Here's plugging two games that I've been enjoying lately:

Dice Wars is a good little miniature online game for one person, playable in about 20 minutes and very satisfying for its size. The text below the game explains the rules, but suffice to say, it's basically Risk but built to be played rapidly thanks to some rule simplification and a very swift AI. (Thanks for suggesting it, Joandy!)

I've started playing Risk: Legacy with friends every few weeks. It has invented a new genre, the "legacy" board game: You permanently alter it by playing, such as placing stickers on the board that can't be removed, or tearing up certain cards, et cetera. This forces you to think on whole new strategic levels, because you're not just concerned with the current game, but the next one and the next one and beyond. It's highly clever and innovative, and it keeps refreshing itself with new rules so that you get to keep trying out new strategies. If you're into board games and you have a group of five people that you can gather regularly (it's best to play with the same people every time), I can't recommend this title enough.


One Reply to Risky Games

Scott Hardie | November 24, 2014
The more I play Risk: Legacy, the more impressed I am. It really runs with its twist. I don't want to spoil specific details, but one example is that using too many high-grade weapons at once can permanently transform that territory and change how that faction is treated by others forever. it reinforces the idea that your actions have bigger consequences than just the battle at hand. The game is fiendishly clever with its twists and surprises, constantly challenging you to think ever more carefully about your actions. This is turning out to be one of the best board games I've ever played, and I play a lot of games. I highly recommend gathering four friends and playing it yourself. (Each game lasts about an hour, and it's designed to be played at least 15 times, so you do the math on how many Saturday afternoons it will take your group.)


Logical Operator

The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »

Crying in Baseball

Kelly and I won tickets to see a Tampa Bay Rays game in a deluxe suite last night. We've been excited about it for weeks, looking forward to a good game, good seats, and good food, all paid except the parking. What we got was a let-down. Go »

Cheesed

If life is about simple pleasures, does the return of Taco Bell's chili cheese burrito qualify? I don't know if it's nationwide, but they've returned on a wave of marketing around here. It was my favorite menu item a decade ago, until lack of counter space in the kitchen eliminated chili from a supposedly "Mexican" restaurant. Go »

Ten Best of 2006

The feature is done. It was frustrating not being able to see more movies this year, and the brevity of the feature reflects that. Comments about the list, or mentions of your own favorite films last year, are welcome in the replies to this post. Go »

Abortion Aborted

Earlier this week, The Onion published another eyebrow-raiser: Actress' Abortion Written Into TV Show, with a photo of Leah Remini. Later that day, it changed without explanation into the much tamer Apple Unveils New Product-Unveiling Product. (link) Normally they never back down from a legal challenge or controversy, and good taste obviously isn't a factor, so I wonder why they changed the article. Go »

Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring, Banana Camera Phone

I need to get a camera phone. I keep seeing things that I want to take a picture of, but I don't bring my camera with me, and even if I did, I wouldn't be fast enough with it. Yesterday I pulled up behind a landscaping truck that had one of those "how's my driving?" Go »

Only in the Web Era

Victim's cell phone is stolen on subway. Thief takes photos of his own wife, family, dog, and home. Cell phone automatically uploads them to victim's Flickr account. Go »