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Only Logic Can Crack The Code With Mastermind

Do you love using your skills of deduction to crack codes and solve puzzles? If so, you’ll love Mastermind, a code-breaking game developed by Israeli telecommunications expert and postmaster Mordecai Meirowitz. Meirowitz invented the game Mastermind based off of the pencil and paper game called Bulls and Cows, putting a unique spin on it and swapping out the pencil and paper for colorful plastic pieces. Mastermind is a game of logic and deduction, where players must alternately make and break codes in an attempt to prove who’s the true mastermind.

Codemaker Vs. Codebreaker

In this two-player game, each round will have one player taking on the role of codemaker while the other becomes the codebreaker. The codemaker must secretly place four different colored pegs behind a secret screen on the game board, while the codebreaker is allowed to make several guesses as to which pegs are located where. The codemaker wins points for every guess the codebreaker makes until they either crack the code or run out of turns.

Winning a round requires more than just a lucky guess, however. Codebreakers will have to build upon the information gleaned from their previous guesses in order to figure out the right combination of colored pegs. Every time the codebreaker makes a guess, the codemaker will give them feedback as to which part of their guess is correct. You may have all the right pegs in all the right places, but are they all the right color, too? Only the smartest brain can crack the code fast enough to win the game.

Pieces Of The Game

Mastermind was inspired from the paper and pencil game Bulls and Crows, but the cool little game pieces are what make it truly a standout game. Players will use a cutely designed decoding board to make their guesses, which is set up with cool little rows to place the pegs and view previous guesses. The hidden compartment visible only to the codemaker is a neat little addition that adds to the secrecy of the game.

The colored pegs are also fun to play with, as they make quite a colorful sight when you arrange them across the board. The code pegs come in six different bright colors with round heads, while the smaller key pegs come in black and white with flat heads. One of the most unique elements of Mastermind is that, since you communicate solely through pegs, you don’t even need to speak the same language to play the game!

Mastermind Variations

Mastermind was released in 1972, and since then there have been several different variations that expand upon the simple peg-based game. Royale Mastermind reduces the amount of holes per row to only three instead of four, but adds five differently shaped pegs to make the game even more advanced. Mastermind44 also expands upon the initial game by allowing four players to enjoy it instead of two players.

Word Mastermind combines the logical deduction of Mastermind with the wordplay of Scrabble by forcing you to come up with four letter words for the other player to guess. There’s even a Walt Disney Mastermind that uses your favorite beloved Disney characters instead of colors!

Mastermind: Some Codes Were Made To Be Broken

Mastermind is a two-player game, although the 20-minute playing time means that you can easily pass it around and give everyone a chance to play. Players will decide how many rounds they want to play in advance, so the game really can last as short or as long as you want it to. Mastermind is also suitable for ages 8 and up, so if you’re looking for a game that allows kids to play around with the concept of logic and deduction, Mastermind is the perfect introduction.

Mastermind is a simple game with a very simple premise, although the competitive nature of the game can make for some pretty high stakes. There’s nothing like pulling out the decoding board and lining up the pegs to settle a score on who’s got the higher IQ. If a battle of the minds sounds like your idea of a good time, Mastermind is the game for you!

Set your code and let’s get cracking!

 

Fun for all Generations: Mousetrap

The Mouse Trap game was first introduced by Ideal Toys in 1963. It quickly became a family favorite because children enjoyed watching the trap work. The board game contains a colorful maze that children must navigate to get cheese. There are traps children can set along the way that act like snares, luring mice to their demise.

It’s pure fun in the making.

Skills for the Kids

Kids can practice valuable skills in construction, cause and effect, and decision-making when they play the Mouse Trap game. It’s a win-win situation. They can also work on understanding how each action causes a reaction.

As children play the mouse trap board game, they might be able to observe some themes. For instance, children might notice that their decisions can have consequences for themselves and others. This is because children learn, in part, through play.

There are various ways children can practice good decision-making when playing the Mouse Trap game. For example, children might decide to trade with each other or make deals. This can help children learn how making offers are beneficial because it enables them to accomplish their goals more easily.

