About Board / Card Games

Viva Topo! - Children's Game Review

2009-11-25T05:33:42Z

A big orange cat is on the prowl in Viva Topo!, and your goal is to protect your four mice. In addition to top-notch components, Mark Jackson says there is a nice balance between kid friendliness and game tension in this game. Read more in his review of Viva Topo!.

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^{Image courtesy of Rio Grande Games}

Viva Topo! - Children's Game Review originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 05:33:42.

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Dish It Up! - Children's Game Review

2009-11-22T05:33:00Z

There are a lot of memory games, but there are not nearly as many which use memory in a thematic way to create a great kids game experience. Reviewer Mark Jackson says that Dish It Up! -- in which players are waiters and waitresses in a greasy spoon diner -- is one of the proud, the few... the thematically rich memory games.

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^{Image courtesy of Gamewright}

Dish It Up! - Children's Game Review originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 05:33:00.

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First Small World Expansions Now Available

2009-11-20T05:33:31Z

The first two expansions for Small World are now available. Cursed! introduces the Kobold and Goblin races along with five special powers: Cursed, Hordes of, Marauding, Ransacking, and Were-. The Grand Dames of Small World features the Priestesses, White Ladies, and Gypsies, along with the Historian and Peace-Loving special powers. Each of these Small World expansions sell for about $10.

In Small World, players control a variety of races -- including dwarves, wizards, amazons, giants, orcs and humans -- as they attempt to earn points by conquering territories and maintaining control. It was named 2009 Game of the Year by Games magazine.

First Small World Expansions Now Available originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 05:33:31.

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2009 World Scrabble Championships: Nov. 26-29

2009-11-19T05:33:41Z

The 2009 World Scrabble Championships are scheduled to begin one week from today in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Over the first three days of the event, players will compete in 24 games of Scrabble. The best-of-five finals will take place on Sunday, Nov. 29. Nigel Richards of New Zealand, the 2007 world champion, is among those expected to participate. More information is available at the World Scrabble Championships web site.

2009 World Scrabble Championships: Nov. 26-29 originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 05:33:41.

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New Mini-Expansion for Memoir '44

2009-11-18T18:45:16Z

Game publisher Days of Wonder recently announced the upcoming release of a new mini-expansion for Memoir '44 (a World War II game designed by Richard Borg), the Vercors Campaign. The full-color expansion will be given free to customers who purchase any Memoir '44 product (including the base game or any of the existing expansions) from participating retailers or from the Days of Wonder web site.

The Vercors Campaign includes five new scenarios created by Jacques "jdrommel" David, highlighting the Maquisards of the French Resistance and their battle against SS forces on the Vercors Plateau in the summer of 1944. As with all Memoir '44 campaigns, victory is earned by winning multiple battles with the outcome of each scenario determining the circumstances of the next.

The Vercors Campaign will be available starting in December. Players will need a copy of the Memoir '44 base game, the Terrain Pack expansion (for some scenarios) and the Campaign Book: Volume 1 (for the campaign rules). The Air Pack expansion is recommended, but not required.

New Mini-Expansion for Memoir '44 originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 18:45:16.

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Dylan Lauren Designs New Edition of Candy Land

2009-11-18T18:30:18Z

Dylan Lauren, owner of the largest candy store in the world and daughter of clothing designer Ralph Lauren, has designed a new edition of the venerable children's game Candy Land. According to an article at The Wall Street Journal's web site, a Dylan's Candy Bar Edition of the game has shipped to her five stores nationwide. It will sell for $25.

Dylan Lauren Designs New Edition of Candy Land originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 18:30:18.

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Pop Belly - Children's Game Review

2009-11-18T05:33:21Z

Although Pop Belly was designed by Klaus Teuber, the creator of The Settlers of Catan, this game is decidedly more light-hearted. It has to be, since the theme is feeding pigs so much that they eventually explode! If that sounds silly, well... as Mark Jackson says in his review of Pop Belly, "Hard to believe you can tease a wonderful game out of such ridiculous subject matter, but it is accomplished with style and flair."

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^{Image courtesy of SimplyFun}

Pop Belly - Children's Game Review originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 05:33:21.

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Upcoming Films Based on Hasbro Games

2009-11-16T18:24:45Z

Hasbro recently announced plans for a motion picture based on the board game Risk, making it the fifth Hasbro game to be the subject of an upcoming major motion picture. About.com's Guide ot Hollywood Movies, Rebecca Murray, has more on Risk: The Movie. There was no announcement regarding a screenwriter or director.

The other Hasbro games currently scheduled to be the subjects of future films include:

Battleship, directed by Peter Berg (Hancock) from a screenplay by Jon and Erich Hoebe (Whiteout).
Candy Land, directed by Kevin Lima (Enchanted, 102 Dalmations) from a screenplay by Etan Cohen (Idiocracy, Tropic Thunder).
Clue, produced and directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Ring).
Monopoly, produced and directed by Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Black Hawk Down) from a screenplay by Pamela Pettler (Corpse Bride, Monster House). Frank Beddor, who helped develop this movie's concept, recently told The Los Angeles Times, "I wrote the story that got Hasbro excited and I attached Ridley Scott." He also shared some of the movie's premise: "I created a comedic, lovable loser who lives in Manhattan and works at a real estate company and he's not very good at his job but he's great at playing Monopoly..."

Upcoming Films Based on Hasbro Games originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 18:24:45.

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Giro Galoppo - Children's Game Review

2009-11-11T05:33:26Z

Giro Galoppo certainly looks like a cute children's game, doesn't it? Pretty kid art, little wooden jockeys with interchangeable wooden horses, nifty little wooden fences... But in his review of Giro Galoppo, reviewer Mark Jackson says we shouldn't be fooled. This game is "mummy, daddy, don't touch it's ee-vil" in a box. (Which does not mean that it isn't a great children's game!)

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^{Image courtesy of Rio Grande Games}

Giro Galoppo - Children's Game Review originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 05:33:26.

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Duck Duck Bruce - Children's Game Review

2009-11-08T05:33:20Z

Each turn in Duck Duck Bruce is relatively simple: on your turn, you flip over cards from the deck until you either "bust" (get another card of the same suit) or stop and take your winnings. Some special action cards add to the excitement. While the game is similar to Zirkus Flohcati, reviewer Mark Jackson says in his review of Duck Duck Bruce that he recommends this game for children.

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^{Image courtesy of Gamewright}

Duck Duck Bruce - Children's Game Review originally appeared on About.com Board / Card Games on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 05:33:20.

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