the Games 100 list! 2008 edition

check out this year's Buyer's Guide to Games from Games Magazine...

Game of the Year
The Pillars of the Earth
Die Saulen der Erde

Best Abstract Strategy Game
Easter Island
Gemstones - Runner-Up
Manoover - Nominee
Terra Nova - Nominee
Par-K - Nominee
Fnap - Nominee
Wayfinder - Nominee

Best Advanced Strategy Game
Khronos
Age of Empires III: The Age of Discovery - Runner-Up
Hermagor - Nominee
Gloria Mundi - Nominee
Canal Mania second edition - Nominee
Vikings English language edition of Wikinger - Nominee
Tempus - Nominee
Antike English language edition - Nominee
Antike German edition - Nominee
Imperial - Nominee
Die Macher international edition - Nominee
Hameln - Nominee
Shogun rethemed edition of Wallenstein - Nominee

Best Family Game
If Wishes Were Fishes
Qwirkle - Runner-Up
Zooloretto - Nominee
Alhambra: The Dice Game multilingual edition of Alhambra: Das Würfelspiel - Nominee
Blue Moon City - Nominee
Thief of Bagdad English language of Der Dieb von Bagdad - Nominee
Mr. Jack - Nominee
Factory Fun - Nominee
Seismic - Nominee
Portobello Market English language edition - Nominee
Wicked Witches Way - Nominee
Volle Wolle - Nominee
California English language edition - Nominee
California multi-lingual edition - Nominee
To Court the King English language edition of Um Krone und Kragen - Nominee
Um Krone und Krogen - Nominee
Mother Sheep - Nominee
Nacht der Magier - Nominee
Gemlok - Nominee
Can't Stop - Nominee
Incan Gold English language edition of Diamant - Nominee
Claim It! - Nominee
BreakScore - Nominee
Cobras in the Cockpit - Nominee
Valley of the Pharaohs - Nominee
Numbers League: Adventures in Addiplication - Nominee
Doodle Dice - Nominee
Roll-It Tic Tac Toe - Nominee

Best Family Card Game
Bull in a China Shop
Serengeti - Runner-Up
Great Wall of China English language edition of Chinesische Mauer - Nominee
Infernal Contraption base set - Nominee
Ruse and Bruise English language edition of Kabale und Hiebe - Nominee
Figaro - Nominee

Best Family Strategy Game
Shear Panic
Mission: Red Planet - Runner-Up
Winds of Plunder - Nominee
Notre Dame English language edition - Nominee
Walhalla - Nominee
Before the Wind English language edition of Vor Dem Wind - Nominee
The End of the Triumvirats English language edition - Nominee
Das Ende des Triumvirats original German edition - Nominee
Taluva - Nominee
Die Saulen von Venediq - Nominee
Genesis - Nominee
Gheos - Nominee
Arkadia English language edition of Die Baumeister von Arkadia - Nominee
Die Baumeister von Arkadia original German edition of Arkadia - Nominee
On The Underground -Nominee
Bolide - Nominee
Alchemist English language edition - Nominee
Nomads of Arabia: The Wandering Herds Game - Nominee
Graenaland - Nominee
Venediq - Nominee
Colosseum - Nominee
Guatemala Cafe - Nominee
Fire & Axe domestic edition of Viking Fury - Nominee
Bison: Thunder on the Prairie - Nominee
Catan Histories: Struggle for Rome English language edition of Kampf um Rom - Nominee
Augsburg 1520 English language edition - Nominee

Best Party Game
GiftTRAP
Aunt Millie's Millions - Runner-Up
Kragmortha English language edition - Nominee
Shake Down - Nominee
Across Words - Nominee
Cineplexity - Nominee
Hart an der Grenze - Nominee
Ca$h'n Gun$ English language edition - Nominee
Dilbert: The Board Game - Nominee

Best Puzzle
DaVinci's Secret: The Clue
The Equation
Legend of the King
Cover Your Tracks - Runner-Up
Hot Spot - Nominee
Treasure Quest Escape with the Gold - Nominee
The Wizard's Workshop - Nominee

Best Word Game
Unspeakable Words
WordSpot Bookshelf Edition - Runner-Up
WordSpot Discovery Edition - Runner-Up
Disorder - Nominee
Take Your Best Shot - Nominee

Best Historical Simulation Game
Ran Great Battles of History #12
Combat Commander: Europe - Runner-Up
Talavera - Nominee
Duel in the Dark - Nominee
The Kaiser's Pirates - Nominee
Cowboys: The Way of the Gun - Nominee

Cardboard Warrior's Game of the Month - November 2007

Wizard

players: 3-6
playing time: 45 minutes
ages: 10+
manufacturer: US Games Systems
reviewer: Warrior Jessa
overall grade: A+

Construction: A+
Wizard is, by far, one of the best trumping card games out there on the market today! A great game for all ages, Wizard is a very simply made card game that proves that trick taking is no easy feat.

