Take a look at Love Letter from AEG. This will probably be a short look there is only about 20 components and that includes the bag. Love Letter won the best family game at Origins.
It’s an amazing Game
I was introduced to Love Letter at Origins 2014, where it won an award for best family game. Honestly if it weren’t for Jason Hardy I wouldn’t have given the game a first look. I mean what kind of game has only 16 cards? Well Love Letter does, and it does it well.
The object of the game is that each player is trying to have a love letter delivered to the princess who’s grieving the loss of the queen. The princess wants nothing to do with society and has locked herself in the tower.
At the start of the game each player has one card in hand. At the start of a player’s turn they draw a card and play one. When a card is played the written effect is triggered. At the end of the round the player with the highest card value is the winner of the round and receives a marker indicating a letter has been delivered to the princess. The game rounds continue until one player has a predetermined number of letters delivered. The number of letters is set by the number of players.
It doesn’t sound like much does it? It doesn’t take long for a player to realize that if they don’t count and use logic they’ll lose. Then it hits you to bluff and it really begins. The combination of bluffing and deduction keeps the players engaged the whole game. There is no waiting to do something because you’re too busy studying your opponents.
I really thought that Love Letter was going to be a loser, but it turns out to be a winner largely because you don’t play the game, you play the players.
Legend of the Five Rings: Gates of Chaos Boosters Display
$181.92 SRP
The enemy of the Colonies stands revealed. The mad dragon P’an Ku, a fundamental force of madness and destruction, has manipulated the Great Clans for its own unfathomable purposes. Madness, war, and disgrace have been the results. With P’an Ku’s machinations exposed, the samurai of the Colonies must now try to overcome their own animosities and find a means to defeat the influence of a divine enemy, or else all may be lost forever.
Gates of Chaos is the latest expansion for the fan favorite Legend of the Five Rings Collectible Card Game from AEG. Like the previous expansion, Coils of Madness, it is part of both the Emperor and Ivory Arc. P’an Ku’s grip on the Colonies is almost complete as brave samurai assemble to enter the mouth of madness and confront him. Will he be defeated before he can finish molding the entire land to his image?
This set introduces the new Ivory Edition packaging for booster boxes: a tin box with embossed artwork on the lid and with 150 new cards legal for both the Emperor Edition and the Ivory Edition Arc, with a chance every booster to get a foil version of a rare card.
History is written by the victors. Who will prevail between the samurai and the mad divinity? You decide!
Thunderstone Advance: Root of Corruption
Coming Nov 2012
$ 39.99
Following on the heels of Thunderstone Advance: Caverns of Bane, Thunderstone emerges into the deepest trouble yet. The tunnels under the fortress at Cheah Dell are clear. The lost dwarven kingdom of Caligin is reclaimed. And the djinni lich, Mowtil, has been defeated, sealing the portal of black flame into Tala. The adventurers have collected three more Thunderstones, and Doom’s full plans are revealed. He has corrupted the heart of Tala, Dun Ordha. A monstrous army marches on the capital city, even as the final Thunderstone is revealed to be held by King Caelan himself. Can the adventurers race ahead of an army to save the city from a siege outside the walls and sickly corruption within? Root of Corruption, the second expansion to the “10-out-of-10” hit game (–Tom Vasel from Dice Tower), Thunderstone Advance, introduces new challenges and an all-new way to play: co-op! ·Features ruinous sin incarnates, vicious scavenger gnolls, and thrall summoners to bring back memorable foes. ·7 new heroes! 6 new monster groups! 15 new village cards! ·New board! This poster map board creates options for co-op play using existing cards and rules! ·Customer response! Redesigned Ambusher cards show AEG’s commitment to player demand. All Ambusher cards from Towers of Ruin and Caverns of Bane have been reprinted with updated graphics to increase visibility. Contents: Over 300 new cards, dividers, rulebook, and a poster map containing a board for a brand new co-op game, using existing Thunderstone rules! Players: 1-5 Ages: 12 & Up Playing Time: 45 minutes & Up.
