Do you have what it takes to be a Jedi Master? Do you have the ability to make objects levitate using only The Force of your mind? Well, with Star Wars Science - Force Trainer you can put that mind to the test and train it to be a ball lifting machine!
Okay, okay, so I know what you are going to say; "This isn't a board game or a card game, what gives"? Well technically it's not a game but let's examine this, shall we? First off, it's Star Wars. Epic? Check. Secondly, you lift a ball using your mind. Epic? Check. Third, the video below is one of the most amazing things we have seen. Epic? Oh yeah. Finally, you lift a ball using your mind! How awesome would it be to hear, "The Force is strong with this one"?
Hasbro has announced that the Game of Life will be receiving a modern face lift and a renaming to be released before Christmas of this year. Milton Bradley's first game was created in 1860 and has been republished many times in the past, however the latest update will bring the game into the 21st century.
The new version of the game will be called Game of Life: Adventures Edition. Some of the changes that we can expect include a new transportation method, an airplane, to replace car, separate islands focused on the career paths, and spaces that change as the dial spins.
The Game of Life is a classic and a favorite of many board gaming families throughout the last 150 years. Can Hasbro continue to update this wonderful game and bring it through another 150 years? Only time will tell, but the latest edition feels like a step in the right direction.
Since entering the scene in 2004, Ticket to Ride, designed by Alan R. Moon and published by Days of Wonder, is a favorite of many board gaming fans. Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure where players collect cards of various types of train cars and then use those cards to purchase routes between two locations on the board. The player continues to purchase routes in an effort to connect two specific locations determined by destination cards drawn at the beginning of the game.
Ticket to Ride is meant for 2-5 players, ages 8 and up, and takes about 30-60 minutes to play. It has won many awards including the 2004 Game of the Year in Germany. With the five official expansions (Mystery Train, USA 1910, Europa 1912, Switzerland, and Dice Expansion) and four spin-offs (Europe, Märklin, Nordic Countries, and Ticket to Ride: Card Game) there is plenty of variety to keep any board game fan entertained!
Here's something not seen everyday: A release announcement for a game that combines sports and strategy in a card game package. Well, Victory Point Games decided it was time for one. Today they announced the release of TC Tennis, their first ever sport strategy game. While known for their historical military games, VPG has branched out this time. While it appears to be similar to En Garde in terms of strategic card playing, TC Tennis aims to score an ace in a seldom used genre for the card and board game industry.
Triplica, published by Fun Q Games in 2010, is a simple, quick, and easy to learn card game, meant for ages 7+. It employs a straight forward matching system to complete goals. The player must place 'Play Cards', which have a unique set of 3 symbols, onto the existing piles to create 3 of a kind either horizontally or diagonally, in hopes of matching one of their 'Goal Cards'. As simple as it sounds, there are actually 3 different versions of the game you can play (they sure do enjoy that number, don't they?): All Play, Single Play, and Solitaire. The All Play and Single Play versions support 2-6 players, and the Solitaire version is just that, solitaire.
Whether it be something in the brownies or that they are just plain insane, Netherlands' White Goblin Games is about to 'Get Nuts'. WGG has just announced their latest card game will be released this quarter.
So what does going nuts get us? Here is information from their press release:
In anticipation of the 2011 American International Toy Fair taking place in New York this February, Gamewright has given us a sneak peak into a few of their 2011 games that will be debuted at the conference. Ranging from kid friendly board and card games to adult and family friendly games, Gamewright is sure to have something for everyone.
Here is a quick look at what to expect from Gamewright this year:
Splish Splash!
The Game That's Swimming With Fun!
2 - 4 players * Ages 4+
Jump right into this lively game that's sure to make a splash! Roll the die and then drop the wooden pebble into the pond. Did any colorful shapes splash out? If so, match them up to your playing board. Be the first to fill up your board and then dry off with a win!
Playing time: 15 minutes
Availability: Spring 2011
Mermaid Beach
A Very Splashy Card Game
2 - 5 players * Ages 6+
Soak up the fun down at Mermaid Beach! Swim along with Swirly Shirley, Betsy Bubbles, Rip Rider, and a colorful cast of undersea characters as you try to collect the most seashell cards. Watch out for sneaky waves and icky seaweed along the way. Most of all - don't get caught holding the sea monster at the end of the game!
Playing time: 15 minutes
Availability: Spring 2011
AEG announces Thunderstone: Dragonspire, stand-alone expansion to Thunderstone, to be released in February 2011!
Here are the official details:
"The Doomgate is open, and Doom has been released into the world! The forces of destruction stalk the lands, destroying all they touch. There is but one dim flicker of hope: the Thunderstones, scattered at the dawn of time. Two lie hidden deep within the Dragonspire.
Will your heroes be the first to reach them?
Dragonspire is a stand-alone expansion to Thunderstone. The cards within can be played with any or all of the past Thunderstone sets, or can be used by themselves as a fully playable set. Dragonspire adds a fresh crew of new heroes, along with new spells, villagers, and weapons all ready to help your stand against the darkness. They will be needed, for within new terrors have awakened: bloodthirsty undead, blistering elementals, wrathful dragons, and mighty giants! Dragonspire also includes brand-new dungeon settings, campaign rules, and an entirely new way to face Doom alone!
* New Dungeon Board
* Over 500 cards with all-new art
* New plastic XP tokens
* Eleven new heroes and seven new monsters, plus new village cards
This classic family board game is one of our favorites, and great for any family evening of board game fun. Monopoly is a game of luck, chance, and wheeling and dealing. You buy and sell properties in Atlantic City, and try to corner parts of the board, build houses and hotels, and charge other players exorbitant rent. We think if you haven't tried it recently, a revisit to Monopoly's world is in order.
We've been playing this with our our 6 year old and they love it. The games last around 30-40 minutes, and you'd think that's too long but it's not. The game is all about mixing and matching and as the title suggest a bit quirky. Qwirkle is also a Games Magazine Award: Best Family Game Runner-up 2007, and Mensa Best Mind Game Award Winner 2007.
Scott Nicholson of ex Board Games with Scott fame has put together a video that really rings true with us. It tackles the game Monopoly, the classic monolith of board gaming from our youth. Now, we roll our eyes at this title mainly because it has numerous outdated mechanics. Things that - if you think about it - really rub you the wrong way and have been since fixed by the evolution of new mechanics that emerged over the last decade through the Renaissance of board gaming.
Scott has put a list of his own often groan-worth Monopoly mechanics, and the good mechanics, and recommends new games that emulate and fix these elements. It's a great primer for those of you looking to get back into gaming, or for a shotgun blast of interesting titles that have refined games that you may look fondly back to.
Nice work Scott! Especially since you just retired? :) Maybe the videos were posted out of order.
Do You Have What it Takes to be a Jedi Master?
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