Dingo Bingo!

Dingo's Dream (or Dingo Bingo, as I like to call it) is a fun and simple tile placement game that can be adjusted in difficulty according to your desires. I am a bit late to play this little gem, but I finally had the chance to try it out at the new venue of The Dice Saloon in Brighton and bought it after one game. In this 2 - 4 player game Dingo and his pals have managed to get lost on walkabout, which is pretty easy to do in the outback so I don't judge them. As a player, you must visit the animals dreams and guide them back home from the fragmented dreamscape clues in their minds.

Players choose one of the four different animals, then they each set up 5x5 grids of their chosen tiles with the animal side down, but keeping the tile with their animals name to one side as this is used on the first turn. A Dream Card is revealed, and the aim of this game is to have your tiles animal side face-up and matching the Dream Card layout. One player is the Dingo Bingo dealer, turning the Walkabout cards to reveal the next tile to flip. The cards are identified by five different colours and five different landscapes, whichever tile corresponds with the card revealed by the dealer is then flipped over to reveal the animal side, then players slide the extra tile in their hand into the grid, pushing out a tile to use in their next turn and keeping the grid 5x5.

The introduction of hazard tokens stirs things up a little. Amongst the Dream Cards you will find a Hazard Card, with symbols showing various ways to set up hazards on the Dream Card. Using this as a guide, you can choose a layout and place the four brown tokens on one of the Dream Cards. In order to win this time, you must have none of your animal tiles on the hazard spaces on completion of your dreamscape. This also means that it is possible for both players to lose, so if that happens then you just play again. Interestingly, if there is a draw then there is no tie-breaker, everyone could be a winner in these dreams! Spiritual fulfilment and rites of passage will be celebrated.

Dingo's Dreams is compact, easy to set up and understand, quick to play and a great introduction to board gaming. The beautiful illustrations by Ryan Lakat really set the tone for this game, and after many plays I can happily say that this is a great and easy family game, and the advanced options can shake it up a bit. There are strategy and puzzle-solving aspects. Even though the tiles are randomly placed in the beginning, it is then your job to shift them around with each new clue called out. I first came across bingo elements in a modern game with Rise of Augustus, and even though I find normal bingo quite boring, I am just drawn to these kind of games. Beating your opponent to the finish and yelling your animal's name in victory is very satisfying, and the theme of sifting through the lost animal's deep dreams to help them find their way home tugs on my heartstrings, so give this game a go and see if you can get your critter back!    


Marisa     

The Mint Works

Mint Works is an amazing little game designed by Justin Blaske for one to four players. The game does exactly what it sets out to achieve. It is portable and plays under 15 minutes The turn pacing is fast paced and it doesn't leave you bored. It took me five minutes to learn and about ten to play our first game. The table space is small and makes for the ideal travel game. The theme is light and the game, despite being simple, has an element of depth to it. While at times the choices are obvious, most of the time there is more than one viable option for you to carry out in a turn, and certainly more than one way to achieve a victory. 

The only copy I have played came from the second Kickstarter campaign, which is larger than the original and everything fits inside perfectly (which is more than I can say for Mint Delivery). Like Mint Delivery this game also boasts a solo experience. It delivers but I couldn't imagine playing it more than a handful of times, while the A.I. is tough, the game mechanics and simplicity almost don't justify sitting there and playing it on your own. Although, that being said, I found it more rewarding than a game of solitaire.   

It certainly is better than most games that play under ten minutes out there and is a great way to introduce new gamers to the worker placement mechanic. We now use it as a Water Deep lite, to warm people up to the idea before cracking out a 45 minute far deeper version of the little game they just played. I love it and have already played it over twenty times in the space of no time at all. It is a great crowd pleaser. 

For months I was unable to secure a copy as it was sold out everywhere, I am pleased that I backed the second Kickstarter run and if you like light games or want a change from the typical social deduction or push your luck fillers, then this is for you.

Anna 

Skull

Skull (or Skull & Roses, as it is also known as) is the perfect bluffing game for parties, drinking, travel and just casual late night chats. We have mentioned it briefly before when this blog was first set up, and it is still a firm favourite in the household. I have played this game abroad, on trains, in restaurants and over dinner. It's portable, easy to teach and pick up and fast to play. I have even taught it to people using playing cards, just 3 hearts and a spade per player. 

