In this episode of the Let’s Level Up podcast Rick is joined by Seth Jaffee from Tasty Minstrel Games. Seth is the Head Designer at TMG and created Eminent Domain, he also works on almost all of the Tasty Minstrel line up. In this episode we discuss Seth’s creative process and what Tasty Minstrel has planned for 2014 – and beyond!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Here at Let’s Level Up, we play a lot games. Good ones – dare I even say great ones. Here are five games that I feel you need to own, if you don’t already.
Warring Kingdom is a deck builder that brings something fresh to the genre – player interaction. Now it is my opinion that deck building games can, not always but certainly can, just seem to be a multiplayer game of solitaire. What I mean by that is I am playing a game with other people but only interacting with myself and a central supply. Warring Kingdom turns that very notion on it’s head making the win condition not deal in victory points but in that fact you win if you can destroy another players Castle – the very heart of their kingdom.
Warring Kingdom skillfully balances kingdom management using the cards. Higher more advanced cards require an upkeep cost to maintain, if you do not have the economy (coin bought from the supply combined with advanced civilians like Farmers and Money Lenders), you will not be able to maintain your armies for very long. Combat is handled very interestingly. A player can only have deployed two rows of five units – potentially. Once you have at least one solider you can declare to attack on your attack phase – you roll six d6 and depending on on the results that is who attacks. For example if I roll 1,1,1,2,5,5 the unit I had in position 1 would attack three times (if present), the unit I had in position 2 would attack once, and finally the unit I had in position 5 would attack twice. The defender will also roll 6 dice to determine which of his defenders will deal damage in the defense.
| Designer | |
| Artist | |
| Publisher | |
| Year Published |
2013
|
| # of Players |
2 − 4
|
| Playing Time |
45 minutes
|
In this episode of the Let’s Level Up podcast Rick is joined by Rodney Smith from YouTube’s Watch It Played – a video series where you learn to play games by watching Rodney and his family play them. Together they talk about getting into gaming, how to handle World of Warcraft addictions, and games you should consider getting someone for Christmas.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
In this episode of the Let’s Level Up podcast Rick talks with Hunter from WeaponsGrade Tabletop. Together they talk about the trials and tribulations of starting a gaming themed youtube channel, what it feels like to get a thumbs down, and games that you need to own.
Please follow and subscribe to WeaponsGrade Tabletop in all of these places.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Hey Gang,
Wanted to showcase a future channel review that we having coming up. This game is Deck Around and it is developed by Chris Lesinski. I have had the chance to talk to Chris about this game while getting things ready for our official review and I have to say that I really like the concept. Essentially Deck Around is a party game where you mash up Balderdash with Urban Dictionary.
My worry with this game and more about this in our official review is that there is always a shelf life with these kind of party games, where you just know the content to well for it to be a challenge anymore. At the same time I don’t ever think party games are about winning or losing, it is about cutting back with friends and family and having a great time. Deck Around seems like a great way to kick back and have a blast.
From the campaign:
Watch the video above to find out how to play. Here’s a quick description for if you can’t hear or something:
You’ll get a deck full of slang terms — words like twerking or Dutch oven — but more obscure. You pick a random one and everyone writes a made up but convincing definition for the word and anonymously hands it in.
One person reads all the definitions aloud, including the actual definition of the word, which is randomly mixed in.
Everyone guesses which definition is the real one. They usually fall for someone else’s bullshit definition.