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GAMES NEWS! 16/09/19

Ava: Hlph um kumphlll. Mummph blumph fulmph bugublfu

Quinns: What was that, Ava?

Ava: *large tearing noise and a series of ragged gasps* Help me, Quinns, I’m stuck inside this baseball!

Quinns: …

Ava: It’s an allegory, Quinns, and a warning that this week’s games news is a bit more inside baseball than usual.

Quinns: I can just about understand that, but how did you get in there!?

Ava: Never doubt my commitment to a bit, Quinns. Also, I’m sorry I ruined your baseball.

As anyone who’s seen us at conventions will know, it’s hard for team SU&SD to spend a day out and about without getting into a punching fight or muscle demonstration.

As such, it was only natural that we’d review Combo Fighter. An expandable, simple card game about kicking bottom, and a glorious team effort between designer Asger Johansen and artist Snorre Krogh. If you like the sound of a lightning-fast 1 vs 1 game that’s more intelligent than it has any right to be, do take a closer look.

(And if you’d like to see more of this kind of thing, check out our impressions of Critical Mass on podcast #84.)

Have a great weekend, everybody!

Called to an exclusive competition on an offshore oil rig by an eccentric billionaire, the world’s best brawlers, and martial artists will compete for lavish prizes and the glory of proving that they are the strongest and most skilled. In Combo Fighter you will play as one of these fighters competing to become the ultimate champion. You … Read more

[Tactics and Tactility is our column about the feelings, details and pleasures of tabletop gaming. This week we’re looking at Songbirds, and nasty little puzzles.]

Ava: There’s a specific sort of puzzle that takes you by surprise. You hear some rules, you start making gentle moves, pushing towards one path or another, placing pieces, making choices.

Then things start to tighten. The points and the prize and the folks sat beside you suddenly crowding in. Everything matters.

And it’s only going to get harder.

Songbirds is a beautifully sweet game of finding your favourite bird and hoping it’s eaten the most berries.

Except actually, Songbirds is a ruthlessly cruel game about second guessing, outmaneuvering, and slowly being left with no options whatsoever.

Kylie: <a href=”https://www.shutupandsitdown.com/games/inuit-the-snow-folk/”>Inuit: The Snow Folk</a> is a deeply alluring card-drafting strategy game that sees 2-4 players vying for the title of the greatest leader of the Snow Folk.

First up, let me take you on a tour of the rules. Inuit is a breath of fresh air as far as rules go – it’s incredibly simple. On your turn you’re going to draw a card from the deck and place it face up in the middle of the table. This communal area is known as the Great White.

You can then optionally turn over some more cards before finally choosing to take one or more of the face up cards and putting them in the relevant space on your player board. The game ends when the polar nightfall card is drawn from the deck and whoever scores the most points wins.

That’s it. Rules tour is done. Phew!

As aurora borealis fills the night sky with fantastical light, and the eyes of those who came before look upon you, it has fallen on you to lead your village to power and prosperity. Now is the time to grow in numbers and strength, to build, to hunt, to look to the spirits of the … Read more

Ben: Oh jeez, I’m introducing the news. Please don’t let me break anything. They never let the intern pilot the Enterprise. Ava: Luke Skywalker was basically an intern when he got a pop on an X-Wing, and he blew up an entire ‘that’s no moon’. Dream big, Ben! Blow something up! Ben: Hello! It’s time for some gaming news! If you’re ready for it, great, if not let me know and I will tip you out of bed and shout news in your face until you’ve had your fill or I get tired. Ava: That’s the spirit!

This week, our series on the best games that you can play with a 52 card deck gets violent.

Egyptian Ratscrew plays a lot like Jungle Speed, except with more fire. Literally. This is the first game that SU&SD has covered with a greater than zero chance of ending in flames. Also, huge thanks to Gnalistair on YouTube for pointing out that the game gets even better if you require players to first slap their forehead before slapping the table.

If you like the look of the Carte Rouge puzzle deck in this video, the Kickstarter is right here.

Your final adventure has taken you where you should never have gone — to the underworld! You must escape and find a barque that can float you safely back. But Cerberus, the infernal watchdog, is on your heels with the intent to guard you forever.

In the semi-cooperative game Cerberus, you must help each other traverse the game board without being caught by Cerberus so that you can board the barque. Each card in your hand offers you the choice between a small effect for you or a powerful effect for the group! However, there aren’t enough seats on the barque for everyone, so sooner or later, some must be sacrificed. Will you help your group reach the exit, or will you play powerful bonus cards to lay traps for your opponents? Those caught by Cerberus get to seek revenge and victory by preventing all the adventurers from escaping…

Each game is different thanks to ten different board layouts and your ability to adjust Cerberus’ strength as you please.

Enter the Dark Ages of Greece, ruled by mighty Gods wielding advanced technology. Control asymmetric heroes and choose your path to victory, either by strategic control or adventure style monster hunting and quests. Build majestic multi-part monuments of Gods on the board and unlock their mighty powers that will help you win and survive the … Read more

GAMES NEWS! 16/09/19

Review: Combo Fighter

Combo Fighter

Tactics and Tactility #3 – Songbirds’ Pretty Little Vice

Review – Inuit: The Snow Folk

Inuit: The Snow Folk

GAMES NEWS! 09/09/19

Card Games That Don’t Suck: Egyptian Ratscrew

Cerberus

Lords of Hellas

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