In this 3+ player game, each player starts by playing a card face-down, then each player in turn adds one more card to their stack, unless they feel cocky enough to challenge. The challenge consists of the player saying how many roses they think they can reveal from what has been laid down on the table without revealing a skull. Other players can outbid them, aiming to reveal even more roses. The highest bidder must then turn over the coasters starting with their own stack first. If they reveal only roses they win, if they reveal a skull they lose, sacrificing one of their cards at random and putting it out of play. Two successful challenges will win you the game, or if you are the last player left with cards. 

The base set comes with six sets of coasters but it is possible to play with more if you buy extra sets. If you have played Liars Dice aka Perudo, then you will already be familiar with the set up, as both games tread similar territory. I highly recommend this, I truly believe it is a must-have for all households.

Anna

The Library Pot

It is no secret that I am a boardgames cafe addict. Launching a Kickstarter and going on a mini tour has allowed me to indulge in many a cafe and gaming event. On our many travels to promote the campaign, Glori Eternia, we booked a Demo event at The Library Pot - Richmond's first board games cafe. I had wanted to visit this place as soon as I had heard about it on twitter, and the Kickstarter was a great excuse to take the trip!

We arrived totally drenched from the relentless downpour of rain, but were warmly welcomed by Rob, the owner of the cafe, and promptly seated in a comfortable booth. The Library Pot is a beautiful place, the booths and seating areas are adorned with greenery and glittering little lights. In the corner that houses the boardgames, an impressive shelving unit towers over the customers with a diverse range of games. The friendliness and hands-on attitude from the staff and owners was great, they got involved and actively encouraged people to play, allowing their customer's to enjoy themselves and get stuck into the games. There is a real sense of homeliness and comfort in The Library Pot, it is plain to see that the owners are genuine advocates of tabletop gaming and the aspects of social interaction that come with it.

Before demoing Glori Eternia we played some brief filler games with diners who were new to gaming, and had ventured in The Library Pot after hearing about it's unique appeal. We played Dobble, Pairs and Funny Farm - all very interactive games that really break the ice and let the healthy competition mount up, whilst having a laugh in the process. When it came to demoing Glori Eternia we had a lot of fun with the cafe's regulars, and even got out a funny dice game we made last year called Clench that was a rousing success with the crowd. 

The delicious menu with delectable cooked meals sets The Library Pot apart from a lot of other cafes, with the fusion of contemporary pub classics and some Japanese cuisine, it is almost like a restaurant as well as a boardgames cafe. There are lighter bites to keep hunger sated, as well as the larger and wholly satisfying meals, and most importantly - desserts! Cinnamon rolls with ice cream? Hell yes! I know I am supposed to be talking about the games, but, I cannot help myself. 

In case anyone needed further reason to visit this cafe, did I mention that there is a ball pit downstairs? Yes, you can relive those days of carefree ball pit action, just as I did! We ended up staying there very late, despite it being a weeknight and a long drive back, but it was worth it.

To sum it up, Rob and Emily were perfect hosts; both entertaining and mindful of their guest's needs. The collection of games included the classics and some hidden gems, the food was divine, the ball pit was a riot and the whole evening was unforgettable. If you want a good time in Richmond and fancy trying out some games whilst munching on some fine food then go and visit The Library Pot. I know I will be going back there very soon!

Marisa xx                 

Hail to the JunKing, baby!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can find some really great games on Kickstarter if you browse through now and again. Last year I backed lots of games, and one of the favourites of the bunch is JunKing. Now, as much as I love finding gems and other precious artefacts in a game, I find hoarding the tatty junk in this game just as rewarding! Playing as one of the scavenger imps that roam around the junk yard means you get to rummage through the piles of interesting and unsavoury trash to deck yourselves up in the finest of rubbish. The object of the game is to raise your social standing, and to find the precious crown to be the crowned The JunKing!

The game itself is fairly simple, players take it in turns to draw cards from the 'junkpile', place a card from their hand in play and then choose one action - either activating an ability on a card in use or activating their character's ability; whichever will help them get the edge over their opponent. After triggering your character's ability, you turn it face down so it is sleeping. All that rummaging and hoarding is tiring work! You can re-activate them again using an action in a future turn. The game ends when the crown is drawn, and the winner is the one with the most points. 

