Unplugged: Wreckland Run (Boardgame)
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Posted on March 9th, 2023 by
The age of solo boardgaming is among us. With the business of everyday life, there will always be boardgamers who simply can’t get free on a regular basis to play with their friends. For years, one’s only option was to take a boardgame and play against oneself. With the rise of cooperative games, it was possible to take on a game without having to be your own enemy. Unsurprisingly, solo boardgaming received a big bump during the pandemic. While digital implementations of boardgames are available, sometimes it is nice to lay everything out on the table and play the game with easy access to the entire game state at once. Wreckland Run is a recent solo boardgame entry by Scott Almes (designer of another good solo game, Warp’s Edge.) Wreckland Run has you driving your armed-to-the-teeth, tricked-out car through a post-apocalyptic gauntlet of enemy vehicles. If you manage to drive and shoot your way successfully to the end, another six adventures await.
Wreckland Run
Publisher: Renegade Game Studios
Designer: Scott Almes
Ages: 10+
Players: 1
Time: 30-45 mins
(Review copy provided by publisher)
Epic Encounters (Tabletop RPG)
Posted on February 9th, 2023 by
Tabletop role playing is at an all time high, as one can see by the major kerfuffle over the Dungeons and Dragons brand last month. (The publisher was going to restrict 3rd party content creators but then had to backtrack due to fierce protest.) Where there are players, there are opportunities to jazz up one’s game. The folks over at Steamforged Games decided to use their experience in producing miniatures-heavy boardgames and apply it to the tabletop role playing experience. The result is Epic Encounters, a line of ready-to-play encounters containing everything needed for a great in-person gaming experience. Each box contains figurines, a double-sided fold-out map, and a booklet that gives suggestions for setting up and running the encounter.
Prismatic Paints – (RPG Paints by Wizkids)
Posted on January 21st, 2023 by
Some of the earliest tabletop games involved playing with little figures to represent units and creatures and where there are little figures, there are people who want to paint them. In the past, miniatures and painting were relegated to the dedicated wargamers or the occasional fan of role-playing games. Today, painting is even more common – many larger format board games also contain minis providing boardgamers the chance to join in. Traditionally, Wizkids has produced a wide variety of pre-painted miniatures for RPG players but has recently dipped their toe into the wider painting field with a line of high-quality unpainted minis. As of now, players can even buy their painting supplies from Wizkids, with a special Dungeons & Dragons branded Prismatic Paint sets of thirty colors in a portable carrying case.
Unplugged: GamerDad Holiday Guide 2022
Posted on December 6th, 2022 by
Happy Holidays! Boardgaming continues to make inroads to wider audiences, and there’s no better time to get (or get your friends and family) into the hobby than an extended holiday break. It is yet another “unusual” year so there may not be as much mixing in your neck of the woods but there are boardgames out there to meet up with almost any taste. If you only have access to online gaming buddies, check out BoardGameArena.com. Boardgames are timeless, just as good today as they will be years in the future, so a purchase today will still be serving you well after the lockdowns go away. As we at GamerDad have done for the past 18+ years, it’s time for an annual rundown of recent boardgames well worth your time. Feel free to delve into some past year’s guides for 2021, 2020, 2019, or older as they’re still great candidates for your consideration. You might not find all these titles at your local mega-mart but many can be found online or in a friendly local game store. Some may argue $60+ boardgames are expensive, but compare that to video gaming (and where multiple copies are required for multiplayer play) and the economics of boardgaming shows their true value. For each game I’ve provided the publisher (to help you find it), an approximate MSRP (you might find it lower), the number of players, the expected time for one game, and the manufacturer’s recommended ages. These age listings are often set for legal reasons and I would say most could easily be skewed lower for experienced younger gamers.
Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek, and More: – Boardgames for the Franchise Superfan
Posted on December 1st, 2022 by
With the explosion of media from big-name franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and Lord of the Rings there is almost too much for one person to consume. However, some will say there is never enough of their favorite setting. For those folks, or friends of those folks who need gift ideas, I present the following list of thematic boardgames. Each captures the flavor of the settings, supported by a quality, enjoyable boardgame underneath. They’re not just a copy of Monopoly with scenes from a movie slapped on top.
