A fast and fun version of Phase 10
586480
A fast and fun version of Phase 10. It's great that you move forward even if you lose, that way you never have to do the same phase more than once (i've had to do the same phase 7 times ones in regular phase 10). It's also really fun to gamble with a twist if you are really far behind and have a chance to catch up and possibly even pass everyone else.
2993541
I've played the traditional board for 50 years, and since my new wife and I play an average of ten games a week, it was time for something fresh. Our games had become "speed Scrabble" and were usually finished in 25 minutes, with the winner's score ranging from 325-410 or so. The $50 this version cost is equal to what we spend at the local cineplex for two movie dates with junk food. We expect to have thousands of hours of pleasure with this item. The board's ball-bearing ride does suck, as many other reviewers noted. Our solution has been to put the new larger board right on top of our old board and its lazy-susan turntable. Works fine that way on our dining table, on top of a placemat. It's been fun learning where the big score squares are, and waiting to get two "Q's" or two "X's" or two "Z's" at the same time. Our scores now, winning or losing, are usually in the mid-600's. It takes us 70 minutes for a game, cutting our play to one game a night, which doesn't hurt a bit. For anyone who likes to play regularly, with fairly competent opponents, I recommend it. You might end up making a few new words, and will definitely have fun learning the triple and quadruple letter square locations.
4261506
The game has received mixed reviews from all sources, so I'll give it my quick, honest coverage.

It looks pretty, sounds amazing, and is a lot of fun to play - to a point. If you get bored of repetition, this is not a game for you. There is one primary game mode that can be played as a competitive online leaderboard chase, Hunt. In addition, the Evacuation "campaign," and I use that term loosely, adds Nest, Rescue, and Defend modes to Hunt in a 5-stage match with balance shifts to favor the losing side.

Alongside these basic modes is Arena, where a Stage 2 Monster is pitted against a Hunter team in a permanent dome: kill or die.

Arena is fantastic for quick, entertaining, heart-pounding matches if you like excitement. Evacuation gives you a more immersive experience if you're into feeling the atmosphere of a game, and it's great for leveling up to get your max level perks. Hunt is the game's primary existence, always chasing a few more wins to get the next rank on the boards.

Now that the game has expanded to this degree, I feel comfortable rating it 4 stars. Monster gameplay continues to to be unique and thrilling, with Stage 1 being terrifying as you flee the enemy Hunters, and Stage 3 giving one a kind of maniacal ego boost as you rampage all over the poor humans who were silly enough to chase you down. Hunter gameplay is heavily, HEAVILY dependent on good teammates. If you're still learning the game, play in Solo with the difficulty favoring your team or you'll have a hard time winning as Hunter. The best way to play Hunter, though, is to get 3 other friends together and queue up as a full team to destroy the solo Monsters.

My biggest complaint is the DLC - the vanity items are wonderful but a bit pricy, and offering new Hunters and Monsters is becoming ridiculous in terms of scheduling. A year to stretch out 5 new characters is excessive, considering the Tier 4 Hunters and Behemoth were all released at the same time. It would also be nice to see price reductions for the older tiers of characters over time, to encourage purchases later on as new content is released. Maps and game modes continue to be freely added to the game, not as DLC.

Overall, a solid game, especially if you like playing Monster, or have friends to play Hunter with. Suffers from DLC shenanigans.
786320
This was a fun updated take on a small travel game with plastic pegs that I used to play with my sister. Best of all, not only does this game feature a pass and play mode where you may trade your kindle off with another player (NO PEEKING!) but you can also play three types of solitaire games.

The traditional version features each player taking 1 shot at another. You do this on the kindle by choosing the tile you want to bombard. There's also a salvo version that allows you to fire one shot per ship in your fleet. Each time you lose a ship, you lose one shot so if you're really unlucky, the opposing player can have a definite statistical advantage over you.

The version I've really enjoyed are the super weapons. In the solitaire mode, the super weapons are unlocked as you advance through the ranks. (You need to have sunk 300 ships to become a Fleet Admiral!) Each time you unlock a new weapon, you get different abilities. There's a homing missile that will automatically target a ship if you choose a point that's within a certain distance from the hidden target. There's a diamond shaped area burst that covers a fairly large area of the game board. There's a strafing shot that will take out anything within a 5 box line. It's all quite fun.

The only minor criticism I have is that the ship silhouettes (as seen from the side) don't match the view of the vessels when looking down on the digital game board.