All of the junk cards are worth points. There are three different varieties of junkcards; Mounts, Helms and Devices. Mount cards are placed underneath the character, Helm cards are placed on top like an insane hat, and devices are placed either side of the character. Some of the Mounts and Helms are deemed 'Stackable', which allows you to lay multiple items in play. If the card is not stackable, then you can only have one out at a time, but can discard it to your hoard in exchange for a new card. Your hoard is important, because it is where you build up your points. Each card in your hoard is worth one point at the end of the game. Each junk card on your imp is worth points, and the sought-after crown is worth 10 points! There are some devices that give you five points if the crown has been drawn by another player, which makes the game more exciting and unpredictable. 

To rock the game up a bit more there are event cards slipped in amongst the junkpile. If one is drawn then the unlucky player who drew it must take a card from the Event Deck and suffer the consequences. Don't panic, as they are not too harsh. It is usually the case of losing a card in play or everyone gets to take an additional card except the person who drew the event, that kind of thing.

The artwork is brilliant, the cards radiate a mixture of cuteness, humour and a little bit of ick. I do love them, but I would deeply sanitise myself if I came into contact with any of the devices in real life!

The little subtle (and not so subtle) references to pop culture hidden on the cards are great. The Junk Spirit Finder and the Assorted Hat are probably my favourites. Oh, and the puns! The flavour text on the Assorted Hat reads 'I just saw something Slitherin' out of there' and it did have me giggling. There is also a set of expansion cards that I have not yet tried, but they look fun.

JunKing is for 2-6 players, and it suggests from ages 14+, but I think children younger than 14 could grasp it. Plus, I have not come across anything censored yet in all the seven games I've played. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and light gaming experience, there are loads of cards so there is more re-playability and lots of laughs involved.              

    

Thanks for reading, have a good weekend :)
Marisa xx

Dinner With The Dark!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to dine in a darkened room, surrounded by glowing decorations, whilst playing a strategic party game with a group of strangers? Well, the option is now available!

Dinner With The Dark will take place on 25th March 2016 in Antwerp, and it will be quite an evening of surprises and fun! Guests will be invited into a dim room that will be lit up by various glow in the dark decorations, then throughout the meal they will be participating in the party game DEER LORD. Each guest will receive five glow sticks and five 'do something' cards that tell them what to perform during the meal. These things could be as subtle as scratching your head, making up a story or as blunt as banging your head on the table. The guests must act out what is on their cards without getting caught, if they do then they lose a glow stick to their accuser. But, if the accuser is wrong...then they lose a glow stick to the accused! The dinner guest with the most glow sticks at the end of the meal is the winner. The game is all about deceiving and being coy; a bluffer's dream come true.    

This unique and unforgettable event is being organised by Nebulous Dinners, a group of BBA students from KU Leuven in Brussels. Their combined passion for gaming and helping others brought them together for a school project that has led to Nebulous Dinners being formed, with the proceeds going to the charity Restos Du Couer. They have set up an impressive campaign on Indie gogo for funding and so far have received over 21% of the goal.

Board games can liven up any party and break the ice. Adding the extra elements of having the room eerily lit and playing a game that is all about outfoxing each other in subtle ways makes for a very interesting night.          

Dinner tickets are available here. If you can't make it to the meal, like myself, but fancy playing the game and helping out, then you can pledge for the PnP of Deer Lord and other merchandise. You could then host your own crazy dining experience with friends and family! 

Thanks for reading.

Marisa xx

Patchwork

Last week the popular game by Uwe Rosenberg, Patchwork, came to the IOS and Android and I have been playing it quite a lot. I know nothing beats an actual physical game, and the only things that hold me back from buying up all the games I enjoy are money and space! Seriously, some games are HUGE and I live in a teeny place where my walls are mostly stacked boardgames. But buying this game as an app was a great idea and totally justified as I see it as sampling a game before committing to buy. Also, sometimes it can be nice to curl up in bed with a game and play under the snuggly duvet. Shut The Box used to be a bed favourite as the rolling dice is contained in the box, but I'm not sure if the neighbours appreciated the constant dice rolling noise and the wooden slabs being flicked over.

