Mr.Jack in New York Review

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(More customer reviews)I have grown up playing standard American board games like Clue, Monopoly, and Life. Not too long ago I learned that games like those are not highly regarded among board game aficionados. My girlfriend and I wanted to try a new game, so we decided to try one that was highly regarded. Mr. Jack was our pick and we are both very satisfied.
This is a two player game that doesn't require a large time commitment. Setup only takes a few minutes and depending on how much time you spend contemplating, you could easily play 2 or more rounds in 30 minutes. One of the great things about the game is that the two roles have a very different feel. This makes the game feel much less repetitive on subsequent replays. We have played it many times and always enjoy it.
On the gameboard you have several pieces each representing one person. However, one of them is actually Jack the Ripper. Only the person playing Jack knows his true identity. The other player is the detective who is attempting to identify Jack. Jack's goal is to escape the city before the detective can identify him. During each turn the players move the pieces on the board in an attempt to further either the investigation or Jack's escape.
In the game the two players are competing against one another, but it doesn't feel overtly adversarial. It is difficult to make a move that you know will be detrimental to your opponent. While the game is based on the violent English murderer, the game only deals with his identification, not his crimes. No need to worry about the subject matter.
I highly recommend this game to anyone interested in a fun, but relatively short game with one other person. This game is also great for anyone who wants to try something different from what you see in the board game aisle in your typical store.

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London - November 19 1888 As part of the case of Jack the Ripper Francis J. Tumbled quack doctor was arrested and released on bail. He immediately fled to the United States. New York - Manhattan Island - January 1889 Alerted by London New York police launch a search for Tumbled. Some witnesses have reported his presence in Manhattan and crimes similar to those in London are committed. The police then called the most distinguished citizens of the city to assist in their inquiry. Is Tumblety really Jack? If not where is he hiding? These are the issues of Mr. Jack in New York. Mr. Jack in New York is a standalone game using similar mechanisms to the original game. It cannot be combined with Mr. Jack or the extension.

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1960: Making of the President Review

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(More customer reviews)My 2 kids were constantly whining that they don't have any interesting games to play so I let them choose one game each. My older (11 almost 12) son picked "1960: The Making of The President". It was rated pretty high on boardgamegeek.com. So I took the plunge.
Game's box is bigger than a typical board game (50% longer than the box of "Settlers of Catan") creating potential problems with storage. Neatly packed inside are the rule book, big board representing the US Map, huge pile of red and blue wooden cubes, two wooden pawns for candidates, two white wooden markers to track turns and phases of a turn, big deck of playing cards of two sorts, two cards for candidates, and cardboard markers for states, momentum, and endorsements.
Setting up the board is relatively time consuming but the board is big and despite number of things on the board there is plenty of space to put everything.
Rules need to be read a few times but in the end end of the day they are relatively simple. There are a few issues we didn't resolve and I wish they were explained better in the rule book (does lowest possible place refer to a lowest number as I say or the worst place as my kid and wife think? I used my authority to make it the former but who knows if it's right).
The goal of the game is to win the election. For those unfamiliar with American election system it mean to get more electoral college votes than other player. Each state has a certain number of votes which need to go one way or another. In game terms you need to have wooden markers of your color representing state support on the state marker in the end of the game to get this state's votes. You have multiple means to gain support - campaigning, advertising, playing "events", etc. with one goal to get more points in the end of the game. Some actions have immediate results and some shift momentum or give you advantage later. Remembering what happens during each state of the game is essential to make good choices.
The game is well balanced and choices are very close in value and hard to make but after first play I'd question relative value of different actions and game events but probably we'll figure it out better after playing a few more games. The game is interesting but probably not for young kids because of the theme. I assume if you read text on a card it'll be a good history education for teens and even if you don't it's very good tool for understanding of American political system. The game represents very well flow of presidential campaign, you really feel like a candidate making tough choices.
Overall it's probably not as entertaining and fast paced as Settlers of Catan. But it's faster than Risk, deeper than most games, and it should be a good choice for two (and only two) players.

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All elections are turning points, but the presidential election of 1960 holds a special place in American history. The 1950s had been a period of unparalleled economic growth and US global power. Richard Nixon served as President Eisenhower's Vice President through most of the period. Nixon's humble origins gave him a common touch that appealed to the small town, idyllic America encompassed by the spirit of the 1950s. John F. Kennedy, was Nixon's mirror image: charming, Harvard educated and the scion of an American political dynasty. Kennedy challenged Americans to confront the uncertainties and tumult that were already emerging in 1960. He set his vision not in the past, but on new frontiers.

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Cover Up Review

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(More customer reviews)Cover Up, designed by Ruddell Designs and published by Out of the Box Publishing, is a simple abstract strategy game for 2 players. The goal is to get 4 visible pieces in a row, on a 5x5 board. Each of the 25 spaces has three depths for pieces to be placed in - getting larger as they go up. The smallest pieces go at the bottom, and the largest at the top. The game is somewhat like Gobblet, also an abstract for two.
You have 5 small, 4 medium, and 3 large pieces in your colour, either an uninteresting red or a dull grey - colours are not this game's strong point. On your turn, you place one of these pieces or move a large piece - the only pieces which can be moved. To somewhat negate the first player advantage, the first player is not allowed to place a piece in the centre.
You can freely place and move pieces over other pieces - your own or someone else's - negating them for at least a short while, as you need to have a visible four in a row. It's also worth mentioning the good production quality - the board looks and feels nice, and the pieces conveniently store in the bottom of the board in a compartment with a slide-out top - ensuring they don't splash around if the game is moved.
The game is short - half an hour at most, if players have analysis paralysis - and is open to being played multiple times in one sitting. It's no masterpiece, but it's in no way bad.

