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Convention Preview: Essen 2006 - Publishers N-Z
By Rick ThornquistTranslations by Patrick Korner
Editor's Note: Because of its size, we have split the Essen Preview into two parts. This is the second part that includes the publishers beginning with letters N-Z. To see the second part of this preview, check out the Convention Preview: Essen 2006 - Publishers A-M. Also note that because of the split, some of the internal links in the preview will no longer work.
Last Update: October 14, 2006
Overview
| Publisher | Game | More Info |
| Nexus Editrice | Marvel Heroes | More Info |
| Pegasus Spiele | Cowboy Poker | More Info |
Chez Goth |
More Info | |
| Don Peperoni |
More Info | |
| Fiese Verliese |
More Info | |
| Gizeh |
More Info | |
| Killer Karnickel und die Jagd nach der magischen Karotte | More Info | |
| Rückkehr der Helden - Die Gralssuche | More Info | |
| Star Munchkin 2: Die Clown-Kriege |
More Info | |
| Super Munchkin | More Info | |
| Zombies!!! 2 - Zombies Korps | More Info | |
| Äpfel zu Äpfeln Erweiterung-1 | More Info | |
| Pfifficus Spiele | Guru | More Info |
| Kaivai Erweiterung - Die Perlentaucher und Kava-Brauer | More Info | |
| Phalanx Games | Anasazi | More Info |
| Bison |
More Info | |
| Emira |
More Info | |
| Italia | More Info | |
| Justinian | More Info | |
| Mesopotamia Expansion | More Info | |
| Phantastische-Spielewelten | Midgard - Städte, Schätze, Abenteuer | More Info |
| Piatnik | Art Sudoku | More Info |
| Casa Alfredo | More Info | |
| Der magische Finger | More Info | |
| Frog Tennis | More Info | |
| Resi und Rudi Ringel | More Info | |
| Touché | More Info | |
| Wiener Sammelsurium | More Info | |
| Post Scriptum | High Voltage | More Info |
| Prestel | Kunstmarkt | More Info |
| Stilbruch | More Info | |
| Pro Ludo | Ave Caesar |
More Info |
| Die Fürsten von Florenz | More Info | |
| Kaleidoskop | More Info | |
| Neumond - Erweiterung n*1 - für Die Werwölfe von Düsterwald | More Info | |
| Dungeon Twister Collectors Box | More Info | |
| Dungeon Twister - Paladine & Drachen | More Info | |
| Spiel der Türme | More Info | |
| Tempus |
More Info | |
| Queen Games | Alhambra - Das Würfelspiel | More Info |
| Der Dieb von Bagdad |
More Info | |
| Shogun | More Info | |
| QWG | De Vorsten van Florence | More Info |
| Hermagor | More Info | |
| Taj Mahal | More Info | |
| R&D Games | Fowl Play! | More Info |
| Keymarket | More Info | |
| Reef Encounters of the Second Kind | More Info | |
| Ravensburger | Das ver-rückte Labyrinth | More Info |
| Die Baumeister von Arkadia | More Info | |
| Piraten auf Schatzjagd | More Info | |
| Rechen-Kapitän | More Info | |
| Sheepworld - Schäfchen zählen | More Info | |
| Verflixxt nochmal! | More Info | |
| Repos Production | Santy Anno | More Info |
| Rio Grande Games | Ark Expansion | More Info |
| Cartagena | More Info | |
| Cartagena II | More Info | |
| Duckling Dancin' | More Info | |
| Fiji | More Info | |
| Formidable Foes | More Info | |
| Gloria Mundi |
More Info | |
| Hermagor | More Info | |
| If Wishes Were Fishes | More Info | |
| Imperial | More Info | |
| Ruse and Bruise | More Info | |
| Medici vs Strozzi | More Info | |
| On the Underground | More Info | |
| Power Grid Expansion: Benelux / Central Europe | More Info | |
| Shogun | More Info | |
| Taj Mahal | More Info | |
| Taluva | More Info | |
| Thief of Bagdad |
More Info | |
| Tichu - Limited Edition | More Info | |
| Yspahan | More Info | |
| Role & Strategie Editions | Astoria | More Info |
| Rombol | 12 x 1 1/2 | More Info |
| almost there | More Info | |
| Bauhaus | More Info | |
| I-Qube | More Info | |
| Juha - Element Puzzle | More Info | |
| Kastell / Castello | More Info | |
| Magisches Hexagon | More Info | |
| Propeller-Puzzle | More Info | |
| Schach4 | More Info | |
| The Hill | More Info | |
| Tick'N'Thin | More Info | |
| SandTimer | Experiment | More Info |
| Schmidt Spiele | Die Schatztaucher | More Info |
| Scribabs | HysteriCoach | More Info |
| Selecta Spielzeug | Fabulantis | More Info |
| Primo Calculino | More Info | |
| Turbulento | More Info | |
| Sierra Madre Games | American Megafauna | More Info |
| American Megafauna Expansion | More Info | |
| Lords of the Spanish Main | More Info | |
| Singlish Mopping | Paaren / Couples | More Info |
| Zauberei / Magic | More Info | |
| Zoo Safari | More Info | |
| Snarling Badger Games | Zombie Rally | More Info |
| Sphinx Family | Gebrauchtwagenhändler | More Info |
| Metropolen | More Info | |
| Sphinx Spieleverlag | Sport ist Mord | More Info |
| Spiel-ou-Face | Metromania |
More Info |
| Spielbox | Der Knizia Almanach | More Info |
| Der Kurier der Fürstin | More Info | |
| Spiele aus Timbuktu | China - Grenzstreitigkeiten | More Info |
| Hansa - Wechselnde Winde | More Info | |
| Knatsch - Das Turnierspiel | More Info | |
| Spieltrieb | Waimiri | More Info |
| Squale Games | Dart Wars | More Info |
| Stein-Thompson Games | Fußball Taktik 2006 |