Patchwork is a relatively simple game to play, and like many games it has a greater depth to it that emerges the more you play. The game had a few bugs on the initial download but these have been rectified and it plays smoothly now. The game emulates the tradition of patchwork quilting in the USA, where generations of families diligently work on creating beautiful patchwork quilts to pass on down. Now you can try your dab hand at it without the pain of stabbing your fingers with the needle. 

In this two player game, you compete to create the most attractive and high scoring quilt. The game fuses elements of puzzle-solving, time management, spatial control and strategy. At the start you are given a 9x9 grid to make your quilt on and are given five buttons. Buttons are the currency of the game, and the victory points. Buttons are worth one point and any leftover holes on your quilt are worth minus two points. To make a nice attractive quilt it must have minimal holes, I am still working on that part.

The score is kept by a time track on a separate board, which not only keeps track of the points but it gives you little perks to make the game even more interesting. Another interesting thing to note is the mechanism of the time track. After each turn the player who is behind or on top of their opponent's token goes first. So you could end up taking consecutive turns, if you play your *buttons* right!  

At the start of each turn players are given the option to choose from three of the available patches to buy and sew onto their board, or players can select the Pass option by sliding the button at the bottom of the screen. This allows you to move your time token one space in front of your opponent, then collect one button from the bank for each space moved. A good way to stock up on buttons when you are low. 

Each patch for sale is worth a certain amount of buttons and takes a certain amount of time to sew. Both of these are shown on the patch. Some of the more bizarre shaped patches display buttons too.

Once you have purchased a lovely patch, you can flip it diagonally and horizontally to make it fit nicely, but patches cannot overlap each other. Make sure you flip them using the buttons on the screen and not manually flipping them with your fingers, that did not go well! Once you are happy where you have placed your patch you sew it in and gain points for covering up holes. Sometimes life does not hand you buttons and you find you cannot afford any of the patches, if this happens then you select Pass and collect some buttons for your next turn.

Remember that time track and it's little perks? There are five 1x1 patches on the time track, whoever passes a patch first claims it and may place it on their board to fill a gap in the quilt. If you are anything like me, there will be a few holes on the quilt! Those awkward shaped patches that display buttons on them come in handy here too. On the time track there are buttons placed on the route, and when you move past a button on the track you receive as many buttons as you have on your quilt from the bank. It is raining buttons! Happy day. This button downpour happens to both players, regardless of whoever passes it first. 

There is also a bonus incentive for the first player to create a 7x7 quilted area. I am yet to do this as I tend to pick up the more abstract patches with the buttons.

This is a really fun, light and engaging game for two players who enjoy a little strategy and buttons. I look forward to playing a physical copy and holding all of the buttons in my greedy paws. 

  

Panic Lab; Living up to it's name!

Sometimes I like to play lovely calm games like Tokaido and chill out, but sometimes I like to be toppled over and play games that get me all panicky and excited. Panic Lab definitely falls into the latter category. At the laboratory there has been an incident and all the amoebas have escaped, you must find them quickly before the other scientists (players). To do this, you shuffle the 25 square tiles and arrange them into a big circle. A randomly selected player rolls the four dice to determine which amoeba you must find first, then everyone plays simultaneously and the madness begins!

The dice represent the Shape of the amoeba, the Pattern of the amoeba, the Colour of the amoeba and the Labs. The Lab die shows which lab the amoeba escaped from and which direction it went, players start from there and have to identify the correct amoeba by touching it. If the correct one is found then that player gets a token. The winner is the first player to collect five tokens.

There are a few twists to the game, of course. These slippery little suckers can escape through air vents! If you come across a vent whilst tracking an amoeba then you must skip all squares until you reach the next vent. If you reach the third vent, you must ignore all tiles until you return to the first vent and then continue the search. That has not happened to us yet, they usually get caught after one vent or get mutated.

What is that, you ask? Mutated? Yes, that is exactly what you wanted to hear. What on earth are these scientists playing at, leaving hazardous mutation rooms open for anyone to waltz in? Amoebas can change colour, shape or pattern by passing through these squares. The delicate little amoebas will not survive four mutation rooms in a row, though, if that happens then they vanish. That does not mean the round is over, as the player who touches the last mutation room the little dude slithered through will win the token. This is when the game really kicks off and lives up to it's name of Panic, ensuing a frenzied hunt for the constantly changing amoebas against the greedy eyes of your opponents.     

