Tag: competitive

February 25, 2022 /

There’s just something about a well-thought out and appealing box cover to really get you into it, am I right? Look at that graphic. The negative space used for the A and Y in AcademY is just sublime! Wait, I recognize those names on the box. Didn’t they also design…

February 16, 2022 /

Just when you thought quilting couldn’t get anymore cutthroat or macabre along comes Patchwork: Halloween Edition. No longer are beautiful blue buttons sufficient. No longer are simple leather patches desired. No, our quilters require eyeball buttons and pumpkin patches (haha) to craft the perfect work of spooky art! Do you…

February 11, 2022 /

It’s cliche to post a game review like this so near to Halloween, so I will probably hold off on that. However, what a perfect game to go along with the macabre tone of the Halloween season! Get this: you and your family own a motel in a small town…

February 7, 2022 /

You know that feeling when you play a game that FEELS familiar, but has really improved on certain aspects? Take, for example, the famed “Yahtzee mechanic” that has been extended and improved upon by so many games. Or the “I Cut, You Choose mechanic” that has shown up in several…

February 5, 2022 /

I think I’ve mentioned before that my FLGS has a Used Game Sale every year. People can bring in games they no longer want, and have the opportunity to sell them. The event itself has actually gotten pretty big and intense, with people camping outside the store hours before opening…

January 31, 2022 /

Othello is a game that I remember playing a toooooooooon when I was a kid. I don’t remember how I was introduced to it, but for some reason, I became obsessed. I was always wanting to play, and my family probably got annoyed with my constant requests to play. Admittedly,…

January 28, 2022 /

I can recall so many instances of my board game purchases being based on either the designer, artist, or publisher. Surely I am not alone here. Josh will probably always be a Stonemaier Games fanboy. Laura has aligned herself with Daily Magic Games and Button Shy Games. While I am…

January 24, 2022 /

Before we had children and pets my wife and I would love to visit the humane societies back home on a Saturday morning. Sometimes looking for ourselves, sometimes just to see the lovelies being kept, and maybe once or twice volunteering to walk the animals. One place I never really…

January 21, 2022 /

I’m not a huge history buff or anything, but I am definitely interested in my family lineage/ancestry. What does that have to do with this game? Well, with the last name Rodriguez, I’m sure you guessed that there’s some Spanish heritage in my background. My Dad will often talk about…

January 7, 2022 /

One thing that I truly love about the board gaming hobby is the ability to discover new games at nearly every turn. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, I come across a post on BGG or a social media game group that blows my mind. Either with unique…

January 5, 2022 /

Barcelona! One of my favorite cities I have ever visited. I have sweet memories and also sour memories of this wonderful place. I have walked the streets, tipped the street performers, performed at the Universitat de Barcelona, but I also have mistakenly happened upon a brothel at night and had…

December 31, 2021 /

One of the many recent trends in board games has been that of playing as the villains in the game’s lore. One of the bigger games that I remember employing this little shift is Legendary: Marvel Villains, and another that I truly enjoy is Disney Villainous. There is just something…

December 29, 2021 /

It’s no secret that we at Purple Phoenix Games are fans of the Tiny Epic series. But one that had evaded our reviews until this point was Tiny Epic Western. Admittedly, this one has been sitting on my shelf of shame for quite some time, so I finally decided it…

December 27, 2021 /

I try very hard not to allow hype to affect my views on a game. This is why I similarly rarely consume other reviewers’ work on a game prior to me playing it. I don’t want others influencing my experiences. However, I was ultimately tempted by the Game Boy Geek,…

December 24, 2021 /

Gamelyn Games and Scott Almes have done it again. They’ve managed to create yet another Tiny Epic game with a combo of theme and mechanics that we just couldn’t pass up. When this Kickstarter went live, we were definitely auto-backing it. Now that it’s been fulfilled and we’ve had the…