Twilight Struggle

Name: Twilight Struggle

Publisher: GMT Games

Designers: Jason Matthews & Ananda Gupta

Players: 2

Ages: 13+

Playing Time: 180 Minutes

1945: The world watches in wonder as the Nazi Regime and its Axis powers succumb to a miraculous defeat by the Allies, and the United States of America and Soviet Union emerge as the world's two global superpowers. Now a different battle must be waged, one between the Communist World and the Western world. Where once an alliance between the two world powers stood, a thick cloud of tension now envelops the unity as the two major world powers struggle to maintain control and prevent a nuclear meltdown. Twilight Struggle journeys through the following 45 years of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition known as the Cold War.

In Twilight Struggle, two players (the Unites States and the Soviet Union) subtly infiltrate the world in an attempt to gain the upper hand by sequentially playing cards from their hand that allow them to add and alter units on the world game board. They must make many decisions about how to play the cards in their hand, choosing whether to create an event, such as the Arab-Israeli Conflict, or take an action, like inciting a political coup in Thailand. All have their place, but the players must determine the best time and means by which to exert the desired control. Dancing around an ever-changing DEFCON status, players wage the space race, trigger control-altering events, build political influence, inspire coups, and shift the political scene in key countries through realignment dice rolls—all in the hope to control the world and gain the victory.

Twilight Struggle is not for the casual gamer. The rule book alone is 30 pages, and games rarely take less than three hours to complete. Often my husband and I must finish the game in a series of rounds, stretching over two to three days in total. The game has a steep learning curve and will likely not appeal to those with short attention spans or little attention to detail. The game is also seasoned with a good bit of luck, despite its complexity—something hardcore strategists should be aware of before leaping into the experience.

Twilight Struggle inspires knowledge and insight into the events surrounding the Cold War. I really appreciate the scope of history demonstrated in the game play, and the inherent educational value the game possesses. Key event such as the Indo-Pakistani war and the Cuban Missile Crisis bring awareness of conflicts that I may have otherwise may have overlooked, and give me a more accurate understanding of the political climate at that time. Unlike some historical games, where the value of the game lies in the nostalgic value of the history and not in the mechanic of gameplay, Twilight Struggle offers a surprising amount of strategy and careful thought. I highly recommend Twilight Struggle for both its strategic and historical benefits.

TransAmerica

Name: TransAmerica

Publisher: Rio Grande Games

Designer: Franz-Benno Delonge

Players: 2-6

Ages: 8+

Playing Time: 30 Minutes

Download Rules

The year is 1863, industry is exploding, and efforts are underway to construct a vast network of railways, the greatest technological achievement known to man! You are a wealthy entrepreneur who strives to link major industrial hubs across the United States, and you hope to be the first to complete it. But you are not alone: others are also in the business to get rich, and they can benefit from the rails you build. Will you be able to strategically utilize new and existing railways to be the first to complete your railway network?

TransAmerica is played in a series of rounds, in which the players each draw five (of 32) city cards, one from each of the five colored regions of the United States. The players then secretly determine the best route to connect all of their cities by rail, and take turns placing rails on the board. As soon as two players' rail networks touch, they can use both networks to further their development, which adds an interesting twist to the game. The first person to connect all five of their cities wins the round, and the other players collect negative points in proportion to how many railway sections they are lacking. These short rounds continue until one player's score triggers the game end, which is usually after two to four rounds.

I found TransAmerica while rummaging through a pile of undesirable games at a local thrift shop--and undesirable is an understatement! My mother spotted a small orange box that read, “TransAmerica Eine Spur schneller, $2.99.” It looked interesting, but the entire game was in German, including the directions. We called up my husband, and he was able to find the directions online and in English. We were very excited to learn that the English version of the game is published by Rio Grande Games, one of our favorite game publishers. After reading through the rules, and carefully tallying up all the pieces to ensure that the set was complete, we decided that TransAmerica was worth a shot. And what a bargain find it was! TransAmerica has frequented many of our community game days and has been a hit with our friends due to its simplicity and fast pace. Not only is it one of the easiest German board games to learn (even young children can enjoy this one), it is also a really quick game, which makes it very convenient to play.

