Review - Poo (Take It Like A Monkey!)

Players: 2 - 8
Playing Time: 5 - 15 Minutes
Age: 8+
Suggested Retail: $9.99

It’s been a tough day in the monkey cage and something in the food tonight wasn’t quite right. In monkey world, there’s only one thing that can be done about it – fling poo!

Poo is a fast-paced card game for two to eight players, requiring anywhere from five to fifteen minutes to play. It’s fast and furious – something you can play while waiting in line or on lunch break.

Each player takes on the role of a monkey. You fling poo and mess with each other until only one monkey is left standing. That monkey, of course, is the cleanest one. Each turn, every player gets to draw and play a card, usually either to fling poo at another player or to clean himself off. Out of turn, each player gets to play cards to defend himself or foil other players’ poo flinging.

With cards like these, you can’t lose!

Not in the Face!
King-Kong Poo
Grandpa Poo
The Big One
Montezuma’s Revenge
Buddy’s Face
Shimmy-Shimmy Shake
Blaze of Glory
The Golden Banana

The Goal:

Be the last Monkey standing.

The Setup:

Remove the Golden Banana Cards and shuffle the cards and deal 5 cards to each player.  Use Rock-Paper-Scissors to determine who "goes" first (no pun intended).

The Play:

On you turn either play a card or trade cards.  Playing cards usually ends up in some amount of Poo being flung at another player.   There are also card that allow you to remove Poo from yourself.

You can also choose to trade any number of cards from your hand for cards in the draw pile.

When it is another players turn you might be able to play Defense cards or Mishap cards.  Defense cards basically block poo that is flung your direction...maybe redirecting the poo to another player.  Mishap cards cause problems for the person who flung the poo, like losing a turn.

Players stay in the game until they have 15 Poo stuck on them.  Then they are out...unless a Golden Banana is available.  If so, the player can grab the Golden Banana and rejoin the game, but they start out with 8 Poo already stuck on them.

Game End:

When only one monkey is left standing.


Review:

Poo is a GREAT game!  Almost every group I have played it with enjoy it.  We plussed the game by using chocolate chips as hit markers.  Eating them whenever we clean ourselves...yup, kinda gross, but FUN!!!

You never actually see poo of any kind in this game, just a lot of monkeys with various expressions on their faces that match the level of poo being thrown.  The artwork is very well done and makes players smile as they "Take It Like A Monkey".  Families can bring this out and have a lot of fun with it, no need to be concerned.

Of course, Poo will never go down as a deep game.  It is a great filler and we usually play several rounds when it is brought out.

Overall, I give Poo 9 out of 10...mainly because it knows what kind of game it is and it does it well.


You can buy Poo in our eBay store (www.howlingfungames.com)  or by contact us directly.

Follow us on Twitter (@HowlingFunGames) for a chance to win a copy of Poo on Dec 15.

Howling Fun Games Annual Open House

Friday, November 18, 6:30 to 9:30 PM

Saturday, November 19, 1:00 to 4:00 PM

1587 East 300 South

Springville, UT 84663 

• Save up to 40% off suggested retail prices  on 100's of great games
  
• Lots of Door Prizes
• Refreshments
• Clearance Items 

Special orders are welcome and most will arrive in time for Christmas! 

Demos:

• Spontuneous
• Faux-Cabulary
• Shake 'n Take
• Steam
• Ticket to Ride
• Many, Many, More.... 

Review - Anomia

Players: 3-6
Playing Time: 10 - 20 Minutes
Age: 8+
Suggested Retail: $15.99

Anomia: [uh-NO-mee-uh] - Noun - 1) A problem with word finding or recall. 2) Chaos. 3) The game where common knowledge becomes uncommonly fun!

Anomia plays off the fact that our minds are positively brimming with all sorts of random information; things to eat, pop songs, websites, etc... Sure, under normal circumstances, it's easy enough to give an example of a frozen food, or a dog breed; but you will find that your brain works a little differently under pressure!

The directions are simple. Draw a card from the center pile and flip it over. Does the symbol on your card match one on another player's card? If so, you must quickly face-off with the other player by giving an example of the person, place, or thing on their card before they can do the same for yours. If you blurt a correct answer out first, you win their card and drawing continues. Sounds simple, right? Wrong!

