Pass the Pigs

The Basics
This very portable beer & pretzels game comes as a pocket travel case containing 2 pig dice, two pencils and a scoring booklet that also includes the scoring table. The pigs are actual pig miniatures, with a dot on their right flanks.

The object is to be the first to score 100 points using "pigs" as dice. On your turn, you throw the pigs and hope they end up in a scoring position such as a "snouter", "trotter" or "leaning jowler" (ranging in value from 1 to 60 points); if they do, you decide whether to "cash" the points (pass the pigs to the next player) or to roll again. If you roll a non-scorer ("pig out" --one pig on the right flank, the other on the left flank; a fairly frequent result), you lose any as-yet-uncashed points. If you throw an "oinker" (both pigs touch each other), you lose your entire accumulated score. If you throw a "piggyback" (one pig on top of the other), you're altogether eliminated!

The variant Hog Call rules allow the other players to risk predicting the outcome of the throw; if predicted successfully, the hog caller earns twice the value of the position *and* deducts that same amount from the roller's score!

How to Play

• Font Face (Rules)
• Hasbro (Official Rulebook)
• THQ Wireless (Online Rules/Demo)

Where to Play

• Font Face: http://www.fontface.com/games/pigs/ (Java) Free
• THQ Wireless (also on IPhone) http://us.thqwireless.com/content.html?id=4272 (DEMO)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Player Aid Not Needed

Game Hints

• My Tip: Roll 3 or try to get 20 points before stopping for the round (aka play it safe at first).
  

Views

• Opinion: I enjoyed this game alot. Very simple dice rolling game.
  
• Online: Works fine online, or on a phone. Great way to spend some time when your travelling and don't feel like reading.
  
• Work: Short. quick and fun!
• Home: Very good game, just watch the small pieces. Every home should have this.
  

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 2-10 players, best with any, but I like 2 - 4.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy loves it
• Re-playability: It does see table, online and IPhone action.
• Real Life Setup: Seconds, just take the piece out of the case, make sure to have a pencil.
• Real Life Time: Depends on how many are playing. Usually less than 20 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/2593

Metro

The Basics: Similar to Streetcar, Tsuro and Spaghetti Junction, this game has players putting square tiles onto the board to form rail lines. The major difference in this game, however, is that players are not striving to make short, direct routes like those sought in Streetcar. Instead, the object of the game is to make the rail lines as long as possible. Players start with a number of trains ringing the board. Whenever a tile placement connects a train to a station (either on the edge or the center of the board), that train is removed and the player scores one point for each tile that the route crosses, which can cause one tile to score multiple times if the track loops around. However, players score double for city connections, which are the stations in the center of the board.

How to Play

* Blue Ring: http://www.bluering.nl/sieuwert/games/metro/index.html (Rules)
* Queen Games: Rulebook (Official Rulebook)

Where to Play Online

BlueRing.NL : http://www.bluering.nl/sieuwert/games/metro/index.html (Free)
BlueRing.NL : http://www.bluering.nl/sieuwert/games/metro/metro.zip (Download)

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

* None, its very simple. Just read and play the online game. It is just a tile placement game, where you want to reach the center of the board and screw your buddies if possible.

Game Hints

* Good Review on the Geek: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/191357
* My Tips: Just play solo until you get it.

Views

* Opinion: I enjoyed this game, I just dont play it enough.
* Online: Works fine online.
* Work: Could be to long the first time, but should be fine after that for lunch time play.
* Home: Should be a good family game.

Other Info

* Plays best with: Works fine with 2-6 players, best with 3 (imho, but 2-6 is fine).
* Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn.
* Spouse Suitability: Chrissy hasn't played this yet, but she has played Tsuro which is similar and she liked that one (after her first game).
* Re-playability: It doesn't see table action, but Tsuro does.
* Real Life Setup: A minute, just pull out the board place tiles (place in bag).
* Real Life Time: 45 minutes.
* Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/559

Fluxx

The Basics
Description: A card game where the cards themselves determine the current rules of the game. By playing cards, you change numerous aspects of the game: how to draw cards, how to play cards, and even how to win.

I recommend using the YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcR0nSmoUsw and the Wunderland site http://www.wunderland.com/LooneyLabs/Fluxx/HowToPlay.html to understand the game (outside of asking me).

How to Play Wunderland

• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcR0nSmoUsw (Video)
  
• Wunderland: http://www.wunderland.com/LooneyLabs/Fluxx/HowToPlay.html (Online Rulebook)

Where to Play Online

• Volity.Net: http://volity.net/index.html

Cheat Sheets

• 1 Page how to on the Geek: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepage/1916
• Wunderland: http://www.wunderland.com/LooneyLabs/Fluxx/HowToPlay.html

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: http://www.wunderland.com/LooneyLabs/Fluxx/HowToPlay.html
• My Tips: Just play, I don't feel there is much strategy here, the game constantly changes.
  

Views

• Opinion: I enjoy this game only face to face. It is an easy game to learn. I can teach it and go over it at lunch time, at the house.
• Online: Works fine online, but you don't get the same feel as face to face.
• Work: Would easily fit after lunch.
• Home: Easy and fun game for a family and friends.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works with 2-6 players, best with 4-5.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn, at the most just watch the YouTube video.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy hasn't played this yet.
• Re-playability: Very infrequent it does not see table or online action.
• Real Life Setup: Seconds, just shuffle the cards.
• Real Life Time/Length: 15-20 minutes.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/258
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36345

Cosmic Encounter

The Basics
Description: In Cosmic Encounter, each player is the leader of an alien race. The object of the game is to establish colonies in other players' planetary systems. Players take turns trying to establish colonies. The winner(s) are the first player(s) to have five colonies on any planets outside his or her home system. A player does not need to have colonies in all of the systems, just colonies on five planets outside his or her home system. These colonies may all be in one system or scattered over multiple systems. The players must use force, cunning, and diplomacy to ensure their victory.

