Sirlin Games Week - Day 5 - Puzzle Strike

Puzzle Strike (Third Edition and Shadows)

Designed by David Sirlin

Published by Sirlin Games

2 to 4 Players

20 - 50 minutes

Deck-building, Character Abilities, Player Interaction

(10/10 Stars)

Wow! Here we are at the end of Sirlin Games Week. Thank you for joining me all this week as I reviewed all of the Sirlin Games currently available. If you missed out on the other blog posts and video reviews, you don't have to look far! Here are links to each of the blog posts from earlier this week for your reading and viewing pleasure! Day 1 - Interview, Day 2 - Yomi, Day 3 - Flash Duel, Day 4 - Pandante, and to close us out - tonight I review my favorite Sirlin Game, Puzzle Strike.

I really enjoy deck-building games (Dominion, Trains, Thunderstone) and Puzzle Strike is one of my favorites! Let's talk about what comes in the box and the quality of the game (lots..and awesome - short version). Both the Third Edition and Shadows are stand-alone games. They both have the base components as well as 24 different puzzle chips and 10 different Fantasy Strike characters (each character is represented by 3 different unique action chips). Each game comes with around 350 chips which includes gem chips, crash gems, combine chips, and wounds. Other than lots of chips, you get 4 player bags, 4 player mats, and 4 player shields. The rule book is really great and includes lots of helpful illustrations. Sirlin Games also provides the rule books online for free HERE.

The quality of all these components are fantastic! The chips really are the star of the game and they are thick and smooth and it seems like they will hold up well over time. The player mats are very useful for game play. The player shields are nice as well and make it easier to see your chips all laid out and even if your opponent is setting next to you, you can easily make it so that they can't see your plans. Very cool. I do wish that they would have added a reminder to the inside of the player shields about the "panic time" mechanic. Everything is top notch, even including the future facility.

Unlike most deck-building games, players do not start with the exact same deck. I really enjoy this a lot as it provides good variety and strategy for players every game. Each player's character has 3 unique character chips and then each player gets 6 "1" chips and 1 "crash gem." So, not only do you get variety from the many different combinations of choosing 10 puzzle chips out of 24, but you also get to change out starting character chips.

Oh...this game does so many things so well. Players win by having the fewest gems in their gem pile at the end of the game (and the end of the game is triggered when someone ends their turn with a value of 10 or more in their gem pile. As you get more and more gems in your pile, the more chips you get to draw at the end of your turn, which should help you out a little in catching up to your opponent who perhaps only has 4 chips while you have 8. I like this and it seems to provide a good balance. The game also speeds up the game as piles run out.

Puzzle Strike provides a lot of opportunity for strategy, but has lots of fun luck elements as well. Both the Third Edition and Shadows are equally amazing. I think may like Third Edition slightly more because it has more of my favorite characters and the chips are perhaps slightly more basic - the Shadow set seems to have a few more complex characters to play with. Puzzle Strike does such a great job of creating this unique deck-building experience and it really simulates a puzzle battle really well I think. If you like deck-building games (and perhaps even if you don't - don't like shuffling your card deck over and over again? - just place the chips in your bag and shake it up :)), I think you will enjoy Puzzle Strike tremendously and that is How Lou Sees It! (Check out the more detailed video review below!)

I was given a copy of Puzzle Strike (Third Edition and Shadows) by Sirlin Games for the purpose of this review.

Sirlin Games Week - Day 4 - Pandante

Pandante (First Edition - Deluxe)

Designed by David Sirlin

Published by Sirlin Games

2 to 6 Players

30 to 40 minutes

Gambling (Poker), Player Abilities, Bluffing

(8/10 Stars)

Have you ever heard of a gambling panda bear? Chances are that if you have, you are already familiar with David Sirlin's other Fantasy Strike games which feature a gambling panda bear - who, just also happens to be a good fighter. :) Pandante is a game that is very different from the fighting games Yomi and Flash Duel. It still has the wonderful bluffing that is so prevalent in his other games and it is a fun unique twist on Texas Hold'em Poker. Clever name too! "Panda" and "ante" combined together...very cool.

 If you don't enjoy playing poker, don't leave yet - because Pandante provides some really great mechanics that may just change your mind about poker - well... at least the way the pandas play it. I have had friends who don't really enjoy poker play Pandante and they ended up having a blast. Pandante overs a unique deck of cards to start - 6 different colorful suits with numbers 1 to 10 with 1 Joker. 

