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Machi Koro: It’s Tough Being A Leader

Machi Koro is a card game with a story we can all relate to: the struggle that comes with being in charge. In Machi Koro, you play a character who has just been elected as the first mayor of the city. But don’t think that just because you’re leading a small town means things will be simple. Your job as mayor is to help your citizens grow your small community into a bustling new metropolitan with a radio tower, theme park, and other fun new features. Get your die ready as you build Machi Koro into the city of your dreams.

Cards, Coins, Dice

The tools of Machi Koro are a set of cards, coins, and a pair of dice. The game is played by 2-4 players, with each player racing to be the first mayor to build the four landmarks in their town. The landmarks that your citizens so desperately desire are as follows: a Train Station, a Shopping Mall, a Radio Tower, and an Amusement Park.

To begin the game, you only have a Wheat Field and a Bakery. Your job is to collect income and roll the dice to build these landmarks before your competition beats you to it. In order to build, you have to pay the cost. You start the game with $3 in coins, collecting income whenever you or another player roll the dice to match specific numbers. These are the activation numbers for each of your establishments.

In Machi Koro, there are four types of establishments. Each comes with certain activation requirements that allow you to earn income based on the roll of the dice. Restaurants get activated by your opponents’ rolls, meaning if another player rolls a three and you have a Café with an activation number of 3, they give you coins. Primary industries are activated at any turn, earning you money straight from the bank.

Secondary industries and Major Establishments are activated on your turn. When a Secondary industry is activated, you collect money from the bank. But when a Major Establishment is activated, you perform the actions on the card.

Build, Build, Build

You’ll need to build more than just the four landmarks needed to win the game. You’re allowed to construct one building at the end of each turn, either choosing a building from your supply or an unconstructed landmark. A building earns you income, while a landmark activates a special ability. The Train Station lets you roll two dice instead of one, while the Shopping Mall earns extra income for establishments with cup or shop icons. The Amusement Park allows you to take two turns when rolling doubles, while the Radio Tower gives you the option of rolling twice.

Machi Koro Expansions and Spinoffs

Machi Koro has come out with a couple of expansion packs and spinoffs that add a fun twist to the themes and mechanics of the game. Machi Koro: Millionaire’s Row adds a new mechanic called Renovation, which stops certain establishments in your supply from being activated. Machi Koro: Harbor Expansion adds three more landmarks to the game, including City Hall, the Harbor, and the Airport. It also allows you to play with up to five players instead of four.

Machi Koro Fussball involves building a stadium to host the World Cup, which is a fun theme for anyone who loves soccer. There’s also a cool sequel card game called Machi Koro: Bright Lights, Big City that involves building the most popular new tourist destination around! This sequel game is much more fast-paced and allows up to five players.

Be the Best Leader You Can Be with Machi Koro

Machi Koro is playable by 2-4 players, which makes it a great game for one-on-one play as well as small groups. If you’re looking to expand gameplay, you can always pick up one of the spinoffs or expansions to play with up to five players. Playing time lasts around 30 minutes, which makes it easily accessible to newer players just getting used to the rules. The game is suitable for ages 10, and up, so most kids and adults will be able to enjoy the game together.

Buy Machi Koro today and be the mayor you always knew you could be!

 

Backgammon: One of the Original Boardgames

Backgammon was originally called Alquerque in good old Mesopotamia. That is, 5,000 years ago, anyways. Backgammon has been around so long that it was actually mentioned in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey from approximately 800 BC. That’s old.

In the Iliad and the Odyssey, Nestor advises his son to play games with Achilles. That game was backgammon. Game pieces from backgammon have been found among Egyptian remains dating all the way back to 1900 BC. Pharaohs apparently issued edicts against playing this decad “game of chance.” However, we’re pretty sure they didn’t understand it very well.

Backgammon was discovered in Mesopotamia and has been around ever since, but the Mesopotamians called it Alquerque. Backgammon became popular among the Romans, who spread it to Egypt. Backgammon was then passed on through trade routes until medieval chancellor Edward I banned it in England because he thought that Backgammon encouraged gambling and brought chaos to monasteries.

