Among the best things in life is playing printed games in person with family and close friends. When those are not convenient we like iOS Board Games.
News, reviews, previews, and opinions about board gaming on iPhones, iPads, iPods and even Android devices. (iPhone board games, iPad board games, iPod board games, Android board games)
The Stats: Compatibility: Universal Current Price: $4.99 Developer/Publisher: Ravensburger Digital Version: 1.01 Size: 65.3 MB Multiplayer: Yes. Local and Online. AI: Yes. Itunes link: Scotland Yard Read more »
I am pleased to announce that BoardGameGeek and iOS Board Games will be attending Origins Game Fair 2012. I want to meet with you and will be filming interviews and demos of both physical board games and digital products.
BoardGameGeek has been lucky enough to be selected to participate in a pilot program at Origins 2012. We have been given a table to use as a base of operations in the Origins Game Day Live area of Hall D.
For Publishers and Game Developers:
I will be attending all day Friday and Saturday. I would love to meet with you or have you demo any of your physical games or digital games. All of these video demos will go up on BoardGameGeek.com.
I will be available to visit booths from 10am to 1pm and will be at the BGG table to film demos from 2pm to 6pm.
Please let me know if there a time that works for you. I am also free for after hours meetings
You can PM me here or you can email me at brad@boardgamegeek.com.
For Readers and Friends:
I would love to meet you at Origins. Feel free to come visit the BGG table anytime from 2pm to 6pm on Friday or Saturday. Also after hours it would be great to meet and play games or chat either at the BGG table or in another location.
Here are some highlights and comments on some apps I have been playing this week. I had the chance to play many iOS titles this week:
Ascension: Storm of Souls It is more than likely that most of you are already enjoying Storm of Souls on your iOS devices. This recently added in-app purchase for Ascension: Chronicles of the God Slayer is a great addition and provides an alternative way to play Ascension. Along with this expansion, the latest update to the app also adds a promo pack expansion and several welcome add-ons. Some of these include a next game button in online play and fast app switching.
I think this update is a must have for any fan of Ascension. The added expansions really add a lot of variety to the game and increase the number of ways you can customize the experience. I really enjoy no longer having to load the game each time I go in to play, though the connection to Game Center does seem to take a while (this could be my device). The new cards are interesting to check out and really open up new strategies. The next game button is amazing and has done a lot to ease playing multiple games at a time. The IAP system is actually set up well and restoring purchases is fairly easy. I would check this out if you have not already. You can check the game out here.
Casino by Zeniz Casino games are not something I often try out. I had a stint of really enjoying Texas Hold Em when I was in high school, but not much since then. Casino by Zeniz is basically an online portal to play slots and poker. The poker interface is pretty well done and offers several levels of play. It is easy to hop in and out of a game. The slots, beyond the basic slot game, are somewhat beyond my understanding. It does seem like strong poker simulator and you do start out with credits, so there is no initial investment. I am not sure it is exactly my cup of tea, but if you are up for Texa Hold Em on your iPad it is a well designed option. You can check it out here.
Neuroshima Hex Online The latest update for Neuroshima Hex is just around the corner. I was able to take a look at the update this week and have been quite impressed. The online system is a large improvement over Caylus and Army of Frogs. You start by creating a simple log in and password, it is sad that it is not straight Game Center, but it is not a long process. You can login in to see games that are available to join or start one of your own. Games can be async or real time if both players are online at the same time. There are also are neat options, like the ability to fast forward through the battle scenes like in a single player game. There is also in game chat. This seems like a laundry list of features, but really it is just to show that Neuroshima Hex online appears to be full featured. It really seems like this can be a new async go to. I hope that you all will check out the app when the update launches. I am very pleased. You can check it out here.
Scotland Yard This week Scotland Yard was released from Ravensburger Digital. I have had a chance to play around with it and it is quite well done. You can play with up to six players with local and AI players. There is also online play real time through Game Center. The interface is very well done and captures the game quite well. I will be doing a full review of this next week, but for now it looks like a great game, especially for families. You can check it out here.
