Hi there! Welcome to this on-going series of light-hearted monthly updates about the board game related goings-on here at Diagonal Move.
It being that time of year – y’know where men in suits first say you can’t, then you might, then you can, then you definitely can’t get together with your equally board game obsessed friends – it is perhaps not surprising that gaming in December was largely of the family friendly variety…
On the Coffee Table
Two of my three very favourite family dexterity games saw the light of day this month (the third being the 1980’s edition of Kerplunk. The version where the sticks still looked like small plastic javelins. Ah, those were the days …back when the phrase “all fun and games until someone loses an eye” really meant something).
Men at Work
I love Men at Work, I truly do. The concept of clearing up the previous player’s mess. The idea that dropping a brick receives the same penalty as bringing an entire edifice to the floor. Boss Rita turning up halfway through to ensure the key focus is on increasingly precipitous height attainment and not, the presumably health and safety violating, mass of tangled limbs, beams and girders that follows. Wonderful.
Rhino Hero Super Battle
If there was ever a game bound for success in my house its Superhero Rhino Battle. Of course, this is Super Battle Rhino Hero…or was it Hero Battle Super Rhino? For unclear reasons I struggle to get the name right on this one.
But, I do know that the imaginary Diagonal Move award for ‘Most fun game in a bright yellow box’ would go to it, whatever it is called. In fact, of all the children’s games I own involving anthropomorphised animals in superhero costumes fighting over who gets to climb the tallest building in a house of cards, this one is the best.
Outfoxed!
Another perennial favourite featuring animals with human traits! This time said creatures have the unfortunate tendency to pinch pot pies. With a host of possible culprits and a long trail of clues to investigate, Outfoxed is a kid’s detective game done right. It even comes complete with a MacGuffin to help you find the culprit. I don’t feel it is too much of a spoiler to say…’it was the fox wot dunnit’.
Kingdomino
This game has it all. Dominoes! Crowns! Tiles! Primary colours! The ability to combine them into a wonderful kingdom! Sadly, when I play, the kingdom tends to be full of holes with the castle off to one side in a swamp. Sigh…spatial awareness, one day you and I shall come to terms.
On the Interwebs
Not much interweb gaming this month. What I did do, however, was playtest.
I alluded to having a game design of mine own in last month’s update, and while this is true, it the results of the aforementioned playtest suggest that it will be some time before said ‘game’ is ready to show the world.
That’s the beauty and the pain of playtesting, I guess.
On the Tube
Aha! Here comes the fun bit.
This would simply not be a Diagonal Move monthly update without some mention of wargames. And here they are, lurking on the fledgling YouTube channel, two videos on games designed by Hermann Luttmann: At Any Cost and Invaders from Dimension X. Two very different games but both tonnes of fun. (Whisper: Why not stop reading and pop over to the YouTube channel, we are nearly done here anyway).
Quick aside on the stats front. Apparently, I need to upgrade the subscriber coach to a double decker bus as there are now 89 people prepared to push that big red button on the channel page. Thank you!
Coming Next Month…
Stuff and things…things and stuff. Also, some board game content (probably).
Anyway…
Thanks once again for joining my journey through the world of board games this year. Hope to see you here at the same time (approx!) next month.
We have a long way to go yet…and I’m looking forward to it.
