Smol Bean, Big Flavor - Board, not Boring
Board, not Boring is, going forward, the segment of the Pandemonium Blog that pertains to games with boards and cards and the like. We're giving things cute names this week!
ROOT is a game many people know for its complexity, a well-deserved reputation born from its asymmetrical gameplay. The game is a framework that its factions, who all play and win differently by the way, intermesh in the way that only a mad scientist/Rube Goldberg type could envision and execute. Many games like to claim that they are "easy to learn, but hard to master," and while there are plenty of things said about Root, that is not one of them. Unless all players can grasp how their faction works, how they win, and how their opponents win, a large number of Root games are absolutely doomed to snag on one of the system's many moving parts and fall apart like a tower of blocks.
That's not to say Root isn't a good game. It's a very good game, and plenty of people buy it, regardless of how many ragequit reviews and confounded critiques wind up on the interwebs, but you'd think with that much warning folks would be more hesitant.
As it turns out, little guys can be quite disarming.
Kyle Ferrin is the not so secret sauce that makes this deep strategy game such a palatable and popular pick for customers, despite its reputation for complexity. The characters he illustrates are energetic and full of personality, giving audience members plenty of inroads in becoming endeared to the little guys that populate the worlds his art envisions. The same could be said for the designs of those original Pokemon, who people imprinted on with each appearance in cards, consoles, and CRTs. So great was their endearment that Pokemon has become one of the dominating brands of the entertainment industry, and a home for beloved mascots who bridge generational gaps like few other franchises have.
Because of the outreach benefits of cutie-patooties, many gaming companies have opted to make funky little guys featured parts of their products and IPs, learning adorable lessons from the sweeties that came before. We here at Pandemonium are not immune to the charm of the Smol Bean, and so we've picked out a handful of neat games that are as sweetie pie as they are strategically deep. Give 'em a peruse whydoncha??
In Feya's Swamp, you take on the role of a clan of swamp dwellers aiming to become the most prosperous in the area. To succeed, you need to adapt to your surroundings by finding the best fishing and settlement spots, as well as choosing the right trading partners. You can also venture into nearby abandoned temples where powerful deities lie in wait to be awakened.
In Timber Town you are a beaver architect, constructing a new town on the riverbank using buildings sent drifting down the river.
Timber Town is a 2 player "river drafting" game where players grab tiles from an ever changing board. Players place their tiles in their towns into the same column from which the tile was drafted from in an effort to match the objectives for that game.
Different objectives are used between each game giving over 1000+ satisfying ways to score!
Timber Town is part of the ever popular Alley Cat Games "Essentials" line which is perfect for the more casual player.
Each year, the prestigious Community Cup is awarded to the young adult who gives the most back to their village. This time, the competition is fierce — it's just you and your rival!
Lend a hand to your neighbors, assist them on their adventures, and they will return the favor. Show your value to the community, outshine your opponent, and claim victory — along with the all-important bragging rights!
A Wild Venture is a dynamic engine-building card game where your engine naturally dismantles itself — and that’s the key to winning! Cards won’t last forever, but only the ones you have fully used up score points, making timing everything. With a deck of over ˜00 unique, combo-packed cards, you’ll build an economy, embark on adventures, and craft diverse strategies to score big. Can you prove your worth and claim victory?
Artisan dragons, the smaller and magically talented versions of their larger (and destructive) cousins, are sought by shopkeepers so that they may delight customers with their flamecraft. You are a Flamekeeper, skilled in the art of conversing with dragons, placing them in their ideal home and using enchantments to entice them to produce wondrous things. Your reputation will grow as you aid the dragons and shopkeepers, and the Flamekeeper with the most reputation will be known as the Master of Flamecraft.
In Flamecraft, 1-5 players take on the role of Flamekeepers, gathering items, placing dragons and casting enchantments to enhance the shops of the town. Dragons are specialized (bread, meat, iron, crystal, plant and potion) and the Flamekeepers know which shops are the best home for each.
Emberleaf is a competitive card-dancing and tile-placement board game for 1-5 players.
As a brave Emberling, your mission is to rebuild your home in the heart of an ancient forest. To succeed, you'll explore the wilderness, gather resources, clear dangerous areas, and construct new homes for your kin. Along the way, you'll recruit heroes into your fellowship, each bringing unique skills that will help empower your team. But beware - space in the forest is limited, and other Emberlings have their own plans.
Gather your forces and face off in the air, land, and sea! Outsmart and outplay your opponent to claim your victory! It won’t be easy, but it will be glorious!!!
In the midst of the greatest conflict the CRITTERS have ever known, victory will be claimed by the ones that can overcome their enemies in every battleground, even those that may be less conventional.
Do you have the skills needed to manage your Flies, Lies, and Supplies?
Flies, Lies, & Supplies is the re-skinned sequel to the critically acclaimed original, Air, Land, & Sea in the Critters At War themed version. This box contains everything new players need to get started, or can be combined with the original game to unlock new match-ups and game modes.
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Ben Doane has been a member of the Pandemonium Team since 2019, and has been playing Wargames, RPGs, and TCGs since 2004 and earlier. In addition to running the Blog, she also Runs the Wargaming and Shipping departments, is the store's Art Director, and is in charge of the Newsletter. Her favorite game is currently Raccoon Tycoon.
Astoria is a land bustling with productivity and growth! New towns, factories, and railroads are springing up across the land. A few savvy business tycoons (you and your opponents) are determined to make your fortunes on the crest of this wave. These tycoons start out as the producers of the key commodities: wheat to feed the growing towns and factories, wood and iron to build them, coal to fuel the trains and factories, and manufactured goods and luxuries to fill the insatiable demand of the animals of Astoria.
Cornering the market for the most valuable commodities can create small fortunes that can be invested in the new businesses, turning them into huge fortunes. The sky is the limit during this Gilded Age!
In Raccoon Tycoon, players try to produce the most valuable commodities in an ever-changing marketplace. They then use those commodities to build towns, or sell them at the best price to secure great profits that can be used to win auctions for the all-important railroads. The profits may also be used to buy powerful buildings that give the players power-ups or bonuses in production. Owning the best towns and railroads determines victory. There can be only one "top dog" in Astoria. Is it you?