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COVERUP is a four-in-a-row game with depth—three depths to be exact. Players choose where they will place their disks, and at what depth. Place a disk below the surface and risk having that disk covered up. Move a disk and risk uncovering an opponent\'s disk.

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Bohnanza Game Review

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(More customer reviews)Bohnanza is a brilliant little game. It's social. It works well with anywhere from 3 to 7 players. (There are rules for a 2 player variant, but it's so-so.) It works for all ages, and is fun for dedicated gamers and normal folk alike. Simply put, this is one of the best all-around games out there.
The premise is simple: You are a bean farmer, trying to make as much money off of bean growing as possible. You have only two bean fields, and each field can only be planted with a single kind of bean at a time. You have to accumulate a certain number of beans in a field before it is worth anything as a sale. How many beans this is depends on the kind of bean planted - the more of a bean there are in the deck, the less each is worth. Thus, while it's easy to collect coffee beans (with 24 in the deck) you need 4 of them before they're worth even a single gold coin. At the opposite extreme, cocoa beans are worth a gold coin each. (You still have to accumulate two before they can be sold.)
The twist that makes this all fun is that your hand of cards (beans to be planted) always remains in the order that you drew it, and you MUST plant the bean-card at the front of your hand every turn, even if this means wrecking one of the fields you had been trying to build up to a good value. The only way to change your hand is by trading cards with other players. Thus, you have to plan ahead, take some risks, and keep a good name.
I rank this game a 5 for educational value because of what it rewards. No where is it written in the rules of bohnanza that you must play honorably, or treat the other players well. However: after many games, I've seen time and again that the players who most often win are the ones who treat other players fairly and honor their bargains. Keeping a good name is vital. You have to play hard-nosed to win, and bargain hard. However, you also need to be known for being a good person to trade with. It's worth it to trade in abstract 'favors' with the other players and to take the occassional loss to keep your name good and your rivals happy with you. You also need to know when to advertise what you have, and when to keep your mouth shut and surprise your rivals. These are lessons that children and adults alike could use more training in!
I have one friend who declared that if she were to be exiled to a desert island Survivor style, and allowed only one luxury item, a copy of Bohnanza would be it. What better review can a game get?

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Ever imagined you were a bean farmer? Sure, who hasn't? You got your red beans, your green beans, your black-eyed beans, your coffee beans... But where to plant them? In this card game, smart sowing lets you reap big rewards. Plant the beans you do want, and trade the beans you don't want to the other players. Adding to the realism of the game, the one who ends up with the most money wins! Comes with 154 Bean Cards, 7 Third Bean Field Cards and a rule booklet. Imported from Germany. For 2 to 7 players. FUN!

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Carcassonne Review

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(More customer reviews)Most people come to this game after they have already been introduced to the European Designer Games by Settlers of Catan. This is a different kind of game than Settlers but in some senses it shares a lot of commonalities.
The game is easy to learn for a wide audience, it is reasonably quick to play (30 - 40 minutes) and is a very "immersive" game i.e. there aren't long periods of boredom. There are elements of strategy and luck, which makes for a "fun" game experience.
This game is fun for children and adults. For children the "farmers" are a little too complex, but the game works very well without that element.
The game consists of laying tiles to build cities, roads and monasteries in the South of France. Points are gained by creating long roads, building large cities or farming multiple farms. It draws elements of building jigsaw puzzles together with a strategy game of competing for territory.
I have played this game with family members who aren't really into board games and they enjoyed it just as much as gamers.
There are many expansions to this game which add a few more dimensions as you get more advanced. There is a very high replay-ability.
I would high recommend this game to people who are bored with standard Monopoly or Cranium type board games that are popular in the US.
If you loved Settler's of Catan this a "must"!
Summary:
General
o 2 - 5 Players
o 30 - 40 minutes Playing time
Audience -
o Children & Adults
o Serious and Casual Gamers
Format
o Tile Laying
o Combines Strategy & Luck
Longevity
o High Replay-ability
o Quality Components

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Lost Cities Review

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(More customer reviews)My wife and I purchased this game 1 month ago and can't stop playing it. Lost Cities is a great mix of strategy, ease of game play, and just random luck. The game takes less than 10 minutes to learn, and after a few games about 15 minutes to play. You will find yourself constantly saying, "Let's play just one more time." Ultimately, that is the best statement one can make about any game.
Gameplay consists of playing from a hand of 8 cards, and trying to accumulate more points than your opponent. While there is strategy involved, generally you are playing as much against yourself as you are your opponent. If you get to aggresive in trying to build up only one of the 5 available locations, you might just get greedy for points and run out of time. We do this all the time, and love it! Generally, when my wife and I lose a game, it can be said that it's just as much our fault as it is our opponents ability to score points and beat us.
Try it, you won't regret it. (...)you won't find a more addictively fun game. "Let's play again!" For 1 to 2 players, or if you buy 2 sets of the game, 4 can play.

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"For the daring and adventurous, there are too many lost cities to seek and explore. The search can take you to the Himalayas, the Brazilian rain forest, the ever-shifting sands of the desert, ancient volcanoes and to Neptune's Realm. Of course, one cannot go everywhere with limited resources so the players must choose which expeditions to begin and which to leave to others. Those with high confidence may have the opportunity to up the stakes: increasing the rewards for success, but risking more should the expedition fail. The player who finds the right balance will have successful expeditions. Too many expeditions will put a strain on limited resources and yield failure. Too few may guarantee success, but not victory! Players: 2 Ages: 10 and up Playing Time: 20-40 minutes FUN"

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