Party Like It's 1492 (A Review of Old World New World)

There's a lot of debate about who, exactly, "discovered" the Americas - Christopher Columbus, the Vikings, the Chinese, a lost tribe of Israel, or even aliens.  Now, with one of Victory Point's latest titles, you can make sure the history books get it right - it was YOU!  It may not be the vast American continents, but a New World beckons nonetheless with all its riches, honor, renown...and dangers.  Can you survive hostile Natives, an unwelcoming environment, and competition from your Old World neighbors to claim both land and glory?

A Progressive Top 10 to Introduce Player Interaction

Competition is at the heart of any game.  Indeed, it’s a characteristic that often defines the very word “game,” and separates the board gaming hobby from other leisurely forms of entertainment.  In some games, this is manifested in a cooperative element where players work together to beat the system.  Others instill a style of competition in which you solitarily strive to better your opponents at the same task, independent of any influence from each other.

But the great games include some form of direct interaction.  I’m going to attack you, steal from you, lie to you, block you, gang up on you, or generally wreak havoc on your pretty, well-laid plans of building a quiet cottage in the mountain meadows where the larks sing you to sleep in a gently swaying hammock on a warm spring day after sipping your sweet tea with mint.

Some people really like their sweet tea.

But, if you’re a gamer who appreciates direct interaction – even some old-fashioned, sucker-punching spite – just how do you entice wary casual gamers, younger children, or maybe even that hard-nosed Euro player in your group?  Well, you’ll have to ease them into it, of course.  So before you hit them with Bang!, Cosmic Encounter, or Diplomacy, here’s a list of ten progressively recommended titles to turn your peace-loving friend or relative into the Gordon Ramsay of gaming!

My Kingdom for a Trojan Horse (A Review of Iliad)

It was a time of myth and legend.  When fabled warriors inspired lesser men by the thousands to rise above their mundane lives and march into history’s pages.  While old kings squabbled over land and power and wealth, they fought for glory and honor and love.  Now you can relive the most epic conflict of the ancient world.  All because of a woman.

The Name on the Box Top: Bruno Faidutti

The board game hobby is indeed a fascinating one.  For those just introduced to it, and looking to delve further into its vast world, one of the more interesting facets is the “name on the box top.”  Just as individual authors, artists, and singers have their own recognizable style stamped upon their books, paintings, and songs, the same is true in the case of designers with their board games.  Our own @FarmerLenny has already looked at two designers in this series – Reiner Knizia and Carl Chudyk.  Today, I take a look at Bruno Faidutti.

The Geisha Effect (A Review of Tenka 2nd Edition)

Sengoku.  Ancient Japan is shrouded in mist and mystery.  It lay in chaos and strife as warring clan leaders squabble and clash, negotiate and scheme, collaborate and deceive.  The ultimate goal?  Power.  Honor.  Glory.  Unifying a fractured land and desperate people.  Do you possess the diplomatic savvy, spiritual confidence, and military prowess to consolidate enough splintered provinces and declare yourself Shogun?

The Mud and the Blood and the Beer (A Review of 7-Card Slugfest)

 Who doesn’t like an epic, rumble-and-tumble, bare-knuckles bar fight crashing through the windows and spilling out into the streets?!  But you can’t travel back to the raucous Old West.  And it’s probably wise not to cause any great stir down at the local biker bar.  Truth be told, these frays can be a little dangerous.  Well, you’re in luck!  Thanks to Level 99 Games, you can enter the land of Indines from the safety of your own tabletop, where fist-fighting pros from across the mythical world have gathered at the greatest pubs under the mysterious powers of the Belt of Beatdown…and erupt in an epic tussle.

Oh, the Humanity! (A Review of Quicksilver)

Airships.  The very word conjures images of sleek silhouettes slicing through the skies and portends of audacious adventure.  It is the height of the Victorian Era and England has organized a rousing gala of pomp and fanfare to showcase its latest lighter-than-aircraft design.  Are you daring enough to brave the winds, elements, and competing aeronauts for glory and honor?  But more importantly, are you gentlemanly enough?  Aye, for the Queen, herself, will grace this event with her attendance!

