HarajukuWarrior

The Chaos is what makes it Great

The noisy, fast paced, unsuspecting trades, are what appeal most to Pit’s audience.

The game play is pretty simple:

Offer up trades
Don’t get stuck with the Bear (nothing but bad)
Don’t get stuck with the Bull (unless you use it as a wild card)
First person to get a full set slams their hand on the bell.

There are no turns. Everything happens all at once.

When the bell finally goes off everything comes to a calm and you award the winner their points.

It’s an incredible game and probably one of the few that after a century can still hold itself (and well I might add) against the current creativity and resources available to modern games.

So why an 8 and not a 10?

1.) The original version of this game:

Gavitt’s Stock Exchange

Has artwork that I feel slows down the game BUT is way too classic to miss out on.

2.) Some people would prefer a quiet meadow filled with birds and butterflies while others would prefer to be thrown into the chaos and insanity that is Pit.

Flat Out, the game’s not for everyone.

In comparison to Jenga

Toc Toc Woodman is a topple game that by far outshines Jenga.
Why?

—–The Shape of the Pieces-

The shape of the pieces calls for a bit more observation that Jenga.
HOWEVER
The set up for toc toc woodman, is usually faster.

—–Using an Axe as opposed to fingers-

The problem with JENGA is that a majority of people with tremors or big hands have a much more difficult time playing the game.

The use of an axe is an extension of the body that makes everyone’s hit the same size.

Because the action itself (a whack) happens quicker the game is more balanced for people who may have trouble with games heavier in precision. (Operation)

Why so many people wanted to play it at Orcon 2012

It’s quick, allows for multiple rematches, and if it does last longer than expected it becomes all the more exciting.

So why is it a 9?

1.) The game is so simple that there’s room for more.
(Branches for the tree? More Bonus bark pieces? Toc Toc 2)

2.) The simplicity of the game can degrade the replay value over time.

HOWEVER

For the average person, it’s only a matter of time before they will want to go back and take another whack.

Improvements/Changes over the original:

—–The Good:

– More Female/Elegant races (A request from fans during the original)
– More Unique Themed Races:

Gnomes
Shadow Mimes
Cultists
Mummies
Spiderines
Mud Men
Shrooms,
Flames
Lizardmen
Iron Dwarves
Drow
Ogres
Krakens
Will-o-Wisps
Liches

– Abilities that activate after a race goes into decline
– Relics
– Monsters as opposed to Lost Tribes

—–The Minor Let downs:

– Races and powers from the original not present.
(Sorry No Flying Amazons)

– Some characters may have similar abilities and when you want to mix the sets you may want to pick and choose.

*** From my experience as a designer though it’s good they kept some of the mechanics that worked instead of completely revamping everything. I personally like choosing the more interesting version of a character ***

Down Time & Player Experience

Small World is actually a fairly short game often completable in less than an hour even with three or more players. It runs smooth, swift, and at a great pace.

It’s also long and tedious sometimes lasting two hours plus with downtime that will make you want to slap someone.

This is very dependent on who you play the game with.

The game provides several sheet copies of all the races and powers enough for everyone to have their own copy BUT often times people will wait until their turn to read up on the races they’re about to choose or plan a strategy for what they already have.

This can seriously ruin the Small World Experience and dramatically change the game play time. Specially for the impatient.

I LOVE this game but I will admit that you don’t want to play it with that guy/girl who always takes forever to make simple decisions.

Worthwhile Investment

Small World has had two full games and several expansions. The creators of the game listen to fans world wide (the inspiration for their expansion races/powers) and the more they create the more you want to collect.

While the instructions can feel a bit tough to read the first time around, the game itself is extremely easy to learn if you have someone at your side to explain it. Casual and Strategy fans can both enjoy this franchise although like any title there’s probably someone out there who’d rather sit out.

King of Tokyo isn’t a bad game but it certainly isn’t incredible either.

It’s good.

Quick and simple with cards that can make it slightly different each time you play. Not to mention, the artwork is great.

So why aren’t I head over heels in love with it?

Notice how I wrote “slightly different”

Where this game falls short is the immersion. You really don’t have many decisions other than re-rolling dice and “Do you want to leave Tokyo?” It’s less of monster clash and more of a Yahtzee with ability cards.

How the game is played

On your turn you roll six dice. You then have two turns to re-roll whichever dice you choose. The possibilities you get from those dice are:

Health, Energy Cube, or Deal damage.

After every turn where the current king is damaged that player may choose to leave Tokyo and then the current player for that turn must take their place.

You can use energy cubes to purchase abilities and items but like I mentioned before you don’t always feel like your swinging a spiked tail so much as you have a card that influences the play of the game.

Conclusion

It’s definitely worth trying out (specially if you like Quarriors) but I wouldn’t say that it’s for everyone.