I’m sensing a theme here…

The Growth of Backgammon

Backgammon was spread further through the Crusades, to Persia. Backgammon had initially been played with dice, but by the time it reached Persia, Backgammon boards were being used so that Backgammon could be enjoyed even when there were no dice around. Backgammon thrived in Persian culture for centuries before moving on to other countries, such as Turkey and Russia. By the early 20th century it was estimated that between 50-100 million people across the world were playing backgammon at any given moment!

That’s a popular game!

Backgammon also shares a name with an ancient Greek gambling game, but they are completely unrelated! Backgammon just happens to have the same name, that’s all.

The Growth of Backgammon in America

Back in the States, Backgammon was originally played by traveling carnival workers in the South – it is believed that Backgammon became popular among them because Backgammon boards were easily transportable and Backgammon could be enjoyed without dice (which were expensive). Back in 2010, there was even a Backgammon World Championship held in Las Vegas. That’s a fun fact.

The precursor to modern Backgammon began when two friends at Dartmouth College got together and simplified Backgammon into its current form with Dice.

So what about today? These days, Backgammon is enjoyed by both veterans and newcomers alike. Backgammon is a fun game that can be played with friends or on Backgammon apps, so it’s always easy to find Backgammon boards at your local gaming store! (Shameless plug for Fantastic Games) Back

gammon is a fun game that can be played with friends or on Backgammon apps, so it’s always easy to find Backgammon boards at your local gaming store!

The Backgammon community has also seen several world champions, including Bill Robertie and Jake Jacobs. Backgammon is an extremely popular board game for gambling. Back in 2015, Backgammon was estimated to have a nine billion dollar per year market in the United States alone!

Nice!

Fantastic Games isn’t here to give you a history lesson, though. Some background is nice, but, is backgammon fun? Yes, yes it is. It’s been around for so long because it’s an addictive game. Backgammon is enjoyed by people all over the world, young and old alike because Backgammon is one of the more popular games that ever existed.

So what are you waiting for? Buy Backgammon today from Fantastic Games and start playing.

King Of Tokyo: Where Yahtzee Meets Godzilla

Dice games can often be dry, boring affairs that lack the imagination of classic board games. With King of Tokyo, you get all of the thrill and tension of the dice roll with the entertaining story of battling monsters. King of Tokyo is like Yahtzee meets Godzilla, forcing you to rely on the luck of the dice to see who will be the first to destroy the city and rule over the ashes. If you’re a fan of old monster movies and you’re looking for a board game that’s full of imagination, you’ll love King of Tokyo.

Monsters, Robots, & Aliens, Oh My!

In the game King of Tokyo, players will become vicious mutant monsters, enormous robots, and malevolent aliens fighting each other to see who can be crowned King of Tokyo. These fierce monsters will roll dice to gain energy, attack the other players, and earn victory points in their quest to be King. King of Tokyo comes with six large, custom dice that players will roll each round.

The dice each come with six sides, three of which have values of one, two, or three points. The other three sides have symbols on them that denote attacking, healing, and restoring energy. Once a player has rolled the dice, they can choose whichever dice they would like to reroll and leave the others the way they are. They then have one more opportunity to reroll before they have to accept the results of the dice.

Rolling three of the same point values earns you that amount of victory points to add towards your goal of 20 victory points. If you roll an energy side for one of the dice, then you earn an energy cube that you can use to buy a card. These cards will give you victory points, one time bonuses, or long term abilities to use throughout the game.

Becoming The King of Tokyo

To win the game, you have to either destroy the city of Tokyo by earning 20 victory points or you have to be the last player standing. One way that you can earn victory points is by occupying the city of Tokyo, which earns you fame among the residents as you tear your way through the city. However, if you’re in Tokyo, you’re unable to heal yourself, which can leave you vulnerable to attack from the other players.

You’ll have to balance your efforts to earn victory points and attack the other players in order to survive long enough to be crowned the winner. Special cards such as being able to grow a second head or use a deadly nova death ray can be game-changers that keep you on your toes at all times.