One thing I love about TransAmerica is that it can accommodate any number from 2 up to 6 people. Many of the games I love to play cap out at 4 or 5 players, so it is nice to have a 6-player game on hand. Although its strategy is of only mild intensity, particularly with more players, it can be a great bridge to introduce people to more strategic German games.

I recommend TransAmerica as a fast-paced track laying game with a great group charm. It's simplicity and length make it a wonderful pick for many settings, and it can be played by the whole family. If you are looking for a complex strategy game, TransAmerica may not be for you. But, if you are looking for a crowd-pleasing game with mild depth, TransAmerica is certainly a great pick. Good luck in your railroad ambitions!

Blokus

Name: Blokus

Publisher: Mattel Games

Designer: Bernard Tavitian

Players: 2-4

Ages: 5+

Playing Time: 20-30 Minutes

Download Rules

Enjoy putting your spacial relationship skills to the test in the challenging and rewarding game of Blokus. Aggressively build your territory by blocking your opponents and claiming the most space for yourself. Make the most of your own space using abstract thinking to order your pieces in the way that is most efficient. Occupy the most territory with your own pieces to take first place!

Blokus can be played with two, three, or four players. The board consists of a large empty grid, and each player begins with 21 abstract shapes which they place on it in turn. No two pieces are quite the same shape, so careful planning is required to ensure success. A player's pieces may touch only on the corners, but never the sides, so they must carefully structure their placements in the most effective manner while blocking their opponents from doing the same. As the board fills up, every precious square matters, since it is very difficult to make room on the board for all one's pieces. In the end, the player who can fill the most area is the winner.

Blokus has very a high skill ceiling, much like chess, but can be enjoyed by all levels. Children as young as five are fully up to the challenge of putting these clever shapes to use. There is learning to be had by everyone! The game is short in length, typically just 20 to 30 minutes, making it a wonderful choice for many occasions. You can even play it in an online community for free! For a truly strategic game, I recommend the two-player version, since the four-player free-for-all has a lot of variability.

I am not a puzzle-loving person in any sense of the word. In fact, quite to the contrary, I feel like I was born lacking the basic skills that pertain to spacial relationships. Such things simply make my brain hurt. The different twists and turns and every possibility are far beyond my ability to grasp, let alone enjoy! My husband, on the other hand, can think of nothing more enjoyable than a good puzzle. I bought this game for his enjoyment, but I must admit that it has gradually grown on me as well. In the beginning, I did all I could to avoid the humiliating experience of Blokus. It truly brought out the worst in me. “You're new to this,” my husband would say. “It takes time.” I wanted nothing to do with it. One night, however, I decided to replace my defeatist mindset with an honest effort and a better attitude, and... Voilà! The challenge of the game won me over. In fact, I am almost always up for a game now, and have actually improved immensely in my ability to work with shapes. Although I have never won a game to this day, I am encouraged by the progress I have made. I have come to view it as an excellent learning tool and opportunity to improve on those skills that I inherently lack. The progress I have made really is empowering!

Blokus is more than just a game; it is also a great learning tool. I have benefited from playing it, and can testify to personal improvement in the mental department. It is very versatile, and its length makes it an attractive game choice in many settings. I recommend Blokus as a valuable game for the whole family. It really is a classic!

Havana

Name: Havana

Publisher: Rio Grande Games

Designer: Reinhard Staupe

Players: 2-4

Ages: 10+

Playing Time: 30-45 Minutes

Download Rules

The devastation of the Cuban revolution has ended, and a new era of development has enveloped Cuba's capital city, Havana. Numerous efforts are underway to construct buildings and restore this charming coastal city, known as the “Paris of the Caribbean." You are competing in a race to accumulate pesos, workers and materials and invest them in valuable buildings worth victory points at the game's end. You must choose which action cards are optimal for your strategy. Will it be hitting up the black market for materials, hiring workers, collecting taxes, or robbing your opponents of their pesos? The best choice depends on the buildings available to be crafted, your intuition regarding your opponents' next actions, and the strategic timing of selecting action cards. Gain the most victory points by constructing the right combination of building points and claim the victory!