Playability: A+
This game is very easy to learn, but as is with all trump games, difficult and rarely ever fully mastered. That's the fun of it though. Study your opponent's tells but be careful not to give your own away. Bid wisely and you'll be declared the winner!

Value: A+
If you want to spend some good ole' quality time with the family, pick up Wizard and you're sure to put some smiles on everyone's faces.

Cardboard Warrior's Game of the Month - October 2007

Killer Bunnies: The Blue Starter

players: 2-8
playing time: 60 minutes
ages: 12+
manufacturer: Playroom Entertainment
reviewer: Warrior Jessa
overall grade: A+

Construction: A+
Like most other card games out there, Killer Bunnies has a similar feel, but a very different look to it. The cards are pretty typical in structure, but with a nice coating on them it makes for a longer lasting product. The fact that the only components to the game are the cards and the dice makes it simple and easy enough to keep around for a good, long time, especially in the box provided.

Playability: A-
For first timers, Kilelr Bunnies can, and probably will be, a bit confusing as there are a lot of rules and variations to some of the cards. Once you get the basic hang of it though, it gets a whole lot easier, and a lot more fun! Killer Bunnies is ruthless in nature, as the name would suggest, but still quite lighthearted enough to keep everyone coming back for more.

Value: A+
Since you'll never play it quite the same way twice, and being that there are many expansion sets to incorporate into play, this game is very much worth its weight in gold... err, I mean carrots.

**Many apologies for not having this up sooner. To make up for it, we're still offering the standard 25% game of the month discount through the end of November!**

More New Releases & Updates

Update:

• from Outset Media, MindTrap Geometrical Riddles and What? are in stock and ready for shipping!
• from Outset Media, MindTrap Classic Conundrums and Theories have been pushed back to a January release due to a heavy production schedule. We'll keep you posted on further developments and news on those two games.

New:

• from Outset Media, the Professor Noggin series in French! These games are great for the classroom, and now there's the added bonus of them being available to our French foreign language teachers too!
• from Rio Grande Games comes Carcassonne: Travel Edition, shipping today! Take Carcassonne on the go!

The holiday season is soon upon us, and we're busy gearing up for it! Don't wait to get the great games you and your family will love! Due out mid-November will be our holiday top 10 picks of the year, our favorite games that we know you'll love too. Be sure to check back and check it out, you never know what you'll find on the list or in our inventory!

New Releases & More Goodies!

Now Shipping:

• Zombie Fluxx from Looney Labs, a cranked up version of the great Fluxx game with a "Zombie uprising". "Zombie Fluxx... The ever-changing zombie card game"

New Releases:

• A release date has finally been set for the highly anticipated The Good, The Bad and The Munchkin! Get ready for it to hit stores on Wednesday November 7th!
• Also set to release on Nov. 7th, get ready for the revised editions of the classic Settlers of Catan series! Here's what we have to look forward to... "….featuring all new graphics….new card art, new box, new tiles, full color rules books….Catan the Settlers….interlocking board frame….all new tile art - every tile different….each tile will be special….Catan Seafarers and Catan Cities & Knights….exquisite new dice….Settlers of Catan, Seafarers of Catan, Cities and Knights of Catan will each contain a tray designed to hold the 5-6 player extension components for that segment….Settlers of Catan cards, Cities & Knights cards….now tuck boxed…." Because of the revision, prices will jump slightly on the core games from $38.00 to $42.00, but the 5&6 player expansions will remain the same at $20.00.

In Production:

• Another sequel to the Munchkin Cthulhu series is currently in production, Munchkin Cthulhu 3 - The Unspeakable Vault. Set for a mere $9.95, this latest release will feature more More Madness, More Monsters, and More Things That Put The Hurt On Monsters! "The Unspeakable Vault - more 'yum yum' for your Munchkin Cthulhu game." We'll keep you posted on a future release date.

Just Added:

• Check out the new Tavern Puzzle collection! These great wrought iron mind benders not only make great puzzles, but great eye candy when displayed on a shelf or on the wall!