Thunderstone Quest (Boardgame)
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Posted on July 19th, 2018 by
The fantasy-themed deckbuilder, Thunderstone, has reappeared with some minor improvements and the option of (mildly) story-based campaign play in the form of Thunderstone Quest. Initially launched as a Kickstarter, a second Kickstarter has just begun with previous and new offerings. As with other deckbuilders, Thunderstone has players purchase cards from a central tableau to improve their starting deck of cards, but it also introduces an area for players to use their cards to defeat monsters for additional points. Thunderstone Quest is the third version of the game, polishing up a few rough edges and introducing a story-based campaign mode to link a series of games together.
Runbow is a fun, hyper-quick competitive platformer recently released on the PS4 and Switch (Switch version reviewed here, you can also read 
Star Trek Ascendancy is a civilization building wargame. Previously only a competitive affair, the Borg Assimilation expansion adds in a Borg race that runs rampant through the galaxy. Players can cooperate to defeat it, or risk being assimilated (and taking over the Borg race themselves.) The expansion now allows a solo play version of the game (win before the Borg takes over) but if more than one player is present the game remains a competitive one (although with a common enemy.)
The Switch is known for great arcade gaming, but Steamworld Heist: Ultimate Edition shows that it can also be great for pick-up and play tactical gaming. This turn-based, side-scrolling, tactical RPG features steampunk robots exploring the solar system in their run down spaceship. Bumbling robot adventurers and tactical battles combine with a skill system and weapon load-out options to provide a surprisingly deep tactical experience. Switch gamers looking for a little squad-based tactical battles should check out the game.
Memory based games are a great equalizer between young and old. Memoarr! starts out like most, with a grid of upside down cards. However, rather than matching pairs of cards, players attempt to create a chain of cards, with each card matching the landscape or animal of the previous one. The result is a memory matching game with just enough spin to mark it different from the others. It becomes more unique when using the advanced rules which has the cards triggering special actions based on the animal on the revealed card.
WizKids recent Wardlings release is a great line of kid-themed pre-painted miniatures. Each kid-model mini comes with an associated “pet” to add a bit of playfulness to any RPG session. WizKids other mini lines (D&D Icons of the Realms and Pathfinder Battles) keep on truckin’ with a couple jungle themed releases and one that fits in with D&D’s most recent adventure book. While minis aren’t cheap, they can add a bit of flash and excitement to any game night.
The popularity of the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game continues to gain traction, particularly with the college/young adult set. With the advent of streamers (gamers who put their D&D sessions online, many of the most popular ones made by voice actors and other entertainment professionals) more and more people are being turned onto the hobby. The current edition of D&D (now in its 5th Edition) has gone back to its “roots” making the game play faster and allowing more “theater of the mind” style play. Gamers can still bust out miniatures and terrain (such as those published by WizKids’ Icons of the Realms line) and have their tactical battles, but it is no longer a necessary component of every game night. In tandem with the new edition, Wizards of the Coast has stepped back from releasing supplement after supplement with enough frequency to cause a glut of books for gamers to buy. Instead, they’ve focused on just two or three big releases each year, allowing gamers to stay “current” with all the books without breaking the bank. This past year, they’ve released two big supplements and one big adventure path. The Tomb of Annihilation takes players through a dinosaur-infested jungle adventure, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything greatly expands player options, and Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes provides GMs with new background information and more of the higher-level monsters to include in their games.
I was in an airport terminal in Paris this past week and noticed they had several kiosks scattered about where you could pick up a PS4 controller and play a game while you waited. Each location I saw had two kiosks with three setups suitable for two players each (making a total of 12 possible gamers at one time.) I saw a fighting game, some platformer I didn’t recognize at a distance, and a copy of FIFA 2018 getting a lot of play. That didn’t catch my eye too much until I came across a small arcade with almost a dozen classic coin-operated games available. They were clearly all emulators of some type but they had decent controls and were all free. Details after the jump…
The popularity of role playing games has inspired many a designer to capture the multi part story and character progression of a RPG within a boardgame. Dragonfire picks up the theme and story of the current edition of Dungeons and Dragons, a places it into a cooperative, legacy-style deckbuilding card game. Does it work? Unsurprisingly, the game has a bit of a learning curve, but is my favorite game in the genre (legacy co-op card game) so far.
When the bad guys come calling, nothing better than an aerial frontal assault! Take control of a fighter/bomber and fight off incoming ships, planes, and tanks in arcade or campaign modes. Rogue Aces is a side-scrolling airplane combat game with some roguelike attributes. Use your guns, missiles, and bombs to attack air, land, and sea targets. Satisfy the mission parameters to clear an area and progress to the next level. Rogue Aces is a fun little shoot-em up that is enhanced by its campaign options.