Wild cards allow unlike symbols to match, increasing the number of things you must pay attention to. Cascading face-offs can occur when you hand over a lost card revealing a new top card on your play pile. All this adds up to a high-energy, hilarious play experience where everyone is involved at all times.

Easy to learn, fun to play over and over again, Anomia will have any group of friends, family, even perfect strangers, shouting and laughing out loud as they try to beat each other to the punch!

The Goal:

Collect the most cards.

The Setup:

Shuffle one of the 2 decks and create 2 draw piles in the center of the table.

The Play:

The starting player draws a card from either deck and flips it face-up in front of them.  Each additional player does the same thing.  Watch for symbols that match, when a match occurs, the players whose cards match much shout out an answer that matches their opponent's card.  The winner collects their opponents card and places it in a collection pile in front of them.  Play continues with the next player.

Wild cards will add additional symbols to watch for, so face-offs happen more and more frequently.  Once a card has been collected, it will reveal the card underneath, which often leads to a casade of face-offs.  Pay attention!

Game End:

When both draw piles have been depleted the game ends.  Each player counts the number of cards won in face-offs, the player with the most cards wins!


Review:

Anomia is an easy game to play from a rules prespective, but it is a brain cramp waiting to happen.  The hardest part of the game is to remember to shout out an answer for you opponent's card (not your own).  It is very fun as cards start to cascade and the face-offs start lining up.

We played with 4 players, which was very good, but I think 5 or 6 would make it even better.  You can play with 3 players, but I think that more is better.  Younger kids will likely have a harder time with it, but teenagers and adults will love it!

It reminds me a bit of Snorta, but it is more challenging because you have to come up answers for a variety of subjects.

Overall, I give it a 8 out of 10...it will work as a filler game on game night, or it would be a good primary game to play as well.

You can buy Anomia in our eBay store (www.howlingfungames.com) or Our Amazon Store or by contacting us directly.

Thoughts on GAMA Trade Show 2011 - Mayfair

This last week we had the opportunity to attend out first board game trade show, the GAMA Trade Show.  We attended several classes, covering a range of subjects...some valuable, some not so much.  Personally, my favorite was one put on by Mayfair Games.

The class was part of their Demo 2 Demo program.  For 2 1/2 hours, Mayfair taught us how to demo 4 of their games.  In the process, we played each game for about 25 minutes and then moved on to the next game.  The best part is we also got a demo copy of each game to take home with us.  Of the 3 games, I had only played 1 of them before, so it was a good way to get introduced to some new games.  Here are my quick thoughts on the 4 games we learned about.

Catan Geographies: Germany

Think Settlers of Catan based in Germany.  The board is fixed, so you don't have a lot of setup.  Game play is similar to Catan, you roll dice, collect commodities, build roads or town halls or landmarks.  You keep track of victory points and the first one to 10 points (4 player game) or 12 points (3 player game) wins.  Since we only played 25 minutes, I cannot give a full review, but I liked the game and I have already ordered some copies to sell in our store.


Domaine


This is the game I had played previously and I still like it.  Basically you are trying to gain control of as much land as possible.  Some land is more valuable than others, like mines and forests.  Your score dynamically changes as you expand your "domaine".   On your turn you can sell action cards to get money, or you can play an action card.  The action card lets you place boundary markers, add knights, or expand your domain.  In 25 minutes, we each only got about 3 turns each, but I am anxious to play it again.

Lords of Vegas


Your are a developer in the early days of Vegas.  Your start out owning real estate that is used as a parking lot, which you earn money for at the beginning of each players turn.  You eventually want to replace the parking lots to casinos, to earn bigger money.  You can take over other player's casinos and try to be the next "Lord of Vegas".  This is probably the most complicated game of the 4 we played.  Again, since we only played for about 25 minutes, we weren't able to get too deep.  However, I plan to introduce this to some of my gaming friends and give it a go.