City of Secrets: Pipes City of Secrets seems to be becoming something of a franchise and Reiner Knizia appears to be an essential part of it. Much like the previously released Skyline, Pipes is a puzzle game. Each round a series of pipes will be given to you and your task is to connect them to sockets around the edge of a grid in the optimal way. Pipes have large and small connectors. If you connect a larger connector to the outside sockets you score double the point shown, but if you connect a small connector you only score the points shown. You can also score bonus points if you have a chain of large pipes from the center (starting point) to an outside socket. It is a game that rewards preplanning and a little luck (as you don’t which pipes will come when). If you are a fan of these Knizia puzzle games this one is well done. You can get it for $.99 right now.
Draw Something Pics of the Week One picture to post this week from user katamarimanatee, who posted his excellent Monopoly pic a few weeks ago. As always, if you want to share your drawing please submit it to iosboardgames@gmail.com, with your BGG username, and you may see them show up here.
Other
Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition Here is a video review I made this week of Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition:
It seems like more and more “old” video game and board game franchises are being redone or reprinted. A prime example is Diablo III which was released this week. Sometimes these sequels and reboots are improvements but at other times these rehashes can disappoint.
So my question of the week: Should board game and video game companies continue to reprint or sequelize old releases or should they focus on creating new content that learns from the past but is not directly connected to it?
Here are some highlights and comments on some apps I have been playing this week. I got the chance to play many iOS titles this week:
HappyMeeple.com Earlier this week Gabe mentioned Happy Meeple.com. This site is a way to play board games online and is formatted to be play well on both iPad and iPhone. While the site is certainly a dud in the graphical department, there are some cool features. One such feature is the varying levels of AI. For each game there appear to be several AI opponent that play in different ways and can be unlocked by beating the previous opponent or purchasing them with in game currency. Some may be scared by this micropurchase system, but initially you get Lost Cities (perhaps the most popular game on the system) and can play several games of that in a row before your “energy” is depleted. Spending money appears to only be necessary if plan to play extensively which seems fair. You can check the game out here.
Hearts Tournament I am not terrible at all classic card games, but Hearts is one that I fail at. Sadly, in my family we grew up playing Rummy and Canasta but never Hearts or Spades. If you actually do see me a “Hearts tournament” do not elect to be my partner. The app Hearts Tournament on the other hand is actually a success. It has a very polished look and is focused on having multiple games going at one time. You can play with AI, random folks online, or friends. One of our team members is currently working on a full review. For my two cents, if you are a fan of Hearts this is one of the best iOS implementations. You can check it out here.
Conquest! Medieval Realms Before I go on I must tell you that every game of this app I have played so far has been very enjoyable. The game is quite fun and brings back memories of old games like Civilization and Rise of Nations. However, unlike Battle Academy, Conquest! Medieval Realms lacks polish and stability. The game is a hex based strategy game where the player is trying to conquer 80% of the map to win. You start with a few territories and must use soldiers to conquer additional hexes. Each soldier can only conquer one hex per turn and only hexes below their attack level. Players can build defensive buildings and defend with soldiers to raise the level needed to invade a certain hex. Players must also make sure they build enough economic buildings in their territory to support their army or the soldiers will disappear and riots will start in the territory. It is a fun concept but is hindered by a few problems: 1. The app has been unstable in my experience. After rebooting and clearing my iPad the game will crash randomly. It has been more stable on my iPhone but I have still experienced crashes. This can often be far into the game, which can be very frustrating. 2. The interface is clunky. One example: the tutorial hints that there are more types of units and buildings but it does not teach you how to pull them up. If you press and hold the soldier unit it will pull up the list of other units to buy, however this was never explained clearly. Also this system is quite slow. 3. The end game can be quite slow. After conquering about 50% or 60% you are so supreme that the last 20% is quite uneventful. I guess this is more of a complaint against the entire genre rather than this game in particular.
I have to say that despite all of these problems, I really enjoy the game when it works. There are several maps to choose from and starting position is always random, which provides new challenges. You can check it out here.
Draw Something Pics of the Week I did not receive any new submissions this week and I have not had any great ones myself lately. As always, if you want to share your drawing please submit it to iosboardgames@gmail.com, with your BGG username, and you may see them show up here.
