Ninja Bowling by Odd Hackwelder

I always get excited when a package arrives at the door, it is going to be something I kickstarted or something shiny from Amazon. Yesterday it was Ninja Bowling by Hacko Games, and I dived straight in for some good old fashioned bowling fun - with a twist. Ninja Bowling is a dexterity card game, picture traditional bowling pins being decimated by ninja throwing stars and you have got the idea. It is easier than actual bowling for me, and there is no need to wear the musky rental shoes. 

The game was designed and published by Odd Hackwelder, the man who created Monster 55 and M80, an assortment of fun and light card games that are simple to learn but also challenging (in a good way!) if you are a little clumsy and slow to react like me. 

To begin, players set up six pins in a triangle formation, almost like they would be set up in a alley. Players then take it in turns to throw three stars at their opponents pins. When you throw the stars, your hand can not go past the front of your own pins. If a star lands on a pin, or multiple pins, then those pins are swept to the side and removed. After one round, count up the pins that were knocked out and whoever got the most gets a Spare card. If your stars managed to touch all of the pins then you get a Strike card. In the two player game, if a player gets a Spare and then wins the next round too then their Spare becomes a Strike! The winner is the player who gets three Strikes. 

The two versions I ordered were the two player version and the mini multi player version. The two player version is a normal playing card size and the mini version is for two - six players. The mini version is very similar to the normal one, with the exceptions that you are collecting your opponent's cards when you achieve a Spare or a Strike and you may target any player during your turn. 

The game is simple to pick up, easy to assemble and quite fun. It gets a bit competitive as you hurl the stars across the table at each other. It was looking good for me at one point as I had two Strikes and my swinging wrist action seemed unusually coordinated. But, alas, victory was swiped from me as I threw some stars too hard and they slid off the table. I had polished it earlier in the day, I blame my loss on that.

I imagine a ninja would go bowling this way, but would they wear the rental shoes that squeak awkwardly and unstealthily when you trip up trying to administer an under-arm bowling action?         

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx

Kickstarter Feature - Sandwich Masters by Big Punch Studios

In the realm of table top games there is a vast choice to choose from and it appears that the list keeps growing and growing! Kickstarter is a useful platform for game designers to release their creations, and Big Punch Studios are unleashing their first game through it in their new campaign. Big Punch Studios is a collective of four creatives; Nich Angell, Lucy Brown, Jon Lock and Alice White. All four imbue the talents and diverse skills needed to make their company a stonking success, they are responsible for the popular comic series of Afterlife Inc. as well as working with Titan and the BBC, and I had the pleasure of interviewing them recently about their new venture into table top territory with their game Sandwich Masters. You all know that I cannot resist a game with a food theme!

Sandwich Masters has gone live on Kickstarter recently, can you tell us a little bit about it?

Sandwich Masters is the first game that Big Punch Studios has produced. Normally, we make comics (we're the creators of Afterlife Inc., 7STRING, Cat & Meringue and Big Punch Magazine), so it's nice to exercise our love of games for a change!

Sandwich Masters is a game about sandwiches. And strategy. Oh, and sabotage. Players compete to build sandwiches, complete orders and earn noshbucks. But in the race to earn money, standards are easily forgotten. Each good ingredient has an evil counterpart. Customers won't notice the distance (is that beef or a live cow, bacon or facon?) but if someone plays a Health Inspector card, expect a hefty fine! You can also play Attack Condiments (a sneeze, broken glass) to ruin your opponents' perfectly good sandwiches.

 How long did it take you to perfect Sandwich Masters?

The original concept for Sandwich Masters came to us while stuck in a traffic jam well over a year ago. For a while afterwards we toyed with the idea on and off, coming up with random gameplay mechanics that were either adapted, adopted or discarded in later days, before dedicating a solid week where the four of us would seal ourselves away from the outside world and finalise the game. Most of the development was done in that intense session. After that, we progressed to test copies and demoing it with our local gaming community, before finally arriving at the product we have today.

 Have you always been into table top games?

For as long as we can remember! Like most people we started with family favourites such as Monopoly and Cludo, before discovering, in later life, the wealth of modern day games out there. While comics are our first love, we've all harboured dreams of making games of our own for a long time.

 What kind of games do you favour? And what are your favourites?

Games that are easy to learn but difficult to master. Games with a real visual appeal, be it a great design or something as pleasing as many, many intricate and beautiful pieces. Also, we've recently discovered and gotten into cooperative games, games where players must unite against the board.