Weinhandler


The last game we played was Weihandler.  It was the simplest game demoed.  Weinhandler is a card game where each card represents a bottle of wine.  Each bottle has a brand of wine, a type of wine, and a point value on it.  The basic theme is you are a wine collector trying to build up the most valuable wine cellar.  You do this by participating in auctions.  Each auction has 4 bottles of wine in it.  You bid wine cards out of your hand and try to be the highest bidder.  However, this game has an interesting dynamic in it where the winning bidder gets the auction bottles, but the next highest bidder gets the cards the highest bidder bids....the 3rd highest bidder gets the cards the 2nd highest bidder bid, and so on.  The cards the lowest bidder bid becomes the start of the next auction.  This mechanic ended up being the most interesting part of the game.  Do I just go for the auction, or do I go for a certain player's bid cards.  This game is much deeper than it looks on the surface.  This is another one I will be carrying soon.

Final Thoughts

I really liked this Demo 2 Demo program and if I go to future events where it is offered, I will definitely attend again.  If I had known how good it was going to be, I would have attended the 2nd session that demoed 4 additional games.  Mayfair has got a winning idea here....

I have more to tell you about the trade show, so watch for an update in the next few days....

Review - Buckyballs

Players: N/A
Playing Time: Any
Age: 14+ (they aren't kidding about this)
Suggested Retail: $34.95

Tired of desktoys that only do one thing? Puzzled by puzzles that are hard to figure out? Frustrated by magnets that refuse to pull their own weight? Brace yourself, a whole new breed of adult toy is on the way. Featured in Rolling Stone, People Maxim, Esquire Magazine...the world can't stop talking about Buckyballs.

Each set contains 216 powerful Rare Earth magnets that can be shaped, molded, torn apart and snapped together in UNLIMITED WAYS. Make sculptures, puzzles, patterns, shapes, stick stuff to the fridge, invent a new game—trying to find something more useful is useless.

The Goal:

Make as many shapes as possible, and don't waste your whole day playing with them.


The Play:

With 216 small magnets, the play is endless!  Try getting them back into the cube shape they are in when you open the package....not as easy as you may think!


Review:

I love magnetic toys and Buckyballs are right up there at the top of the list.  Personally, I like the Black set (plated in Black Nickel) the best, but the Gold Plated and Silver Plated ones are very nice.  I've spent a lot of time messing around with these and I have found them to be a time killer...maybe too much! 

The magnetic balls are small, very small.  The plastic box above is about 1.5" x 1.5" x 1.5".  I love that a plastic box is included, especially since it is next to impossible to get the magnets back into the perfect cube (which I have yet to accomplish....close, but not perfect).  The box is bigger that the ball-cube so it is possible to just mash the Buckyballs back into the box.


The magnets are a LOT stronger than I was expecting.  You can grab onto a ball and start pulling and the magnets will stay together and pull into a long string.  In fact, my son and I were able to (gently) swing a "rope" of balls like a jump-rope and they did not come apart.  We also found out that the balls can be shaped into all kinds of necklaces, bracelets, ear rings, nose rings, and bling for braces (who knew braces were magnetic?).



Since these magnets are so strong, the packaging is very careful to warn about letting small children anywhere near the magnets.

In fact, to sell Buckyballs retailers have to sign an agreement to not display them near items intended for small children.  Of course, some adults I know might also have a problem with this...you know who you are!

Buckyballs are a GREAT idea for people who love desk toys or magnets or who need something to play with that can keep them entertained for hours.  Overall, I give them a full a 10 out of 10. 

You can buy Buckyballs in our eBay store (www.howlingfungames.com) or by contacting us directly.

Games To Play When Camping

It's amazing how fast the summer has been going.  I just realized it has been several weeks since my last post...so here is a multi-game entry for your reading pleasure.

My family likes to go camping.  Every trip, we end up playing some games, and we have found that some games work better than others.  Here is a list of our favorites to play in the great outdoors.

Guillotine:

This irreverent and humorous card game takes place during the French Revolution. Players represent rival guillotine operators vying for the best collection of noble heads over 3 rounds.  Each round, 12 nobles are worth varying points, depending on their notoriety. During your turn, play action cards to change the order of the line so you can collect the best nobles.

This is a nice quick game and comes in a small box that makes it easy to throw in with the camping supplies.



Travel Blokus:

This is the 2-player version of the award-winning classic game Blokus.  Each player has a set of Tetris shaped plastic pieces that you must place on the game board.  Each piece placed must touch another one of your pieces, but only at a corner...you cannot place them in any other way.  Play continues until neither player can place any of their pieces.  Count the squares on your unplayed pieces and player with lowest score wins.