The traditional version of Battleship features two opposing fleets, each with an aircraft carrier (5 spaces long), a cruiser (4 spaces long), a destroyer (3 spaces long), a submarine (3 spaces long), and a patrol boat (2 spaces long). The ships just described are clearly seen as silhouettes that are filled with black as each hit is scored.

For reasons unknown, when looking down at the digital game board to set up the position of your fleet, instead of a destroyer and a submarine, there are two destroyers.

It's a minor concern really and doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

Be aware that if you want to play this game while traveling, extensive use will drain the Kindle's battery far more quickly than if you were simply reading.
4267464
So I looked over that the clock and it was 2:30am!

That is what happened to me the other night while playing the game for a "few minutes" before going to bed.  This version of R&C is a blast and the levels are a lot of fun going through. It's easy for a player to get pulled into each world with potential bad guys around the next corner, the great background sounds, and awesome graphics.

My only issues (minor) are that I would like to see the game a little more difficult.  For example: more "secret" things - like more bolts to find; more things to bash in the landscape, and more hidden areas to discover.  Also, maybe some levels that limit the type of weapons that can be used - like on some of the arena challenges.

Other than that, it's a great game!  I'm looking forward to eventually reaching 1,500,000 so that I can cash in for the ultimate weapon.
1400163
my brother in law suggested this game and it intrigued me because I like Monopoly but the board game is one that is exciting at first and then drags on after awhile.  I don't know if I've ever finished a game.  but THIS game is a ton of fun.  it is much quicker but still long enough to be enjoyable and the replay value is high.  it invokes different strategies depending on how quickly you want the game over or how you want the game to go.  collecting 3 complete properties is easy and fast so if you hold sets in your hand and then drop them quickly, it's over and everyone gets mad because they had a strategy all laid out for the next half dozen turns.  but if you want to drag it out and torture other players, you can throw down a set or two, build them, play down a couple of wash properties and then slam enormous rent and send others to the soup line.  my sis in law is biting at the bit to play again because I keep winning.  I am even thinking of altering the game a bit and adding another set or 2 to make it 4 or 5 complete properties to win just to get a little more gameplay.  for <$10 on amazon or at your local store, it is well worth the value.
1302993
I'm a big fan of co-op games.  We love Forbidden Island, Pandemic, and Castle Panic.  Flash Point is very similar in mechanics to Pandemic -- you get 4 action point to spend per turn (moving, putting out smoke/fire, rescuing victims, etc.) and them the fire continues to spread.  There are two 'modes' to this game, Family and Advanced.  We've primarily played the Family mode just to get familiar with the game and to introduce new players to the game.  If you want a more complex, strategic experience, the Advanced mode offers numerous new elements to the game.

What I like:
 - The theme is great and lends itself very well to the co-op format
 - The double-sided board is awesome and I wish more games did this.  It's like getting a free expansion and really adds to the variety and replayability.
 - The multiple mode allow this game to scale well depending on what ages and experience levels you're playing with.
 - The production quality is top notch.
 - Double-sided board

My only real criticism is that I feel like the jump from Family to Advanced is fairly significant.  I would like to have seen some of the Advanced additions (random starting fire placement, hazmat, vehicles, hotspots, player roles, etc.) available as individual modular additions.  It's designed to either play a very simple version of the game, or a very complex version - unless you customize and tweak it yourself outside of the rules, there's really nothing in between.  In fact, I would say it's enough that many casual gamers will probably never venture past the Family mode, which is okay, but a fairly light experience with not enough variety in itself to offer much replayability.

