Matt’s Review of Wil Wheaton’s TableTop

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Apr 102012

It has been just over a week since Wil Wheaton aired the first episode of TableTop on Geek and Sundry.

I have spent a lot of my time since I watched it the first time being busy with many things, all the while my thought have been turning, thinking about what and how I want to say it. Let us see if I can do this in 100 words.

When I found out about TableTop I was pretty excited. My mind ran wild with crazy scenes of Celeberties using, plastic chainsaws, and rubber duckies. I really couldn’t wait to see the first episode. Then it came. I watched it and I was happy with it and I am looking forward to the next episode of Tabletop.

In the first episode they (Wil, Grant Imahara, Sean Plott, and Jenna Busch) played a game called Small World by Days of Wonder. It is a Risk style game of conquering in a fantasy setting. The show starts with a game demo, and then moves to introducing the celebrities. Which at first I really didn’t like, now I am torn. After Wil’s demo of Small World I was ready to see the game played. But no he went to introductions. Which is equally important, and after some considerable thought it makes sense that the demo is first. The only other gripe have is that there was no primer for the episode to air on the 20th.

I really liked the way Wil approaches the game and the show. It isn’t about him or Geek and Sundry, it is about demonstrating how to have fun. fun with a group of gamers that have different levels of skill. I rally liked the game demo at the beginning of the show and the between round updates were appreciated. But my favorite part was the trophy. Not so much the trophy, but the engraving process. You will have to watch the show to see it, you just won’t appreciate my words.

TableTop has captured a unique perspective of gamers, that allows gamers to see iconic figures be seen doing reallife things and having fun. Cheers to a job done.

Telestrations Party Pack in May

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Apr 032012

Telestrations Party Pack

$ 39.99 SRP

Same award-winning laugh-out-loud sketch, pass and guess party game fun where players simultaneously draw what they see, then guess what they saw to reveal hilarious and unpredictable outcomes; but now the outcomes can go even more sideways with up to 12 players and books in play!

Being a Telestrations player, I am looking forward to a copy of this for my daughters Birthday party this July.

Box Breaking 10 Days in the USA

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Apr 032012

In this Box Breaking Ryan bust out 10 Days in the USA

10 Days in the USA is basically another destination in the 10-Days Travel Series. You have 10 Days in the USA – Travel the country by jet, car, and on foot. Plan your trip from start to finish using destination and transportation tiles. With a little luck and clever planning, you just might outwit your fellow travelers. The first traveler to make connections for their 10 day journey wins the game.

Blockers

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Mar 292012

Blockers!

$ 19.99 SRP

A minute to learn, a lifetime of fun! Blockers! is an exciting abstract strategy game that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Strategize! Block! Capture! Win! The goal of Blockers! is to create connected groups of your own tiles on the board, while trying not to capture too many tiles of the same color. A group is any connected set of like-colored tiles on the board. Diagonal connections don’t count. A tile that isn’t next to any tiles of the same color also counts as a group. At the end of the game, you’ll count the number of groups you have on the board, and the number of tiles you have of the color that you captured the most, and whoever has the fewest of these two things combined wins.

Fantasy Flight Expands Descent

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Mar 262012

Descent Second Edition Conversion Kit

$ 24.95 SRP

The Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition Conversion Kit includes everything you need to transfer your first edition heroes and monsters to second edition. With Second Edition-compatible cards for every monster and hero ever produced (including promotional heroes!), this convenient conversion kit is an indispensable tool. So whether you want to bring your extensive Descent collection with you on new adventures, or you’ve got a favorite hero that you choose every time, we’ve got you covered.

Munchkin 2 OH My we are in Trouble April 11th

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Mar 222012

Good, Bad, Munchkin2 – Beating a Dead Horse

$ 10.95 SRP

A Horse Is A Horse . . . A corpse, of course! The rowdiest crowd of munchkins ever to wreck a saloon is back for more in The Good, the Bad, and the Munchkin 2 — Beating a Dead Horse! Fight new varmints like the Cattywampus or the Eyes of Texas! Ride new steeds like Ol’ Plug and the One-Trick Pony! And if all else fails, call in the new Class . . . the Cavalry! This is an expansion for The Good, the Bad, and the Munchkin. It is not a stand-alone game.