For those of you with younger children or for the faint-hearted, there is the option of simplifying the game by removing the air vents and mutation rooms, making the game less frenetic. 

The amoebas are cute and colourful, even if they do put years on me. The components all fit neatly in an attractive little tin, so we tend to take it on holiday and end up playing it on the floor of the hotel room or a coffee table. Panic Lab is for 2 - 10 players, age 8+ and the gameplay can last for 10 -30 minutes depending on how many players you have. The set-up time is is short, and it is not a complicated game to learn. Throw in the bonus that it is an inexpensive game, and enjoyable too. A game of quick-thinking, good reflexes and very alert eyes!

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx

      

Adventures in Dungeons & Dragons

This year I have broadened my horizons even further in the gaming world and have delved into the realms of role playing games and tabletop miniature wargames. So far, Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer 40k are the ones I play the most. I have even been trying to paint the miniatures for these games, as if I don't have enough things to do already!

I will be honest, prior to playing D&D I had very limited knowledge and little idea of what it actually entailed. I remember loving the 1980s cartoon Dungeons & Dragons, and wanting a short unicorn that sounded both squeaky and gruff, but that was probably the closest I got to any D&D action. One thing I knew for certain about this game was that there would be a lot of dice rolling, and rolling a natural one was bad! I am the expert when it comes to low rolls, so I knew from the start my characters would have a hard time.

When I asked about D&D I was told by many people that it is all about storytelling, that you and your companions are weaving a fantasy story together and none of you know what will happen in the unfolding chapters. Even the Dungeon Master (who controls and organises the game) will not know the outcome for definite, they have a plan but will keep that a closely guarded secret. In this sense, it feels like an incredibly unpredictable and compelling experience. Armed with a drawstring bag of colourful dice, slightly blunted pencils and some paper, I boldly marched into the scenario. I was introduced to the 5th edition D&D; a beautifully illustrated Player's Handbook and not as daunting as I thought it would be. I was also given a character sheet to fill out. Oh, the choices! I chose to go with a homebrew race; Merfolk Erectus. This could have been a very bad choice for my first character, but I went with it as I liked the idea of a Mer-person with legs who needs to consume gallons of water every day in order to stay alive. In a separate campaign at the local games shop I was given a pre-gen character sheet, so it has been fun playing in different ways.

Playing out these campaigns with a crowd of strangers is interesting, and it is funny how we know each other's character's names but perhaps not our real names! After a few sessions the true names are remembered a bit more. We all refer to the Dungeon Master as the DM, even though we've known his name for ages. I have been quite lucky with Dungeon Masters so far, they all possess a great depth of knowledge of the world, and they have played enough times to know what works and how to keep everyone stimulated. They have also been very versatile and patient with beginners, such as myself. No one in our campaigns has been stuck on a rigid quest or killed off for making a tiny mistake...yet. I must say, my characters have suffered many misfortunes for their poor life choices. The last campaign with my pre-gen character did not go too brilliantly. My bereaved halfling had just laid her husband to rest (he made a VERY poor life choice, bless him. Involving bandits, no useful weapons and no back-up) when she was attacked by a were-boar and started to show signs of changing. On that day, she ate a priest by accident, stole a lot of bread and copper coins, ate a goblin's face, conquered the thieve's guild and then got bitten by a vampire in the night. To their credit, her companions did not reject her or turn her in. They may have purchased some shackles and a muzzle, just in case.

My Merfolk Erectus guy, Merlot Von Whet, has had a bit more luck than my halfling. He was just a name and a few abilities in the beginning but now he is so familiar to me and has his own unique personality. He is rather flamboyant, as he is of royal blood, but was banished for inappropriate behaviour in the palace. He always seems to have a heavy purse, despite his banishment. He is a druid, and can use Wild Shape to shape shift into various animals. As he has levelled up, so has this spell, and it has gotten him and his companions into a few...situations. It is not entirely his fault, as I am still grasping when it is ideal to shift and when I should let him stay as he is. The occasion when Merlot was a mouse and shifted back to humanoid form whilst crawling in someone's trousers was a valuable lesson to learn. Rolling low for initiative meant that the man was wearing metal armour and Merlot was horribly wounded. Luckily he is a bit of a healer, and time heals all wounds, right?