Overall, if you enjoy co-ops like Pandemic or Forbidden Island, I would highly recommend this, especially if the firefighter theme interest you.  Personally, I enjoy this game and expect it to see some regular play, but Pandemic probably still sits a bit above it in my list.
3771016
It takes a little getting used to, but I like how it's possible to play all the songs in a set at once. The new stages are great, too. Overall great game.
2728342
This is a relatively new game (at the time of this review) so I was excited to try it out based on recommendations from Board Game Geek. This game is quick and can easily be played in 30 minutes or less. It's strategic, but there is a good amount of randomness in the game as well (especially if you aren't paying attention). I recommend this for anyone who's looking to add a cool party game to their collection. Plays up to 13, which is a huge bonus for me.
1530490
Offering the most realistic adaptation of Jeopardy you can get, Atari faithfully re-creates the game in complete detail.  Besides the fact that you can play alone and with others (much more fun this way), some other mildly interesting options were thrown in the mix.
Players can take sample exams that are given to prospective contestants vying to be on the show.  Although not connected to game play, it will surely test your basic knowledge.  During your progress through the game, your statistics will be recorded to include wins and losses, total earnings, best and worst game scores, and your totals of correct and incorrect answers.  After achieving a specific amount of winnings, you qualify to participate in Tournament of Champions contests.
Although Jeopardy doesn't have difficulty settings as to the trivia questions, they're not really needed.  There is a nice mix of questions that range from relatively easy to moderately challenging.  For those looking to gain an outright advantage from the start, you can adjust the buzz-in time, response time, and computer I.Q. in the options area.
The game designers appeared to have a good plan in mind when they put this game together and it all flows pretty smoothly.  Aside from a couple of slow load screens and a mildly annoying full motion video clip of Alex Trebek jumping in and out between question selection screens, game play is straightforward and fun.  My only reservation with Jeopardy is the listed 5,200 or so answers.  If you play for long, consistent periods of time, you're bound to see repeats of the same categories sooner than you'd like.  So far, I'm happy to report that after playing the game with my wife for many hours (we're trivia hounds), we have yet to see any repeated categories or answers.
Jeopardy is quite entertaining and is recommended to anyone who likes trivia and thinking games and, of course, to those who are fans of the game show itself.
3629432
At out house, we are regular users and big fans of the Just Dance franchise of video games.  With one son (12) that loves video games and another (10) who loves dancing, these are the perfect games for us.  We usually upgrade with each new release because of the new songs and dance moves.  With the previous release, we went with the Wii version (instead of Wii U) because of concern that the gamepad would make things more difficult in the Wii U version.  This is the first Wii U version we have owned.  I was glad to see that it is just as easy to use.  You can quickly navigate the game and jump into a song using just the Wii remote.  The Wii Gamepad can be used in "Party Master Mode" where one player can serve as DJ and switch up change rules, songs, or moves for the other players.  This is not a feature we use often but was fun when we tried it.  Rest assured, this is an optional feature and this version is as easy to use as the Wii version.

One of the things we like about this game is that all songs are unlocked from the beginning (although bonus features can be unlocked).  This is nice since my kids are interested in playing as many songs as possible.  The classic mode is as dependable as always.  This one also includes the battle and Just Sweat modes, the latter of which allows you to dance away for a period of time and get a good workout.  One of the nice new modes is the World Dance Floor; this adds an online competitive element to the game; something we have used a few times and something that I think many users will appreciate.  Other new modes are On Stage mode (one player dances a lead role and the others are back-up) and Karoake (players sing along to the songs).  These new modes add new levels to an already fun game.

The song selection is pretty impressive.  There are current pop hits and older songs as well.  My kids loved that "Ghostbusters" was included.  They also loved that Slimer was a part of this song.  I should caution that not all songs are avialable in all modes.  In addition to the nearly 50 songs there are additional downloadable songs available.

Ultimately, this is another fine and fun installment in a consistently high quality series.
4445821
The ten scenes or levels in game were clear and objects were fairly easy to find. Very enjoyable and cheerful but short game. Worth the inexpensive cost of it. I downloaded it on a desktop computer Windows 10 and had no problem.
1290205
If you are a fan of real-time strategy games, then this bundle is definitely worth considering. The platinum pack contains three different real-time strategy games set in the Warhammer 40K sci-fi universe: Dawn of War, Winter Assault, and Dark Crusade. Dawn of War and Winter Assault are both plot-driven RTS games with an interesting storyline and challenging obstacles; Dark Crusade, however, is a map-control game similar to Risk. I found all three to be enjoyable, and they helped to satisfy my cravings for a new RTS game on the PC.

Individually, the games in this bundle have a number of drawbacks. DoW and WA are both very short and have limited replayability (once you know the plot twists, the scenarios just aren't as enjoyable). The battles in Dark Crusade don't follow much of a plotline, but the map-control aspect of it has more replayability. Together in one bundle, the games make up for each-other's individual flaws and provide something for all RTS interests: plotline scenarios (DoW & WA), replayability (DC), and race choices (DoW and WA [to a limited extent]).

Multiplayer: There is both internet and LAN play with this bundle. Most of this is in Dark Crusade, but the keys from the other two games unlock races for multiplayer in DC. The internet play in DC is based on Gamespy, and was very buggy when I attempted it (to the point where I stopped trying). Others have apparently had better luck, however.