Children are also able to practice building with the trap, which is a fun activity children would want to do. When children play the board game, they can work on building skills because children must build parts of the trap in order for it to successfully catch mice.

When children play games, they might need experience with cause and effect. For instance, children might see that the trap works only after they have built it correctly. When children make this connection between cause and effect, children can better understand certain concepts in real life.

Setting the Traps

The game is filled with traps of every concoction:

  1. One part of the Mouse Trap game is the keyboard trap. Children might enjoy this component because they might be able to make the trap play sounds.
  2. The trap cage is another part children might enjoy because children can act like they are mice in a cage. As children play this game, children might be able to learn how to clean up after themselves and take care of their belongings. This includes putting everything back where it belongs when children are done playing.
  3. One part of the board game is a trash compactor children can use to crush cheese. children might enjoy this part because children can pretend to be a giant crushing the mice inside.

Fun For All

It’s not just a game for kids. Adults have a wonderful time playing the game also.

In order for children to have a positive experience with Mouse Trap, children must understand basic rules of the game in advance. This includes understanding how dice works and having a general idea about what players need to do in their turns. 

Mousetrap is a board game the gives ample opportunity for the entire family to have a fun-filled experience.

Play this classic decision making game. Buy Mousetrap today!

 

 

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.

Guess Who: The Game that Teaches Logical Deduction

Guess Who is a board game that most everyone remembers playing as a kid. I say most because there are some of us that never have heard of the game. In Guess Who, players take turns asking “yes” or “no” questions about the other player’s randomly chosen character in order to determine who they are. As a player guesses, they remove the a pool of characters from otheir own board until there is only one remaining. The first player to figure out that one character wins the game. This game of greatness has been around “forever,” and it’s a great way to introduce your kids to the process of logical deduction.

What Makes the Game Great (and Some Boaring Stuff)

Deduction is a kind of logical reasoning or inference that starts with a generalization (a premise or claim that is accepted as true) and, through the process of elimination of some sort or another, narrows that generalizaiton into a specific conclusion.

The word Logic is derived from the Greek word Logicos, meaning “reason.” Logic is a branch of philosophy concerned with reasoning and arguing. Logic and Deduction are closely related and rely on well-established rules in order to form sound conclusions.  Rules that a kiddo automatically starts to use when playing Guess Who. With a little help, your kiddo can easily learn the prociss of logci and deduction.

The word Deduction comes from Latin: deducere , meaning “to lead or bring.” There are two main types of deduction:  1) Mathematical Deduction which refers to the process of deriving logical conclusions from mathematical axioms.  2) Logic & Deduction which refers to the process of drawing valid conclusions based on presented evidence or given information.

What makes Logic and Deduction very useful, is that it can be applied in all areas of life! Whether you are dueling with your siblings, shopping for a new car, or presenting to the board of directors for your company Logic and Deduction is there to help you make good decisions. Logic and Deduction can be very helpful in everyday life.

A Popular Family Game

Guess Who can be played by players of all ages and it’s a great way to spend quality time with the family. The only requirement is the ability to point and’or talk. Guess Who will provide hours of entertainment while sharpening your skills in deductive reasoning!

The actual Guess Who board game is strictly a two player game. Each card features a character from various walks of life, such as sports players or other characters that you come across in your daily life.

“Does your character have glasses?” Yes! or No?

If your opponent answers yes then, then you can remove all the characters from yoru pool of posibilities that do not have glasses.

The first person to correctly identify the opponent’s chosen character wins! Games are fast paced and exciting so it makes a great family game night option!

It is fun to play and riviting to watch.

Stay Social and Stay Together

This game will give players a chance to learn how to concentrate and think in order to make it through each question. Logic is a very important skill that we often take for granted! Guess Who will get your kids thinking logically while they have fun at the same time!

Board games are great for the family because they give parents a chance to teach their kids valuable skills like logic and deduction. This is one of the reasons Fantastic Games exists.

Board games encourage social interaction and they’re a great way to bond with your kids! Board games are also educational and that’s why it’s so important for parents to play board games with their children. Board games like Guess Who encourage players to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions through logic.

