I recently had the pleasure of reviewing FTL, a video game that tasks the player with managing a ship and its crew as you guide it from sector to sector. You’ll be fighting off attacks, repairing battle damage, the works. Imagine my surprise when I found a board game that does something very similar. To top it off, it does something uniquely special that turned out to be a breath of fresh air when compared to the other board games in my collection.
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Board games, card games, tile laying games…I’ve played many over these past few years. I’m pleased to report that I’m adding miniature games to that list for the very first time. As a fan of the original X-Wing, TIE Fighter, and all other related video games in the series, what better way to introduce the kids and myself to the miniatures genre than taking a trip to a galaxy far, far away?
I’ve been playing FTL for roughly a week now and I can’t tell you how many times I had progressed all the way to the final boss only to have that mothership blow me to pieces. Perhaps you might be in a similar situation? Well, after defeating the enemy boss twice two different ways, I wanted to put together a little something for you new players out there who may not have grasped all of the game’s mechanics yet. Below are some general tips and strategies that might serve you well in your future FTL games.
Salutations, friends. I am taking a quick time out from reviewing games to bring a piece of important news to your attention.
Everyone in our house enjoys playing Tsuro. It is extremely simple to play but at the same time, makes us think about each move. Even Jennifer, who doesn’t usually take to games in my collection, enjoys playing a few rounds when I bring it out on family game night. Tsuro of the Seas, the game I will be covering today, takes the original Tsuro to a whole new level.
The Settlers of Catan was one of the first games I played that inspired me to do what I do today…write reviews and help spread awareness of games that a lot of families may not of even heard of. For those of you who haven’t played The Settlers of Catan or read my review, it’s a game that tasks players with earning resources and building settlements and roads with the goal of earning ten victory points. There’s a bit more to it than that, especially when trading resources and the thief is involved…if you want to read more about it, you can check out my review of The Settlers of Catan here: The Settlers of Catan Review.
There’s nothing like the taste of corn on the cob that’s been buttered and salted to perfection…but how did such a wonderful creation come to be? Despite popular belief, it is not because a mommy corn and a daddy corn loved each other very much, rather, corn is grown and harvested through a process we call farming. Pay attention kids, there will be a quiz later…
“Scotty, I need more power to the shields!” If you’ve ever yearned for a good reason to scream this phrase at your computer monitor, then you’re in luck. FTL (Faster Than Light) is a “Spaceship Simulation Roguelike-like” created by Subset Games that tasks players with guiding a ship and its crew across the vast reaches of space. Along the way, they’ll encounter hazards that will test even the best of ship captains. With the right amount of skill and a little bit of luck, they will be able to make the journey successfully. Before we begin with the review, I’d like to thank Justin Ma, the artist and designer for FTL, for sending me a free review copy.
It’s Checkers…in SPACE!!! Four different alien species have their eyes…or whatever they use…on Earth and they aren’t afraid to fight for it. Each alien race has their own selfish agenda and will do whatever it takes to be the last alien standing.
The aliens are attacking, and we’re plum out of viruses to upload to the mothership. They’re a crafty bunch, having erased every known record of Slim Whitman’s “Indian Love Call” from existence before setting foot on Earth. Commander Shepard is on vacation, Superman is out of logos to throw, and Schwarzenegger is still waiting for his stock of redshirts to be replenished in preparation for the final battle. Earth’s last, best hope rests with the army…who will prevail?
Magnets! There’s a lot about them that we take for granted. Not only do they keep our kids’ latest “A+” on our refrigerators, they also affect our lives on a universal scale. Magnets, put simply, are objects or materials (like iron or steel) that produce a magnetic field with opposite polarities on either end (we call them poles). Like poles repel and opposite poles attract…and that fact happens to lead us in to the game I’m about to cover.
I’m a big fan of 4x turn based space games…Galactic Civilizations II, Birth of the Federation, and Endless Space, just to name a few. I’ve always enjoyed having the ability to shape and mold my civilizations the way I like…whether that is to research ways to set my economy well above the rest or to rule the galaxy with an iron fist. Needless to say, I was happy to see Empires of the Void arrive on my doorstep.
Gold. Au. Transition Metal. No matter how you say it, most people wouldn’t mind having a few million tons of it lying around in their bank vault. Heck, I can think of a particular duck that enjoys taking regular trips to such a place so that he can dive headfirst into his stash and practice his backstroke (woo-hoo!).
It was just another day for the peaceful villagers…hunting, fishing, repairing huts, pushing numbers into a computer to prevent the island from blowing up (watch your LOST, kids)…the usual. Then, all of a sudden, Mother Nature happens in the form of a volcano that threatens to burn everything to the ground. The jury is still out as to whether or not tectonic plates were the cause or if some ten-year old found the disaster menu in SimCity for the first time…nevertheless, the race for survival is on!
Tigris & Euphrates…the day has finally come. I was looking at this game for months but was always at ends in regards to buying it. It received a lot of high praise, but I was worried that its depth would overwhelm the kids. Now that I’ve been reviewing games with them for just under a year, it was time to flex our muscles a bit to see if we were up to the challenge.
I’m not a fan of carnivals. They’re loud, there’s a lot of people, and there are clowns. Lots and lots of clowns. Sometimes, they even have Volkswagens. They just keep sending them in. I don’t know who “they” are, but I’d wish they’d stop. If mankind needed a savior, now would be the time. Anyway, I digress…Carnival.