More Info |
| Ninja Galaxy |
More Info | |
| Ninja Galaxy Expansion: The Ninja Masters |
More Info | |
| Stratamax Games | Congo Line |
More Info |
| Hatu Matu: Chief of Easter Island |
More Info | |
| Iroquoia: The Beaver Wars |
More Info | |
| Sunriver Games | 24/7 - The Game | More Info |
| Abagio | More Info | |
| Havoc Expansion | More Info | |
| Super-Ape Games | Evolution | More Info |
| Surprised Stare Games | Tara - Seat of Kings | More Info |
| Team Crossroad | Crossroad | More Info |
| TenkiGames | Krumble! | More Info |
| SnakeLake | More Info | |
| Tilsit | Himalaya Extension 5/6 | More Info |
| Leonardo da Vinci | More Info | |
| Toy Vault | Do You Worship Cthulhu? | More Info |
| Truant Verlag | Die Rache der Grabräuber aus dem All | More Info |
| Dungeoneer - Die Brutstätte der Ungeheuer | More Info | |
| Ja, Herr und Meister! | More Info | |
| Minimonfa - MiniMonsterFantasy | More Info | |
| Tusbas | King of Chicago | More Info |
| Uljö | Jona und der große Fisch | More Info |
| Valley Games | Commands & Colors Dice | More Info |
| Die Macher | More Info | |
| VIA Spiele | Strandmuscheln | More Info |
| Warfrog | Perikles | More Info |
| Wenndenn Spieleverlag | Pikso Baukasten | More Info |
| Pikso Familyset | More Info | |
| Pikso Nachkaufset | More Info | |
| What's Your Game? | Ghost for Sale | More Info |
| Ur | More Info | |
| Winning Moves | Auf die Palme | More Info |
| Blokus Trigon | More Info | |
| Cartagena | More Info | |
| Cartagena II - Das Piratennest | More Info | |
| Dschinghis Khan - Bewegung an der Großen Mauer | More Info | |
| Gezanke auf der Planke | More Info | |
| Monopoly Essen | More Info | |
| Pente | More Info | |
| Terra Nova | More Info | |
| Top Trumps Horror | More Info | |
| Winsome Games | Age of Steam Expansion: Eastern US & Canada | More Info |
| New York Central | More Info | |
| Wooden Shoes & Iron Monsters | More Info | |
| WizKids | Oshi | More Info |
| Pirates: Quest for Davy Jones' Gold | More Info | |
| Woteva Games | Adda | More Info |
| Asylum | More Info | |
| Rocket Hounds | More Info | |
| Tomb Robbers | More Info | |
| Ystari Games | Yspahan | More Info |
| Les Princes de Florence | More Info | |
| Taj Mahal | More Info | |
| Z-Man Games | 1861 |
More Info |
| Gheos | More Info | |
| Lifeboats | More Info | |
| Mamma | More Info | |
| Midgard | More Info | |
| Silk Road |
More Info | |
| SuDoku - The Cardgame | More Info | |
| Take Stock |
More Info | |
| The End of the Triumvirate |
More Info | |
| Zoch | Haste Bock? | More Info |
| Salamanca | More Info | |
| Zugames | Mamma | More Info |
Detail
| Publisher | Game | ||||||
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 Marvel HeroesPublisher: Nexus Editrice Designers: Marco Maggi and Francesco Nepitello Players: 2-4 Ages: 12 and up Langauge: Italian Other Language Versions: English - Marvel Heroes (Fantasy Flight Games) German - Marvel Heroes (Heidelberger Spieleverlag) Nexus should have copies of the English and German versions of this game at their booth. Here is a description of the game from Fantasy Flight Games:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
Links: Marvel Heroes at Fantasy Flight Games |
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 Cowboy PokerPublisher: Pegasus Spiele Designers: James Ernest and Mike Selinker Artist: Greg Hyland Players: 2-4 Price: 9.95 € This is a German version of Cowpoker, originally published in English by Steve Jackson Games in 2006. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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Chez Goth Publisher: Pegasus Spiele Designer: Steve Jackson Artist: John Kovalic Players: 2-5 Playing Time: 60 Minutes Price: 12.95 € Release Date: August 2006 This is a German version of Chez Goth, originally published in English by Steve Jackson Games in 2004. |
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 Don PeperoniPublisher: Pegasus Spiele Designer: Volker Cullmann Players: 3-5 Ages: 8+ Price: 24.95 € (this may be 29.95) Release Date: August 2006 Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Fiese VerliesePublisher: Pegasus Spiele Designers: James Ernest and Mike Selinker Artist: John Kovalic Players: 2-5 Ages: 10+ Playing Time: 45-60 Minutes Price: 19.95 € Release Date: August 2006 This is a German version of Dungeonville, originally published in English by Z-Man Games in 2005. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 GizehPublisher: Pegasus Spiele Designer: Nikki Lim Players: 2-6 Ages: 8+ Playing Time: 10-30 Minutes Price: 12.95 € Release Date: August 2006 This is a German version of Giza, originally published in English by Fun Factory Games in 2005. |