Board games bring people together, teach valuable skills and get kids thinking logically! Board games are a great way to learn while having fun!

Buy Guess Who today from Fantastic Games!

 

Sequence: Finding New Ways to Connect with Friends and Family

As human beings, it’s in our brain chemistry to try and make connections out of the things we see. We can see connections almost anywhere, from the clouds in the sky to the cracks in the sidewalk. Sequence is a fun and simple board game that takes this innate desire to find connections and turns it into your greatest asset.

Sequence is similar to Connect 4 in its use of checkers to try and make rows or columns before the other players. However, this board game goes above and beyond with added complexity and greater opportunity for luck. You’ll have to have the perfect blend of luck and strategy if you want to stop your opponents from building their sequence while forging a sequence of your very own.

Connecting the Cards

Sequence is a board and card game that forces you to find connections between the different playing cards all printed out on a large game board. The game board comes with two decks of 52 cards printed out in a 10 x 10 formation, with the four corners acting as free spaces for any player to use. The board game also comes with checkers that you use to mark your cards and make your connections.

The goal of Sequence is to make a connection of five different cards using your checkers. Players can create a sequence of five cards in a row, a column, or a diagonal. However, at the same time as you’re trying to create your own sequence, your opponent is trying to create theirs. You’ll have to work around their moves if you want to create an uninterrupted sequence and win the game.

Wild Cards

On each turn of Sequence, you get to play a card and then draw a card. The card you play allows you to place one of your checkers on the board wherever that card is located. Since there are two of each card on the board, this gives you a couple of options of where you can place your checker each round.

The two-eyed Jack is a wild card, allowing you to place a checker anywhere. And while you normally can’t remove a checker once it’s been placed on the board, the one-eyed Jack is a special card that allows you to remove one of your opponents’ checkers. You just might find yourself one checker away from winning the game only to be dealt a bone-crushing one-eyed Jack at just the wrong time!

Sequence Variations

Sequence has a couple of different spinoff versions that switch up elements of the game and add fun new themes. Sequence States & Capitals gets rid of the normal playing cards in favor of the 50 states of the US and their capitals. You’ll have to match your state card to the correct state, shape, and color on the board. It’s an excellent way to teach kids about their states and capitals (and give adults a brush-up).

There’s also a version of Sequence called Sequence Dice that swaps out the cards for a pair of dice. This spinoff dice game has the same goal as the original Sequence, but it uses a board with four interlocking arrangements of the numbers 1-9. If you roll snake eyes or double sixes, you’re allowed to roll again, giving you a potential way to fast-track your win and beat out the competition.

Make the Connection with Sequence

Sequence is playable by 2-12 players, making it a perfect game for parties or family gatherings of almost any size. It’s suitable for ages 7 and up, so kids and adults can battle it out as they race to try and make the connections. Playing time lasts around 10-30 minutes, but it’s an infinitely replayable game that’ll make you sure to want to play a second round.

One of the best things about Sequence is that it’s incredibly affordable and can be found pretty much anywhere, from your local thrift shop to an online retailer. This game offers plenty of replayability, as you won’t easily tire of the fast-paced game mechanics and opportunity for messing up your opponents. Buy Sequence today and enjoy the simple pleasure of connecting the dots!

 

Skip-Bo: Don’t Skip this Classic Card Game

Skip-Bo is one of the great classic card games. As you draw different colored and numbered cards, you’ll have to figure out the best placement for each card in order to clear out your deck and not run yourself into a corner. Skip-Bo is a splendid mix of both strategy and fun, giving you just enough opportunity to interfere with the other players while focusing on your own agenda. Don’t miss out on the fast-paced fun of Skip-Bo!

Whittling Down Your Stock Pile

The goal of Skip-Bo is to get rid of all the cards in your stockpile. If you’re playing with 2-4 players, then each player will have 30 cards in their stockpile. With 5-6 players, the recommended stockpile is 20. Either way, players will have to put down their cards in the building piles and discard piles if they want to be the first to clear their hand and win the game.

