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Chopstick Dexterity MegaChallenge 3000"It's a dexterity game that, even though I'm horrifyingly bad at, is one that has generated a lot of fun both with teenagers and adults and can be extremely funny and enjoyable just to watch! I have had to caution some folks (teenagers especially) not to stab each other when playing; but really, it's just humorous to watch two or three people go to town with chopsticks in a furious, crazed battle. Even if you are like me, an idiot or novice with these utensils, you might want to check out this silly, silly game. ....a fast and wild dexterity game. The rules even allow a shape accidentally going into a bowl as counting. More than once I've seen players fighting, and the piece accidentally flies into the air, landing in a player's bowl. This causes great hilarity, as does the grim look on players' faces when two of them have their chopsticks clutching the same piece, with one false move giving it to the other player. I personally found the three player games more interesting; because when three people are grabbing for the same item, it makes it that much funnier! In reality, I guess this is a game that anyone could have thought of and perhaps has been played on an unofficial level between kids with chopsticks. But the shapes included are a good mix, and the game makes for a wacky, silly time. If you're looking for a silly dexterity game to bring out at parties, or something to use with teenagers that will produced laughs and excitement, then Chopstick Dexterity MegaChallenge 3000 is a safe bet - I've never seen it played without laughter included." "This impersonal description of the game does not do it justice. The sheer chaos that erupts as two or three people use chopsticks to fight over little wooden shapes in a plastic bowl is hilarious to behold.... Whether your goal is to teach your family how to use chopsticks correctly so you can impress the neighbors when you dine at the local Asian restaurant or you just want a hilarious addition to a family evening's entertainment, you can't go wrong with Chopstick Dexterity MegaChallenge 3000." "...cheers to Greg Lam for transforming everyday components into a fantastically fun and frantic game." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Marvin Marvel's Marvelous Marble Machine"I've always enjoyed machinery and
marbles, and using them as the theme in
a game sounded like an excellent idea.
And despite being slightly fiddly, I thought
that game fit the theme well and was actually
quite fun to play. With two through four
players, the game is interesting (five
and six is a bit too chaotic), but best
played with two or three. Each player
is attempting to lay machinery to point
the many "marbles" towards their goal(s).
The game board quickly gets cluttered
up with machinery, and some odd things
can happen; but it's an enjoyable romp
that will pass many a pleasurable moment.... "Marvin Marvel's Marvellous Marble Machine is an entirely original game where you place tiles to create a marble machine, while simultaneously directing marbles through those machine parts, trying to get them to your goal. Gameplay is light, but allows for strategy. There's a fair amount of take-that gameplay, as you try and mess up your opponents' marble routes, and thus I'd generally classify this as an American game. However, it's one of the best American style games that I've played, and I think this light abstract will also appeal to a much broader audience of casual gamers and Eurogamers alike." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Knockabout"Happy dice are here again! Each
player begins with nine dice on a board
that contains 91 hexagonal spaces. Four
four-sided dice start with the number
one faceup, three six-sided with the two
faceup, and two eight-sided with the three
faceup. Move one die per turn in a straight
line exactly the number of its faceup
value. A die that collides with another
must stop, thereby transferring its remaining
momentum to the die that it hits. The
second die behaves similarly, and so on
until the last die hit it rerolled. You
win by pushing five enemies into the gutter
around the board's perimeter. Dice banished
to the gutter never leave, but they may
move within it to a spot where they protect
friends from being pushed off the board.
You'll discover numerous opportunities
to surprise and snare your opponent, and
you'll relish the tempting risks involved
in forcing a reroll of the fiesty dice!" "I recently picked up a couple of
games from a small American company called
Pair-of-Dice Games. Knockabout, the only
one I've tried, is a real rarity - an
abstract game I like! ... There's a lot
of scope for coming up with traps and
surprises for your opponent, which makes
this a winner in my eyes. All the company's
games are unusual and reasonably priced." "A+ This is an oustanding two player
strategy/dice game that plays in about
15 minutes. The variety of strategies
and tactics available in this game are
very satisfying. Generating long lines
of colisions, repeatedly colliding with
one's own eight-sided dice until you get
a high number, and playing extremely defensively
are all viable approaches, if done well.
Further, the way in which luck is injected
into the game is ingenious. Overall, this
is an outstanding game which is easy to
teach and learn and extremely entertaining.
" "A. Very interesting dynamics in
this abstract strategy game. Watching
the pieces move is fascinating, as is
the extension of force from the pieces.
Fun, easy to learn, and a handy tube format
to boot! Thanks for an exciting game of
ricochets and strategy." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Warp 6"Warp 6 is an excellent abstract game that seems to play equally well with two or three players. There is a bit of luck in the beginning of the game, but it soon settles down into a rather clever tactical and strategic game. The dice and board aren't the highest quality, but gameplay is fairly quick - an easy game to digest and play. The game is actually heavier than it feels, offering a lot of choices and options; but since players quickly move or change a die, downtime is minimal, and Warp 6 is a fun little game.... Warp 6 is one of my favorite recipes
for an abstract strategy game - a dash
of luck seasoned with some easy but viable
strategy. It's not the best looking or
themed game I've ever played, but it certainly
is worth the price. If you're looking
for a two or three player abstract game
- one that can be played in about thirty
minutes or less, then Warp 6 is worth
checking out. I've been pleasantly surprised
by recent plays and think that this will
join what has become my regular rotation
of strategy games." "Each player has six dice in his
color: three four-sided, two six-sided,
and one eight-sided. Dice begin on the
first 18 spaces of the 127-space spiral
path. Players in turn roll a die and place
the number faceup on the farthest unoccupied
space from the Exit. On a turn you may
either: (a) increase or reduce (by one)
the value of a single friendly die; or
(b) move a friendly die forward the number
of spaces of its current value. A die
that lands on an occupied space is transferred
to the adjacent space of the next inner
ring; it must continue on this inward
path until it finally reaches an unoccupied
space, at which point it is rerolled.
Shortcuts created by making multiple transfers
can be tremendously satisfying. You win
when your fourth die reaches the central
space. The key to victory is knowing how
to make the best use of both enemy and
friendly dice. With its simple and innovative
rules, this captivating challenge is guaranteed
to reward the patient, calculating strategist." -- Board Game Stuff "The satisfaction from a good move
is very high, as is the "play it again"
factor... The Strategy/German gamer will
shun it for lack of theme. The pure abstract
gamer will shudder at the use of dice,
but both groups will be missing out on
a good game. I'm happy to add it to my
game collection." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Pagoda"The real trick lies in the fact
that when a man kills another piece, that
piece is reincarnated (rerolled) and on
the players turn, they may place that
piece anywhere, instead of moving a piece
already on the board. Due to this reincarnation,
there are some interesting approaches,
including aggressive positioning of weaker
pieces to encourage them to be killed
and reincarnated. The game is very clever.
B+" "Given Pagoda's length, it works
well.... fast to explain and setup...
Pagoda has promise, especially played
as a blitz game... I think it works, if
both players are treating it with the
same level of seriousness. I've enjoyed
it when my opponents played quickly, and
I've thought about strategy a bit while
not playing... it fills the gap nicely
when two people are sitting around, waiting
to get into something else... If you like
abstracts, you should probably give it
a try. " See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
HexNut"The game, in which each player
is trying to construct a chain of their
color, has a feel very similar to Go.
Overall, HexNut is a pleasingly portable
and involving abstract game." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
The Triangle Game"The Zombies were pleasantly
surprised by the way the game played.
All three players enjoyed the strategy
and style of the game. " "Overall, the game
is an enjoyable game with some interesting
tactics." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