Note: The final expansion/game for Dawn of War I is Soulstorm. It was released in March of 2008, and is not included in this bundle.
3142495
I was wondering if it was worth the effort to get 10 when version 9 was working so well for me. An upgrade to Vista on my pc was also scary but at this point I felt necessary.  Ver. 9 and XP were a great combo so I was hoping at least I would get the same type of performance from 10.  I shouldn't have worried as experience taught me that Easy Media is reliable.  Once again the install was trouble free.  1-touch copying remains intact even though there are even more formats.  I haven't gotten a dual layer burner yet but it does have the ability to squash down the files enough to fit onto a standard dvd.  Just like I've expanded my digital needs, roxio has expanded it's programs. My ipod nano has 8GB of storage but now I have the tools to fit as much as possible.  Videowave has a good cutting technique which is really fast once you get the hang of it.  There are multiple choices of compression. My ipod wouldn't be as functional without this program.  I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
1371119
This is a very palatable and fast new format for reviving the old Battletech minis and bringing new people into the action. However there are a few fundamental issues. The point buy system is easily exploitable, this is easy enough to deal with as long as its understood, people should buy units with in game currency or use an agreed upon template of unit types and era. The biggest problem comes with the inability to diversify the various impacts of weapon load-outs. There should be slightly more detail in that regard for those of us who wish to play out engagements of smaller sizes, similar to those common in classic Battletech. For example there should be a margin of success for mechs with many small arms to still cause some damage on a near miss. Contrarily mechs with one or two massive weapons, like the Hollander or Hunchback, lose out on a lot of their feel when a single volly merely causes a bit of damage instead of posing a serious threat to critically damage smaller mechs. I've solved both issues with house rules and I think these minor touches really restore the feel of the Battletech game and still allow for the fast paced streamlined play that Alpha Strike offers. It is now much easier to incorporate combined arms, aerospace, infantry and armor into a single battle in a short time.
2227104
Very fun game.  The fact it only goes for about 10 minutes for each game is awesome for a short-attention span family.  The accompanying app you download and use makes the gameplay very easy and more engaging.
1314404
This is a fantastic squad-based, turn-by-tun board game that is a lot of fun and Japanime Games have done an excellent job with the models, the board, the components, even the rule book.  The rule book takes you through several playable tutorials, starting with a very basic 1-on-1 scenario, and as you progress through the book it builds on the previous scenario, adding more rules each time, until you're playing a full squad vs. squad game. Or you can just jump right in by turning to the back few pages and going for it.

I love that while the cardboard trees, bushes, & crates have to be assembled prior to the very first game play, they do NOT need to be disassembled for storage; when you're done everything fits neatly back into the box, ready for the next game. Although the scenery is constructed of thick, solid cardboard, so the trees & bushes fit snugly together, my first gripe is with the crates. They need a few drops (or drizzles) of glue along the inside (if you're a perfectionist) to hold them together. Or you can use tape, but from the images I've seen online I think tape looks tacky, given how amazing everything else looks, especially the character models. For factory painted figures they are very well done. I've painted my own WH40K models and they don't look as good as these do.

My second gripe is the variance between the models. Although the eight models that come with the base game are all uniquely individual, it's possible to purchase expansion packs and get 2-3 models of the same mold as those you already have. For the most part they will be new characters with their own skills & spells and their own unique paint job, but they've obviously come from the same mold. Also, some of the figures from the base game ARE found in some of the expansion packs.  That's not a big deal, it's just something to consider if you're buying an expansion pack and looking for variety among your new models.

The recommended age is 14 & up, but if your child has any experience with League of Legends or other DotA-type games there's a good chance they'll pick up the mechanics of Krosmaster faster than you may. If you're the parent of an 8-15 year old boy and you're looking for a good game to play with him and get in some quality time, this is definitely a game to consider buying. One, it's not a video game (although it is based on one...which is actually a plus for some boys), and two, it's not just a two-player game but includes rules for 4 players, being two 2-player teams. So if you have the traditional 2+2 Nuclear family, this can make a great addition to the family games night line-up.

The first few times you play, it will take approximately 1 hour to play, but after playing a few games and becoming more familiar with the rules, that time can be reduced, and depending on how lucky (or unlucky) your dice rolls are, you may finish some games within 30 minutes or so. Don't count on it, though. Expect and plan to be playing for an hour or so, per game, but know that it will be an hour well spent.