Quite a few games hit the tables this week:
- Kung Fu Fighting (Slugfest Games) - One of a number of demo games that we received from Slugfest Games. It had the weight and feel of Munchkin to some degree. A very light card game where the object is to be the last one standing. Basically, you have a stance, a weapon and a number of different attack, block and attack enhancement cards along with a few healing cards. It's a fine beer & pretzels type of game or something you might play during down times between turns in a meatier game. All said, it was entertaining enough but nothing that would likely provoke me to bring it to the table by choice. 3 pips.
- The Red Dragon Inn (Slugfest Games)
- Tiki Mountain (Slugfest Games) - Another one of the Slugfest games, it shared some of the feel of Kung Fu Fighting, but with a much better visual presentation. The objective of this game is to climb the volcano and throw yourself in (think Joe Vs. the Volcano - Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan). In the meantime, opponents are throwing opposition in your way in the form of mudslides, gas vents, lava flows and rock slides as well as the board tossing an occasional earthquake your way. It felt very much like a kids' game and I would encourage that it be played as such and with no more than 3 players, though it will accommodate up to 6. We played with 5 and there was too much downtime between turns (which may be why they produced Kung Fu Fighting). Not a bad game, but not great either. 3 pips.
- Pit (Winning Moves)
- Circus Flochati (Rio Grande Games)
- En Garde! (Slugfest Games) - I didn't play this one, but I did read the instructions. Think Kung Fu Fighting, but replace the Kung Fu theme with a fencing theme and you've got it. This was not, as I hoped, a re-print of the old En Garde! 2-player fencing game.
- Zoff in Buffalo (FX Schmid)
- Illuminati (Steve Jackson Games)
- Rummikub (Pressman)
- Black Vienna (Kosmos)
- Dungeons & Dragons: The Dice Game (Wizards of the Coast) - We had 5 players for this. Very random as your actions are based completely on a roll of the dice, but as it supposed to be a bar room brawl, that feels pretty appropriate. I enjoyed it, but it was definitely very light and not to be treated as anything other than. I would gladly play again and likely suggest. The more the merrier as it was mercifully short. 4 pips.
- Tichu (AbacusSpiele)
- Il Principe (Z-Man Games)
- Midgard (Z-Man Games)
- Terra Nova (Winning Moves)
- Shark (Rio Grande Games)