War of Honor War of Honor is a game I have had for a while but it has been hard to get to the table. War of Honor is a variant of Legend of the Five Rings which focuses on multiplayer and multiple paths to victory. It is lauded as a great entry point for new players. In junior high, when I was trying a new CCG every few minutes or so I had played L5R and remember enjoying it. For this reason I was excited to play War of Honor.
This week a stalwart gaming companion and I decided to try it. We both had some experience with the CCG and had both read the entire rulebook so we were ready to go. In the end we abandoned the game. It is not that the game is bad, in fact it was quite fun and the ability to go after different victory conditions is a nice touch. However, what pushed us away was the amazing amount of game text. The prebuilt decks they give you are meant to be simple but even they contain lines of game text. Almost every card can be used in two ways and your opponent has so many abilities available to him, it is hard to judge when going to battle is a wise move. We want to try it again with multiple players. There is a fine game in there but it will take time to study and learn the decks.
The Stats: Compatibility: iPad Only Current Price: $5.99 Developer/Publisher: Stephane Maurel/Ludonaute Version: 1.00 Size: 83.1 MB Multiplayer: Pass and play AI: NA Itunes link: Yggdrasil for iPad Read more »
Ascension: Storm of Souls We were informed by George Rothrock of Playdek that Ascension: Storm of Souls, an in app purchase expansion to Ascension: Chronicle of the God Slayer, has been submitted to the app store. This means, if all goes well, we should see it available for download on iTunes in the next week or so.
George ensured me that the expansion will feature an IAP manager to help you restore previous purchases on multiple devices. This feature will also be part of the Summoner Wars app. Check back here later in the day for a screenshot of the upcoming expansion.
BattleCON for iOS Brad Talton of Level 99 Games just informed me that BattleCON has been submitted for approval as well. He informed me that the app will then launch very soon after approval. To get a closer look at the app, you can check out the trailer below.
Here are some highlights and comments on apps I have been playing this week. I got the chance to play many iOS titles this week:
Samurai Bloodshow Having been impressed by Total War Battles by SEGA, I decided to try Samurai Bloodshow as it was on sale. I had the opportunity to try the upcoming sequel, Alexandria Bloodshow at PAX East and so I was familiar with the basic mechanics.
Overall it is a pretty fun lane defense game that combines those mechanics with deckbuilding. The art style is also very interesting though the interface seemed a little overly complicated and unpolished. From what I played of the sequel, it seems like the level polish has been increased. You can pick up Samurai Bloodshow now for $0.99.
Rinth Island Last week I spoke about some of the platformers I had been playing on iOS. This week I checked out Rinth Island which is a puzzle platformer. In this game you are moving around cylindrical levels trying to collect a wanted item. There is no jump and the puzzles come by pushing blocks in the right patterns to open up new pathways. The concept is neat and makes for some challenging puzzles. I have just started this game but it looks like it will present some good challenges. You can check it out here.
Jetpack Joyride Gadgets Update Several months ago Jetpack Joyride was my casual addiction. During every spare minute in a car or while traveling I would pull it out. As many of you know, this app is especially addictive because of its mission system. In the latest update they have allowed you to use coins to purchase several gadgets which will give you special abilities. The best part about these gadgets is that they can be paired to your liking. I really enjoyed this level of customization, allowing me to prep my self for specific challenges and missions. If you have not played Jetpack Joyride in a while, I recommend trying this update. You can check it out here.
Draw Something Pics of the Week I received some really great drawings from BGG Users RainFired, Greyrocks and Wildabeast this week. If you want to share your drawing please submit it to iosboardgames@gmail.com, with your BGG username, and you may see them show up here.
Board Games
Game Night and Battlegrounds Gaming This week I was able to play more Lords of Waterdeep. This is really becoming a staple at the weekly game night and it is easy to find players. I also got the chance to play Summoner Wars this week. I tried a new to me faction, the Jungle Elves. I put up a good fight but the Fallen Kingdom managed to get several champions on the board using special abilities and in the end they were just to much for me. It was a bitter loss. Before leaving for the night I played my second game of King of Tokyo. This really is quite a fun dice game and, if players are focused, can play fairly quickly. It may be one that I need to pick up in the near future.
Thought of the Week
My thought this week stems from the latest update to Jetpack Joyride. Using the gadgets in this update you can set up different strategies to complete each mission in the game. For example if your mission is to collect 500 coins, you can switch to gadgets that increase you ability to collect coins. This element of strategy made this game even more interesting to me.