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 Killer Karnickel und die Jagd nach der magischen Karotte (Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot)Publisher: Pegasus Spiele Designer: Jeffrey N. Bellinger Artist: Jonathan Young Players: 2-8 Price: 19.95 € This is a German version of Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot, originally published in English by Playroom Entertainment in 2002. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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Rückkehr der Helden - Die Gralssuche Publisher: Pegasus Spiele Designer: Lutz Stepponat Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Star Munchkin 2: Die Clown-Kriege (Star Munchkin 2: The Clown Wars)Publisher: Pegasus Spiele Designer: Steve Jackson Artist: John Kovalic Players: 2(3)-6 Playing Time: 60 Minutes Price: 12.00 € Release Date: June 2006 This is a German version of Star Munchkin 2: The Clown Wars, originally published in English by Steve Jackson Games in 2004. |
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Super Munchkin Publisher: Pegasus Spiele Designer: Steve Jackson Artist: John Kovalic Players: 2(3)-6 Playing Time: 60 Minutes Price: 14.95 € Release Date: October 2006 This is a German version of Super Munchkin, originally published in English by Steve Jackson Games in 2005. |
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Zombies!!! 2 - Zombies Korps Publisher: Pegasus Spiele Price: 14.95 € Release Date: October 2006 This is a German version of Zombies!!! 2: Zombie Corps(e), originally published in English by Twilight Creations in 2002. |
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Äpfel zu Äpfeln Erweiterung-1 (Apples to Apples Expansion 1) Price: 12.95 € |
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 GuruPublisher: Pfifficus Spiele Designers: Anselm Ostertag and Helge Ostertag Players: 3-5 Ages: 12+ Playing Time: 30-60 Minutes Price: ~20.00 € This is a card game. Here is a description of the game from BoardGameGeek:
Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Links: Spielewahnsinn in Herne 2006 - Scroll down to the Guru entry for a picture of the prototype Guru - German Rules |
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 Kaivai Erweiterung - Die Perlentaucher und Kava-Brauer (Kaivai Expansion - Pearl Divers und Kava Brewers)Publisher: Pfifficus Spiele Designers: Anselm Ostertag and Helge Ostertag Players: 3-4 Price: ~10.00 € This is an expansion for Kaivai. There will be 500 copies printed. The expansion can be pre-ordered by emailing reservation@pfifficus-spiele.de. Pfifficus Spiele will also be offering a set of two player rules for Kaivai for free. Here is a description of the expansion from Good Game Guide, Spielbox and Pfifficus Spiele:
Here is a description of the contents of the expansion, from Helge Ostertag on BoardGameGeek:
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 AnasaziPublisher: Phalanx Games Designer: Klaus-Jürgen Wrede Artist: Franz Vohwinkel Graphic Designer: Lin Lütke-Glanemann Players: 2-4 Ages: 10+ Playing Time: 30 Minutes North American Distributor: Anasazi (Mayfair Games) Here is a description of the game from Phalanx Games:
Here is a description of the game from the rules:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 BisonPublisher: Phalanx Games Designers: Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling Artist: Franz Vohwinkel Graphic Designer: Lin Lütke-Glanemann Players: 2-4 Ages: 10+ Playing Time: 90 Minutes Language Versions: English, Dutch and German North American Distributor: Bison (Mayfair Games) Price: 24.95 € / 30 US$ This will come in the Phalanx middle sized box (the same size as Go West!). Here is a description of the game from Phalanx Games:
Here is another description of the game from Phalanx Games:
Here is a description of the game from co-designer Wolfgang Kramer:
First Impression by Rick Thornquist (after one playing of a prototype and one playing of the final production version): Bison is an area majority game. The board is made up of tiles and each tile has three areas of terrain - plains, rivers and mountains. Each type of terrain gives up a different type of food - bison in the plains, fish in the rivers and birds in the mountains. The game starts with just a few tiles making up the board. There are a number of ‘seasons’ in the game and in each season each player gets four turns. In each season, each player will add one more tile to the board and, along with it, some of their Hunter pieces. On a player’s turn, he can add a tile to the board (along with some of his Hunters), move his Hunters, build teepees (in the plains and mountains) or build canoes (in the rivers). The whole idea is to have the majority in each of the areas at the end of each season when the scoring takes place. Having the most Hunters in an area is good, but building teepees is better and is worth more when determining majorities (it’s the same with canoes in rivers). Whoever gets the majority in an area gets food in the area - the bison, fish or birds. The second player gets half the food, etc. Players have a limited number of actions. You can only do each type of action once per season so you have to plan carefully exactly when you use it. Also, you have to pay for your actions with food so you have to manage your food supply to make sure you have enough to do what you want to do. The game is slightly on the dry side and a bit of a thinker. I found it interesting, though, there are some neat strategies that may be used. Though the game world is crowded with area majority games, I thought this one was pretty good. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
