In recent years, board games have increasingly become influenced by the world of electronic gaming. Mobile and desktop apps based on Board games have become more popular. Several traditional board-game companies have added software development to their capabilities. Some have opted to partner with third parties to produce ports of their tabletop games for e-media. I am no expert on the subject of electronic gaming or mobile games based on board games, but I have become a fan of several. I think mobile apps in the board game universe serve a several purposes. I will explain what I believe are some reasons they continue to grow in popularity and share some of my favorite mobile apps for board games. It seems to me that as video games became popular in the 80's-90's (at least in the United States), board games took a bit of a back seat. In the last 15-20 years we've seen a resurgence in the popularity of board games. Without going into the many factors related to this board-gaming renaissance, let's say that there was renewed interest in the social and tactile nature of tabletop games. Initially this caused a bit of a conflict. It created a grey line of sorts. Video games should stay over there, while board games over here. To mix the media was an aberration, or so it was loosely thought. Over time, especially as society embraces mobile devices as indispensable necessities, board games have found their way to the digital world. While there are still some who feel it's taboo to accept the digital version of board games, an increasing majority are looking to play board games on their mobile devices. Board games have found their way onto mobile devices for a number of reasons, serving multiple purposes.
Mobile board game apps are not only represented by full games. Some apps are developed to coincide with a game to support or enhance gameplay.
I have several personal favorite mobile board game apps. I'll share my top picks and a little bit of information about why I like each. Elder Sign: Omens This app is based on the board game Elder Sign by Fantasy Flight Games. I have played the board game, however do not own it. The actual board game is primarily a cooperative dice-rolling game. It has a lot of press your luck elements to it. In this game investigators attempt to stop the Ancient Ones and their minions through encounters within the many rooms of a museum. The sound effects and artwork set an effective backdrop for the game. The mechanics of rolling the dice are actually made easier through the use of the app. I find this to be a very satisfying game either playing on my own or side-by-side with someone else cooperatively. Though quicker than the board game, the app can take a while. It's more involved than many other game apps. There are varying levels of difficulty. Its a relatively challenging game to win ... well worth it. I find this every bit as satisfying as playing the board game. Ticket to Ride This is one of the first "hobby board games" I ever owned. I actually had a digital version prior to getting the tabletop game. I originally purchased Ticket to Ride on the Xbox game console, where I learned how to play. Inside each board game, there is an invitation and code to play the online app version of the game. This is one of the first board games to commit to creating an app version. I have been playing for years in all its formats. The mobile app is also a great way to challenge yourself, as it adds several achievements. Changing strategy to attain the achievements ultimately improved my ability to play more effectively. The online community is huge and there are always others online willing to play. Online games range from casual to competitive. Its a very well done digital port of the original board game. The app has undergone many changes, updates and improvements over the years. Days of Wonder is truly a pioneer in this category. Potion Explosion This game is unique when discussing app versions. The board game itself seems to have been inspired by mobile apps. Apps such as Candy Crush and other color/shape matching puzzle games are probably the inspiration behind "Potion Explosion". The tabletop version involves a cardboard dispenser with marbles that roll down into different troughs. Players pull out marbles attempting to get other marbles of a like color to "clack" together, thus rewarding the player with those marbles as well. Completing different potion recipes based on ingredients (marble colors) needed. The app does not disappoint. As I suggested its as if this game was intended to be an app in the first place. The lack of the tactile nature of marbles clacking is missed a bit, however the app makes up for it with other sounds and visual effects. I find this game to be enjoyable to just play on my own. I typically don't play against other "real" players, just the computer AI. Typically I prefer playing board game apps on my tablet, however this one works nicely on the phone as well. SmallWorld 2 "SmallWorld" is a board game that I have mixed reviews about. Sometimes gameplay can be a bit "mean", as it is an area control game that constantly has players battling to take regions away from each other. I have some friends who enjoy playing while others aren't in love. The tabletop version can be fiddly due to tons of cardboard "chits" for each warrior faction. Getting the darn pieces out of their compartments can be a challenge for fat fingers such as mine. Luckily, that's not an issue for the app version which for some reason adds the number "2" to its name, "Smallworld 2". The app allows you to play against computer or online players, although the online group appears to be dwindling... not as many people to play against. Playing the app against AI opponents eliminates the concern of being "mean" to your friends. The gameplay is sped up in the app allowing for quick games. I prefer the app version of this game to the tabletop. Splendor This game became quite popular when it was released about four to five years ago. It is a light-to-medium-weight game that plays in less than an hour. The app version of "Splendor" is a great solo choice. It also offers online play. Challenges and achievements make things even more interesting. The challenges add something extra, it feels like you get more value than simply a digital version of the board game. Expansions are available in app, also extending gameplay options. I can usually squeeze in a game whenever I have an extra 15-20 minutes. It can be difficult to win, which I prefer when playing solo. I have to put in extra thought and consideration improving strategy to beat these AI opponents. Board game apps are a great way to extend your hobby beyond the tabletop. The apps I listed as my picks are ones that I personally own and can recommend. There are many more board game apps available that would be terrific options. You may very well have some app choices that you'd like to recommend as well. Please leave your comments to share with me and others. Remember to check out the King's GameNight Facebook page as well. Until next time...