Thinking more closely about it, it appears that many of the top ranking iOS games contain elements of strategy, defined loosely here as rewarding the player for pre-planning. We can see it in Angry Birds as players must decide how most efficiently to use the birds they are given. We also can see it in Draw Something as much of the fun is deciding how to present the clue to your friends.
We are strategy gamers and we like large doses of strategy in our games, but can you think of a case where small elements of strategy have made a casual game appealing to you?
Note: I intended to have a video review completed for Xenoblade Chronicles this week but I ran in to last minute technical difficulties. Look out for the review next week.
The Stats: Compatibility: Universal Current Price: $6.99 Developer/Publisher: SEGA Version: 1.1 Size: 266 MB Multiplayer: Yes, tablet play. AI: Yes. Itunes link: Total War Battles Read more »
Here are some highlights and comments on some apps I have been playing this week, spoiler alert...it has been a light week:
iOS Platformers Platformers are one of the genres that I feel do not work very well on iOS. Virtual controls often leave so many opportunities for failure that it is hard to perform the precise movements needed for this type of game. However, occasionally it is possible to get it right.
Paper Monsters is a recent platformer from Crescent Moon games. It has a cute arts style and theme that it carries throughout. It also gets through the usual control problems by using a virtual joystick and dividing the action areas to either side of the screen. This one was actually quite fun to play through and I was impressed by how complete of an experience it was. You can check it out here.
NyxQuest is a beautiful iOS platformer that was originally a WiiWare game. It is not a new title but certainly one to check out if you are an iPad user. NyxQuest does not have spot on controls but the platforming is more mild and the movement is floaty, so the controls are easier to forgive. Nyx Quest is about the experience and the atmosphere, similar to the recent Journey. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light platformer. You can check it out here.
Hippos and Crocs A few months ago, during a busy holiday season, Nestor games told me about their latest app Hippos and Crocs. I apologize for not mentioning it sooner, but I saw again the other day and decided to put it here. Hippos and Crocs is a abstract game where players are either hippo pieces or croc pieces, which are different shapes. Players are trying to place their pieces and prevent their opponent from placing pieces. The first person to be unable to place a piece loses. It is a fun little game and at $0.99 it is one that you really should check out. It even has online multiplayer. For me, I am still getting trounced by the AI. You can check it out here.
Draw Something Pics of the Week I received some really great drawings from BGG User deadsqwirl this week. If you want to share your drawing please submit your drawings to iosboardgames@gmail.com, with your BGG username, and you may see them show up here.
Other
Thunderstone for Facebook Thunderstone in Facebook is an excellent implementation by Zabu games. Facebook games have something of a taboo among gamers (as does iOS), but in some cases Facebook can just be the platform for delivering great content. Thunderstone on Facebook may not have the easiest interface, but it works well enough with a little experience. The single player campaign is fun and it is usually easy to find an online opponent. This will definitely be more played by me on iOS, but it is great to have an electronic version of this game to enjoy. You can check it out here.
Other
Castellan Castellan by Steve Jackson games is a two player game where players compete to complete enclosed sections of a castle. It shares similarities to the dot game you may have played as a child. At PAX East I was lucky enough to get an early version of this game. It is quite fun and very tactile. Each turn you play cards to obtain building materials (walls and towers) for the castle. The key is to know when to spend your cards, as you only draw one per turn but may play as many as you like on a turn. It is a fun back and forth game that plays fairly quickly. That said, I am terrible at it. Seeing the castle fill the table gives the game a fun toy factor and should appeal to older children. Check this one out when it releases later in the year. You can read more about it here.
Thought of the Week
Many games on the market, videos games and sometimes board games, tend to objectify women (arguably they objective men too, just in a different way). Some recent examples for me include the "16 year old" from Hero Mages and Sharla, a character form Xenoblade Chronicles. Most pieces of armor worn by Sharla in the game are revealing and, sometimes, down right ridiculous. One recent rare drop is simply a bikini top. Sill, right?
So for this week, can you think of any situations where men or women are objectified in a game in a ridiculous, exploitative manner? Is this right or wrong, is there a line or perhaps a line based on the intended audience?
