Let's Talk Chit

Because absolutely no one was asking for it, and because of an overwhelming disinterest in this blog, I've decided to defibrillate it! In the many years since I started this blog and subsequently left it, I've gotten far more into board games. Yes, I have way too many games at this point. And no, I don't play them all and some collect dust. But they look so darn pretty on those shelves!  I wanted to get back into talking about board games. For me, they are therapy. The bad-mood curer. My place of refuge, where I can evict any bad vibes that are happening for me and solely focus on gaming glory. I love the puzzle of it. I love the theme of it. I love the chits. The chits! Every cardboard box represents a world inside, and I'm so here for it.  So I'm resurrecting this blog for myself. I'm hopeful that perhaps some conversations can be started here, but if not, that's okay. Much like my probably-too-large collection of solo board games, I'm just fine if it...

This post is truly fun for me. I get to revisit games that I haven't played in quite some time. These are the games that really got me into Tabletop gaming. The ones that bridged the gap from simpler board games like Monopoly and Scrabble into a whole new world of strategy and fairness. Thus the reason I call them "bridge games." These are the games that made me realize the gameplay in Monopoly boils down to one thing...luck of the dice. And don't even get me started on Chutes and Ladders. I don't completely loath those games. Well, Chutes and Ladders maybe. It's just that I've seen the light now. The "simpler" games are often completely dependent on luck instead of strategy. I've since learned that dice should enhance an experience, not completely drive it. Otherwise, a game can feel hollow. A win doesn't feel truly rewarding because you didn't do much to get it. Victory isn't supposed to taste like an unripened strawberry, ...

I have many friends who I like to game with. I'm so popular! No, I actually say this to showcase the fact that despite all these tabletop friends, I love me some solo gaming. In fact, when choosing a game these days, it's extremely important for me that the game have some kind of solo element. Most of the time, I want this to be a built-in solo element. But at the very least, I want a solo variant. So what's a solo variant? Well, that's when a gamer has created a variant that allows one to adapt a multiplayer game into a solo version. This is easiest when the game is a cooperative style, but can certainly be applied to games that are competitive. See for yourself. Go ahead. Pull up Google, type your favorite game into the search bar, followed by "solo variant." Chances are you'll find a link to Board Game Geek, where a user has posted a carefully crafted way in which to play your favorite game all by your lonesome, and then posted it to share with the ...

Robinson Crusoe is a bumbling buffoon. There, I said it. And if you've played the solo deck building game called "Friday," you're nodding your head in agreement right now. Me? I've played it enough times to know that Robinson can barely hold his own drool in his mouth, much less survive on a deserted island without our help. But while Robinson himself may be completely and utterly moronic, this solo deck building card game is nothing short of brilliant. In "Friday," you play as a man appropriately named Friday. You are stuck on an island with your pal, Robinson Crusoe. You are tasked with keeping him alive, which is easier said than done as again, Robinson is a complete dunce. For one, he has no attention span. And when he's not chasing butterflies, he's often simply too weak to contribute anything. All of Robinson's shortcomings are represented by a starting deck of cards, each with a numerical value and possibly an ability. For instance...

Today I want to discuss the natural bridge from video gaming to Tabletop gaming, because I think it's a strong one. I've been a gamer since I was very young. I vividly remember my parents inviting people over to play our new Atari 2600, the Space Invaders sound effects drilling into my four year old brain. And then there was Christmas when I was five, when Santa brought E.T. down the chimney. I freaked out. I was so excited, and loved that game despite the fact it was hard as living hell and didn't make sense. I didn't care. Because I was five. But also, because E.T. was mine, and mine alone. Yeah, this was my jam, okay? Ease up!  That began a life of gaming for me. Obviously I've dated myself with these stories, but while my parents never touched another video game system, I was hooked from that point forward. Video games were my hobby, my passion. And I turned that passion into work later in life. From writing video game reviews for multiple sites online ...

Board games. They're all about social interaction, laughter, beer, sharing memories, beer. That's honestly what got me so hard core into tabletop gaming in recent years. The ability to toss down some suds with friends while working either together or against each other to claim victory is unparalleled in terms of fun factor. Games also replace inevitable awkward social silences with vicious competitive yelling and shouting. Who wants to listen to Steve's political yammering when you can be metaphorically ripping off Steve's' head in glorious board game battle instead? So, without further ado, I present to you the game that I don't plan on ever playing with anyone else. That's right, a game that is so incredibly complex and daunting at first glance that I actually avoided it for years on end. That game is Mage Knight . And it is now easily my favorite board game of all time. Warning: Contents may include crack. Highly addictive.  But what about ...