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This week I played Arkham Horror (2nd edition) with Jeff and Nikki at our weekly game night. I will give an overview of our game and share my thoughts and observations. Arkham Horror is a board game published by Fantasy Flight Games and is based on the literary works of H.P. Lovecraft, set in the city of Arkham. It is designed by Richard Launius and Kevin Wilson and plays 1 to 8 players. A third edition was recently published in 2018. I have heard that the third edition streamlined some of the rules and lowered max player count, however I haven't played that version. This overview and comments are strictly based on our group's play of Arkham Horror (2nd Edition). Nikki had recently acquired Arkham Horror through a second-hand source. We were excited to get an opportunity to try it out. Jeff and Nikki had already familiarized themselves with the rules and done one play through. They came over prepared to teach me how to play. Arkham Horror can be a fairly lengthy game, so it worked well that Nikki and Jeff had recently played and had a fresh understanding of the rules. After we set up the game and Nikki and Jeff went over the theme, goal and rules, we were able to get started fairly quickly. The overarching theme of the game is that mysterious gates from other worlds have begun to open in the city of Arkham. The Ancient Ones were trying to infiltrate our world. A team of investigators has been assembled to fight the monsters and close the gates in order to save Arkham and the World. In this cooperative game, the players take on the roles of their choice of 16 different investigators each with varying stats and special abilities. After selecting our investigator characters, we also had to select one of the eight Ancient Ones as the enemy which we would have to keep from entering our World. In our game, we randomly selected Yig (See photos below for detail of Ancient One card). Each Ancient one has some special rules and conditions for defeating it, should it come to a final battle. In our game we were the all female investigatory team of Jenny Barnes, the Dilettante (Nikki), Mandy Thompson, researcher (Jeff), and Amanda Sharpe, student (me). The rounds are played in five phases:
Nikki, Jeff and I chose to try to seal the gateways as our primary strategy. As the game progressed we were able to get three gateways closed and sealed relatively quickly, with a total of six sealed gateways needed prior to the emergence of the Ancient One to win the game. The doom tracker on Yig, the Ancient One would complete at 10 on the doom tracker. That meant that once we hit 10, we would be forced into a battle with him. Knowing that we were ill equipped to defeat an Ancient One, we continued to make every effort toward closing and sealing the last three gates. One by one, we sealed the last three with each round posing a possibility that the doom tracker would hit 10 and do us in. Because we had previously sealed many of the possible gate locations and others had open gates in them, it prolonged our chances that we wouldn't get a new gate location that would advance the doom tracker. Ultimately, that's how we won. After playing for over 3 1/2 hours, Nikki closed our sixth and final gate thus winning the game!
It is very satisfying to work together for such a long time and to achieve success. Had we failed, we probably would have been quite disappointed. The three of us enjoyed the game and I can definitely see us playing on a future game night. Depending on player count and due to all the pieces, parts, cards etc... it requires anywhere from 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours to play. My first impression is a positive one. I'd like to play more to explore the other character abilities, other Ancient Ones and try to improve upon strategy. I'd also eventually like to try the third edition to see how it plays. I wonder if something gets lost in the streamlining and redesign of the next version of the game. Fantasy Flight among other developers and publishers has done a nice job utilizing the H.P. Lovecraft and Cthulu royalty-free IP. They have done a nice job of utilizing similar artwork and theming across many of their games. If you'r interested in seeing what other games are available in the Arkham Horror Files, click here. I hope you've enjoyed this gameplay overview and review of Arkham Horror. Maybe you've already played Arkham Horror 2nd or 3rd edition and would like to weigh in? I invite your to please share your experiences in the comments. Keep checking back to see more insights and information. I post at least a couple of times each week on King's GameNight. Also, visit the King's GameNight Facebook page for additional content and sharing with the extended tabletop community. Game on! Sometimes the enjoyment of playing a game hinges upon the people you play with. Drawing from another experience I had at Gen Con, I'd like to share with you my gameplay of Tomb Raider Legends: The Board Game. Playing Tomb Raider Legends at Gen Con Let this post serve as both an initial review and my thoughts about the new tabletop game, Tomb Raider Legends: The Board Game by Square Enix as well as a commentary about how game experiences are affected by those we play with. While at Gen Con, my friend Don and I got a chance to play the new Tomb Raider Legends board game. It was a ticketed learn-to-play event in the board-gaming area of the convention hall. Tomb Raider Legends is a three to four player game and our game was at the full count of four. We were paired up with a nice couple who were enjoying the first day of Gen Con. The game rep was teaching two games simultaneously and had to split his attention between both games. This can sometimes be an issue, however it wasn't too bad in this case. The game proved to be fairly straightforward. After the initial setup and rules explanation, we were off-and-running. In this game, each player takes on the role of a different era/version of the video-game character Lara Croft placing a matching tableau card in front of them. The goal is to advance around the