How did the concept of Sandwich Masters come around? 

Sandwich Masters began life in that fateful traffic jam. I don't think anyone set out to create a sandwich-themed game. We were all just very hungry at the time, which I think helped. Perhaps in that delirious state of hunger we were all a little unhinged, because talk of sabotaging sandwiches seemed to make perfect sense at the time! 

Have you ever found anything untoward in a sandwich? My worst find was goatee hair.

One of the worst things we've ever found in a sandwich was probably the time Jon accidentally swallowed half a cocktail stick, which was hiding inside a particularly devilish club sandwich. It was not the best of sandwiches. 

What would be the worst thing for you to find in a sandwich?

A time paradox. Your death certificate. A black hole. Monday morning. Or possibly just too much salt. 

How long have you been a part of Big Punch Studios?

Big Punch Studios, as a company, has existed since 1 BP (otherwise known as January 2015). Before that, we operated as a collective of sorts, making comics together and exhibiting at shows. We still do that. It's just a bit more official now, what with Sandwich Masters, our business and our quarterly magazine publication, Big Punch Magazine.

Do Big Punch Studios have any more games in the pipelines?

Definitely! And maybe even some related to our comic book properties. Hint hint.

You have had a number of successful Kickstarters now, what advice would you give to newcomers?

Plan, plan and plan in advance. Consider all extra costs, such as postage and Kickstarter's administrative fees, before launching. Hit the ground running. Promote your Kickstarter well before it starts. Finally, enage with your backers. Back sure you reward them for their support and pledges any way you can. Make them feel a part of the project from Day 1.

Thank you, Big Punch Studios! You can check out the Kickstarter for Sandwich Masters here.

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx

Button Men

As much as I adore epic table top games with great components and a playing time that absorbs you fully for an hour or two, I will always have a special place in my heart for engaging yet brief games, such as Button Men. 

Designed by James Ernest and released by Cheapass Games in 1999, this wonderful little combat dice game was one of my first experiences into the world of table top games. The game play is as simple as you want it to be, and like many dice rolling games it is short but it can be prolonged if you do as I do, and turn it into a tournament of fighters!

Button Men is a game for two players who take turns rolling their dice in order to capture each other's dice. The game was originally sold as two packs of 2.25" pin back buttons (that is badges, to all you folk from the UK), but now you can download the character's cards here for printing. The characters, or fighters, all have names, unique numbers relating to their die attacks and a little bio which usually concludes with 'and she likes to beat people up'. Essentially, the fighters are rather like street fighters or prize fighters, busting each other up for the glory.

Before the game commences players select which fighter they wish to use and collect the dice equipped to that fighter. Some fighters have the 'X' symbol, which means you can choose any die between d4 and d20 to use. Players start by rolling all of their dice, then arranging them in a row in numeric order. The person who rolls the lowest number goes first. A good game for low rollers like me. 

There are two moves you can choose from during your turn, a power attack or a skill attack. A power attack allows you to use a die of your own to capture a single die of your opponent's that is equal to or less than the number you rolled on your die. A skill attack allows you to use several of your dice to capture one of your opponents, with this attack your dice must add up exactly to the value of the die you capture. I must say, this game has really helped my poor maths skills! Once you have captured a die it is taken out of the game and into your possession, then the die you used to capture it is re-rolled and placed back into the game. This process is alternated between players until one player has had all of their dice captured. After each round you add up your score to see who has won, each captured dice is worth its size in points and each of your own dice remaining is worth half its size. The first player to win three rounds is the champion!

Just to heat things up a bit and add some extra carnage, there are some special dice rules that were introduced in various expansion packs. I tend to play with speed dice and poison dice in games, they are less complicated than some of the others and quite useful. You can use one speed die to capture any number of your opponents dice, as long as the value of your speed dice adds up exactly to the captured dice. Poison dice are tricksy as they worth negative points at the end, if you keep it you must subtract its full value from your score and if you capture it then you subtract half of the value. I like to pick a lurid green colour die to represent my poison.

This intense little game becomes so addictive, and the more you play the more strategies you discover. I would always try to take out my opponents high numbers using my rolled high numbers but I have learnt that it is worth leaving your high rolls as they are, unless your opponent can use a Skill attack to combine dice! I love seeing a stupidly low number on a d20 and capturing it with a d4 - how very satisfying. Another great thing about this inexpensive game (it is by Cheapass Games, after all) is that it is really compact, you only need a handful of buttons and an assortment of dice. I have taken this to hotels and on long journeys without any fuss, just be careful rolling. you do not want to lose dice on the train! It is also available as an app on the iphone, and it makes a pleasing dice roll sound. 