The sheer amount of trouble my companions and I get into is insane, we are only trying to do good deeds and help local villages out but things do not always go to plan. I guess that is the beauty of the D&D experience, because things would never go smoothly in real life. The most recent 'mishap' in the campaign at the games shop involved the slaughter of what we thought were a group of bandits. It turned out they were not bandits at all, they were emissaries for the Royal Fleet, and we ended up feasting with one of their brothers! There was a lot of guilt at the table as we listened to him speak fondly of his noble brother and how eagerly he anticipated his arrival. Gulp! We still finished the banquet and stayed in their castle, though. it would be rude to decline such an invitation.    

My next campaign date is late April, which gives me plenty of time to paint up my halfling. I look forward to finding a cure for my vampirism and breaking the curse of the were-boar affliction, with the help of my D&D posse. As true in any quest, all you need are good companions and good (ish) ideals. But don't shape shift whilst messing about in someone's armour, it does not end well.           

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx

I finally finished updating my game plays of 2015 the other day, it took a rather long time as I had to log plays from December 2014 to June 2015. Yes, I have been very bad at logging plays...but I promise I will keep on top of it this year. After logging them all meticulously onto Boardgamegeek I checked the final count and I was thrilled to learn that I played 1,992 games in 2015! That is not too shabby for a relatively new gamer. Those games were an eclectic mixture of brief filler games, medium card, dice and strategy games, more robust boardgames and larger meatier games.  

It is funny to think that I was totally oblivious to this expansive and wondrous world of gaming just over a year ago, and it is interesting to see how I dove head first into the throngs of tabletop games. I was seduced by the shiny dice, the beautifully crafted boards and components but, most especially, by the unity and interaction that comes when playing a game with another person. 

To immerse oneself in a game, for me, is much like getting lost in a good book or trying out a new move in your skates - the same kind of thrill is released. You are using brain power; strategy, dexterity or even just counting your lucky stars. It is strange to say it, but being introduced to tabletop games has affected my life in a positive way. It has made me gain more confidence, given me the inspiration and the platform to start writing again, it has taken me on some great road trips around the country in pursuit of new games and experiences and has led me to make new and welcoming friends. 

So, that was my mushy little ramble! I look forward to writing a lot more, and gaming a lot more. I have lots of gaming adventures planned this year already, including more trips to new board games cafes. Quite a few fresh ones need to be checked out, and their cakes need sampling too.

Thanks for reading

Marisa xx     

Happy New Year!

I am a little late to the greetings and salutations party, but I would like to say Happy New Year to all of my readers. I trust you all had a merry time and got to play as many games as you could handle. I also wanted to say a big Thank You to everyone who reads my little blog, to everyone who has been involved in posts and interviews and to all the people who have supported it and encouraged me since I plucked up the courage to create it, you are all brilliant!

Whilst I settle into a new year and a new life, full of fresh plans and the unknown, I thought I would share with you all some images of the games that I received for Christmas and my birthday - because sharing is caring, and I am way too excited about them all to be quiet about it :)

I am now the proud owner of the Ticket To Ride expansion India & Switzerland! A shiny new double-sided board with India on one side and Switzerland on the other. Towards the end of last year I found myself playing Ticket To Ride quite a lot, I even printed off some fan-made expansions that are available online to use, like the Emerald City and the London Tube map. There are many expansions of this game, all offering a variety of twists on the classic game that delight and engage. The route formations are different but there are also little extra bonuses in each game that keep you on your toes.

Due to my fondness of Forbidden Island I was given Forbidden Desert, it's thematic sequel, set in what appears to be the ruins of a steampunk-esque world in the heart of the burning desert. Players work together as adventurers trekking out to the desert to unearth a legendary flying machine that is buried under the ruins of the city. As time moves on the board changes; perils such as sandstorms and lack of water arise. With resource management, utilising your role's special skills and fast-thinking you can find the flying machine before you are buried under the vast heavy sand. We failed miserably on the first try as I died of thirst, but the second time we were victorious!

Ever since I played Waggle Dance at the board games cafe, Thirsty Meeple, I have yearned for it. This euro-style worker placement game has such a fun theme! Worker bees - what could be more efficient than that? Buzzing around making their honey. The goal of the game is to be the first one to make the most honeycombs. There are different options to choose from every round, you choose where to place your bees in order to optimise your results. Bees could be collecting nectar, making bee babies, expanding the hive...oh so many choices!