How to Play

• Board Games with Scott (Video for the Board Game)
• Cosmic Encounter.com (Flash for the Online Version)
• Fantasy Flight Games (Latest Rulebook)

Where to Play Online

• Cosmic Encounter.Com (Free for some races, pay for lots of races) - Uses older rules.

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• RangerRob's Quick Reference Guide (from the Geek)
• Universal Head COSMIC ENCOUNTER Rules Reference (from the Geek)
• Aliens At A Glance (from the Geek)

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: Make Allies with at least one other player, and pick on the weakest player/link. Then stick it to everyone for the win.
  
• My Tips: Just play the game and don't take it seriously if you get screwed by friends.

Views

• Opinion: I enjoy this game. Until Dave brought over the new version for a game day, I forgot how fun it was.
• Online: Works fine online, might be better for new players.
• Work: Could be to long the first time, but should be fine after that for lunch time play. Online play during lunch would be ideal.
• Home: Great game for the family, but you would want the kids to be teenagers.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 3-5 players, best with 5 (IMHO), 4 is fine online.
• Gateway Suitability: I would say yes on learning how to play. Now knowing what to do to win is another matter.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy likes the bits, but hasn't played this yet.
• Re-playability: If your into it, then it is frequent. Online version is pretty good.
• Real Life Setup: Five plus minutes, sort pieces, stack some stuff and read up on your race(s).
• Real Life Time/Length: 60 Minutes (minimum).
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39463 (new Version)
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15 (older Version)
• Foot Note: I own the FFG and the AH versions, unfortunately I don't own the Mayfair version any longer.

Agricola

The Basics
Description: In Agricola, you're a farmer in a wooden shack with your spouse and little else. On a turn, you get to take only two actions, one for you and one for the spouse, from all the possibilities you'll find on a farm: collecting clay, wood, or stone; building fences; and so on. You might think about having kids in order to get more work accomplished, but first you need to expand your house. And what are you going to feed all the little rugrats?

The rules include a beginner's version and an advanced version.

Agricola is a turn-based game. There are 14 game turns plus 6 harvest phases (after turn 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 14).

Each player starts with two playing tokens (farmer and wife) and thus can take two actions per turn. There are multiple options, and while the game progresses, you'll have more and more: first thing in a turn, a new action card is flipped over.

Problem: Each action can be taken just once per turn, so it's important to do some things with high preference.

Each player also starts with a hand of 7 job cards (of more than 160 total) and 7 item cards (of more than 140 total) that he/she may use during the game if they fit in his/her strategy. Speaking of: there are countless strategies, some depending on your card hand. Sometimes it's a good choice to stay on course and sometimes it is better to react to your opponents actions

How to Play

• Board Games with Scott (Video)
• ZMan Games (Rulebook)

Where to Play Online

• Banach Real Time Play
• Geek Solo Play (solo only download) with a how to at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/2002531#2002531

Helpful Sheets

• Extras from Lookout Games
• Compendium on the Geek

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/239735
• My Tips: I'm not that good, you don't want tips from me.

Views

• Opinion: Haven't played it enough to give a detailed opinion. So far, I do like it a lot. Solo play is fun, Real time play takes a few tries (for me) to get it down. So far though playing it has been rewarding.
• Online: Works fine online, but would recommend face to face or solo play first.
• Work: Would be to long, maybe the real time version could work.
• Home: Haven't played versus wife yet.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 2-6 players (or 1).
• Gateway Suitability: I would say no.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy hasn't played this yet..
• Re-playability: It does see solo action.
• Real Life Setup: Can take 5 minutes if things aren't sorted correctly.
• Real Life Time/Length: Two hours, maybe an hour if we are real quick about it.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31260

Lexio

The Basics
Description: Lexio is a game based on the traditional Chinese game system of "Zhengshangyou", the climbing game, and is virtually the same game as Big Two (also known as Chinese Poker). There are many other card games based on the same mechanism (The Great Dalmuti, Gang of Four, Tichu, etc.), but Lexio uses tiles similar to those in Mah Jong instead of cards, and they are of excellent construction. In accordance with Chinese tradition, the number "2" is the strongest number. The suits are named after the sun, the moon, the stars and the wind.

How to Play: I would recommend coming and asking me. Then again the Marquand site is easy to learn from. If you ever played Tichu, Big Two you dont need a real explanations.

Where to Play Online

• http://www.marquand.net/index.php?topic=lexio

Cheat Sheets (from the Geek)

• Player Aid: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/filepage/25018

Game Hints

• Basic Strategy: None, I don't want you to beat me.
  
• My Tips: Play it often

Views

• Opinion: I love Lexio (and Big Two). It is an easy game to learn and becomes very addictive. I can teach it and go over it at lunch time, at the house or online.
• Online: Works great online
• Work: Very easy to play at lunch time.
• Home: Great game for the family or a couple.

Other Info

• Plays best with: Works fine with 5, but 2-4 is ok as well. But 2 player I would rather play Big Two.
• Gateway Suitability: Very easy to learn, might take a round to grasp.
• Spouse Suitability: Chrissy likes this.
• Re-playability: Very high, more so if folks like Poker (or nice tiles).
• Real Life Setup: A few minutes, just placing take the tiles out of the box and hand out some chips.
• Real Life Time/Length: Depends on how many rounds you choose. It can take 20 minutes, it could take more.
• Geek Link: http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/19184