Button Men is fast, furious, cheap and fun. There are loads of fighters to choose from by various popular artists and there are several expansions, even a cute Sailor Moon one. It really is an excellent duelling game that keeps me occupied for a while.

Thanks for reading

Marisa xx

        

         

Top Ten of the Two Hundred

Last month I completed the 200 different games challenge, it was intense but so much fun. It was great to go through all of the unplayed games in my home and explore new ones. August seemed to be the longest month, which was good because we had a lot of ground to cover. Here is my round-up of the top ten games from this challenge.

1. Imperial Settlers

A Fantastic civilisation building card game for 1 - 4 players. Players are settling in to a new world, erecting buildings, gathering resources and maybe even trading with other factions. Imperial Settlers is totally addictive and hugely enjoyable, every different faction has unique abilities and with the added bonus of the expansion pack Why Can't We Be Friends things get even crazier. Everyone must play this game!

2. Five Tribes

This is a very unique game for 2 - 4 players that blends elements of worker placement, area control, bidding, set collecting and strategy; all wrapped up in a beautifully designed package that is Arabian themed. There are so many different ways to score points in this game that you cannot judge who the winner will be until the scoring sheet comes out at the end.

3. Splendor

A card drafting and set collecting game for 2 - 4 players that is so shiny! You take on the role of a merchant trying to acquire gem mines, transportation and shops in order to boost your prestige and attract attention from wealthy nobles. I do love this kind of genre, collecting and saving up my gems in order to purchase pricier items; a buyer's paradise!

4. Waggle Dance

A worker placement and dice rolling game for 2 - 4 players, with different stages involved in each round, and it is all about making the most honey in your hive. You may build up your hive, lay eggs to be hatched into more worker bees, collect various kinds of nectar, then return the nectar to the hive and make the honey. I have never had so many dice to roll in a game before, my little hands were bulging with them! A great game, one I need for my collection. Oh, Santa...

5. Arcadia Quest

This is a miniatures fantasy campaign-based game. Players control a guild of three heroes throughout each scenario, battling against Monsters and each other, whilst completing quests. It is so much fun and probably my favourite game of this genre that I have played so far, those damn cute heroes and their special abilities make it extra cool. The added bonus is that when a hero dies they can return to the game after resting and pick up a Death Curse for the next Scenario. This is good for me to have heroes that resurrect as mine die constantly! 

6. Machi Koro

A city building and dice rolling game that is completely addictive and very simple to learn. Players take on the role of Mayor and take it in turns to develop their small cities, choosing which landmark to build carefully, what will help you reap profits and what will hinder your opponents? This game is a good one to introduce to people who are new to table top games.

7. Tokaido

I consider this game to be my relaxing and soothing hour, it is great to play after a tough day as I find it very calming. Players are travelling across the 'East Sea Road' and taking in the sights, the smells and the entire experience of the journey. Each character has unique qualities and you can use these to your advantage to gain extra points. Whether it is meeting new people, visiting a spa, earning money at the farm or purchasing lavish souvenirs; you can leisurely stroll across the road or pick up the pace. This game plays really smoothly and is rather serene.

8. Cartagena 2: The Pirate's Nest

This is very similar to my beloved Cartagena, players are racing their escaped pirates to the safe haven of a Pirate's Nest in Tortuga, but who will get there first? This time there are two islands to get through and instead of moving pieces backwards to gain extra cards, you must move your opponents pieces forwards. Oh dear, this is tricksy! But it is jolly good, me hearty.

9. Bohnanza

A fantastic card trading and set collecting game for 3 - 5 players. Players earn coins by planting fields of beans and harvesting them, whilst trading with others. You may plant a maximum of three fields and cannot rearrange the order of cards in your hand. Trading comes in useful when you have to lay a bean and your fields are full of beans that do not match the one in your hand! This game has been widely recommended to me and I can see why, it is very absorbing and engaging.

10. Mai-Star

This is a strategic card game with a Japanese Geisha theme. Players are competing to be the most powerful and popular Geisha by attracting guests, preferably wealthy ones, and by increasing their stature and skills through the means of advertisements. This impresses the guests and slowly you can build a higher rank of clientèle, whilst sneakily sabotaging your opponent's chances. This attractive and exciting game is unpredictable and brutal at times, you never know what is coming your way. Play it, and see what I mean!

