By Hendrik Jung. Photos manufacturer.
It doesn’t always have to be the big game boxes that are difficult to carry. Even cheaper models can provide lasting pleasure. The retail prices mentioned come from the Wiesbaden toy retailer Merlins.
Undo – Summit of No Return – Pegasus games, 2 to 6 people, ages ten and up, 6 euros
Undo is a series with an unusual concept. Together the players try to undo events from the past. For the first time, the latest publication is not about a single person, but about an entire group who died while climbing a mountain peak in the Himalayas. If you want to save as many of their lives as possible at the end of the game, you have to try to understand what is happening.
With each jump in time you have to decide between three options as to how the fate of the individual group members should be influenced. Only one of the three ensures that a life can be saved. Entertaining and enjoyable. Whether the tragic consequences of an abortion need to be discussed in a family game remains to be seen.
TrendingWIDERSTAND at the original location – “We must not stop telling”
Figurata – 10 traders – from three people, from six years old, 25 euros
They know exactly what they are doing. Under the name 10 Traders, ten toy retailers, including Merlins in Wiesbaden, have come together to publish games themselves. Figurata is only her second publication and a successful attempt. 70 cards printed on both sides show 140 graphic patterns, which must be represented gesturally in such a way that the other players can identify them as quickly as possible in a field of 25 cards each. This is not only in your own interest because you are rewarded with points, but because some figures are also difficult to hold. That sounds as simple and funny as it is, because the most complicated thing here is the rating system. Suitable for parties, families and travel.
St. Patrick – Abacus games, 3 to 4 people, ages ten and up, 14 euros
For Doppelkopf fans or Skat lovers, St. Patrick represents an interesting change. After all, the basis of the game rules is reminiscent of the Swiss national game Jass. More specifically to the Bell-Jass, because there is no trump suit here either and there are also cards that you don’t want to have in your tricks at the end. In the case of St. Patrick, which has a Celtic touch in its design, it’s about snake bites that you want to avoid. One of the elements that differ from Jass helps here, because before the players try to take the best tricks, they can protect themselves against the impending bites with relics. However, if everyone is used up, it won’t end well for anyone.
Whoever manages to get all the snake bites doesn’t lose any life points, unlike his fellow players. But what’s particularly interesting is that the person who currently has the fewest points in their account gets to decide how many inconvenient cards everyone can give to the person to their left. This leads to surprises both in the hand and in the game. Refreshing and exciting.
Pan’s Island – Pegasus games, 2 to 5 people, ages eight and up, 44 euros
How do I tell my child? Or your sister? Or your dad? That is the question that arises on Pan’s Island. Because in this cooperative family game, everyone knows where Captain Hook has hidden one of the lost children. The task now is to convey this information to the man or woman sitting next to him or her using playing cards so that one child after the other can be freed. Since you don’t always have a clear clue at hand, you also reveal how likely you think it is that the clue will actually lead to one of the children being freed.
You also get information about how great the risk is of falling into Captain Hook’s fingers during the search. If this happens five times before all children are freed, the joint mission has failed. In order for it to be successful, each character has a special characteristic. The winged Tinker Bell, for example, has a larger range of motion than the others. Child-friendly introduction to the world of cooperative games, which is great fun, not least because of the markings with the washable pens.
The summer camp – The hunt for the stolen flag – Magnificum, 1 – 6 people, ages ten and up, 26.90 euros
The adventure game is ideal as an introduction to the genre, but only works with an internet-enabled device. The mechanism of searching for clues and using found objects is clearly explained, although the search for the numerical values of the corresponding cards sometimes requires really good light, sharp eyes and a bit of patience. The plot, which is repeatedly driven forward by short radio play sections, is also appropriate for the target group.
The material is used in such doses that, if necessary, you can get out of a dead end without any help being built into the game. The finale is really well done when you have to retrace the path described on a map with the help of an atmospheric sound recording. Not complicated, but entertaining.
Deckscape – Tokyo Blackout – Abacus games, 1 – 6 people, ages twelve and up, 12 euros
A single stack of cards is enough for a good hour of excitement and offers significantly more fun than some mediocre escape rooms that you can visit in person. Solving the card game can easily result in several hours of puzzle fun. The latest game from the Deckscape series is quite demanding and so, in the event of an emergency, it is worth taking up a failed mission again later in order to learn from the mistakes made and to make further progress in the next attempt.
This time, a team is gradually being put together to use their properties to save the Japanese capital Tokyo from destruction. One of them is a supercomputer and serves as an auxiliary file when needed. However, what is required above all is concentration, communication with each other, a good memory and the ability to think outside the box. The group also learns something about how a nuclear power plant works. A work of art in game development!
Crime game – The Brand – Magnificum, 1 – 6 people aged 14 and over, 23.90 euros
Many paths lead to the goal when guessing about an arson in an otherwise tranquil village in Switzerland. The group that is supposed to support the investigation has a wide range of information that needs to be interpreted correctly. Be it in analog form with maps showing the contents of suspicious people’s garbage cans, with the radio cell evaluation of their cell phones or with the diaries of the injured parties. Be it in digital form using a device with videos from a surveillance camera, with audio recordings of statements from the villagers and with websites created specifically for the game.
In both worlds there are enough clues to get close to the solution. But it’s worth taking the other aspects into account too, just to be on the safe side. Many pieces of the puzzle ultimately lead to a complex overall picture. It is advisable to always question the knowledge you have gained and to remain persistent if a correct approach initially does not seem to lead you any further. Beautifully implemented and with sophisticated investigations.
Dorfromantik – The board game – Pegasus games, 1 – 6 people aged eight and over, 40 euros (in the exclusive specialist dealer edition with mini expansion)
First published as a computer game and now the board game version was named Game of the Year. A justifiable decision, because even those who are not yet very experienced in gaming will find it easy to get started with the family game. At first you might think it’s almost a bit too simple. But as specified goals are achieved, the demands placed on the group increase. At the same time, she also receives the option of powerful bonuses, which, if successful, make it much easier to meet the points requirements.
Since it’s easy to set up and dismantle, the addictive factor quickly increases and you’ll still want to play one more round, but this time it’s definitely the last round. For those who prefer competitive rather than cooperative, a variation for two competing parties is now on the market. Accordingly, it is subtitled The Duel. At the same time, it also contains game material that serves as an extension of the game of the year’s range of tasks.
2023-12-17 21:40:20
#big #test #Big #fun #money #games #snake #bites #dead #ends #arson #sensor #Magazine #Wiesbaden #Feel #city
