Episode 152: From Russia With Love

Release Date: May 14, 2012

Running Time:  124 min.

Listen Now:

Download:
Enhanced Version 
MP3 Version

Subscribe via iTunes:
Enhanced - MP3

See sidebar for other subscription options


 

Fun from the frozen north. We review 3 titles from Russian publisher Right Games: Evolution, Potion Making Practice and The Enigma of Leonardo. 

News & Notes:  Wrong Chemistry, Sausage Dice, Mensa Awards
Right Games Reviews:  Evolution: The Origin of Species, Potion Making Practice, Enigma of Leonardo
Back Shelf Spotlight:  Sceptre 1027 A.D.
Game Sommelier:  5 out of print "grail" games to play
Mail Bag: Dwarf/Orc dice, Hike on Easter Island, Lyle Otterbein 

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

News & Notes

Wrong Chemistry   Kickstarter

Manipulate tiles and discs to create patterns that match your chemical element cards.

Wurfelwurst  BGG  |  Kosmos

Sausage dice. Need we say more?

MENSA 2012 Mind Games Awards  Link

Iota    Link

A Qwirkle-ish card game where players score by creating patterns based on similarities or differences.

Coerceo  Link

A modular board, abstract strategy game whereplayers attempt to surround opponent's pieces as the board shrinks.

Mine Shift    Mindware

Manipulate the mine tiles while trying to move your pieces toward your opponent's home area.

Snake Oil  Link

Try to sell your fake product to an unsuspecting buyer by making the best 30 second pitch.

Tetris Link    Techno Source

Drop your tetraminos into the slide rack and score points based on the lines you create.

Right Games

Games mentioned in the intro: The War, Jam, The Great Hoodoo, Kingdoms of Crusaders, Gobba, Zombie! Run for Your Lives

Evolution: The Origin of Species  BGG |  Right Games

Guide your organisms through the game by adding different traits and abilities which will help them eat and survive.

Potion Making Practice  BGG | Right Games

Mix simple potions using recipes and the table of elements to score points and enable you to mix bigger and more powerful spells.

Dave made a very helpful potion table showing which ingredients are used in each potion.  Download the PDF

Enigma of Leonardo  BGG  |  Right Games

 

Play cards to your grid hoping to create matches of 3 identical icons. Collect enough keys by making matches to win the game.

Back Shelf Spotlight

Sceptre 1027 A.D.   BGG 

A 4 player chess variant that adds terrain and a modular board.

The Game Sommelier

The Challenge: 5 out of print "grail" games you'd like to play

Stephen's Selections:

Jati

Waldschattenspiel

Master Thieves

Sjoelen

Qyshinsu

Mail Bag

Thanks to Larry Mendel for the links to these cool Orc/Dwarf dice.

Thanks to Allen Chen for sending in this great picture of his sons Bryson and Peyton playing the card game Hike on Easter Island!

Thanks to Lyle Otterbein for his Kickstarter stretch goal ideas.

Music

Music credits include

Kalinka  Red Army Choir  | the song

Morning Gymnastics (Утренняя гимнастика)  Vladimir Vysotsky  |  the song

Moscow to Odessa (Москва - Одесса)   Vladimir Vysotsky  |  the song

Cosmonaut Petrov  Red Elvises  |  the song

All Agreed (Все решено)  Elvira T  |  the song

About You (Около тебя)  Elka  |  the song

From Russia With Love  Giuliano Palma & the Bluebeaters  |  the song

Errata

I'm sure there are some goofs in there somewhere. Let us know if (when?) you find one!

Sponsored Link: Starlit Citadel  Facebook | Twitter | G+

Masters of Commerce  Link

Sponsored Link: Board Game Guy   Link

Thunderstone: Advance  Link

Comments

I used to play Shulbok (sjoelen) about 20 years ago when I was in college in Auburn, Alabama.  There was a cafe there that had a bunch of tables where you could play.  It was a lot of fun and I've always wanted to get one of those tables that had the sjoelbak (board) plus the area on the side for food and drinks.

A board game that includes room for food and drink... You're making me want a Shlubok / Sjelbak board even more!

Is there a big community of Dutch folks in Auburn? Seems like a random thing so far from the home country.