Cards are numbered from 1 to 12, with a wild Skip-Bo card that can be used in place of any numbered card. At the beginning of each turn, players will draw cards so that they have a hand of 5. They will then play cards from either their hand, their stockpile, or the top of one of their discard piles. Players are allowed to continue their turn until they run out of cards to play, at which point they must discard onto one of their four discard piles.

Building vs. Discarding

The strategy of Skip-Bo comes from knowing where to build and how to discard. There are very specific rules as to what can be played into the building pile, as they can only be started with either a 1 or a wild Skip-Bo card. Building piles must then be played up to the number 12, at which point they can be discarded for a new pile to begin. 

You want to play the cards from your stockpile as quickly as possible, but you don’t want to set the next player in the line up for success. You also want to discard in the best possible order so that you have access to your cards when you need them. The best strategy is to have a discard pile of the same cards so that you can access the card whenever you need it. You may not be able to keep this going as the game goes on, however.

The next best strategy is to create piles in descending order, putting the smallest number on top. This means that if you have a discard pile that goes from 2-6 and you need a 2, you can go ahead and play your way through the discard pile. Just make sure you don’t find yourself in dire need of one of the cards in the middle, otherwise, you’ll be out of luck!

Skip-Bo Alternate Versions

Skip-Bo is a classic card game that has been released in many different forms over the years. The Skip-Bo Dice Game turns the luck of the draw into the luck of the dice. This portable dice game sets players on a mission to collect the most stars by rolling dice to fill in their build piles. It comes with dry-erase boards that players can use to record their rolls and collect stars.

There’s also Skip-Bo Junior, which reduces the stockpile to only 10-15 cards and the draw pile to only 3 cards. This simplifies the game for younger players and reduces the playing time to only 10-15 minutes. Pocket Skip-Bo is a travel version of the card game that also reduces the number of overall cards to make the game more portable.

Skipping Along with Skip-Bo

Skip-Bo is playable by 2-6 players, which makes it best suited for smaller groups or one-on-one games. It’s suitable for ages 8 and up, so it’s a good game to play with younger players to introduce them to the mechanics of card games. Playing time lasts around 20 minutes, although you’ll definitely want to play several rounds once you get going.

Skip-Bo is a perfect card game to play on family vacations or lazy Saturday mornings. Buy Skip-Bo today and enjoy the fast-paced fun of this classic card game!

 

Phase 10: Don’t Get Left Behind!

If Rummy and Uno had a baby, it would be Phase 10. This card game uses colorful numbered cards to force you to collect unique sets in a race against your opponents. It’s a fast-paced game that’ll keep you on your toes as you draw and discard cards while pondering your opponents’ next moves. If you’re looking for a fun alternative to Rummy that you can play on the go, then Phase 10 is the perfect card game for you.

Completing the Phases

Phase 10 is played in multiple rounds, with each round forcing you to collect a certain set of cards in order to advance. At the beginning of the first round, all of the players are in Phase 1. This requires you to collect two sets of three identical numbers. Players will go around in a circle drawing and discarding one card at a time. 

Once a player completes the phase and discards their last card, the round ends. All the players who still have cards in their hands will receive a penalty to their score based on the number of cards they have left and their value. When the next round begins, all the players who collected the right cards to complete Phase 1 get to move onto Phase 2. Everyone else is forced to complete Phase 1 again.

Phase 10 continues for multiple rounds until one player manages to be the first to complete all 10 phases. The trick of the game comes from being able to know which cards to discard in order to quickly catch up and beat out the other players. While the rules are pretty simple, there is a little wiggle room for a strategy that can make this card game more complex than meets the eye.

Special Cards

There is another element of Phase 10 that makes it a bit more challenging: the special cards. These cards can really throw a wrench in the works by allowing you to skip over opposing players during their turn. You can also draw wild cards that can have any color or number that you choose, allowing you to complete your set.

One thing that can bog down Phase 10 is the length of the game time. If you play it according to the traditional rules, games can often last upwards of 2 hours. However, there is a common house rule that many people employ to speed things up and make the most use of the points system of the game. 