There are a few more possible poker hands as well including a 4 of one color (a Floosh) and a Rainbow Straight. Players are dealt 2 cards that are kept hidden, and as the game progresses, 3 cards are flipped over to create The Splash (community cards that everyone can utilize - similar to Texas Hold'em). Players ante before each Gambit and players place bets and have the opportunity to draw and discard a card by "snacking." Another card is flipped over and added to The Splash - this is called The Paw. When players make their bets, everyone is betting exactly 2 gold on a certain hand indicated on their player board. Everyone goes around once, so there isn't the back and forth from matching bets and raising bids. "Snacking" is available to everyone, but the person who bid the highest hand gets to "snack" for free by drawing a card and discarding a card face down.

Other players will need to pay 2 gold for every step down in value their hand bid was to the highest one. This game mechanic is brilliant as it encourages players to bet bigger earlier. There is a lot of bluffing in this game, so watch out! Players can fold during the game, but it really is a lot less likely than regular poker. For one thing, all players will have a chance to perform some special abilities each turn. These can greatly swing the tide in your favor at the last minute. One of the other cool things is the Gold Fairy that keeps people in the game even if they lost all their gold in a previous Gambit. This is a nice change as it keeps everyone involved in the game.

I really enjoy the components of Pandante. The cards are colorful and well laid-out. The deluxe version has an amazing faux leather feel to it with magnets to keep it closed. The poker chips provided are very nice quality - pretty much the best poker chips ever! The cards are nice quality for traditional type cards and the rule book is well done.

Currently Pandante: Light and Dark is on Kickstarter (for about the next week) - and it is sitting around 34k of 50k for funding. Light and Dark is a great opportunity to get in on the Pandante action. David has updated the base game rules with many little things that will make the game even simpler and better! One thing is a centralized play mat where all the betting will take place. Rules simplified, central mat, and new Casino type cards - this expansion is a no brainer for fans of Pandante and if it looks like you could enjoy Pandante, it is a great time to get the updated version with the Light and Dark expansion. And if you are feeling lucky, you could always get the deluxe! And as a special treat, David announced a few days ago that he is giving some stretch goals for free (or free upgrades)! Very cool. You can read about those in the updates section or by clicking HERE.

Pandante at its core is a game of bluffing...well, bluffing, and pandas...and poker. Pandante is a fun poker variant that I think everyone should at least try. You may be surprised at how much you enjoy panda poker and that is How Lou Sees It! (Check out the more detailed video review below!)

I was given a copy of Pandante (First Edition, Deluxe Version) by Sirlin Games for the purpose of this review.

Sirlin Games Week - Day 3 - Flash Duel

Flash Duel (Second Edition)

Designed by David Sirlin

Published by Sirlin Games

1 to 5 Players

5 to 10 minutes

Hand Management, Player Abilities, Bluffing

(8/10 Stars)

Flash Duel is a great little game that offers many variants. As the name suggests, Flash Duel is a quick game that allows you to play multiple games in one sitting. It provides some great bluffing opportunities and the gameplay is simple. It really makes for a great light filler type game.

Players move along a little board back and forth trying to gain the upper hand by playing just the right combination of cards to perform an attack that can't be blocked or retreated from. These one hit rounds provide for quick play - it is suggested to play best 3 out of 5 - and trust me, I think you definitely will want to for sure! I really enjoy the fact that there are different modes, from the full game (which includes character abilities) to a simpler version (played without abilities) and even a 2, 3, or 4 against 1 mode (and in that mode the 1 player is a crazy powerful dragon...yeah, pretty awesome). There is even a solo version provided (I wish they would have provided a reference card for the solo version to include in the travel deck box). And for the raid on Deathstrike Dragon mode, there is even a traitor variant you can play too where one of the team members is secretly trying to help the dragon player.

Everything you really need for the full version...Travel Size! Awesome!

Not only does this little game offer many different possibilities with game modes, but the game has 3 special action cards for the 20 different Fantasy Strike universe characters. And on top of that, the game has a very compact travel version that allows you to play the full game with any different player combinations pretty much anywhere. I think the "punch" that Flash Duel gives for its size is very impressive. I honestly haven't played the raid on Deathstrike Dragon version very often, so I will have to say that a normal full game 2 player game is my favorite way to play this game. I think mixing up the character abilities is fun and provides so much replayability. The solo version is ok, but I think there are just too many other solo games (such as Friday) that I would choose to play over this one solo.

One of the powerful Deathstrike Dragon ability cards.

I LOVE this ability!

The game is a solid, quick game, that provides a lot of bang for its buck. The quality of components are great and I really love the travel version a lot. 20 different characters to choose from and mixing and matching their abilities will provide you with great enjoyment. While I love the versatility of the game, it just doesn't get up to the level of Yomi or Puzzle Strike in my opinion and that is How Lou Sees It! (Check out the more detailed video review below!)

I was given a copy of Flash Duel (Second Edition) by Sirlin Games for the purpose of this review.