Big Games, Itty Bitty Living Space

Mobile platforms just keep getting better and better, as some of the best analog games on your shelf are being digitized. The most notable recent addition, in my opinion, is Minion Games’ explosive worker placement option, The Manhattan Project. Realized in cardboard form about a year ago, the game has you managing a team of scientists and engineers in an attempt to build the biggest atomic bombs. This animated arms race made its way to Android devices last week and should be hitting iOS soon (Ed. Note: Manhattan Project was released today on iOS).

On a related but slightly less exciting note, Star Realms, White Wizard Games’ condensed yet addictive deck-builder, has been rejected from the Apple store once again. Android users rejoice as they get to be top dog just a bit longer. It will be resubmitted, but don’t hold your breath for intergalactic battles on your iPhone anytime soon.

Fantasy Flight Games does what they do best – Win.

Fantasy Flight Games managed to blow our minds not once but twice over the weekend with the announcement of two new products.

XCOM: The Board Game places you in the board room as a leader of the front against alien invasion. Incorporating 4 player cooperative play, with variable roles a powers, alongside a mandatory companion app, the game looks to break ground on multiple levels. It’s difficult to describe the buzz that erupted over this game within the online community, but it dominated social media feeds for quite a while. Keep an eye out for this one late fourth quarter 2014, and expect plenty of teasers and previews from FFG.

Now, part 2 of FFG’s plan to rule the world takes us to the new Star Wars X-Wing expansi…wait. That’s not X-Wing. Why are those ships so tiny? Star Destroyers? What the f…

Star Wars: Armada is the next application of FFG’s Star Wars license. Taking one giant leap backward in scope, they managed to finally answer question: Will X-Wing ever get Star Destroyers? How will they maintain the scale?!” Armada looks very, very, similar to X-Wing, but differs by putting you in control of an entire fleet, rather than a smaller squadron of pilots. The movement templates, upgrades cards, and dice are all here. There’s even a little rotating dial thingy to pick your commands. Where the differences lie, I’m not entirely sure. But who really cares, we all know the Starter Set will end up on my shelf. Keep an eye out for it early next year and please head to FFG’s GenCon booth for a demo, steal a ship, and mail it to me.

“Vikings” continue to raid FLGS shelves

Vikings have become a more popular theme as of late, it seems. Catalyst Game Labs looks to join the party with a line of game based on History Channel’s “Vikings” TV show. The show is pretty much what you’d expect, there are vikings, pillaging, some long boats, killing, a bit of sexual referencing, more killing and the occasional human sacrifice. As such, CGL may have the opportunity to make one of the grittier Vikings themed games, though the first venture into the franchise will not take advantage of this. Rather, Jarl: The Vikings Tile Laying Game will be a re-working of CGL’s abstract strategy title, The Duke. A first glance, it seems to be a simple re-skinning, but the press release does indicate that some new mechanics will be built in to this successor.

The second game in the line, Viking The Board Game was less discussed, though we do know that it will feature exploration and raiding. No surprise there.

As a fan of the show, these are definitely on my radar, with Jarl likely being an instant-buy. The Duke is an excellent game (see our review here), vikings can only make it better.

GenCon 2014 is here

GenCon, the annual convention dedicated to all things tabletop gaming, is finally here.  With some of this year’s biggest releases going on sale, more gaming events and tournaments than you’ll ever participate in during your lifetime, and the hobby’s most prolific designers and media personalities – it will be a sight to behold. Fortunately for those not attending, we’ll have boots on the ground of the convention floor, as Dan and Smee will be on the front lines to game, shop and report on all the cardboard goodness. Be sure to stick with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as the convention rolls on.