board, collect the artifact and be the Lara character that brings it to the final "Goal" space. The game is highly competitive, played around a modular circular board. Each segment or stage has a threat level which needs to be reduced to zero before any of the four Lara Croft characters can advance to the next level. Advancing from one location tile to the next gives the first player who does so a bonus or a penalty depending on the luck of the modular board placement. There are multiple cards randomly placed in different locations along the way with only one being the goal artifact card. Using an identical hand of seven cards, each player must choose three to pre-program their actions for the coming round. The player with the starting player marker starts the round. Players must play each card from their player board as their action, progressing to the next in order on the following turn. Hand management and programming of action cards usually required guessing as to what others may do in order to make your actions effective. As players progress they collect different raid cards which gain abilities and affect fellow competitors. Most raid cards, steal cards or the first player marker from their competitors sometimes hindering the competition as well. The objective being to gain the artifact from whomever has it (and it is most likely a secret), as the artifact is needed to advance to the goal tile and win the game. Imagine a group of friends who are all excited to get the same new item at their favorite store only to find out that there is just one left. The friends proceed to elbow, trip, trick and out maneuver their friends for the opportunity to get that item and exit the store. That's kind of what this game felt like. Yes, there was some strategy in the action programming, however the majority felt like backstabbing and "take that" mechanics. Many people might find this kind of gameplay frustrating and a turn off. A lot of people do not appreciate that level of confrontation and intentional sabotage. The interesting thing was, our group of four really had fun playing this game. I'll talk a little more about the game in a moment, however I think it's worth discussing why we enjoyed playing. It wasn't the rule set or the theme of the game, it was the people. There are certain games and situations that just mesh well. Such was the case when we played Tomb Raider Legends. Two pairs of game players with varied interests and backgrounds sat down at a table not knowing each other or the game. As we played it became readily apparent that the group had both a fun and sarcastic tone. It was obvious that we were all having fun and not taking things too personally. Though we barely knew each other, we could take jabs at each other and be "evil" within the confines of the game ... and it was fine. By the end of the game we were enjoying the interaction of guessing who had the artifact and trying to steal it. It wasn't really about who was the best player or most strategic, it became who had the last opportunity to steal a card or who had the final turn. Unfortunately I forget the names of the couple that we played with. Let's call them Eric and Emily. Emily was quite a character and was constantly making sarcastic remarks, especially toward Eric. We all played off that humor and it disarmed us a bit, making it easier to feel okay with intentionally screwing over each other. In the end Emily won, though I think at one point or another, each of us thought we might win. We all had fun chatting as we put away the game. This was truly a case of enjoying the company of the people we played with more than the game itself. As we discussed our gameplay experience a few observations and concerns about the game came up. About the Game Tomb Raider Legends: The Board Game was an enjoyable experience in the particular situation described above, however it has several limitations to be concerned with. First to mention a few of the positive aspects:
Final Thoughts
Overall, I thought the Tomb Raider Legends: The Board Game was a fun time playing at Gen Con, but I wouldn't purchase at the current price point. It felt like Square Enix rushed a board game with promise utilizing their prized Tomb Raider IP to sell copies. Its unfortunate, as I think at its core there is a good game here. They just fell short of making it a better game. That being said, if you have a group who enjoys a light, "elbows out", take-that sort of game, then this might be a game for you. It helps to be a fan of the Tomb Raider video game series as well. Please share in the comments if you've played Tomb Raider Legends: The Board Game and have additional thoughts and observations. You may have had similar experiences enjoying playing games with a group that loves to take jabs at each other and "take that" sort of gameplay or playing a game with people you don't know. Chime in on the comments section to share your thoughts. Keep checking out my gaming blog and... Game on! I've been planning to create a logo for the King's GameNight Gaming Blog and website for quite some time. I finally got my hands on Adobe Creative Suite and was able to create the logo. This is a big deal for me. Coming from a graphic design background, I wanted this site to have a brand identity. It needed some personalization and character. That all starts with the logo, masthead and logotype treatments. I may of course make some adjustments and tweaks over time, however I'm excited to get this launched. I've included the black & white and color versions of the logo below. I was always taught that if doesn't work in black & white its not a good solution. Please be kind as you review the new logo/brand for King's GameNight and let me know what you think. I hope you like it as much as I do. Thanks to all my supporters who are going along for the ride. Looking forward to continued improvement to the King's GameNight gaming blog and website. Check out the King's GameNight Facebook page and send me any suggestions or messages using the contact page. I hope you continue to gather with friends and...
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