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Restaurant Row Reviews
“In recent memory, I can’t think of many games that try to tackle a subject as large, or as varied and off the beaten path, and yet manage to very successfully simulate it within the confines of a one hour time span. I think it gets high marks in this category, of all of the categories this is where it really shines the most.” “It’s well worth your time to add to your game tasting menu… You don’t have to a goofy food geek like me to realize that this game is good eats.”
"This game is very fun! The more I play it, the more I like it! " See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Chopstick Dexterity MegaChallenge 3000 Reviews
....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."
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 Reviews
See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Knockabout Reviews
"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. 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." "Knockabout is no abstract masterpiece, but that has most likely not been the goal either. A little loose playful play with dice, which at the same time challenges your tactical abilities would be more accurate. There is, naturally, some depth in the game, but since the dice may change rather quickly up and down in value, there has to be quite a lot of luck involved as well. In as much as any dice is basically under threat if it is just 3-4 hexes from the pit, the fight for the centre parts of the board become intense. But even here there are only 6 hexes to the pit, so it is fully possible to loose a dice positioned here as well, if your opponent may threat the hex with a d6 or d8 with a high value. The only defence then is to collide with the threatening dice in an attempt to bring its value down. Greg Lam has come up with a fun and interesting twist on several known elements, and combined them in a relatively new and entertaining game dynamic." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Warp 6 Reviews
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."
"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." "Warp 6 is sold together with Knockabout, and they share components. That is cost effective and both games are interesting and fresh designs. Warp 6 seems a bit more chaotic in the first round than Knockabout, but it is a more challenging game once you get to know it. Maybe somewhat more mathematical, but there are lots of ways to both surprise and outwit your opponent. The main reason why these games, for many, are more interesting than many of the usual abstract strategy games is that gameplay is constantly shifting through the varied dice values during the game. This is a common trait for both titles, and should be checked out if you have a soft spot for both dice games and abstract brain ache." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
Pagoda Reviews
"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 Reviews
See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
The Triangle Game Reviews
"Overall, the game is an enjoyable game with some interesting tactics." See the BoardGameGeek Ratings |
“I give it high marks. The blind bid mechanism works well as a method of resolving conflicts, and it fits perfectly with the theme. It feels, well, meaty. A hearty exercise for your brain that doesn’t leave you overfull from the experience”
"Really neat ideas, and it's a lot of fun... This game gets two thumbs up from me. The Critic here says that this restaurant is good to eat at... I highly recommend you try it out."
"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.
"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.... 
"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."
"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!"
"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."
"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 a clever three-player race
game... another quick and satisfying game.
If you especially like race games, raise
the rating to A, and if you don't like race
games, drop it to a B+. Overall rating:
A- "
"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+"
"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."
"The Zombies were pleasantly
surprised by the way the game played.
All three players enjoyed the strategy
and style of the game."