Reader Review: Dungeons and Dragons: Family Time or Bad News?
Posted on May 16th, 2022 by
I’ve never been able to get into Dungeons and Dragons or any tabletop role playing game, really. Too much math for my tastes. That’s why I just stick to Final Fantasy games. And even then just the old school ones. But most of my other brothers really like Dungeons and Dragons. For instance, my brother Jeff once ran a long running DnD group at his local library. And another one of my brothers, Benjamin Woodham, wrote this neat article I’d like to share here. So please read his article below. –Cary
Unplugged: Pac-Man: The Card Game
Posted on April 29th, 2022 by
As many of you may already know, I’m a huge fan of Pac-Man. So when I saw this Pac-Man card game, I had to get it and try it out! I don’t know how long it’s been out, I got it on sale at Amazon for 5 bucks. But I figured I’d review it anyway.
One More Quest (Tabletop RPG)
Posted on February 13th, 2022 by
One More Quest is a unique entry into the world of tabletop role playing games. When I say it is a dice-chucking RPG, I mean it LITERALLY is a dice-chucking game. The value of the die rolled is not as important as where it lands on the table. Players must toss one or more 6 sided dice onto the table, trying to get them to land in the center of a target ring. Rolls closer to the center represent a better outcome. As with most RPGs, players create characters with abilities and skills which give them advantages to specific situations. What brings particular levity to the game is the requirement that players must toss their dice in a certain way, depending on the situation. Are you doing a stealth check? Make your roll crouching low to the table? Some sort of intelligence check? Bounce it off your forehead, etc.. Players’ skills provide bonuses, but also incur a “cost” such as a ranged attack requiring rolls from a step away from the table. These can be combined so one might end up rolling extra dice with bonuses, but throw them backwards, with your off hand, and they must bounce twice before hitting the target. Clearly the game is not going to provide a dark, long-term strategic RPG, however it can provide a night of hilarity as long as everyone knows what they’re getting into. I’m posting a note about the game because it is currently up on Kickstarter for just a few more days. If it sounds like it might be your cup of tea, feel free to check it out! Read on to find further thoughts I’ve had about the free playtest copy that is available.
Holidays with D&D 2021 – School, Dragons, and a Carnival
Posted on December 16th, 2021 by
Wizards of the Coast, makers of the Dungeons and Dragons role playing game, had its sights set for the holiday season releasing three new big books in only four months. There’s a little something for everyone. Strixhaven provides a setting for gamers to play the role of students progressing through four years of a magic school. Fizban’s Treasury is all about dragons – including the return of gem dragons. Finally, Wild Beyond the Witchlight is a low level adventure leading into the fairy-land of the Feywild. Despite the bevy of titles on offer, they each bring something unique to the table and odds are high that at least one would be a great fit for a player or perhaps a GM on your list.
Unplugged: GamerDad Holiday Guide 2021
Posted on December 11th, 2021 by
Happy Holidays! Boardgaming continues to make inroads to wider audiences, and there’s no better time to get (or get your friends and family) into the hobby than an extended holiday break. It is yet another “unusual” year so there may not be as much mixing in your neck of the woods but there are boardgames out there to meet up with almost any taste. If you only have access to online gaming buddies, check out BoardGameArena.com or TableTopia.com. Boardgames are timeless, just as good today as they will be years in the future, so a purchase today will still be serving you well after the lockdowns go away. As we at GamerDad have done for the past 18+ years, it’s time for an annual rundown of recent boardgames well worth your time. Feel free to delve into some past year’s guides for 2020, 2019, 2018, or older as they’re still great candidates for your consideration. You might not find all these titles at your local mega-mart but many can be found online or in a friendly local game store. Some may argue $60+ boardgames are expensive, but compare that to video gaming (and where multiple copies are required for multiplayer play) and the economics of boardgaming shows their true value. For each game I’ve provided the publisher (to help you find it), an approximate MSRP (you might find it lower), the number of players, the expected time for one game, and the manufacturer’s recommended ages (and I would say most of these could easily be skewed lower for experienced younger gamers.