This is an addicting game...the loser almost always calls for a rematch.



Five Crowns:

Five Crowns is a card game for the whole family. It has original game play, but uses skills that you have obtained from playing your old favorites like hearts, spades and rummy. Because Five Crowns has five Royal Families - the Stars, the Clubs, the Hearts, the Spades and the Diamonds - yes, five suits in the old usage, it allows a more equal chance of making a book or a run, effectively giving each player more possibilities to readjust their hand so as to go out. Good players are able to take advantage of this and win more than an average number of games.
The play starts with three cards and 3s are wild; next hand has four cards and 4s are wild....working up to the last hand when Kings are wild. Each of the royal families is portrayed in original art and has its own colors. The Renaissance designs result in cards that are beautiful to hold in your hand and give a "collector" feel to the game. Five Crowns is a fast paced, ingenious new game in eleven rounds. 

This is a game we have played for years...I especially like it because it is one of the few games we have that I can regularly win against my wife...and that is a big deal. 





Quiddler:

Quiddler, is a beautiful word game with naturally smooth game play that plays fast. These are essentials for a successful game that few word games have. Using special cards, Quiddler draws on one's ability to combine letters into words. Players must combine their entire hand into words trying to use the highest point value letters. Quiddler challenges you to do this first with three cards (round one), then with four, on up to ten cards in the last round. A bonus is given for both the longest word, and the most words made by a player in each round. The average game takes 20-40 minutes. 

The great thing about Quiddler is players of all skills and ages can play.  The bonus points given for either longest work or most words levels the playing field for the Scrabble-Gods and the younger players.  Love this game!!



Here is a pack with Quiddler, Five Crowns, SET, and Xactika all togtehr for a greta low price:


Review:
All of these games are compact enough to pack in the camping supplies.  The whole family can enjoy them...especially since they are all very easy to learn.

You can buy these games in our eBay store (www.howlingfungames.com) or Our Amazon Store or by contacting us directly.

Review - Tsuro: The Game Of The Path

Players: 2-8
Playing Time: 10 - 20 Minutes
Age: 8+
Suggested Retail: $29.99

Create your own journey with Tsuro, the Game of the Path.  Prevent your opponents from steering you in the wrong direction—or off the board! Tsuro is the quick-playing game in which directions can change as easily as the game plays.

The rules are simple: You place your stones, select your tiles, and attempt to build a safe Path for your journey. The Paths of other players cross and connect, so the choices you make affect all the journeys across the board. Stay on the right Path -- your journey begins here.

The Goal:

Be the last player with a marker on the board.

The Setup:

Each player chooses a marker stone, shuffle the tiles, and deal three tiles to each player.  Place remaining tiles in a draw pile.

The Play:

The game board is made up of a 6x6 grid where the game tiles are played.

First, each player chooses a starting point along the outside of the playing area on the board.  Each turn involes three steps:

1. Play A Tile - The player chooses a tile from his hand and plays it in the vacant space next to their marker
2. Move Markers - All players whose marker touches the newly played tiles moves their marker along the new path segment.
3. Draw a New Tile - Player draws a new tile from the draw pile.

As the game progresses the markers will move all over the board.  You are trying to place tiles that will force your opponent's markers off the board while keeping you marker on the board.  You are not allowed to play a tile that forces your own marker off the board, unless there is no other choice.

Game End:

When only one marker is left on the board, that player wins!


Review:

Tsuro is another fun, short game to play.  I think this is a very good filler game and I really like that it supports up to 8 players.  I tried a 2 player game and it went a little long before it got interesting towards the end of the game.  We also tried making the play area smaller (3x3 and 4x4) which was an interesting variation...the game is better with 4 or more players.

Considering this is the first published game from Calliope Games, it is a very pretty game.  I was surprised at the small touches that made opening the game fun.  The rules booklet is a tri-fold booklet that looks more like an invitation than a rules booklet. 

Overall, I give it a 8 out of 10...it will still be just a filler game, but it is a very good one.

You can buy Tsuro in our eBay store (www.howlingfungames.com) or Our Amazon Store or by contacting us directly.