By allowing everyone to advance to the next phase regardless of whether or not they manage to complete the set, then you can get to the finish line much faster. If you play Phase 10 using this house rule, then the player who has the best score by the end of the game is crowned the winner. This can incentivize you to complete your sets and win as many phases as possible.

Phase 10 Twist

Phase 10 Twist is a sequel to the original card game that adds some interesting twists to the original game. Instead of just using a deck of cards, Phase 10 Twist comes with a board with a phase track. This can be used to move players along and easily score the game without having to count the cards every time.

This sequel card game also includes Twist spots that force players to choose a different phase to complete than the one they originally were assigned. Players can choose from the optional Twist phases that are more difficult than the regular phases but offer more of a reward for completing. This card game also includes three discard piles, giving you an additional strategic element to consider when shedding cards.

Better Keep Up with Phase 10

Phase 10 is playable by 2-6 players, so it’s an easy card game to play on a family camping trip. It’s suitable for ages 8 and up, as it’s easy to comprehend and quick to pick up. Playing time lasts around 45 minutes to 2 hours, although it can be much shorter if you use the optional house rule.

Buy Phase 10 today and enjoy the lovechild of Rummy and Uno!

 

Checkers: The Game that Spawned a Million Tournaments

Checkers is arguably one of the most well known board games of all times.  It’s been featured in countless movies and has been the subject of millions of tournaments hosted by international checkers associations.  You can hardly go for a walk through the park without seeing a pair of players ruminating over a checkers board.  But this timeless board game has reached international notoriety for two reasons: its simple rules and its endless strategies.  Even two players who know nothing about each other can connect over the mind sport that is checkers!

Jumpin’ Jumpin’

Checkers is played by two opponents who start out on opposite sides of the board.  The board is set up with dark and light checkered spaces, while each player plays with either light or dark pieces.  Only the dark checkered spaces are used in the game as players move their pieces across the board in an attempt to capture their opponent’s pieces.  Players are allowed to move one piece per round, either moving the piece diagonally into an unoccupied space or capturing the other player’s piece.  

To capture your opponent’s piece, you have to be able to jump diagonally over them.  You can’t jump over two pieces that are in a diagonal row, as there must be an empty space on the other side of the piece in order to make the jump.  However, you can jump over multiple pieces in one turn provided these are done in successive jumps.  Much of the fun of checkers comes with the zigzag moves where you sweep half the other player’s pieces off the board in one fell swoop (to their dismay).

King Me!

The simple setup of checkers makes it a bit more accessible to younger players than chess, although there is one thing that makes checkers more than just a game of jumping jacks.  If either player manages to get one of their pieces all the way to the opposite side of the board, their piece becomes a king.  Not only does this mean you get to stack a second piece on top of the first, but you also gain the ability to move your piece backwards and even capture pieces backwards.

Checkers In Different Countries

Many different countries have their own versions of checkers that add new rules and switch up the game board.  Because checkers is the American name for the English game of draughts, different versions of checkers are referred to as draughts.  

While American checkers takes place on an 8×8 game board, international draughts is played on a 10×10 board.  International draughts also allows kings to move more than one space at a time in one diagonal direction provided there are no pieces blocking the way.  Turkish draughts is unique in that it starts with the pieces placed one row forward, and also uses every space on the board instead of every other space.

Checkers Tournaments

Checkers has long been played in tournaments and championships ever since the World Championship was established in 1840.  These tournaments bring checkers players from all over the world to employ their own unique strategies to beat the competition.  Because checkers deals with abstract strategy, it can be as complicated or as easy as you want it to be.  Young kids will get just as much out of a game of checkers as the most advanced tournament player!

Checkers: The Ultimate Mind Sport

Checkers is a one-on-one game, so only two players can play it at a time.  However, if you have multiple checkers boards, you can easily play the game in rotating pairs to give everyone a chance to join in on the fun.  Playing time lasts around 30 minutes, so you have a decent amount of time to develop your winning strategy for capturing your opponent’s pieces.

