In this Box Breaking Matt looks at Dragon’s Gold from IDW. Dragon’s Gold is a card game for 3 to 6 players. The tag line for this semi-cooperative game is “Hunt together, win alone”
Music and Sound by Syrinscape.
Sellswords is a 2 player grid building Othello-like card game that has a drafting mechanic, Since it is a drafting mechanic and is played with an open hand there is a tremendous amount of tactical thinking. Sellswords can be learned in less than fifteen minutes and takes about 30 minutes to play.
I’m a huge fan of Sellswords. I think it’s the best 2 player game of 2014. Run over to Level 99 get yourself a copy
Viceroy
$32.95 SRP
Viceroy is a board game of bidding and resource management set in the fantasy universe of the famous Russian CCG Berserk. As the players struggle for control over the world of Laar, they recruit a variety of allies and enact various laws. These cards allow players to develop their state’s military and magical might, increase their authority, and get precious gems they need to continue expanding their nation.
Ares Games announces two new games for 2015: Jolly Roger and Odyssey
At GAMA Trade Show, the publisher presented a preview of its first card game and a new Euro game, both expected to release in Summer 2015
Ares Games presented at GAMA Trade Show (Las Vegas, March 19th-20th) two novelties in the 2005 pipeline: Jolly Roger, its first card game, and Odyssey – Wrath of Poseidon, a new title in the Euro game line, both due to release next Summer.
Jolly Roger – The game of Piracy & Mutiny is a cardgame of pillage, plunder, and mutinies. Fun, rowdy, fast and easy to learn, the game can be played for 4 to 10 players. You and the other players are the crew of a pirate ship. As appropriate for a pirate, your greatest desire is gold, and you will do anything to reach your goal.
Every turn, the Captain chooses a destination for the ship. When the ship attacks, players will (more or less!) co-operate to win, playing Crew cards from their hands to win the battle and take the prize. Treasure gained is shared between all pirates, but your gold is never secure until you bury it at Treasure Island…
Unrest is always brewing, though – each time the Captain makes an important choice, it is possible for one of the other players to call “Mutiny!” to try to overthrow him and become the new Captain. And when the mutiny begins, you’ll need to decide how to use your cards during the Mutiny and the looming battle. How much will you co-operate when you assault an enemy, and what will you keep to yourself, to be ready when the next mutiny starts?
The players’ final goal is to collect the highest amount of gold and become the richest pirate in Tortuga!
With Jolly Roger, Ares Games debuts in the Card Game category. The game has been designed by Frederic Moyersoen, author of Saboteur and Nuns on the Run, and illustrated by the talented Loïc Billiau (Glen More,Cherokee, Auf die Nüsse).
The other novelty previewed at GAMA was Odyssey – Wrath of Poseidon, an Euro and deduction game for two to five players. The war is over, and the Greek ships are trying to sail back to their homeland after a long absence. They need to reach the Sacred Island to make offerings and prayers to the gods, but the irascible Poseidon will use all his powers to prevent them from getting there.
In Odyssey, one player takes the role of Poseidon, God of the Sea, while the others become Navigators in search of the Sacred Island. The game is played over two copies of the same board, separated using the box so that they are not visible to each other. The Poseidon player throw powerful storms against the Navigators, driving them off-course and confounding them, so they cannot reach the Sacred Island in time. Only Poseidon knows the real position of the ships, indicated on his copy of the game board.
The Navigator players sail through endless storms, blind to all around them, trying to gather clues to their whereabouts to stay on course. They also keep track of the position of the ships on the board, but the positions indicated there are only their best guess, and they can become very inaccurate as the game goes forward.
The Navigators must reach the Sacred Island before the end of the game to win, using their wits to stay on course, while Poseidon wins by preventing the other players to reach their destination.
The author of Odyssey – Wrath of Poseidon is Leo Colovini, the game designer of Cartagena, Clans, Aztlán and Inkognito (with Alex Randolph). The game is illustrated by Francesco Mattioli (Micro Monster, Sails of Glory and Dino Race).
Jolly Roger and Odyssey are due out at GenCon 2015.