If this is as good as the last one them Alderac Enterainment has another get game for us.
In this Box Breaking Matt takes a look at AEG’s Thunderstone Advance Tower of Ruins. If you are teetering take a look at what you get in the game. It likes like it is a semi-cooperative game, more on that when we play.
Check back soon for our review and a play session, I hope to have a few games in before giving a full game review. You can follow Thunderstone Advance and learn more about the Root of Corruption Expansion here.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 
Smash Up
$ 29.99 SRP
What do pirates, ninjas, robots, zombies, aliens, wizards, tricksters, and dinosaurs have in common? They’re all trying to take over the world! But they can’t do it alone, so they’re teaming up.
Every combo brings a different experience in this fast-paced shufflebuilding game. Take two 20-card decks, smash them together, and then rock your opponents’ faces!
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2012 L5R Embers of War BD
L5R: Embers of War SD
In the distant Colonies, once known as the Ivory Kingdoms, the samurai of Rokugan gather the resources the Empire needs to survive. Threatened by unknown enemies and pitted against one another in politics and economics, will their honor and steel prove strong enough for the Second City to survive? Embers of War is the brand new expansion for the fan-favorite Legend of the Five Rings Collectible Card Game from AEG. It follows the release of Emperor Edition, the new base set, releasing in February 2012. Now that peace has settled and the riches of the new land conquered by the Empress’ forces are discovered, new alliances and rivalries are formed, both on the mainland and the Colonies. Who will benefit the most?
I have recently reclaimed some of my L5R collection and I am looking forward to this.
From Alderac Entertainment:
In the links below, you can learn all about Legend of the Five Rings, and find links to the rulebook, and NINE fully playable printable decks, one for each Clan. And these are not cheap beginner decks, these have rares and were designed to hold their own at tournaments!
Check out the flyer explaining the free cards at http://www.l5r.com/images/L5R-FREE-Decks-Flyer.pdf
You can use them to play with friends, play in official tournaments (they are acceptable through March), or add to your War of Honor games. Not only are these decks available, you can download and print the ENTIRE Emperor Edition base set at http://www.l5r.com/news/kolat-edition-pdf-available/ if you want to tweak the contents of your deck as you become better at the game!
A few notes for the new players:
– “Kolat Edition” is our name for the free version of Emperor Edition, as you learn more about the story, you will learn why the dastardly Kolat are giving away our product for free…
– You will need two sets of opaque sleeves and some playing cards to “back” these printouts with, to give them some weight when playing.
We appreciate your time in telling the world about this release. Please feel free to pass this PDF on to anyone who might be interested!
In this Box Breaking Danny busts open the Ninja Board Game. Ninja is a blind board game revolving around stealth and intrigue. Alderac Entertainment Group has a done a fine job with this one.
Thanks for watching; we hope you liked it. Come back next week and we will have a movement tutorial done and maybe a review or two.
If you liked this video and want to stay informed on what we are doing, sign up for our newsletter for a chance to win $50.00. Check out the details here.
In Thunderstone: Heart of Doom, you had a chance to face Doom’s very heart, the eighth Thunderstone, and defeat the ancient evil – but winning that battle had unexpected consequences. It banished Doom, but also freed him to visit other worlds, so you advanced to the next world with him.
Thunderstone Advance, which is fully compatible with all previous Thunderstone offerings, is the next stop in your adventure. In Thunderstone Advance you build your party of heroes to defeat the dreaded Thunderstone Bearers in their dungeons or wilderness. The player who defeats the most valuable monsters will win the day, but beware – those monsters have all-new tricks up their sleeves, and victory will not come easy.
Thunderstone Advance includes new rules, all new cards in new card frames, and a new village and dungeon board.
Contents: More than 500 new cards, dividers, learn to play booklet, rulebook, game board, XP tokens, and enough space to hold this set, plus expansions.
Thunderstone: Advance $49.99 SRP