Checkers is suitable for ages 6 and up, which makes it the perfect introductory game for kids.  With incredibly simple rules and endless possibilities, checkers is the kind of game you can play time and time again from childhood through old age.  There’s a reason it’s survived for hundreds of years, and chances are it will survive long after we’re gone.

 

Cribbage: The Classic Card Game

Cribbage is a card game that was invented almost four hundred years ago, but its classic wooden cribbage board is still spotted in countless cafés and parks across the world. Part of the charm of Cribbage comes from its quaint vocabulary describing all of the different moves you can make, such as “one for his nobs” and getting “stuck in the stink hole.” You’ll be sure to love watching the little pegs move along the board as you rack up points and get closer and closer to winning the game.

The Crib

Cribbage is played with a deck of standard playing cards as well as what’s called a cribbage board. Each player gets dealt a hand of six cards, two of which they then discard into a pile in the center of the table called a Crib. Players will then cut one card from the draw pile and turn it face up in between them. This card counts both as part of each player’s hand as well as the Crib.

Players will then go back and forth playing cards to try to make sets and sequences and earn points. Because you don’t know what the turn-up card will be until you’ve already discarded two of your cards to the Crib, you may find yourself parting with cards that you wish you’d held onto.Cribbage is very much a game of cat and mouse, as you’ll have to keep an eye on the cards you think your opponent has if you want a chance of setting a trap for them. 

Pegging Points

Players will keep score of their points by moving pegs along tracks on their cribbage board. Each round goes until both players have used their entire hand of cards. At the end of each round, players will pick up their hand and figure out each scoring combination they can use. Whichever player is designated the dealer that round also gets to use the cards in the Crib to help them earn additional points.

The winner of Cribbage is whichever player is the first to win 121 points. This can influence your decisions each round as to how long you decide to let the round go on for. For example, if you can tell the other player is racking up some serious points, you may want to play the hand tight in order to keep both of your overall scores low.

The cribbage board is one of the most unique elements of the game, as it adds a fun aesthetic component to it. Sure, you could just as easily score the game with a pencil and a sheet of paper, but a cribbage board imbues the card game with a sense of beauty. Moving the little pegs along the board is incredibly satisfying as you see yourself visually take the lead from your opponent.

Cribbage Spinoffs

There are a couple of spinoffs and expansions of Cribbage that make the card game even more complex. Wild: Cribbage Expansion adds a deck of 31 playing cards to the original game that you set beside the crib board. Whenever a player counts a multiple of five, they then get to draw a wild card and follow its instructions. This can lead you to do things re-cut the deck or land you in the stink hole.

Mastermind Ultimate Cribbage is a card game that adds six new types of cards to the original card deck. The rules are similar to the original card game, but the six special cards add new rules that can help or hinder you. For example, the Super Wild is a wild card that can be played as one face value during pegging and used as a different face value during counting.

Peg Your Points and Don’t Forget the Crib With Cribbage

Cribbage is playable by 2-4 players, although it’s typically best suited as a 2-person game. It’s suitable for ages 10 and up, as its mechanics are not too complicated for younger players to learn. Playing time lasts around 30 minutes, so it’s the perfect game to play for fun at a coffee shop or in the park.

Dive into the fun of this classic card game and buy Cribbage today!

Go: A Game As Old As Time

Chances are you’ve seen people playing a game of Go in the park or on TV, maneuvering around little black and white stones on a large wooden board. While Go may be one of the simplest games to learn, it offers countless opportunities for developing strategies and tactics to beat your partner and steal their territory out from underneath them. Go gives you the ability to develop your own unique style, providing you with countless of hours of mindbending fun.

The History of Go

Go is one of the oldest board games in history, but its simple rules belay an endless amount of depth. Go was first mentioned in the Analects of Confucious in around 500 BC, while the earliest physical evidence of the board game was a Go board discovered in 1952 in the tomb of the Han Dynasty, which lasted from 206 BC to 9 AD.