Ah, the gentle and scenic Tokaido is finally mine! Players take on the roles of travellers who are journeying across the East Sea Road, using their unique qualities to help them progress on their travels. On the road you may choose to linger at the hot springs, you may encounter a friendly stranger, or purchase a special souvenir, or perhaps gaze at the outstanding views. The most successful and well-travelled person wins the game, and the calm nature of the game makes everyone feel really chilled (even if they are losing).

One of my favourite set collecting and trading games is Jaipur, I discovered it on Board Game Arena last year. Players act as merchants trying to out-do each other through trading, selling and buying. The game has elements of risk and luck, as you wait with bated breath to see what the card deck has in store for you at the market. Will it be the sought-after and expensive diamonds or will it be plain old cloth? Using clever tactics you can still achieve greatness, even if you are stuck with cloth!

So those were my fabulous games of the season, and I intend to play them a lot more over the cold months to come. 

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx

    

Play With Your Food 2015

I had the pleasure of talking to the fantastic people at SaskGames about their 24 hour board gaming marathon, 'Play With Your Food', which was set up to raise money and awareness for a good cause. Check out the interview below :). 

What influenced you to start the event 'Play With Your Food'?

In 2013 we began to reflect that a large thriving community had recently formed around the hobby of boardgames in Regina, SK. It was obvious there was an appetite for more events in the community so we decided to try to harness the power of the community to do something that would give to those in need. In essence, if we have the luxury to sit at a table to play a tabletop boardgame, then we are truly among the blessed and could pause to reflect on those less fortunate. That was the initial thought behind the event from a SaskGames Leadership team.

On a more personal note, my mother passed away in December of 2011 and she was a person who always wanted to feed the world. She donated her time to the food bank in Nova Scotia where she lived, and one of her final acts of charity and kindness was when she had us take her to Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Regina so she could donate some Christmas baking for the homeless. That inspired and moved me to want to get involved in causes related to food security. I run a small local gaming convention for friends and as a pre-cursor to the large 24 hour event, BixCON donated a small amount in 2012 and 2013 under the banner of "Play with Your Food". Mom would be very proud of what we are doing.   

-Matt Robertson

Tell us a little bit about the shelter you are helping out.

Souls Harbour Rescue Mission provides a variety of programs and services including; Men’s & Women’s Emergency Shelters, a ‘Free’ Clothing store, a feeding program (soup kitchen), the Dean Smith Youth Center, Little Souls Daycare, affordable housing (Harbour House), and the Shayil Home Women’s Addiction 12-month live-in program for women and their children. 

-Murray Bennett

Is this a cause close to your heart?

I spent most of my life farming, both grain and cattle and as long as I remember we always delivered some of the meat we couldn't use when butchering to Souls Harbour or its previous shelter under a different name.
Since I quit farming I have supported our work program called Drive Away Hunger and this project seemed like a great extension of these things.
There is so much waste in the food world that I have always felt we should try and find a use for what is leftover, it really doesn't take any work to make it a part of your life.

-Murray Bennett

How long have you been running this event?

This was my first year being involved with this event - I was asked to be the chairman and I thought it would be fun!
This was the third year for the 24 Hours to Play with Your Food event. 

-Murray Bennett

How popular has it become?

The event has grown to now have 120 participants of which 43 stayed the entire 24 hours this year! We run the event in the Souls Harbour facility and I feel our maximum capacity is probably 150.

Tickets for the event went on sale in March of 2015 and we were sold out in August!

-Murray Bennett

What has been the wildest thing that has happened at the past events? Has anyone fallen asleep face-down on their meeples?

My friend Adam has fallen asleep in his chair in the middle of a game at about hour 22-23 each year:
Year 1 while playing Doom: The Board Game: I had to nudge him each time it came back to his turn.
Year 2 while playing Carcassonne: Adam picked up a tile, took a few seconds to scan the map to determine where to place it, and promptly fell asleep, the tile slipping from his hand to the table.  I think he still beat me...
Year 3 while playing Res Publica: Adam kept falling asleep while holding his hand of cards -- you could only tell he fell asleep because his eyes were closed.  I had to snap my fingers to wake him up about half a dozen times.

