Marvel Dice Masters: Uncanny X-Men Collector’s Box Review

Marvel Dice Masters: Uncanny X-Men Collector's BoxOne aspect of the Marvel Dice Masters experience that I really like is the game’s low price point. Starter sets are only $15, while booster packs featuring two dice and two cards are only $1. The problem is that the starter pack is short on supporting materials to play and store the game. The paper bags used to shake up your dice are of poor quality, there’s only one dice placement guide tucked away in the manual, and the actual box itself doesn’t hold many extra dice and cards beyond the ones that it already contains. Clearly, these concessions were made to keep the price down, but some players – like me – would prefer the extra bells and whistles.

This is where the Marvel Dice Masters: Uncanny X-Men Collector’s Box comes into play. Besides being a nice and large box to hold your stuff, you also get just enough stuff for one player to get going. I crack it open so that you can see if this is worth adding to your collection.

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Takenoko Review

The Emperor of China has recently given the Emperor of Japan a giant panda as a gift. In order to take care his new pet, you and the other players must take care of the panda by tending to the Japanese Imperial garden. This is the crux of Takenoko by Antoine Bauza and Asmodee. I can’t speak for everyone, but the idea of playing a board game about creating a garden and feeding a panda doesn’t do much for me. Thankfully, I put that preconceived notion aside to give this one a chance. To my surprise, it’s actually an accessible and interesting strategy game. Continue reading

Terror in Meeple City Review

Meeple City will never be the same by the time players are done with Terror in Meeple City (formerly known as Rampage). Two-to-four players will take turns smashing buildings and eating people until the city is nothing but rubble. The civilians may be on borrowed time, but they will fight back if enough of them escape. When they do, they’ll knock out your teeth or find other ways to slow you down.

I love the concept of Terror in Meeple City. The thought of it kind of makes me think of reverse Jenga, where the point of it is to generate mass destruction. While it certainly is a game that lets you break stuff, the actual fun that comes from toppling buildings isn’t as fulfilling as I thought it would be.

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Tokaido Review

Over the course of my life, I’ve developed a fascination with the country of Japan. It started out with my love for video games and anime, but the more I’ve looked into it, the more I think that Japan is one of the most interesting places in the world. Though I don’t have the resources today to hop on a plane and experience it for myself, it is on my list of things to do before I die.

In the meantime, there’s Tokaido by Antoine Bauza and Passport Game Studio. In this board game, players are tasked with hiking through Japan. Along the way, you’ll get to experience the best that Japan has to offer, from stunning vistas, helpful companions, delicious food and more. By the end of your adventure, the player that had the best experience on their trip is declared the winner.
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Splendor Review

Splendor is a game in which 2-4 players are Renaissance-era merchants. You’re all vying to be the most prestigious merchant, which you’ll attempt to achieve by buying gem mines, shops and other things that merchants buy in order to be the best at what they do. If this sounds like a super lame game based on its premise alone, I don’t blame you. However, by dismissing it at face value, you’d be missing out on a really cool strategy game.

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DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Crisis Expansion Review

The latest entry in the DC Comics Deck-Building Game franchise is Crisis Expansion Pack 1. This expansion is compatible with the main game and Heroes Unite, though it cannot be played on its own. By adding this expansion to your collection, you’ll get new heroes, new main deck cards, and new cards to support Crisis Mode. This new gameplay variant turns this competitive deck-building game into a cooperative one by forcing players to collectively fight through adverse gameplay events in order to defeat the villains and super-villains before time runs out. Having this as an alternative to competitive play makes a lot more thematic sense, as it was bothersome before to think that the heroes would intentionally hurt each other in order to be the better hero. However, the execution of this gameplay variant leaves a lot to be desired.

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DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Heroes Unite Review

Following up on the success of the original, DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Heroes Unite is a stand-alone game that is fully compatible with is predecessor. While the core gameplay is the same, this set contains new character cards and a new main deck; all of which have new abilities. For newcomers, is this the version you should start with? And for those who already own the original, is this worth adding to your collection?

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Oceania Review

In Oceania, 1-2 players take the high seas in search of new land. Starting with an empty board, players explore this uncharted territory by building the world with randomly-drawn tiles. Along the way, players can place scouts on islands as their bid to take control over them. At the end of the game, the player with control over the most tiles with islands on them wins. Despite its clever design, the game struggles to generate any fun or excitement.

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Pandemic: The Cure Review

Pandemic: The CureThrow on your Hazmat suits, kids. The smash-hit board game about curing four deadly diseases before they ravage the world returns as a dice game in Pandemic: The Cure. As such, both games follow the same premise and are similar in many respects. However, making the transition from a board game to a dice game has turned The Cure into a faster and somewhat more casual affair. Hoping that this game will surpass its legendary predecessor may be asking for too much, but does it stand out on its own as a fun and unique take on the tried-and-true formula?

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Ticket to Ride 10th Anniversary Edition Impressions

Ticket to Ride 10th Anniversary Edition

To celebrate the landmark release of Ticket to Ride in 2004, Days of Wonder has put out a special 10th anniversary edition of the classic board game. This premium package includes all of the content from the USA 1910 Expansion, larger cards, a double-sized board and new custom trains for each colour. It also comes with a premium price tag, as we got ours for about $80 before tax. For context, you can get the same amount of content by buying the original game for $40, the expansion for $16 and still have $24 left in your pocket.

Despite owning the original and the expansion, Steff and I have been waiting for the right time to upgrade. Thanks to a gift card that Steff received for her birthday, we now have this mammoth-sized game sitting on our shelf. Is it worth upgrading from coach to a first class ticket?

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