Board Game Posts

You and your fellow explorers are tracking the animals of the Costa Rican forest! Explore the streams, forests and highlands of the tropical land, and try to count as many animals as you can.

As expedition leader, you choose which direction your group goes-but if you choose to press forward, others in your group may take credit for what you've found. And, if you encounter too many threats, your expedition may come to a premature end.

Components

• 72 rainforest tiles
• 30 explorer markers (in five colors)
• 1 expedition marker
• Rulebook

Object of the Game

Earn credit for animals (the more, the better) and for finding at least one of each of the animals. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner! …

Wizards roam the land wielding the four elements in a quest to complete their brew - the elixir of life. Prove that you're the world's greatest alchemist by using powerful spells to control the elements and be the first to acquire the ingredients needed to complete your wizard's brew.

Components

• 1 Game Board
• 36 Spell Cards
• 112 Element Cards
• 6 Cauldrons - cardboard placards
• 20 Landmark Tokens
• 52 Ingredient Tokens
• 1 Grab Bag
• 60 Energy Cubes
• 1 Special Six-sided Wooden Die
• 1 Wizard Marker
• Horse Marker
• 2 Player Aid Sheets
• Rulebook

Setup

Place the game board in the middle of the table and the special die next to the 1 - 6 boxes printed on the board. …

There are two ways to play Krakatoa: the Basic Game, which is intended for learning the game, and the Advanced Game, which is the "real" Krakatoa. Rules that are printed in black apply for both games, but rules printed in blue pertain only to the Advanced Game.

If you are learning Krakatoa for the first time, simply skip the blue rules. You can come back to them once you have mastered the basics.

Components

• 3 white Dodecas (the steam set)
• 3 gray Dodecas (the ash set)
• 3 black Dodecas (the lava set)
• Scorepads
• 4 Reference Cards

Game Play

Opening Throw-off

Before actual play begins, there is a "throw-off" to see which player will start the game. Each player throws any set of 3 dodecas of the same color. The higher-scoring set goes first. …

Components

• 4 black starting line and finishing line "posts"
• 5 sets of 7 worm segments
• 5 dice
• 1 finish line
• Instructions

Object of the Game

Be the first worm to reach the finish line.

Setup

• Worm Up! can be played on any smooth, flat surface.

• Prepare the racecourse. At one end of the course place the finish line. Put 2 posts inside the holes of the finish line. The 2 remaining posts should be placed approximately 2 feet away and spread approximately 6 to 8 inches apart to form the starting line. …

Components

• 52 animal tokens (showing 8 animals)
• 8 bonus tiles (one for each animal)
• 1 monkey bag
• Instructions

Setup

Place all of the animal tokens in the bag and mix them. Display the 8 bonus tiles face-up; the number on each bonus tile indicates how many tokens of the animal pictured are in the game.

Select one player to start; players take turns in clockwise order. Over the course of the game, each player collects animal tokens.

Bonus Tiles

Game Play

Start your turn by drawing one token from the bag. Place this token face up in front of you - not on your personal stack. …

Pay some good hard cash to buy your letters. Then form a word to sell at a profit - if you can. Your payoff depends on the quantity, and quality, of the letters in the word.

Components

• 108 Letter Tiles
• 9 Wild Tiles
• 4 Price Lists
• 1 Special Die
• Play Money
• Rules Manual
• Handy Carry Bag
• Instructions

Setup

Remove the money from the box and pile it neatly in the center of the table. Each player begins with $200 in the following denominations: 2 - $50, 3 - $20, 2 - $10, 3 - $5, 5 - $1. The remaining bills should remain on the table serving as "the bank". …

Components

• 3 Bacchanalia Cards
• 80 Maenad Cards
• 36 Action Cards
• 1 Satyr Kidnap Scoring Reference Card
• Rules Sheet

Setup

• Take the 3 Bacchanalia Cards from the deck and place them face-up on one side of the table.

• Place the Satyr Kidnap Scoring Reference Card where all players can see it.

• Shuffle the Maenad Cards and place 5 of them, randomly and unseen, into the box and out of the game.

• Deal one card to each player, sight unseen to the other players. This forms the player's opening hand. …

Components

• 10 Exchange Cards
• 6 Player Reference cards
• 100 Stones -- 20 in each of 5 colors
• Special Die
• 45 Ware Cards
• Instructions

Object of the Game

Through skillful trading and re-trading, each player attempts to gain the right combination of colored stones from the Bank to purchase the wares displayed in the Bazaar.

Values of the various wares are determined by the number of stones the purchaser holds following his transaction. Trading is governed by the current rates posted at the Exchange.

When all the wares from two of the stalls have been sold, the Bazaar is closed, the game ends, and the player with the highest score wins! …

Components

• 16 Clan Leader cards
• 48 Clan Member cards
• 1 Noblemen Reminder card
• 1 Guardians Reminder card
• 1 Scoring Reminder card
• Instructions

The game depicts intrigue and treachery among the Scottish clans vying for the crown.

Clans ascend the pyramid of cards, rising from the bottom three rows of commoners, through the ranks of noblemen and guardians, until one finally gains the crown and is named King of Scotland.

Once a king is crowned, clans can only continue to advance by committing acts of betrayal against their neighbors. Players continue by playing influence cards until everyone has passed, thereby ending the game. …

Components

• 78 Deck Cards
• 12 Gift Cards
• Instructions

Overview

12 Days of Christmas is a game for 2 to 8 players that is played with a special deck of playing cards inspired by the classic carol.

Your goal is to acquire the most gifts by giving away all the cards in your hand before your fellow players.

It is easiest to do when you are the Lead Player, as you have the opportunity to play the first card(s) of a given turn.

If you played the lowest card in the previous hand, you will be this hand's Lead Player. However, as the carol reminds us, low cards are rare - there is only one partridge in a pear tree. …