Coming in May from Queen Games

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Mar 222012

Ri-Ra

$ 39.95 SRP

Frank the farmer is proud of the delicious apples, pears, cherries and plums that grow in his garden. It’s fruit crop day and Frank is in a really good mood. But what’s this?Six ravens are sitting in the trees eating his fruits. “Watch out! I will get you!”, he shouts. Will Frank be able to catch the naughty ravens beforethey steal all his fruits?

Fresco The Card Game

$ 29.95 SRP

The ceiling in the cathedral is getting on a bit and is in urgent need of restoration. The bishop is awaiting important visitors and wants to show off his church from its best side. The players slip into the role of the fresco painters in this colorful family game and have to prove their abilities: But only the player who plans cleverly can win! This fascinating game already contains 3 expansion modules which can be combined with the basic game in any desired manner to influence the scope of the game. Elaborately structured game cards, additional colored pieces and lots of bonus counters provide even more excitement!

A House Divided Coming in June from Mayfair Games

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Mar 202012

A House Divided™

The War Between the States 1861-1864.

A House Divided simulates the epic struggle of the American Civil War that was fought over the twin issues of slavery and state’s rights. The period from 1840 to 1861 saw these issues brought to a boil, and in 1861 the nation became tangled in a terrible war that lasted four long years.

The game depicts the war between North and South from the First Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas Junction) to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse (or Grant’s surrender at Harrisburg…). Each player leads one of these two nations and makes the strategic decisions which determine the outcome of the war.

The game board represents the United States, north and south and from the Atlantic coast to just west of the Mississippi. Including Missouri, Iowa, Illinois Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. The play map contains a number of boxes, each representing a city, town or locations important to the war. These boxes are connected by transportation lines – blue for rivers, tan for roads and black for railroads – which provide the paths to victory or defeat.

Will you keep the Union whole or force the separation of the United States?

A House Divided ™ contains

234 die cut markers representing armies, leaders and specials

o 48 miscellaneous 5/8” counters

o 45 Veteran Infantry ¾” counters

o 18 Veteran Cavalry ¾” counters

o 21 Crack Infantry ¾” counters

o 15 Crack Cavalry ¾” counters

o 42 Militia Infantry ¾” counters

o 6 Militia Cavalry ¾” counters

o 21 Utility ¾” counters

o 4 General counters

2 Order of Battle forms
1 game board 21” x 20.50” (6 panel)
6 dice (3 blue, 3 gray)
1 tray
1 box
1 rule book – containing basic, standard and advanced rules.

A House Divided™ $30.00

Ages 12+

For 2 Players

Playing Time 60 + minutes

Designer: Frank Chadwick

Artist: Jason Just & Franz Vohwinkel

Made in the U.S.A.

Dimensions 2.625” x 10.875” x 7.5625”

Texas Zombies from Asmodee Games

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Mar 202012

Texas Zombies

$ 24.99 SRP

Texas Zombies is a party game that combines an atmosphere of horror movies and the terror of zombie movies. A group of students from the University of Texas decide to visit an old military base, but are surprised by how they are greeted! They come face-to-face with zombies and a Mexican drug cartel. To get out of this terrifying situation they must use the tools that they have at their disposal, such as a cucumber, a knife and a deck of cards! Contents of the box: 30 Event cards, 50 Object cards, 6 Team cards, 2 Gosu promo cards and a rule book. • The first “horror” party game! • Wonderfully-horrific images. • A bone chilling atmosphere for horror enthusiasts!

New from Queen Games Res Publica

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Mar 162012

Res Publica

$ 29.95 SRP

In Res Publica, players must guide their peoples to exchange knowledge and form cities. Trade with other players to acquire sets of five — people cards will earn you settlements; technology cards will earn you cities. Will you concentrate on amassing settlements for their medium point values, or race for the potentially higher value cities? Be shrewd in your exchanges, or your opponent will steal the points! Players: 2-5 Ages: 8+ Playing Time: 30min

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