There are many urban legends and scholarly anecdotes about the origins of Go, the most popular of which is that it was invented by either Chinese emperors, court astrologers, or an imperial vassal. Many claim that Go was invented by Emperor Yao to amuse his son, while others claim that Emperor Shun created the game to make his son smarter. No matter who invented Go, its popularity and endurance have certainly been well established.

Learning the Rules

Because Go has been around for so long, there are plenty of different variants of the game that come with all sorts of different rules. However, the standard game is usually the same. It starts with an empty board, which is a 17×17 grid. Each player is given a bunch of stones to use, with one player using black stones and the other using white.

The goal of the game is to use your stones to form territories by blocking off empty spaces on the board. Players will take turns placing one stone at a time on the intersections of the lines. Once you’ve placed a stone, you can’t move it. However, you can surround your opponent’s stones and capture them, which allows you to take them prisoner.

The game ends once the board has been filled or when both players agree to end it. At the end of the game, players will tally up the points by collecting one point for every empty space within their territory and one point for each of their opponent’s stones they’ve captured. Like the game of chess, Go requires you to think many steps ahead to anticipate your opponent’s strategy and thwart their plans before they can succeed.

Variants of Go

Go has many different variants that differ in areas such as the scoring method and the placement of handicaps. Tibetan Go begins with six stones from both colors placed on the third line within the grid. The Korean form of Go (called Sunjung baduk) begins with eight stones of each color laid out on the grid in a specific pattern, while Capture Go simplifies the game by declaring the first person to capture a stone the winner.

There’s even a variant of Go called Joker Go that uses a special deck of cards to spice things up. Each player is given a deck of 27 cards that show a unique configuration of stones. Players can then either play a stone normally or draw and play a card, which allows them to place the stones as shown on the card. This can throw a wrench in your plans or your opponent’s plans by reshaping the board in a dramatic way.

Ready, Set, Go

Go is the ultimate 2-person game, as it’s very much a one-on-one game of getting into your opponent’s head. It’s suitable for ages 8 and up, as it has incredibly simple rules that can be understood by any player regardless of their level of skill. Playing time lasts around 30 minutes, although the game has been known to go on for up to three hours depending on the skill of the players.

Go is an excellent abstract strategy game if you’re looking for something to stimulate your mind. Buy Go today and enjoy the limitless fun of this ancient game!

Jenga: How High Can You Go?

Jenga is one of those party games that never gets old. We all remember the heart-pounding tension of trying to wiggle out that little wooden block without causing the whole tower to topple over. Because Jenga is more focused on physical dexterity than strategy, you’ll be sure to enjoy refining your tower stacking skills with this classic board game that never disappoints.

Building the Tower

Jenga is played with 54 wooden blocks that are each three times as long as they are wide. The blocks are stacked three in a row side by side to form a square, with three blocks then stacked perpendicularly on top of the previous stack. This means that if the bottom row of blocks is facing north and south, then the row above will face east and west (and so on and so forth).

The game begins with one player building the tower by stacking the rows of blocks on top of each other. There are going to be a total of 18 different stories of blocks once the tower is first built, although the number of stories will increase once the game has begun. Jenga usually comes with a loading tray that helps you stack the initial tower, since it would usually be pretty tedious doing it by hand.

One of the trickiest aspects of this party game is that each Jenga block is not created to be identical. Each block has small, random variations that make stacking them more difficult and make the game more challenging.

Deconstructing the Tower

The game is then played in turns as each player takes one block from almost any level of the tower and places it on top of the tower. The only level you’re not allowed to take a block from is either the top incomplete level or the one below it. This means that you’ll have to find certain blocks within the tower that you can safely remove without threatening the integrity of the tower itself.

If you end up knocking over the tower, then you lose the game. You’ll want to move carefully as you remove blocks, as one wrong move can result in a pile of fallen Jenga blocks. Some players find it helpful to tap a block before removing it to make sure that they can get it out without knocking over the tower. However, you must only use one hand at a time to remove blocks from the tower.

After each turn, players are allowed to wait 10 seconds before taking the next turn in order to see whether or not gravity will take its course and knock the tower over. If you remove a block and the tower falls over within 10 seconds, then you lose the game. If the tower falls over in the middle of the other player’s turn after 10 seconds have passed, however, then they lose even if they have yet to touch the tower.