Here's a quick overview of the rules: players begin the game with a full set of 13 numbered action cards. They each select two and simultaneously play them face down. The player with the lowest combined number on the action point cards begins, taking both the actions they selected and then having first pick at the buildings available for purchase. The following players then take their turns in order of ascending combined action card points. When all the players have completed their turns, they must select action cards again, only this time, from a deck of only 11 cards instead of 13 (two were played the previous turn on the table). This means that is they chose "Collect Pesos" last turn, it is no longer available in their hand. And there's another catch: for the remainder of the game, their two actions will consist of one old action and one new. Each turn they must choose which of the previous two actions to nix. Once nixed, these action cards remain unusable in the discard pile until the player runs low on cards or plays the Refreshment card. These short rounds of two actions each continue as players accumulate workers, pesos, and materials in hopes of making the combinations that are required to construct the buildings. The more difficult the combination, the more victory points a building is worth. When one player accumulates the set number of victory points needed for victory, the game ends immediately, and he or she is the winner.

Havana is a short in length with a fast-paced feel. It's perfect as a relaxing game to enjoy between longer more demanding games. It's light enough to provide a bit of a break from some of the more complex stuff, although it certainly presents its own challenge and requires a fair amount of planning and concentration. It has a good amount of luck, prediction, calculation, and player interaction, and it also offers great replay value, since only a handful of the 36 buildings are used each game. And a perk that I particularly love are the beautiful illustrations on the cards and tiles. The beautiful art makes it a joy to play and really adds that finishing sparkle to the experience.

I highly recommend Havana for its quick gameplay and strategic depth. It lacks neither strategy nor replay value and can be enjoyed by the serous gamer as well as the casual one. For its versatility and quality I think it stands out as a game that can be enjoyed in many situations while not compromising its strategic appeal. I have greatly enjoyed the challenge of rebuilding this “Paris of the Caribbean.”

Basari

Name: Basari

Publisher: Out of the Box

Designer: Richard Staupe

Players: 3-4

Ages: 10+

Playing Time: 25 Minutes

Try your hand at gem trading in the fast-paced, competitive game of Basari. Do you have what it takes to compete in the lively Indian bazaar, bustling with busy people, exotic foods and gemstone merchants eager to sell their prized possessions to ready customers? Top-notch negotiation skills will be needed as you barter to acquire the most favorable gemstones, sale positions, and game points that can bring you the victory at the game's end.

In Basari, each player is a gem merchant, attempting to acquire gems at the most favorable rates while moving as quickly as possible around the city's archways. In each turn, players simultaneously roll dice to move around the board, then choose between three potential actions: receiving gems from the central supply, gaining victory points, or rolling a second time to gain an advantage in the race around the city. A player's optimal action depends on those selected by the other players, because if two players select the same action, the two must negotiate with gems to buy the right to act from the other. This means only one person gets to take the action, while the other takes his opponent's gems. For example, if I select the action “Collect Points,” and my friend does as well, I might offer her two blue gems in exchange for the right to collect the amount of points shown on the board in my current location. If my friend accepts this, she receives my gems, but only I get to collect the points that will bring me closer to victory. These bartering sessions represent the core gameplay mechanic, and a player must carefully calculate which offers are reasonable and profitable in the long run. During the three scoring rounds, players who have accumulated the most gems in each color (red, orange, green and blue) receive victory point bonuses. When the third scoring round has been completed, the game ends, and the person with the most victory points wins. It is all very intriguing and fun, involving accurate prediction and social savvy.