So, those games were my absolute top picks of the challenge. I did enjoy many more but I fear listing every one of them would send you all to sleep. Perhaps one day I shall do it, one cold autumnal evening I will wrap up in a blanket and plough through the long list in intricate detail. Perhaps.

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx

                  

Interview with Brotherwise Games

In my early ventures into table top gaming last year I was introduced to Boss Monster; a dungeon-building card game that oozes references to 8-bit video games and other pop culture gems. Boss Monster was created by Brotherwise Games; an independent game publishers that was founded and brought to life by two brothers in the US, Chris and Johnny O'Neal. It was their mutual love of games that spurred them to their company and Boss Monster, perfecting it over time and then releasing it to be kickstarted back in 2013. I was fortunate enough to get my first interview for Tabletop Stop with the lovely guys at Brotherwise Games, and here it is! 

What were some of your first favourite board games?

We have very varied tastes, but we both got our start in gaming with D&D and some of the more fantasy-focused board games. Most of Chris's formative years were spent playing strategy games like Risk and Axis and Allies. Johnny was a big fan of HeroQuest and started playing Magic when he was in middle school.

What are some of your favourite games now?
 
Now we're quite partial to games like Seven Wonders, War of the Rings, Smallworld, and Ascension. But really we'll play just about anything. A friend recently introduced us to micro-games like Deep Sea Adventure. Loved 'em!


Your love of board games and video games led you both to creating Boss Monster. What things inspired you the most to create it?

Boss Monster evolved out of a very different game idea than what it currently looks like, so it had a LOT of influences. Originally a bidding game focused on popularity, it merged with another idea that used cards to build classic D&D-looking dungeon maps - thus the fantasy theme. After lots of play testing, and numerous failed attempts, Johnny finally hit on the bidding mechanic that currently drives the game: the construction of a dungeon with rooms that lure in particular heroes. As that game took form, Chris noticed the visual similarity to the old side-scrolling video games that we had loved so much as kids. After some more failed attempts at nailing the theme, Boss Monster morphed into its final form, a mix of retro gaming nostalgia and popular nerd culture. We could write a book listing all the nods and easter eggs in the game, but really it's more fun for our fans to find them on their own.

What did you find most challenging when setting up Brotherwise Games?

Setting up a gaming company is pretty easy, you just file with the Secretary of State and off you go. Getting a gaming company up and running is tough. The hardest thing was probably getting those first distributors to agree to carry Boss Monster and sell it to their retail customers. There was a lot of mistrust of Kickstarted games, and we had to offer a lot of reassurances and data suggesting that we were a good bet. After those first distributors got on board, the rest followed very quickly as stores began asking for Boss Monster.

The Kickstarter campaign for Boss Monster was a massive success, did you anticipate that it would be so popular?

Nope! We were very hopeful we'd make enough to produce a tiny print run of the game and be able to cross that particular goal off our bucket lists. We knew the game was fun and compelling, but we had no idea how big it would be, either on Kickstarter or in stores. We're so happy it was, however!


How important is Kickstarter in your business?

It's very possible that Boss Monster expansions going forward won't be launched on Kickstarter, but we absolutely have Kickstarter to thank for where we currently are as a business. Boss Monster NEVER would have happened without Kickstarter, and the same goes for Brotherwise Games. As family men who both had full-time jobs, we had put as much development money into Boss Monster as were able. We needed those Kickstarter backers to make our idea a reality. But the value of Kickstarter goes beyond those original starter funds. We also see the publicity boost that Kickstarter gives as a real boon to any game trying to get noticed on the market. For the new, non-Boss Monster titles that Brotherwise launches, Kickstarter (or some form of crowdfunding) is likely to be important tool in our toolkit.

Do you guys have a favourite Boss character in the game?

Chris is pretty partial to Cerebellus. Johnny loves the "cover" Bosses, King Croak and Porkus.

Brotherwise Games gives off the family unity vibe, do you believe that board games help bring families and friends together?

Without a doubt. In fact, we have to think that the huge growth that tabletop games have seen of the last five years reflects an overall tightness and comfort with the family unit. Families are playing together more than ever before. Different generations are hanging out more than they have in the last 20 years. Tabletop games offer a social experience like none other, certainly it's a far cry from the more anonymous virtual networks that video games create (not that that's bad, mind you). We LOVE hearing that families, partners, and friends are coming together over a night of Boss Monster.

Brotherwise Games

Torrance, CA

Thanks, guys! You can check out Brotherwise Games by clicking here

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx