dbalmerjr

Nice art, good price, a solid game with a couple flaws. First is the “well, I died, so I’ll just sit over here while the rest of you have fun” effect. It’s just not fun 2 of 4 players die and are playing with their phones for 15-20min. The second issue is replay value because the complexity is hard to find. There is some bettering strategy involved but it falls flat unless a couple of the players are playing randomly. That said, if you get addicted to pushing your luck and maybe have some drinks on hand this might be your game.

Othello is a favorite in my family, but the new game board is lacking. Flipping pieces happens a lot in Othello, it’s what makes it so unique. The new game board now includes “rails” between the squares which I guess are intended to hold the pieces and keep them in a nicer array. In practice the pieces fit so tightly that every flip turns into a bumble-fest of digging, flipping and sliding that drags the game’s pacing. They don’t fit tightly enough to use for travel though, so it’s pure annoyance. That said, the game itself is brilliant. This edition just might not be your best bet.