Scuttle! A quick pirate themed card game that is lots of fun.

Ninjatsu! A sequel stand alone game to Scuttle is on Kickstarter now.

My first Jelly Bean Games review, I am very impressed with the company and people bringing these games to our tables. Keep up the good work Peter, Kelly, and Nicole! I hope to review more of their games soon! Until then, check out the Kickstarter and snatch up some doubloons!

Dread Curse

Dread Curse
Designed by Stuart Sisk
Published by Smirk and Dagger Games
3 to 8 Players
30 Minutes
Press Your Luck, Take That, Variable Player Roles, Pirates

Introduction/Background
When I think Pirates, I think Johnny Depp, Treasure Island, Blackbeard's Ghost, Treasure Maps, Treasure, Parrots, monkeys, Black Spot, and Arrgh, talking funny - just to name a few. Dread Curse is a great bluffing, push your luck, round role picking game and it is something I now think about when  think Pirates.

Components and Rule Book
Very nice quality components from the box to cards to tokens. Nice vinyl type of finish. All the components are top notch. I only wish the coins could have been made of metal, but considering the price point, the tokens representing coins are a nice thick cardboard that seem to hold up well.

The rules are pretty simple and the rulebook does a good job. I was a little confused at first about how the monkey worked with past coins and why that element was there and a few minor things here and there that definitely took a play through to understand.

Game Play
The game play is really simple at heart. While some of this varies depending on the role you have, the idea is that you draw draw a new coin from the center and you will also steal coins from others. Almost all the coins are good, but there are also some nasty cursed coins (2 black spots and a lead slug) to be very scared of. If you end the game with a black spot, you lose. If you have a lead slug, it will be very challenging to overcome the negative points.

I like how the game begins. One black spot is pulled out with other coins one for each player and these are shuffled and dealt. The player who starts with the black spot starts the game as the Captain. This starting mechanism helps the game along so that it is exciting right from the start and to me just makes sense thematically.

The different roles available throughout the game are all pretty cool. Some roles are definitely desired over others during different times during the course of the game. This sets us up for another interesting part of the game. Once each round of hoarding and stealing treasure is complete, and each player chooses if they want to pay the monkey for a Pirate's Code card, the players then have the choice to either stay in the game or cut and run with what they have. Those who decide to stay will then use the coins they have acquired thus far to bid for the captaincy. The higher players bid, the more likely they are going to be the Captain or snag a more beneficial role that they need.

Some of the special "cheats" from the different roles include the coveted "Cook" who can exchange a token from their stash with one in the bag - perfect for getting rid of that pesky Black Spot. The Captain is all about taking treasure as he can draw up to 4 coins and he must steal 2 coins instead of the normal 1. So, as I mentioned, some cards are better than others at different points in the game. The Captain is great at the beginning to acquire lots of treasure quickly, but later on, you run the risk of taking a Black Spot.

I like how the game flows and all the mechanics work pretty well. The Pirate's Code cards really add to the "Take That" element of the game. Sure, the whole game you are stealing coins from one another, but some of these cards can get really mean. They can have game changing effects if utilized at the right time and can definitely swing the game.

Final Thoughts
My entire gaming group really had a good time with this game. You have the role selection element with bidding which is pretty interesting and is reminiscent of another game I enjoy, Citadels. It has a Take That element that you also have with Citadels or with games like Munchkin or Killer Bunnies. The Pirate theme fits really well and the quality of the components is fantastic. If you are playing with lots of people, players will most likely have some down time as they choose to play it safe and leave with their winnings. Depending on the game, those people could be waiting a while. The game provides a really fun time for a small group (probably best with 5 or 6). I would highly recommend this game to those who like Citadels, Munchkin, Killer Bunnies, Incan Gold, and Pirates. Those who don't really like those sort of games or the Take That attitude that this game has, may want to steer clear. I give Dread Curse 2 Fingers Up or 7 out 10 Stars and that is just How Lou Sees It!

 

Smash Up

Smash Up
Designed by Paul Peterson

What do Pirates, Aliens, Robots, Tricksters, Ninjas, Dinosaurs, Wizards, and Zombies have in common? They are all used in this simplistic battle for power in the card game "Smash Up." A big SHOUT OUT to AEG for making this review possible by sending an advanced copy of the game. Smash Up was scheduled for an August release, but since then the game has been pushed back to a September release, so keep your eyes open. To me Smash Up feels like a simpler version of Killer Bunnies with a pleasant added variety to the type of cards. The game is very easy to learn and play and the games go by really quickly (so you can play again with a different mash up of types). The game is made for 2 to 4 players and with all the different species or types, the game has tremendous replay value.

The game includes 8 different categories with 20 cards in each. Players choose 2 different categories and shuffle them together creating their playing deck for the game. This can be done by taking turns choosing a type or another fun way I think is to actually take a card from each category and shuffle them up dealing out 2 cards to each player randomizing each players deck. Either way, each different combination will have its pros and cons and your strategy will have to adapt.

After the decks have been shuffled, different base cards are dealt out onto the table and the mayhem begins. Each player can play 1 minion (these are cards with characters of power and usually have some special ability associated with them) to a base and/or 1 action card (these allow to enhance your own minions or hurt others etc.). You then "score" any base on which the sum of all the minions' power (yours along with other players' minions) is equal to or greater than what is on the base. Players then score victory points according to their power ranking compared to the others. A new base is then drawn and placed. The player then draws 2 cards (discard down to 10 at the end of your turn). Simple as that! The game ends when someone scores at least 15 victory points and the winner is the one player with the most.

I really like the simple play to the game. You can introduce the game to 3 entirely new people and have the game going in 5 minutes. The game of course has a bit of luck on the draw of cards and you are greatly affected by the other players constantly. The different types of cards and combos make the theme crazy and fun. My only negative feedback on the game is that the game requires a pen/pencil and some paper to keep track of score. I would have loved some simple method included in the game to keep track of the victory points. All in all, a great little card game. Who would have imagined ninjas teaming up with dinosaurs or pirates combining with aliens or zombies and robots (now that's a scary thought)...and that is How Lou Sees It.

A Dark Red Summer

Dark Life by Kat Falls

My goodreads rating: 5 of 5 stars


I love goodreads and scholastic! I received this book for free from the goodreads giveaway area, and I am very glad that I did.


Dark Life is a fantastic book, and the best one I have read all year. It has all of the right elements to a great story. Great characters, a fascinating setting, and an intriguing plot (there is even a little romance for the ladies, or the guys...I'm not judging - its really a perfectly balanced book). I really appreciated the attention to detail concerning the underwater homesteads. I also love water in general and the ocean. The book has some, what I like to call, Star Wars elements to it. Its not a long book and makes for a quick read. This is one of my new favorite books, and I can hardly wait for the sequel! Great work Kat! Keep them coming.

Superman: Red Son

This really is an intriguing graphic novel. This story takes place during the cold war time period, and is a "what if" scenario...that is...what if Superman (who stands for Justice and the American way) had landed in Russia? Brought up on the communistic ideals and who takes over after Stalin dies. Batman and Wonder Woman are also a bit different, and with Superman landing in Russia, Lois Lane is now...Lois Luthor. A good read, and a very interesting look at what it could have been like if Superman was Comrade Superman. Interesting stuff. 

Summer Movies
Some of the movies coming out this spring and summer that have caught my attention.

 

And these are just some of the movies Lou will See.

P.S. How Lou Sees It has now been viewed in 10 countries!