USD ($)
EUR (€)
Seb Hawden - RA
I have wanted to try Reiner Knizia’s RA for so long, I tend to love Reiner’s games and this one has quite a cult following. The issue I had was finding a copy as it was out of print and quite hard to source without shelling out loads of cashola. Luckily for me, it has recently hit Gamefound in a nice, new jazzed up version with the tried and tested gameplay of the original. It should ship to me in the next few months and will also be available here on Zatu.
Having not played it but scouring over the videos while I wait for my pledge to arrive fills me with joy. This version has updated components and artwork for Ian O’Toole, so not only will I get the great, classic gameplay everyone loves but with added updated artwork and easier to use components, it's a win-win as far as I am concerned.
So, what is RA? RA is a set collection, auction hybrid game with a few unique twists. Players are bidding for various tiles that will award points over three Epoch’s that award points in various ways. There are tiles that score every round, tiles that score at the end and tiles that will cancel out bad tiles you may have had to take due to other players' shenanigans. What I have read and seen with my own eyes through is how easy this new version makes it to keep track of everything with newer, better designed player boards and trackers.
The combination of a single bid auction, push your luck mechanics and when to call ‘RA’ leads to, what looks like, a fabulous, pure auction game. You only get one bid, the winner loses their bid marker and that becomes part of the next auction, it's genius. This leads to tomfoolery, up-bidding your mates and making some juicy decisions every auction. Just watch out for those RA tiles and disasters, RA RA, RA RA RA!
David Ireland - Catan 3D Edition
I have a very old copy of Settlers of Catan which very much shows its age and use. It has been such a feature of our gaming table for 18 years or so and I love it, very much a firm family favourite that we all enjoy.
So, my wish would be to have the 3d set of the game purely for aesthetics on how visually stunning the game looks in a 3rd dimension. I was privileged to play on a 3d set only once before and over a decade ago. It simply looks amazing.
Gameplay doesn’t change one bit from the base Settlers of Catan game that many of us know and love. It is all about the look of the island and the detail in every component. Each hexagon resource tile coming to life through feature depth, full of vibrant colours and intrinsic details.
The playing pieces of road, settlement and city further enhanced with added details far beyond a simple wooden playing piece. They now properly look like miniature roads, settlements and cities and easily distinguished as such.
The thief, instead of a simple wooden piece is now a detailed character with life like features creating a level of fear and frustration when the dreaded 7 is rolled.
I would be thrilled to own this particular copy of Settlers of Catan within my collection. Owning an already brilliant game which looks stunning at the same time, I’d be thrilled. I’m not sure I would ever tidy it away, but perhaps make it a permanent feature similar to a chess set that you see set out. This is my April board gaming wish.
Dan Hilton - The Isle Of Cats
This is hard for me to admit. But they do say that the first step in getting better is to admit when you have a problem. So, here it is: I have a problem, I am addicted. My wish list is longer than both Santa’s naughty and nice list combined. But any given moment I have always got my eyes set on a new shiny. And lately that shiny is The Isle of Cats.
I first played this fantastic game on BGG, and have since played it at one of my local gaming cafes. And even after many plays, I still love it, and I still want to own it myself. It weaves a delicate tapestry of drafting, hand management and polyomino mechanics perfectly. Throughout the game, you will usually differ greatly from your opponents with the choices you make. This is because not only are you drafting cat baskets and soggy boots (it makes sense, honest) you are also drafting scoring conditions. With the massive stack of cards that they call a deck, it means that games always feel different. I love this. The Isle of Cats shot to popularity after its release, and because of this, I avoided it for quite some time. The hype train has never been a place for me. But that was wrong of me. I presumed people just loved it because it had cute cats on the artwork. But the gameplay is solid, it has an incredible price point AND it has cute cats on the artwork. That is a win, win, win in my books. I definitely can’t wait to get my hands on this game. I would suggest others to give it a go too, it is an incredible game.
Pete Earnshaw - Cantankerous Cats
Sigmund Freud once said, “Time spent with cats is never wasted.” And I couldn’t agree more! Our house contains two polar opposite kitties; a fluff ball Ragdoll and a bald and wrinkly Canadian Sphynx; we’re unashamed cat lovers. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when I tell you that we enjoy a good cat-centric board game. Sit me down with a cup of coffee and ‘The Isle of Cats’ and you’ll get no complaints. That’s why I am especially looking forward to getting my hands on the upcoming game, ‘Cantankerous Cats’.
As I said before, we have two very different cats; while Monty the Sphynx is a little extra in his need for love and affection, Peppy the Ragdoll is a bit of a grouch! ‘Cantankerous Cats’ sounds like it definitely belongs in my house, as game designer Mentha Games have described this release as “the cat card game of cunning, mischief and the feline propensity for Schadenfreude.” If that word is new to you then please enjoy the following dictionary definition:
Schadenfreude (noun) = enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others.
Many cat owners are now thinking, “Yes that sounds familiar, I love my cat but they have a wicked streak!” In this card game you will be playing as said cats while you dote on your owners and then perform acts of mischief. Not only this, but you will have to contend with the other evil cats who live in your neighbourhood. It sounds like a riotous time is in store (after all any game where the draw pile is referred to as ‘the food bowl’ has got to make you grin!) and with up to 6 players able to get in on the action it will definitely have a place at our table.
Max Davie - Earth
One great way to check out forthcoming game releases and keep the appetite whetted is to try them on Board Game Arena. That's where I'm playing Earth, and I can't wait to get my hands on it for real.
Look at it, it's gorgeous! The bright, clear style makes the best of the natural beauty of the plants that form the core of the theme. The little trees are adorable. But this game isn't just a pretty face- there's a satisfying engine-builder to please fans of Terraforming Mars or Wingspan, among other games.
Over successive rounds, players will develop a tableau of plants, all with their own interlinking powers. When things come to an end, points are scored for growth, clever planting and fulfilling objectives.
It's not radically new, but beautifully executed.
Ready Set Bet is a game that I played at a recent Handycon charity event. Ever played those horse racing machines at the fairground, hunched in the arcade where you hide from the inevitable rain? Imagine one of those with clever, intuitive betting rules which keep you engaged throughout. Yes, I too am sold!
One player essentially runs the game, rolling dice and moving horse meeples along a track until one reaches the finish, while adding excitable commentary. The other players bet, both on the placing of horses, and various aspects of the closeness of the race or the order at the finish. The ‘hook’ is that each bet can only be taken by one player, so there is a benefit to going early, although often as not, you then need to watch your horse get overhauled mercilessly, ending up losing your stake. It’s great, and plays up to a chaotic 9 players!!