King of Tokyo Spinoffs

There are a few spinoffs to King of Tokyo that make the fight even darker and fiercer than before. King of New York is a standalone game that transports our ferocious monsters to the Big Apple, pitting them against each other as they tear through the town. You’ll fight to achieve Fame, which can earn you victory points but, like actual fame, is elusive and fleeting. King of New York comes with a larger game board and new power cards.

King of Tokyo: Dark edition is a collector’s edition that transports our game to an alternative, darker world. This edition of the board game comes with a new mechanism that changes gameplay as well as deluxe components and new art that add to the game’s aesthetic.

King Of Tokyo: Battle Royale for Monsters

King of Tokyo is playable by 2-6 players, so it’s just as fitting for some one-on-one monster action as it is for the whole family. It’s also suitable for ages 8 and up, so you don’t have to worry about leaving the younger kids out. Playing time lasts around 30 minutes, which should be short enough to keep younger players’ attention without overwhelming them.

King of Tokyo shines in the setup of the game, as the diabolical monsters are entertaining and creative. The special cards also add a bit of complexity to the game that make it more entertaining for older players. Uncage your inner monster and buy this game today!

 

Farkle: Do You Feel Lucky?

Farkle is a dice game that forces you to push your luck if you want to bank the most points and win the game. Like most dice games, Farkle comes with very few game pieces, making it an excellent game to play when traveling or camping. Roll after roll, you’ll send the dice spinning to see who can make the best combinations and avoid the dreadful “Farkle”. Fast-paced, simple to play, and easy to bring with you on the go, Farkle is a dice game that won’t run out of steam any time soon.

Get the Dice Rolling

Farkle is a traditional dice game that’s similar to the game Dix Mille (also known as Dice 10,000). The game of Farkle comes with six standard dice, a pen or a pencil, and a sheet of paper for counting points. The game begins with the selection of a starting player who’s usually chosen by the roll of the dice. Then, each player will go in turns rolling six dice at a time, trying to rack up as many points as possible each round.

The different sides of the dice equate to different points. Rolling a 1 gets you 100 points while rolling a 5 gets you 50 points. The other numbers on the dice do not get you any points on their own, but they can get you points if they’re rolled in certain combinations. For example, rolling three of a kind gives you 100 times the number rolled (i.e.three 6s equals 600 points). You get higher points for rolling four, five, and six of a kind, the last of which earns you a whopping 3000 points. You can also earn points for rolling a straight, three pairs, or two sets of three.

Banking Your Points

Obviously, the chances of rolling six of a kind on the first roll are going to be slim to none. The real strategy of the game comes from the fact that you can roll the dice multiple times, removing whichever dice you want to use for points after each roll. This means if you’re aiming to get six of a kind and you roll three 4s on the first round, you can set aside those three dice and roll the other three dice again.

The catch comes from the fact that you have to roll a scorable combination on each round. You can’t just keep rolling the dice ad infinitum until you get the combination you’re looking for. If you roll the dice and don’t get any scorable combinations, then you “Farkle” that round and wind up with zero points. Your turn ends when you either Farkle or bank your points, adding them to your score. The first player to bank 10,000 points triggers the end of the game, giving the other players one final turn to beat their score.

The Origin of Farkle

Farkle was created in the 1930s, but the game has taken on the mantle of a legendary myth thanks to its countless joke origin stories. Some say that Farkle is named after Sir Albert Farkle, the man who first played the game in Iceland in the 14th century. Others tell the story of the legendary Farkleberry tree, discovered by the early settlers of Texas. Legend has it that the Farkleberries would harden when they dried, which the settlers then carved into the shape of dice. The reality is that the origins of Farkle are actually unknown, but it’s remained highly popular for decades.

Don’t Push Your Luck With Farkle

Farkle is playable by 2-8 players, which makes it a great ice-breaker for large parties or a fun game for the kids to play while traveling. It’s also playable by ages 8 and up, so younger players can easily get a hang of the rules. Playing time lasts about 30 minutes because the rounds go pretty quickly. Farkle’s charm comes from its simplicity and its fast-paced nature, keeping you on your toes and forcing you to push your luck further and further in an effort to nab those elusive high-point wins. Buy this dice game today and enjoy the easy fun that is Farkle!

 

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