Links: Bison Review at Gamepack |
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 EmiraPublisher: Phalanx Games Designers: Liesbeth van Zier and Paul van Hove Artist: Franz Vohwinkel Graphic Designer: Lin Lütke-Glanemann Players: 3-5 Ages: 12+ Playing Time: 75+ Minutes Language Versions: English, Dutch and German North American Distributor: Emira (Mayfair Games) Price: 34.95 € / 45 US$ This will be a big box game (the same size as Alexander the Great). This game won the 2004 Hippodice game design competition under the name Harem. Here is a description of the game from Phalanx Games:
Here is a description of the game from Mayfair Games:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
Links: Emira First Impression at Gamepack |
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 ItaliaPublisher: Phalanx Games Designer: Andreas Steding Artist: Craig Grando Players: 3-4 Ages: 12+ Playing Time: 180+ Minutes Game Language: English This game will only be available in English. This game is based on the game system of Hispania, also designed by Andrea Steding, which was self-published by the designer in 1994 and republished by Azure Wish is 1996. Hispania was based on the game system of Britannia, designed by Lewis Pulsipher. Here is a description of the game from Phalanx Games:
Here is another description of the game from Phalanx Games:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 JustinianPublisher: Phalanx Games Designers: Alessandro Saragosa and Leo Colovini Artist: Harald Lieske Graphic Designer: Lin Lütke-Glanemann Players: 2-4 Ages: 10+ North American Distributor: Justinian (Mayfair Games) According to the publisher, this game "lets you travel back in time to the court of Emperor Justinian". Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Here is a description of the game from the rules:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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Mesopotamia Expansion Publisher: Phalanx Games Artist: Franz Vohwinkel Here is a description of the expansion from Phalanx Games:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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Midgard - Städte, Schätze, Abenteuer (Midgard - Cities, Treasures, Adventures) Publisher: Phantastische-Spielewelten Designer: Lutz Stepponat Price: 49.95 € Note that this is a different game than Midgard from Z-Man Games. See pre-ordering information in the description below. Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Links: Phantastische-Spielewelten website |
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 Art SudokuPublisher: Piatnik Players: 1-4 Ages: 10+ Here is a description of the game from the Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Casa AlfredoPublisher: Piatnik Players: 2-4 Ages: 5+ Playing Time: 15 Minutes Here is a description of the game from the Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Der magische Finger (The Magic Finger)Publisher: Piatnik Players: 3-8 Ages: 10+ Playing Time: 40 Minutes Here is a description of the game from the Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Frog TennisPublisher: Piatnik Players: 2 Ages: 5+ Playing Time: 15 Minutes Here is a description of the game from the Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Resi und Rudi RingelPublisher: Piatnik Designer: Brigitte Pokornik Players: 2 Ages: 4+ Playing Time: 15 Minutes Here is a description of the game from the Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 TouchéPublisher: Piatnik Players: 2-6 Ages: 8+ Playing Time: 40 Minutes Here is a description of the game from the Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Wiener SammelsuriumPublisher: Piatnik Designers: Harald Havas and Ronald Hofstätter Players: 2-6 Ages: 10+ Playing Time: 40 Minutes Here is a description of the game from the Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 High VoltagePublisher: Post Scriptum Designer: Gianfranco Sartoretti Artist: Paolo Vallerga / Scribabs Players: 2-4 Ages: 8+ Playing Time: 45 Minutes Rules Languages: English, Italian and German Here is a description of the game from the rules:
Here is a description of the gameplay from the rules:
First Impression by Andrea "Liga" Ligabue (after one playing of a final version): High Voltage is the new game from Post Scriptum. It’s a totally different production from their first release (BauSquitMiao): new designer, new art and also a new type of game. High Voltage is a typical German game more on the side of an abstract game than on a themed game. Despite the appearance it is absolutely not a Metro-clone, but a game with his own peculiarities and mechanics. In High Voltage you control one of the 4 power companies and you will try to make connections between Power Stations as long as possible (scoring points yourself) and also using as much as possible lines of your colour (scoring points for the company). At the end of the game you will add your personal score to the one of your company: the highest will win. Like in Clans, the colour of your company is kept secret and you will try not to reveal your plans too early but also make connections that gives your company a lot of points. The game is played on a 7x7 grid of tiles with an empty free space in the middle. All around the board there are power plants tiles (with lines pointing toward the centre of the grid) which is also used as score track. In fact it could have been better to have a map with the power plants and a scoring track, since the set up is always the same and it could be a bit time consuming. During your turn you can reveal a new tile (and place it face up in the free space or in the square when it comes from) or rotate an existing one. Spending action points (you have a fixed amount at the start of the game) you can swap two already revealed tiles or move one already revealed tile in the free space. As soon as two power plants on different side of the board are connected with 4 or more tiles you score points. You get personal points for making long connections (5 tiles or more) and also every company will score as many points as the link of the matching colour. after that you will place an “high voltage� counter on every tile used in the connection and you will turn to the “danger� side any “high voltage� counter already there: a tile with a danger counter becomes fixed (you can’t move o rotate it). You can’t close a line if you will use more than 3 tiles already occupied by high voltage counters or by one or more danger counters. This is the very new idea in that games, since the tiles become more difficult to use after each connection. In that way you always have a free space and turn after turn the grid will be revealed and built. As the game progress there is a great amount of possible moves/combinations and it needs a lot of thinking. It is a game with simple rules but you really need to think a lot before making your movement. You also have a special action counter you can use only one time in the game to make a double move or to move a tile with a danger counter on it. When and how to use this special counter is really important in determining the winner. Since all the 4 colours are equal distributed over the tiles and since you will use almost all the tiles before the end of the game, it is important how you use the tiles and how you rotate them. In my 4 player game I found the game becomes too time/brain consuming in the middle of the game and also in the final stages. One or more players could be cut off from winning and a “king maker� aspect will appear. I really prefer High Voltage over Metro but it is still too much abstract for me and too brain consuming. I think it will work better as a 2 players games since you will have more control on what will happens between your turns. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
Links: High Voltage at Post Scriptum (in Italian) High Voltage - English Rules (in PDF format) High Voltage - Italian Rules (in PDF format) High Voltage - German Rules (in PDF format) |
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 Kunstmarkt (Art Market)Publisher: Prestel Designer: Franz-Benno Delonge Players: 3-5 Price: 24.95 € Note for all Prestel Games: Prestel will not have a booth at Essen this year. Amigo is a distribution partner for Prestel, and therefore Kunstmarkt will be available at the Amigo booth to try out and play. Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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Stilbruch (Style Change) Publisher: Prestel Designers: Susanne Flachmann and Ralf Rützel Price: 16.95 € Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Ave CaesarPublisher: Pro Ludo Designer: Wolfgang Riedesser Players: 2-6 Ages: 12+ Playing Time: 30 Minutes Game Language: German Other Language Versions: English - Ave Caesar (Cafe Games) Dutch - Ave Caesar (Ravensburger) Price: 59.95 US$ This is a new version of Ave Caesar, originally published by Ravensburger in 1989. According to Pro Ludo, expansion courses are planned for the game. Here is a description of the game from Cafe Games:
First Impression by Rick Thornquist (after one playing of a prototype): For those who don’t know the game, Ave Caesar is a chariot race game. Players take turns playing numbered cards to move their chariots and the first player to cross the finish line after three laps win the race. The game is simple to teach and very fun to play. The name of the game is screwage - trying to block routes for other player’s chariots so they can’t go anywhere or they have to take a longer route. I like the fact that the only random element is the card draw and you can play fairly strategically though make no mistake - this is meant to be a fun game, not a test of strategy. I really like the game and am very much looking forward to the new version so I can finally get a copy of the game. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Die Fürsten von FlorenzPro Ludo is publishing a German version of De Vorsten van Florence (QWG). |