-Ryan Newell

There seems to be a large gaming community in Saskatchewan, do you feel SaskGames has helped strengthen the popularity of gaming?

The SaskGames website was launched in the summer of 2010 to bring together many fragmented groups in the hopes of growing the gaming community as a whole. 
Boardgames are a niche hobby, and specialized gaming sites and groups are a niche within a niche. It is hard for us all individually to achieve inertia. That is where the critical mass of a centralized community makes sense. The key is getting everyone to go to the same oasis in the desert for their “gaming” drink of water. I think umbrella sites such as SaskGames.com fill a very important role in this manner. We have achieved a lot of momentum and events have seen a substantial uptake in the number of attendees. There are now over 900 registered members on the SaskGames website and monthly page views exceed 175,000. Every month we are seeing more new faces at events and it is heartwarming to see the hobby and the community grow. One of the most important metrics of a community is the number of new friendships formed; in that regard SaskGames has been very successful.

-Matt Robertson

So how does the marathon work? Do you have an itinerary of the game segments or are the teams spontaneously gaming?

The day is kind of a combination of those two things. The 120 participants were made up of 25 teams of varying sizes. We maintained a schedule of games based on selections chosen by the participants which included larger games that required more than their own group or after midnight a third of the people had left so the teams are less cohesive after that time.
In the weeks leading up to the event, attendees had the ability to plan games and solicit players through a scheduling thread on SaskGames.
Participants brought games to the event and there were a lot of spontaneous games throughout the 24 hours or requests from people to have someone teach a game.

-Murray Bennett

Would you like to see other gaming organisations around the world helping their communities in such a positive way?

Absolutely. I think the model of local groups raising money for local causes is very important. Once communities reach a certain size, it is important for them to develop a social conscience and social responsibility. It is very rewarding when the community adopts of culture of caring. We do not live in a vacuum.

-Matt Robertson

Which games are firm favourites at this event?

There are a mix of epic games, party games, co-operative games and just about anything you can think of. Dead of Winter has been a hit since it game out in the last 2 years.

We did a big 20 player game of Codenames using a projector and that went over really well. One of our members wrote a Werewolf style game called The Thing based on the movie and around 20 were involved with that.
Flick 'em up was popular too!
Friedrich, Kremlin, Dune, Firefly, Castles of the Mad King Ludwig - so many games and so many different styles. That is really one of the big appeals to the event, you get to see so many games and play something new or a game that you just don't get out very often

-Murray Bennett

Which games do you generally play the most?

As Murray shared, there is a large variety of games played at this event. I personally like a mix of long epic games with some shorter games mixed in. This past year I played three beasts: Friedrich, Dune, and Fief: France 1429. I also played Castles of Burgundy, Star Realms, Machi Koro, Kingsburg, Affentennis, Infinite City, & 7 Wonders. Quite a mix. In years past I took my large scale custom Merchant of Venus game for some epic gaming goodness as well as a combined Eastern USA / Western USA Railways of the World game.

-Matt Robertson

What advice would you give someone who is about to attempt a 24 hour gaming marathon?

The older I get, the more I need to pay attention to tips and tricks to give me the endurance for a 24 Hour boardgame marathon. Here are a few pointers:

(1) Take stretch breaks frequently. I often get up and walk around a bit just to keep the circulation moving. Being a bit active keeps me more alert. 
(2) Drink lots of water. Sounds cliché, but it helps. Has the added benefit of making me get up to use the washroom so induces regular short walks. 
(3) Go easy on coffee and/or energy drinks. I love coffee, but I pace myself during events like this. 
(4) Do not overeat at event. Snack on nuts, fresh fruit, and veggies. 
(5) I take a bottle of chewable vitamin C with me. I like to up my resistance to colds and such, especially since my immune system will be sleep deprived. 
(6) Have a healthy mix of fun, light, interactive games to keep the event energy levels up.
(7) Do not take games or yourself too seriously. Have fun and laugh often. It is amazing how this simple credo will energize me for long haul sessions. I truly enjoy the hobby and the people involved in the hobby so this one is easy. 

-Matt Robertson

Thank you to the guys at SaskGames for taking the time to answer my questions, keep up the great work and keep on gaming.

Thanks for reading!

Marisa xx