High Stakes Poker (A Review of Vampire Empire)

An evil has infected the city!  Roaming the streets and its foreboding castle's halls, disguised as normal townsfolk, vampires walk amongst unsuspecting mortals.  Will these vile creatures lure and trap the land's innocent souls?  Or will the humans successfully reveal their dark identities and hunt them all down before its too late?  In this new release from Stronghold Games, you have the chance to accomplish either.  So channel your inner Nosferatu or Van Helsing and enter the realm of Vampire Empire.

Take This Job and Place It (A Guide to Worker Placement)

A lot of people dream about being their own boss.  No taking orders from anyone.  Work at your own pace.  Keep all the money.  Problem is most of us are the grunts, performing the day-to-day routines that keep the world running.  Meanwhile, the one who gives the orders garners all the attention.  If you’re one of the multitude who thinks they can manage people smarter, faster, and more productively, then our next game mechanic analysis gives you the chance to prove it.

Monster Mash (An Interview with Benjamin Radford)

Benjamin Radford is one of the world’s few science-based, paranormal investigators, and has done first-hand research into mysterious phenomena in sixteen countries on four continents including psychics, ghosts, exorcisms, miracles, Bigfoot, stigmata, lake monsters, UFO sightings, reincarnation, and crop circles. He is an editor for Skeptical Inquirer magazine, has authored six books, and has written articles and/or appeared on television for Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic, Learning Channel, BBC, and CNN, among many others. His latest project draws upon his vast experience in studying the fact and folklore of monster myths around the globe – a fascinatingly unique board game now seeking funding on Kickstarter: Undead Apocalypse: War of the Damned. As you might expect, messin’ with Sasquatch is a full-time gig, so we really appreciate Ben’s time in sitting down to discuss his recent venture.

There's Some Ameritrash in My Euro! (a Review of Skagway)

Go north, to Alaska; go north, the rush is on!  With money literally lying on the ground, can you strike the mother-load and protect your interests in this ultimate symbol of the American dream?  Or do you want to control the town and its commerce, preying on the misfortunate miners whose hopes die in the frozen Yukon mud?  Either way, you’ll need all of your rugged frontierism and business savvy to succeed in this, the last great gold rush.

Dueling Daimyos (A Review of Tenka: All Under Heaven)

Japan in the 16th Century was a harsh and brutal land. Warlords, large and petty alike, ravaged villages and countryside in ruthless grabs for revenge and power. Can you make a difference and unite the clans? You’ve just as much a chance to set things differently with this quick, lightly-themed card game as you do traveling back in time. So assemble your ashigaru. Sharpen your katanas. Even enlist the help of Richard Chamberlain. You’ll need them all to be the greatest Shogun under the sun.

This Table Ain't Big Enough (A Review of Bang!)

The Wild West. A time when six-shooters made the law, vigilantes strung up horse-thieves, you chose whiskey or water, and you bathed maybe once a week. Life was hard. Fate forged a man just as much as tough circumstances. Harsh but honest men found themselves behind a badge, while a cruel twist of fortune might just push some to the other side. Others drifted through life a loner - not having to help, or rely on, others. Yeah, sometimes you had to travel the path that the cards dealt. And there were always men to stand in your way. Well, the table ain’t big enough for you all, and Colt and Winchester stand as judge. When the dust and gunsmoke settle, everyone will see who are the quick and who are the dead.