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Kaleidoskop (Kaleidoscope) Publisher: Pro Ludo Designers: Dr. Mark Thornton Wood and Francis Henri Dyksterhuis Players: 1+ Ages: 60+ Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Links: The Kaleidoscope Classic website |
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 Neumond - Erweiterung n*1 - für Die Werwölfe von Düsterwald (New Moon - Expansion #1 - The Werewolves of the Dark Forest)Publisher: Pro Ludo Designer: Philippe des Pallières Players: 8-18 Ages: 10+ Playing Time: 30 Minutes This is an expansion for Die Werwölfe von Düsterwald (which was published in English as The Werewolves of Millers Hollow). The expansion includes new scenarios including one so 'secret' that the rules are printed in mirror text. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Dungeon Twister Collectors BoxPublisher: Pro Ludo Players: 2 Here is a description of the game from Adam Spielt:
Here is a description of the game from Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Dungeon Twister - Paladine & Drachen (Dungeon Twister - Paladins & Dragons)Publisher: Pro Ludo Designer: Christophe Boelinger Players: 2 Ages: 11+ Playing Time: 45 Minutes This is a German version of Dungeon Twister - Paladins & Dragons, originally published in French by Asmodée in 2004. This is the first expansion for Dungeon Twister. Here is a description of the expansion from Spielbox:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Spiel der Türme (The Game of Towers)Publisher: Pro Ludo Designer: Rudi Hoffman Players: 2-4 Ages: 12+ Playing Time: 30-60 Minutes (This may be 30 Minutes) Game Language: German Other Language Versions: English - Ramparts (Cafe Games) Price: 49.95 US$ This is a new version of Spiel der Türme, originally published by Schmidt Spiele in 1993. Here is a description of the game from Cafe Games:
Here is a description of the expansion from Adam Spielt:
First Impression by Rick Thornquist (after one playing of a prototype): Ramparts is basically an abstract game - there is a theme, but it’s veneer thin. The board is a grid. Players pieces are flat squares that have one of four symbols on it and each player controls one color. The pieces start on the board - one on each space. On your turn you get to move one of your pieces orthogonally - either to an empty space or on top of another piece with the same symbol (it can be your piece or another player’s that’s covered up). If you make a stack, that stack now can move as one piece - controlled by the player with the top piece. The idea is that you are trying to create stacks with your piece at the top and move them into the scoring areas (which are the darker squares on the board - see the picture). When the game ends you count up the pieces in your stacks in the scoring areas and whoever has the most wins. The game is medium weight and somewhat of a thinker. Analysis paralysis is possible because there are so many options and good players will also be thinking ahead. This game is likely to appeal to those who like abstracts and want a game with quite a bit of strategy. I enjoyed my first game, but it is a very thinky game - I would play it if I’m looking for something deeper but doesn’t take that long to play. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 TempusPublisher: Pro Ludo Designer: Martin Wallace Players: 3-5 Ages: 14+ Playing Time: 1-2 Hours Game Language: German Other Language Versions: English - Tempus (Café Games) Here is a description of the game from Cafe Games:
First Impression by Rick Thornquist (after two playings of a prototype): Tempus is a conquest game. Each player gets a bunch of wooden disks representing his people. Three of them start on a board which is made up of hexagons of different terrain. Players take turns doing actions such as moving their guys, making babies (bringing new guys onto the board), attacking other players, drawing cards and building cities. At the end of each round, some players will gain improvements that will allow them to move more guys, more them farther, create more babies, etc. At the end of the game, the player will get points from the hexes he occupies plus points from cities that he built - whoever has the most wins. This is a civilization game stripped down to the basics. The rules are not complicated and though the game is rated as 14 and up, this could easily be a 10 or 12 and up game. It has the usual pitfalls of conquest games - one player can get beaten up on and be out of it (as happened it our game), for example. The cards can be lucky as well. We had a few rules questions which were quickly answered by Ron Magin, the publisher, but a FAQ might be required to answer these questions for others. All that being said, I found this to be a very good game. It has all the fun of a conquest game without the length, cumbersome mechanics or dice rolling. It plays fairly quickly and has lots of strategy. Those looking for the fabled ‘Civ Light’ game should definitely check it out. I liked the game very much and am looking forward to playing it a lot. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Alhambra - Das Würfelspiel (Alhambra - The Dice Game)Publisher: Queen Games Designer: Dirk Henn Artist: Jo Hartwig Players: 2-6 Ages: 8+ Playing Time: 60 Minutes Here is a description of the game from Queen Games:
Here is a description of the game from BoardGameGeek:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 Der Dieb von BagdadPublisher: Queen Games Designer: Thorsten Gimmler Artist: Michael Menzel Players: 2-4 Ages: 10+ Playing Time: 60 Minutes Other Language Versions: English - Thief of Bagdad (Rio Grande Games) This is a big box game. Here is a description of the game from www.spieltest.at:
Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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 ShogunPublisher: Queen Games Designer: Dirk Henn Artist: Michael Menzel Players: 3-5 Ages: 12+ Playing Time: 120 Minutes North American Distributor: Shogun (Rio Grande Games) This is a rethemed version of the Queen game Wallenstein. The game is set in the Sengoku period (approx 1467-1573) which ends with the inception of the well-known Tokugawa Shogunate. The game will be an international edition with language-independent components and a multilingual rules booklet. Queen is giving away posters of the Shogun cover art panorama, signed by designer Dirk Henn. To get one, you will save to send a short message to Queen and then pick up the poster at the fair. For more information, see their 13 Sep 06 news item (in English). First Impression by Rick Thornquist (after seeing a pre-production sample copy and reading the draft rules): Yes, folks, I am a lucky guy. I have sitting beside me a pre-production sample copy of the upcoming Wallenstein sequel - Shogun, coming from Queen Games and Rio Grande Games. This sample should be pretty much the same as the final production version (with one possible difference relating to the plastic used in the cube tower - see below). I have a draft copy of the English rules, again, these should be pretty much the same as the production version, though the version I have doesn't have any graphics. I haven't had a chance to play it yet - that will happen soon - but I have read the rules and looked at the components. From those I'd like to give you my first impression of the game. Since this is a sequel to Wallenstein and in many senses a similar game, I thought I'd save you a long explanation of the how the game works (there's lots of reviews of Wallenstein you can check out) and just give you my take on the differences between the two games. Note that if I don't mention a component or rule, it's probably because it's pretty much the same as Wallenstein. Let's do components first (see below for pictures of the components). First off, the graphics have completely been redone. The new graphics reflect the Japanese theme of the game. The board is two sided and interestingly enough, the two sides aren't for different numbers of players or anything, they appear to be just two of the same map with the provinces slightly rearranged. There are also sea routes marked on the board - provinces with sea routes connecting them are considered to be adjacent. These sea routes are also different on each side of the board. Basically, you are getting two different boards to play the game with. The board also has a victory point track along the edge (a major omission in Wallenstein). The player boards are also two-sided. One side is used for the groups of cubes used in the setup of the game. Once the setup is complete, the board is turned over and the other side, which has the card spaces used to plan your moves, is used for the remainder of the game. As in Wallenstein, there are Province Cards, but the blank cards in the previous game have morphed into War Chest Cards. Each player gets a set of five of these cards and each card shows 0 to 4 chests on them (chests are the currency of the game). More on these in a minute. There are five Special Cards - each player will get one of these each turn and they will give each player a special power and also have to do with turn order. Again, more on these in a minute. The big pile of Event Cards in Wallenstein (of which one is used per season) has been reduced to a set of only twelve cards, of which a few are duplicated. They have been greatly simplified and no longer apply to certain areas of the board - they all apply to all areas. They don't have any text on them either - they are straight graphics (and fairly easy to figure