Jenga Sequels

There are a few sequel versions of Jenga that add fun new mechanics to the game and make it a bit more complex. Jenga: Super Mario allows you to play as characters such as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, or Toad by taking character pegs and slotting them into blocks inside the tower. Players will use a spinner to decide how many layers their character is allowed to climb and how many blocks they have to remove.

There’s also a Monopoly Jenga that combines all of the fun of Jenga with the classic board game Monopoly. This version of Jenga is similar to the block balancing mechanics of the regular party game, but each block represents properties you need to collect and may earn you points or abilities.

Move Gently with Jenga

Jenga is playable by 1-8 players, as it’s just as fun to play by yourself as it is with a small group of friends. It’s suitable for ages 6 and up, so it’s a great party game to play at kid’s parties or with families. Playing time for Jenga lasts around 20 minutes, but you’ll almost certainly want to play multiple rounds.

Buy Jenga today and let the blocks fall where they may!

 

The Game of Life: When Art Truly Does Imitate Life

Life is one of those classic board games that you played with your siblings growing up—it’s packed to the brim with nostalgia and fun memories. But this old board game more than stands the test of time, as recent versions of it have gotten rid of some of the outdated mechanics of the game and added fun new elements. Life allows you to build a life of your own in a matter of minutes, weaving around the board in an effort to make the most of the short time you have before you reach retirement.

Spinning Through Life

The game of Life is meant to mirror one’s actual life, allowing you to do things like choose a career, marry, have children, and buy a home. Unlike real life, where these decisions are made freely, Life forces you to make your choices based on a spinner. Players will advance through the spaces on the game board by spinning a spinner located in the center of the board. 

Some choices give you several options. For example, when you get to the career space, you get to pick several cards to choose from in order to decide which career best fits you. The marriage space, however, is not optional. Players are given a little miniature car to move around the board, adding small pegs to represent a spouse and kids that get added along the way.

Life Tiles

Like real life, one of the biggest goals of the game of Life is to earn as much money as possible by the time you reach retirement. Money is doled out in the form of little pieces of colored paper, which you spend and earn at various points throughout the game. There’s also an option to earn money by buying stocks, which are represented by a number 1-9. Whenever a player spins and lands on that number, you earn money.

Players will collect what are called Life Tiles whenever they land on a space or hit a certain milestone. These tiles can give you money through sudden windfalls such as winning the lottery; or, they can hit you with unforeseen expenses like a midlife crisis or damage to your home. These are some of the most fun and silly elements of the game, as things may be going great for you until botched plastic surgery saddles you with debt!

One of the most interesting things about this board game is that the choices you make may not always be what you would do in real life. Sure, who doesn’t want to own a mansion?  But in Life, drawing the mansion card saddles you with a hefty bill and no discernable benefit, whereas the cheap trailer will do just fine. You’ll also be given the opportunity to purchase insurance, which can save you in the event that you land on a space that burns your house down.

Life Sequels

Life has been out for over 60 years, cementing its place in history as a classic family board game. Since its first release, there have been countless sequel board games with new and interesting variations. The Electronic Banking version of Life makes things slightly easier (and more up to date) by tracking everyone’s funds with a card system instead of using cash.

Life: Twists and Turns has several updates, giving you new choices and possibilities as well as a “LIFEpod” that helps you track time and manage your careers and families. There’s also a Star Wars version of the board game called Life: A Jedi’s Path that forces you to do battle, go on missions, and build your lightsaber as you enhance your connection to the Force. Will you choose the righteous Jedi Path or the tempting Dark Path?

Breeze Your Way Through Life

Life is playable by 2-6 players, which makes it the perfect board game for families of all sizes. It’s suitable for ages 8 and up, so it’s a great way to introduce younger players to things like money management. Life has a playing time of around an hour, giving you plenty of time to explore the board and see what fate has in store for your life.

Buy Life today and enjoy the wacky fun of this nostalgic classic!

 

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