The Mercenary of Venice (A Review of Condottiere)

[editor's note: Please welcome our new friend and reviewer, whom we will cryptically refer to only as "Jason."  You may know him from his own board-gaming blog, Kinderspiel.  He has permanently joined the iSlaytheDragon team which means more reviews for everyone!  We're excited to have him.  If you want to learn more about him, check out his bio on our About page, or follow him on twitter @SpielemitKinder)

In Condottiere, you assume the titular role of a 13^th Century warlord-for-hire marching across Renaissance Italy.  Florence, Venice, Genoa, Rome; they can all be yours by employing equal parts intrigue, guile, and luck.  Command your mercenaries in battle.  Summon a legendary heroine to inspire your men.  Call upon the Church to intervene on your behalf.  Force your enemy to surrender with a daring maneuver.  And prepare to stretch your imagination for this thinly themed card game, because glory awaits!

FDQ: What Is Player Interaction?

In recent twitter activity, the question came up as to what exactly player interaction is.

I've noticed that with certain games, some will praise it for subtle interaction while others will disdain it for being essentially "multiplayer solitaire." Aside from the fact that solitaire does actually have a two-player variant, how can one game be thought of so differently?

Okay don't answer that. That's not today's FDQ. Today's actual FDQ is, how do you define player interaction?

@Futurewolfie answers:
Honestly, to me player interaction comes in all different forms. It can be direct and impactful, or very very subtle. I think anytime the other players can do anything that affects the game for other players, that counts as player interaction. Regardless of how subtle it is, it forces players to keep at least some tabs on each other and react accordingly—and that's a form of interaction.

Case in point here is Dominion, which is sometimes called a "multiplayer solitaire" game. However, I disagree with this notion. Sure, you build your own deck and most of what goes into it is completely up to you. Other players have little chance of affecting your hand once your turn has started. However, attack cards aside, the central supply keeps all players connected. Sure, you could build a perfect deck and then buy up all the points if you were playing on your own. But the challenge comes from having to do it faster than the other players. Each time a player takes a province, not only does it push the game that much closer to ending, but it prevents any other player from getting that province, quickly dwindling the supply. Thusly players have to keep tabs on each other to make sure they don't wait too long. They have to react to the things other players are doing. And that's interaction.

If Dominion was, say, a turn-limited game, it would be much more solitary. Then you would simply attempt to build your deck in a specified amount of turns, regardless of what the other players were doing. I think there's a huge different there.

@FarmerLenny's answer:
I think player interaction is anything another player can do that forces you to change your plan. What typically passes for player interaction is conflict, where players are allowed to directly influence a player of their choice (an attack). I think there are other forms, too. For example, there is competition over choosing an action or role as in Agricola or Puerto Rico. There's the interaction of trying to read what your opponent will do as in Race for the Galaxy (though, admittedly, this game can be played without much interaction at all). There's the interaction of monitoring a common supply and trying to determine what your opponents are up to as in Dominion (granted, this game can be played without much interaction as well, especially if your goal is the baseline silver gambit). I don't think there's an ideal level of player interaction for any game (though there must be some; otherwise, what's the point of finding other players at all?); it's up to individual players. For me, I prefer games that avoid direct conflict and love games that find other ways for players to interact. My three favorite games—El Grande, Dominion, and Acquire—all cause interesting player interactions without direct attack. (Okay, there's some in El Grande. For some reason that game gets a pass.)

The Human Malfunction

There's been a lot of talk (and action for that matter) lately regarding digital versions of boardgames.  We've got smallworld, Catan, and even Ticket to Ride on the iPad now (and in some cases, our phones.)  We've got online versions allowing you to play against other players, as well as versions designed for playing against the computer.

Listen, I'm not really against digital versions of board games.  They can certainly be convenient, especially if you want to play with a friend across the country but can't exactly fly them in for the evening.  They also increase the exposure of board game franchises, hopefully to the point of increasing sales of the physical product, which would in turn grow the industry and hopefully result in even more exposure but more importantly, continued production of high-quality games.  (This is all speculation, by the way.  I don't think there's any solid evidence so far that iphone apps increase the sales of a corresponding physical product).

But here's the thing.  I'm not really a big fan of digital versions. It's not that I have a thing against video games.  I actually generally enjoy video games in addition to this more-prevalent boardgame hobby of mine.