Basari is a great filler game because it takes less than half an hour to play and is relatively simple. The simultaneous selection of actions gives it an energetic feel, since most games are structured around players taking their turns individually. Unfortunately, due to the interpersonal aspect of predicting the opponents' moves, Basari requires at least three players for a game.

My husband first discovered Basari when he was sixteen years old. He liked it so much that he tried to build his own set using a deck of cards, a handful of coins, and a game board made on the backs of old envelopes. Although he convinced his siblings to play it with him a few times, the set was too unintuitive and confusing to really enjoy. We were both very delighted to find it available on Craigslist this year for a mere $8, and I must admit, it was definitely worth it. The gems included with the game are colorful and appealing, and there's something inherently gratifying about bartering to amass a hoard of shiny objects. Many of my friends who do not normally enjoy games seem drawn to Basari, likely because of this.

I've really enjoyed playing Basari, and have met many who share my opinion and have requested to play it. For its length, mild strategy and engaging nature, I heartily recommend Basari as a fun group game appealing to a wide variety of people. Happy gem trading!

Industry

Name: Industry

Publisher: Rio Grande Games

Designer: Michael Schacht

Players: 3-4

Ages: 10+

Playing Time: 75 Minutes

Download Rules



Combine penny-pinching economic scarcity, fierce bidding at the public auction, and proprietary competitive races in innovation against the backdrop of thousands of years of historical technological developments, and you have Rio Grande's recent board game release, Industry. Will it be development in the water pump station, the iron ore mine, or power plants that lead you to success? Should you spend your cherished resources developing the automobile, or go into the financial industry by creating the stock exchange? How about transportation: do you prefer water or rails? It all depends on your strategy in this game of calculated risks, clever bids and constant innovation.

In Industry, players compete over the span of five eras, ranging from the primitive invention of brick to the final technologies of robotics and the internet. They take turns auctioning the rights to develop factories, technologies, and bonus fields. With an interesting twist to a standard auctioning game, the auctioneer has a choice between pocketing the money from the highest bidder, or purchasing the right for himself. If he chooses the latter, he distributes his payment between all the players and must give up his seat as the auctioneer.

After purchasing rights, players must still pay additional costs to develop their rights into factories, technologies and bonus fields. Factories and technologies only yield victory point benefits if developed in the current era, so players must carefully plan for timely development. Failure to do so results in sunk costs and useless fields. The third type of right, bonus fields, can be developed at any time, since they offer only endgame benefit. These bonus fields include the railways, power lines, waterways and other mediums that enable your business to deliver its innovations. Monopolizing on one can prove to be of great strategic value, since each bonus field acts as a victory point multiplier for associated factories. After all rights have been auctioned, the player with the most victory points is the winner and history's greatest industrial genius.

I was thrilled to play Industry, although I found the learning curve to be steep. It took me two full games (at around two hours each) to grasp the game enough to approach it confidently, and even then my understanding felt a bit shaky. Numerous components contribute to a successful strategy, and acquainting oneself with the board is no small task in this case. With over 40 factories and 12 technologies, it can be a bit daunting. The intricacy of each component, however, is amazing, and the way that each piece contributes to the whole is rather fascinating. The final product is well-thought-through and balanced, offering a variety of successful approaches that do not quickly grow boring.

I especially enjoyed the historical aspect of Industry, witnessing the unfolding of technologies throughout the eras. The game serves as a strong educational tool, and I've always liked games that serve dual purposes in this way. It will pique older childrens' interest in what was once considered “cutting edge” (bricks really were the hot item, once upon a time!) while offering some quality family fun. Although the manufacturer recommends ages 10 and up, I am inclined to suggest 13 and up for a truly positive experience.

Industry is not for the faint of heart—its level of complexity and mental involvement make it an ambitious choice for the casual gamer. For those intrigued by strategy and calculations, however, Industry is thought-provoking and offers a great challenge. I enjoyed playing Industry, and, as a Business Major, I was pleased with the different economic factors at play in the game. Although it is not my favorite, it is unique among board games, and I think it has a lot to offer. See you on the auction floor!