everyone who has played Werewolf has enjoyed it. We have played this game with our family aged 6-74 and everyone likes it! Ultimate Werewolf was published in 2008 by Bezier Games. Werewolf is a card game for several people. The more the better. Players are either villagers or a werewolf. The game is trying to figure out who are the werewolves while the werewolves try to bluff the villagers. Every night the werewolves come out and eat a villager. There is a moderator who "controls" the game. This game would be fun to play outside around a firepit. There are additional characters to play if you have a really large crowd.
 
   These are just a few party games to try. We have played all of these and enjoy them for a fun quick game. We have played Werewolf with our families and with large groups at conventions. If there are some party games you enjoy please leave a comment and tell us! Tomorrow we will look at some gateway games! See you then!

Day 2: Why Tabletop Gaming

Hello everyone! Welcome back to our gaming journey! I would like to start by thanking Rolling Dice & Taking Names for allowing me to use their blog site. I am not a blogger but I have followed TheNester for several years. One thing I have learned through the 31 Days series is to write about your passion. I am passionate about my family and the opportunities gaming has brought us!  So I have a passion but no blog site! RDTN to the rescue.

First of all gaming is a hobby. It is an outlet for fun and enjoyment. There are different types of games. Video games are played on a PC or TV. Guild Wars, Minecraft, and League of Legends are popular PC games. Halo, Call of Duty, and Zelda are well known console games. Mobile gaming has exploded over the past couple of years. Farmville, Candy Crush, Angry Birds, and Fruit Ninja are examples of mobile gaming. While I admit to slashing a little fruit now and then, I do not video game. I can't seem to get the eye/hand coordination going (perhaps that is why I couldn't play basketball). However, my children could manipulate a  mouse or controller before they could walk! So with the popularity of video gaming why do we like tabletop gaming?

Tabletop games are played with a group of two or more people generally around a table. Games have different levels of components, set-up and rules. There is a theme and purpose to the game. Gaming involves interaction with others. We talk face to face and make eye contact. Social skills are learned through taking turns, following rules, accepting a loss, and winning graciously. These are some reasons we like to play games. The main reason we enjoy tabletop gaming is the story or content of the game we are playing and because we spending time together. Tomorrow we will begin talking about three types of games and examples of each.

5 Minute Initiative: Rise of Augustus

Marty and I got to play a game that surprised the both of us called Rise of Augustus (Asmodee) or just Augustus (Hurrican) depending on the publisher. The game was designed by Paolo Mori who is also known for Batman: Gotham City Strategy Game (Wizkids), Pocket Battles (Zman), and Libertalia (Asmodee). Augustus sales roughly for $27 online with a MSRP of $39.99. In the box you will find:

• 88 Objective Cards
• 50 Wooden Legions                            
• 23 Mobilisation Tokens
• 12 Reward Tiles
• 1 Cloth Bag
• 1 Scorepad

The objective of the game is to have the most points when a seventh objective is collected by a player. Each player starts with three objectives and as they complete one, they get to pick from five that are laying out on the board.You complete an objective by covering up the icons with your legion meeples. To cover up an icon, it must be drawn from the bag by the town crier. That is the basics of the game and Marty goes into more detail in the show. Overall, Marty and I really did like the simplicity of the game but there is enough strategy that would make even the hard core gamer enjoy it. This is actually one that I am looking to add to my collection because it would work well with my gaming group. There is enough suspense from the drawing of the tokens and enough strategy to keep everyone engaged. And with 88 objective cards, this game offers a considerable amount of replay-ability.

Download the English rules here


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