out). Similar to Wallenstein, they all have a Rice Loss number at the bottom (equivalent to Grain loss in Wallenstein). Now onto the cube tower. This is what everybody wants to know about, right? Well, I have done a careful comparison of the Wallenstein and Shogun cube towers using Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Infrared Spectroscopy and here are the results: they are exactly the same! The graphics are different, of course, but the structure of the towers is the same. Interestingly, the funnel and the lower tray in my copy of Shogun are the same green plastic as the ones on Wallenstein, but the rules refer to these components being "made of transparent plastic to provide all players with a better view of battle results.". We'll have to see a final copy of the game to see if that's the case. Now onto the gameplay. The gameplay in Shogun is pretty much exactly the same as Wallenstein with one big exception: turn order. In Wallenstein, turn order was randomly selected at the beginning of each season. This was a major bugaboo with players because turn order could be very important - leaving it up to random chance with a bit tough to swallow. Shogun has completely revamped the way turn order works. Remember I talked about the War Chest Cards and Special Cards which I said I'd talk about in a minute? We'll here's where they come into play. At the beginning of each season, before players plan their actions, the five Special Cards are shuffled and laid out face-up in a row of five spaces marked on the board. Each card has two functions - first, its position in the row of spaces determines the turn order of the player that takes the card (so, if a player takes the third card in a five player game, he will go third). Also, the player that takes a card will get that card's special power. These powers are as follows: - Take one extra chest when doing the 'Collect Taxes' action - Take one extra rice when doing the 'Confiscate Rice' action - Add an extra army when doing the "Deploy 5 Armies" action - When attacking, add one army to the tower - When defending, add one army to the tower So how is it determined which player selects which card? Well, during the planning phase, the players plan their moves as in Wallenstein, but there is one extra card space on their planning board that they can use to bid for turn order. This is where the War Chest cards are used. You can place one of these cards on the turn order space on your board - the number of chests on the card is the number you are bidding for turn order. You can also place a province card on that space, if you wish. The other War Chest cards, when played on the regular action spaces, act just like the blank cards in Wallenstein. They are just bluff cards and the chests on them don't mean anything. After players have planned their moves, turn order is determined. All players reveal the cards they played on their turn order space. If they played War Chest cards, they pay the amount of chests on their card to the bank (if you played a Province Card, you pay nothing). Then the player who bid the most gets first choice as to which Special Card to take and therefore, where he will be placed in the turn order (again, if a player takes the third card in a five player game, he will go third). He will also get the power of the Special Card for that season. Then the player who bid the second most chooses, etc. Ties are broken randomly. Interestingly enough, a player who played a province card on the turn order space gets to go BEFORE a player who placed a War Chest card with zero chests (I guess because you had to sacrifice a Province Card which could have been put to better use, they let you go before someone who didn't bid anything). One more tidbit on this - with less than five players, all five Special Cards are still used. Any cards that are not taken are simply ignored for that season. This process of selecting turn order is the same in each season, save for the winter (scoring) season which uses the turn order from the previous season. There is one other difference in the gameplay that I noticed - this one has to do with battles. In Wallenstein, the defender could choose how many cubes he wanted to commit to the cube tower - in Shogun, the defender doesn't have any choice - he has to throw ALL of his troops in the tower. I found it quite odd that they changed this rule - I thought that the decision of how many defending troops to commit to a battle was an interesting one. Not giving you the choice in Shogun seems strange to me. Ah well, I suppose I could always decide to use the Wallenstein rule as a variant. All in all, my first impression of Shogun is very good. I always thought Wallenstein was a great game but with Shogun, they've smoothed out the few rough edges and given us some new maps to play on. I'm very much looking forward to giving it a try. Pictures: (Click on the picture to see a larger version)
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