SWAT Those Springtime Bugs and Become Spiderman

Day 28 - SWAT!
Designed by Reiner Knizia

Reiner Knizia does it again! I just happened to notice this little card game in the game store a while back. The sleek colorful tin grabbed my attention along with the words "SWAT!" on the front (see picture). What I didn't know when I bought or played this game is that apparently it's a bit of a remake from Knizia's "It's Mine!" published by Winning Moves. The idea of the game is fantastic and it blends elements from Coloretto, Incan Gold, and Slap Jack (it even appears that there is a Simpsons themed version, very cool). Gryphon Games does an amazing job with this version. I love the tin, the quality of the cards and "slap mat" (The tin seems just a bit too small to nicely house all the cards, but it works) and the artwork is fantastic as well.

Getting on to the actual game. The game consists of cards that are assigned different point values. There are some cards that are positive, some negative, some cards that you need to have 2 of that type of card to get the positive or negative points, and there are Zapper cards along with a card that I call the Most/Least card. The Zapper cards are really interesting and can make a huge difference in points. The Zapper cards give you points equal to a value for the number of them you collect. In other words, getting just one Zapper card gives you zero points, while if you collect 7 of them you get 40 points (which is a lot in the game). The Most/Least cards are also a card that makes the game very interesting (the person with the most gets +7 and the person with the least gets -7; where you have to have at least one of the card to be qualified - in other words, if you don't get any, you won't get negative points). SWAT! is a game for 2 - 7 players and I think it does a great job adjusting the game for fewer players. It's a really fast game and is a great card game for kids and for adults. The Wife came out swatting like a pro today and came out with yet another victory. Don't worry Cornelius, no bugs were really harmed in the playing of this game.

Spider-Man Contraption

A big SHOUT OUT to USU for creating this awesome contraption. If you can't get rid of the bugs, join them and that is How Lou Sees It.

Let's Make Being Ingenious a Habit

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits - practical, emotional, and intellectual - systematically organized for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny, whatever the latter may be." - William James

I heard about this book watching CNN one day, and I was very excited to get my hands on a copy. The book discusses how habits are formed, why they are formed, and how to recognize habits and change them for the better. It talks about habits on an individual level, a business level, and a cultural or social level. I found the different discussions very interesting and the main concept of the book is very valid, noteworthy, and in some ways inspiring. There were a couple of times where I didn't want to know any more detail in the examples given, but overall the book was a great read - exactly the sort of discussion that gets you thinking. Thanks Charles Duhigg for putting this book together. I highly recommend this book to everyone. View all my book reviews

Day 23 - Ingenious
Designed by Reiner Knizia

Ingenious is a game well worth its title. Imagine a game that is a mix between Qwirkle and Blokus. If you aren't familiar with these games yet, I hope to be able to get my hand on a copy of each to review for you later on. Ingenious is a game for 1 to 4 brains, and is simple enough for younger players to play as well (the game recommends 10 and up, but I'm sure some 8 year old kids or younger could figure it out as well because the concept is pretty easy. Each player draws 6 tiles to start the game. On a players turn, you play a tile, score the points associated with that tile, if you are lacking your currently lowest scored color you may switch your tiles, and you draw so you have 6 tiles again. The board is a large hexagon shape made up of little hexagons. The tiles are two hexagons attached together with a symbol on each hexagon. There are six different shapes (each shape is also associated with a color) and thus 6 different colors you are trying to score points in. You score points by placing a tile adjacent to at least one matching symbol and counting the same colored tiles already on the board that are adjacent to each symbol in all of the directions (except for in the direction of the other hexagon on the tile you laid).

This may all sound a bit confusing, but its not - you are trying to score as many points in each color as possible while advancing your score in each color. This is where the real kicker comes in - the winner is the person with the highest lowest score. Yeah, you read that right. Pretty cool if you ask me, maybe even INGENIOUS! This requires players to advance each colors scoring marker on their board evenly. It won't matter if you have 18 in 4 colors, if you have 1 color with only 4 points because your score at the end of the game will be 4 points. Each color has a maximum value of 18 and when players reach this point on a color's scoring track, the player says "Ingenious" and gets another turn. The game ends when all the players can't play another piece to the board. Again, the player with the highest lowest score wins. If there is a tie, then it is the next highest lowest score etc. A player can also end the game and win immediately if they can get all 6 colors/shapes to the end of the scoring board (18 points in each color).

Wow, this turned into a longer post than usual. Bottom line is, the game is great! Check it out. It is even available for the iPhone apparently (so you and Siri can play all night long). The Wife won tonight in a pretty close game. I need to start making a comeback, but it is difficult when you are playing against someone who is Ingenious and that is How Lou Sees It.

Sauron Strikes Back

Day 7 - Lord of the Rings
Designed by Reiner Knizia


The first cooperative game in the A Game A Day adventure. Reiner Knizia is said to be one of the finest game designers, and I agree with that statement according to the games that I have played of his. It is definitely a big challenge to design a board game based on a well known popular book (which was also made into some very popular movies), and Mr. Knizia does a fine job. The object of the game is of course to take the ring of all rings to Mordor and destroy it. You and your fellow hobbits (2-5 players) will take a journey through Middle Earth (should take about an hour) trying not to become corrupt by the ring's power along the way. You must work together to pass through each phase of the game while avoiding Sauron. The wife and I played the game today and Sauron unfortunately won. The Wife was able to get enough ring tokens to get control of the ring before Sauron took me. She nobly went on without me and made it to space 51 before Sauron claimed his ring back for good. Sorry Middle Earth. Maybe next time and that is How Lou Sees It.