About Ares Games
Ares Games is an Italian board game publisher established in 2011 to create quality hobby products for the international audience. Ares Games is the publisher of the award-winning “War of the Ring” board game, “Wings of Glory” range of airplane combat games and miniatures recreating aerial warfare in WW1 and WW2, and more recently, the tactical ship-to-ship miniature game “Sails of Glory,” and the cooperative tactical Sci-Fi miniatures game “Galaxy Defenders.” The Ares Games’ catalog also includes Family Games and Euro Games. For further information, visit the website www.aresgames.eu and the Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/AresGames.
Metal Adventures
$49.99
Space Pirates are battling for Honor, Glory and Wealth! Join them in their exploration of the Universe and their quest for victory. Players will explore, offer challenges, and engage in alliances; battles will be waged and mighty spaceships are key to victory!
In the Metal Adventures card game you’ll use cards to explore, enhance your ships, and rise up to bold challenges to achieve your ultimate destiny. Dice will cast the shadow of uncertainty and risk that really make a Pirate’s life exciting.
Pleasant Dreams: The Card Game of Nightmares
$20.00
You are in a deep sleep; your mind is filled with Pleasant Dreams. As the night wears on, dream fragments conspire to lead you on a nightmarish journey. When bliss twists into terror, will you succumb to shock or sustain your slumber?
Pleasant Dreams is a one or two-player card game placing the players in a dreamworld where they fend off nightmares. The goal of the game is to trick your opponent into drawing so many nightmarish dream fragments that he or she wakes up. Alternatively you can win the game by being the first player to finish the dream without waking up.
During the game, you’ll be trying to outwit your opponent by manipulating The Dreaming, and deciding whether or not to push your luck by delving deeper into the deck. Each turn of the game starts with the player deciding how many dream fragments they want to resolve. Pleasant ones help you relax, while the unpleasant ones bring you closer to waking up screaming. You can have some of the cards come back later by secretly inserting them anywhere into the dream deck.
Decide whether you want to hold on to pleasant fragments of your dream…but beware, anything may come back to haunt you! Sweet dreams…
1-2 players
Ages 14+
5-10 minute play time
Encounters: Bravest Warriors Blue
$12.99
The Space-Time Calliope is vast and dangerous, waiting for courageous heroes to save the day. You’re those heroes! Become the Bravest Warriors and battle your way through a myriad of encounters to heroic victory!
Encounters is a new dice and card game mechanic from Catalyst Game Labs where players try beating the cards individually, but with a good dollop of player interaction.
In the Blue Deck, you play this fast and fun dice and cards game as Chris, Wallow, Plum or Impossibear!
2-4 players
15-30 minute play time
Strife: Legacy of the Eternals
$19.99
Once more, conflict rages across the world of Aerim. You are one of the Eternals, a group of immortals forever waging war from the shadows. Call forth your champions to battle against those of your timeless foes. Harness the legacy of each champion’s deeds as they echo across time to empower the next. For the Champions of Aerim, this cycle continues, as it always has and always will. For the Eternals, there is only…strife.
I recently had the chance to preview Castle Assault from Momentum Volsk by TJ Dunbar. Castle Assault is an intense Battle Card Game for 1 or 2 Players where You lead a strategic conquest of your Enemy’s Castle Stronghold. Castle Assault includes many different Cultures, each with their own customizable deck, tactics. Have a look to get an idea of what this tactical card game can bring you.
Castle Assault is live on Kickstarter.
Lost Legacy: Second Chronicle: Vorpal Sword & Whitegold Spire
$14.99
In the distant past, a starship from a faraway world appeared in the sky. Damaged in battle, the craft broke apart and traced lines of fire across the horizon. These falling stars crashed to the surface, and in the ages to come, became enshrined in legends as the Lost Legacy. Discover where the Lost Legacy can be found and win the game!
Lost Legacy: Second Chronicle contains two sets of game cards: Vorpal Sword and Whitegold Spire. Each set can be played independently or be mixed together with other sets to create a unique custom set. Combine all Lost Legacy sets together for the ultimate adventure!
2-6 Players
Ages 14+
10 minutes play time
Contains:
1 Rulebook
16 Game cards (for the Vorpal Sword set)
16 Game cards (for the Whitegold Spire set)
4 Reference cards
13 Victory point tokens
